Sorry for the delay. Everything got crazy with school and a job interview I have coming up. My chapters are going to be shorter again so you guys get more more often and I don't feel so strained. Hope you enjoy this one! I appreciate every comment and review.

Debra wanted Liette out of the room and Liette was beginning to understand why. The way Joe was looking at her was carnal and absolutely terrifying. There was the way his tongue flicked over his lip, wetting the skin as he watched her, his lips preparing for the next words h had to say.

"Get on with it Carroll."

But before Joe could speak the door of the interrogation room opened once more. "You started without me." Ryan Hardy stood in the doorway, arms crossed against his chest, clearly not happy with the lack of inclusion he had received in this interrogation.

"Ryan! Welcome! You're just in time!" Joe greeted gleefully "Debra will have to catch you up later on what you've missed but lets carry on shall we?" The shrill sound of the metal chair scraping on the floor caught Joe's attention as he watched Liette push back. "What's wrong love?" Joe's predatory eyes seemed to soften, watching as Liette stood up and moved from the table.

"Your protagonist is here. You can continue the story without me." She could feel herself shutting down. She needed to get out of the room. She needed to get away from Joe. This was all too much. She had truly pushed herself through listening to his so-called prologue but she was sure she couldn't take the rest.

"Love, I can't do this without you."

"Stop calling me that."

Joe felt a sting of pain from the slash of her words. He sat back, shoulders straightening as he looked at her with a frown. It hadn't worked. She hadn't understood. She needed to. Joe knew he had to fix this but he wasn't sure how. How could he make her love him? She needed to understand he was trying to honour her in the only way he knew how.

"Am I free to go?" Liette turned to Debra, her eyes pleading for release.

Debra looked at the sad young woman who stood before her. Liette was less than ten years younger than herself but in that little white lace dress she looked a whole lot younger. Debra suddenly felt sick about the decision she had made to put Liette in that dress. She had dressed up her bait in hopes that the predator would break from his safe place. Joe had broke out from his quiet but Debra was now understanding how much she had accosted Liette.

She couldn't make her stay.

"Yes. Of course."

"I won't say another word if you let her leave me, Agent Parker."

"She stays." Ryan stood hard against the door, not budging as he watched Liette step to get passed him. He saw the same panicked look on the girl's face that Debra had seen but he did not feel as if he owed her a thing. He didn't know this girl and he had no clue what she had done to make Joe talk but he had started to and that was more than they had had all week. "Take a seat."

"Hardy..." Debra frowned.

"Let me by." Liette stood against Ryan, her hands shaking as well as the rest of her body. She tried to stare confidently at him but her eyes cast down after almost a moment. She had lost her strength. Screaming at Joe had done that. Finding all of this out had done that. She felt like she was going to collapse or at least be sick. Even as she stood against Ryan she could feel Joe's gaze burning on her and she knew if she turned to face him once more she would have to endure that look.

"Sit." Ryan bared.

"She's not a dog Hardy." Debra barked.

"Would you two mind taking your fighting outside? I would like to speak to Liette." Joe's calm demeanor was eerie as it floated through the tension of the room. He tapped his fingers on the table,watching as Ryan and Debra both looked over at them.

"And what do we get in return?" Debra asked

"I'll give you the men who took Agent Weston." Joe's fingers tapped on the table harder.

"Debra..." Liette's eyes begged the other woman to let her leave.

"Please Liette, just a few more minutes."

A few more minutes was going to feel like a lifetime.