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Everything is going to be OK, Susan Chal She is rocking herself on a sofa downstairs in the lounge – knees crossed, ar keeps intruding into her head

Can’t help falling in love

She doesn’t knohy she can’t get those lyrics out of her head, especially the chorus, because they are most inappropriate in the current situation Not to mention – in all probability – forever unrequited

Channing has not returned fro, his future Vice-President She pictures hi the police a description of his volatile twin brother He looks exactlyshot

And yetChanning one to the police about this

Soto tell her After all, what relationship does she have with him other than a purely business one? A e to her as he pleases, and in return, he gives her coveted promotion?

By next Friday Easy peasy Except that nowit’s complicated

No, not really, the rational voice in her head tells her Nothing has changed So you were almost raped by his twin brother But order has been restored Here’s the caloes on

Does it?

What if he doesn’t want to continue with her after this? What if this spanner in the works is bigger than she thinks it is, and he’s going to call the whole thing off?

“Sorry, Susan, but so to be able to proonna have to make it on your own merit”

She’s shocked that she’s even thinking of business after her ordeal What kind of a woman thinks like this?

Footsteps sound outside the lounge and she looks up fearfully A man appears at the doorway For a moment, she freezes, and then she remembers

“I’m security,” he says affably

She’s wearing one of Channing’s bathrobes Its sash is tightly strung around her waist, and underneath, she’s wearing a shift she found in the chaeon

She doesn’t fully let down her guard “What security company are you from?”

The ht buzz cut From the way he round

“We’re not fro’s old buddies”

“From Iraq?”

“We served together, yeah”

She licks her lips So much she wants to ask him, and now is her chance “Please tell ’s brotherleft him for dead?”

The ain seems reluctant “It’s not inhimself”

She expected this His men seem loyal to hi that renders people to extremes, herself included? She still doesn’t knohat she feels about him Does she feel affection for hiht, she had theher as though they were a normal couple in a love-filled relationship, and when he looked at her, his eyes were burning with desire

“Susan,” he was saying her name huskily “Susan”

Of course she woke up, and that hen she kneas only a dream

He doesn’t kiss

She’s not without souile however Even in her current shaken state, she turns on the charm (Or whatever charm she thinks she can rustle up)

Her large eyes are pleading and scared as they gaze upon the man

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know your name”

“It’s Fred”

“Fred” She nurses the name like it’s her only lifeline “Please, Fred, is there nothing you can tell me? I was very much involved He tried to – ” she chokes out the word “ – rape me PleaseI need to know”

Fred seems extremely ill at ease

“Please,” she says again

He creeps closer, stopping just a few feet away from her He shuffles on his soles