Hi again... Well, how about we get some answers, shall we! :-)

Chapter 8

Rose pulled her wallet out of her jeans pocket as the cab pulled into the street that she and Lissa shared an apartment. She waited till the car had stopped before leaning forward and handing over the money to the driver. "Thanks Mark."

"No worries Rose, remember to tell Lissa to call my cell and I'll go get her when she's ready."

"I will, thanks." Mark was an older guy that had lived a few buildings away from Rose when she was younger. Back then he helped the kids out when he could but most of his earnings went to the care of his wife and her mental issues. After her death a few years ago, leaving him on his own, he decided to stick around and help out the 'old neighbourhood' kids that he loved as his own; Rose was one that held a special place in his heart.

Rose took a few steps towards her building, watching and waving to Mark as he drove away. She liked Mark; he was like a favourite uncle, if she knew what it was like to actually have an uncle. Images of what she saw in the club ran through her mind as she stood on the sidewalk; she hated that she'd been so affected. She took a deep breath and turned to go inside; it was then that she saw she wasn't alone.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be 'having fun'?" She hated that she could hear the hurt in her voice.

"Why Roza?"

"Why what...? Just… go Dimitri." She went to walk past him when his arm shot out, grabbing her around the waist. "Don't…" she whispered painfully.

"I thought this is what you wanted."

She thought it was too… at the time. They'd been together for what seemed their whole lives and over that time, things had been said, things that slowly ate away at their love and trust. The lives they led sometime threw obstacles in the way that chipped away at them too.

"I never wanted this, Roza. My love for you has never faded, will never fade."

That's all it took for the wall she'd built around her heart over the last three months to crumble. A sob wrenched her throat closed and she struggled to breathe, making her knees buckle. The sound making Dimitri's heart twist even more painfully than it had at the club when he saw the look on her face. Had he not been so buzzed with Vodka, he would have denied Tasha's lap dance a little more forcefully than he did. But then, if he had, he would never have seen Rose's true feelings.

"Roza…" he murmured as he pulled her into his embrace.

She couldn't deny him any longer; she'd missed him so much over the last three months, thinking that once she'd gone, he'd no longer think of her. Obviously she'd been wrong. She buried her face into his muscular chest and breathed in the scent she knew as well as her own.

Dimitri bent down and slipped his arm under Rose's knees, then without asking, he turned and walked into her building's foyer. The doorman looked up from behind his desk and smirked… He knew it wouldn't be long before he saw the big man back; he was actually surprised that it hadn't happened before now. He gave a nod as Dimitri walked past him. He knew of Dimitri, knew his reputation as did most of the people around this district but he knew that the dangerous Russian would do anything for the little yet equally dangerous brunette.

Neither said a word as the lift took them up the five floors to the girl's apartment, nor did they utter a word as Dimitri used the key he'd never given back. No lights were turned on once inside as he knew exactly where he was going. Once inside Rose's bedroom, he slowly let her feet touch the ground.

"Never again Rose," he said holding her face in his hands. Though no light had been turned on, he could easily see the lines of her face that he so often dreamt of, by the light of the moon outside the window. "You should have told me how you felt a long time ago. I love you. I've never stopped loving you. You have to know that."

Rose's breath caught at his confession, it was something that she'd longed to hear but after everything that had been said and done, she gave up all hope of hearing those words coming out of his mouth ever again. "But the…"

"There was never anyone but you." Dimitri interrupted; he knew that before anything happened between them tonight, this disillusion, this lie had to be cleared up. His hands that held her face made their way down to her hands then he led her over to the bed.

"But I saw you."

"You saw what she wanted you to see. You didn't see what happened before or after you came into my office. Tasha's a desperate woman and she knew the only way to separate us was for you to leave me. She knew I'd never leave you." Rose's heart clenched at his words… "She knew that we'd been... arguing about certain issues and she took advantage of that."

She knew deep down that she'd walked directly into the trap Tasha had set and done exactly what Tasha had wanted all along… to leave Dimitri. She knew it even then, but she was hurting and she was too stubborn for her own good. She said things she didn't mean, gave him an ultimatum she knew he wouldn't submit to… then walked away.

"I've never stopped loving you either." Rose said in a tight voice. She hated that her emotions were getting the best of her. One side of Dimitri's lips pulled up, along with one eyebrow, instantly letting Rose know that the next step was hers. A step she wouldn't throw away again. "But that doesn't mean you're going to get the last two cars."

Dimitri roared laughing. His heart finally beating for the right reasons once more. Rose's internal fire burned through his soul once more, something he'd missed to the point of destruction but he knew that she had to come back to him on her own. No matter how much he wanted her, needed her, this is exactly how it had to happen.

"God, I've missed you." Dimitri said before taking Rose's mouth with his own and lifting her onto the bed. They were both, all hands, lips and tongues, both desperate to reclaim the 'home' they had in each other. Clothes were shed seconds before they became one once more. "I'm never letting you go again Rose, but those last two cars will bemine."

So... I know some of you were right about him following her, but did you think they already had a past? And what do you think those 'issues' were?
Till tomorrow... And thank you for all of your wonderful reviews. Sandy