Watching Motorcycles

"You! I want you."

Alex had been watching the beautiful, confident woman from across the uncomfortably crowded room, hoping she hadn't noticed. He couldn't help it. She was just too attractive. It wasn't necessarily her physical features that made it impossible for him to look away, it was her extreme self-assurance, a feature he admired, as he lacked it completely.

"Wha... What?"

He would have given a lot to be able to come up with a more eloquent answer, but he was never good around women, even when he wasn't shocked and awestruck.

"You." She slowly repeated it, as if she was talking to a moron, while pointing a manicured finger at his huge chest. "I," she added, while pointing at herself. "Want you. Understood?"

Alex nodded. He felt somewhat relieved that he could actually move muscles to form a hopefully appropriate response, given the completely unexpected situation. It was a miracle he had been invited to a party. It was absurd to think any woman in her right mind might want him, let alone one who looked like her. He was painfully aware of his shortcomings. He was a freak, an abomination.

She hooked a perfectly styled forefinger in his belt and dragged him along like a toy, out of the loud crowded room he had loathed so much. He looked around, and as he had feared, everyone was looking at the two of them and smiling. Or laughing, or maybe snickering. He was like a fairground attraction. Was this a prank? Had she lost a bet? Maybe she was visually impaired.

Somewhere in his massive chest, there lingered the hope that this beautiful, confident woman might actually want him, Alex, despite his rugged looks (putting it kindly), his obvious inexperience, his complete social ineptitude. He focused on that slim hope and followed her. He had been trained to obediently follow confident women, his mother and his aunt had seen to that.

"I like you. I will take you," she said, casually informing him of her decision. Alex didn't mind her decisiveness; it made him comfortable. He did sort of wish he knew her name.

"I, ummm..." was Alex's brilliant reply. Her confidence hit all the right switches in his brain, disabling his own will.

"You live around here?" she replied, completely unfazed by his monosyllabic answers. He thought it wouldn't have mattered if he had replied in ancient Greek or not at all. She would inform him when she expected a substantive reply.

"Y... yes, over there." He pointed at his house, which was by far the biggest around and in plain view on top of a little hill.

"Good. That will do. Let's go there."

With that, she simply pulled him along again. While Alex was 130 kilos of almost pure muscle and physically could have resisted anything short of a freight train, he simply lacked the capacity to resist this woman. If this was a foretaste of what was to come, he was okay with it. It was a situation he was comfortable with and used to.

Alex had not drawn a winning ticket in the parental lottery. When his mother, father, and aunt weren't busy ignoring him, they isolated him from the world and trained him to blindly obey any directive from a confident woman: specifically, his mother and his aunt. Why they thought this was a good idea, he never thought to ask, or even wonder. However, they were at least thoughtful enough to leave him their complete fortune when they died in the crash of their private plane. He was financially set for life, but an emotionally crippled virgin with almost no social contact. The first thing he did after the dust settled was leave the isolated, bunker-like mansion in which he had grown up and purchase a nice, comfortable, but not over-the-top house.

"This one?" she asked as they approached his house.

"Yes. The white one." Alex squeaked out the confirmation in an entirely unmanly-sounding way.

"Even nicer up close. Yours?"

"Uh, huh."

"Brilliant. I'll like it there." She smiled happily as she pulled Alex up the hill by his belt buckle, as if he were a handy piece of luggage.

"You..." he started, but shut his mouth quickly again. Don't go spoiling this, Alex, he thought. This was the chance of a lifetime. In a willed haze, he let her pull him wordlessly towards his own house, wondering what she had in mind for him. He thought there was a decent chance he would enjoy it. Standing in front of his door, she looked around.

"The front yard clearly needs some attention," she said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ahh... okay..." He wondered why was she talking about his front yard right then, but chose to remain silent.

"Okay, let's see the inside."

"Ah... yeah."

He let her in. What else could he do? She was not merely a woman; she was a force of nature. He was being eaten alive and he was enthusiastic about it. Someone wanted him. He felt comfortable with her, almost as if he were back with his mother and his aunt, though this woman was a lot better looking. And he was hoping that with her, maybe... well. He would see.

After a short tour through the house and a few comments ("We'll need a new kitchen"), they ended up in the master bedroom. To be precise, he ended up underneath her ("You're a big boy, I think it's better with me on top").

Alex had thoughts about what his First Time with a Woman might be like. It was always with capital letters. His ideas were a mélange of romantic bits from novels read in school, mixed up with his own imaginations--what was left of them after his female relatives had drummed most of them out of him. He had expected some tender and caring exploration of each other's bodies, lots of kissing and caressing, looking into each other's eyes lovingly. He had expected a kind of cosmic connection with another person, mind, body, and heart, unlike anything he had experienced before. What actually happened felt as if she was just using his body for her sexual gratification. Sure, it felt great, and he got his jollies, but he somehow sensed that for her, that was more like an unavoidable and unimportant side effect. He tried to hold her and cuddle her afterward--he'd read somewhere that women like that--but she didn't seem interested. Still, Alex had finally lost his virginity at the age of 25. It had always felt like a burden, a stigma, something that nobody could ever know of.

"I'm Lisa, by the way," she calmly remarked afterwards. He was to discover that Lisa dispensed information on a strict need-to-know basis. It seemed the fact that they'd just had sex meant that he should know her first name. Her knowing his name seemed unnecessary at this time.

* * * * *

The house generally benefited from Lisa's presence. She bought and installed a plethora of female-style knick-knacks at which Alex would never have looked twice. They were ridiculous on their own, but in their entirety, they had the magic ability to turn a house into a home. Of course, she got the new kitchen she wanted. Of course, Alex paid for everything, which didn't hurt him in the least. It was totally worth it. He was in a relationship, like a normal person. He had a girlfriend, which he proudly told anyone who would listen.

He was happy, completely and utterly happy, for the first time ever. He was also totally in love and trusted Lisa completely. Those were the good times, the walking on cloud nine days. He would always remember those times fondly.

* * * * *

He heard her key in the lock and jumped up. Lisa was back, just in time. Everything was set for one of the romantic evenings they both enjoyed so much.

"Lisa! I didn't know we were expecting a visitor," Alex said, as he approached her to offer his usual welcome-home kiss.

"This is Ralph, honey," she replied while avoiding the kiss. "He's a..."

"Friend," Ralph helped her out. "I'm a friend," he repeated unnecessarily.

"Friend... okay. How long have you known her?"

"I met her a few hours ago, buddy."

Alex might have been shy and inexperienced, but he wasn't dumb. Ralph was grinning arrogantly, straight at Alex. This guy obviously planned on having sex with his Lisa, and had good reasons for that assumption.

Alex took a good look at the guy. He was small compared to Alex, but then most guys were. Alex thought he was remarkably repulsive. If Lisa really had let this guy believe he'd get lucky, his looks were certainly not the reason. Maybe he had some success with insecure women, because of his brashness. Not with confident women like Lisa, though. Alex was thoroughly puzzled. Something was going on, he didn't understand what, and didn't want to act while still confused.

"Don't worry about any of this, honey," Lisa softly reassured him. She turned her brightest smile on him as she stroked his massive chest. "It has nothing to do with us. You know we aren't exclusive. We can both see others, as long as we are careful never to harm our love."

"So I could see other women too?" Alex asked, and they both knew it was as unrealistic as jumping to the moon.

"Of course you could," she gushed, almost laughing at the thought of Alex chatting up a woman. "Don't you worry, honey. If you don't want to join in, it won't last long and everything will be just as it was. You and I will still be the only ones who count."

Ralph confirmed his lack of class by grinning continuously and placing his hand on Lisa's butt. She smiled up at him and let him push her gently towards the bedrooms. Alex could hear them laughing later, and it hurt like hell. He was sure they were laughing at him, and he thought they had every reason to. He felt defeated, worthless, powerless. Being with Lisa had been the only good thing that had ever happened to him, and now it was gone. He had thought that with Lisa, he could build a normal life, live like a normal human being. With her, could leave the loneliness and ridicule of his old life behind. Now Lisa was shattering that dream, in his own bed, in his own house. He had to get out. He left the house to walk aimlessly through the cold biting air.

Hours later, in the early morning, he finally found the courage to return home, or perhaps he was just cold and tired. He had hoped to find the guy gone and Lisa asleep. He didn't know if he would ever confront Lisa: he avoided confrontation at almost any cost, especially with her. He certainly didn't want to do it that night. He walked quietly into his bedroom, hoping not to wake her.

"There you are, honey," Lisa greeted him. She was dressed (undressed, really) just the way he liked her, and she turned her brightest smile on him, with a hint of mischief in her eyes that promised untold delights. He loved seeing her like this, and she knew it. On the other hand, she had hurt him deeply, and he had no idea what he wanted to do about it.

"I've been waiting for you," she cooed. She placed sweet little kisses everywhere. Alex tried to resist, but it was impossible. She caressed him everywhere at once. It seemed she had three mouths and five hands, and undressed him in no time.

The sex was unlike anything they'd had before. She loved him slowly, caressing every inch of him, gazing into his eyes, pampering and romancing him just as he had imagined during all the lonely years. A brief thought danced through his mind: Lisa could make love slowly and gently, when she wanted to. Then that thought and all thoughts were gone, and he was immersed in his beautiful girlfriend. This was what he'd dreamed of! It almost felt like losing his virginity all over again. Amazingly, Lisa too seemed to have more and better orgasms this way.

Lisa remained extra loving for weeks. She was obviously determined to make Alex very happy, and she was successful. He managed to block out that one evening and returned to living his personal dream.

Alex thought that Lisa seemed very happy too, and he was right about that. He was just wrong about the reasons. She had won an important battle.

* * * * *

Michael was his name this time. Or was it Thomas? He couldn't remember too well and it didn't seem important anyway. They weren't exclusive, she always said.

"Not my fault," he always replied. "I'm ready for that." He had proposed to her three times. Her invariable reply had been that she wasn't ready yet, she would be someday, but she didn't know when.

"I know, my love, and I'm so grateful," she had replied. "But I'm not. Be patient, my love. I soon will be." As always when she was hurting him, her tone was extra soft and loving. Perhaps she thought it made the hurt easier for him to bear. Perhaps she wasn't thinking of him at all.

"Ready? How can you not be ready? Either you love me or you don't."

"It's not that simple, my dear Alex. You know how much I crave excitement, variety. I know that I'm hot..."

"Yeah, yeah, and I'm not."

"Alex, that's not what this is about. I need something different now and then, and one man, no matter how hot or wonderful, can't meet that need. Not even you. Anyway, as soon as I'm ready, I will stop my little meaningless dalliances."

"Aaand...?"

"And I'm not ready for that. Not yet. Be patient, my love. Those guys mean nothing to me. You are my number one man, and always will be."

It was always the same conversation, even if the words were slightly different. The result was the same, too: she was cheating on him, again, and would continue to do so until some indefinite someday when she would decide to stop. Yeah, right, the thirty-first of Never, he thought. It might not have been so bad if she didn't look so excited and happy when she announced that yet another Happy Harry was going to fuck her.

For a few weeks, Alex had the world by the tail. No longer. He was deeply unhappy and humiliated. Oh, he still got the "reward" phase after she'd fucked one of her lame-ass studs, complete with little touches and kisses and deep looks into her eyes, and romantic love-making. But those phases were getting shorter as her cheating became more frequent.

Alex had plenty of time for reflection while Lisa carried out her "meaningless dalliances." He suspected she was telling the truth, that they really were meaningless. The guys weren't prizes; he was sure she could attract better. Was it all about power and control? Is that what she wanted? That was a situation he'd been familiar with all his life. That didn't mean he had any idea what to do about it, or how to escape it. Or even if he wanted to.

Lisa had just announced another "meaningless dalliance." As usual, it hurt like hell, and gave more power to his already rampant insecurities. Alex couldn't be bothered to remember the name she mentioned; he just thought of them all as "Harry" and that was good enough for him. He employed his usual strategy of avoiding conflict by becoming absent. The gym was his first stop, but when he'd had all that his body could handle, it was still too early to go home. Unless, of course, he wanted a cozy chat with Happy Harry. He figured he could kill some more time at a motorcycle show he'd seen advertised in the paper. He'd never been to one, but he thought he could figure out how to act by watching the others after he got there. Unfortunately, all they were doing was wandering about some garage, staring at motorcycles. Seriously? Motorcycles? He supposed he could kill off some more time this way, if terminal boredom didn't kill him first.

Alex sighed as he turned around, trying to spot the differences between the motorcycles he'd stared at and the ones (if any) he hadn't. As he turned, he felt a small bump to his belly and heard an "ooompf" sound. He looked down just in time to see a tiny female bouncing off his gym hardened (and fortunately, freshly showered) midriff.

He barely felt the impact, but as he looked down, he saw a mane of long hair bouncing back rather violently. He hadn't seen her before she ran into him because she was so short she was below his field of vision. He looked down at her, only to see her stumbling around like a drunk actor in a bad comedy as she tried to regain her balance. Her discombobulated dance ended with her falling onto her tiny ass.

"Sorry," he said, which was what he always did. He just so big and clumsy, apologizing was completely automatic. She looked up at him, and the shock on her face was replaced by an honest, genuine, quite attractive smile. The surprise was now on Alex's face. He was not used to people, especially pretty women, seeming happy as they looked at him.

He looked at her more carefully. She was a woman of about his own age, she was tiny and very pretty. Just as he was absurdly large, she was way too tiny. It somehow gave him a sense of camaraderie. She looked up at him with eyes that seemed too big for her small face. He found himself thinking of Hobbits, but prettier. Seeing her made Alex feel good, and that was another thing he wasn't used to anymore.

"Thank you," she wheezed as he extended a hand to help her up. She was out of breath, so it seemed she had been running before colliding with him.

"For being the obstacle you could run into? Well, any time..." he grinned, trying to lighten the situation.

"No, no, I'm really sorry. I wasn't looking. I was just running."

"Towards something or away from..."

"Hey, I take care of her from here. Thanks for stopping her, buddy," someone rudely interrupted their pleasant conversation. The little woman immediately shied away from the guy, as if she wanted to hide behind the huge obstacle she had run into. Alex looked at the guy, then at her and noticed her split lip and the beginning of a shiner on her left eye. He wondered what the hell was happening.

The pursuer was a medium sized, mean looking unshaven guy with an unaesthetically protruding spare tire around his mid-section. His longish, black hair was gelled back, and his sunglasses were strategically positioned on top of his head. He wore a thick gold chain around his neck, a fake smile and an out of style cheap black leather jacket. Alex looked downward to see how his new acquaintance completed his ensemble. Sweatpants and sneakers, perhaps? Could he really be that much of a walking cliché? Well, yes, he could. He had nailed the cheap wannabe criminal look from top to bottom. The decision to dislike him was easy.

"Oh no," Alex heard the whispered voice from behind his right shoulder.

Alex had never been in a fight in his whole life. His size combined with his generally peaceful and shy nature made that unnecessary. People didn't want to offend him, and he wanted as little to do with confrontations as possible. But this was different. A small, weak female needed his help. It was impossible for him to just leave her to her fate. Still, he would much prefer to find a way to solve this peacefully.

"I think the lady should decide..."

"That's no lady, that's just Dani. She's my property, so just move on. Please." He added the last word in an absurdly exaggerated friendly tone, trying to sound like a smooth businessman. It didn't work. This guy was a bruiser, or at least wanted to be one, and normally, Alex would find several reasons to simply avoid him. But half-hidden behind him was a woman who shouldn't be next to such a brute. She was too small, too delicate, too frightened. Lisa would have handled this guy easily, he thought. A well-placed kick in the nuts, an imperative sentence or two, and things would be headed in the right direction. Namely, Mr. Greaser would be headed for the floor.

"Well, we better ask her."

"Listen, my friend..."

"I'm not your friend, okay?" Alex amazed himself by sounding assertive. Alex the Harmless had suddenly found an unknown confrontation mode. He felt a strong and surprising urge to protect her. Dani. That was what the ugly man said. He decided he needed to save Dani.

The greasy guy had obviously either classified him as "big, but harmless" or was aggressive all the time, regardless of who he was speaking with. In any case, he didn't shy away from a confrontation with the much bigger man.

"Listen, asshole. You just stay out of this and nobody gets hurt, okay?" His tone was quite a bit more threatening this time.

"Nobody except Dani, right?" She had meanwhile clutched Alex's jacket tightly with both hands. This was a white knight, damsel in distress situation if there ever was one. No way Alex was going to back off. He might have been a slouch, but he had some male protective instincts. Obviously. Surprisingly.

The men measured each other up. Alex's problem was his complete inexperience with physical confrontation. A small, unpleasant sneer disfigured Mr. Greaser's face, making it even uglier. He had clearly marked Alex as a huge, friendly wimp. Normally, this would have been close to the truth. But there was Dani. Alex saw him as a much smaller, but devious and experienced street fighter.

"Okay," the man said in a suddenly oily, friendly way while he showed his palms. Alarm bells were going off in Alex's head. After that, everything happened very quickly, following a weirdly elegant choreography. Alex saw him put his hand in his pocket and bring it out again, this time with a knife in it. Surprising everyone present, even himself, he punched the guy straight in the face. The hit was quick and hard. Those hours he spent in the gym working off his frustrations about Lisa came in very handy.

Like an uninvolved spectator, Alex watched his fist do what was necessary. He hadn't expected his spontaneous casual effort to have such an effect. He had hurt someone, and he immediately didn't like it. It just was not his style; this was not the person he wanted to be.

He also didn't like the feeling of the guy's nose breaking under his fist. It was plain disgusting. He didn't like the amount of blood showing up while Mr. Greasy was still tumbling backwards toward the floor. Most of all, he didn't like being the sudden center of attention. Everyone in the whole place was looking at him. He felt his face heating up.

Surprisingly, nobody seemed to be as appalled as he was. Guys were giving him a thumbs up, women smiled approvingly, maybe even a bit flirtatiously. What the hell was going on? Then he remembered he was at a bike show. He'd never been to one before; things like this might be normal around there. Anyway, while the guy was still unconscious on the floor, he decided he had seen enough motorcycles for the day and it was time to get out of there.

He turned around and had almost forgotten about the cause for the altercation, but was soon reminded.

"Hey." The soft voice behind him made him look. She was even prettier when she wasn't running for her life.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I don't do that very often. No idea what's expected of me after a fight. Sorry."

As he was trained, Alex stood there, facing her, waiting for the woman to take the lead.

"Thanks for saving me," she said a bit formally, even bowing her head slightly and smiling nicely.

He was never good at receiving expressions of thankfulness and her heartfelt gratitude embarrassed him completely. Not knowing what else to say, he tried "did he do that?" while pointing at her face.

"Yes," she replied matter-of-factly.

Okay, Alex thought, he had kind of saved her, so now what? Why was she smiling at him like this? Was she waiting for him to do something? Was she an Indian and he somehow owned her now? He felt kind of responsible for her, but he also had not the slightest idea what to do next.

"We should get going," was all he could think of.

"Brilliant plan." And with that, she grabbed his left arm and refused to let go as they left the bike show. She clung to him, but she didn't lead the way, as Lisa would have done. She refused to let go, but was willing to go where he led her. He was not used to the feeling of responsibility, but it wasn't unpleasant.

He looked at her in detail again while she beamed up at him. She was definitely tiny. Everything about her was absurdly small. The ears, the nose, the whole head. How could a working, fully developed human brain fit into a head that small? But, holy cow, she certainly was pretty. He guessed they looked totally ridiculous together. One big homely oaf and a very attractive, yet very small woman clinging to his arm like a burr. He had no idea what this meant or what he had gotten himself into, so he decided to do the manly thing and postpone thinking about it.

"How about this?" the tiny woman asked, pointing at a nearby cafe after they had walked for a few minutes. Alex nodded, not used to a female asking his opinion. He noticed Dani's surprisingly bright mood while she perused the menu. He was still a bit confused about the whole situation, but she obviously wasn't. That was good enough for him.

"Oh god, they have sandwiches. And look at those baguettes. I am starving."

Alex walked to the counter, placed their order, and tried to get his mind straight. He decided he shouldn't run around like a confused chicken while Dani was cool as fuck about everything. He also decided he enjoyed being next to her. She had a positive, non-dominant vibe about her. He was pretty sure he could get used to this.

"I'm Dani," she stated after he had returned to their table.

"Yes, the greasy guy already introduced you. I'm Alex."

She giggled a bit and Alex watched it in rapt fascination. She was so damn attractive, but someone had hurt her and planned to continue doing so. This had to stop, he decided. He would protect Dani. No female had made that decision for him. This was Alex finding his own will. Dani was out of his league, but he would still do what he could to keep her safe. He also decided he would let her go gracefully as soon as she didn't need him anymore.

"That's just Vasile. He is a small cog in a big gearbox, but he sure is one mean son of a bitch."

"What are you doing with a guy like him anyway? That seems so very wrong. You shouldn't... It felt like being near him soiled you... I don't know... It's just wrong." He spoke the last three words with a conviction that he rarely felt.

Dani smiled brightly. "It was not my choice, I can tell you. I'm from Eastern Romania. Jobs are scarce and low paid or involve working on your back. Even those are low paid. I've always been a good student. I'm good at math and I speak four languages."

"Your German is absolutely perfect."

"Thank you. Anyway, this agency advertised jobs in Western countries. All kinds of office jobs, accounting, translation, whatever. I applied and was hired on the spot. It turned out it wasn't an office job in Sweden. They had something more horizontal in mind, and when I was carried out of the back of the van and they finally took the sack off my head, I found myself here in Germany."

"God damn."

"Kind of sucked, yes. The easy way would have been to comply and just do it for a while. Not for me. I'm a fighter and I'd rather die than do that."

Alex could have found such a tiny person declaring she was a fighter comical, but he was actually impressed. It also made him take a hard look at himself. He was a giant, but let himself be pushed around. This cute tiny person was more of a fighter than he was.

"As soon as they had me drugged and loaded into that damn van, they regarded me as their property. They seriously think they own me now. Vasile was honestly indignant when I didn't docilely do all the shit they told me to.

"Part of their modus operandi is applying ownership tattoos. They said I would be broken in by the boss and start to work afterwards. I was not entirely enthusiastic about those plans and you know the rest."

"Well, I'm missing a few pieces. Like how you got your bruises."

"Alex. You... You really seem to be a nice guy. Vasile? These guys? It's a different world. Hitting a woman is as normal as saying hello. It's not even worth mentioning."

"Not even worth mentioning? Damn, that is not right."

"It's the real world, Alex. Not the one you live in, it seems, but still real."

"Damn."

"So what about you? Are bike shows your thing or saving maidens in need?"

Alex laughed deeply.

"That was my first bike show and I hope it's my last. You're my first saved maiden, but so far it seems great."

She smiled that killer smile again. Damn. If I just wasn't so damn ugly, he thought.

"You hate bike shows, but were at one. So why?"

"It's complicated." Alex sighed deeply, hopelessly, and she could see from his face how deeply unhappy he was. "I'm in a relationship. Well, kind of. Let's just say I couldn't stay at home."

"Big argument?"

"Small lover," he joked, but his laugh sounded strained. She looked into his eyes, stunned.

"You must be joking?" she asked.

"Sadly not. It..."

"It hurts."

"Yes, Dani. It hurts."

"Why do you stay? I ran away from Vasile, and he's armed."

"I can't, Dani. It's not who I am. You know, I was raised differently. I... It's hard to describe."

"You mean, you were raised to be exploited by women?" She thought she was exaggerating wildly, no one in the real world would do such a thing. But the shock on Alex's face told her she had guessed the truth.

"What?"

Alex was seriously stunned. Not so much by her suggestion: he had more or less come to the same conclusion himself, though he wouldn't have used the word 'exploited.' Even that had taken him years and he was still unable to do anything about it. Yet this stranger, who felt like a friend he could trust, had understood the situation within minutes. She was actually listening to him; she was interested in what he thought and felt. That must be the difference. The other women in his life had just used him for their own purposes, it seemed.

Dani was amazed by the vulnerable tortured soul inside this huge rugged body. He didn't wear an ownership tattoo, but he was exactly where she had fought so hard not to be: owned by a ruthless person, exploited and used. He was in need of saving at least as much as she was.

"So how did you get where you are, Alex?" Dani's eyes softened as she leaned forward. No one, man or woman, had ever listened to him so intently. He decided he rather liked it.

"My family was very secluded. We had almost no interaction with others, so I had no idea what other families might be like. My mother and my aunt were completely in charge. I think my father liked it that way. I sometimes wonder if he liked seeing his wife with other guys, but I'm not sure about that. They were discreet about it, if he did. In any case, they died in a plane crash a few years ago, and I'm ashamed about my mixed emotions about that. I feel guilty for not mourning them as much as I should have."

Alex had never confessed that to anyone, including Lisa. Somehow, he trusted Dani.

"Let me guess. Your wife picked you up while you were stumbling around aimlessly afterwards and continued just where your mother left off?"

"Almost. I believe she loves me, while my parents didn't. At least, I don't think they did. Lisa is not a monster. Yes, she pretty much took over my life, but that was what I needed, at least back then. We're not in an exclusive relationship: we can both have sex with others."

"But you don't do it, do you?"

"No, I was never interested. Besides, who would be interested in me? Lisa is actually very loving most of the time, in her own dominant way. I love her and enjoy being with her. Plus, I'm terrified of being alone, I always was. I'm lucky to have her because I'm so ugly."

Dani was amazed how successfully he had been brainwashed, how every trace of self-confidence had been burned out of him.

"Dani," he continued. "I really love being in a relationship. I'm not with Lisa because she's forcing me."

Dani had her doubts about that, but decided to keep her mouth shut.

"So if you're not interested in bikes, Alex, what are you interested in?" she asked, mostly to change the subject and not let their first date get too serious. And this was their first date, even though its beginning was somewhat unorthodox.

"Oh," he gushed. "Lots of things. Unmanly things, probably. As I was raised as a silver spoon child, I had to study music, arts, poetry, literature. It turned out I like it all. I like playing the piano, I love to paint, I love good books."

He was obviously enthusiastic, and she loved seeing the animation in his face, his voice, even his posture. Dani decided against giving him any advice. She didn't want to manipulate him like the other women in his life. Another female meddling with his abused psyche was the last thing he needed. If possible, she would still try to help him, gently nudge him into the right direction, whatever that was.

"So, what do you plan to do, now that you are free, Dani?"

"I'm not free. Vasile and his fellow thugs are part of a big organization, and they regard me as their property. They can't let anyone escape; it's a matter of principle."

"Do you have a safe place to stay?"

"No, but please don't worry. I will find something," she said, hoping he would offer to let her stay with him. "I don't want to burden you with my problems." She would never consent to being yet another woman who used Alex for her own purposes, but she had no choice. She had to go to ground somewhere.

"Nonsense. I have two guest bedrooms."

She thought about beginning a fake argument for politeness' sake, but instead just smiled thankfully. She was determined that she would never fake anything with this man. Alex was happy to offer her accommodation -- after all, he'd been brought up to serve women -- but he was looking forward to having Dani around. It would be nice to spend more time with someone who listened to him.

Alex drove Dani to his home. Apart from her suddenly gasping and throwing her purse out of the car window, nothing of importance happened. Alex had never seen a passenger do that before, but he didn't have much experience with women and they often surprised him. She probably had her reasons, and would tell him when he needed to know.

* * * * *

"Ah, I see," Lisa greeted them with a strained smile on her face. "So that's how you want to handle it from now on. Can't say that I expected that. I do hope you know what you're doing and what's at stake."

That was a strange and unexpected greeting, Alex thought. How could she be upset at him for merely inviting a desperate woman into their house, while she had been having sex with numerous men right under his nose?

"Thomas is already gone?" was the best answer he could come up with.

"Thomas? Haven't seen him for weeks. Tonight's man was Michael. Yes, he left almost two hours ago. You could have come home much earlier."

"Oh, sorry for being inconsiderate," he replied, surprising both Lisa and himself. Alex being sarcastic was something neither of them was used to.

"Alex, I've always been open about this. We're not exclusive right now. We're just roommates and super good friends with benefits."

"I know. So where's the problem?"

She seemed short of a good reply for a few seconds, which was a rare occasion.

"Alex, is this your way of trying to force me into an exclusive relationship? Do you really need to push things forward? We will end up there anyway at some point. We should just let things evolve naturally, don't you think?"

"Force you? No, honestly, I'm just helping her. This isn't about you at all."

"So she's going to sleep in a guest bedroom and you're sleeping with me?"

For the first time, Alex had the impression that Lisa was unsettled. She had obviously not expected him to turn her rules around on her. The shy guy bringing home a woman much prettier than her? She being unable to object, due to her own rules? Obviously, this was new territory for her and she would have to tread carefully.

"I'm not going to sleep in the bed you just had sex with some guy in."

Dani was watching their conversation in awed silence. She had seen a lot, but nothing as bizarre as she was witnessing now.

"I can change the sheets, Alex," Lisa replied sweetly. Alex found himself wondering why he hadn't brought a woman home before. It sure seemed to shift the balance of power. Maybe because he was ugly and painfully shy and had no hope of finding a woman to bring home. Lisa had always counted on that. Neither of them had anticipated a woman like Dani, suddenly attaching herself to him despite his shortcomings.

"No problem, Alex can sleep with me in my room," Dani suggested, right on cue and with a sweet, innocent smile on her face. "That way you don't need to change the sheets because of me." Lisa was no longer smiling. She seemed to be trying to find out if looks really could kill. Alex hoped this wouldn't evolve into some sort of catfight, which would have been really awkward.

"Okay, I get it. I really get it, Alex. I've put you through a lot and you deserve this. We're not exclusive and you can enjoy your freedom just like I did. Have fun, but please always remember who you belong to. You know that I've never developed feelings or any kind of emotional bond to any of the companions I bring here. Please do the same for me." With that parting shot, she turned her back, strode into the master bedroom, and closed the door. Firmly.

Alex guessed that he and Dani should settle on sleeping arrangements pretty soon: he'd had a long and confusing day. Using Dani to get revenge on Lisa was the farthest thing from his mind. He wouldn't use any woman that way, it just wasn't in him. And the feelings he was beginning to have for Dani were more protective than salacious. Dani, on the other hand, thought it would be great for Alex to get some revenge on Lisa, and she was more than willing to lend any assistance in her power. But she already knew that Alex just wasn't like that, and she wasn't about to turn down a good night's sleep away from Vasile & Co, so Alex slept in the small guest room, and Dani in the large one.

* * * * *

Damn, how could that happen, Vasile thought. The new whore got away. Hell, she escaped right under his eyes. Damn, damn, damn. Things started falling apart when Radu, his usual tattooist, had to return to Romania for some family shit. Going to this damn bike show had been his bright idea. There would certainly would be tattoo guys around, who could do the job and not ask any questions. He even found one, offering his services in some shitty tent. Who could have guessed that these biker guys had the urge to save unknown whores instead of minding their own business? They were clearly bent on causing him some serious physical harm, until his knife managed to convince them to let him go in one piece. By that time, the whore had already escaped. Damn.

Then there was this huge oaf. He just stood there gaping stupidly, taking up way too much space, like some kind of big meat roadblock. The tiny whore had been brought to a screeching halt colliding with him, otherwise Vasile would never have caught her. Then that ox suddenly had to play the hero and sucker punch Vasile before he even had the chance to properly knife him. Damn.

The situation was not good. His broken nose still hurt, the mean looking tattoo guy and the guys from the bike show were possibly still looking for him, the police was looking for him anyway. Plus, the big boss had informed him there would be consequences if he didn't retrieve the whore within two weeks. The calm tone and the word 'consequences' were a clear sign that the situation was serious. The boss had told poor Marcu the same thing a few months ago. Vasile had personally shot him in the head and made him useful by turning him into a part of a concrete foundation.

Vasile knew someone probably needed to die even if he got the whore back in time. The boss was in that kind of mood. Vasile was fine with that, as long as it wasn't him. Maybe the big ox would do as a scapegoat. First, he needed to find them. Luckily, he had placed the GPS tracker in the whore's purse.

* * * * *

Wow, Dani thought. That is what I call a dreamboat: big and handsome. She wondered how he could possibly be that shy. In the short time she had been with him, she had seen girls flirting with him, but he hadn't noticed at all. Even considering what he had told her about his isolated upbringing, a guy like him was a miracle. It wasn't as if he had been brought up in a secluded mansion; it was as if he grew up in a monastery or a space station.

Dani looked at the dumb bitch he was living with. If she couldn't appreciate a miracle man like Alex, she wouldn't be able to appreciate anyone. She knew such women existed and she didn't envy her. She would never be really happy. The real tragedy, though, was that Alex was staying with her. He was just unlucky enough to have met a female abuser at a time where he was vulnerable and was now unable to break free.

* * * * *

Alex was happy. He had seen Dani eat what seemed to be about twice her body weight, then tucked her into bed in the guest room. Her happy, relaxed expression was balm to him. He left her to sleep, and returned to his fascinating book on the Thirty Years' War. He was surprised by a very light sensation on his right ear. Soft lips were kissing his ear lobe, hot breath promised more delights to come.

"Lisa..."

"Don't talk now, honey."

"Lisa. Really..."

"What?" She tried to keep her tone friendly, but irritation was creeping into it.

"I don't think this is a good idea..."

"I think it's a spectacular idea."

"Lisa..."

"Alex, just relax. Everything's going to be alright." She had switched to a husky, erotic voice now.

Alex turned his head, and his eyes were drawn to her strategically positioned cleavage. His mother had had a generous bust, and so had Lisa. The view short circuited his brain. He couldn't help but look. He wanted to stay angry, to keep away from her. He just couldn't.

Lisa was relieved. The look on his face meant she still had her power. She could demand small sacrifices as a proof of his love, and he would always be hers. He couldn't escape, like her father had done when she needed him so much. This man was hers to keep. She could test him as much as she wanted, he was bound to her.

Alex had by then pulled her towards him and was pressing his face into her big boobs.

"Come to mama," she said in a soothing voice.

"What?" Alex seemed to wake up from his trance.

"Don't think about it, honey," she cooed, gently caressing his hair as she drew him face first into her cleavage. Damn, that was close, she thought. She needed to be more careful. Alex wasn't dumb. He knew he had issues with women, caused by his mother. Therapy and too much self-reflection would help him overcome those issues, meaning it was something she had to avoid. Mentioning his mother while he was busy with her tits was a mistake.

The sex was great, for both of them. As always, she took the lead. This time, it was glorious. Alex was so much better than any of her lovers. They were just tools, ensuring his continued enslavement.

* * * * *

The next morning, Lisa came down into the kitchen, expecting to be greeted as usual, meaning by an attentive Alex and her preferred set of coffees. One Espresso, one small Cappuccino, with a latte art heart, one spoon of sugar in the Espresso. That was the way things worked in their home. It was convenient for her and necessary for Alex. He needed guidance and structure in his life, and someone to serve, all of which she gladly provided. She really did care deeply about him, and was absolutely sure that each was exactly what the other needed. Her lovely face bore a sincere smile as she sailed happily into the kitchen Alex had bought at her behest.

Lisa's smile didn't last long. Alex was chatting with the tiny child woman, and worse yet, they both looked far too happy. They were joking and laughing as if they were old friends. It didn't improve Lisa's mood that despite being tiny and small breasted, the interloper in her domain was so extraordinarily pretty. Jealousy surged through her, a feeling she hated above all. Jealousy was what had destroyed her mother before Lisa's very eyes, before her father had left them behind like yesterday's trash. Jealousy meant loss of control. That's why she kept Alex in that state. It was not easy, but Lisa had turned it into an art form.

"Alex!" she said sharply.

He looked at her, still laughing at something the girl had said, and nodded, as if to confirm his name. Then he had the audacity to turn to the girl again.

"Alex!" Lisa repeated, even more assertively.

"Yeah?" he responded nonchalantly, still with that maddening grin on his face. Didn't he see how serious this situation was?

"My coffee." It didn't sound like a wish, and it wasn't meant as one.

"Oh. Help yourself today, would you mind?" he replied in a friendly, lighthearted tone.

This was getting out of hand, Lisa thought. Of course, she knew how to operate the ridiculously expensive portafilter machine and the mill, she simply had no intention of doing so. That was his job. Even more important, he needed to get away from this girl as soon as humanly possible.

"Alex, would you please make me my coffees!"

"Hey, what an awesome machine. Can you show me how it works?" the intruding female contributed, elegantly thwarting Lisa's plan.

"Oh, sure. Come on. You're right, it's pretty amazing."

It was the tiny girl who brought Lisa her coffees, smiling sweetly, and Lisa had only two choices: look like an idiot or thank her for it. She chose the latter, but tried to retain some self-respect by saying it tasted like bile. This was getting out of control.

"So, where do you live?" Lisa asked, clearly implying that it wasn't going to be in their home.

"She has no place to stay right now. She will live in the bigger guest bedroom," Alex stated as if it was his decision.

"No. I won't allow that."

"Lisa," he said in an infuriatingly friendly and soothing way. "Please understand. She is my friend. She needs help. You know how much I like to help people. I'd really like her to stay in the guest room..."

"Alex, I'm really not sure about this..."

"... of my house."

Lisa was stunned to silence. Alex was never this assertive, and she knew that this time, he would not yield. She had to find a way to back down without letting him get used to setting the rules.

"I understand," she replied, not troubling to hide her displeasure.

"Lisa, please don't be mad, okay?" Alex was offering an olive branch. "It's no big deal. Sorry about the coffee, I was a bit distracted."

Lisa accepted it. "Okay, but tomorrow I expect our usual procedures."

"Of course, honey," Alex agreed and was rewarded with a kiss.

Dani was torn. She wanted to see Alex assert himself and achieve a more balanced relationship with Lisa, simply because she liked him and she believed he deserved it, and the sight of Lisa successfully reasserting her power and control over Alex displeased her. On the other hand, Alex had called her his friend. And, she had a place to stay where Vasile and company couldn't find her. She hoped. She felt happier than she had in a long time.

After Lisa had left for her part time job as a nurse, Dani sat at the kitchen table watching Alex, as he used his notebook. Her heart went out to him as he bit his lip or scratched his left ear when he was deep in thought.

"Why do you stay with her?"

She had decided that she wouldn't ask that kind of question, giving Alex his space, but this one just seemed to slip out on its own. He didn't seem to mind, though.

"I know our relationship is unusual, but it works in its own strange way. It might surprise you, but I really love her and I know she loves me. I really can't imagine losing her. The thought alone is a nightmare for me."

"You never broke up a relationship, right?"

"No... Lisa is... Please don't laugh..."

"She's your first?"

"I guess, well... yes." His face turned an endearing shade of red. At least, that's how Dani saw it.

"Wow."

"Ridiculous, right?"

"Admirable, I'd say."

Alex shook his head. "No, it's pathetic. You know, I was always shy around women. Still am, actually."

"And you lost your parents early on."

He nodded. Wow, this Lisa bitch was ruthless, Dani thought. She saw his weakness and exploited it systematically. Nevertheless, Dani realized that if she was to help him, she mustn't underestimate his love for Lisa. That she exploited him didn't mean that he didn't love her. Dani understood that. Love made people do weird shit. Weird shit made people fall in love. She had her own bad experiences in that regard.

She pitied this gorgeous, vulnerable man, but knew that any changes to his life would have to be his own decision, in his own time. Manipulating him would be exactly what this bitch did and it was the last thing he needed. She knew first-hand how it felt to have others making the decisions in your life, and she would never do that to anyone, let alone Alex. She resolved to be patient, to restrain herself to tiny nudges. Alex needed time, he needed a friend and above all, he needed someone to truly listen to him. Dani was willing to provide that, even if he stayed with Lisa in the end.

* * * * *

Tension was thick in the house for the days that followed. Lisa nearly killed Alex with sex and affection, both rough and gentle, while retaining her control, as always. She was unusually loud in bed. Alex didn't think much about it, but Dani knew, as Lisa meant her to know, that she was marking her territory. Dani probably would have done the same if Alex was her man and there was some other bitch sniffing around. She just wished he really was hers, and imagined she was with him when she listened to them.

Lisa subtly tried to sound Alex out about Dani. Who she was, where she came from. She tried to determine what Dani's weaknesses were, to figure out how she could get rid of her. Dani was the biggest threat to her perfect life so far, and she needed ammunition. Alex readily gave up everything he knew, but didn't know enough to be much use. He just gushed about her personality, which was unbearable for Lisa. Since she wasn't getting anything useful and didn't enjoy getting an earful about how wonderful Dani was, she abandoned that tactic.

Dani and Alex seemed to have long talks all the time, which he and Lisa had never done. She couldn't help it that she had no interest whatever in the Thirty Years War, or whatever it was. It seemed like Dani could converse with him for hours, though. Something needed to be done, and done quickly. She felt her power over Alex slipping away from her. If her power was gone, she was certain that Alex would follow soon. She was convinced he wouldn't stay with her in a normal, balanced relationship. She would have to rely on the most powerful tool at her disposal. It was proven and trusty. Jealousy.

* * * * *

"There is someone at the door," Alex announced, looking confused. That's good, Lisa thought. Confusion is my ally. Dani looked up from her book, semi-interested. Alex was still amazed she was reading something about quantum physics that she had found in his library. He had heard the words before, but didn't know what they really meant. He was more of a humanities kind of guy. He was pretty sure Dani could explain it to him, though.

"Who is it, honey?" Lisa asked lovingly, although she had a perfectly good idea who it was. Alex opened the door, leaving the chain on, and exchanged a few words with whoever it was.

"Some guy. Said he wants to pick you up."

"Oh. That would be Martin then. Didn't you ask him in?"

"Who's Martin?" Alex asked. Dani thought the question didn't seem overly bright, but by now she knew her friend Alex was anything but stupid. He was just overwhelmed by the situation.

"A friend, my dear. He's going to be my date tonight. Ask him in please, would you?"

"Oh my god," Alex said. Dani wondered how he still could react that way after having endured this countless times. She was glad that he at least didn't invite this Martin guy in, but left the room, probably to his small home office.

"Alex..." Lisa indignantly exclaimed, but finally got up to take care of her guest herself when it was obvious Alex would not return to do the honors of the household. Dani watched the whole scene fascinated, but didn't intervene. The time wasn't right.

Lisa was decidedly unhappy about Alex's little rebellion, but smirked at Dani, expressing that despite this minor setback, Alex was still hers and Dani could do nothing about it.

Lisa returned with a guy, presumably Martin. Dani was baffled. She had expected someone at least moderately handsome. Lisa was a beautiful woman; she could easily have picked someone sexier or at least average. She hadn't, and they both knew it was on purpose. It was important that it was obvious these guys didn't matter. Lisa didn't want to replace Alex. She didn't do this because it was fun or erotic. It was a necessity to control Alex. Still, this Martin character was at best disappointing.

Alex poked his head back in.

"Say, Lisa, use the smaller guest bedroom, please? There are fresh sheets on our bed, and they're my favorite. And Dani's in the bigger room."

"What?" Lisa asked. This was not how it was supposed to work. Alex seemed way too unaffected by Martin. It wasn't working. It seemed jealousy wasn't working properly anymore.

Dani watched her intently. Both women knew Lisa didn't want to have sex with this Martin. It was an unpleasant task, and now it was going to be a futile one. She couldn't just call the whole date off, but maybe she didn't need to have sex in the end. Alex's reaction, or lack of one, had made that part a bit pointless.

"Relax, Alex. We might not end up having sex."

"Really?" Martin said. "Bernie said you're pretty much a sure thing. Guaranteed scoring, no hassle." It seemed he felt the need to make himself even more unattractive by opening his mouth.

Alex started to laugh, which just added to Lisa's embarrassment. Dani tried to hide her smile. She did not succeed.

"You know what, Martin? I think you should just fuck off. How does that sound?" Lisa was frustrated now, and this Martin character would bear the brunt of it.

"Listen, bitch, I drove almost half an hour and I sure as hell won't leave with blue balls now." He then felt compelled to make things even worse for himself by trying to seize Lisa by her upper arms.

Alex ambled slowly toward Martin. "Really?" he asked calmly. Alex looked benignly down at Martin. Martin looked up at Alex towering over him and made his first good decision of the evening.

"Fuck you all. You're all crazy," Martin exclaimed and fled the house.

"He might be right," Alex remarked after he had left. "He might just be right. We might all be crazy."

"Not me," Dani chipped in brightly.

"Well, that was awkward," Lisa stated the obvious in a strangely subdued voice. This had gone terribly wrong.

* * * * *

The following days brought an uneasy truce. Everyone was overly polite, almost comically so. Alex and Lisa still slept in the same bed. Lisa initiated sex frequently. Alex seemed to appreciate it, but still seemed a bit distracted. She desperately tried to come up with a new plan, although she tried to act unaffected and aloof. Dani hardly slept at all, as she listened closely, being glad when she didn't hear Lisa's exaggerated moaning.

Lisa finally came to the conclusion that her only chance at keeping Alex was a straightforward, honest talk about their relationship. That wasn't her usual style, but she really did love the big lug, as far as she knew, and she didn't want to lose him. Besides, she really was afraid he would be lost without the order and structure that she provided in his life. She chose a time when Dani was in the garden with another one of Alex's books. "Alex, I know life with me hasn't always been easy. Please never doubt my love for you, though. I'm a damaged soul, just like you. We complete each other."

"Why do you mention this now?" Alex asked. The question was genuine and Lisa knew it. He wasn't angry, nor disbelieving; he simply wanted to understand the situation.

"I'm worried, honey. I know you're unhappy with our status quo. My refusal to marry you. My short, meaningless flings. You know. Please don't ever think I do anything just to hurt you. I did what I thought was necessary to make our relationship work."

They both knew their relationship was complicated, but rarely talked about it.

"Thanks for sharing these thoughts with me, Lisa. I need to think about this, it is a lot to..."

His answer was interrupted by the doorbell.

"I'll get it," Lisa stated, mostly to get away from this talk, which was much more open than she was used to.

"No, I will," Alex said for the same reason and quickly went to the door.

"What can I do for you? Wait, I know you, you're the guy from the bike show," he added, somehow managing to ignore the gun in the man's hand.

"Bingo," Vasile answered, entering the house uninvited. "You stole my property and I want it back. Nice house, by the way. I like the curtains." He looked like he was genuinely interested in them.

"Thanks. I like them too. I found them online at Das Zauberhaus. Do you know them?" Alex was happy someone appreciated his choice.

"Finally found the little whore." Vasile obviously felt that he had fulfilled his small talk obligation and it was time to get down to business.

"How did you find us?" Alex wanted to know, while a curious Lisa joined them. She was also surprisingly unaffected by the gun.

"Oh, that was easy. I just asked all my contacts for a huge, stupid oaf. One of the guys had seen you in this part of town. I asked around at the hospital and this bitch," he pointed the gun casually at Lisa, "asked for my number. She said she would call me when I could pick up the girl. She made me promise not to hurt the big guy, that is you, but nuts to that. This is business. Promises don't mean shit here."

He had no problem ratting out Lisa, he didn't need any of them anymore. He might even decide to kill those two on the spot.

For perhaps the first time in her life, Lisa was deeply ashamed. She wished she could undo what she had done, find a way to make it right. Yes, she had jumped at the chance to get rid of her competition, but she had hoped this guy would merely make Dani magically disappear without any harm to anyone. But guys like this don't work that way, and for once she had to face the fact that she had done something truly evil. She couldn't think of anything to do or say to make anything better, so she kept standing there helpless and unhappy.

"Okay, the little whore comes with me now." Vasile remembered that his boss usually wanted someone to die whenever something went wrong. "No, you all come with me. Where is she? I know she's somewhere in here."

Alex hoped that Dani had realized what was happening and fled through the garden. She needed to escape; he had no idea how to protect her against a seasoned criminal with a gun.

"I'm here," he heard from behind him, much to his dismay.

"Run, Dani, the back door," he shouted. "I'll stop him for a while," but Dani didn't move and Alex had no idea how to stop Vasile anyway.

Tiny Dani stood like a rock. "No, Alex. I can't. This is not your fight. I can't drag you into this. You might get hurt."

"Aaaah," he exclaimed frustrated, waving his huge arms.

Lisa watched how they each tried to save the other and her heart sank. Those two people who looked so mismatched truly loved each other, whether or not they realized it yet. She suspected Dani knew, but she was pretty sure Alex didn't. Still, she really was on thin ice now, even if Dani disappeared from their lives forever. Alex was completely loyal and would certainly hold this against her. Damn, why did everything she tried have to go so terribly wrong? She really did want what was best for Alex, and was quite certain she knew what it was.

"You're really pretty cute," Vasile remarked. Nobody was sure whether he was talking about Dani or Lisa. They didn't wonder enough to ask. "I'll ask my boss to keep one of you three assholes alive. How about that?" He grinned while he waved his gun. Alex was certain this guy was enjoying his job now, far more than he had at the bike show.

Dani sprinted towards the front door Vasile hadn't closed, surprising them all. Vasile had a problem: shoot her or not? No: the boss wanted her to earn money, so she needed to be alive.

"Fuck," Vasile uttered, realizing he had another problem. Follow the little whore yet again or take care of those idiots? His life depended on catching the whore. The boss didn't even know about the others. Cursing, he ran out of the house without looking back once.

"Shit," Alex exclaimed, which was unusual. He and Lisa both realized that Dani had just risked her life to save theirs. Lisa was happy about Dani being gone, but couldn't let it show. She had to tread very carefully now. No other guys, at least for a while. First, she needed to get Alex and the whole situation back under control.

Alex ran in circles in the living room, desperately trying to think of something he could do.

"Alex," she softly tried. "I know things have not always been easy..."

Alex turned around without even acknowledging her presence. He walked out the door, following Dani and the gun guy down the front walk. They were gone. He couldn't catch them anyway; he was never good at running. Plus, he didn't have a gun. Plus, even if he had one, he wouldn't know how to use it. He had never even been in a fist fight. His peaceful nature, plus his ridiculous size had never made it necessary so far.

Frustrated and without a better plan, he jumped into his car and drove around aimlessly, trying to find them, but not having a plan what to do if he did. After about half an hour, he returned home, dejected and unhappy, but calmer. He had accepted there was nothing he could do immediately. He needed to think, breathe deeply, come up with a strategy.

He really hoped Dani was okay. He hadn't even gotten around to being angry at Lisa. He wasn't thinking of her.

"Alex," she said, not knowing whether reminding him of her presence was not the best idea at the time.

"We're done," he stated in a terrifyingly neutral tone.

"What? Alex, please listen, don't do anything rash." Problem was, Alex seemed quite calm when he said it and unusually self-assured. Where was his insecurity when she needed it? "I never wanted those guys. I just wanted you to stand up and fight for me. You're so damn passive, such a pushover in such an incredibly strong body. I only wanted you to wake up, be my man, be manly, assertive, dominant. Be who I needed."

"Lisa, I've always been who I am. I never needed any of this shit. I never wanted to dominate anyone or be dominated. But you got what you wanted. I woke up."

"Don't you love me anymore?"

Alex didn't want to answer rashly. He considered their whole relationship from the start. The insecure, lonely wreck he was when she found him and picked him up. The way she guided him when he had no will to live anymore. She had formed him into the person he was, but it had come at a price. She had raised him up and pushed him down at the same time.

Yes, they had good times, glorious even. They also had come at a price. He had to pay for every happy moment, and the price was always heavy.

Did he still love her? Yes, possibly the part of her that wasn't sick and sadistic. For years, he had endured her Mr. Hyde moments, hoping for time with Dr. Jekyll. The less he got, the more he craved it. He had been trained to endure things for his whole life, so that's what he did.

He knew all of this before, so what had changed? Dani had appeared and she obviously, honestly liked him, without clauses and conditions. He was worth something. He could be liked, maybe even loved without prices to pay, just for what he was. It was an epiphany.

"Lisa, there's still a bit of my love for you left. I think you love me too, in your very own way. The problem is, we're both nutcases and we complement each other in an extremely unhealthy way. We bring out the worst in each other.

"We had our good times, great times even. In some way, we rescued each other. We should part, though. If we stay together, we'd destroy each other."

"Alex..."

She needed to find something to say, but she couldn't. The biggest problem she had was that he was right and they both knew it. They were not healthy for each other.

"I still believe you saved me from suicide when we met, Lisa. My family had just died, and my mother had made me just as dependent on her as you did. She took away my self-esteem, so you just had to keep it down. I was lost without her, and I needed someone. That's over, though. I feel free. You showed me my weakness. Even though it has been painful, it was necessary. It was unintentional, but I still thank you."

"Alex, listen..."

Again, nothing came to her mind. Then she had an idea.

"Yes, Alex. I accept."

"What?"

"You proposed to me more than once."

He didn't even bother to answer that.

"You pulled me out of a black hole, but pushed me into the next one, using the tools my mother had prepared. Lisa, I need to take care of Dani now. I need to undo what you've done. Even without the other things, I couldn't stay together with you just for that."

"I know, and I'm deeply ashamed about it."

"It's in the past. Like you."

"What can I do to help?"

"Give me your phone."

"What? Are you crazy?"

"You just asked what you can do to help."

"That's private."

"I don't care about your boyfriends. If you want to do something, call this guy."

"Oh, I see."

To Alex's surprise, she actually gave him the phone.

"Yeah?" Vasile growled, annoyed at being interrupted, now that he'd finally caught the little whore. He was going to have some fun now, pay her back for the ulcers she gave him. Still, he had to answer the phone. It wasn't the boss's private number, but it could be someone else in the gang.

Each listened to the other breathe without saying anything. Alex didn't have any kind of plan, Vasile didn't know who had called as he had never saved Lisa's number. Vasile was just about to hang up when Alex heard it. The bell of the old drawbridge over the canal.

He knew that bridge very well, just like the old abandoned warehouse next to it, as he had been at a photography workshop there a few months ago. It was a dark, dirty, creepy place, and Dani shouldn't be in there.

Leaving a stunned Lisa behind, Alex wasted no time and jumped into his car, still without a plan. Lisa knew she had lost him for good then. He was willing to risk his life for Dani without a second thought, just as Dani had for him. Lisa couldn't compete with that.

Sad and confused, Lisa remained in the house. His house, she supposed she'd better call it now. It might have all seemed unfair, until she remembered that she had been capable of betraying another human being into captivity or worse.

She had done it for Alex, of course. She really did love him, and she was sure he knew it. What he probably didn't understand was that beneath her confident facade, she was as broken as he was. Their brokenness fit together like puzzle pieces to form a unit that perhaps wasn't conventional, but gave each of them what they needed. Then she remembered that tiny little Dani had risked her life to save Alex. Would she have done as much for Alex? She didn't know. Somehow, this troubled her.

She and Alex were through; that was obvious, and things would be a lot less messy if she were gone when he came back from his rescue mission. She knew she should start packing, but didn't have the energy. She slumped sadly on the bed she'd shared with him.

What kind of person was she, anyway? Was she basically a selfish woman who used her beauty and her brokenness to get and keep power? But what would become of her if she didn't have power and control over her environment? Would she turn out like her parents? The fear rose again to choke her: the fear she could never put a name to, never identify precisely what she feared.

She remembered her last sight of Alex, lumbering as fast as he could toward his car and driving away like a maniac to rescue a girl from some kind of gang. He had never done anything remotely like that, she was sure. She would bet that he hadn't even told the girl he loved her, though it was perfectly obvious to both women. No, he just showed it, stepping completely out of what she thought of as his character. Not letting his brokenness rule him.

If Alex could almost reinvent himself, despite his past, perhaps she could, as well? She certainly had to try something new, because she knew she'd never find another Alex. Maybe she, too, could discover something new inside herself, something that hadn't been broken by her past, lying dormant beneath the strategies she'd relied on to protect herself. Well, she thought, no time like the present to find out. Especially since there doesn't seem to be another option. Resolved, she rose from the bed and began to pack.

Alex wasn't thinking of Lisa at all. He was standing outside the old warehouse, armed with a tire iron. It seemed pitiful compared to the guy's gun, but it was all he could lay his hand on. His only advantage would be surprise. He sneaked through the old rusty steel doorway, again painfully reminded that he was just too big and clumsy for proper sneaking. It was sufficient, in this case, as gun guy was totally focused on Dani.

She was bound to a chair and the greasy gun guy was right in her face, making sounds with his mouth. She managed to look bored, as if none of this had anything to do with her. "That's my girl," he thought, and he was proud of her.

Alex didn't have any kind of plan, mostly because he had no idea how to go about fighting. His girl was in danger, though, so he didn't hesitate. He brandished his tire iron as if it were Excalibur and thundered toward the greasy guy. Vasile turned around and saw the big oaf running towards him, a tire iron held high and his face contorted in rage and determination. The sight was terrifying, especially as he had stupidly laid his gun on a nearby workbench so he could concentrate on Dani. He had assumed no one could find them in the old warehouse, thus mistaking the improbable for the impossible and making a colossal blunder.

Alex saw the gun on the table just as Vasile leapt toward it. Vasile reached it first, but as he stumbled, it slipped from his fingers. Just as it did, Alex's tire iron slammed onto the workbench with a horrendous clang, just where Vasile's hand would have been, had he not stumbled. Due to Alex's over motivation, the tire iron slipped from his hands, rebounded from the workbench at an angle and slammed into Vasile's previously injured nose before clanging noisily onto the cement floor. Vasile howled and jumped back, giving Alex time to seize the gun from where it had fallen and point it at Vasile.

Alex had no idea what to do next. His first fight had gone reasonably well so far, he thought. The gun repulsed him--he had liked the tire iron better, it was more his style, he decided--but he realized that it's okay to fight if the cause is good, and Dani was worth it, even if he had to kill a man.

He aimed the gun at Vasile and pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. Vasile had recovered his wits, along with the tire iron, and was rushing at him. This was no time to learn how to use a gun. Vasile swung. The iron hit Alex in the shoulder, he was surprised how little it hurt. He was even more surprised when the gun went off. The two men stood still, staring at each other in mutual surprise.

"You hit me, you damn asshole," Vasile stated, surprised and dismayed.

"I think you're right," Alex stated matter-of-factly. He didn't see any reason for name-calling.

"Good," their one-person audience contributed. Dani had a front row seat (okay, the only seat) and just wished she wasn't bound and could help her man.

Alex and Vasile still stood staring at each other. Their undignified pas de deux had come to an end, they both knew it. Vasile's shirt now sported a growing blood stain. Alex had won, mostly by coincidence.

"You god damn asshole. I'm going to kill..." Vasile started, but was interrupted by Alex's fist. Alex hit harder than he had at the bike show. He put everything behind it. It was a hit to kill, and that was exactly what it did. It was no accident or coincidence. He wanted to kill a human being and he did. Vasile had to pay the price for everything Alex had to endure in the past and for trying to hurt Dani.

Vasile was dead. Alex had to fight for what he wanted, not someone else. Vasile had to die for the epiphany, but Alex had finally defeated his mother's demons.

He turned to Dani and began to untie her.

"God, are you going to be rewarded for this."

Alex just laughed. The smile on her face and the light in her eyes already had him feeling like the king of the world.

"I hoped you would come and hoped you wouldn't," she continued. "It was terrifying."

She looked at him with love and admiration, and he basked in it. He knew she would never abuse him like the others.

"Come, we're going home, my love."

Dani just smiled and took his hand, her small fingers almost disappearing in his meaty paw. They had both found their place.

* * * * *

Many thanks to Blackrandi and George Anderson.