“Tim,” Alana said with a surprised tone, “What are you doing here?” He got off her chair and walked over slowly, “Well to come and check up on you. Where have you been little sis? You’re dressed awfully nice.” She stood and calmly reached for the doorknob saying, “None of your business, you need to leave though. Now.” Lana stared into his eyes, noticing that they were bloodshot and yellow, realizing that he was either on or coming off some pill or drug. Her heart began to race, realizing that this was not going to end well.

“I’m not leaving, we need to talk,” Tim said snidely, “Plus I’m not done redecorating, do you like what I’ve done with the place so far?” Lana’s eyes left her brother and scanned the room, and then she realized her apartment was destroyed. Clothes were everywhere, dishes were broken on the floor, and furniture was overturned. “What the hell,” she said slowly, “What did you do? Why?” He laughed and said, “You know why little Lana…I had to teach you a lesson.”

Her older brother lunged at her, pinning her face first into the door. As her body hit the wood she let out a grunt in pain. He grabbed her arms from behind and forcefully walked her to the middle of the main room, holding onto her like a vice. “You see little sis, you’re not supposed to snitch on your older brother,” he said gruffly, “So I had to show you what happens when you hurt your own family.”

“What family? Are you talking about my alcoholic father and my drug addict brother who both steal from me,” she growled while trying to break free. “Watch you mouth,” Tim said as he positioned her body so that she was facing the corner of the room, “Now Look.” Her eyes moved to the pile on the floor that consisted of her guitar broken into pieces, her keyboard snapped in half, and music and lyric book was torn apart in a pile of shredded paper on the floor. “No….” she mustered out, “my music…why? WHY TIM?”

“Because you are a fucking snitch, did you not hear me the first time” he growled while pushing her into the broken pile of instruments, causing bits of sheet music to fly up into the air. “I’m so disappointed in you,” he said, “did you think I wouldn’t find out?” Her body ached as she stood up slowly. “I had to do it, you made me the instant you went back on drugs when you got out of jail. You need rehab Tim. Please just turn yourself in, I will beg them for leniency if you just stop this right now...Please.”

“Wrong Answer.” In the blink of an eye Tim came at her again, this time pinning her to the wall with one arm across her chest. He took his free hand and placed it on her neck, applying just enough pressure to make it hard to breathe. “You’re not listening. I don’t need help, and I’m not going back to jail,” he said, “I just need you to do your job and keep you’re fucking little mouth shut bitch.” Lana struggled to move, to try and push him away but he was too strong for her. She was trapped.

--

Kris waited until he saw her door close before he put his SUV into drive and made a U-turn to head home. The radio played in the background, but all he could think of was Lana. He couldn't quite explain it, but that night there was something so different about her. His mind wandered to his first glance at her in that dress, their dance, and the way she laughed -- something was just so refreshing about the whole night. She showed a different side, a sweeter side that he never knew she had. For the first time in a long time, Lana was the only woman in his head.

His fingers tapped the steering wheel to the beat of the song as he approached the West End Circle with a smile on his face. As he stopped at a red light, that’s when he noticed her black sequined purse on the floor of the car. Kris chuckled to himself and turned around, heading back to Southside. He wasn’t sure if she left if behind on purpose or if it was some higher power, but he was not going to complain. Maybe if he was lucky she’d still be in that dress, and he could help her take it off.

Kris parked out front and grabbed the bag, heading up the steps with a hop in his step. But as he approached the door he heard the sound of someone yelling. He paused at the top of the steps and heard someone say, “Keep your fucking little mouth shut bitch.” He peered into the window, and while the curtains were drawn he could still make out a tall figure holding a smaller one to the wall. Lana was in trouble.

Without hesitation he burst in the door, startling the two people inside as he sternly ordered, “Get your hands off her, Now.” The look on Lana’s face was fearful as the tall, lanky man with dark hair and tattoos said, “Who is that? Your boyfriend?” The man turned his head around to face Kris, “This is a private conversation between family, you can leave.” Kris took off his suit jacket and tossed it aside with her purse as he took two steps forward. “I said take your hands off her.” The lanky man laughed and said, “Who the fuck do you think you are? What are going to do if I refuse?”

Kris glanced at Lana with a sympathetic look before turning back to her brother, “I’m not going to ask again.” He watched as her brother smirked and took his hands off Lana’s neck. But almost instantaneously he pushed her aside and into the glass coffee table, which shattered as she fell to the ground. He instinctively bolted towards her, but her brother blocked his path and put his hands out, pushing him back. “Oh no you don’t,” he said, “Let the little whore suffer.”

How could this man be her brother? He attacked her, pushed her into a table, and was calling her a whore. He was beginning to realize why she had pushed everyone out of her life now. Kris clenched his fist as anger boiled his blood, and without saying a word quickly landed a powerful right hook to her brother’s face. He gained little satisfaction from the cry of pain and bloodied nose as her brother fell to his knees. He had hurt Lana, and frankly Kris wanted to beat the bastard to a bloody pulp - but right now the frightened woman in the room was his priority.

---

Lana watched as Kris took her brother down with a single punch in shock. The last few minutes had been a blur as she gasped for air; she couldn’t believe this was happening. She couldn’t turn her eyes away as her brother Tim wiggled like a worm on the floor in pain and Kris walked right past him. He kneeled down and took both her shaking hands and said softly, “Are you OK? Do I need to get you to a hospital?” She shook her head and said, “No, I’ll be fine.” There were just cuts and bruises on her body, what hurt the most no hospital could fix.

“No, She won’t be fine. Snitches always get what they deserve,” Tim said standing up and making his way to the door, “This is your last warning little sis; If you call the cops you’re dead Lana. D-E-A-D. You hear that too loverboy? I have friends, bad friends, who can take care of both of you. So not a fucking word out of either of you.” Lana’s lip quivered at the shrill-toned threats that her brother made before running out the door. He was no longer her brother; he was a full-blown monster. This is what drugs had done to him, and it scared her to death.

Lana could tell Kris wanted to run after him, but instead he stayed there with her. She was silent as he stood up slowly, helping her back to her feet. Bits of shattered glass fell off her dress and arms, joining the rest of the remnants on the floor. She felt so lightheaded from everything that she lost her balance; Lana braced herself with her arms as her head fell directly into his chest. He didn’t move, she didn’t even feel him breathe at that moment as he wrapped his arms around her. Kris felt so warm and safe, but it couldn’t stop the tears from beginning to fall from her eyes.

“Lana we should call…”

“No, No police, not yet. I can’t Kris, you heard him,” Lana said tensing up and breaking his grasp on her, “Please, don’t call them. Please.” He cupped her face with his strong hands and looked her straight in the eyes, “I’m not going to let him hurt you Lana, and neither will the police.” She profusely shook her head and said, “Please don’t call. I’ll do anything…I just don’t want to call them because if Tim finds out...Well I don’t want to know what he’ll do.”

He calmly took her hands again, pulling her back towards him gently. After a kiss on the forehead he said, “I won’t call, but promise me that you’ll think about it? Please?” Lana nodded slowly as she said, “I will…Thank you.” Kris took a step back and said, “I’m not done…you’re staying with me until this ends OK? No arguments.” It was hard to argue when she didn’t want to stay at her apartment either, so she answered with a simple, “Let’s go.”

------

Kris picked his suit jacket up off the floor and placed it over her shoulders before leading Lana to his car. He wasn't sure what to say, so he drove with one hand, and placed the other on her thigh. Her head leaned against the window as they drove past the empty bars, seeming to be in shock. He really wished she would have let him call the police, but she was obviously scared and in shock. He wasn’t going to push her; she had to make that choice on her own.

Kris did know one thing for sure; he was going to watch her like a hawk. If her brother came after her once, his threats were still credible no matter what decision she makes. Kris was going to do everything in his power to keep his promise, and he never wanted to see her this way again.

It didn't take too long to pull into his driveway, and as they walked into his home he could see the look of shock turn to awe on her face. He went into the house and put in his security code to arm the alarm as she followed him inside. "Sheesh this place is huge," she said speaking for the first time in nearly 20 minutes while looking around, "How many rooms?" He shrugged and said, "Too many, I only use four of them really. My bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and workout room." He watched as her eyes darted to the piano in the entrance-way. She walked up to it, letting her hand slowly trace the top. Her face looked like a child in a candy shop as she said, "You have a Steinway baby grand piano?" He nodded and said, "It was there when I moved in; I don't think it's ever been played." He realized that his overly large house, Range Rover, and expensive items made him look like he was living like a king. But in reality, it was all just meaningless stuff to him.

"Do you want to take a shower, or get some rest," he asked calmly, "Or I could maybe make you some breakfast since it's almost two." She turned her gaze away from the piano and back at him as she said, "Maybe I should just get some sleep? You probably have to be up early tomorrow and I don't want to be a pain..." Kris grabbed Lana's hand and said, “I'll take you upstairs, and you're not a pain. I invited you and you can stay here as long as you need." She nodded slightly and followed him up the staircase to the second floor to his bedroom. He opened the door and let her inside, and he watched as she looked at the large room with awe. He walked over to his dresser and grabbed her a t-shirt and a pair of pj pants for her to change into. "Here, you can use these for now," he said while handing her the clothes, "The bathroom's over to the right."

She took the slowly headed into his bathroom, closing the door. As he heard the sound of running water in the sink he changed out of his suit and into a t-shirt and gym shorts before turning down the covers on his bed. A few minutes later she came out of the bathroom, leaving her dress on the chair next to the door. She crawled into the king sized bed, pulling the comforter up to her shoulders. As she settled in he sat on the bed next to her and said, "You can have my room tonight, I can sleep downstairs." Lana looked at him with her emerald eyes that were still glassy, "actually...could you stay?"

Kris crawled into bed beside her, and not even a second after the light was turned off her body was next to his. She clung to him like a child would cling to a teddy bear, making his heart sink even deeper into his chest. This wasn't the Lana he was accustomed to, in fact it was a side he never thought she had. She was so broken, so frail, which was a far cry from her cold and stubborn personality. She needed someone, and he would do everything and anything for her. Kris lied there in silence as she slowly drifted to sleep, giving her one final sweet kiss whispering, “I’ll keep you safe, I promise.”