She laughed sweetly. "Me, sing? No, I never have. Well, I did once..." she trailed off, a reflective look in her eye. She sipped her wine again and stared down at the floor. As I watched her a tear fell to the floor.

"Alaina, what's wrong?" I asked. I tipped her head up so I could look her in the eye and she began to cry even harder. "Alaina, don't cry." I took her glass from her and sat it down on the table. I kneeled in front of her and she continued to sob. I had no idea what was going through her mind to cause her so much grief but I didn't question her. I simply sat in silence as her crying echoed off the cold walls of my home. Suddenly she threw her arms around my neck and collapsed to the floor beside me. Shocked, I could only hold her loosely as she wept on my shoulder. A moment later I found my voice. "Alaina, please tell me what's wrong. I don't like to see you so upset."

She sat back on her heels and looked at me. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's nothing. It's just a memory; a horrible memory."

Her crying quieted and I pushed a lock of hair out of her face. "I see. Come, let me help you up," I said and stood offering her my hand as I did so. She took my hand and stood. She was shorter than me by about six inches. Her ebony hair cascaded down her back almost to her waistline. Again I felt the feeling of being drawn to her and I couldn't escape it.

She stared at me for a moment before turning away. "I don't want to impose upon you. I will leave now if you wish," she stated.

"You aren't imposing. Honestly, I rather enjoy the company. I don't talk to people often," I blurted before I realized what I was saying. I regretted the words the second they were out of my mouth.

"Really? You're such a gentleman though. Surely you had excellent schooling then," she replied.

"I, uh, I never went to school. I couldn't," I admitted.

"Why ever not?" she asked.

"That's not important. I just couldn't," I snapped and turned away cursing myself under my breath. I always had to lose my temper.

"I'm sorry," I heard Alaina whisper.

"Don't be; I'm the one who should be sorry. I lose my temper far too easily. It's my worst flaw. Or, well, maybe not my worst..." I trailed off, not wanting to go any further with that statement. I turned back to face her. "Come Alaina." She took my hand and I walked her back to her bedroom. She sat down on the bed with that same sad look in her eye as before. It seemed to me that we both had something terrible to hide. I stared down at her and again the strange feeling came over me that there was a reason I had met her. "Who was he?" I asked, more to take my mind off of her than anything else.

"Who was who?" she questioned seeming somewhat startled by my voice.

"That man who was bothering you," I clarified.

"Oh..." she trailed off and looked down at her hands. "He...he's my boss."

"He was your boss," I corrected. She looked up at me curiously. "I-I had to kill him. He would have killed me if I hadn't, and then God knows what would have happened to you." I was lying of course. There was no way that that man could possibly have defeated me.

"Did he hurt you?" she asked.

"No, I'm fine," I said. "More importantly did he hurt you?"

She started to shake her head then stopped and nodded. "It wasn't anything new," she stated.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"He'd done worse to me before. When I didn't give him what he wanted willingly he...he'd take it forcibly," she explained.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "No one deserves that."

"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault." She looked up into my eyes and held my gaze; something very few people could do. "You have amazing eyes," she told me.

"So do you," I whispered.

She smiled and looked down at her hands again. "They're my father's eyes. Oh he was so wonderful. I really miss him," she said.

"What happened to him?" I asked softly.

Her eyes began to well up with tears again and she looked away. "It was a long time ago. We had gone into town, he was looking for a job again, and someone pulled me away from him. I yelled and yelled for him but he didn't come...he didn't come. Finally, I got away and I ran trying to find him. It was getting late when we first came to town, and by the time I got away from the man who grabbed me the streets were nearly empty and the sun was going down. As I ran I thought I heard my father calling me. I followed his voice to a dark alleyway; I walked down it and I found him. He was hurt so bad, there was so much blood, I knew I was going to loose him. I sat next to him holding his hand until his eyes closed and he breathed his last breath. I tried to wake him even though I knew he was gone. When I couldn't do it, I started screaming for help. No one came so I started looking for help. The only person I found was..."

"Your boss," I finished. She nodded and buried her face in her hands, overcome with emotion. I sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She leaned up against me and I stroked her hair trying to calm her. "Why don't you lie down for a while?"

"Alright," she whispered. I helped her under the covers and was about to leave when she grabbed my hand. "Please, don't go yet."

I sat back down and looked at her questioningly. "Are you alright?" I asked.

"Not really. I'm afraid," she replied.

"Of what? There's nothing here that will hurt you, not while I'm here," I told her.

"I don't know, I mean, you've been very nice but never in my life have I met a man who doesn't just want to use me."

"Alaina, I would never do anything like that to you. You have to trust me," I said soothingly.

She nodded and closed her eyes. "Please stay until I'm asleep," she whispered.

"Of course," I replied and laid down next to her. Soon, her soft rhythmic breathing made me feel drowsy myself and I drifted to sleep.