Cassie sat at Hans’s desk, wondering if her husband would ever be whole again. After Hannah woke her up earlier that morning, she lay beside Hans, thankful he was home, but fearing the dreams he was having. She couldn’t fathom the depths of confusion he must be enduring. She would never know what it felt like to think you were one person but learn you were someone else.

Hans was a strong, determined man who wanted to be whole, but was he ready to embrace his old life? In a way, his amnesia was a blessing. He didn’t remember the sort of man he used to be, so he could reinvent himself, but on the other hand, was it fair of her to want that? He had a right to know who he was and to learn what he had done, but knowing could be worse than his nightmares.

Granted, the man had changed his life around before leaving Hennhofen, but he spent many long years abusing and selling women. As hard as she would like to think he was past that, there was a fear that he would remember only that part of his former life. She knew she would always stand by him, but she also knew she would never allow her daughter to grow up in a house, where women were beaten and raped daily. If she could pick and choose what he remembered, that would be the one thing she would never allow him to know.

Looking down at that paper in front of her, Cassie sighed. She’d been drafting the press release for the past hour, but words alone could never express everything she was feeling. She was elated Hans was back, and she was overjoyed that he knew she’d never given up hope. It was something she would like to rub in the faces of everyone who thought she’d lost her mind.

She knew they had a long road ahead of them as he struggled to piece together his life. It was a fact that the public needed to understand, so they would allow him space and freedom to do just that. She felt like a trader for wanting the reporters to mind their own business. It used to be her job to get the story she thought the public had a right to know, but her privacy was precious, and at the moment, it was very limited.

Hans had returned in a whirlwind of flashes and shouts from reporters who wanted a comment. He hadn’t said anything about it, but she could imagine it was daunting. He had spent the past three years in a village of fewer than fifty people, only to return to a castle of nearly that many, and a village filled with spectators and curious onlookers. They were hanging from trees, and looming outside the electric fence, in hopes of capturing exclusive photos of the 'Clueless Baron' as one reporter labeled him. It was the story of the century.

The sound of footsteps on the carpet, echoed through the stillness of the room, causing her to look up as Liam stepped around the corner. The man had been her steady companion since Hans disappeared, and she knew he wasn’t going to stop any time soon. They had learned to accept each other over the past months and lean on each other for support. Cassie relied on him to keep the castle running and safe for her daughter. He had been Hans’s best friend, and slowly became one of her own. They worked together, side by side, as they struggled to continue the new program and pretend everything was normal.

He was the first one she turned to when she needed help, and he had been given a great deal of responsibility in Hans’s absence. There was a part of her that wondered how he felt about giving up that responsibility, if and when Hans regained his memories. Liam had power he never had before, and Cassie couldn’t help worrying if he was willing to surrender that power back to his friend.

“I thought I’d find you in here,” the dark man said with a warm smile.

“I was working on a press release,” she told him as he sat down in the chair across from her, as he usually did. “I’m trying to find the right words that will send everyone away and allow us to get back to a normal routine.”

“Good luck with that. I doubt there are enough words in the English dictionary to turn the press off.”

“I’m worried about how Hans is going to deal with all of this. I’ve been trying to put myself in his position, but I can’t even begin to imagine what he’s going through.”

“I had a hard time sleeping last night, wondering the same thing,” Liam said, crossing his legs and drawing a deep breath. “The level of anxiety that man must be feeling, has to be astronomical. Going from a poor simple village to all of this has to seem pretty weird.”

“Do you think he’ll ever get his memory back?” she asked in a soft voice as she finally spoke the words that had been haunting her all morning.

“I think the fact he remembered you is a good start.”

“He only remembered me, because I’ve been such an enormous pain in his ass since we met,” she smiled.

“That’s true, you have been,” Liam chuckled. “But you’re also gorgeous and have an amazing body. A man like Hans would never forget something like that.”

“What kind of man is he?” Cassie asked a few moments later. “I mean, I know what he used to be like, and I’ve always loved him for who he was, but who is he now? He’s been thrown into a new world that has to seem as foreign as being dropped off on the moon. He has a wife, a child, a castle, a village…”

“The lower levels?” Liam asked watching her lower her eyes. “That’s what’s really bothering you, isn’t it? Do you think he’ll want to start over?”

“Do you think he’ll ever be the Master again? I’m afraid he will want to go back to the way things were,” she said softly. “It was a huge part of his life for a very long time. What if that’s the only part he’ll ever be able to remember, and he doesn’t recall the new program?”

“Then you’ll have to change his mind like you did the first time. Cassie, give yourself some credit. You were the reason he created this new program, and you know it. He understood how you felt about the way things were, and he knew you’d never be happy until it ended. Once he sees how well things are going, he’ll agree to keep them the way they are. Remember, he never wanted to take over after Konrad died. He only did it because he didn’t want Martel to get his hands on the castle, or the village.”

“Are you sure that was the only reason?” she asked. “He enjoyed making women obey him, more than he’d ever admit. Having power and control over another person like that, is intoxicating.”

“That’s true, but you don’t know what he was like before he came back here. The man I met years ago was arrogant and self-centered, but he was also kind to a fault. He hated the way women were treated, and he never understood why they didn’t use their bodies to the extent of their abilities. That’s why he changed the program from what Konrad had it, to what you experienced. He knew women had a weapon at their disposal, and he wanted to teach them how to embrace it, and how to use it.”

“Through sex?”

“Yes, through sex. With only one exception, every woman he trained knew how to make a man beg for her. Look at your girls, Cassie. Violetta has as much control over Antonio, as his other women do, and little Isabella is helping Sean run his businesses. Francesca has turned into Ricardo’s favorite woman because she enjoys using her body for what it was made for. The girls are happy, healthy, and strong. He did that for them.”

“Who was the one exception?” she asked as she considered what he was telling her.

“You were. He took you away from the training because he didn’t want another man, even his guards, to touch you.”

“I could never be the type of woman he was used to. I don’t like obeying, and I only listened to him to protect the others.”

“You were never this strong or independent before you came to this castle. Even Sophia recognized the change in you, the first time she came back. You may think you were obeying his wishes for their sakes, but the truth was, you were learning how to embrace your own power. That’s why he remembers you above all else. He fell in love with you for your beauty, but it was you who changed him. Hans became a man of power, only after he met you. Before that, he was just a man determined to avoid becoming his father.”

Cassie didn’t say anything as she considered what the man told her. All this time, she thought Liam resented her for changing Hans, even though they had learned to work together amicably. She had no idea he considered her powerful, or independent.

“Tell me about the press release,” Liam said, taking her past their current conversation.

“It’s nothing great, or impressive,” she told him, handing him the paper.

She watched Liam as he read through the paper she’d written. Once again, the woman underestimated her abilities.

“It’s very good,” he told her, handing it back to her. “I like the part about offering sympathy to the families of the men who died in the crash.”

“It could easily have been Hans,” she said, taking the page and setting it back on the desk.

“You realize, you have a lot to be proud of. If you hadn’t insisted he was still alive, nobody would have thought twice about looking further. Any other woman would have accepted the facts for what they were and moved on.”

“Liam, I think that’s the first time you’ve ever complimented me,” she told him with a surprised look.

“Don’t get used to it,” he chuckled. “I rarely compliment women. Except in bed, of course.”

“That’s the one place you won’t see me.”

“Never say never, baby,” Liam winked.

“Am I interrupting?” Hans asked, stepping through the door, putting a stop to Cassie’s rebuttal

“Not at all,” she said, glaring at the dark man across from her. “You’re just in time to keep me from kicking your friend’s ass.”

“You look tired,” Liam said after a short chuckle for Cassie’s benefit.

“Just frustrated. I feel like a stranger in my own home.”

“That will pass in time.”

“I hope you’re right. I’m tired of looking around, knowing I should be more familiar with my surroundings, but not knowing one thing from the other. I swear I’ve been in the same room twice, trying to find my way back to the main hall.”

“That’s why I spend so much time upstairs,” Cassie smiled as Hans took a seat next to Liam. “It’s hard to get lost in a place with only four rooms. Unless you start looking at the bathroom. It’s crazy.”

“It’s probably the only room that doesn’t have a bar.”

“Konrad liked to drink, and he did a lot of it,” Liam told him. “I only had the misfortune of meeting the man twice. Both times he was drunker than a backstreet whore.”

“Konrad?” Hans asked with a frown. “That name is familiar.”

“He was your father, though he was less than fatherly. He would never allow you to call him Father or Dad. He was just Konrad.”

“How long have I known you, Liam?”

“We met when you were still in college, so about fifteen years, or so. I was in the military at the time and stationed here in Germany. I met you when you decided to have it out with one of my men at a bar. I believe you were both vying for the same barmaid. Unfortunately, you both spent the night in jail trying to sober up, and she went home with another man.”

“So, alcoholism is a part of my genetic makeup.”

“Not at all,” Liam said shaking his head and glancing at Cassie who sat silently listening to the two. “You drink occasionally, mostly at parties or special occasions, and you like a bourbon before bed, but I’ve never known you to finish a full drink.”

“At least I won’t have that to use as an excuse for my memory loss.”

The two laughed while Cassie smiled, feeling comfortable and relaxed for the first time in months. Now that Hans was home, she could take it easy and let Liam handle more of the responsibilities. She wanted to work on her marriage and family and help her husband build new memories.

“I beg your pardon,” Anne said, entering the office and looking at the two men who appeared very comfortable. “Oscar Peters is here to speak with you.”

“Have him wait in the library,” Cassie said, looking to Hans.

“Who is Oscar Peters?” he asked.

“Your lawyer. I called him this morning and asked him to come over. I’ve written a statement for the reporters, and we need to work on reversing your death.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Hans told her with the half-grin she loved. “I’d like to live before I die, and I’m getting tired of feeling like I’m under the microscope every time I walk past a window.”

“I suppose in a way, you are. Everyone wants to know what’s happening in here and have an exclusive photo or interview with you. As a former journalist, I can’t fault them, but as the one on the other side of those cameras, I wish they’d all just go away.”

“You were a reporter?” Hans asked with a frown. “I think I remember that. You wrote an article before we met, that somehow related to me, didn’t you?”

“Yes, in a roundabout sort of way.”

“Hey, Hans, that’s great,” Liam said, patting the man on the shoulder. “You’re starting to remember things.”

“I can…sense things, you might say, just by looking at a person. Take you, for instance. Every time I look at you, I imagine you with a naked woman. And not always the same one.”

“That’s because…” Liam paused when he glanced at Cassie. “I’m a normal male. I like beautiful women, especially naked ones.”

“There’s more to that answer than that, isn’t there?” Hans asked with a frown. “I can see it in both of your faces.”

“We can discuss that later,” Cassie said, pushing away from the desk and standing up. “Oscar is waiting, and we need to get this statement out before the reporters have a nervous breakdown.”

“I’ve struck on something you’re not willing to tell me,” he said, standing up when she came around the desk. “Maybe if you tell me what you’re hiding, it will help bring my memory back.”

“It may also push it further away,” Liam said standing and moving out of the way, so the lovers could hold hands. “Hans, just remember that you’re not alone, and when the time comes, you will know why we don’t want to discuss this with you. Not yet, at least.”

“Are you two having an affair?” he asked, staring between his wife and friend.

“Good God, no,” Cassie answered in a shocked voice.

“Thanks a lot,” Liam told her with an amused grin. “And I thought you liked me.”

“I rely on you, and I trust you, and I like you only because you’re my husband’s best friend. Other than that, I tolerate you.”

“It’s a good thing you’re beautiful,” Liam laughed.

“It makes it easier to forget her disrespect,” Hans smiled.

Cassie stared at the man for a moment, wondering if he was remembering more than he was willing to admit, then smiled and headed to the door. Hans walked with her, her hand tucked inside his, as they headed down the hallway with Liam. The two men continued to tease Cassie until they reached the library where Oscar Peters sat waiting. He had taken the liberty of pouring a drink and was reclining on one of the settees, his briefcase sitting on the table in front of him.

He looked up when the threesome entered the room, smiling at Hans. Cassie knew he had been her husband’s loyal adviser, for many years, and a good friend. He had helped work out the details of the contracts the men signed after the auctions, though he was ignorant of the activities of the lower levels.

“Hans, it’s good to see you,” Oscar said, standing and reaching his hand out to the man. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard you’d been found alive. I guess your wife’s feminine instincts were right all along.”

“You have no idea how thankful I am she didn’t give up on me,” Hans smiled, shaking the older man’s hand. “You’ll have to forgive me, though. I’m afraid I’m having a bit of a memory lapse.”

“I’m sorry. I heard you had amnesia. I’m Oscar Peters. I’ve been your solicitor for over ten years.”

“Then it’s a pleasure to meet you, Oscar. Again.”

Cassie listened as they sat down on the sofa. Oscar took a drink from his glass, then opened his briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers.

“There are several things we need to discuss, including the contents of your will,” the man began. “When the courts declared you deceased, the conditions of your will was disclosed to those you’d named in it. The monetary gifts were disbursed. You need to decide how you would like to handle that. You can, of course, ask for everything back, or you can write another will, excluding those people from the new edition.”

“I’m not going to ask for anything back, but I will consider doing another will, once I can remember which foot my shoes go on,” Hans told him, causing Liam and Cassie to chuckle, while Oscar smiled.

“I didn’t think you’d ask for anything back, so I took the liberty of writing an addendum to your will, where your wife signs over controlling interest of the castle, and your accounts to you. I’ve also prepared the paperwork for the courts, asking them to reverse their declaration of your death.”

“Thank you, but all I want is my life back. I’ll deal with the castle and the finances at a later time. I’d rather Cassie retain control until I can settle into a new routine.”

“That is, of course, your decision, but the courts are going to want to know that you can take care of yourself financially, and physically. Until you do have your memories back, if you get them back, we can petition the courts to put your wife in charge of your affairs and ask that she be made your guardian.”

“Guardian?” Cassie asked with a frown.

“The courts could argue that Hans is incapable of taking care of himself, due to the issues of his memory loss. Unless he has someone willing to stand up for him and take responsibility for his wellbeing, he could be declared unstable. He could be locked away in an institution.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Cassie said firmly. “There’s nothing wrong with Hans, other than a few lost memories. He’s completely capable of taking care of himself, and I will not allow anyone to say otherwise.”

“Then you’ll agree to make yourself his guardian?”

“I’ll do whatever I have to, but he’s not being locked up just because he can’t remember his birthdate or his shoe size.”

“I didn’t think you’d let that happen,” Oscar smiled. “I’ve prepared all the documents necessary, all you have to do is sign them.”

“Not without reading them,” Cassie said, ignoring the pen he handed her. “I’ll look them over and call you in a few days. Until then, I’ve prepared a statement for the press and would appreciate it if you would present it on our behalf.”

“Of course. Anything I can do to help.”

“We’ll decide on the conditions of the will at a later date. Until then, I’ll stay in charge while Hans continues to work on his memories. Once he’s ready, he will resume his duties to the castle.”

As the days passed, Pop and Eva kept Hannah and L.J. busy, while Cassie worked on screening the men who wanted a woman, and Liam continued to train the new recruits. By the end of the second week, the reporters had left Hennhofen, giving the town a chance to recover from the stress and chaos. It also allowed Hans the opportunity to spend some time outside, talking with his guards, or roaming the grounds.

Some memories were beginning to filter their way through the barrier that surrounded his mind. Images of hayrides, parties by the pool, tennis matches, endless rounds of golf, and naked women started to take shape. Every event made sense, and even though he felt the nudity was commonplace, he couldn’t understand why.

As the hours turned into days, Hans found his frustrations growing. He wanted to know more, and he knew Cassie was holding back vital information she felt he couldn’t handle. Despite how strong he felt, and the hours he spent working out in the castle’s gym, he was no match when it came to his wife’s stubbornness. The tight grip she had on the staff made him wonder if he ever had a say about what went on in his own castle. She seemed to rule with an iron fist, and he doubted if he ever got the last word with her, much less the first.

Cassie watched Hans wander around the side yard, staring at the pole with the crank that once controlled the cage. When his plane was reported missing, she went through a period of anger and grief and ordered the cage to be removed. As she watched him now, she was thankful she had. She didn’t want Hans remembering the lower levels until he was ready, and she didn’t want the first thing he remembered to be the abuse.

Nights were rough on Hans, more than the frustrations of the day. She would lay awake, listening to him calling out to Konrad to stop the torment and assault. She knew he was dreaming of his childhood, and that broke her heart. She had never understood the extent of anguish he had endured at the hands of a madman until she heard his inner child through his dreams.

One night after returning to their chambers, Cassie had a brilliant idea, that she felt might help Hans connect with a different avenue of his past. Or at least to the sister he once loved. She brought out the boxes the guards brought upstairs after Rosa’s death and set them in the sitting room. She wasn’t sure what information Rosa’s diaries held about the lower levels, but she wanted Hans to feel like he was a part of something, beyond faces in centuries of old paintings.

Cassie began removing Rosa’s items from the boxes, setting them on the coffee table. There were four bottles of expensive perfumes, assorted pieces of jewelry, and a smaller box of sex toys. She found nine diaries and placed them on the corner of the table, then moved the first box aside. The second and third boxes had articles of clothing, designer shoes, a laptop computer, and a tablet.

She was just removing Rosa’s medical certificates and makeup kit when the door opened, and Hans stepped in with Hannah on his shoulders. Cassie smiled at the relaxed, happy expression on her husband’s face, while Hannah giggled and clung to her father’s forehead.

“I was wondering if you were going to come up for bed or not,” Cassie said, looking at her daughter.

“Daddy let me stay up,” she said with a wide smile.

“Thanks a lot,” Hans told the child as he helped her down from his shoulders. “Nothing like throwing your old man under the bus.”

“Go gather your jammies and I’ll start a bath,” Cassie chuckled, watching her daughter skip into her bedroom.

“What’s all this?” Hans asked, picking up a bottle of perfume and sniffing the sprayer.

“I was going through some things in the closet and found them,” she lied. “I forgot we had them.”

“This doesn’t look like something you’d wear,” he smiled, picking up a deep red velvet stiletto heel.

“They aren’t mine.”

Cassie paused for a moment, looking at her husband. She thought he would get some much-needed information from the diaries, but she hadn’t considered how she would explain having them.

“Whose are they?” he asked with a frown, setting the heel down on the table and picking up the top book from the stack.

“They were…Rosa’s.”

“Rosa?”

“Your sister.”

Cassie watched the stunned expression on her husband’s face change to a deep frown, as his eyes wandered over the items in front of him.

“What are you doing with them?” he asked her with a stern, almost empty tone of voice.

“The police returned them to us, after their investigation. We weren’t ready to go through them at the time, so we put them away. Maybe it’s time to decide what to do with them.”

“Perhaps we should choose something for Hannah, as a memento from her aunt. Other than that…”

“I was thinking about donating the clothing,” Cassie said, interrupting him quickly, before he turned away, then picked up the book he set down on the sofa. “But these…I’m not sure what to do with. They are her diaries. Years’ worth of memories and dreams. If we throw them out, there’s a chance the press will get hold of them, but I can’t see putting them in storage forever.”

“What kind of memories?” he asked as she flipped through the pages.

“I’m not sure. They are all written in German, and the only words I know are those you taught me, and they aren’t the kind I care to repeat in public.”

“Like what?” he asked with an amused grin.

“Fick mich, and ISS mich,” Cassie said with a wicked grin. “They were your favorite phrases.”

“I taught you to say fuck me and eat me? I wonder what I had in mind.”

“I’m sure you can figure that out on your own.”

Hans laughed as Hannah came back into the room, causing Cassie to giggle at the amused look on his face. She took her daughter’s hand, then gave him the book she’d been holding and left the room.

As she filled the tub with bubbles and water, Cassie knew the next step was up to her husband. The information he learned in the books depended on his curiosity about his sister, and a determination to learn more about her past.