As you can see, I am still alive. I apologise for not updating but life has kept me away with hospital stays and other unpleasant events. So, without further delay, I present you with the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy, just this story line.

Chapter 16

DPOV

Well, hell, I didn't see that one coming! I braced myself for the shit storm that we were all about to endure. My gut was telling me it was about to be like a very turbulent flight that should have been cancelled due to a hurricane. Rose's shoulders sagged in defeat for a fraction of a second before she straightened up to her full height, her body preparing itself to hold off the mental strain she was about to endure. Never, ever have I felt more helpless than in that moment. All I wanted to do was pick her up, fling her over my shoulder and take off like a bat out of hell.

"Adrian, this has nothing to do with Mr Freeman here. Before you so rudely interrupted, we were discussing a contract between our companies." - Rose's voice was laced with annoyance, although she was making a huge effort to keep the venom out of it. It seemed almost like she was trying to placate an irritable three-year old child and were the circumstances not so bleak, I would have laughed.

"I would have believed it if it were anyone but him standing in your meeting room. You wouldn't have cancelled counselling and dinner plans for anyone else but him." Adrian's green eyes, blazing with searing hate, landed on me. "I'd say it's nice to meet you, Dimitri, but that would be a lie and you and I both know we are way past those pretences by now. What the hell are you doing here, trying to steal my wife?" Oh, if looks could kill! I opened my mouth to reply but one look from Rose made me shut it and swallow the sarcastic remark I was about to blurt out.

"Adrian, Mr Freeman genuinely needs my company's services. We don't owe you an explanation for our business arrangements." Rose was still calm but her tone was so cold, if I were Adrian I'd back off. I had heard that chill in her voice before, just before she tortured Jesse to the point of insanity, promised him to make all the pain would go away if he were to co-operate, only to put a bullet through his head as soon as she had the information she wanted. Adrian was not that wise.

"Yes, and throughout the rest of the day, dinner and quite possibly the rest of the night you are going to talk strictly business." The sarcasm was thick. "There is only one thing I am sure of – you would have never told me he was here hadn't I worked it out by myself."

"By yourself? Adrian, did you really think I hadn't noticed your goons following me around for the past week?" Rose raised one eyebrow. "Or the fact that security found bugs in my office? Nice to know that while I offered marriage counselling and was prepared to forgive your cheating ways, you had so much fate in me, you felt the way to show it was to have me followed and spied on. I think we are done with this conversation for now, unless you are absolutely certain you want to make a bigger fool of yourself." She gestured to the meeting room door, clearly expecting him to scraper off.

"Not before I say a few things to Mr Perfect over here." Rose started protesting but Adrian held up his hands in surrender. "I know, I know. I don't have the right to judge or demand explanation but I feel some things need to be said. You will do as you please no matter what I want or say, Rose. Just... hear me out." He ran his hands through his hair, then down his face as if he was trying to find the right words. His expression changed from resigned to fuck you and he rounded on me. "I need you to understand something, Belikov. She's mine and I won't just sit around while you sweep her off her feet and take her away from me. You gave up on her so long ago, hurt her so much. I was the one who picked up the pieces and put her together as best as I could. Do you even know what happened after you left her behind? Do you know about the eating disorder, the depression, the substance abuse? She was so broken, so lost when I met her but recovering. I was smitten with the beautiful woman who had the strength to save everyone she loved but herself. Do you know about the nightmares that plagued her for years? Where were you when she needed to be held and comforted? Where were you when she needed saving?"

"Adrian, stop!" Rose tried to push him out of the room but he was holding his ground. Her little fist started to beat on his chest but there wasn't force in her movements, just so much pain and desperation, that for the first time after he started his speech I saw a glimpse of the broken woman he was telling me about.

"I know Rose settled for me because she couldn't have you. What you need to realise is that she loves me too, not as much as she loved you but she does. She's too stubborn to admit that you are an arrogant ass hole, who took everything away from her and mangled her body and soul so badly she almost died. Why are you back, Dimitri? The damage you inflicted wasn't bad enough and you want to finish the job? You are a selfish prick who shouldn't be allowed to breathe the same air as this amazing woman. She worships the ground you walk on when it should be the other way around." He was holding both of her wrists with one hand and Rose looked like she wanted to get away.

"Enough!" I growled, my eyes trained on Rose who was trying desperately to contain her tears, judging by the silent sobs rippling through her body. "You claim you know everything but clearly have no idea what you are talking about. You claim to love her, yet you are hurting her. I came here for business and closure. Rose abandoned me, not the other way around, without explanation, without reason. I am the one who's been left hanging for over thirteen years and I am here to get answers. She was mine before she was yours and I have every right to demand the truth for what she did. Get your hands off of her before I remove them for you." I moved across the room towards them and he let go of Rose; she stumbled back and I reached out to pull her to me. She buried her face in my chest, shaking violently. "Shhh, it will be OK, милая!"

A sob finally escaped her, "Adrian, leave now..." Her voice was low and broken, the sound muffled by my chest, "you've said enough. I can't deal with more right now." The pained look on his face told me he was already regretting his words. "Rose, shit..." He touched her shoulder and she froze. I instantly stepped back, taking her with me. "I'm sorry, Rose," he raked his fingers through his hair, "I didn't mean to. Let me take you home..."

"No," Rose turned around to look at him, "I am not going anywhere with you. Go home and don't wait up for me. I will see you in the morning." Her voice rang with finality that was scary, the steel resolve was back in it. "Sydney, Eddie! Mr Ivashkov is leaving, make sure he's escorted out of the building and is not allowed back inside." She hadn't even stopped talking when Mr Castile burst through the door with two security guys and started dragging a protesting Adrian out. "Eddie, close the door on your way out."

Mr Castile threw a disapproving look our way, his eyes raking over our tangled bodies, before muttering something unintelligible under his breath as he left.

Rose sniffled before snapping at me. "Now, Dimitri, do you understand why turning up like that was not a good idea? What the hell possessed you to do that?" She took a deep breath in and as she exhaled slowly, she slumped into the nearest chair. "Looks like it's time for plan B." She buried her face in her palms, the tears she'd been holding in escaping her at last.

There was only one thing I could do to comfort her. I picked her up and sat down, pulling her on my lap, stroking her back and murmuring sweet nothings in Russian. When her tears dried off, I pulled her face up to mine so she could look into my eyes.

"I promise you I'll never leave without you again, I will never leave you behind. Whatever happens, I'll stay by you until you tell me to leave, whatever needs to be done, we'll do it together."

"Don't," she touched my face ,"make promises you might not be able to keep. You might not want to be anywhere near me when you know everything." I opened my mouth to talk but Rose just put her finger on my lips. "Shhh, let's get out of here."