"Well done Lara, I knew you would get that move in the end. And in one day as well I'm very impressed!" David told her in her training session the next day. Lara smiled at the praise and after the night before she needed to feel in control again. Taking a long drink of chilled water she poured some of it over her face. The temperature outside was going to hit its peak that week and already it was almost too hot to bear. David had suggested taking a few days break from training but Lara needed to keep busy, she had convinced herself that if she stopped even for one day she would go downhill so they mutually agreed to work out in the very early morning in future before the sun rose.

"Right, I think it's best to do some cool down exercises now Lara" David told her as he too splashed cold water onto his face.

"Oh, I wanted to get another new move in today." She told him.

"Lara, I'm knackered! Don't forget you are much younger than me and obviously don't feel the heat as much as I do!" He said taking a deep breath. Lara laughed and handed him a towel.

"I'm sorry Dave, I do forget sometimes. You shouldn't be so big and muscular should you!" James came over to them talking on his mobile phone.

"Besides go and have a swim in the pool if you want more exercise at least its cooler in there than out here." David said to her as James finished talking.

"Good Morning David, I hope you have her working her hardest. She has a wedding dress to fit into soon and I need her to be at her optimum level of fitness." James said to him in a quite possessive way.

"She is indeed working hard, in fact she is going for a swim after this, and it's getting too hot out here for a decent cardio workout." David said being the complete professional.

"As long as you have her best interests at heart I trust you with her." He said smirking. "Now Lara I know we were going to go through some plans today but I've been called out to a meeting for a few days so I will give you some numbers to call to arrange some dress fittings."

"James, I thought…"

"I know, you want to wait a bit before we get married. That's fine just go and get some ideas. I won't force you into anything. Remember what I said last night in bed, we are a proper couple now and we will talk things through before they go anywhere. Anyway, I might drop in and see your father on the way and let him know how well we are doing." He leant over and kissed her on the cheek as a black limousine pulled into the long driveway.

"Will you call me tonight?" She questioned.

"I might not be able to, it depends on what time the meeting ends." He replied. The driver opened the door and James got in quickly and shut the door himself. He opened the window and blew her a kiss. "I'll speak to you soon." He said as he waved out of the window. Little did Lara know that there was a tall, slim blonde woman in that car and James was not going to a meeting at all. She waved him off then breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, he's a nice chap." David said imitating James's voice. "He seems very protective of you."

"I'm nothing more than an investment to him Dave; I have the same feeling for him. We don't love each other, don't get me wrong I know he cares for me but I am with him more out of duty than love."

"I'm so sorry, that must be awful having to marry someone you don't love." David put his hand on her shoulder.

"It's worse having to sleep with someone you don't care about." Lara said quietly.

"I'm sorry I missed that." David said.

"Oh nothing, right are you coming for a swim with me or what?" She asked trying to change the subject, she felt dirty and upset for sleeping with James and when he had fell asleep she lay next to him silently crying. She had hated every minute and wanted to forget about it.

"I'd love to Lara but I've got to get going, I'm putting my house up for sale and want to see the estate agents as soon as I can." David said grabbing his bag.

"Why are you selling up?" She asked all of a sudden curious.

"I don't need a 4 bedroom house with just me in it. Besides it's quite a way from here and there are some properties in the next village. I always wanted a little cottage with roses round the door. Somewhere I can potter about in my retirement." He said with a smile.

"You don't seem the type to potter about." She laughed. "Anyway, I will see you early tomorrow so make sure you get some sleep! Good luck."

"See you tomorrow, and thanks I will need it." He said getting in his small car and driving off the same way the limousine had.

Picking up the towels from the dry earth she headed towards the pool area. She always wore swimwear under her training gear as it dried out quicker on her body than cotton did and it meant she could jump under the outdoor shower if she got too hot in training. She opened the door to the pool room and was taken aback by the heat in there; it was all under a tinted glass ceiling which had absorbed the heat giving off a greenhouse effect. Throwing the towels onto the nearest lounger she walked over to the water and put her hand in. It was blissfully cool compared to the heat in the room. She noticed she had left the outside door open and didn't want any bugs coming in attracted by the moist air so she walked over and shut the door. Turning around she noticed the door to the house was also open, thinking that Bryce must have been in there earlier she walked over and as she shut it a voice to her left startled her.

"You don't look pleased to see me Lara." Neal told her as she backed away from him.

"Get out Neal, why are you not at the meeting with James?" she asked trying to stay calm.

"I wasn't needed. And when I heard someone say you should have a swim when I was on the phone to him I thought what a good idea it was." He kept getting closer to her and she kept backing away.

"Seriously, I want you to leave!" She told him firmly.

"Lara, we have unfinished business. Don't you remember? When Hillary interrupted us?" he was backing her into a corner. "Your little cut has healed over well though, in fact you can hardly see it." As he reached out to touch it something in Lara snapped. She slapped him hard across the face and bent his wrist back so he could not touch her. Just as she was about to punch him her grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back pushing her face up against the cool tiled wall so she had no escape.

"I'm very impressed! You have got fiery since we last met, you can't get me Lara. I know every move you are going to make. You see I have been watching you in training." She attempted to kick him to throw him off balance but he was right. He knew all her moves and she didn't even touch him. He balled his hand into a fist and punched her hard on her lower back. "You're a smart girl Lara so I thought you knew the rules by now, would you like me to go over them again? You struggle and make this hard for me and you get hurt. Don't struggle and you don't get hurt. Get it?" he was whispering menacingly in her ear, her eyes were filling with tears, she felt exposed in her black bikini and he was pushing himself against her.

She nodded her head and he loosened the grip on her arm and turned her around to face him and pushed her back against the wall. Her lower back was so painful the cold wall didn't help. He took her arms and held them above her head with one hand and with the other he ran it down the side of her body, pushing himself against her he began kissing her neck the way he had done before. It felt so horrifically familiar she let a small cry escape her lips. Neal looked up at her and could see the fear in her eyes. It gave him a huge rush of power as he parted her legs and pulled aside her bikini bottoms. But it also gave Lara that bit of adrenaline she needed to punch him, he released her and she tried to make her escape. Unfortunately she didn't hit him with enough power to stop him so he grabbed her again, threw her on the floor so she cried in pain from her bruised back and he took the knife out of his pocket.

"I tried to warn you, now you asked for this." He hissed at her. He put his hand over her mouth as he made a cut next to the one before on her toned stomach. She screamed against his hand but it wasn't anything that anyone could have heard removing his hand he kissed her on the mouth, tasting the salty tears that had fallen from her eyes. Pressing against the fresh cut Lara didn't know what hurt more as he took her again, she just hoped she would fall unconscious but nothing was on her side as she remained awake for the whole ordeal.

When he was satisfied he stood up and took off his shirt which was stained with her blood and gave it to her. She sat up against the wall in shock and held the shirt against her wound. With a twisted smile on his face he kissed her on the forehead said thank you and left. Still in shock Lara got up and went to her room and got into a hot shower letting the water soothe her bruised body then sorted out the cut on her stomach and went down to dinner as though nothing had happened. For the moment her mind had blacked out to save herself anymore trauma.