3×07 “Don’t Doubt Me”

3X07 “Don’t Doubt Me”
Written by: Chris Coleman, Kristi Clark, Ashley Stoddard and Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episodes may contain violence, language and graphic sex.
Theme Song: Blackstreet- Before I Let You Go

 

“It has been my dream to save the world. Who doesn’t want their children to grow up in a world that is better. Right now energy conservatorship is and has to be a priority. Today I make a vow to not just Atlas Falls underprivileged community Scottwood but to the world. DGI is beginning a new transition from the old to a new brand to become a company to push technology, innovate weaponry for the military, and innovate how we use energy in this day and age to make the… God do I sound pollyanna? I mean I don’t want to keep saying make the world a better place. We are capitalists and people will see through it if it feels inauthentic. I believe in what I’m doing. I just don’t like speeches. Can you do it?”  Jackson stumbled as he flopped on the couch looking at his wife and best friend. He didn’t know how to give a speech. Hell Chauncey exemplified this shit, he schmoozed with the best of them. He was good at business, not so much at giving speeches.  As he stared at Dani he walked up to her and wrapped his hands around her waist. “We haven’t had much daddy and mommy time and I miss mommy you know that?”

He picked up his glass of water and took a drink. “My dad is dying. My mom called me yesterday and he visited her and I feel like shit keeping the twins away from him. He’s dying and I need them to have a picture with him. Or something you know? How would they deal with knowing I kept them from the great Lowell Devonshire. I can’t believe I’m saying that.” He lowered his head as Jackson exhaled. He wasn’t ready to cry but the feeling was overwhelming. He was about to lose his father and that was a crushing feeling. “I miss him, you know? His crabby ass attitude and his laugh. I haven’t heard my dad laugh in a long time. Anyway we aren’t here to mope. I don’t want to talk about this. I want to talk about my wife doing this speech because she’s used to talking to people. She’s used to making everyone fall in love with her. I just think my wife needs um to do this speech for her husband. What do you think?” He held her in his arms. “We have to take time for ourselves. Donovan and Jolene will be okay, you know? We have mom, Bliss, Hunter, Walter, your mom, and so many others come on we have to take care of mom and dad too. DGI and babies be damned.”

Dani wasn’t sure how things got so off was a good word. She was working so much trying to juggle the charity event on top of making sure everything was ready for the summit and their next acquisition in Montana with Grant Johnson. Maybe she had taken too much on at once when it came to trying to help Jackson but she didn’t want him to worry about it or her she could handle it. When he started to read his speech she watched him as he spoke. She could tell that he was nervous about it and mentally made a note that on top of everything else on her schedule she’d look over the speech and adjust it. She knew that speeches were not his cup of tea and she’d written some of the best for Charles when she worked for him, she could do the same to help him. “No I don’t think it sounds pollyanna, it shows that you are passionate about what we are doing here. It just needs some refining before the summit, that is all.” She almost snorted when he asked if she would do it, it had to be him not her to show the entire world and his siblings he was ready to take over. “I’ll tell you what I’ll be on stage with you when you read it, I want this to be your moment. It needs to be your moment, not mine.”

They hadn’t talked a lot about Lowell or his entire relationship with his father but she had taken his side over Jackie’s when it came to the twins. He didn’t want Lowell near them and as her husband she respected his wishes. She hadn’t pushed or prodded about it but deep down she wanted Jackson to change his mind but on his terms not hers, life was far too short her family knew that better than anyone especially after her sister died. She saw him tearing up and placed her hands on the back of his neck, leaning her head in to comfort him about Lowell and wondered if now was the best time to speak up on it. “I think maybe you and your dad should talk if you’re ready, I haven’t been pressuring you about it and you know I have your back either way but Jackson he is dying. I don’t want you to regret anything down the line when it comes to your dad. If you want him around and to see the twins I’m okay with it.” She said looking at him she’d still respect his wishes either way but it was his choice one she wouldn’t stand in the way of. She felt his hands on her waist and relaxed. They really hadn’t focused on that in what seemed like forever, not that it happened intentionally from either of them she supposed. They both were working non stop and with Dru around they were careful after the time she walked in on them. “I know we need to be better at time for us.”

Jackson smiled at Dani nodding at her. She was right he would say that speech with conviction. He felt his stomach clenching public fucking speaking, fucking sucked. Touching her hips he played with her pencil skirt. “Can we squeeze in a session maybe right here and right now because I’m sick of walking around on eggshells in our own home. Like I appreciate Dru, mom, and Lauren but if one of them knocks on the door before I get to eat your ass. I’m going to scream seriously.” He laughed as he rubbed his hand against her breast. “So maybe we are going to have to squeeze in our time when we have it. Like right now.” Pressing the intercom on his desk for his secretary. “Sean hold all my calls and keep everyone out of my office.” Refusing to let this precious moment go he got on his knees and with a carefulness began to push up Dani’s pencil skirt.

Once around her waist he eased himself down to his knees looking at her in the eyes. “You know that you want it.” Taking off his tie he wrapped it around her eyes then used a scarf to bind her hands. “Look at me.” He growled as he stared at her thong panties and slowly spread her legs. Kissing her knees and then slowly working his way up to her perfect pink pussy. Licking his lips. Moving the thong to the side and sliding his fingers inside of her. As he nibbled on her thighs fingering her and sucking hickies on her thighs. “Look at me!” Jackson grabbed her breast and twisted tightly. Jackson unbuckled his pants as he looked at Dani. “You ready?”

Dani watched him as his hands played with her skirt and her legs rubbed together; she certainly wasn’t opposed to the idea. A sense of relief washed over her when he admitted he was frustrated too, before Dru caught them they took it when they wanted and freely. It had entirely embarrassed her at the time, not what they were doing but the fact that their nanny walked in on them. She felt her heart race when his hand brushed against her silk blouse and she bit her bottom lip looking at him. Had she known this was how their meeting was going to go she would have skipped the thong and she grinned as his hand went to cancel his calls before it traveled back to her and felt herself clench as he started to hike her skirt. When he asked her if she wanted it she knew her body gave her away once the skirt was around her waist and he was on his knees staring right at her.

“Yes please.” Dani said, looking at him take off his tie and her breath caught when he wrapped it around her eyes leaving just enough for her to see him. She watched as he grabbed her lace scarf that was on her briefcase while he took her hands. She held them out willinging watching him tie them, just the right amount of pressure and she bit her lip. He started her torture slowly and she hated him for it but loved him at the same time, watching him kiss of her knees to the inside of her thighs and she let out a gasp when he slid his fingers into her closing her eyes to relish the feeling. “Jackson.” She managed to whisper at him and then he told her to look at him watching him fuck her with his fingers while her thighs moved on his hand, his mouth on her thigh. When his hand reached up and squeezed her breast she let out a moan. “Please more.” She said looking at him unbuckle his pants licking her lips at him.

Lowell Devonshire had never been told no. He didn’t care that Jackson had told them to hold all his calls and his visitors. He was CEO and soon his middle child would be CEO but that didn’t mean that he got to tell him what to do. Especially with what was coming for DGI. Forbes, and the circus of pythons would slithering at them. One of the many reasons he needed Chauncey and Jackson to put their differences aside. This was going to hurt his eldest son but he understood the consequences of putting Jackson in power versus Chauncey. In many ways if Chauncey got the top spot, Lowell knew he would be nothing more than a mirror reflection of him and all his mistakes. He wanted more and seeing what Jackson became before his very eyes. He was proud and wanted him to finally get his due. Today was about that and he needed Jackson to see he saw his transformation. He needed Dani to understand her place.

Lowell knocked on the door weakly and felt feeble but his voice still commanded enough bass to let his son know. “As CEO of DGI I suggest you open this damn door Jackson, and Dani I know you both are inside and I would like to speak to you. Now Jackson.” Lowell said with enough gumption as he could muster.

Jackson was brick hard ready to plunge into his wife, when he heard his father. He could tell this wasn’t something he could avoid. He instantly became unarroused as he removed his tie from Dani’s eyes and gave her a sad expression. What was this? The universe’s sick cosmic joke? When he was about to thrash his wife his father popped up. Releasing Dani’s hands from the knots and looking at her sad expression he couldn’t help but snicker. He helped her up and quickly rolled down her skirt. Stuffing his semi hard dick inside of his pants he felt like he was going to scream. As he tucked in his shirt and looked in the mirror and ran his hands through his hair.

“I don’t believe this shit.” He mouthed to Dani who had a smile on her face. She was amused and frustrated all at once. “I’m going to get him gone and we will be finishing this.” Jackson walked to the door and opened it and saw his father in his automated wheelchair and his face was hollow. He looked frail and honestly didn’t even look like the great Lowell Devonshire. The man he wanted to prove so much to. “Dad, what is it? I mean how are you? I’m glad you’re here. I was just telling Dani that I would like it if you come over to visit the twins as soon as you can.” Jackson said gulping looking at his dad. For some reason he honestly felt like he was six and this giant was before him still.

Lowell wondered what he had interrupted and instantly felt bad. He remembered when he had Jackson and Max. Unlike with Chauncey it was easy to have time to themselves. When Jackson said he could visit the twins. Lowell covered his mouth and for a few moments he started to sniffle. Then he couldn’t help it. “I thought I was going to die without seeing them again.” Lowell watched Dani picking up her things and he felt his stomach dropping. “No you may not leave Mrs. Devonshire you are needed to be here to hear this. I need both of you here right now and I need you to listen.”

Jackson almost broke down seeing his father so emotional. He’d never seen Lowell Devonshire cry so much in his life. First at his wedding when the entire mess with Zerick came out and now this. He’d been exuding emotions and he finally saw that his father wanted them to have a legacy. They did and he was denying the twins from him was cruel and not what he wanted to be at all. Looking back at his wife he wiped his eyes. “Dad you haven’t visited me since um I told you to stay away. What can we do for you?”

“I need to speak with you both about something.” Lowell said coarsely wiping his eyes.

Dani was pretty sure if looks could kill at the moment towards that fucking door she’d set it on fire the one moment of peace and quiet they’d had in weeks and this was the payback? Was it too much to ask for just a moment of privacy and she could tell Jackson was annoyed too clearly a mood killer. She steadied her breathing when he undid all his hard work and looked at him when he rolled her skirt down. “Your parents are the absolute worst sometimes. I’ll forgive them cause they gave me you though.” She said quietly leaning up to kiss him and smoothing her hair and shirt while he opened the door, she could still feel her cheeks were flushed. She watched cautiously gathering her things because there was no way in hell she was leaving if the man in that chair upset him.

Her heart stopped looking at her husband when he allowed Lowell to see the twins though and her gaze met his, it was the right thing to do they both knew that. She had a pretty clear rest of her day and had grabbed her briefcase when Lowell told her to stay. Walking back to the wetbar she poured herself a bourbon if anything it would take her mind off the fact she was still horny as hell and annoyed at the entire situation. Her heart softened a little when Lowell got emotional though and watching Jackson do the same, inwardly she was happy about it, she could have pushed but it wasn’t her place. Walking back to Jackson glass in hand placing her hand on his back for support. “We’re listening.” She finally said looking at her father in law.

**********

Dru walked through Fairmont Park with the twins in the stroller. She picked up her cold brew iced coffee from TJ’s. She could hear Donovan fussing and she was annoyed completely. That brat was extra fussy and dramatic today. She really didn’t care if her nephew cried and cried because right now she was about to deal with his mommy. Mommy was about to miss a major meeting for daddy. As she pulled out her tablet and tapped the app. Pulling up Dani’s planner in her phone she immediately erased her dinner with Jackson next week and then saw the Summit start time. She pushed it back from six to eight o’clock. A smirk curled on her lips as she looked down at Donovan. “Oh shut up.” She was annoyed with the baby as she stuffed a pacifier into his mouth. Scrolling through her social media she paused to see a picture of the Devonshire’s together. She rolled her eyes staring at Dani. She was going to get it the worst. She got Walter and she didn’t use it to her advantage? So he was mean to her get over it, she was thrown away and that hurt her so badly that she was hurting all of them. Everyone would feel her wrath after all she wasn’t here for a reunion she wanted to scorch the earth.

When Jolene started crying she got annoyed. When one shut up the other started squawking. Flipping her hands up she saw Lex Hessington and she felt a need to maybe rub it in his face. Why not ruin someone else’s day? It could be fun. As she dropped the bottle it rolled directly to Lex’s foot. Then she picked up Jolene and flipped her hair and saw him approaching. “Thank-you twins you know? These babies are a miracle.” She said almost not able to spew out the bullshit. She rolled her eyes and saw the pain all over his face looking at Dani’s daughter. “I’m just trying to keep the babies safe and fed.” Playing the daffy nanny but he didn’t know her. She could tell he was still in love with Dani. It was so clear to her because he was agonized, staring at the twins. “You’re Lex Hessington the famous attorney right?” Biting her lip she smirked at him. “Is something wrong?”

Lex had gone out for a run to clear his mind while he waited, expecting word on the custody case. Likely they’d be called to the courthouse later and he was ready to get this started. The sooner things got underway, the sooner they would be over. His father was really mindfucking him this time between the trial and Skye. This time his usual easy three mile run took him all the way to the park, he hadn’t even realized the pace he’d been maintaining as his mind wandered. He stopped to stretch and downed half the water in his bottle when he felt something hit his foot. He picked up the bottle and spotted the owner, immediately recognizing Dani’s twins. He approached them, unable to take his eyes off Jolene as he absentmindedly handed the bottle to this apparently incompetent woman who was holding her. Dani’s daughter with Jackson fucking Devonshire. Atlas Falls’ most prominent party boy and the asshole that stepped in and seduced Dani before he’d had a chance to win her back. Then Lo and behold, Jackson managed to secure the spell over her by knocking her up. That never should have happened but it wasn’t the twins’ fault their father took advantage of her at her lowest point. To be fair, Dani overreacted when she walked in on him and Maggie. Maggie hadn’t meant anything to him and if she would have listened, this would be his life now with Dani and a baby. The stress from that night probably caused the miscarriage but he wasn’t holding it against her. He had known she was meek at the time. It really didn’t have to end the way it did. Look at Whitney and Ryan. Whit knew about Ryan’s affairs, if not all then most at least. Hell, she’d had her own affair. Whit got it but Dani wasn’t able to understand and he’d fucked up by being careless. And now, here they were. Her and Jackson and their twins. Lately, Ryan and Whitney were happier than he’d ever seen them and the more time he spent with them he started thinking that he might like to have the same thing. Dani was the only woman he’d ever thought about in that way.

This woman’s annoying voice snapped him out of his thoughts and when she stated his name he took a closer look not recognizing her. He was used to being recognized in public. Especially by women. God, had he slept with her and forgotten? She didn’t look like his type but you know, sometimes an opportunity presents itself and you just go with it. She didn’t seem to know him but it could be a trick to see how he responded. He hoped this run in didn’t end with him being slapped. He might have laughed when she asked if something was wrong but he wasn’t about to pour his heart out to a rando at the park. If he wanted to talk about his feelings he’d sign up for therapy. As if that would ever happen. How could he even begin to get into the shit Charles put him through. “If you know who I am and you’re working for the Devonshires, then you surely must know their mother and I were once engaged. You look like the type to internet stalk your employer. Honestly, this day and age, you’d be stupid not to. Especially with a family like that. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you seem to be doing a shit job of watching these kids. You can’t …,” Donovan had started crying again so he spoke louder. “You can’t give her that bottle back after it fell on the ground.” Even he knew that and he was certainly no baby expert. He much preferred Miles now that he was a little older but he’d been around both Whitney’s kids since they were babies and had watched them a few times. He’d probably be a better nanny than this ditz. Where did Dani find this person and the better question, didn’t the Devonshires vet their staff? Especially someone they were leaving their kids with. If they’d talked to her for more than five seconds they must have seen she wasn’t very bright.  “Who hired you?”

Dru watched his shock at her lack of care of the twins and she snickered. Dru opened her purse and was really unimpressed with the great Lex Hessington. This was the guy who used to be all over Page Six with his wild nights with this socialite or that one. Opening her purse she pulled out a cigarette and smirked. Lighting it with the swiftness she blew smoked in Jolene face and placed her back in the stroller. Throwing her hair back she had heard he had it bad for big sister and she could exploit that. “Now why does it matter who hired me? You don’t care about these kids, in fact you resent that they were even born from what I hear. Staff gossip and all but I hear most of all that you are still sniffing around Dani. That’s interesting to me because I’m sniffing around Jackson.” Dru didn’t think Jackson was that interesting, he was however sexy as hell. At this point she was making it a choice to screw all her sisters’ men. Rocking the stroller she blew smoke out of her mouth. “I need some assistance and you maybe you won’t be able to fuck up this time. That would make papa proud right?” Dropping the cigarette she stomped it out knowing that if anyone saw her it could be a problem. She was so sick of playing good girl with the Fraiser’s and Devonshire’s. “Now if you want some inside information I might be able to help you. In fact I think we can help each other.”

Sitting down as she gave Donovan his pacifier until she pulled out another bottle. Feeding Donovan and rocking Jolene who was trying to get fussy. She gave her a pacifier and quickly placed the other bottle inside of the bag that she threw at Lex. “I have my reasons but Dani shouldn’t be with Jackson and Jackson doesn’t deserve her does he Lex?” Tickling Jolene’s belly she popped a piece of gum in her mouth. “If you want her back Lex, I can provide the door way and you just need to walk through it but I also warn. I have lots of fire inside of this pot and I’ll burn anyone who gets in my way. So I’m telling you right now either you are going to be my friend or my enemy because I think consorted attacks are so much better than the singular ones. So maybe we can work together? Please say no so I can say how I ran into you and you really did the twins horribly. I’d love someone to not bore me. Dru Price.” Extending her hand to him. “You need the inside track if you’re going to win her back. Lemme be that.” A new partner would be fun especially if he accelerated destroying Jackson and Dani fairy-tale ending.

Lex used the bottom of his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face as she started speaking. Her entire demeanor changed which was an interesting development. The timing of this encounter was notable. He’d just made the decision to do whatever it took to come between Dani and Jackson and this falls right into his lap. As fucked up as it was looking, it could be just what he needed. He looked at the twins, the kids that would soon be his and became annoyed when she blew smoke in Jolene’s face.  She made Skye look like a princess. “Classy. First of all, let’s dial down the trailer trash act. Consider me a concerned party as far as those kids go, not to mention this plan will be dead in the water if anything happens to those kids.” This psychopath would be out of a job once Dani was his. No way would she be raising his kids. He had to marvel once again at Jackson’s ineptitude. Classic Devonshire, tripping all over themselves to kiss Lowell’s ass or one up each other that they had no clue what was going on in their own backyard. She seemed to be hinting at the fact that things might not be so rosy between Dani and Jackson, but did she actually have anything useful or was she blowing smoke? “Just what the hell are you talking about? My patience has been worn thin these days so stop beating around the bush about what you know. I’m not in the mood to play games.”

He caught the bag she threw at him before it smacked him in the face and sat on the bench beside her putting the bag between them. He was intrigued by what she was saying and certainly one to play all the angles but he was naturally suspicious. As the Governor’s son he couldn’t afford to become embroiled in a scandal and he didn’t want to draw any more of Charles’ ire than he already had. On the other hand, he really wanted Dani back and was open to taking some calculated risks. Obviously, her role allowed her to be close to the family and it was within the realm of possibility that she had intel. Jackson had immediately gone on the defensive after finding him with Dani at the DGI offices which seemed to be an overreaction. Was there a crack in the fairy-tale that was Jackson and Dani’s romance? “Ok, for the sake of argument, let’s say I’m interested. After last year, I’m willing to believe the Devonshires have their heads so far up their own asses they hired the nanny from hell. What I struggle with, is what you get out of this. I’m not inclined to get involved in a half baked plot with a misfit Mary Poppins so you’re going to have to do better if you want my help. I need to know you have a little more motivation than you’re hot and bothered for Jackson. From the looks of it, dollar store dick would be more up your alley and nothing about you screams mastermind of anything, sweetie pie.”

“People have underestimated me my entire life.” She said as her Florida drawl slipped out. “I guess if I’m asking to work with you. I gotta give you a reason right? Well over twenty-seven years ago a woman gave birth to me and left me in a Florida swamp. My entire life I knew I didn’t belong there. I used to watch the Devonshire Christmas Ball on TV and see the lives of the rich and famous when I was little. I could have grown used to having nothing but I never settled. I suppose I should have wanted smaller things like to own my home or maybe a lucrative restaurant or something that regular people do. I just knew I wasn’t regular. But then I found out my stock. I found out my blood was way more costly than I ever knew. I always had dreams bigger than Cape Kentirich. It was my goal to get out any fucking way I could. So when I turned eighteen I took a lot of money from people and ran. I ran and ran until I landed right here where my family is. Now I don’t want to breakdown my family tree for you because honestly Lexy it’s none of your damn business. But I’ll give you a big old clue Dani and I share so much more than our love for these babies.” She said sarcastically as she leaned back. “If you want that bitch you can have her. I assure you of that but you don’t have to question me. I’m not a nanny, I’m not some bitch that slipped through the cracks, I’m the bitch that made all the cracks so I can walk through the doors. She doesn’t get to be happy with this rich guy and just so you know dollar store dick doesn’t impress me. I’m much more expensive than that, trust me you wouldn’t be sniffing after that uptight bitch if you tasted this.”

Seeing the twins easing up and even drifting into a slumber she looked at Lex. “Is that enough? I get to hurt people who hurt me? That’s what I get out of it. I’m some much more than meets the eye. Now we can sit here and wonder exactly why I’m doing what I’m doing or we can work together to get what we want.” She pulled out her tablet and turned it so he couldn’t see her code. Then she pulled up the app that mirrored Dani’s phone. “I’m not some hillbilly or hick. I’m much more than anybody could believe and when I’m done with Altas Falls. Baby this town will never forget my name or throw me away again. Now what do you say? You in or out because I don’t ask again. I’ll just dismantle your life.” Turning the screen at him she showed him Dani texting Zach about visiting the convict Lucy Fraiser. “So do I have a new partner or do I have a new enemy? Which one?”

Lex had heard a lot in his days, as a lawyer and as a member of Atlas Falls’ elite but he didn’t think he’d ever heard anything quite like what Dru just told him. Taking the iPad she offered him, he watched Dani’s messages and Zach’s reply. “Damn, girl. Looks like I stand corrected,” he told her. From what little he’d just heard and seen, he was impressed and was willing to admit he’d underestimated her. Before he could decide on whether he was in, his phone rang. “Shit, this is important.” He answered the call to learn that a meeting about Miles had been set up with Elliot, Jon and surprise, Skye for this afternoon. He’d devoted all of his time to preparing for it and knew it was coming but had hoped for a little more notice. He didn’t have much time to get ready and go over his notes before the meeting. He wasn’t about to go into this feeling less than one hundred percent prepared and he couldn’t think about this plot of hers just now. He covered the mouthpiece.  “Look, I have to run, Florida Swamp Girl. I have to get ready for this meeting. I’ll be in touch, don’t do anything crazy like dismantle my life just yet.” He said, flashing her his most charming smile and went back to speaking to his assistant as he ran off to get ready.

Dru looked at the twins with a smile on her face. She felt electric and powerful as she was making moves. Gripping the stroller she watched him run off. Florida swamp girl that’s what people thought about her. “But your auntie Dru is so much more than that kiddies.” She said, clearing her throat as she skipped out of the park. She made a bold move and let’s see how it panned out but she had a good feeling Lex was all about dismantling Dani and Jackson.

**********

Lex was at the courthouse, flirting with one of the legal clerks while he waited for Ryan, Whitney and Miles. He was trying not to think about Skye and Dani. He was thankful that Skye had come out of the accident physically ok, if not mentally. Being run down like that had to have been traumatizing. Charles Hessington was a real fucking bastard. Part of him almost wanted to take her out of here, put her up in his condo in New York but that was the guilt talking. They’d had a few good times together but he was not interested in shacking up with that trainwreck long term. He heard she’d been staying with Jon and he wondered if they thought they could make themselves look like a happy couple for the hearing. No matter what they did, they’d never be able to match the veneer of stability and happiness that Ryan and Whitney projected. Not that they were bad parents. They all loved Miles and he had everything he could ever need or want. That’s what Skye said she wanted for her son and if that was true she needed to stop screwing around with Jon and get on board with the ultimatum he’d given her. He could be her friend in all this or he could be her enemy and right now she was choosing the latter. The news about Dani and Jackson’s marriage being on the rocks came quicker than he had imagined. He wasn’t sure he was ready for it with everything going on but he wouldn’t allow the opportunity to be lost. He was serious about wanting her back but he wasn’t going to become celibate while things fell into place, either. Hence this beautiful woman that he was chatting up. He needed to get laid before his blood pressure skyrocketed. He excused himself when he saw his sister and brother-in-law.

“Hey kid,” he said to Miles who was in Whitney’s arms. “Guess what uncle Lex found,” he pulled out one of Miles’ toy cars that he found in the backseat of his car when he headed over. Miles took the toy and he reached out to tickle his arm. “You want to come help me pick up girls later?” he asked, smiling back when Miles nodded and holding out his fist and Miles fist bumped him back. He caught a look from Whitney. “What? He likes it. My little wingman, isn’t that right?” Miles nodded again. The kid would probably agree to anything Lex said. “Relax, Whit. This is nothing. A formality at best.” He knew this was eating at his sister, no matter how much he tried to reassure her. She looked at him with those hopeful, doe eyes and he felt that shit tug at his heart. He just couldn’t find the words she needed to hear. Maybe if Charles wasn’t constantly pressuring him, he’d be better at this. He was the one that was going to take all the heat if things went South but she’d lose her son. That might be the only thing he could agree with his father on, Miles was 100% a Hessington and Jon Harrison wasn’t breaking up their family. Normally a case like this wouldn’t have him so stressed out, even going up against an arrogant hard ass like Elliott Duvall but dealing with Charles made anything feel like they were living in the 9th circle of hell. “We’re in conference room C, down here and to the right.” He told her. He dropped back and glanced over at Ryan who was trailing behind them and caught him looking at the girl he’d been flirting with earlier so he slapped him in the back of the head. “What’s wrong with you, dipshit? Didn’t you hear what our daddy Chuck said the other day about keeping it in your pants? Maybe, if it’s not too much trouble, you could, I don’t know, help me out a little here and not look like a horn dog during this custody case? Plus, I saw her first.” He put his hand on his sister’s back to comfort her and guide her to the room where they’d be meeting with Jon, Skye and Elliott. “Is Sora going to stay with Miles in the hallway?” he asked Whitney, trying to take her mind off what was coming but she just nodded weakly as she handed Miles to the nanny. “Look, if you don’t believe me, will you try to remember what dad said? One way or another, this is in the bag. Miles isn’t going anywhere and he’ll never have a clue who these two nobodys are unless you decide to tell him, one day far in the future. I have done nothing but prepare for this case since the news broke. On my life, Whit, we won’t lose.” And it very well would be his life because Charles Hessington was going to murder him if this didn’t end in victory and end soon.

Whitney had tried to not think about today as much as she could ever since they were served those papers from Elliot. Sure her father had tried to reassure her and Ryan over the last few weeks that it was nothing more than a formality and she trusted Lex completely. Her brother would never let Jon Harrison and Skye Morgan rip the son they had raised from her hell would have to freeze over for that to happen. It didn’t mean that the stress of the entire situation wasn’t rearing its ugly head again with her and Ryan it was. Miles had been asking a lot of questions since seeing Jon around town and him coming to the house wanting to know what was going on. He knew somewhat about Skye when she would come around they referred to her as Aunt Skye but explaining why the policeman was mad at mommy and daddy had not been something they were prepared for. She knew that she and Ryan both knew that for now the affairs on both their ends had to end and her father had buried them for now. Ryan was around more and attentive at home but even now she wished she could lean on someone. Ever since the wedding and Lex working on the fundraiser Dani had pulled back and she wasn’t sure if it was because it was causing problems with Jackson or not. If it was that her friend hadn’t mentioned it but lately she felt on edge about the entire case and she nodded at Lex. She had seen Ryan looking back at the girl and almost rolled her eyes at him and let Sora take Miles while they continued to the room.

“I didn’t expect this to come to this Lex and certainly not in this way, it can get messy quickly for everyone involved from me and Jon, to Ryan and Skye, hell you and Skye. I don’t want to expose Miles to that kind of information and toxicity. That time was really tough for my and Ryan when I had that affair with Jon, we were in a dark place. I just don’t get what Jon is trying to do here why he can’t just let us work this out privately.” Whitney said her chest tightening about all of it, it was the truth Ryan had that affair with Max Devonshire and she had turned to Jon behind her best friends back, looking back she had totally misread that entire situation. Clearly Dani never really cared about Jon that way and it wasn’t like she did either she took a few calming breaths knowing that going in that room all worked up over what everyone had assured her was a formality at best and she had a part she needed to play so she would. “I’m just stressed out about it Lex it doesn’t help that we uprooted our entire life in Pittsburgh to come here for fucking Anderson Kincaid and I just thought I’d see more of my best friend, instead she seems to be pulling away. I believe you when you say that you won’t let anyone take Miles. You’re an ass most of the time with women but given dad that’s reasonable but you are an amazing Uncle to both Miles and Morgan and I know you wouldn’t let anything happen to break up our family. Just assure me you’re not going to pick up random women with Miles from now on, even if he is adorable.”

Lex was scrolling through emails as he listened to Whitney. He had a few other cases he’d reassigned to others but he was trying to stay informed in case his stint as Charles Hessington’s indentured personal attorney ended in time for him to see those cases through. He had to laugh when Whitney brought up Skye sleeping with him and Ryan. “I wish a bitch would. You know she slept with me and Ryan on the same night once. Not at the same time, of course. She wouldn’t be doing herself any favors. I’m single and you and Ryan were stressed out with your fertility issues and you both made a mistake, boo fucking hoo,” he said, knowing it was an easy story to spin especially for them. By the time Charles’ crack PR team finished shaping the narrative, the public would be rooting for them wholeheartedly. He wondered what she was on about with Miles. He was three, it’s not like he was going to be reading the newspaper and watching the news. He knew the kid was asking questions but he was pretty sure he wouldn’t be quizzing them about their sex lives. I mean, how much could a three year old pick up on? He thought she was getting herself worked up over nothing but he got it. He didn’t want them to lose Miles and it had to be even worse for her. Strange as it was to think about it but he had almost been a father once. When he’d found out about Dani’s miscarriage he was both relieved and sad. The thought of being a parent scared the shit out of him but he wouldn’t have wished for Dani to lose the baby. After that it was easier to imagine what was at stake for Ryan and Whitney but recently she’d been whining too much about that ‘dark time’ for her and Ryan and that was making it worse. She needed to put it behind her and move on. They both made mistakes, had some fun, whatever. Whitney was his sister and Ryan his best friend and brother in law. He didn’t want her to dwell on the things they couldn’t change. “Stop beating yourself up about the affairs, Whit. Shit happens.”

“Worst case scenario if Skye says anything, I have one of the partners in my firm take over as the mouthpiece due to the conflict of interest and I work the case behind the scenes.” He looked over at her wondering if he was freaking her out again. He saw her trying to take deep breaths but she was clearly still worried and it showed on her face. He’d seen that look a lot when their mother was diagnosed with cancer. “However, that won’t be necessary. Skye and Merci have worked overtime to reform their images. If Skye opens that door she knows I’ll air all of her and Merci’s dirty laundry. Those crusty old billionaires won’t want some hoodrat planning their parties and Skye would have to go back to being a hooker because no one would hire her.” He felt guilty when she brought up Dani. He hadn’t realized Dani had been distant with her and he wondered why that was. He knew there was trouble in paradise with her and Jackson thanks to his run in with Dru earlier. Was that why or could it be because of him? Shouldn’t that be exactly the time for Dani to reach out to her best friend; the best friend who had her own share of marital troubles and would understand? Whit could prove to be helpful in his quest to win her back, as well. He wasn’t above getting his sister to prod her. “Next time I meet with Dani about the charity ball I’ll try to drop a hint for her to call you. It might be just the thing you both need. But if you do talk to her, keep your opinions about me and women to yourself, okay?” He stopped outside the conference room they’d been assigned for the hearing and opened the door for them. “I’m not making any promises I can’t keep,” he teased her when she told him not to use Miles to pick up random women. What could he say? Women loved Miles. He was a little charmer and he was absolutely going to use that to his advantage. Including to win Dani back if he had to. He took a seat, taking a legal pad and pen out of his briefcase and putting it on the table. He leaned back in the chair crossing his ankle over his leg and went back to reading and replying to emails on his phone. “The others should be here any minute. Try to relax. Do your little breathing exercises.”

Ryan leaned over and touched her back knowing his wife was being tortured about all of this. From the moment they saw Miles he was so in love with that little boy. He knew Whitney felt the same. That boy was their son from the moment he came home with him. They kept Skye sober and she signed away her rights. She lied to them saying it was a client’s baby and did he feel sympathy? Absolutely Jon’s chance of being a father was ripped away from him. That was crushing for anyone to find out they were a parent and they couldn’t be a part of the child’s life. Yet how selfish would it be for Jon to take Miles away from everyone he knows and loves. He loved his boy and Miles was his and he didn’t plan on losing him. Listening to Lex banter on promising Whitney that he wouldn’t fail. That was what he said but honestly he wasn’t sure on that, he could deliver. Across the country father’s rights were becoming a talking point and a war veteran who lost his son. That story is just waiting to be told to the world. He understood Whitney anxiety and he felt it also what if somehow they did lose their son. Miles was his boy and he bit his lip feeling anxiety rising.

“Elliot Duvall that charlatan moves like an old snake oil salesman. He’s good and nearly beat Mason last year Lex and you’re just calm. Mason who has beaten you if I remember you two going up against each other. Look I’m not saying you aren’t one of the best lawyers I know because bro you know you are. What I’m saying is simple. We are a family, we aren’t going to be separated and if I have to kill to keep those people away from Miles I will. I’m sick of this roller coaster it has my wife on, me on, and hell you think our son doesn’t feel this? Miles deserves a chance to be a peace he didn’t ask for this. He didn’t ask for his ex-pill popping military daddy to pop in. He isn’t my son’s father and we are talking about father’s rights here? I stayed up all night with Miles, I fed him, my family’s lumberyard was renamed after him, and he’s your nephew so I need you to stop bantering Lex right now and just take it seriously. These people want to take our son.” Ryan looked down ashamed of sleeping with Skye and then thinking of Lex sleeping with her. It was like some crazy Greek tragedy or Shakespere play. It was too much knowing Whitney and he were just at a good place. No more cheating and they weren’t hurting each other. “I just want this over and preliminary or not I want him to know he has no rights to Miles. None.”

Skye had arrived at the courthouse as planned separate from Jon after their encounter in the kitchen she had been so confused after and then came the shame of the moment when it hit her. She had spent hours in the shower after the memory still etched in her brain, she thought afterwards they would talk or yell at each other instead there had been her scurrying away and him walking to his room. Regardless she knew that today she had a part to play she would show up at the hearing and shut her mouth let Elliot and Lex fight it out, she knew better than to speak up or cause a ruckus her life depended on it, Merci’s life depended on it and so did Jon’s even if he didn’t know it did. She had stepped out for a cigarette while she watched them arrive with Miles, her son looked happy and well cared for, he was smiling at his parents and his uncle, taking a drag. She wanted Jon to see that today that she did the right thing. There were other ways they could handle this, she thought about walking up to them and talking it over. Maybe they would change their minds and be open to her and Jon seeing Miles together. What in the hell was she thinking that wasn’t happening now. She finished her cigarette as she saw Elliot walking towards the building and stepped out of the shadows to meet him. “Mr. Duvall.” She said looking at him.

Elliot was ready to work something out today the more he thought on it the messier it would get, an uphill battle there was no way around that but maybe if all parties talked they could work out an agreement. He smiled at a text from Selina on his phone before looking around the courthouse at the clerks scurrying around different lawyers for different cases and paused at the memorial for the young man that was shot on the steps, the officer was of course convicted and sent to prison. An eerie silence went over him knowing that a year ago he had went after his current client for what happened with Kendrick and now here he was doing the right thing and trying to help the man that he had smeared. The irony of that was not lost on him and he supposed he had Selina to thank for his change of heart. He looked over at Skye as she approached him, raising his eyebrow at how she had dressed a little more formal which he supposed was an improvement at least she was in a dress. He still couldn’t tell if she was on board or not with what they were going to do and he didn’t see Jon with her. “Where is Jon? I had assured that you two would be arriving together.” He said knowing how the optics looked even now he had assured people were watching them in the hall and he let out a sigh of relief as he saw Jon round the corner and looked at him. “Are you ready?” He asked, seeing the awkwardness between them and wondered if there was a development he had missed.

“Yes I am.” He said looking at Elliot and his entire body was stiffened watching Ryan and Whitney coddling his son. Jon had his own past and Whitney was a random one night stand. Things weren’t panning out and his chances were slipping through his fingers. As he looked at Skye his heart felt full he wanted to know what she was thinking. Would she betray him and hurt him all over again. It was enough to drive him crazy. He got that she made a choice but did not get it was in his choices to pursue a chance to have his son. “I just want a chance it’s the bare minimum I deserve. I know Skye and I weren’t on the same page and still aren’t but we understand that I need to have this. I think Skye knows I need to fight for my chance to be his father and I understand she may have made her peace with this. I just hope we can make peace with each other when this is all over. All of us because I don’t like the Hessington’s but I’d be foolish not to see the love on Whitney and Ryan’s face. They love my son and I love him and I know Skye does so maybe we can do something. We can all do something.” Jon said, unsure of what else to say. “Or else I think we will be in court for a long time.”

Elliot looked at each of them unsure of where exactly they were going to go with all of this and he watched as Skye didn’t say anything back to either of them before going down to the conference room. He followed her hearing Jon’s footsteps as he did, once he opened the door he saw them all sitting around the table and his eyes landed on Lex. It would be hard to not recognize the governors right hand and oldest son, who had won lawyer of the year been featured in law articles. It would be even harder to not recognize Whitney and her husband, he helped Skye into her hair and noticed that Miles was kept in the room next to them with a nanny quietly playing with some toys. “Mr. Hessington, Mr. and Mrs. Walker thank you for meeting today. You seem to be a smart man so I’ll cut the bullshit, my client would like access to his biological child. So I was hoping all parties here could come to an agreement on that, unless of course if you would like this to go before a judge for fraud and full custody?” Elliot asked, looking at Lex.

“Miss Morgan. Nice to see you again,” Lex flashed his perfect smile at her, wondering what the hell she was thinking, showing up here. Someone was dumber than she looked. Extra points deducted for dressing like an old maid. This was going to piss Charles off and she was going to pay for whatever shit he took because of it. He’d tried to be nice because he felt for her and they’d had some fun times but she was really taking advantage of his generosity. To start with, he’d make sure Whitney cut all ties to ‘Auntie Skye’. Her access to Miles was effectively over for whatever short amount of time she was allowed to remain in town. “Mr. Harrison, Mr. Duvall.” He greeted, watching them file in and ready to get down to business. He didn’t have a chance to thank Ryan for the pep talk before they showed up but he wasn’t going to let it get to him. He nodded as he listened to Elliot speak and couldn’t believe the man immediately threatened to take the case to court. The great Elliot Duvall just threw all his cards out on the table like that? He was making this easy. The Hessingtons were ready to see it through to trial, if Charles even let it get that far. Jon Harrison was in for a rude awakening if he thought he could take them on.

“Fraud? Mr. Duvall, you’re taking some liberties with the definition of that word. You’ve reviewed the adoption agreement. It’s all legal and binding. We’re not here to discuss what Mr. Harrison wants out of life but what’s in the best interests of the minor child, Miles Walker. It’s a fact that Miles Walker was legally adopted by Ryan and Whitney Walker three years ago and they have provided Miles with a loving and stable home where his needs will continue to be met at the level to which he’s become accustomed. At the time of Miles’ birth, Skye Morgan was a sex worker who was addicted to drugs and Jon Harrison was in the throes of a mental breakdown so severe it required hospitalization. The Walkers commend Mr. Harrison for overcoming his struggles but, Mr. Duvall, you can’t come back years later and contest a legal adoption because Jon Harrisons’ personal situation has improved. He was in no condition to make a claim at the time of Miles’ birth which nullifies his claims now. I have a team of forensic psychologists on hand who will testify to the fact that Jon Harrison was not only an unfit parent at the time of Miles’ birth but would have met the criteria for the involuntary termination of his parental rights due to mental incapacity and a severe substance abuse problem. Tearing Miles away from the only family he has ever known so that Jon Harrison can make amends for a checkered past amounts to cruelty. My clients are not willing to annul the adoption and your clients have not presented a compelling argument for doing so. If your clients choose to pursue full custody, we are more than happy to continue this discussion before a judge. I think I’ve made it abundantly clear that we’re fully prepared for a trial. A trial which will be long, costly and very public. All the sordid details of Miss Morgan and Mr. Harrison’s lives will be front page news, potentially for years to come,” he looked over at Skye, knowing she wouldn’t want that out there for Miles to read one day. Whatever was going on between her and Jon, she wasn’t using it to get him under control.

Jon clenched his fist underneath the table. He looked at Elliot writing notes and he watched Whitney and Ryan’s smug faces seem satisfied with what Lex was doing. He was exploiting his breakdown, something he had overcome and grown from. His teeth gritted as he looked at Skye. She slept with both these douchebags? His lips quivered as he couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Two tours in Iraq, fighting to take down Bin Laden. I spent years giving my life to this country so that when I did have a child the world would be better. At that time in my life time wasn’t real but I’m shocked you Lex have so many facts about me. Considering you were fucking Maggie at that time. Don’t sit there and patronize me because last year during the Kendrick Watkins trial my time in the VA institution became public record. Dragging nothing of my past out and I don’t know about Skye but in my opinion that is enough of a chance to have a shot at knowing him.” He looked at Whitney and Ryan almost shielding him from his own son on the other side of the door. “I didn’t get a chance to be a father and none of your specialists will stop me from being a part of his life. Miles Walker is my son! His name is Miles Harrison not Walker and I never got a chance to change. How many times have parents not been ready but when they saw that child they got ready to give them everything. That opportunity was snatched away from me by Skye and your family. Lowell did a DNA test but you didn’t because you didn’t want to know. You knew if it was Jackson’s then it was a war coming but because I was poor you had no problem taking my child.” Jon said looking at Lex, and Ryan but it was the shame or fear on Whitney’s face that took him back.

“You all have no idea what I’ve overcome in the last few years and I honestly think you’re too self absorbed to even consider letting me be involved in his life. Elliot I didn’t have a chance to be in life. Does that not fucking count for anything? Miles is my son just as much as yours Ryan because without me he wouldn’t be here. I never had a family but he is a piece of me. I feel him and I think about the things I’ve missed but he’s my damn son! I didn’t know! I didn’t fucking know!”

Was this guy serious? Was this suppose to make him feel sympathy? It did slightly but that wasn’t his fault or problem. Skye gave up his rights and poor or rich they wouldn’t have been giving up Miles. As he looked at Whitney he cleared his throat. “Please calm down because my son is going to get scared. Your theatrics aren’t needed today Jon you aren’t on the stand. It’s a very simple thing if we can see if we can smooth this out. I however think your rage and attitude is showing you don’t have the temperament to be my son’s father. He’s not your son Jon. I’m sorry you have never changed a diaper, you didn’t stay up when he had the flu, you don’t take him to his swimming lessons. You aren’t his father you know nothing about this boy and it’s funny you think your DNA makes you deserving to be a father. No you weren’t ready then and I honestly am not sure you’re ready now. I’m asking for you not to yell or curse in front of my son. Now can you follow those rules and act less rabid.” He knew he hit a slam dunk by playing it cool instead of getting emotional. Talking it out wouldn’t be good enough he knew that he had to get rid of Jon. If he had to go to Charles and beg for Jon’s downfall he would. Hands on knees because Miles was Whitney and his. Not Jon or Skye she was a junkie and mentally challenged adult. He didn’t care about his service because the only thing he cared about was retaining his custody of his son.

Whitney watched as Jon played right into her brother’s hand and part of her honestly felt bad the other part, the part that was Miles’ mother in every way that mattered didn’t. Miles was her son that was the end of the discussion and she cast a glance at Lex they knew after she fucked Jon when she ran the DNA on the glass after seeing a picture of his grandfather at his house it well before Lowell got a test or maybe he just got the test they ran from the lab to him she didn’t know. “You want to throw Maggie in his face Jon grow up. Seeing how you were sniffing around Dani while they were together.” She said pausing for a moment when she heard the door open.

She could have killed Sora, the woman would have to go when Miles opened the door and came inside to sit on Ryan’s lap. When she felt Miles tug on her shirt she looked at him. “Yes baby?”

“Why is the police man yelling at you and daddy? Why are you so sad?” Miles said looking at his mother and father and then at the police man.

“Mrs. Walker I am so sorry.” The nanny said looking around the room.

Whitney looked at the expression on his innocent face when the tears welled up just like that time he fell off the swingset and they all thought he had broken his arm. It was a simple muscle strain but he cried and before she even had to say more, her son’s tears came and he started to cry. She was frozen for a moment or two before she got up from her seat. “I don’t think this is how any of us wanted to play out. I’m sorry.” Whitney said looking at them feeling tears forming in her eyes, before grabbing a crying Miles to take into the hall with her holding him close. She didn’t cast a glance back at the room her only focus was on her son who was crying in her arms not sure what was going on around him.

Skye watched from her seat and didn’t say a word she saw the look Jon gave her when Lex outed her as a call girl more judgment was so not what she needed right now. She did what she had to in order to survive when everything fell apart here. She needed cash and a fix, running into Charles who had been at the time her lifeline and her eyes met Lex’s he knew outing that would bring him shit if anyone started digging. Her eyes brimmed with tears when she watched Jon disregard her and then break down in front of Whitney and Ryan, could they have worked it out? Maybe but at the time she was scared and alone, Jon was in the VA for treatment neither of them was fit to raise Miles and she stood by that decision. She watched Whitney pick up Miles and suddenly the room felt so small around her and she simply grabbed her purse before looking at Jon and walking out the door. Her eyes met Whitney’s and her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the other woman who had some in her own eyes too. Turning she grabbed her keys out of he rounded leaving the building she needed to be anywhere but there.

Elliot had been taking notes when Lex laid out their case and this was what he needed to know what type of ammunition he was up against. Jon wasn’t a rich man he knew that and the Hessington name had enough weight to carry this out for years on end. It would be years before a resolution happened and he just wondered if Jon was really wanting to put them all through that. He felt for Jon of course he did and his anger was completely justified. He watched as Miles came into the room crawled on Ryan’s lap and asked his parents what was happening, he saw the look on Jon’s face he wasn’t sure if it was darkness or guilt as Whitney took the boy back outside. He saw Skye flee the room and knew he would have to drop her name from the petition after this. “If my client wants to pursue this matter I can assure you that I will be prepared to do so.” Elliot said looking at Lex then back at Jon. “Is that what you would like Mr. Harrison.”

“I will die before I continue to let Miles be raised by these people.” Jon said darkly. “I swear to God I’ll use every penny, I’ll go bankrupt to see that my son is a part of my life and that is a promise.” Jon watched Whitney and Ryan walking off with Miles and Lex looking at Elliot as if he was in some western showdown. No this wasn’t some lawyer game this was his life and a chance to finally have a relationship with that little boy. Jon stopped as he saw Skye scuttle out of the room his entire body stiffened. What was that? Did she not want a chance to be a mother to their son? Was she not listening because he didn’t have a chance to be parent it could give her a chance? It was enough to drive him crazy as he patted Elliot on the shoulder. “I need to have my boy back okay? Please you’re a father right? If someone took your boy from you Elliot? What would you do? You’d go to hell and back right? Well I’m ready to ride through hell to get him, for him to know I want him to. I love him just as much as Whitney and Ryan. I might not have the nights when he was sick or know what he likes yet. But I know I love him more than I know and I can’t think of a world where I can’t have my boy in my life.”

**********

“Sit down both of you.”Lowell looked at his son and daughter-in-law and held in his breath. Watching them join hands and take a seat on the couch. “What I’m about to say to you both isn’t easy. In fact I’m about to put the strain of the world on your marriage and relationship. This isn’t another secret or something that shouldn’t be celebrated. You two together have earned it through hard work and love. Something I don’t see inside of my eldest son’s marriage. I think he loved the idea of being a father and competing against you two. A formidable team you’ve become. Together stronger than ever, equipped to face any and every thing. Your love for each other is what sealed the deal for me. I saw you two fight through fire and still stand. That is exactly what I am looking for to be CEO of DGI. At one point Jackie was my right hand and then somehow I forgot. Don’t forget son that she is more than your wife she is your partner and the other side of your soul. I see a lot of myself in you Jackson most of all my children. You got hooked on drugs, I got hooked on power but I was an addict too. At the Energy Summit I will be announcing that you will be DGI’s CEO and Chauncey will be the COO. This is my choice and I have a list of places I want each of your siblings to go. If that is alright with you Jackson then you have the keys to the kingdom. You are the king but remember son heavy is the head of the king who wears the crown. I can’t believe it. The one child I never thought would do it had exceeded my expectations wildly.” Lowell looked at Jackson and Dani’s shocked expressions. “Well I didn’t expect silence but I did expect something more jovial.” Lowell paused and turned his wheelchair to face Jackson.

“I also want to say something I should have said to you a long time ago Jackson. I apologize for pushing you away and treating your addiction as anything less than the illness that it was and is. Mortality has a funny way of making you think and the worst thing I did was turn my back on you. Lie to your mother and embarrass our family over and over again. I made mistakes but the biggest was not focusing on my family.” Lowell said looking at them. “Don’t make the same mistakes as Jackie and I. She made some too, Jackie was smart and she lost herself in me and I let her. I let her get so ingrained in me it was almost impossible to let her go and I God we don’t have time for all my sins. But Dani you don’t lose yourself in him and Jackson no amount of money, power, lust, or revenge is worth losing them. You understand? Nothing is more important than your family.” Lowell looked at Jackson’s wife wiping tears from his face and eyes.

Jackson began to shake as his listened to his father speak. It wasn’t long before his eyes burned hearing the words that he longed to hear his entire life. Getting something he’d wanted for so long but never thought was attainable. He never thought he’d be good enough or great enough to hear him say that. His hand trembled when his father said he’d be announcing at the Energy Summit that he was CEO. Tears began to soak his face. He’d done it. He’d officially turned his life around and all he could do was pick up Dani’s hand and kiss it. His tears still falling. He wasn’t the failure everyone assumed he was the man that would keep DGI going above and beyond. “I will protect your legacy dad.” He felt Dani’s hand wiping his face. “I promise to protect DGI and keep it in our lineage and make it so much more than what you did by heeding your words. Understanding your expectations and knowing I can do it. I’m Lowell fucking Devonshire’s son.” He stood up and walked to his father leaning down he hugged him.

Lowell released a small weep from his mouth as his son held him. “I love you Jackson.”

“I love you dad.” Jackson said back instantly as he held his father.

Dani had been expecting something else entirely when Lowell had entered the office; instead she was pleasantly surprised at the fact that Lowell had finally seen the man his son really was, the man she loved with everything inside of her. Hell had officially frozen over in her eyes as she picked up the bourbon and downed the glass. Her mind was racing at all the implications of what Lowell was saying she had been thinking about dropping out of the charity ball letting Talia handle it, that wouldn’t be possible now she knew that much. Meaning she had to find a way at least for this year to finish it out, she watched Jackson’s reaction to the news and gripped his hand back in her own when he took it she would always be there for him. Always supporting him and when she saw him crying she reached her free hand over gently wiping the tears away. She let father and son have their moment, one that she felt would ease her husband’s mind now.

“Has hell froze over? It’s not like you to apologize for anything. Maybe you could hand one out to my dad while you’re at it.” Dani said looking at Lowell and seeing him slightly smile at her she was partly serious about the last part. He did after all steal his entire legacy and software to start DGI; she was willing to let bygones be bygones over it now more than ever. She was married to Lowell’s son now, they had the twins and in her mind there was no reason to continue it and she was pretty sure her father would hate the side she would pick if it came up again.

“I need to go take my medication.” Lowell said looking at his son and Dani. “I have one more apology for you both. What I did with Skye was unacceptable and I am so sorry Jackson and Dani. I’m jealous honestly you have a lifetime of love and happiness together. I’ve ruined so much but you children and my life with Jackie was my biggest accomplishments. I will see you soon. Oh please let me tell Chauncey keep this to yourselves.” Touching both of their hands and he rolled out of the room. Then the feeling of dread sat in. He was really hurting his eldest son but he had to follow his heart. He rolled away and looked at the secretary. “Don’t ever tell me no. I’m Lowell Devonshire.”

Jackson looked at Dani and walked to her, picking her up and kissing her. “We did it. We will be running DGI. And I got something I always wanted, my father’s approval. I can do anything. We can do anything. I’m taking the day off and you are also.” He scooped Dani into his arms. “We’re out of here and let’s celebrate all day long.” Raising an eyebrow leaning into her face and kissing her deeply.

Dani wasn’t sure how she felt about Lowell dying if anything it was tragic and sad in her mind to not be with the one you loved the most, he had let Jackie go to marry Tess, she would never understand that. She watched Lowell leave still in shock a bit but in a good way when Jackson picked her up and then crashed his lips into hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck at the action devouring his lips just as eagerly, hearing the silence of the room as she pulled back biting his lip. “You are the boss. I think a day off sounds thrilling.” She said biting his lip again before taking his lips with hers again.

**********

Bliss opened the box Hugo Kavanaugh sent her and inside was Fox’s christening gown. She wanted her new baby to have it along with things she left behind. Pictures of her and Fox together when he was first born. She however didn’t feel like she did with her firstborn. Her pregnancy was full of dread and fear. This one she was happy and she felt warm all over. Giggling to herself she married Hunter for love and this was their love literally blooming to life. Hunter had taken Fox to school and she had just gotten out of her morning bath. As she tied her robe on her swelling belly Bliss felt a need to reveal some truths to her husband. It couldn’t be a secret between them because her baby would grow in the same fear and dread. Maybe if she safeguarded this baby from that energy. Fox was a child but he still understood Dimitri was gone. He understood Hugo as his grandfather and Atticus is his uncle. The royal lineage was still at play and honestly she knew that he’d always know he had three families. She worried about Fox so much because he’d always have a nation on his back and longing for the lost prince.

As walked into the bathroom she looked at her body and felt beautiful. She had that glow but when she heard the door open she figured it was her husband. She picked up her hairbrush and smiled. She was so happy. Picking up her phone she scanned a couple of DGI emails and then saw Belle’s texts to call her. Whatever the drama queen wanted it could wait. What she really was annoyed about with her little sister is how she did Jamal and Val. That was absolutely disgusting but her online following seemed to eat it up. “You know I want to throttle Belle, I think she’s absolutely by far the biggest brat I know. That’s saying something because Max and I are and were pretty bratty. She expects me to just drop whatever I’m doing to contact her. I have meetings all day after I leave later and we have your dinner with Walter and those people tonight. I just need a family break and I just want to breathe without Belle and her whining about dad. He’s dying but I just can’t focus on that right now.” Picking up her brush she began to brush her hair. “My family is so fucked right and we all have to pretend to be happy in the middle of us fighting for who is going to be on top. I’m just exhausted with all of it and I hate to say it but that’s not my dad you know? It’s this shell of a man I used to know.” Bliss finally said it out loud. “I look at him and I don’t see my father.” She moaned as tears slicked her perfect makeup. That’s when she felt Hunter’s body wrapping around hers and she moaned slightly. “I’m sorry I’m just freaking out.”

Hunter had just gotten back from the hour it took to drop Fox off at school between traffic and the carpool lane he felt domesticated was a good word for it, happy even. He then spent the way back to the house listening to the local radio station talking about elections coming up the next year, word being that Walter wasn’t going to run for a second term. Which was honestly shocking to him and he was sure that his mother was itching and twisting her hands at the opportunity to have the Kincaid name back in the spotlight but it wouldn’t be he precious Anderson and given what they now knew about his father’s past and hers, it wouldn’t be hers. Brooke was going to be marrying a prince and running a country meaning if he wanted his  father’s legacy to continue it would have to be on him, he shrugged at the thought it was something he would think about he had other things on his mind. Like making sure that Bliss and their child had the best and happiest pregnancy possible. Getting off the freeway he enjoyed the drive back down their lane on their property. It was bigger than his place with Max but for them it worked, they needed more space with Fox and their soon to be child and Bliss loved her horses. Locking up his jaguar he made his way inside the house relishing in the quiet of it all and he heard the water upstairs draining from the tub.

He made his way upstairs quietly not wanting to disturb her and watched as she looked at herself in the mirror. The little bump on her stomach was showing even more today than it was a week ago and he smiled. Walking towards her as she spoke about her father and Belle he smiled at her as he moved some hair out of the way of her neck before leaning down and kissing her. “Belle is always going to be Belle, trust me little sisters can be annoying, but it’s a good thing she wants to build something with you shows she is maturing. It’s okay to be sad about your father Bliss.” Hunter said wiping her tears off her cheek and then running his hands over the fabric of her robe he could think of a few ways to take her mind off everything if she would let him. When he didn’t see her pushing his hands away he couldn’t help the grin that came out as he trailed kisses to her collarbone and his right hand dipped into the fabric on the robe, his fingers playing with her breast feeling her nipple stiffen. “I can think of a few things we could do to take your mind off it all. Fox is at school and I think it’s okay if you are a little late to work.” He whispered not wanting her to worry about everything else or what the future held.

Bliss giggled as he touched her body and she became so aroused. It was crazy how he took her mind away from all of the drama. As he unfasten her robe she felt slightly self conscious. She loved that she was pregnant but she hated how it changed her body. She had to work so hard to get her body back. “Why Mr. Kincaid are you trying to seduce me?” Bliss asked as she pulled off his T-Shirt and admired his perfect body. She ran her hand down his chest as she kissed him again. He had went above and beyond for her and she knew a piece of her didn’t deserve this type of love until the truth was out. She had to tell him but first she needed him. She needed him inside of her and to feel all of his love and warmth. Rubbing her belly she sat on the counter.

“Be gentle.” She purred as she saw him stiffen between her legs. Once he pushed into her body she wrapped her arms around his neck. Feeling his deep strokes inside of her body she immediately melded into his body. Feeling him inside of her she was floating and didn’t want to come back down. Bliss started to moan loud knowing that the feelings were exploding. Every stroke she felt the electricity flowing through her body. “Yes Hunter.” She called out knowing he was listening to every inch of her body.

Hunter took his time his hands moving from side to side on each breast flicking her nipples watching her react as his hands tugged at the robe watching it fall to the floor. He would never quite understand how growing a child inside of you worked for the most part, but she was fucking gorgeous while doing it and he felt himself getting harder as her pussy ass touched his slacks. “Maybe I am.” He said looking at her when she took her hands and removed his shirt, he said watching her boldness before capturing her lips again with his own. He continued to kiss her making sure his hands traveled down her curves to rest on her stomach gently before taking a dip into her center and felt her heart racing at the action, he couldn’t help the smile that came out, he had been willing to get on his knees and have her begging. He’d been thinking about it that morning while she got Fox ready for school and instead watched as she jumped on the counter and spread her legs for him. Biting his bottom lip he simply undid his buckle and let his pants and underwear fall to the floor.

He stepped towards her and wasn’t quite sure he could be gentle enough but he would try and let out a groan as he slid into her, closing his eyes at the sensation how was she so wet? He took a moment and then started to move in her. His hands cupping her breasts as he did his mouth trailing kisses on her neck keeping the pace slow and steady as he did. He looked at her while her legs wrapped around him pulling him in deeper and couldn’t help it as his own moans filled her ear when he nibbled on it. He couldn’t help it as he picked her off the counter letting her ride him as he carried her back into the bedroom placing her on her back on the bed. Bringing her legs up to his shoulders he increased his tempo seeing him pumping into her. “Fuck Bliss.” He managed to say looking at her as his hands traveled down her legs. He watched the pleasure on her face while he massaged her legs, unable to be gentle he felt his hips dipping into her harder while he plowed her.

Bliss almost screamed out when he entered her body and the way Hunter was taking control. She couldn’t believe how much passion was pumping between them. When he picked her up she felt her entire body shivering. As she continued riding him passionately when he placed her on he bed she felt her entire body wanting to explode. She’d felt sort of out of her body recently due to the pregnancy. However in this moment she never felt sexier because Hunter was ravaging her. She couldn’t believe how happy she was. A part of her wondered if she deserved to feel like this. So at peace and so in love. As he wrapped her legs on his shoulder and slid inside of her. When he began to drill her she started to cry out as her body finally began to explode out.

Bliss began to cry out in pleasure as he hit her spot over and over again. That’s when she started to feel waves of passion riding out over. She was convulsing in pleasure his body merged into hers shooting inside of her. She could feel him filling her body up with his love and she wrapped her arms around Hunter kissing him, tasting his tongue in her mouth. Sucking on his bottom lip she smiled at him. “That was amazing. Handsome what did I do to deserve that? Now if I can get breakfast in bed then everything would be perfect. In fact, let’s go make breakfast?” Bliss said, looking him in the eyes. “Let’s see if I got this American breakfast down pact.”

Hunter waited until he felt her shivering and her orgasm happened before he was ready to explode and the moment she clenched all over him he let out a groan feeling himself come inside of her. He lowered her legs leaning down to kiss her lips while he did moving his body while she took all of him in. He wondered how they had gotten so lucky after the year of hell Dimitri tried to put them through, pulling back and stroking his wife’s cheek. “Well first of all you are an amazing mother to Fox and you’ve been really supportive of everything since that picture of my dad came out. ” Hunter said softly before gently rolling off of her, placing his hand on her stomach.

“But more importantly we’re making our own family. Not that I don’t consider Fox my own I do but I wanted a child for a while, Max would never agree to it and then your brother and Dani had the twins. I knew I wanted that more than anything and now it’s happening. With the woman I love more than anything.” He had asked Max to have a child and he remembered she laughed in his face at the thought he should have known to run then but he stayed in a marriage of convenience because he didn’t want to disappoint his parents. With Bliss it didn’t feel like that at all. They had no secrets from each other. She wasn’t out having affairs behind his back, his life was in order but was he really living up to his legacy and what he wanted? “If you want breakfast my wish is your command wife. Besides I want you and the baby rested and taken care of. I want this pregnancy to be the happiest in your life. You deserve this and we don’t have Dimitri hanging over that anymore you know?” Hunter finished leaning down to kiss her forehead.

Bliss ran her hands through her hair as she looked at Hunter saying that they didn’t have Dimitri on their backs anymore. That was a lie. He was still there as long as she had this secret and Bliss didn’t want to have anymore secrets. She wouldn’t bring this baby into the world with this type of secret over her. Exhaling she climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom quickly freshening up. Then slipping back on her robe as she walked out. “That’s not exactly true.” Bliss mumbled as she clutched her ever growing belly. Sitting on the edge of the bed watching him start to get dressed and pause in shock. “Dimitri is all over us. He’ll always be with us because of Fox and Fox’s legacy. I hate him and I fear that I’ve done something so horrible that.” She paused as she exhaled, taking in all the air as she clutched her chest. “At my brother’s wedding something happened. Dimitri was there and I felt him all over me. I could feel his breath on my neck. I could feel him following me and one by one he collected his broken dolls. He’d broken all of us and he somehow thought he was the victim. He kidnapped Selina,Tamara, and myself. Held us hostage ranting and raving we couldn’t die at his hands. He wanted to take me and I just couldn’t be a victim anymore. I couldn’t be that girl who let him beat her anymore. So when the time came I picked up the gun and shot him. I shot him and I kept shooting until I heard the clicks of the trigger but I kept pulling.” Bliss said honestly as she covered her mouth.

“Oh my God.” She lowered her head. “Fox will hate me. I killed his father. I killed Dimitri, Hunter. I did it. I did it and Jackie and Selina and Tamara all helped me cover it up. I had to but they wouldn’t have believed us. I had to make it go away and he just rose up from the water and I just want him to sink and go away. I just want him to go away because he never loved Fox. He never loved me he looked at me like a possession and he raped Tamara because me. He said he wanted a blonde, I couldn’t live with the guilt that I brought him into all of your lives. I had to get rid of him. I had to free Fox and if he hates me because Jon won’t stop. He’s after Tamara and it’s only a matter of time before he comes after me. He’s question all of us and he knows and I’m scared and I had to tell you now because I can’t lie anymore. I can’t lie to the person who loves me most, please I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I’ve lied but I need to tell you. I had no other choice. He was hurting us and I just wanted him gone.” Bliss clutched her belly hoping he’d say something. Hoping he’d say something to ease her fear. “Please say something.” Reaching out to Hunter, scared to touch him. “I’m sorry.”

Hunter watched as she got up from the bed and went into the bathroom wondering what she meant about Dimitri being in their lives at first of course Fox was there and he was royalty. He got up from the bed and followed her into the bathroom getting dressed as well freezing when she started to go over the events from the wedding, he’d heard the story so many times but instead he stopped when she mentioned the change. He had so many questions like who brought the gun to the party and then he saw her breaking down at him as she continued on about the ordeal that she murdered him, shot him in cold blood which was what he thought Dimitri the fucking bastsard deserved anyway. He wondered why Jon wouldn’t get the fuck off everyone’s back about Dimitri and this made sense when he thought about it, but was anyone really fucking upset he was dead other than Jon? When he saw her start to cry and reach out to him he didn’t know what to say to her other then to wrap her in his arms and let her cry, she had been holding so much in. He was processing everything did she really think he was going to be mad at her? He felt like such an asshole now for how he reacted at the wedding when the picture came up and she wasn’t there, how scared she must have been, how frightened and all he thought about himself. Then the conspiracy came into view when he realized that Jackie had led a fucking cover up.

“Jesus that is why you weren’t in the room when Philip put that picture up on the monitor at the reception, that is why you were so on edge that night. Baby why didn’t you just tell me that? It’s not like I would ever turn on you and turn you into the police. I’m not mad Bliss you did what you had to and if I would have found him around you I would have killed him myself. He was a monster.” Hunter said stroking her face as he spoke then a horror came over him what about her pregnancy their son or daughter? How far would Jon really go in the entire thing? He could maybe call Anderson to help out all he did know was that he would do anything to protect her, Fox and their unborn child. He’d walk through fire for them if he had too, he’d do anything so that Bliss and Fox had peace for the first time in their life. He walked her to the chaise in their bedroom while he ran his hand through his hair going over what was public record about the case. Dimitri was shot, tied and anchored in the lake the police had been over the lake at least three times he was aware of and had searched the Devonshire estate at least twice. They still didn’t have the murder weapon. He looked at her his eyes full of tears and a need to simply protect her if she would let him. “Where is the gun Bliss?”

Bliss walked into her closet as she looked back at him. Pulling out a locked box where she had memories of Ilsa De Cruces and her prior life. A life she had put back in the closet. Walking to her makeup bag she opened a compact and a key fell into her hand. As she unlocked the box and saw the glock staring back at her as she turned around to face him. “I just didn’t want to burden you anymore. After all, you were going through with your family. Hunter I couldn’t add more stress to you. I just couldn’t and at that moment you were distraught with your own family issues. For once I chose to support you instead of you always supporting me. We are a team and I don’t feel like I have carried your weight at times. That’s all I wanted to do but it’s too much. It’s like he’s still here with this secret hanging over us. I don’t want him involved in our pregnancy like he was with Tamara’s. Unfortunately when Tamara thinks about her pregnancy she’ll be haunted with one of the darkest times in her life. To be honest all I ever want to do is be a good partner and I hate that I brought this to your doorsteps.” She spoke honestly.

“I know I should have gotten rid of it. I know it but I couldn’t because it was like me reclaiming a small victory from my time with him. I’m sorry Hunter that I’ve kept this from you. I had to get it out and I have to be free of all that stress with the baby. Fox is ours and I just get scared sometimes that Hugo or Atticus would snatch him in a heartbeat. Especially if they found out that I killed Dimitri. Look rapist and monster or not that’s still his son and brother so I’m going to be fair and say my trust in them isn’t at the highest it could be. Mainly Hugo but Atticus will change because heavy is the head that wears the crown.” Bliss looked at him and felt a sense of relief he was supporting her. “I just need this to be over.”

Hunter watched as she went to the closet reminding himself to remain calm inside he was furious at Dimitri for doing this to her but he got why she did what she did. He didn’t disagree with the action nor did he think that made her a monster or anything else of that nature. She would never a burden to him and he was heartbroken that she was starting to feel that way about it, that would never happen. He got that she wanted to take the attention of her and everything but he also knew that he wanted to protect her, his own damn family past be damned. It was a shitshow no denying that but what she was telling him now was infinitely and possibly worse. Walking to her he gently took the gun out of her hands placing it back inside the box that it came from.

“Listen to me you’re my wife Bliss it’s our doorstep and I never ever want to hear you say that you or Fox are a burden to me. You’re not you’ve made my life more complete than I ever thought it could ever be, and this baby will not have Dimitri hanging over it hell, from what we know it wasn’t even there when this shit went down. He isn’t connect to it at all.” Hunter said looking her before wrapping her in his arms and just holding her as she started to cry while he stared at the gun. He knew if push came to shove he would make sure that she, Fox and the baby were ok. For now though they had nothing to worry about the police were going to stop he knew that deep down.

Bliss nodded her head as she held onto Hunter as she held onto him and her heart wasn’t as heavy. “You’re everything to me. You are my heart and soul and I don’t know what I’d do without you Hunter.” She said rubbing his face as she laid her head on his shoulder. “I just want this over and them to bury the case right along with Dimitri. You know that he’s been cremated and is back in Ilsa De Cruces. If only everything else would fall in place like that.” Wondering if Jon and Atlas Falls would just leave the past well enough alone.

**********

Cassie had spent the day at MontCorp ready to close that pesky deal in Venezuela with some help of course with the wicked step-mother but it was done now, MontCorp was in the black again for the next two quarters because of it. Looking over the reports she then flipped on the television watching CNN to check the evening stock numbers, she wasn’t sure if Thor would like here there or not but it wasn’t like she was spending her nights and most of her days at the family estate anymore. She was back in his bed and it just made sense to come and go as she saw fit from time to time and she looked at her watch. Hopefully it went well with him and Hunter, he had mentioned that he had a meeting at DGI today. Finally everything was coming together how she and Philip envisioned. MontCorp could swing ahead with the right intel and it wasn’t like one of them could just bat their eyes and hand them a job. Hunter owed Thor and she almost felt bad about it, but then shook her head no all was fair when it came to the Devonshire’s and it wasn’t like Hunter didn’t know the game after his years with Max.

She looked out the window at the skyline of Atlas Falls and saw the lights on the DGI building and snorted at how pretentious it was, soon it would be MontCorp in the bright lights and the tallest building. She wouldn’t stop till they were on top, her father had unleashed her on Atlas Falls after years of being in the background and she wanted her piece of the pie. Hearing the door open she looked at Thor as he came in the suit hugging his body perfectly. She wanted to know all about the meeting first. “So how did it go? We should be grateful to Hunter for the opportunity to let the fox into the hen house.” Cassie said and she couldn’t help the smile on her face when she said it wondering if he regretted lying to Hunter about his true intentions.

Thor was floating on cloud nine. His interview with Natasha and Chauncey was amazing and he walked away from them with a job. Not only would he be working under Chauncey but he would have all the inside track on everything. MontCorp would always now be one step ahead. As he folded his arms. Thor honestly hated himself ruining his friendship with Hunter. Deep down he knew Hunter wouldn’t forgive him without years and blood. “Chauncey actually wouldn’t be bad if he wasn’t a Devonshire honestly. Natasha’s very charming but something sneaky about her. Bliss was more than welcoming and I am starting Monday at DGI.” Moving into the office he sat down on her desk as he gritted his teeth slightly.  “My best friend is going to hate me, Cassie, that doesn’t make me feel good but honestly Cass, I want to be Lowell or Forbes. They didn’t play nice to get these companies and if I Hunter is sad I’ll hire him when MontCorp is on top.”

Looking into her eyes he saw his words turned her on and he smirked. She loved this shit. How she got stuck running that drab paper with that drab man was unfathomable. Thor walked to her mini-fridge and pulled out a bottle of champagne. Picking up two champagne flutes along the way. “I hate to say it but Lowell dying is making DGI change in a good way. The think factory in there is big and they all have big ideas. As I was saying Cassie I want to model my career after a Lowell or Forbes so I say this with the greatest amount of respect. When the fuck is your father moving out of you and Philip way? He’s damaged the brand deeply with Dimitri last year and in the black or not he’s still thinking press conferences and grand declarations of war are the way to strike fear in the opposition heart. When I think we need to beat DGI to the punch on a lot of things.” Shrugging his shoulder he popped the cork on the champagne bottle. “Oh you aren’t upset I said the elephant in the room? Forbes is a relic and Philip seems to know it. But does daddy’s princess?”

It was somewhat cute that he was worried about his friendship with Hunter, it wasn’t like Hunter hadnt picked a side in the war when he picked Max over what a fucking fool. It was still water under the bridge but Hunter wasn’t completely a fool, he knew what he was risking putting out feelers for Thor. “Chauncey is a fool but a fool that knows business in the very least even if his little temper tantrums remind me of Philip at times or his father. As for Natasha who is to say that we can’t sway her to our side of things. We have to find a way around her pesky little deal with Jackson but could you imagine part of SandStar here?” Cassie said walking up to him against the desk in the room and she couldn’t help the smile that came on her face while she eyed him for now he wanted to talk business they could. “As for Hunter he’ll get over it, I mean he got over us fucking again back when he was chasing Max or do you not remember that little riff? All I’m saying is that Hunter and you always work it out.” Cassie said watching as he want and got the champagne and the flutes from the mini fridge.

When he walked back and sat the glasses down with the bottle she couldn’t help watch him with excitement while he popped the cork, letting it bubble just right as she poured him a glass and then herself one. She brought her glass up to his clanking it hearing the ring of the expensive crystal before bringing it to her lips for a taste, her eyes watching his over the rim, lickng her lip slowly after. “Lowell is a fucking relic everyone knows tha tin this town, DGI will be weak when he passes to much greed there between all his children bastards and non bastards incldued. Meaning you are primed to make Natasha an offer she can’t refuse to switch sides leave Chauncey and come here. Model it like Lowell the first thing you should do is get over hurting Hunter’s feelings.” Cassie said almost laughing at him but she was partly serious everyone knew how Lowell got ahead on the back of brilliant men who came before him. “In all seriousness about my father Philip and I have been talking. We need to wait for the opportune time to out him, we also have to get my bitch of a step-mother to agree. Currently she is holding out something about needing a few contacts down south for her.” Cassie said looking at him while her hand played with his tie.

“Well the time is coming, we both know your father will do something reckless as soon as Lowell dies to get his hands on DGI. Which reminds me. What’s my cut of MontCorp no offense if I do this I want a big executive title when I’m done taking on DGI.” Thor said as he stooped down kissing her, tasting the bubbles on her lips. “The other thing I was thinking was obviously you need to be CEO of MontCorp. But right now I’ve been thinking about this all day.” He licked his lips looking at her in that tight business suit. Pushing all the papers off the desk he picked her up by her hips. “And don’t think I don’t see how you’ve been looking at me like a piece of meat since I’ve walked in. My dear I think corporate espionage is turning you on. I think me being out of the mob is making you all the more happy.” Removing his tie and taking off his jacket as he pulled off his wool sweater. “Now that I’m more comfortable.” He picked her up and placed her on the desk. “You’re going to have everything and we will run this city assuredly my dear. It’s new dawn, a new day and I’m going to fuck until you feel fine.” Undressing Cassie as he looked at her.

Thor kissed her neck and played with her nipples as both hands cupped her beautiful milky breast. The supple bounce of them sitting there in his face. He buried his head into her bosoms feast on each nipple. Sucking and slurping, nibbling, pulling, and teasing her breast as his hand slid down in her pants. “You want me?” Thor laid back on the desk. “Take me.” He commanded as he looked her in the eyes with a smirk. She was such a bossy bitch and he loved it. He loved when Cassie took control because he understood her. She was about to get herself into a lot of drama taking down Forbes. Unbuckling his belt he looked at her with vigor. “I’m yours or did you forget?”

“I think we can talk shop later.” Cassie said as her lip curved upwards as he told her that she needed to be CEO of MontCorp possibly one day she’d had to find a way to ruin her dear brother’s power trip and hold on people but she was always capable of it. Looking at him when he took off his shirt and his tie she couldn’t help but rub her legs together at the action he was always so delicious when it came to them. When he lifted her and put her on the desk she almost pouted at him this was after all his celebration for all the hard work that he had done getting into DGI. She leaned her head to the side giving him access to her neck while he kissed her, throwing her head back and letting out a moan. When his hands and mouth started to play with her nipples and breasts she ran her hands in his hair tugging.

When he pulled back from her she couldn’t help the rush that came at her while she looked at him on the desk, her shirt on the floor her breasts out. He thought she was going to climb on him and mount him, this was about him and she leaned over him. “This is about you today.  About you and me showing you how appreciative I am for you taking on DGI for the team.” Cassie whispered in his ear while he undid the buckle on his pants freeing his hard cock. She moved her head down slowly on his body trailing kisses before opening her mouth and taking him into her mouth, placing herself on her knees so she could gaze up into his eyes as she did so. She let her tongue and her teeth glide along his shaft slowly for a few moments before she felt him tugging her hair and increasing her temp, she gagged back a moan at the action, she could of course get off later but she had meant it this was about him. She was going to take every inch and then some, her hands went to rest on his hips while her nails dug into his ass hearing him moan.

Thor hissed when she took him into his mouth he smiled then bit his lip feeling her warm tongue all over his cock. As she kept the momentum he grabbed a handful of her hair and kept her bobbing up and down. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. He’d gotten the girl of his dreams back and now they were a united front and team. Just feeling her mouth tighten he couldn’t help but moan out in pleasure. “Rub my balls.” He commanded as she continued to suck furiously and rub his sack. Thor could feel if she kept sucking like that they wouldn’t get to the fun part. He wanted to fuck her silly right now and that is exactly what he planned on doing. Pulling her head up he stood Cassie up and kissed her in the mouth tasting his own juices as their tongues collided.

He placed her on the desk and spread her legs wide diving into her with enthusiasm. Using his hip muscles he quickly started to thrash her perfectly pink pussy. She was so sweet and he looked into her eyes as he began to hard body her. Slamming in and out as he leaned in kissing her lips as he thrusted hard. She wanted to please him and that was fine but it wasn’t any fun if she wasn’t coming to. He wanted to see Cassie explode and that’s exactly what he was going for. “Fuck Cassie.” He cried out as he kept pumping into her warmness.

Cassie had been willing to suck him off till he was screaming or moaning her name whatever came first and then taking all his sweetness in and swallowing it. Her hands had played with him when he told her too watching his face as she did so, he was always sensitive there when it came to them. Instead she was surprised when he hauled her up discarding all her paperwork on the desk being shoved to the floor before he spread her legs and slammed into her. She let out a cry at the action followed by a moan when he began to move and couldn’t help it as she wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him in deeper to her and digging her heels into his ass. She wanted it hard and maybe a little fast while he fucked her on the desk her hands went to his back clawing at it while he continued to please her in all the ways he knew how. It wasn’t that she had other lovers she did Jon being one of the top but Thor knew her inside and out and it showed when they made love or fucked or whatever they called it.

“Thor.” Cassie said looking up at him while he moved and she arched her back on the desk giving him even more access while she felt him plowing all the way into her the angle changing for her. Her breathing became rapid as she looked up at him she was close and before she knew it she felt herself clenching on him while her entire body began to shiver and she let out a moan at the action pulling him close to her as she did so. She closed her eyes relishing in the sensations as he moved in her and finally heard his own cries of pleasure when he began to seep into her. When she felt him stop moving she opened her eyes looking at him as she did so before kissing him. “I was planning on this being about you.” Cassie said looking up at him with the biggest grin she could.

Thor kept thrashing her as much as he could. Until he felt her body tense up underneath the pressure and finally he felt the creaminess covering him as she dripped all over him. He smiled knowing that he could go that fast after coming and making her come. Well that was a skill. As he touched Cassie face. “I’m going to give you everything you want. We are going to take over Atlas Falls. As long as I have you by my side I feel like we can conquer anything.”

**********

Secrets running deep in my family, Motherfuckers couldn’t see the sin, I’m a king so I was always going to win, took my innocence but never took my spirit to win.” Ivan snapped as he slapped the microphone he was sweating and his eyes were burning with tears. How could he not. He addressed his molestation on a track. Men in the world deserved to express their pain and when he looked over at Simon he saw him smiling at him. Jamal was looking proud and he felt those bars were going to open doors. He was changing and it couldn’t be overstated that a piece of him didn’t want to hide anymore. He didn’t want to be in the closet but ever since he got back from tour shit felt different. Like he was at peace with Simon and that man might be beyond anything he’s ever had in his life. As he walked out of the booth he pounded his chest and Jamal and him shook hands. They were open, between Jamal, Willow, and the mixer everyone knew about Simon. He walked up to his boyfriend and grabbed him up. Kissing him he saw Willow playfully barf. They had become tight on tour. That was his girl. “Baby boy. I told you to hold on,everything coming out on my debut man. I’m not leaving nothing out.”

He heard a knock on the door and stepped back from Simon. As the messenger hand delivered him an envelope. “What the fuck? I’m served?” His eyes bulged as he realized who it was from. The room started to get fuzzy as his mind swirled with the past. He could feel his breath on his body, the smell of tequila and cigarettes in his face. He crumbled up the note and immediately walked to his Burberry bookbag and unzipped it pulling out weed and papers. “Man I’m about to roll up and let’s keep going I feel like ripping some motherfuckers.” He saw the concern on Simon’s face. “Babe I’m good, we good. Matter of fact, clear the room for a minute y’all. Lemme talk to him alone.” Jamal, Willow and the mixer all slowly walked out. “He’s come here man. Simon I can’t deal with this, he’s coming.”

Simon scrolled through his phone making sure that everything was in order at DGI for a few hours he had told Ivan he would stop by the studio to watch him record. He could also work remotely if needed but he was trying to prioritize their relationship more, it felt wrong for him to just abandon Ivan in his time of need of reliving his childhood, so he offered support. He and Lowell had gotten the changes in on the will and he made a note mentally to have the original stashed where he knew where it was Lowell had a copy. They had agreed to keep multiple of them one at the house with him and Tess, and the other in a location only he knew. He only hoped that all the children got along at the end though he expected fireworks and he looked down at his phone when the text came in. Lowell had told Jackson it was done at the Summit DGI would have a new CEO the company would be going to new places and a new era would begin. An era he knew would be fitting for the next generation and he couldn’t help but but smile, tucking the phone back into his pocket he focused in on Ivan.

He still didn’t get the rap or the hiphop style it was not his thing but the lyrics were something that he did listen to it was Ivan’s way of dealing with his trauma. At least he was letting it out even if it wasn’t to a medical professional, it was a start and maybe that meant that eventually one day he would be prepared for them to go public. Sure everyone in the studio knew about them but Ivan was still in the closet and he was still lying to everyone around him about who he was seeing, in time he reminded himself in time. The kiss was simple yet intense and he was glad that Ivan was comfortable with that among their close friends, he watched as the envelope came for Ivan though. Something was clearly bothering him about it by the abrupt way that Ivan started to act his eyes got big, his breathing became a little more heavy and stressed he watched as he got out the weed from the bag and started to roll up a joint. He wasn’t opposed to weed but it was still illegal in their state and he immediately closed the blinds to the booth, if a cop saw or someone reported it that meant that Jamal would be under fire. Which meant the label would be under fire and thus DGI under fire. He saw everyone walk out and sat across from Ivan watching him. “Your uncle?” Simon asked evenly, playing a hunch.

Ivan’s eyes glassed over with tears as he thought of the little boy who used to get beating for pissing the bed. The little boy who had a slight lisp so his father thought he was sensitive. The little boy who was afraid of his uncle Hector slipping into his bedroom at night. That was enough to give him nightmares for the rest of his life. Somehow he was blamed for being molested and then acting on feelings inside of him. He didn’t understand as he picked up Simon’s hand and kissed it. “I know him he’s coming for me for a reason. He either needs money or he is looking to torture me with the past. Like you know somehow he’d blackmail me make it seem like I was doing something. Or expose me to the world. I don’t trust this shit.”

Lowering his eyes he looked at Simon and leaned in and quickly kissed his neck. He need to get his mind off his uncle’s impending arrival. As he sucked a hickey onto Simon’s neck as he leaned back seeing his boyfriend looking like a snack. Using his bic he fired up the joint and took a deep pull. “You wanna hit it? Man it ain’t like Lowell dropping you for a drug test they family in debt to you. For all the shit you doing anyway I’m going to hurt Hector if he come near me or you. I swear to God he’s not sane bro and the shit he did to me. Well you know my uncle did some shit to me Simon and I ain’t about to let him ruin my life I’ll kill him before he does.” Ivan said with conviction.

Simon watched his body language when he confirmed that it was his uncle and his mind was already racing at everything going on that this could mean. It meant that he could place a security unit on the club and on Ivan without him knowing until he could figure out a way to take Hector out, he wasn’t a fool Hector from his research worked for a very dangerous foe In Gia Falcone soon if rumor was correct Madden. DGI were business partners with Ronan in the casino there was no going back on that, it needed to happen and had been a project that was in the making since Kendrick kidnapped Yasmine and Dani. Ronan had used that as a bargaining chip to get his way with Lowell and he’d had the best attorney’s look over the paperwork it was iron clad. Raven knew what she was doing as Ronan’s old attorney that much was clear and he wouldn’t piss off Max at the moment for DGI to pull out of the casino. Meaning that he had to be calculated in how he would handle Hector off the books of course when it came to the connection between himself and Ivan. He squeezed Ivan’s hand in his own as he looked at him in the eyes and returned the kiss getting lost in it and then the hickey before pulling back.

“No thank you. It’s not my thing. I’m fine if you want to engage. I’m certainly not going to rat you out but I would like it if you do it in private, especially at Jamal’s studio.” Simon said looking at the weed it literally was not his thing and especially not when he was at work. It had nothing to do with a drug test or no drug test it was simply a lifestyle he chose not to engage in seeing how his best friend was a recovering addict, plus it clouded his judgment the few times he had tried it. He needed a clear head to handle what he needed to do with Hector. He wondered if Ivan thought he was scared of Hector in truth partially only because he had yet to figure out a way to make sure that everyone was safe and Hector out of the way. “I did some digging after you came back. I know all about who Hector is.” Simon said looking at Ivan’s enraged face and he simply leaned back crossing his left leg over his right knee. “Did you really think you could tell me that and I wouldn’t look into it. Seeing how the woman that he works for is carrying Ronan’s baby and he is tied to DGI. I am well aware of who he is. I can handle this for you if you will let me.” Simon said looking at him he knew people that knew people.

Ivan listened to Simon speak on his uncle and his heart began to race. Simon didn’t know how demented Hector was and honestly he fear how caviler his boyfriend was being about his uncle. Ivan had come from a long line of gangsters who had no mercy in killing someone. Hector even got the impression that Simon was after him. Well that would be dangerous and he just couldn’t put the man he loved in danger like that. He was sure Simon could handle himself and seeing how he handled Dimitri showed him that. For the year that they had been messing around he treated him with kid gloves but Simon wasn’t a kid. In fact he was tougher than he thought. Reaching out holding his hand he looked at him dead serious. Instead of using some lame ass joke or being rash he chose to try something different.

“Look Simon, I want you to promise me something if you, even get close to my uncle, go the other way. He’s not a sane man. He’s irrational and psychotic Simon just stays back. I know you know some people but Simon stays away from this. Gia and Hector are dangerous and if he’s still as crazy as he was before then I think that I’m in for a bad ride.  Do you understand me? I need you to listen to me. I know you work for the big and powerful Lowell Devonshire but something he can’t fix or battle. Let me handle this okay?” He touched Simon’s neck and rubbed his leg. “We should go because I’ve been dying to rip off that Tom Ford suit. See I’m getting some stuff together. I know some things about fashion.” He winked his eye as he looked at him. “Come on, let’s go home. I can’t rap like this, my anxiety is high.”

Simon looked at Ivan and he decided that Ivan didn’t have to know and he was tired of being treated with kid gloves in Ivan’s life. He’d done that shit for over three years or more with Mason and eh was over it this time and if Ivan wouldn’t listen to him then he would have to do it himself to make sure everyone was safe. He’d buried bodies for Lowell literally and figuratively when it came to the Devonshire’s he’d do it for Ivan in a heartbeat but apparently it wasn’t something that Ivan was going to let him do. He refused to promise Ivan something that he couldn’t keep and when his phone buzzed he picked it up seeing that he was needed at DGI it was the repreve that he needed to get this entire situation with Hector under control and he leaned over kissing Ivan before getting up from the couch.

“I can’t promise to not look into anything involving Hector we may cross paths at the casino. Duty calls actually I’m needed at DGI Lowell’s final preparations are going to start and begin, rain check on going home and ripping off my suit. I’m sure you and Jamal can finish laying down the tracks that you need.” Simon said grabbing his coat from the chair in the room and then looked over at Ivan he knew that Ivan wanted him to stay. He wondered what would happen next with them now that Hector was in town, he wondered if Ivan would lash out worse go back to his roots of gang banging it was one of the reasons that he had to make sure he took care of Hector first. “I’ll call you once I wrap up okay and don’t do anything about Hector Ivan I mean it we’ll figure it out.” Simon finished looking at him one last time before he opened the door hoping that Ivan would listen to reason.

Ivan watched Simon walk away leaving him with a semi-boner. Well his boyfriend was always busy and the way he walked away. He knew him well enough that Simon was going to stick his nose in this shit. He just hoped Hector would stay away from him. He’d never let Hector hurt him because he’d die before he got a chance. He understood that Hector was putting him on notice. If he was on notice it was only a matter of time. Ivan could still smell the tequila on his skin. One of the many reasons he didn’t drink that shit. As a scowl on his face appeared. He wasn’t going to put them through hell. A bullet would have his name on it and maybe he would finally stop having the nightmares that have haunted him since childhood.

**********

Skye had went for a drive after the courthouse to clear her head remembering how awful it was Lex in his stubbornness insisting that they couldn’t work anything out him outing her time in Pittsburgh as a call girl. Jon’s anger at the answer that she knew was coming, they would not just give Miles to him and threatening to take them to a court and a trial was Elliot’s fatal move. Jon yelling had caused her to jump, Whitney to jump and her ears were still stinging hearing Miles cry on the other side of the table. Watching as Whitney ran out of the room and to her son, Ryan looking between them all before she had opened her mouth to say something before running out. It had been a few hours and when she turned the street to Jon’s house she saw his car wasn’t home when she opened the garage thank God. She didn’t know what to say to him to make it all go away, to make it better for them or him and Miles. What she did know was that hiring Elliot had only enraged the Hessington’s and she shook her head when she opened the door closing it behind her to look at her watch.

Turning around she dropped her purse staring at Charles standing by the fireplace looking at Jon’s photos on the mantle and her heart stopped beating for a minute, how in the hell had he gotten in here? The photos on the mantle of Jon’s entire family his parents, his siblings, his nieces and she felt herself jump when Charles turned around to look at her. She’d seen that look all too many times he obviously knew what happened at the courthouse how could he not, of course Lex would report back to him. “Get out right now before I call the police for breaking and entering. Jon will be home soon.” Skye said looking at him not even knowing if it was true or not as she felt her entire body shaking as the man continued to stare at Quinn’s picture. This was what she was afraid of Charles sticking a target on Jon’s back, it meant he wasn’t safe or his family if he continued this crusade for Miles. “I mean it Jon’s on his way. Crawl back into that fake mansion of happiness you exude and report back to your lackey. I didn’t say shit at the courthouse he knows that so why in the fuck are you here?” She finished wondering where Jon was and how much longer she could do this without breaking.

“Well, well, well if it isn’t the hooker with the heart of gold.” Charles said, drinking Jons’ Fraiser Whiskey. A bottle in the back of the liquor cabinet and no doubt tasted like betrayal for the detective. “Can I tell you a story? When Whitney was five she was running through the house and she ended up breaking a very expensive vase. I didn’t beat Whitney. She was punished but I disciplined Lex. I gave him a spanking because he should have been protecting and watching his sister. Lex is trained from a very young age to protect his family. Today proved to be very detrimental to my daughter. She was drained and I have never seen her look like that before. This is hurting my child and I don’t like that.” Charles stated watching her fear rise just with him in her presence. “Lex isn’t a lackey he’s much more he’s a devoted brother and soldier to a cause. He flattened you like a pancake to prove the point that I didn’t like Jon’s accusations or insinuations. From what I heard he declared today he’d spend every penny of his police check to fight my family. Unfortunately Jon is sympathetic somewhat pathetic and I don’t like the optics.”

Charles began to circle Skye walking around her like prey to eat and devour. He touched her hair and smirked. “You know I missed having you near. I mean Ryan got a shot, and so did Lex why shouldn’t I? How much would it normally cost for a whore with your talents Skye? I’m not pleased or amused if you don’t do anything to stop this man I’m going to kill Merci, I’m going to kill Jon’s family, I’m going go on a spree to show you that I’m not playing and when you think you’re safe I’m going to have someone slice you open and gut you like a fish. I hate threatening you but Whitney is the future and I can’t have you messing with that. It’s bad enough I have to deal with Ryan’s basic ass but what I won’t deal with is you and Jon making my life more complex. I like this game though Skye. Five hundred,” He dug into his pocket throwing money at her. “How much money is it going to cost?” Pulling out a thousand dollars he slapped her with it across her face. Skye flew across the room and he immediately yanked her by her hair to her feet. “How about that? How much is enough to stop this because Miles will never be a Harrison. I mean would you give up the Hessington name for the Harrison name? That’s laughable. Now listen to me Jon isn’t coming home he’s with Maggie.”

Skye was shaking when he spoke to her gone was the polite and calm governor of Pennsylvania, gone was the man with prestige and dignity and he became something she had witnessed personally numerous times a monster. Not the type that you saw in dreams with horns or anything like that either, one that you didn’t see coming till it was staring you in the face. Her breathing halted and started again and again as he spoke about Merci. How he would go after the only person she considered her family it wasn’t like her grandmother ever gave a shit and she closed her eyes, she wouldn’t let that happen. There had to be a way and she had been wracking her brain about it since the courthouse Whitney and Ryan weren’t unreasonable people and then he said he’d kill Jon too, Jon’s parents and granted she didn’t particularly care for them no doubt they hated her ass but he loved them. She was fine with dying she probably deserved it that this point but it wouldn’t make his current problem go away surely he had to know that. When he mentioned that Lex was a solider in some ways her blood ran cold, she knew it was the truth he had run her down in the middle of the street and left her for dead.

Tears brimmed her eyes as she looked at him when he mentioned all the turns she had with his family, yes she fucked Ryan a few times to feel close to Miles. Lex she simply fucked because she was lonely and he had a thing for brunettes since beign dumped publicly, neither of them had paid her, they made her feel cheap as hell. When he touched her hair though she couldn’t help but flinch at the action, she’d heard rumors about him and none of it was pleasant hsi dirty little secret. Sure he never remarried after his wifes’ death but there was darkness deep inside of him. Her lip quivered as he took out the cash and started to throw it at her at one point he was her highest paid girl a night with her easily could cost over three grand as disgusting as it was. She was caught off guard when he slapped her across the face though and she flew to the ground crying out in pain from the shock of it all. Then her head flinched almost snapping back when he pulled her up by her hair tears stinging her eyes. “He’ll be home soon. Do it then already kill me and throw me in a ditch just think about all the attention that will cause you. In the middle of a custody case none the less, let me paint you the headline. Biological Mother of Governor’s Grandson found dead police investigation connection to Governor and his family. You sure you want that attention on your doorstep?” Skye spat back shaking like a leaf hoping and praying Jon would come home and he wasn’t out with Maggie Thorpe of all people.

“If all goes well then I’ll be gone before Mr. Harrison returns. Oh Skye I’m telling you that I have no problem snapping your neck and you’re not the mother of my grandchild. I could buy Greer LeClerq’s silence because you are a whore. A dirty whore who I paid to fuck people and now you’re fucking me. I don’t like to be fucked with no lube. So I tried to warn you when we mowed you down like grass. But Jon is forging on and I think your vanishing could be the catalyst for him stopping. Now that was just a little of the money but there’s more. Do you want him dead Skye? Do you want Merci in an unfortunate accident? What  I’m telling you Skye that Jon has no case if you aren’t here.” Charles said as he released her quickly, helping to smooth her hair and hold her by her arms. “You forget that the powerful always win in this war. You are insignificant.” His veneer of polish and sheen immediately appeared. “There’s a bag upstairs in your room with a passport and new identity with a lot of money inside of it. You can live a simple life doing Shakespeare in the park or a backyard production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. I care not about your flawed dreams a sex worker as a Hollywood starlet. You are quite sad Skye but you have two weeks to leave this town. You have so little time left I need you to say your goodbyes. You need to figure out how to wrap up Skye Morgan’s life and kill her off in your mind. Become Emma Connors, a simple girl who will never be an actress, who has never given birth and given up a baby.” He said aghast as if it was so scandalous. “And a woman who isn’t a whore, who doesn’t have a history fucking the highest paid clients.”

Charles stepped back, adjusting his jacket and looking at her. “Go be Emma, Skye and don’t look back because if I ever hear or see you again. I’ll wipe you and everyone and everything off the earth. My son warned you, I’m now telling you to go away. Go so far away that I can’t even find you. Cut your hair, recolor it, figure out who Emma is. Think of her as your greatest character Skye. Think of her as the woman you dreamed to be my dear. Skye she’s a perfect second chance. Forget Jackson, Lex, Ryan, Jon, and all the rich and powerful men you fucked for money and drugs and go marry a simple man. You never were equipped for this life now that Merci she took to a high class lifestyle and understood she only could prepare our parties. Never could she be one of us. You wanted to touch the sun and got burned so badly that you have no other options. Leave this town, leave Jon, and leave Skye. Kill her and become what you’ve always wanted, the best actress, Skye. This is the role of a lifetime. Your entire lifetime that is.” Charles looked at her. “Oh and don’t you dare leave a clue or a hint to anyone. If I find out you’re corresponding with I don’t know Merci? I’ll kill her and you. I’ll watch, I’ll find you eventually when you run away and I’ll watch everyone you love. If you even send a postcard I’ll kill them and you. You see Jon will come running, Merci will get Devin and it’ll just be a whole mess. Or even Lauren don’t think I don’t know she has a soft spot for orphans.” He said in a sing song voice. “This is the end of your story.”

Just as quickly as Charles had threatened her Charles reverted back to the pristine Governor that he was and inside she was shaking and she felt ill. She was taking in his words wondering how she would hide the bad and the identity just a little longer until she knew that she was ready to leave. If she didn’t leave this time she knew that he would follow through on the threats against everyone she loved and it made her sick. A new life a new identity that he was providing for her and likely enough cash to get her a new life, looking over at him she tried to calm her breathing and the tears her hand shaking as it went to her hair, her scalp was tender now and she was pretty sure that he fucked up something in her spine again. “I have an opening play here I leave now think of how suspicious it would look to Merci and Jon.” Skye bit out desperately clinging to anything that it took to not leave everything and everyone she loved behind. She would kill for a line or two right now and she shook her head she was clean right now she could do it again stay clean when it got tough. She knew that there was no out when she saw Charles open the door to the house to her pleading the silence deafening.

She closed her eyes as she heard the door click shut when he left before she scrambled to her feet legs shaking as she made her way into the gust bathroom on the main floor. Leaning over the toilet and vomiting the taste of her lunch and bile in her throat, on her tongue as the vivid images of his words filled her head how he would simply kill people she cared about and loved. How he would do it so callously and for the first time she had to wonder what in the fuck she was doing still in town. She had hoped Jon would be her refuge, protect her from the man and the life that she had left behind with Charles only that wasn’t the case. Jon hated her everytime he looked at her lately all she saw was pain on his face and hate in his eyes and she closed her own before sobbing wrapping her arms around herself. There was no one left for her to turn too everyone was a target now, everyone was moving on and there was only her and the cold hard floor she was on.

Lex had returned to the hospital, overhearing the nurses discussing Skye’s condition. She’d been downgraded from serious condition to fair after being examined and was currently resting with only mild pain medication. He’d entered her room only to see her body twitching. He checked both directions of the hallway to ensure no one was coming then stepped into the room, close to the bed watching her. If this crackwhore coded, he would be responsible. But almost immediately she jerked awake, looking terrified. It must have been a nightmare. No doubt about the accident. Nothing could just be easy for him, could it? “Oh good, you’re awake. I thought you were having a seizure. Saved me from talking to that crotchety duty nurse. Ever noticed they assign the ugly ones to the night shift,” he said as he slipped his phone into his pocket. He looked her over, she was covered in cuts and bruises but overall she appeared to be in one piece. If he’d been going faster, he knew things would have been much worse. Christ, this was out of control. He wasn’t a fucking thug despite the fact that Charles seemed bent on turning him in to one. If he was going to be committing crimes they ought to be respectable white collar crimes not this gangster shit. Why couldn’t she just take the money and get out of Atlas Falls so he could get on with his life? The first words out of her mouth were asking for Merci or Jon and he actually felt bad for her. She really didn’t have anyone in her corner but you’d think she’d have the good sense to realize that and not get herself into something like this. “Sorry, sweetheart, it’s just me. No one else has been here. Not Merci and damn sure not Jon. I saw him and I can confirm he does know you’re here, he just didn’t care. He didn’t even ask how you were. I told you that’s how it would go down, didn’t I? Maybe now you’ll believe me,” he said, sitting on the foot of the bed, patting her leg, then giving her ankle a squeeze in frustration as he looked at her, shaking his head. Why can’t she just follow directions?!  “I don’t know why this is hard for you to understand but I’m going to tell you once more. A little slower, for that drug addled brain. After this, no more get out of jail free cards. If Chuck the Fuck calls me about your failure to follow my advice one more time I’m going to be pissed when I come to see you. You don’t want that. Do yourself a favor and get out of dodge. I mean, what the hell are you thinking? That someone like you would have a happy ending? You’re lucky you made it this far without ending up dead beside a dumpster after all the shit you’ve done. I left you with a fuckton of money and what I thought were clear instructions to leave town. Why do you keep tempting fate, Skye? How do you think this story ends? Do you have even a hint of a survival instinct in there?” He asked tapping on the side of her head. 

Skye didn’t know where she was in her mind she was running through an empty hallway looking into each room searching only to find each one empty. There was the last room and outside the door she saw a pool of blood, her hand trembling when she pushed it open and screamed the bodies on the floor bullets in each one her sister and the other Jon. She ran to each screaming their name and then her eyes jolted open the steady beep of the machine next to her filling the eerie silence. She wasn’t alone as her eyes adjusted to the dim light in the room Lex. How long had it been since whoever it was ran her over? Her entire body hurt, the bright lights reminding her of that fact as she closed her eyes her voice sore and raw, opening her mouth unable to move in the bed as she listened to Lex talk on and on. Had he done this to her? Hell had Charles really told him or someone else that worked for him to run her over because she wouldn’t leave town on a whim? She tried her best not to let his words effect her when he mentioned that no one had come to see her, fucking hell even in a hospital bed Jon coudln’t even check on her? Did Merci even know she was in the hospital, surely she didn’t because there was no way in hell she wouldn’t come. She was not just going to leave town because he and his daddy demanded it, she was practically untouchable as long as she was with Jon.

“Where’s Jon? Merci had to come. I want you to go get one of them and get them right now before I call for a fucking nurse.” Skye said her voice was hoarse, likely from the medication and what she could only imagine was lack of rest. Looking down she saw the cuts and scrapes on her arms and for a second she thought it almost looked like fresh track marks. She saw the monitor beep as her blood pressure rose, she didn’t use there was no fucking way she used sure she had drank some champagne after watching that wedding. But she didn’t use and she had to remind herself that she was sober and she intended to stay that way no matter what. “Scared Lex that everyone will know what a rat you are at the end of the day or more scared what daddy will do if you don’t tow the family line? Why are you even here?” Skye bit out at him inside; she knew the warning was fair enough but she wasn’t quite ready to throw all her cards away and leave town. Besides what if she did and Charles decided to no uphold his end of the fucked up notion of decency he had and went after Merci and Jon anyways? No the safe bet was to stay in town with Jon in order to make sure she was still in fucking control.

Lex glanced up at the monitor, watching the numbers rise as she got herself worked up. He wondered if the hospital staff would have called Merci. If so, she would surely be on her way which meant he had to wrap this up before he risked being interrupted. It wouldn’t look good if someone found him sitting here. If Skye did try to rat him out, he could deny it but he’d have a harder time doing that if he was caught in her room in the middle of the night. “We don’t need to involve anyone else in your mess, do we? Do you really want to be responsible for a random stranger getting hurt over this bullshit?” He asked moving the nurse call button out of reach. This was exhausting with her. He needed a drink. A good lay. Anything to take his mind off this. He’d be hitting up the bar after this, that was for sure. With any luck he’d be able to achieve both of those goals. “You want to know the truth, Skye? I’ll level with you. I am afraid of my father and what he might do. He’s an evil bastard. That should tell you all you need to know. Unless your name’s Whitney Hessington Walker you better bring something useful to the table and that ain’t you, sister.” Lex paused to let that sink in. There was nothing she could offer to make Charles change his mind. Surely she was at least smart enough to realize that. She’s survived how long on the streets? Quid pro quo was how it worked. Charles wanted her gone yesterday. He wanted this case wrapped up fast for his own sanity and that would be a whole lot easier without her. She was clearly sticking around for a fantasy. That Jon Harrison would want her. He’d dump her so fast her head would spin. She just wasn’t the kind of girl you take home to mom. Especially when that person is the all American Boy Scout, Jon Harrison. 

“Come on, Skye. You’ve done more just for a hit of dope. You can’t do this simple thing for Miles? You know he’s happy and loved. He has a life you couldn’t even dream of giving him. How can you think about taking that away from him? Ripping him away from his family? He loves his little sister, you know. Think about how you would feel if someone took Merci away from you. You wanted this life for him. That’s why you came to me back then. This is just selfish. A good mother would put her child first. You did the right thing by Miles when he was born, don’t fuck it up now.” He was laying it on thick hoping something would stick. If Charles stepped in and took matters into his own hands, Lex knew he was going to take so much shit. No matter how unfair that was considering he was a lawyer not a professional goon. Charles was shady as shit. He had access to someone else who could this. He was probably doing this to torment him. Hell, he probably wanted him to fail so he’d have a reason to berate and belittle him. “Jon Harrison is using you. Just another in a long line of men that took what they wanted and threw you away afterwards. You have a chance to finally stand on your own two feet. You’ll never again have to turn tricks in a dirty alley to buy milk. You just have to leave town. Take Merci with you. Start a new life together where no one knows what kind of skanks you two are. Trust me now like you did back then. I’m the closest thing you’ll ever get to a white knight. My fathers getting impatient and I’m not going to be able to control him much longer. To be honest, I have no idea just how far he’ll go and I don’t think either one of us wants to find out. Get out of Atlas Falls before you or Merci, maybe both, suffer the consequences.” Lex stood up and handed the nurse call button back to her before heading to the door. He turned back one last time. “You know how to reach me if you need me but I’d prefer not to hear from you again.”

**********

Hector decided to use the trip home from New York to inform Gia about Ronan’s extracurricular activities with that little bartender that looked like a Sons of Anarchy reject with the leather and the motorcycle. While the cat’s away the mouse will play, apparently. She just hadn’t imagined the mouse would play with a skanky little gutter rat that he dragged in from god knows where when he had a literal fucking mob goddess on his arm. Hector acted like it pained him to have to deliver the news but that was bullshit. He wanted her to know because this played right into what he was always telling her. That she needed to get back to their original plan but she wasn’t giving up so easily. She didn’t get to where she was by running away when the chips were down. Ronan was different from the other mobsters she’d known her whole life. She knew they could be something more but so far she was alone in that. Ronan needed to get with the program. Hector would never fully support her in this idea of a long term partnership, he’d made that clear. The best she could hope for was the good fortune to keep him on the short leash he was allowing her to keep him on. Without a doubt Hector would take matters into his own hands if it looked like she was losing control. He wouldn’t let her fall but that meant Ronan would. Did Ronan have a clue that she was the only thing standing between him and an early grave? He was so brilliant and sometimes so stupid. Throwing her away was fucking stupid.

“I heard about you and that trailer trash bartender. How old is that girl? What, do you have a kink for young women with daddy issues?” Gia said, catching a look from Hector across the room. He could read her agitation and he didn’t like it. First Brooke Kincaid now Dru Price. She was seeing a pattern. She wasn’t delusional. This is what men did in their world but they could break the mold if he wanted to. Hector would do that for her but he wasn’t Ronan Madden. What a shame this was the way things shook out for her. “You want me to put on a little school girl outfit or a cheerleader uniform? I’m horny too Ronan and I’m sitting around at home waiting for you like an idiot. Do I need to remind you that I’m the mother of your child? Is this what we’re doing now? Fucking anyone except each other? I saw more action from my last two husbands. I’m not going to be your pregnant little stepford wife, Ronan. I am your equal in all things and you’re treating me like a doll to keep on the shelf, maybe take down and play with once in a while. That might have worked for that vapid little model but it is not good enough for me. We have an opportunity to build something that is greater than the sum of its parts but we can’t get on the same page. Hell, I can’t even get you in the same bed.”

Ronan knew he was on borrowed time when it came to him fucking Dru with Gia he wasn’t completely dumb people still talked on this town. Gia had ears just as much as he did he knew that eventually she would learn of his extra curricular activities but he was prepared for that aspect. He was always prepared when it came to the business his father had engrained that into him from a young age and while Gia may of been pregnant with his child, he certainly wasn’t in love with her, he needed her assets for his drugs to flow on the east coast. Therefore he saw the logistics of a partnership with her, didn’t mean he had to be faithful to her in the slightest. Hell his own father had Carla as his mistress for years, his mother was aware and turned her head it was simply the world they lived in and how it worked. He looked across the room at Brooke and wondered what she was doing here shouldn’t she with her prince charming? In truth he had let her go and it was for her own good, she wasn’t prepared for the life he lived and she deserved way better than to end up dead from the business or made a fool of when he had to cut deals like he had with Gia Falcone to make sure his power was in place. He shrugged at Dru, she was a nice distraction and a little fun on the side it was nothing serious but he knew that he did need to make sure everything with Gia was stable.

“Dru is of age and older than Brooke if that is what you are worried about, she was a little fun while you were out of town, I don’t question where you sleep when you aren’t here Gia you could give me the same courtesy. I didn’t realize it would bother you so much honestly, its not like word in New York that you got the name of a black widow for anything. I think you’re clutching your perfect pearls a little to much at the moment.” Ronan said choosing his words carefully when he spoke, she was away with Hector he wasn’t stupid he saw how her right hand man looked at her. He had always been discreet with various women and it wasn’t like he was going to invite Dru over for a drink with her. He didn’t rescue girls with daddy issues or maybe he did, he slept with Dru because he was lonely and looking for some fun. Personally he didn’t really know her or her past that well she was simply a nice roll in the sheets. He reminded himself that he wasn’t going to give into Gia’s paranoia about Brooke. It wasn’t good for either of them, more importantly it wasn’t good for her to be so stressed out with the baby. “I am well aware that you are the mother of my child, the future Madden heir to my empire and of course I want to do right by you both. You want me to be faithful to you and the baby I can but I want you to do the same is that so much to ask. I please you in bed when I’m home. You can’t deny that, even if your lackey wants to tell you otherwise, I didn’t realize that you were so disappointed in that department. I thought we had an amicable business arrangement and a child we were going to raise. If I wanted Brooke Kincaid back you’d know it Gia and I currently don’t.” He finished saying he didn’t think she was weak or anything like that she was dangerous which is why he knew that what was going on with Dru couldn’t happen much longer.

She could not believe he threw that black widow shit in her face. She hated that name and he knew it. She barely heard what he said after that, it pissed her off so much. Gia grabbed his face in her hands forcefully, leaving no question it was the old mafia kiss of death. Those old school gangsters knew how to put on a show. So dramatic. Despite considering herself very progressive, she loved these grand old gestures. People are so boring now. Kelly O’Connor looked like someone’s mortgage broker and Vlad was just big and ugly. No style. Not like her. She pulled Ronan’s face to hers. She could practically see Hector’s dick getting hard in anticipation from across the room but instead of completing the kiss she pressed her forehead to his and closed her eyes. Their mouths were inches apart. Her heart pounded as she imagined doing it. One kiss, a carefully executed sign and Hector would take him down but Ronan stood there with her, unshakeable. He wasn’t afraid of the darkness inside of her. He was so strong and perfect. They were perfect for each other. Why couldn’t he want that? She slowly rubbed her nose against his. Wanting his affection.  This baby was making her fantasize about things she never thought she’d want. Was it really so far-fetched that they could have more? How could he reject her like this? He insulted her instead and it stung. ‘The black widow’. “Did you get that from your idiot brother? You’re not afraid to be caught in my web?” She asked as she opened her eyes but didn’t move away as she stared deeply into his. These dirty mobsters called her the black widow? If the tables were turned they’d be patting each other on the back. She hated this stupid boys club. They called her crazy too. “Don’t forget ‘Pazza Giavannia Falcone’. Crazy Gia. All because I take what I want and don’t apologize. Just like you.” She released his face, roughly pushing it away from her. She could feel Hector’s disappointment in her bones. He was so desperate to kill Ronan but he was hers and she wasn’t done with him. All that darkness she’d just exuded fell away and she smiled at him as she straightened his jacket. “Well what are you going to do? People are going to talk, right? Like Hector. How about we let him watch us fuck when we get home so there won’t be any more questions about your performance in bed?”

She kissed him then. A sweet, romantic kiss. That would make Hector jealous. The power she had over both of these men. Even if Ronan had no idea just how close he really was to dying on her order, it still excited her. Her brother, too. Frankie was rotting in a dank cell before he could even think about dominating her. She noticed Brooke then and saw that he’d also glanced her way. “Just remember to keep your toys put away so they don’t get broken.” She said in disgust. Neither one of those little sluts deserved him. Panting after Ronan, seduced by all his power and he lusted after their sweet innocence when he had a real woman right in front of him. “Forgive me, Ronan. I have high standards. I suppose that’s something you haven’t been accustomed to with your past relationships. If I didn’t sense so much hesitation from you, maybe your screwing around wouldn’t bother me. I’m not convinced you’re as committed as I am. You have Thor whispering in one ear and Kelly in the other. You should be talking to me. Your loyalty should be with me and your son. You let Max make a fool out of me at the hospital when she threw the casino in my face. I want to be brought up to speed on that casino and whatever else you’re holding out on. No more cutting me out of the business.”

Ronan knew he needed to play this entire situation with Gia properly and right now using her nickname that certain members of their world used for her was supposed to have been in jest and he saw that she took it very personally. He grimaced when she mentioned Thor who had pulled all the way out of the business, he understood that if either of them were to leave it had to be his baby brother and he knew that Thor hated Gia, there was no love lost between them but he did have a son to think about in the future with Gia there was no denying that. He honestly didn’t know what he was going to do Dru was intoxicating and alluring and a bit of fun on the side, he also had Gia in the bedroom for now and his blood boiled about Hector. Hector reminded him a lot of Kendrick, which honestly put him on alert when he was around that person that would be down for the family business and he wasn’t an idiot and saw how her right hand man looked at her. He would roll over dead before he would let someone like Hector watch them fuck besides it wouldn’t be as hot like it was when he Dru and Yelena shared that time at the club men didn’t exactly do it for him in that regard. He knew what she was doing when she grabbed him and his back almost stiffened when she threatened Dru and he made a note to maybe put someone on her for her safety discretely of course.

“I can be more discrete if you prefer as for Hector, I put the line in the sand with men watching me fuck not really my thing sorry.” He said as he saw Brooke out of the corner of his eye and he couldn’t help the glance that he cast her way at least for now Gia had no target on her back. It still stung for him to see Brooke out with Atticus but he would never tell her that and always tried his best to not tell anyone about it not even Thor and especially not Gia. “I didn’t realize you not being a part of the casino was a huge deal I always though you preferred to stay on the more shady side of the business. The casino is a win win for everyone, including yourself and our son it’s partially legitimate and Max has no idea what will go on underneath.” Ronan said looking at her pointedly in truth it wouldn’t be his first rodeo with laundering money through a business he did it with Club XES until the entire ordeal with Yasmine and Kendrick and the feds got to close. She wanted to be part of the business though he thought he could placate her at the casino, “Perhaps Hector can oversea that part of the operation to make you feel more at ease.” He said keeping his eyes on her when Brooke approached them finally. “Brooke.”

Brooke had a wrapped up baby blanket that was from Gucci. She truly wanted to tell Ronan thank you for letting her go. She honestly was happy for Ronan; she knew he always wanted a family. “I brought this for you both and the baby. I heard from little bees that you two are expecting.” Exactly what was to be determined. She heard that this Gia wasn’t to be trifled with and from the gossip she however never backed down and seeing as Ronan was hers first well she couldn’t help but be a bitch. Martina and Taryn, the ladies in waiting, were there helping her carry all her bags. “I do believe that you two should stop the rumor train though. Everyone seems to think that you’re getting married but I don’t see a ring on your finger Gia. I mean if I was pregnant with Ronan’s baby then I would be married to him. I’m not that type of girl unlike you. I mean you’ve been married quite a few times, correct?” Brooke twirled her mermaid blonde locks between her fingers. “Either way I’m having two weddings. One here in Atlas Falls and the other on Isla De Cruces. A traditional wedding of the people seeing as I’m soon to be a princess. I just wanted to say congratulations I guess, really this union is meant to be. I mean Ronan let me go and I found that I deserved so much more. And look at you, you got exactly what you deserved.” Looking Gia up and down and smirking.

“I do hope you will be attending my wedding. I mean we’ve both certainly moved on from each other. You’re about to embark on fatherhood with Gulianna.” Purposely mispronouncing her name. She paused looking at Gia as if she was common trash. She heard Martina and Taryn snickering. “While I’ll be embarking on running a kingdom.” Then she looked down at her ex enjoying every moment of this. “Oh Ronan please make sure to cover that ankle monitor for my wedding pictures. I mean both of you right? You were both just released from jail? You know honestly you turned out to be the best thing that I didn’t have. Isn’t that what Beyonce said? I couldn’t imagine raising my child in prison orange but seeing how you have on last years Cavalli shoes maybe you can Ms. Madd… I mean Falcone.” Brooke saw Ronan wasn’t amused with her uppity attitude. Nor was he amused by how she talked down to Gia. “I should be going, you know, planning thee wedding of the century. But I’ll make sure to send you an invite, Ronan.” She leaned in, touching his chest as she passed him slightly making eye contact with Gia. Honestly she didn’t know why but she turned into a sixteen year old again about this man. Just being in his orbit made her high with excitement. An excitement she didn’t have with her prince but it was a safety she deserved. Turning her head she lowered her voice as she whispered to Gia. “And you darling Rico the flamboyantly wonderful personal shopper will tell you what’s in and what’s out. We can’t have Atlas Falls’ newest resident mob moll looking so last season. Especially when I was always on the cutting edge.”

Gia flicked her gaze to Hector, telling him to take the gift even as Ronan reached out for it. Hector was faster because he could anticipate her slightest desires and Ronan couldn’t. She smiled at Brooke, knowing Hector would make a point to touch her hand, stroke his finger against the soft, thin skin of her wrist right where her pulse beat closest to the surface. She watched their eyes meet. Hector could make people like Ronan uneasy, she even had a moment of uneasiness the other night and he was completely in love with her. For the rest of the population, the mere mortals around them, his presence was menacing; downright terrifying when he wanted to be. “A gift? So thoughtful but an odd gesture from you, considering your last encounter with Ronan ended when you fled his house in nothing but your underwear.” This bitch wanted to poke the bear, she hoped she enjoyed getting a taste of what she was up against from Hector. “Didn’t you run right back into the arms of the man who cheated on you? They were caught in flagrante delicto if I remember correctly. Embarrassing but it takes such bravery to go back to a man like that, knowing that the world is laughing at you. I mean, I have too much dignity to throw myself at a man’s feet like that. Want to know the weirdest part? I thought she kind of looked like you. Almost like, he doesn’t care who he’s with as much as what they look like. I actually think that makes you perfect for each other because this,” she said waving a hand around in front of Brooke “is all there is to you, what you see is what you get. Nice house, nobody home. Not just any woman is willing to give up her independence for a few sparkly baubles but you, you’re such a good little girl. Doing everything like you’ve been trained. Following all of their rules. One day you might realize playing princess is a childish fantasy but you’ll have a useless crown on that empty head and that’s surely enough for you. You can always start drinking to console yourself. Your mother can tell you, once you’re drunk enough you won’t have to care how much of a fool you’re making out of yourself.”

Gia was already moody when the night started and now this? What was it with this little tramp showing up, waving her tail around like a bitch in heat when they were out. Most people knew better than to openly taunt Gia, she supposed she had to admire her pluck. Such a stupid little thing, though. Ronan was smart to dump this girl. She would have gotten him killed one day. Right now she was pissing Gia off even more and she regarded herself as one of the more patient individuals among their associates. “Ronan dumped you because you’re weak. You’re disrespectful. You’re a liability. You don’t know when to keep your mouth shut. You take risks that draw the wrong kind of attention, little fool. The only thing you’re fit to do is sit in a gilded cage with the company of twittering morons who are paid to flatter you and do your bidding. If something were to happen to them,” she pointed to her ladies in waiting. “Two more would take their place and no one would care. It’s all fantasy. No one’s bowing to you out of respect because no one admires a woman just for looking pretty. No one that matters, that is. Which is, coincidentally, why Ronan and I aren’t married. He hasn’t earned the right to marry me. That’s the difference between us. I know I’m the prize and I’d never settle for second best.” Gia smiled at Brooke as she touched Ronans chest. Everyone else had him she might as well too. He’d all but told her they were friends with benefits and co-parents but have no fear, he’d be discrete about fucking around. It sounded like they lived on a hippie commune. Well, Ronan could have had it all but he wanted a boring, cold business transaction. Fine, she could be all business just for him. “I’m sure the two of you would love a few minutes to say goodbye in private. Well, privately in front of Brooke’s paid friends. I’ll be in the car but I won’t wait long.” Gia warned. If he wasn’t out fast enough, he could get his own damn ride home. She might not even wait at all depending on how she felt when she got outside. She leaned in to kiss Ronan on the cheek, whispering in a deadly calm tone, “I have no problem making her taxidermied head the centerpiece on our fucking dinner table. Why must you keep making me show this ugly side? I can be so much nicer when you’re good. I mean, she called me a mob moll? Really? She’s going to get you in trouble. In case I wasn’t clear earlier, I will rain down the full might of the Falcone-Genovese organization on this piece of shit town if you don’t start making it clear that you and I are equals. And when I’m finished devouring this place, I’ll castrate you and parade you around town like my little pet. Unlike these little bitches you’re so fond of, I don’t play games.” She smiled and kissed him on the lips, ignoring Brooke as she turned to leave. One of Brooke’s attendants reached out to stop her but thought better of touching her. They informed her it was customary to bow and address royalty as Your Grace or Your Highness. Gia laughed out loud at that as she looked at Brooke like she was pathetic. “I don’t bow before any one,” she scoffed, looking pointedly at Ronan. “Except God.”

Ronan watched the exchange reading both women as he did Brooke of course was being Brooke naive and young and he had to wonder for a split second if her marrying Atticus was because she loved him or if she was still pinning for him. The rest of it was then watching Gia strike back like the viper she was her forked tongue going after Brooke with a vengeance he didn’t know had really existed in the woman that was carrying his child. He kept his demeanor cool on the outside because if he did anything else he was pretty sure Gia would retaliate, she had a point though. Brooke could fly off the handle and other families would question his commitment to everything including his power and confining her to not speak her mind there would end in a deadly situation. She opened her mouth like she just now had to one of them they’d come hard for him, for his empire and Gia’s warning as she leaned in to kiss him was enough to have him calmly kiss her back to settle it. It simply wasn’t a risk he was willing to take Brooke deserved a life of happiness and if that meant continuing down the current path that he was on he would do it all over again. This life, his life that he was embroiled in that he knew there was no going back from he knew that from the first time he killed someone, when he watched his father kill someone. It was bred into him the power, the money, the drugs not that he used but it elevated him to the upper crust of society and that wasn’t something he was willing to just let go of not even for Brooke Kincaid. He watched Gia leave for now her claws were back with Brooke and he knew he had to smart about things from here on out, his child was the first priority and he needed to put Brooke in the rear view for her own safety, hell he needed to put someone on to watch Dru as well.

“I thought you were happy with Atticus why cause such a scene? I mean what did you help to accomplish other than pissing off the mother of my child and the woman that I’m trying to build something with. I’ve respected your wishes when it came to you and Atticus I was hoping you could do the same. Unless he really does make you that unhappy that you have to turn your attention back to me.” Ronan said, he was lying though his teeth of course but he knew Gia had eyes on him he wasn’t stupid her little bird could whisper inside of her ear at anytime. He showed Brooke an ounce of concern or care it simply would put a red target on her back and one that he was sure he might not be able to take off. There was a reason Gia had her nicknames but he simply needed her routes to expand his empire and he’d soon have to make a choice if he would let her all in or not and looking at how she spoke tonight to Brooke he knew what he had to do. He’d marry Gia because he had to not because he loved her at the moment but because he couldn’t afford not too. “Who’s to say I haven’t got a ring for her, she is the mother of my child and perhaps I’m waiting for the opportune moment to do so.” Ronan said as he held the baby blanket something he was pretty sure Gia would burn the moment that they got home. “It was nice to see you Brooke.” Ronan said looking at her and at what he assumed was her courtiers waiting like he was going to have to address her as her Highness. “Pardon me Your Highness I really do must be going.” He said looking at her while he he handed off the blanket to one of his men.

She listened to Gia’s tirade and she knew woman to woman she had struck a nerve. So she knew that they had one last fling at least Ronan still remained honest. She rolled her eyes when she said she wouldn’t curtsy and then she saw her kissing Ronan. It almost made her barf this woman wasn’t what Ronan needed and honestly she didn’t like how vicious she was. It wasn’t anything soft about her, this woman was a monster. Folding her arms when Ronan went on about her happiness. Shaking her head she looked at him and began to snicker at him. For the first time she felt like she had the upper hand. “Listen, I’m very happy and what I just did was fun. I was being a bitch and maybe I deserve you to question my happiness. I’m happy Ronan and I’m really hoping you are too. I just don’t see it. I don’t see you marrying that woman. She’s not your type and honestly she’s screaming rebound. Look I may not be with you but I still can care and I don’t see anything good happening with that woman. If you were being honest with yourself you wouldn’t either. She’s horrible and even though we aren’t together I can still love you from afar. I don’t want that for you. A marriage that’s a power struggle, and miserable because there is no way you two will be happy forever. I should be going. You don’t have to curtsy Ronan, I don’t enjoy a God bowing to a queen.” She touched his chest. “Enjoy your life Ronan, but remove the toxic.”

Ronan looked at her she may of thought it was fun and he was sure that is how she wanted to feel bu the truth was she was playing a dangerous game of baiting a very dangerous woman. He didn’t say anything else to her as he looked at the women around her before he walked out of the restaurant and into the lobby of the hotel. If he looked back he knew that Hector would tell Gia and she would target Brooke. He wished her well and a marriage with Gia or not they were on two very different paths.

**********

Lauren had a cozy fire going and the smells that were coming from the kitchen shocked her. Randall always seemed perfect because he could cook and was considerate of her. Plus he made her feel wanted again. Looking at a picture of Braden, Dani, and Victoria it was the only photograph she had of all three of them. Picking up her glass of red wine as she walked to her vinyl record player placing the needle on Phil Collins. Once his voice echoed into the hall she danced through the house. Wearing just a simple sundress and no shoes she felt free. Walking into the kitchen she looked at her boyfriend and walked up to him kissing him. Then she poured him more wine in his glass and finished the bottle refilling her glass. Pulling out another bottle from the wine rack and she ran her hands through her hair.

“So I have exciting news. I think I want to do an art showcase this year or next year. Show some of my work off.” Lauren said looking at him chopping the veggies. “Can I help with something because I’m actually bored. I’m used to cooking because honestly Walter could burn water. Only thing he could cook was on a grill seriously it’s like all you man have that caveman fire thing going.” She teased as she sat on a barstool. “Tell me what’s up with the new book? You’ve been so secretive about it but I heard you on the phone earlier that you might have found something. Well I’m all ears let me know something.”

Randall had been wondering how he was going to approach tonight since his visit with Forbes all he knew was that he had to proceed with caution it was the upmost importance in such a delicate matter. So he had bought over a bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Bordeaux he had bought it after his divorce and was going to woo Lauren and open her up. He had settled in the kitchen when he arrived he’d chosen the goat cheese pinwheel flank steak, a fresh garden autumn salad and lovely dinner rolls for the main course. Dessert would consist of chocolate cake he had picked up downtown at TJ’s bakery something that he knew was her secret guilty pleasure. He almost stiffened when she walked back into the room after putting on Phil Collins one of his best in his opinion. He watched as she finished her glass and refilled his the bottle was empty now and he had to wonder how much she would actually disclose to him this evening. He listened absently as she talked about her art and realized he was behaving like a journalist and snapped himself out of it. He turned the steak over in the hot skillet as he looked at her with a smile.

“I did hear something the other day that you were donating a few pieces for the hospital charity ball I think that is a great idea, if you want to have an art show you can. Unless you are planning to stay at the Pub forever and there is no reason why you can’t invest in your own gallery should you wish too. Remember this dinner is for you and you spent over thirty years cooking for Walter the least I can do is return the favor.” Randall said looking at her and reminding himself in the future that when he talked to his publishers to make sure she was out of earshot. He didn’t know how to approach the subject but taking a sip of his wine he had to give her something. “Blythe was always so busy at DGI it was often just me and Aspen so I essentially began to take cooking classes, she enjoys it too. It’s really our thing together. As for the book they’ve asked me to look into something local here a true crime. I’ve just completed my first interview on the subject new territory. Quite different actually from my corporate fiction or my spy novel series a lot of investigative work.” Randall said smiling at her as he placed the food on her plate and then sat down on the barstool next to her with his own no sense in his mind moving to the table when she was content there.

Twisting the wine glass stem between her fingers, she looked up at him and exhaled happily. “Local? Randall that’s amazing Atlas Falls was just on the news a couple weeks ago as one of America’s exploding new cities. I think exploring a city that isn’t in the media eye is amazing.” She said as she looked at him. “So are you going to keep me in suspense or are you going to tell me what great mystery you are exploring?” As she took a sip of her wine. “This smells delicious really thank-you for showing me what a real man is. I had a guy who was really special but I let him go and we just couldn’t get it right but you make it easy and I thank-you for that.” Lauren took a bite of the food and smiled brightly. It was really delicious. “Well those classes did wonders because oh my God, this is so good.” She saw some apprehension on his face and she placed her fork down.

Lauren looked at him and placed her hand on his. “Is it Aspen? You feel distant tonight. Or is it me? I might be tipsy and emotional Phil does that to me. Makes me think about the past. Either way honey I’m excited about your new book. I think this new chapter for us, your book and my art this is going to be a great new time. Plus I guess I’m feeling optimistic. My daughter is doing amazing, for the first time in months Braden and Tamara look so happy and Dylan is being scouted next week. I just feel good and happy the Fraiser are on the incline. I see it as our family’s renaissance.” Lauren looked at him and smiled at him. “I’m happy.”

Randall gingerly ate his food while he looked at her eating her own food he wondered for a moment whether or not what he was going to say next would be enough to salvage them. He wasn’t sure that being a local story was anything to be excited about he was still unsure if he should even be pursuing the book. “It’s not Aspen Lauren she’s been doing okay the last few months for a while Blythe and I weren’t sure what would happen with her after what happened when she lost the baby. We could relate you know because of our own issues before we turned to adoption. I’m very glad that you liked the meal I aim to please.” Randall said looking at her and reaching for his wine on the table, taking a drink slowly letting the flavor of the wine he could swear that he tasted a hunt fo strawberry along with orange or his pallet was getting tested with the gross knowledge of what he was about to do to Lauren and her family. Was this what Forbes had meant about how he would feel? He cut into his meat and took a bite relishing in the spices on the steak and then looking at her.

“Let’s change the subject of the book for now I can tell you later I was actually thinking about something the other day. I would actually like to know more about you apart from the artist. Did you paint at all while you and Walter were married? I love that you have had a resurgence in your career now.” Randall asked trying to decide the best way to approach the subject nd gently bring up her daughter at the same time. He knew Lauren was an amazing artist but more importantly he wanted to know the woman behind the wheel that night. He wanted to know what she was thinking, how it had happened, what she remembered down to the last detail if she would share that with him at all. “I was hoping you could tell me a little bit more about the night you lost Victoria. You always talk so much about your other children Braden and Dani, but you hold back slightly with her. I’m not trying to be insensitive of course I would just want to get to know you and who she was too. I want to know everything about you.” Randall said looking at her and he swore he already saw her body stiffen at the question.

She almost choked when he brought up Victoria and her entire body stiffened as she looked at him. Picking up her wine glass she took another sip and really felt almost uneasy. He was right that she didn’t speak about Victoria at all. It was something she hadn’t forgiven herself for. Sometimes she watched TV and it would be something about a mothers super strength when their child was in danger. She didn’t get to have that moment because she was knocked unconscious. It was times like this she missed the eighties and being able to smoke a cigarette. Exhaling, she smiled thinking about her last child. “She was so picky.” Lauren laughed touching her chest it was a good hearty laugh. “She had a way with clothes even as a child she knew what she wanted to wear. She came at a time when my marriage to Walter was breaking and um somehow someway she actually fixed for a moment. Walter has always resented Dani and I sometimes wonder did I trap him? Then Victoria came and we were a family. We were actually happy. She laughed a lot, she tried to do everything Dani did, and she had the most beautiful red hair. She looked like Walter’s mother did as a baby.” Lauren smiled as she fought the tears back.

“Earlier in the day it was alerted about flash floods. I wasn’t paying much attention to the weather though because I overheard Brenda calling my husband. I was angry and Braden was with Devin, KC, and Jon. Well I thought KC’s mother was supposed to pick the boys up from practice but Braden called and said it was me. I packed Dani in the car with Victoria. It came pretty fast and I couldn’t see all of the sudden I was surrounded by water and I couldn’t keep my eyes open long enough to help them. I can still see her purple dress, it had black lace frill on it and her hair was in two pigtails. It was so long for a little girl her age. They found a shoe. A shoe was the only thing left from my little girl. You want to know everything about me there it is. There is my sad story and my sad life. That I can’t forgive myself for not paying attention to the weather. Not being more careful or pulling over. God I blame myself for my eldest daughter’s pain. He was always ugly to Dani but he was downright hateful after Victoria died. I lost my son. He went to college but he was running from the pain too. He built his own family but Braden wasn’t the same, none of us were. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if Victoria would have survived also. I thought I was going to kill myself it was the darkest days of my life. I still wonder how Forbes saved Dani and I but God only knows. I guess I was settling on a life without Victoria and I settled on a unhappy marriage for a daughter who deserved me to be a better mom. I loved Dani but I should have gotten her the fuck away from Walter. Honestly he was cruel and up until she got with Lex she was never good enough. I think it was because he lost Victoria and I hate to even bring this up but Kendall that child he had with Brenda. He lost her too so I think he pushes Dani away because in some way he doesn’t want to lose his only daughter.” Lauren picked up a napkin and wiped her eyes as she looked at him seeing pity.

“No you don’t.” She said shaking her head. “I made some big mistakes but I don’t need your pity about this. Victoria’s death pulled my family apart but honestly I became stronger because of it. I found myself also because I don’t think I would have walked away from my marriage if Victoria was around. She really was the link you know that kind of put us all back together. It was the one time I can remember how he treated Dani special as well as Braden. But that day is my biggest life regret and they say you shouldn’t live with regret but I can’t help it. I killed my baby girl. I took her out in that storm and I killed my baby.” She wept as she placed her head on the cool marble island floating down a dark memory and digging up all the pain that was so trapped inside of her body.

Randall looked at her when she began to talk about that night and in hsi brian he engrained the details that were important. The weather was bad that night he knew that from the police report heavy rain had led to flash flooding, her car was older, the road had bene covered in water when she had lost traction. The semi had slammed on his breaks barely missing the car as it plummeted into the lake. He also learned that Victoria looked like a young Grace Fraiser meaning he should go look at photos and he had seen Victoria’s on Lauren’s mantel his phone could easily snap a picture later for comparison. He paused when he said that Victoria was in a purple dress confused for a moment Forbes had insisted that it was blue, perhaps in the darkness that night he had gotten that small detail wrong he could redirect that at a later date in a new interview. He had never understood Walter over the years and listening to Lauren talk now about how things got for Walter with his only surviving daughter, he actually felt for the girl if Walter was a man he would have left. He had no idea that Lauren had contemplated suicide after her daughter’s death and wodnered if that was something he should even put into the book. He looked at her sadly when she spoke about pity and then blamed herself.

“It’s not pity Lauren, it’s only pity if you let it be. This had to have been terribly difficult for you to talk about.” Randall said gently putting his hand on her back to steady her wondering how mich she had to drink and if she would even remember this conversation later. He honestly felt guilty grilling her like this under the assumption that he was curious of course he was but he was also doing this for his own gain with a book that he was writing about the worst night of her life and he reached for his glass of wine taking a long sip. “Was Forbes the first to arrive? From what rumor has said he calmed yourself and dived back in for Dani and Victoria. His driver offered aid to the injured semi driver. No one blames you Lauren, it was a tragic accident.” Randall finished his voice quiet and gentle as he spoke.

The charge of all her memories of that night floating back. She could see herself swerving and Dani and Victoria screaming so loudly. She could see Forbes pulling her from the car and passing out. Next thing she recalled is Dani holding her head crying for Victoria. Trying to get up and Forbes calming her and passing back out. Then she was in the hospital. It happened just like that. For a moment she felt the inclination to continue sharing but then it weighed on her body like a ton of bricks. What happened to her daughter. Her getting swept away in the lake. She could feel her stomach clutching just thinking about her sweet girl drowning. She shook her head. “No more, I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” Lauren said getting up as she looked at him.

“I know you want to know about me but this is something my family has never recovered from. Her death is my greatest failure as a parent and I can’t get over it. Your sweet words Randall were just that. You don’t know what haunts me at night. You don’t know my pain and you will never know because you haven’t lost a child. I think I need to be alone, Randall. I apologize but this isn’t working for me right now. I feel claustrophobic in my mind and I just want to be alone if you don’t mind.” She said softly. “Forbes saved me and for that I will always be grateful to him and his driver that night.” Picking up her glass of wine and taking another sip.

Randall felt guilty as hell when he saw Lauren breaking down on the counter over the accident it was enough for now and he wouldn’t push the subject with her. He would never understand her pain of losing her daughter that was clear but he wanted to try and he felt dirty for asking what he was. He didn’t know what else to do as he began to clear the dishes, washing them and putting them into her dishwasher she clearly didn’t want visitors anymore. He wondered for a moment if he should leave her alone by herself and knew that she had a support system if she wanted to call someone. “It’s fine Lauren, I didn’t mean to pry. Please call me or one of your children if you need them.” Randall said quietly leaning down to kiss her forehead before grabbing his coat to walk out the door wondering if this was what he really wanted to do.

**********

Max sat on the couch, legs tucked up underneath her trying her best to be comfortable and the baby wouldn’t stop kicking. An annoyance she supposed but she was close to the end and soon the baby would be born and she’d be back at DGI and the Casino, not having to bother with the pain this child was putting her in. She wanted her body back, she wanted to be at the forefront of the casino and anything else at DGI and a child wasn’t going to stop her from achieving those goals. That is what having a man like Sebastian would be for her. He could stay home with the baby while she worked, it would be perfect, a nanny on hand if they needed but she could go back to work as soon as she was ready. Looking at the numbers they were right on track not to mention as she opened up her laptop to look at the casino carpet samples and the velvet choices for the tables she wondered if Bliss would object if she just took over on picking them or not. She debated about it for a moment and wanted the classic green on the tables marble down the middle of the floors and the plush red on the sides.

She almost sent Bliss a text to confirm her choices but instead went ahead and replied to the designers email, her sister would forgive her and this really was her project not her sisters. Bliss and Hunter had just been helping her father who had placed her in charge of working with Ronan on it, she pressed send and then reached over taking a sip of her tea. She would be so glad to go back to coffee and caffeine when this was all done along with all the things that she missed eating that were supposed to be bad for you, she missed alcohol so much Sebastian wouldn’t even let her have wine. She took out her phone texting her father that the update for the casino was done, the pieces could start going in and then she heard the door open Seb was home. She saw him taking off his coat and hanging it up and she went back to her reports eventually deciding that she could work and talk at the same time. “How was your day?” She asked, typing up an email to Rory as she stared at the quarterly reports.

Sebastian had had a productive day at the office. Things seemed to be coming together nicely and he was really doing his best to have a firm footing in Atlas Falls. Max was here. His child would be here. He knew that he needed to focus on keeping things as simple as possible as far as his family was concerned. True, the Navarro Vineyards were in Spain. But he had his siblings back home that he trusted to keep an eye on things there for him. And he could easily travel there if need be. Gio would contact him directly if an issue arose. But for now, his entire focus would be on building things here. He needed a good home base for his new project that would keep him busy when he wasn’t at home with Max and their soon to be born child.

Coming home to Maximilla was the highlight of his day after spending it cooped up in the office with his lawyers. Things were certainly coming along with the land agreement, but there was still much to be hammered out. And he planned on getting it all at a fair price. Turning after taking his coat off, he fought back the urge to roll his eyes. Of course he would come home to find his fiance with files stacked all around her, a cup of tea, and attempting to curl up in the manner she could have easily done before she’d discovered that she was pregnant with their child. She did not look comfortable in the least and he wanted to do whatever he could to help her relax. He moved closer to her, bending over to press a kiss to the top of her head before he started to gather up her files. “You need to relax more, mi amor,” he murmured, setting the files aside. Seb knew that she wasn’t going to like what he had to say, but he was worried for both her and the baby. “You’re carrying our child and working too hard this late in your pregnancy.” He moved to sit on her other side, setting the files on the other side of him out of her reach.

Max looked up at him briefly when he kissed her forehead before going back to the files and her laptop and then looked at him highly annoyed when he took her papers from the casino away from her. He had been so pushy with her lately about everything especially work she didn’t quite get why it was such a big deal that she worked up until she had the baby, the casino was her moment to shine. Rory had his with RePlay, Chauncey had his over the years, Jackson would have his at his summit; she deserved her moment to shine with Bliss on the side. It was bad enough that she had to give her blessing to be with her ex-husband but Bliss never decided to take on her own projects when it came to work. “Of course I do because you think I’m just going to stay home after the baby comes. Ophelia has already given me the clear to work up till the end of the pregnancy.” Max said her tone even when she looked at him she knew from spending the summer with his family a year ago that was what he wanted. He admired that his mother stayed home with the children, the same with his sister in law and sisters. That was not going to be her. “We need to discuss the process to hire a nanny. I am sure that my mother can refer us to a great agency. I’m certainly not going to let Lauren pick one out for me.”

“You worry too much about it, if I was pushing it too much I would stop and I literally can’t take it if Bliss and Hunter get to cut the ribbon at the casino opening. I want to look that ex psycho bitch of yours in the face with Ronan while I cut it. You couldn’t even tell the police she kidnapped so now, well she’ll just have to deal with the fact I have you and Ronan on my side at the casino.” Max said reaching for the folders from him and then crossing her arms when she couldn’t manage and huffed, she had stuff to do just as much as he did. She knew that he had told her to stop egging on Gia but she wanted her to pay for everything she did when she kidnapped him. She had hoped that he would just start his vineyard here and let her work on her own, they could come together when needed of course but she had her career and he had his. She looked around the penthouse suite at the condominium. It was plenty big for the both of them; she was not going to move to the country like her sister and Hunter did. She had tried that when she was married to Hunter pretended to live in domestic bliss with him and it didn’t work for her, that wasn’t what she saw or wanted for herself. “So how did the meetings go for you today? Any movement on the vineyard?” Max asked, picking up her tea to take another sip of it.

He should have known that she didn’t plan on slowing down. Max was a force to be reckoned with, pregnant or not. And here he found her once more buried in files having to deal with the casino project that she was heading. Their child wasn’t going to slow her down in any way. Sebastian would be surprised if she didn’t go into labor and still try to work through the labor pains. Could she really blame him for wanting to take care of her and their unborn son. He wasn’t phased by the look on her face as he took her files from her. Someone had to get Max to take a break, someone had to remind her to take care of herself if not for her then for their son. She knew that he was elated at the fact that they were expecting and he couldn’t help but to want to protect his family. Seb understood what Ophelia had said about his fiance being able to work throughout the entire pregnancy, he had no problem with that honestly. It was simply how far she pushed herself. One of these days, it could literally break her and he didn’t want to see his fierce Maximilla broken. “She has, mi amor. But… you aren’t resting. You aren’t allowing yourself to de-stress and it’s worrisome,” he stated. “Our son needs his mami at full strength. He’s going to come into this world and need the both of us for everything, Maximilla. We can discuss a nanny… for office hours.” Because she had to know that he wanted her to be a hands-on mother, like his mother and his sister-in-law and his sisters. He wanted their son to know of his mothers love from the very moment he entered this world. But he could agree to a nanny for the hours they would both be in the office. He knew her well enough to know that Max wouldn’t stop working once her maternity leave was finished. “We can look into it. But not tonight.” Yes, they needed to get on the process of finding someone to help them with the baby.

“It’s my job to worry, mi corazón.” he reminded her, giving her a gentle smile as he placed her files out of the way. Reaching over, Seb relieved her of her laptop as well. If he was going to get her to relax, he was going to have to place anything work related out of her reach. “You want to be there at the ribbon cutting, scissors in hand, I understand this. But if you keep burning the candle at both ends, you could end up on bedrest. Then you will be nowhere near the ribbon cutting.” And he knew that she in no way wanted that to be a reality. Reaching up, he pressed his hand lightly over the very present scar on his chest. “You know why I said nothing to the police. I have to keep my family safe from the likes of that woman. I can’t very well do that myself from prison, Max. You and our son mean far too much to me, mi amor. ¡Protejo lo mío de todo!” But he hated the fact that she referred to Ronan being at her side as well. If anything was going to get Gia’s hackles on a rise, it would be the fact that his fiance had both him and Ronan at her side. If there was any way that he could get Ronan out of that particular picture, he would.

Seb leaned forward, grabbing one of Max’s ankles gently and raising it up to his lap. If she wouldn’t relax and do something to take better care of herself, then he would have to do what he could. He dropped one of her shoes to the floor and began to massage her foot. “Today was productive. We’re still figuring out the price for both the land and the farm, but I think we are close.” He’d feel better about the whole thing once the paperwork was done and signed, once he had the deeds in his hand. “I believe everything should be handled well before nuestro hijo joins us.”

Rest and sleep were overrated when it came to her nature and her work at DGI, she knew when to push it and when not to push it, plus launching a whole new line for DGI or business like the casino as a LLC was her priority. Her father had burned the midnight oil for years at DGI after he had gotten rid of Walter, he built DGI into what it was now, was Sebastian worried that she was going to turn out just like him over the years? She had always idolized her father, even when he was backstabbing business partners and having affairs it simply was par to who he was. Besides she was hardly one to judge him based on her own affairs with Ryan Hessington and then Philip Montgomery. Currently she was content with Sebastian and the life they had now, it wasn’t like she was out actively seeking someone else, she just worked a lot and wanted to make things happen for her at the company. She huffed a bit when he mentioned that she knew why he couldn’t go to the police. That didn’t mean that she had to accept it or the fact that Gia was walking around town free as a bird after everything that she had done.

“I’m actually surprised that the Thorpe’s are going to sell you their land at all they do after all hate my family, they weren’t to happy about the way Hunter and I ended. Though I am glad to be rid of the bitch that is Brenda now as a mother in law.” Max said looking at him, she had nothing personal against them other than the rumors being that Maggie was a fucking stripper now, classy as usual coming from their entire family as a whole. She would never understand that if you wanted to fuck random people there were better ways to do it than taking off your clothes on a pole, not to mention it reminded her far to much of the other bitch Yasmine. Her mind drifted for a moment as she closed her eyes enjoying the foot massage. She wondered if Aspen had got things back on track in order to make sure Yasmine wasn’t in his head anymore and she looked at Sebastian. “How is your mother? I do hope she isn’t nagging you still about a wedding date.”

Sebastian wouldn’t change Max in the least. More than anything, he was simply concerned for her health at such a major point in her life. She was pregnant and other than the child within her moving around constantly, she hadn’t truly slowed down once. He admired her business savvy and he knew that her work was extremely important to her, but for once he’d like her to slow down. Even if it was only for the remainder of her pregnancy. He wanted to spoil her himself, treat her as the princess she had been raised as. It just seemed at times as if she didn’t want to allow him to do so. He knew where her priorities were and he honestly was trying his best to not sway her in any way. Turning his attention back to her as the sound of the huff caught his ear, his lip lifted slightly. He knew she didn’t like the fact that he’d allowed Gia to continue walking the streets. It wasn’t truly what he wanted, he wanted his ex to pay for what she’d done to him more than anyone. “Max, she will get hers at the proper time. You have more important things to worry about. Gia is nothing to us.” He was trying his best to placate her. Gia was still an ever growing thorn in their sides, or more precisely a festering wound to his chest. Yes, the wound had long since healed and was more of a scar than anything, but it was still there. It was still a constant reminder to both him and Max of what he’d gone through.

Glancing up at her, he couldn’t help the grin that easily came to his features. “It would be foolish to turn away my offer. I know what to do with all of that land and all they have done is allow it to sit idle for far too long. I can turn it into more than it is, make it profitable once more.” Seb knew plenty about working the grapes from the vine up. The purchase had nothing to do with Max, this was something he was doing on his own to further his family business. Yes, he was engaged to marry Maximilla, and the Thorpes’ hadn’t been too thrilled when he’d made his original offer for the land. But he was crude enough on how best to make the deal, to go after exactly what he wanted, and to strike when the opportunity presented itself. His thumbs dug in gently to her arch, working to relieve some of the pain he knew that she went through daily due to her pregnancy. It was something that he could do for her, something that he knew Max would allow him to do. And he did enjoy watching the way her eyes slid shut so that she could fully immerse herself in the massage. “Mama would prefer that we were married before you go into labor,” he reminded her. Hell, his mother would have preferred they were married before Max got pregnant, but there was no going back on that front. He’d prefer they were married by now as well. Seb hadn’t proposed just to ask the question. He’d meant it all. He wanted her as his wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, and all of those other words the priest would say before the congregation.

“I can’t bring my family here for a wedding if we don’t set a date, mi amor.” And he would bring the Navarro clan to Atlas Falls. With Max being a Devonshire, he knew that the wedding would be an event no one would want to miss. It would be the event of the season if they could ever come to an agreement as to which season it would even be in. The only thing or person holding them back was Max herself. She had been unwilling up to this point to actually set a date. “I can’t wait for you to become my wife, Maximilla.”

Max looked at him so he was going to bring up the wedding again for the hundredth time she felt like that was all he wanted to do, more so all his family wanted them to do. They wanted her barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, raising children just like it had been done in his family for years. Between that and his constant annoyance at the entire thing with their son it was exhausting, couldn’t she just have a moment or two before they rushed into being married. She’d been there done that when it came to marriage and honestly she was pretty awful at it all around, maybe it was the fact that she watched her father have affairs and the thrill of them pushed her. It was easy to let Hunter go after him and Bliss begged for her forgiveness for their affair, since she didn’t love him anymore and she had Philip warming her bed at the time. She’d never be tied down long term and she had thought that Sebastian understood that when it came to them, yes she had said yes and maybe it was her hormones talking at the time but she didn’t think people had to be married to be happy with each other.

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint her, we could be engaged for a long time a year, maybe more when my schedule at DGI allows, maybe we can set a date. I have a lot going on right now with Jackson’s upcoming summit party, then the casino opening after that not to mention that my father is dying. I bet your mother would love for me to quit and stay home with the baby too.” Max said taking her foot back from him the foot massage was over. She knew she was being a bitch about all of it but he needed to quit pressuring her when it came to getting married so quickly, people had long engagements all the time why couldn’t they do that this time? “You know that you can still have kids together and not get married right? We don’t have to rush into anything Sebastian. I thought you understood that.” She said to him not using her pet name for him and instead using his full name to show her annoyance at it all. “Anything else you want to discuss?”

Sebastian knew that look. He knew that perhaps he’d pushed when he shouldn’t. But he couldn’t fully help himself. He loved Max more than life itself, and he wanted to have her as his wife. He wanted the permanence of their vows. And he wanted all of that before their son was born. He was Catholic and she had to know that the church would not welcome their son with open arms unless they were married. “Maximilla, you know I am Catholic. I want our son to know the church as I know it. The church will not consider him legitimate unless we are married. Do you really want to put his soul on the line so early in his life?” This seemed to always be the discussion that came up whenever he brought up the very question of setting a wedding date at the very least. He knew that the window was very short, barely six months after their son came into this world before the church would not consider the child legitimate.  “Does this have to do with your previous marriage, mi amor?” he asked softly, wondering if that seemed to be the biggest hindrance to them getting married. Was setting a date really such a rush? Was it rushing if he wanted to start making plans? “I love you, Max.”

He groaned lowly. How was it that she was a grown woman and putting her career ahead of her own happiness? Seb wanted to make her happy. He wanted them to be able to finally start their life together. And he knew that they could have it all together. Yes, he knew there were a lot of things coming up, a lot of events that were big with DGI that were already on the books. He knew about Lowell’s illness, knew that the man probably would not even make it to see the next year. Sighing deeply, he couldn’t imagine what the man was dealing with. He wouldn’t wish something like this on his worst enemy. But Sebastian wanted to be able to give Max something that she and her father could remember. He wanted to be able to give her the chance to have that father/daughter moment at their wedding. He didn’t want her to regret not being able to have that moment with Lowell before she would never have that with him again. Running a hand through his hair, he looked over at her as she pulled her foot free. “Mama would like you to be a hands-on mother. She’d prefer that you not just hand our son off to the nanny at all hours of the day. But yes, she would prefer you stay at home with him at least for the first few years. I know that that’s not you, mi amor. I know that you want to return to work as soon as possible and I support you with this. I just want to see some kind of movement towards being prepared for el bebe.”

Max looked at him clearly, his faith was a huge part of him and she respected that about him. Her family had never been that way; they’d been to a local church a few times but it wasn’t like she was a firm believer. She could count the small handfuls of times she had even been to church for Steven’s funeral and a handful of others; it wasn’t a big deal to her whether or not their son was baptized or if they were married in the church. “I’m not Catholic and honestly I’m not even sure I would ever become one Seb. Do I believe in some higher power, maybe but I’m also a realist. Unlike Bliss and Jackson I don’t really care if my children are baptized or confirmed or whatever, hell I don’t even know if my parents ever did that for us.” Max said looking at him and seeing his crushed face she knew it would cause some tension but she wasn’t going to sit there and lie to him she had no desire to be a Catholic, that just wasn’t who she was. “I have no desire to go to a weekly mass to tell some stranger in a robe about our personal lives or my sins.”

“What did she expect Seb we’re living together did your mother expect you to be a celibate monk or something? I got pregnant and chose to keep the baby just like I’m choosing when I want to get married and I want to wait. You could support me by letting it go for now and when I get around to setting a date I will.” Max said with more bite than she meant when it came out but she was tired of everyone asking about the baby or what type of a mother she would be, she wanted to work at DGI and let a nanny do the hard lifting was that so hard to come to an agreement on she wasn’t mother material by any means. Hell she barely tolerated children unless it was her nieces and nephews and even then she wasn’t even a good babysitter, she didn’t have a maternal bone in her body and maybe that was why this pregnancy felt odd to her, she knew most women bonded with their child. She had tried at appointments but it always came back to her wanting to just work and focus on the casino. Did that make her a horrible person? “You want to get ready for our son and I get that, pick out nursery colors decorate it if you want even.” Max said reaching around him for the files she needed to get this done so that she could send the financials off and get the check cut for Ronan for the last of the construction.

Sebastian wasn’t asking Max to become a member of the church. Yes, his faith was something that he’d been raised in. And he would appreciate being able to raise their son in the Catholic faith. But he also knew that their son could completely flip the script once he was older. He knew that Max didn’t leave a very faith based life and he didn’t fault her in the least for that. “Baptized,” he replied, hearing the way she tried to come up with the appropriate term. “And I’d like it if we raised him in the church.” Holding up his hand, he tried to stave off any argument from his fiance. “I will take him for mass. You won’t have to come unless you want to”  She had to know that he wouldn’t force his faith on her. That wasn’t who he was. And yes, he’d rather be married in the church, but with Max not willing to convert or become a member, it was out of the question.

He sighed quietly, watching her as she spoke. It was very obvious that a date wouldn’t be set this evening. Max was firm on her decision to wait and he knew that there was no way he could get her to change her mind. Not even if he were to suggest an elopement. Neither of their parents would support that decision. He knew exactly how she’d ended up pregnant, and had been a very active party to that in fact. Seb sat back against the couch at her comment, feeling the bite behind it as he continued to watch her. Sitting forward, he leaned over enough that he could brush his hand against the swell of her stomach. He was still trying his best to feel that connection with their son. Feel something from the baby. “Si. Si, more than anything.” He was willing to do anything to help them both prepare for the impending birth. “We should do this together, Max. It should have touches of both of us to surround our son with our love.”

**********

Coach was riding his ass like no other when it came to their next road game had him doing drill for the last eight hours straight and halfway through he wondered if this was all there was to life. At the time NBA star seemed cool as hell but if this is what it fucking took somedays he had to wonder if that it all was really worth it in the end. Connor even looked half out of it lately rumor was that he might even be stepping back to go into politics or some shit like that. He had completed his degree at school a promise he had made to his brother Kendrick had even come to his graduation and he paused. He still missed his brother and he reminded himself as he walked into his posh condo complex that he owed everything to him, even if his brother had taken a turn to the horrifying in the end. He waved at Bill the doorman and almost thought about how pretentious he had become having a doorman in his building, he felt his phone buzz and looked at the pictures. Bitches always were texting him after a night out with the team and some of them were fine as fuck too, he thought about sexting the dark haired godess while he got on the elevator and decided maybe after a shower. When it got to his floor he walked down the hall and froze when he saw Yasmine there.

“Yas what are you doing there?” He said looking at her while he opened the door to his condo and let her in. They hadn’t really talked much lately and he deserved that, but he still cared about her in many ways she was his childhood best friend and royaly fucked that up at the wedding. He had been there when the entire thing went down with Yasmine and Aspen too, at first he wondered if it was planned on Aspen’s part or not, but then he had seen her afterward. That shit was real and unplanned it was something that grew its own head and had gotten out of hand. Aspen had gotten out of hand when she went to grab Yas, Yas has retaliated and before he knew it Aspen was on the ground a pool of blood coming out of her dress. “What can I do for you Yas. I’ve apologized for the wedding till I’m blue in the face I lost my shit when I found out you fucked Devonshire, it wasn’t cool to deal with that shit at his brother’s wedding. We haven’t really talked since I took you home from the hospital after what happened with Aspen.” He said walking to the fridge to pull out a gatorade as he looked at her opening the cap and taking a drink. He still remembered how sick he had been, how Yas had been stared at that shit was traumatizing and it wasn’t even his own kid.

Yasmine had been practicing and auditioning kids all over Atlas Falls for her new version of the nutcracker. She was going to pitch to Jamal the music she was beginning to write. She was also talking to her big sister Cassie in using her inheritance into a nonprofit and she was also redoing the studio, expanding the building and buying more land. Most of all she was trying to avoid Aspen Sinclair and Rory Devonshire. She didn’t want to see either of them and honestly she wanted to apologize so badly for what happened. Yet somehow she felt Aspen would twist and turn that into something else and she was finally ready to let Rory go. A childish ass dream for a childish girl. Right now she was stepping into her grown woman shit and Cassie was helping her and as long as she voted how she told her it would be alright. Funny thing was Cassie didn’t know Philip was in her ear and he was saying the same damn thing. They were helping her and she was getting the benefits of their Intel on not just the other but MontCorp. Wearing a vintage knee length shimmering off white cardigan from Donna Karen, a white Ivy Park midriff top, and white harem pants, and a pair of cool gray Jordan’s. Chewing a piece of gum she stared at him, he was still fine as hell. In fact the little dread twist up top was making him look even sexier.

“Well I came to talk unless we’re not able to do that? I think we can do that right?” Yasmine said smoothly. “Look I don’t want to talk about Aspen or Rory to be honest. That some clown shit I did to you. For real Khalil, my family won’t ever accept Rory and his family damn sure don’t want the ex-stripper Montgomery. So let’s squash that convo.” She moved her hair which she had grown again down her back. “I promised some of the boys at the studio that they would meet you. They were talking about basketball and how Scottwood High School never gets to go to nationals and the finals and they are doing it. I just blurted it out and I was hoping you could help me out okay?” She said, smiling at him as she took off her cardigan. Showing her lean and still firm body by placing her hand on her hip. “So if I said I miss you bighead what you going to say?”

Khalil looked at her when she started to speak and how she instantly didn’t want to talk about the past. He wondered for a moment why he’d been an active part in what happened at the wedding. He regretted it now how ugly it all was but he still would do it again Rory didn’t deserve a woman like her, like she just said they had nothing in common. She was Forbes’s daughter and any love Rory had to have had was surely gone by now with that knowledge and how everything had went at the wedding. It wasn’t like Aspen had left Rory or he had left her, for him that was where the chips had fallen. He nodded at her when she mentioned everything going on at the dance studio he could help her out. They’d been friends since they were in diapers, she was literally the first girl he had sex with there was history between them.

“Yeah it’s cool we talk. I mean what I just said Yas I shouldn’t have taken it that far at the wedding I humiliated you that wasn’t cool. But if you don’t want to talk anymore about that its fine too.” Khalil said the team had been doing something for the basketball scene in Scottswood; he was proud of the boys that were playing. His head had been out of the game for a while the last few months and wondered if it was because he was rethinking his life choices. Aspen was a close friend of his now and he couldn’t help but think about her maybe even as possibly something more.  As bad as it was, Yas had cut him out. He deserved it of course. “I think I can stop by and talk to the kids coach has been riding our ass and it wouldn’t be the worst idea for publicity for the team. So what else can I do for you?” She still looked banging and his eyes roamed her body.

“You can come a little closer.” Yasmine said seductively. “Look, what happened, well it happened. I’m not mad about it anymore but play me again in public I assure you it won’t be pretty. But right now I didn’t come over for all that.” She walked up to Khalil and just kissed him. The way Yasmine saw it right now she was single and if she wanted Khalil she’d have Khalil. If she wanted Jayden she’d have Jayden. It was her time to do and get whatever she wanted because honestly Rory was off the table and that felt good. To not have that feeling anymore, the longing and the terrible heartache she faced for almost two years. She thought he was the one but overall Rory played a game. He loved having the girl he couldn’t have watching and wanting on the side. While his girlfriend was a psycho who attacked her while pregnant. Rory wasn’t the one, two or three. He was someone who showed her she deserved more and right now she didn’t to think about how much was mad at him. Or how much she hadn’t forgiven him. She wanted to think about the sex ass man before her.

“Look we can discuss what we are to each other or we can do what we got so good at. Fucking all night long and then worrying about what comes next later. Or is that a little too much? If so I can go but you won’t get this option again. I’m not throwing myself at you I’m showing you what’s up. We’re grown and I need someone to make me feel good. If you’re down then well I think you know I’m a dancer and exactly how flexible and nimble I can be.” Yasmine purred, grabbing him by his gray sweatpants. His print was growing larger. “So what’s up Khalil?”

Khalil wasn’t a fucking idiot he was a man with needs and desires and it was always so easy with Yasmine to be able to do that. He didn’t think that she was throwing herself at him or anything good like that they were both single consenting adults and it was better than some road bitches. He felt his phone buzz and looked down at it seeing Aspen’s picture pop up before he tossed the phone on the counter. Maybe he was over it all too. Maybe he was over all the drama with her and Rory. It wasn’t like he got what he wanted out of the deal anyway the only one that seemed to have won was Aspen. He kicked his lips as she moved closer and touched his sweatpants already feeling himself get hard at the action. He didn’t say anything else to her as he picked her up by her waist before bracing her against the wall as his lips leaned down to kiss hers, he could do this be fuck buddies if she wanted again.

“It’s just sex Yasmine I think that is all either of us are really ready for this time.” Khalil whispered again hearing his phone buzz again no doubt Aspen with more drama for him. He focused in on the girl in front of him a girl he had cared about since they were kids and if she didn’t want to talk about the last year for them or anything else who was he to ask or say otherwise. Instead his hands went to her shoulders to let her cardigan fall to the floor while his lips explored her mouth, he was well aware what her nimble body could do. He let is hands move to her pants lowering them and felt himself getting even more hard at the action watching her shimmy out of them wondering if they should move to the bed. Instead he thought better grabbing a condom out of his wallet and lowered his own pants before rolling the condom on. Hiking her leg around his hip and slamming into her heat. “Fuck Yas.” Khalil said gasping as she viced around him and he began to stroke her realizing this is what he needed a way to release some steam with a girl that he trusted and cared about.

Yasmine gasped as he entered her body and as he raised her leg and pointed her toe. As he began to push deeper inside of her hip. She let her nails run down his back. Right now he feels so good inside of her. She squeezed against his stroke, yanking back knowing he was feeling her grip. Feeling herself getting wetter because Khalil knew her body. This was what she needed more than anything. Using her muscles she squeezed making herself even tighter. She heard a moan escape from his mouth and leaned in kissing him. She was here at this moment and felt like the air escaping her body. Exhaling she began to know that their bodies missed each other.

“Fuck Khalil.” She cried out as she could feel herself growing closer. Feeling her body getting closer to the edge and Khalil digging deeper and deeper inside of her body. She began to cry out because he hit her spot. Her body began to shake feverishly, quivering and crying out because Khalil knew what he was doing. When she heard him moaning and groaning she knew he had bust and she shivered into his arms looking into his eyes. “This doesn’t mean we are together again.” She touched his face. “I missed you though.”

Khalil looked down at Yasmine that while he moved his hips vigorously inside of her wanting her to come around him, warning a release from everything that was going on. He felt her nails scraping his back and couldn’t help the moan that came out of his mouth at the action. He kept the momentum going pounding her in a steady rhythm as he kissed her lips and her neck when she squeezed on him it took all his will power not to come right then and there but he pushed through it. When he finally felt her really clench and let go he let out a moan into her ear as he felt himself shooting inside of her. His mouth gave away his emotions at the action with groans and moans while she milked him. “I know it doesn’t I missed you too Yas.” Khalil said looking at her as well wondering how they would navigate this new part of their relationship.

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