Twenty minutes later she sat beside him on the couch in a pair of basketball shorts and a blue tank top. The feeling in the air had shifted from playful to somber. She had her knees to her chest looking at the open pizza box neither had touched. "Chessy, we're going to have to talk eventually." He said moving her hair behind her ear.

"How much do you know about Macon?" She asked not looking at him.

"Only what Mokuba told me. That you were engaged to him."

She snorted. "It was more like a hostage situation. I did not have a choice. It was either agree to marry him or my whole family would have been homeless." She closed her eyes tightly. "I guess I need to start at the beginning." She exhaled slowly. She told him everything. From their first meeting to the day she met him at the airport. The things he did to her, the sexual abuse, while it wasn't rape, it was still abuse. In the end she looked up at him out of the corner of her tear filled eyes. "There you have it. I'm essentially damaged goods. While I would love to be able to be in a relationship with you, right now, I don't know if I can handle it. No strings friends with benefits is the best I can do. If you don't want anything to do with me after hearing all that I understand."

He took her hand gently and put it to his lips. That was all the answer she needed. Putting her feet down she took a piece of cold pizza and a now warm beer with her free hand. "You aren't damaged goods." He said after a long silent while. "I still want a relationship with you. But I can be with you until you are ready to be with me. I just ask that if we are doing this that we are monogamous."

"Absolutely, I agree." She said taking a bite of her pizza. "If it's you and me", said taking a bite of pizza."then that's it. I don't play that." He nodded as he took a piece of pizza. He pulled her closer to him with his free hand. "So what do we do tonight?" She asked, finishing off her pizza and wiggling her eyebrows at him.

"I can think of a thing or two," he said as he leaned in and kissed her gently.

They lay in her bed later that night comfortable with each other's presence, and relaxed. She was laying on her side, not facing him, he was behind her holding her around her waist. "Are you ok?" He asked, kissing her shoulder, "I wasn't too rough was I?"

She rolled over to her back and looked at him hovering above her. "You were perfect." She whispered, "a perfect gentleman." She picked up his hand and brought his knuckle to her lips. He leaned down and kissed her, running his hand down her curves.

"I want to stay."

"I know, but you need to leave. It will start rumors, or worse articles. Besides," she looked at the clock beside her bed "I have to be up in four hours to go to work. My boss is a bit of a tyrant, so I don't want to be late."

He laughed as he leaned down and kissed her again. "I will see you in four hours. Now go to sleep."

"You're bossy," she said with a yawn as she snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes. She was asleep before he walked out the door.

Macon

He had sat outside the apartment complex all night, seeing the brown haired stranger leaving at 2 AM. He hadn't recognized the man, but hoped that he hadn't been there to see Francesca. The stranger left in a limo. He dozed in the car until he felt Adam shaking him. Wordlessly the man pointed over to where Francesca was standing out in front of the building. He could see her in the street lights, she wore a pair of high-waisted hunter green pants and a sleeveless top that was white with the same hunter green leaves on it. In her hands was a blazer. He was about to open the door and approach her when he saw the same limo from the night before pull up. He watched as a tall, imposing figure left the driver's side to open the door for her. She said something to him and he nodded back to her as she slid into the back. "Follow them." Macon said as he leaned back and closed his eyes. He was exhausted, he had chased her halfway around the world and now that he had seen how she was living he was livid and wanted to shake her.

She would pay for all that she had done to him, and put him through, every bit of it. "Mr. Thibadaux we can't get to the parking garage," Adam said, snapping him out of his thoughts "you have to have a pass code." Adam parked across the street from the office building, they would sit and wait, watching until she left.

"Wake me when you see her come out." Macon said harshly as he leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. It seemed like he had just closed his eyes when Adam was shaking him awake. Francesca was walking out of the building with a different man than the night before. But Macon recognized this one, he was the man Macon had seen with her on the airport security footage. Francesca had her arm in his and her head on his shoulder. "Little slut," he growled, "The little whore." He watched as they walked across the street to a burger place and came out a few minutes later with takeout containers. They were no longer arm in arm but the man had his arm around her shoulders protectively. She was laughing at something he said, Macon could see the love for the man in her eyes.

Chessy

The day was dragging on, all she wanted to do was go crawl in his arms. It was so hard knowing that she couldn't and he was literally right next door. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear or see him until he was in her ear. "Want to stay at my house tonight?" She jumped.

It was Friday night and she had plans. They had been 'seeing' each other almost every night for the past three months. Exclusively at her apartment, they would have their fun and he would leave. It was a good system for her. "I can't tonight. I am going with Mokuba and the gang out for Karaoke and drinks."

"After," he growled low, nuzzling her neck. "I need to see you." She sighed in pleasure as he nipped her collar bone. She felt him smile against her skin.

"I don't know what time I will be done." she had to stifle a moan so Mokuba wouldn't hear.

"It doesn't matter," he whispered, biting her earlobe gently. "I'll be awake." She smiled as he stood, she had no doubt that he would be awake when she got there. No matter what time.

"You ready to go?" Mokuba asked as he stepped into the office. "You ok Chess, your face is red." She heard Seto laugh and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I need to change before we go though." She stood and grabbed her bag, walking to the bathroom. She came out a bit later in a pair of black denim short shorts and a hot pink corset style top. She had adjusted her makeup slightly adding bright red lips and left her hair down and wild. Walking out she walked over to Seto's desk around to where he sat and propped herself up on the desk crossing her legs at the knee. "You sure that you don't want to come with us?" she asked and he looked up.

"Damn." he said looking her over "You look sexy." she smiled. "Now I really want you to come over tonight."

"Hey Chess, lets go. Tea and Yugi are waiting."