Months later in Puerto Rico

It was quite late in the evening. Ariel was sitting on a bench next to the sea. She was looking at the waves. She was thinking over her life and how perfect and peaceful it was now. It had been months since Shawn had granted her request to be free. She had asked him to give her some time and space to think over their relationship. Shawn had agreed not to pursue her and if she wanted to go back to America she could. She now attended school here in Puerto Rico. Her parents now were also free. They could work where they wanted. Her parents had oddly chosen to travel the world together on a year long trip leaving her at her boarding school in Puerto Rico where she was having the time of her life.

Ariel missed Shawn. But she wasnt sure if she was ready to face him. She loved her life now. But she did feel like she wanted to give her relationship with Shawn a chance. When he had set her and her parents free of the O'Leary family she had seen the devastation in his eyes. He had let her go and had granted all her wishes. It meant alot to Ariel

Ariel looked at her watch. It was quite late. She had to go back to her boarding school. She was far from her school. That day she had chosen to come to a new beach to go for a walk on her day off by bus. It was a very beautiful beach full of tourists. But at that time of the day there was a big party in the bar nearby and people had gone there. She could hear the music.

She noticed there were hardly any people in the streets as it had gotten dark and cold outside abit. Ariel kept walking and she could only hear her own footsteps on the streets.

As Ariel was walking she was grabbed and hand was covering her mouth. She was carried to an alley way. She then was set down on the ground and was faced with two men who were looking at her like predators wanting to eat their prey.

Ariel was terrified. So scared. Her heart was racing. She breathed "Please let me go... Please..."

The one who had snatched her still had a firm grip on her wrists. His rough voice said "Look at this pretty girl... Should we make her scream.... I love screams if little girls..." He then pushed her roughly.

Ariel was shaking as she retreated and her back hit a wall facing the three men who were looking at her with predatory eyes.

One produced a knife. "Let us cut her open and chop her up."

Ariel's tears ran down her cheeks "Please let me go.... Why are you doing this?"

One of the men laughed "Because we can... We are tourists. But love to kill little girls and run off the next day... It gives us a thrill."

The other one laughed "Yes little girl. We get a kick out of torturing and killing you.."

The other one said "You can scream as loud as you want. No one is around and the loud music from the bar buries your screams..,"

Another asked "How do you want to be tortured? Choose a finger for us to chop off. Choose one or we choose for you..."

In that moment she closed her eyes and sobbed. These were murderers and killers. She was doomed. She thought of all the things she wanted to do in life. Could she change Shawn and have a normal relationship with him if she had gone to him. She never knew.

Suddenly she heard gunshots and froze. She was afraid to open her eyes as she screamed.

"You are safe now... Open your eyes..." A gentle voice said.

She opened her eyes and saw a young man her age with a gun in his hand. She looked around and saw all men on the floor. She gasped "Oh my god..."

He said "I am sorry about taking this long to save you..." Please follow me.

Ariel was sobbing hard and was in shock but followed him. He reached a car "I will take you back to your school... Get in the car..."

Ariel gasped "Me... In the car... With you?"

The boy sighed "Trust me... I am under Shawn O'Leary's orders to protect you.... I have to take you back... I wont hurt you.... I promise... Please get in the car ..."

Ariel got in the car as she was taking in the information. Shawn? He had saved her by sending a bodyguard? She then sobbed hard as she felt touched by his protective ways. He had no abandoned her even though he had let her go. He did love her.

The boy said as he started driving "I am so sorry about what happened to you... I am supposed to protect you and watch you wherever you go outside your school. I didn't see a risk with this area or I would have warned you to leave the area. The locals are nice. These men were tourists..."

Ariel took a deep breath and hiccuped as she was crying.

The boy said "There are water bottles in the dashboard "Please have some..."

Ariel nodded. She had some water and then felt better. She turned to the boy "Thank you for saving me.... How long have you been watching me?"

The boy said "Ever since you the previous bodyguard was replaced because Shawn thought I am a better replacement for doing this job... A month ago..."

Ariel asked "What? So in the last month you have been watching my school gates every time I left and chased me?"

The boy said "Not exactly.... There are other men here too with the job of watching you including a boss that I answer to... But I am your main bodyguard. When you left your boarding school site I was informed every time and I always chased you and watched you..."

Ariel shook her head "I thank you... I owe you my life and I owe Shawn for sending you to watch me... I would be screaming from pain if you werent there... They wanted to torture and kill me... I am sorry you killed those men to save me..."

The boy said "I didn't kill then..."

Ariel said "You didn't?"

The boy said "No... I shot them with a very strong drug. They are out. I shot their necks... At least I didn't miss... I quickly used a radio to communicate with some men on standby to come and take these men away... Shawn will deal with them...They need to be punished by him. No one touches his woman..."

Ariel watched how well the boy was driving and noticed he looked young..."Shouldn't you be in school? Why are you my bodyguard?"

The boy said "I am the best at what I do... I was in military school with Leyton and Shawn knew who I was. I was planning to join the army... But my parents got into trouble with the O'Leary family because of debts... Shawn immediately put a condition up for debt relief... My family's debt is forgiven but I have to work for Shawn and no one else... If I leave, I will have to pay the debt back which I cant. It's so much money . My mothers medical bill was huge. At least she is alive and healthy now..."

Ariel said "Oh... I am sorry..."

The boy shook his head "Why are you sorry? I don't mind. The trade is worth it... My family will get hurt if I don't do this. They owe big money... Either way, now I will get to even go to college. I go to school long distance now. I just have to work for Shawn... If you do as you are told he rewards people well in his organisation. He is a good boss...."

Ariel said "Is his father not back yet? When I left he was recovering..."

The boy said "Oh you have missed out on so much of what's happened. You have no idea what happened after you left. Shawn embraced who he is. He took over. His father has been forced into early retirement alongside a lot of men in the O'Leary family and men who worked for him. Shawn cleaned up the organisation and recruited new people. He set new rules that no one dares break including honour and having one woman. No more mistresses."

Ariel couldn't believe it "Oh my god... So Shawn is the boss?"

The boy said "Yes he is. And he is a great leader  and has earned respect. But he is feared too.,.. More so then his father..."

Ariel asked "Feared more than his father? It's hard to believe..."

The boy said "Of course. You are not there to see his reign... He is different. He takes no nonsense. If those men knew they were dealing with they would not have even looked at you... He loves you so much you know. Shawn banished his parents  alongside all those members of his organisation because they did not share his values but also because they were not showing you respect. Now he is a no nonesemse taker boss and can have anything he wants except you...."

The car stopped in front of the boarding school. Ariel said "So... Where are you going now?"

The boy said "To report to my boss of course... He may replace me if he thinks I messed up and should have handled things differently..."

Ariel asked "What's your name by the way..."

The boy said "Connor."

Ariel said "Goodbye Connor. Thank you... For everything."

Connor smiled "No problem..."

Ariel got off the car feeling confused and shocked. This was too much information. What now?

As she walked towards her school gates she turned around and saw Connor who had now gotten off the car watching her leave. She noticed a group of men approaching Connor.

Ariel gasped and stopped walking as one of the men punched Conor and shouted at him "Conor. What took you so long? I have been waiting for you to come back... Boss will punish you for your negligence severely. Pack your bags. You are going back to New York to answer to boss. Once you serve your punishment you will be back here and you better not mess anything up on my watch again... How dare you let something like this happen. You should not have let those men approach boss's woman..." He then punched Connor again as the other men just watched.

Ariel was shocked. He had saved her and she was safe. She had to help Connor. He seemed like a nice person. He didn't deserve to be punished. She made up her mind.

Ariel walked towards those men making them freeze as they saw her approaching. She said "I want to come to New York with Connor. I want to see your boss and tell him I am safe... Connor saved me and I won't be alive without him. Can you arrange that for me to return to Shawn please?"

Then men nodded quickly.

Connor was looking at Ariel with a mixture of admiration and respect. She had tried to repay him saving her.

*****

Ariel entered the house that she was familiar with. It looked abit different. The personnel were not familiar though. Connor was right. Shawn had replaced everyone. The servants took her belongings to her room.

After arrival, Connor had been taken to the basement to await an interrogation by Shawn. But Shawn wasn't home at that time. So Ariel was going to go to his office and wait for him. No one looked at her. They knew who she was. There was a big portrait of her in the walkways. A huge one.

As she was walking she saw Sinead who looked different. She was looking thinner than usual and she looked sad. Nervous. That was unlike her. She was sitting outside Shawn's office.

Sinead's eyes met Ariel and she stood up "Ariel. It's you... You are back... I am glad to see you..."

Ariel noticed how different she sounded. She sounded nice. "You are glad to see me?"

Sinead nodded "Yes. Please stay...."

Ariel said "Sinead... Why are you so different... You look so ... nervous and formal..."

Sinead said "After you left, my brother brought very strict rules. Anyone who disobeys, dies, gets tortured or gets banished. In my case, if I disobey my brother, I will be banished. I don't want to. I will miss New York. My parents and other high ranked people are all in Las Vegas. They are gambling and having a comfortable like in villas but are not allowed out of that Las Vegas. I want to stay here... I don't want to leave. I am glad you are here... If you come back then Connor comes back... He is your personal bodyguard... I like him... I want to be near him..."

Ariel said "Oh. I didn't know... You like Connor."

Sinead said "But my brother doesn't want me to get close to him. I am not allowed to have a relationship with him because he works for Shawn. He is an employee... But I like seeing him around. At least he is around... When I first met him he told me I am a horrible person and I need church to save me... He doesn't love me. But I love him. I want to be good enough for him to love me... I went to church to confession every day and attended counselling sessions with the pastor. I realised my sins. I tried to change. I want to be good... I regret my past. I am so sorry Ariel if I hurt you. I was awful to you... Please forgive me..."

Ariel said honestly "But you never hurt me. You tried to tell your brother to hurt me but you never caused me harm. There is nothing to forgive."

Sinead closed her eyes and opened them. She looked emotional "Thank you Ariel. I try to atone for what I did. I try to attend charitable events. I try to help people but I can't do much... I heard what Connor did. I begged my brother not to hurt Connor. My brother didn't tell me what he will do to him. He said he hasn't decided his punishment for letting those men get close and touch his woman. I am scared for Connor."

Ariel said "I will talk to Shawn... Connor saved me..."

Sinead said "You will talk to him. Thank you Ariel." She then started sobbing. She was genuinely crying. "I love him so much. I can't endure it if my brother hurts him. I can't..."

Ariel felt bad for Sinead. She seemed distressed.

Suddenly there were servants and guards running up and down.

Sinead said "Shawn is here." She wiped her tears "I hope he is not in a bad mood."

Ariel watched from above the stairs in front of Shawn's office what was happening in the lobby. The personnel were standing in their spots with bowed heads and their tow hands in front of them. Ariel's heart started beating fast as she saw glimpse of Shawn entering.

No one looked at him and the place had gone silent as his footsteps were echoed through the house.

One of the guards who had driven Ariel there from the airport approached Shawn. "Sir. Permission to speak."

Shawn nodded.

The guard approached him and bent down on one knee and kissed his hand "Sir. Your lady is here..."

Shawn asked harshly  "Ariel is here? Why wasn't I informed earlier?"

The guard kissed his hand again "Please be merciful sir. I just arrived here from airport. I was uncle to reach you earlier..."

His demanding voice echoed  "Where is Ariel? Where is she now?"

The guard said as he was still kneeling "Sir... Upstairs ... Your office..."

Shawn said harshly "Get up. I pardon you..."

The guard kissed his hand and got up as he took steps backwards in the same posture as others with his head bowed and hands in front of him.

Shawn walked fast towards the stairs.

Ariel turned to Sinead "Why do they treat him like this? Everyone has to do this?"

Sinead shook her head "No one has to. But they do... It is to show respect. In O'Leary family before my father this was how people acted. This is how they choose to respect my brother after he overthrew my father from power and restored the old O'Leary ways."

Ariel could not hear anyone even breathe as she looked at Shawn walking up the stairs. She turned and saw how Sinead had retreated and was standing motionless leaning to the wall looking at her brother with a worried expression. She whispered "Please Ariel... Save Connor.."

Ariel turned to Sinead and smiled. Then she turned and saw Shawn reach up the stairs.

Ariel swallowed hard as Shawn's eyes met hers. His eyes were cold. Emotionless. She felt nervous and she even felt tremors going through her body as the weight of his stare was crushing her. His eyes looked different and there was an air of authority around him.

Ariel said nervously "Hi Shawn..."

He walked towards her "Ariel... Hi... Are you alright? I heard you were attacked snd that low life Connor was too late... They touched you..."

Ariel said quickly  "I am fine... Connor did act fast. No one hurt me... Shawn... He acted in time..."

Shawn walked towards Ariel "Really? Then why are you here? You said you want to leave me... You said you never come back.. There must be a problem that you are back here... I will punish those men who attacked you painfully and slowly. And I will punish Conor too..."

Ariel said "Connor saved me Shawn. The reason I am here is because I met Connor and this incident happened... Connor saved me and I had to come see you... I wanted to thank you for sending him to watch over me.. Also ..,"

Ariel was about to talk more and plead for Connor but then he didn't let her. He was looking at her intensely as he closed the distance between them "How long are you staying for?"

Ariel said honestly "I really don't know but ..."

Shawn said "But you are here snd you are staying .... Because of what happened.. Because I sent Connor to  save you...."

Ariel said "Yes. But there is more... There is so much more I need to talk to you about..." She wanted to explain how she felt and also ask him to go easy on her saviour.

Sinead spoke weakly "Shawn... Ariel is unhurt. I beg you not to hurt Connor. Please..."

Shawn looked past Ariel at Sinead "I won't hurt him this time. If Ariel says she is unhurt I believe her... But ... Why are you fixated on this employee of mine. You can't be with him Sinead. Ever. He will remain Ariel's bodyguard but he has to attend extra training when it comes to being ambushed..."

Sinead breathed "Thank you." That thank you was directed at Ariel of course. She knew Connor was going to be hurt badly if Ariel wasn't there. She was so grateful Ariel saved Connor.

Shawn turned to Ariel "I can't believe you are back. I don't expect you to stay permanently. I don't expect anything. But your presence has given me hope. A lot of Hope... I need you in my life. I have missed you Ariel. I have missed you so much..."

Ariel couldn't say she hadn't missed him. She had but she wasn't sure how long she was going to stay and what she was trying to achieve. She needed to know if she loved him enough. She owed him her life for saving her by sending a bodyguard. What if there was hope for them. What if?