It didn't take long to locate her, and like JC said, Channing was right there by her side.

"See, what did I tell you?" JC said, following Justin as he quickly closed the distance between them.

"Look, can you do me a favor?"

"Absolutely. What do you need?"

"Can you keep Ray occupied for say....fifteen minutes or so. I want to take a little walk."

"Ummm....I can try to, but honestly, I don't think she is going to be game for this AT ALL" he stressed, noticing Reini looking up at the two of them as they got closer. "You know, incase you forgot, I'm not her favorite person right now."

"Yeah, well unless she wants to have another chat with the angels almighty, she'll do as she's told and stay with you."

Snickering to himself, JC recalled the utter shock he was in when he saw her praying in the bathroom. Granted Reini always came across as the wholesome type, but to be on the floor praying to Mary, naked as the day she was born was just too much.

"There you are. I was looking for you. I saw you talking to JC earlier but by the time I made it over there, you were gone." Justin said, snaking his arm around Reini's waist as Channing looked on.

"Yeah, I wonder why." Channing said in to his glass as he gave JC a quick once over.

"You having a good time man?"

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean, normally this isn't my type of thing, but being here with Ray helps." he said, a playful smile easing across his lips as he winked at her.

Forcing himself to smile, Justin just nodded in agreement. Where in the hell did this guy get off acting like she was there with him. She wasn't with his sorry ass. She simply drove there with him. Reini belonged to him, in every sense of the word, and it was about time he made it well known.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Talk to me?" Channing asked, momentarily looking over at Reini who was cautiously trying to mouth to him that she didn't want him to go.

"You don't mind, do you Ray?"

Knowing there was only one answer he would allow her to give, Reini shook her head 'no' and looked up at him. For a moment she thought she saw the same fire in his eyes that he got when she got out of line. The fire that clearly meant no good was going to come out of whatever was next.

"Don't worry. JC will keep you company until I get back." he said, placing a single kiss on the back of her hand before handing it over to JC.

"I don't need him to keep me company Justin. I'm quite capable of keeping myself occupied until you get back." she said nervously looking up in to JC's eyes. After all, the last thing she wanted to do was be alone with JC.

"Humor me, alright?"

Sensing that she was coming dangerously close to crossing the line, Reini simply nodded her head and allowed JC to pull her over to him.

"You ready man?"

"Sure."

As Channing followed Justin over to the double set of doors to the lower terrace, Reini felt a wave of panic rush through her body. As if it wasn't bad enough that Justin was actually talking to Channing alone, she also had to deal with the fact that Justin left her under JC's supervison. Of all people!

"So...here we are once again. Did you miss me?" JC said, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"Get away from me JC. I swear to God!"

"You swear too? Wow Ray. Praying and swearing all in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah, Amen!" he taunted, throwing his hands in to the air as if he was leading a morning sermon.

Squeezing her eyes shut until they were only slits, Reini coldly glared at him. It was one thing to attack her, but to poke fun of her religious beliefs was a little more than she could stand right now.

"You know what JC...."

"What's that Ray?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her as a smirk graced his lips.

"UGH! Just get away from me!" she yelled, placing both hands on his chest and shoving him backwards. "Leave me alone! I'm serious!"

"Sorry baby, but I can't do that. I was told to keep you company and that is exactly what I am going to do." he said, quickly reaching up to grab both of her hands. After doing a quick check to make sure that Justin was nowhere in sight, JC forcefully pulled her back over to him until her body crashed against his.

"Let me go JC! I mean it!" Reini said, tears quickly filling her eyes as the pressure he was applying to her wrists intensified. "Why are you doing this?!"

Licking his lips, JC glanced down and gave her body a nice once over before bringing his gaze back up to meet hers. He had to admit that even he was surprised at how far he was taking this with her. It wasn't like she had been some girl he met on the street or at a club. This was the ultimate "off limits" when it came to guy code. She was his best friend's girlfriend!

"C'mon Ray. I think you know exactly why I'm doing this." he said, letting out a slight chuckle as he lowered her hand and placed it firmly against his crotch.

Now absolutely terrified over how he was acting, Reini quickly pulled her hand away and began searching the room for any sign of Justin or Channing.

"I said stop! Get away from me" Reini said, letting out a louder than normal protest as she backed away from him.

Noticing that a few people were now looking on, JC casually laughed it off and slowly walked back over to Reini was standing.

"Are you trying to make your life a living hell?" he growled as he approached her. "Do you want Justin to know what's going on?"

"Actually...YES! Then I can watch him kick your ass!" she snapped back, placing both hands on her hips as she leaned forward slightly. "That is something I would love to see up close and personal."

"Yeah, well you go ahead and tell him Ray and I guarantee that won't be the only thing you see up close and personal."

"Is that a threat?"

As JC took a few steps closer to her, Reini felt an unsettling feeling wash over her. It was almost as if someone had just walked over her grave.

"You can call it a threat if you want to Ray. I'd like to think of it as an iron clad insurance policy. I mean you don't really think that hes going to believe you over me, do you Ray?" JC said. Taking in the now lost look that swept over her features, JC let out a slight chuckle, placing his hand over his heart. "Aww you do. How cute! You really are just about as naive as the come aren't you?"

Finally managing to break eye contact with him, Reini nervously looked down at the floor and prayed that Justin would soon show up. Just the idea of spending another minute alone with JC causing her to feel sick to her stomach. He was just so arogant and full of himself, and she knew that if he really wanted to, he could make things much worse between her and Justin. He had already proved that tonight. What was it with these society types that had them craving power and control?

Now feeling completely comfortable with his new found power over her, JC moved in a little closer and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"You know Justin may be getting the priviledge of being the first one to take a dip in the honey, but rest assured that once he clears the way I'll be having a little taste of my own."

Quickly backing away from him, Reini glanced up in to his eyes and realized just what he meant by the comment.

Opening her mouth in complete shock, Reini wanted to say something...anything that might deter JC from following through with his future plans concerning her. Unfortunately, Reini quickly came to the realization that there wasn't anything she could say.....only what she could do.

As fear took over her body, the tears streamed down Reini's check and she took off to find Justin. She had put up with way too much of this already. JC needed to be stopped and he needed to be stopped now before things got any worse.

"Ray!"

Watching her run out of the room, JC saw his life flash before his very eyes. Where was she going? She wouldn't dare tell him. Would she? Not wanting to wait and find out after it was too late, JC quickly manuvered through the crowd in an attempt to catch her.

_____________________________________________

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Channing said, taking another sip of his drink as he followed Justin out a double set of door and on to the terrace.

"Look, let's cut the bullshit here. You know damn well what I want to talk to you about. Don't play games with me."

Slightly taken by surprise, Channing lowered his glass and looked Justin up and down. Was this guy for real?

"Hey man, I'm not playing games. What do you want to talk about? Reini? What about her?" he replied back, sitting his glass down on the ledge beside him and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Am I supposed to be intimidated by you?" Justin asked, quickly stepping forward to stop only inches from Channing's face.

"Are you? I mean, you're all up in my face like you have something to prove. What are you worried about Justin? Worried that you might not be the only man in Ray's life."

Shaking his head, Justin took a step back and stared directly at Channing who had now been sporting a smug grin.

"Well, I'm the only one in her life where it counts."

"Really? Where does it count then Justin? Does it count to be a part of her life if she confides in you. Does it count to be in her life if she feels she can count on you. Maybe it counts in her bed? Is that it? Does it count if you are a part of her life in the bedroom? Because I can tell you with much certainty that you aren't in that part of her life."

Feeling his blood begin to boil, Justin clentched his teeth together and tried his best to remain calm. It was almost as if he was insinuating that he wasn't entitled to that part of her life because that position was being filled by him.

"You know what, I think it would be in your best interest if you stayed away from Ray. Actually, I don't think....I know."

"Um....I don't actually recall asking for your opinion on what was in my best intrest." Channing replied scratching the side of his head

"See, that's what you don't seem to understand. I don't need to ask people for their opinions or anything else, I just simply tell them how it is or what to do."

Growing uncomfortable with the way Justin seemed to need control in every aspect of his life, Channing grabbed his glass back off the ledge and took a large swig.

"Yeah, well if you want to handle your life that way, you go right ahead and enjoy yourself. But if I hear that you even entertained the idea of trying to mold Reini in to who you think she should be or who you want her to be, then you're going to have to answer to me. You understand me?!"

Turning his head to the right, Justin let out a hearty laugh. He just couldn't believe the nerve this guy had talking to him like that. Especially when he was a guest in his own home!

"Now, if you don't mind I'm going to go and find Ray."

"Oh, I mind!" Justin said, grabbing a hold of Channing's arm as the glass he was holding fell to the ground and shattered in to several pieces. "Maybe you didn't hear me the first time I said it. I SAID STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM REINI!"

Clearly by the way this guy was going on, his intentions or feelings for Ray ran way deeper than friendship. Question was, did Ray share those feelings? Maybe he was right all along. Maybe she wasn't giving it out to someone else, it was just reserved for someone else.

"You stay the fuck away from her!"

Now letting his emotions get the best of him, Justin threw a hard right hook and landed it squarely on to Channing jaw.

"Thanks man." Channing said, rubbing his jaw a few times as he smiled. "I'm sure this is all Ray will need to hear about to tell your sorry ass to take a hike."

Forcefully brushing past him, Channing headed back through the double doors and down the hall that led back to Justin's apartment. All he wanted to do now was find Reini and get her the hell out of there. Clearly she didn't know exactly what kind of person he was.