From the corner of the street he watched her, regretting the day he told her they were through. The dark, cold air wrapped around her, an oppressive blanket on her smooth, bare shoulders. The sadness in her eyes did not match the sunny smile on her full lips,or the bright dress adorning her curvy body, 

“Worst mistake of your life, Phillip. You are an idiot. Completely and totally stupid.” But even as his mind railed at him, his heart longed for the small woman across the road, children clinging to both her hands. “She looks so broken, and I know that it's my fault. But maybe if I apologize and I take her back...”

While Phillip plotted ways to get Scarlett back into his arms, or... well into them, even when they were together she never let him touch her... while he plotted, a large black truck rolled up beside the woman and the gaggle of children she was herding, her many cousins and the little nieces she so treasured, and he watched as she lifted the older children into the back and then his eyes widened as a tall, lean but obviously muscled man slid out of the truck and up behind Scarlett. One of the man's long, tanned arms slid around her waist while the other covered her eyes, and instead of the scared scream he expected, he heard an exclamation of surprised delight. Horrified, he watched as his woman turned in the cage of arms and pressed herself tightly against his body. She looked perfectly at ease, and though he could not see her face, Phillip could hear the smile in her voice, carried to him by the clear night, as she said, “Alek! You said you couldn't come with us! You stinker!”

I wanted to surprise my princess, and I'm not quite done yet.” Alek slid down her body, gently and with so much familiarity that anyone could tell they were lovers, till he was kneeling at her feet. Their dark shadow watched, entranced in the way witnesses at an execution are entranced, as Scarlett's hands began to shake and her eyes filled with tears, and the deep baritone asked, “Will you marry me?”

Phillip had never prayed before, but right then he begged whatever deity existed to make her say no. He desperately hoped he had imagined the love in her eyes, the excitement in her tone, but alas, there was the dreaded “yes!” followed by quiet murmuring, “Oh, Alek I'm so happy, of course I want to be your wife.”

Phillip, his body tensing as his blackened, cold heart began to heat with rage and fury, growled aloud as Scarlett, using the other man's shoulders to pull herself up to his superior height, pressed her lips to his and melted into his body as he deepened their kiss. “He can't have her, Scarlett is mine! She should be groveling at my feet, begging me to take her back.” Gone were his tender thoughts of caring and remorse, they were forever lost in his anger. Phillip, when angry, had always been rash and his nature held true, as Alek moved to help his glowing fiancée into the truck, Phillip charged across the street, slamming into the larger man.

Scarlett screamed, slammed the door of the truck and said, Marissa, go! Get the kids out of here and call 9-1-1!” She then stood to the side, shaking in fear as she watched, waiting for the moment she knew would come. Alek was a professionally trained fighter, and his larger size would give him a clear advantage, but Scarlett was not going to take any chances, Phillip was a psychopath and he had never been rational. So, as Alek grabbed the man by the throat and pinned him to the wall, Scarlett hitched up her long princess dress, drew her pistol from the holster on her thigh, leveled it at Phillip and said, “Alek, please come over here. I don't want any blood getting on you when I blow the weasel to smithereens.”

Alek moved as she asked him to, his large body coming to rest slightly behind her, solid and unyielding, giving her strength as she tried to maintain composure.

Phillip was speaking, but Scarlett could barely him over the roaring in her ears. But then her savior was there, solid and warm, and if she had not been trying to look tough and unafraid, she would have let herself sink into his warmth the way she did in the privacy of her home. But she needed to focus, it was her hands holding the pistol and her pistol keeping the man from moving, though he spoke constantly.

“Scarlett, I want to be with you, I want to take you back. It was a mistake to break up with you, I'm sorry.”

“Phillip, you need help. I broke things off because you are a possessive, over bearing jerk. And you stalking me is completely unacceptable. The police are coming, and you are going to jail. If you try to get away, I will shoot you, and then you will have to deal with being injured and in jail. It wouldn't take very long for a small, hurt man to be taken advantage of in a state prison, so be still.”

Alek grinned and whispered in her ear, “I love it when you get nasty, aroon. Show him you aren't afraid.”

Before she could further antagonize Phillip, who was now quiet and wondering how this had gone so wrong, the police arrived, lights flashing and sirens blaring louder than the horns of the cavalry.

The lone officers stepped up beside Scarlett as Alek moved closer to her, and he said, “It isn't often I see the woman between two men holding a gun. But i'm glad to see you have this under control little missy.

“It's so good to see you, Jim. Could you cuff this guy so I can get out of the cold? My hands are starting to go numb.”

“You got it. My jacket is in the car if you need it, your daddy will kill me if you catch cold.”

The officer smiled and stepped up, cuffing the cold and confused Phillip. He did not begin to Mirandize him though, more concerned with the young woman, who looked as if she might be in shock. As he stuffed the man into the cruiser, he heard the other man say, “Aroon, please give me the gun and let me get you warm. Jim has him in the car, you are safe. I promise nothing is going to happen to you.” Jim heard the click of Alek putting the safety on and the scratch of velcro as he removed the holster Scarlett always used when she was dressed up. As he turned, Alek placed the gun on his belt, then wrapped his arms around his shaking fiancée and he smiled sadly as she melted, sobbing into his shirt and clinging to him. It would hurt him to make her sit and give him a statement instead of letting her go home to recover from the trauma, but it had to be done. He gave her a few minutes, filling out his portion of the statement and radioing in that he had the criminal and would not need back up. Then he placed a quiet call to Scarlett's father, who he had worked with many years before in Savannah. “She's fine, make sure and let everyone know, she said Marissa and the kids saw the beginning, so tell her it's okay. And send someone to pick them up, with a coat and a blanket, maybe some coffee. She's real shook up.” Jim sighed as he disconnected the call and grabbed his jacket, then he walked slowly to the couple. He handed Alek the warm piece of clothing and let him wrap Scarlett in it, then he handed them the statements and gestured to a bench. “Have a seat and tell me what you can, Carter is on the way to take you home.”

Alek nodded and thanked him before carefully leading his woman to the bench, where he filled out his statement and then hers as she dictated her harrowing experience. Just as he attempted getting up to hand them over, Scarlett cried harder and tugged him closer, her head burrowed in the hollow between his neck and shoulder. “Don't go, I'm sorry he messed up your proposal baby but please don't leave.” Her choked sobs killed Alek, he had always hated seeing her cry. He sat the papers down and shook his head at Jim, then he pulled Scarlett onto his lap, sideways with her feet on the bench, and he wrapped his arms around her, buried his face in her hair and spoke quietly to her, careful to sound gentle and loving, controlling his anger at the man in the back of the cruiser. “Aroon, I asked you to marry me and you said yes, that is all that matters. It isn't ruined or cheapened by this crazy man. And I am not going to take it back. I love you and I want you to be my wife. For better or worse, always. That is not ever going to change. I am yours and you are mine. My arms are still your safe place. So sit here with me and know that you are safe. I will always take care of you. I promise.”

Scarlett continued to cry, but she tilted her face up and kissed his chin, he smiled and kissed her gently, as though he thought she would break. Then they just waited, quiet and still, warm in each others embrace. Jim took the statements and said, “Scarlett, I am sorry this happened. But you did so well, and I am proud of you. I'll wait here till your dad gets here, okay?”

“Thank you, Jim. You are such a great friend.” She reached over and hugged him, then her dad's old blue truck slid in beside the curb. He jumped out, wild looking, like a man who has everything to lose. But the hard lines of his body softened when he saw his little girl, new ring sparkling on that important finger, cradled like the most precious thing in the world, in the arms of her soon to be husband. He nodded to Jim and slowly, so as not to startle his little girl, he approached the couple. Scarlett looked and then jumped up, throwing herself into his arms and Alek watched, knowing that no matter how much she loved him, Daddy's arms were the safest place for her. He nodded a greeting and watched as Scarlett shivered, the police jacket too worn out to provide enough warmth, and chuckled as his father in law as he removed Jim's coat and made his daughter put on her red wool Kors coat and her bedazzled gloves, then he went over to speak to Jim, tossing Alek the keys. Get her in the truck, and I mean in the cab, not the bed. Turn the heat up and make her start drinking that coffee. I'll be there after I talk to Jim.”

“Yes, sir.” And Alek bundled her into the truck, ignoring her protests that she felt fine. After the older men had made plans for Jim and his wife to have supper at the family home later that week in payment for protecting the family's crown jewel, Carter got in the truck and drove them home, with a brief stop at Alek' apartment. When they arrived, Alek kissed Scarlett and said, “Sweety I will see you tomorrow, your dad will call me if you need anything.” But her father cut him off, saying, “Run in and pack a bag, you need to stay with her tonight. Trust me on this one.” So, surprised, Alek ran in and threw his clothes and toothbrush into the bag, grabbing the old hoody Scarlett always put on when she visited. She burrowed into his side as soon as he was in the truck again and halfway home, she fell into the peaceful sleep that comes to women who feel completely safe and protected by their men. The two spoke softly, and when they arrived at the house, Alek watched his girl's dad carry her to bed, tuck her in like a child and kiss her forehead tenderly, promising that everything was all right before he put a hand on his new son's shoulder, whispering, “Keep her safe, keep her warm. I will see you in the morning.” A little emotional at this display of trust, Alek nodded and closed the door behind Carter. Then, as he had always hoped to do, he slid in bed beside the love of his life, curled protectively around her, and slept.