3×08 Jumping The Gun
Written by: Scott Andrews, Chris Coleman, Kristi Clark, Ashley Stoddard and Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episode may contain language, sex, adult themes and content.
Theme Song: Plumb- Damaged

Jon looked at Devin who had this look on his face. He wasn’t sure if it was contempt or anger but he could tell he wasn’t pleased at all. Did he think this part of his job was fun? Hell he hated it and more than anything he didn’t think any of the women he was here to arrest today were deserving. When he looked into Bliss history he felt horrible but one of the three of them killed DImitri and he wanted it over. The DA was on his back, and he had find out who was behind this murder. Point blank his job was on the line if he didn’t close this case. As he looked at his friend he bit his lip. “We had a hearing for Miles the other day. I am honestly wondering if it’s all worth it. I’ve isolated myself from all my friends and family because I’m angry and hurting. Miranda can’t even look at me. I haven’t spoken to my parents and my best friends all hate me.” Jon said, lowering his head. “I don’t know what to do.”

Getting out of the car he saw Devin almost soften toward him. “I don’t want to arrest any of them. You know this guy is the worst but I have a job to do you know?” Jon said as he walked up the stairs to Bliss and Hunter’s home. He could hear Fox running around the house and Bliss and Hunter laughing. Knocking on the door he looked at Devin. “This sucks he terrorized all three of them and if Jackie helped she was doing what any mother would and should. I feel sick to my stomach.” He looked over at Devin. “I just want this case and all of this stuff with Miles over. I just want to be a part of his life.”

Devin felt uncomfortable when they began the drive over to Hunter and Bliss’s house; it hadn’t been their decision to bring her in, that was the police chief. They would pick up Bliss, Zach and Miranda would pick up Jackie. Afterwards the chief had asked them to handle the interrogations Miranda and Zach would bring in Tamara. Hoping that one of them would roll on the other one a judge had signed off on the arrest warrants he had a badge on and a job to do, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to do today but it was something that he had to do. Looking over at Jon he paused listening to Jon talk about everything. He was still Jon’s boy but he also knew that Jon had started to burn bridges with everyone around him, his sister, Braden and he knew it was over this investigation into Dimitri and the case with Miles. His heart still felt for Jon but he had wondered from the start if that really was the best way to go about things going for custody. He could tell it was weighing on Jon; his friend had dark circles under his eyes and he knew that things with Skye were rocky at best from Merci.

“Merci let me know that it was hard for you and Skye at the courthouse, I’m sorry Jon that you are going through this. I’m sorry about all of it, you know? Miranda will come around if you let her, but you haven’t.” Devin began stopping; it wasn’t up to him to bring up everything with Jon Miranda felt sorry for everything with Miles but Jon had been an insufferable ass about it too. He and Merci had started to talk about their wedding and all he could come up with was that he wanted Jon there and his friends and she wanted Skye there meaning it was going to be a fucking mess. He looked over at Jon while they closed the door to the car and made their way up the stairs he could tell that neither of them wanted to drag Bliss Devonshrie Kincaid down to the station for murdering Dimitri given her past with the man that was dead. Who had abused and terrorized her for years. It was a political move by the current DA and chief who in his opinion was fucking awful and he wished Braden was still there. He may have drugged his feet about it with mounting international pressure from Isla Del Cruces but he would be at least fair and private about it. “It’s shit like this that makes me miss when Braden was DA he would at least be a little more understanding it sucks Jon neither of us want to do this. But we have to so lets get this shit out of the way and wait for the Devonshire’s and the Kincaid’s to rain hell down at the station, hell the Fraiser’s too.” Devin finished looking at Jon to go ahead and ring the doorbell as he took out the arrest warrant from his jacket pocket.

Jon listened to Devin basically admit to him he’d pushed his family and friends away. He thought it would feel better but at this point he felt like shit. It felt like people had taken bites of his soul. Miranda was the first and he remembered how he reacted to KC when he returned from the grave. It was anger but he wanted to protect his sister from the pain. Then Braden and he had been best friends since childhood. Now he was going to arrest his best friend’s wife. He closed his eyes feeling the stress of the situation rising. Dani who he had always held up on a pedestal literally kept the truth about his son. He’d pushed everyone away and he rode the wave of anger then it hit him. To Skye he had been the worst to her and how was he going to make this up to her? How was he going to face everyone because he was sick of feeling so alone and honestly his heart was breaking because he had nobody in his corner. He just wanted people he loved back now wouldn’t go speak with Dani intentionally no. But everyone else needed an apology from him because he was horrible. Then it hit him that it wasn’t over. If Tamara or any of these women went down he’d be in jail. He’d never be forgiven. Especially with how he was acting. At least they couldn’t place Selina in the middle of this. The witnesses only saw Tamara, Jackie, and Bliss.

Bliss had gotten up early and made chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and eggs for her men. After breakfast they all just played around the house. It was something that she was sure Fox would remember for the rest of his life. The old school music going she danced around the house. As she watched Fox and Hunter sitting together laughing at some TV show this is what she wanted her entire life. A family that loved her, a husband that loved her, and her beloved son who she loved more than the air she breathed. Shaking herself out of the peaceful daydream of how her life had evolved. Bliss was walking back in the the kitchen to finish cleaning when she heard the knock at the door. “Sit down boys I got it.” She spun around, swirling her hips to James Brown “Get Up Offa That Thing’. Bliss danced and Fox placed a pillow over his face as if he couldn’t deal. She laughed as she opened the door unexpectedly shocked to see Jon Harrison and Devin Thompson standing before her. “Hello detectives, how can I help you this morning?”

Jon looked at Hunter who was picking up Fox and leading him to the doorway. “Hunter you might want to take Fox upstairs. In fact you might want to call your nanny or babysitter.” Jon said looking at Bliss who had began to shake. “Bliss we are here to take you down because you are under arrest for the murder of Dimitri Kincaid.” Jon saw Hunter’s hurt and immediately noticed him shielding the boy from the drama. He could be the same age as Miles and his heart swelled. “Bliss Kincaid, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.” Jon pulled out the handcuffs.

“Stop it, not in front of my son please.” Bliss turned to Hunter and looked at him with her lips quivering. “Call Mason and Simon. Then inform my family please and call everyone. Do you understand me Hunter?” She said praying he got what she was talking about. She had to warn Selina, Jackie, and Tamara. They didn’t deserve to be blindsided with this. “No you don’t have to do that in front of my son Jon. Please don’t do this you have a son and you wouldn’t want him to have a memory like this please. Don’t do this! Devin don’t let him put those cuffs on me and can I get one moment with my husband and son? I won’t run because honestly I’m tired and exhausted from all this. Please guys.”

They’d had a good morning like a normal family he had been wracking his brain about how to help Bliss should the police come knocking the simple truth of the matter was every option came back to one. Wipe the gun down and put his own handprint on the gun, period there was no way that Bliss was going down for taking the monster that had wrecked her entire life before him down, he simply wasn’t going to allow it. He’s done it after Bliss had told him what happened while she slept he had snuck out of the bed, to the closet took one of the cleaning rags they had and wiped it down twice to be sure and then had placed his own hand over the gun insuring it was his prints not hers that would be there. Hunter looked at Jon like he had lost his fucking mind when it came to arresting his wife but he had no choice as Fox clinged to him like his life depended on it, he could even feel him shaking. He looked at the cuffs in Jon’s hands and dared him to try it there was no need to do it in front of Fox.

“I’ll make the calls everything will be fine they don’t have anything you and I both know that. You’ll be out within and hour maybe two max. I swear to God either of you two place fucking cuffs on her wrists I’ll end both your careers. Don’t say anything till Mason gets there and I mean it.” Hunter said realizing he has the f word in front of Fox and then looked at Devin as Fox started to cry.

Devin had been standing with Jon and had seen the icy reception that happened when Jon had read Bliss her miranda rights, yeah today would be hell he could already tell. He looked down at the cuffs wondering if it was necessary but seeing Fox so upset at it, he looked at Jon put the cuffs away and simply gently grabbed Bliss by her arm. “Let’s go Mrs. Kincaid.”

“Wait, wait, wait please.” She turned to Hunter and Fox and walked to them kissing her son and then deeply kissing her husband. “You two have no idea the pain that I’ve been through.” She said sniffling. “Fox mommy is going with these nice police officers only for a little bit baby. Not long, momma will be back and daddy will take care of you. You promise me Hunter to protect him and our family.” Bliss felt Jon arm on her as he pulled her away. “Oh my God.” She said trembling as he pulled her away from her family. “Please stop you! You have no idea of what you are opening and how many lives you are hurting. Please think about what are you doing, Dimitri tortured people and he doesn’t deserve justice. I can’t say anymore but you two have no idea. None what he’s done to me and what I’ve fought back from. Jon you used to be noble what happened to you? You literally shot Kendrick and the whole town had your back. Yet here you are destroying my family. You aren’t noble Jon Harrison.” Bliss exhaled as she looked at him. “You are a monster in cop’s uniform.”

Jon listened to Bliss wails and heard Fox crying from a distance. When she said the entire town had his back it sure as hell didn’t feel like Scottswood did. He however got what she was saying. People were there for him and here he was hurting people. “I have to do my job Ms. Kincaid.” He said lowering Bliss into the car.

Bliss looked at him and shook her head. “You keep doing it, keep doing your job Detective Harrison. But you ask yourself when you go to bed is this justice? Is this right? Is this the law I promised to uphold because I don’t find anything in what you are doing as the right thing?” Wiping her eyes she shook her head as she bit her lip. “Go to hell Jon, you aren’t as sweet as everyone says. You aren’t a good person and I also believe you are the most self-righteous son of bitch I’ve seen. You stand here all pristine but you are ripping apart families aren’t you? At least that is what Greer LeClerq’s paper is saying. You are trying to get back your child but you are tearing apart a family. You’re a monster Jon.”

Jon got in the car and gripped the steering wheel as he looked at Devin. He adjusted the mirror in the car so he couldn’t see Bliss crying. Hell he didn’t want to see her crying and he didn’t want to hear what she said. He started up the car and felt Devin’s hand on his shoulder. “Bliss, I’m sorry that this is happening. I would request you refrain from speaking on my child.”

“You don’t have a child. That’s Whitney’s and Ryan’s baby and you are just a sperm donor. You’re just the reason he’s here just because he’s biologically yours that doesn’t mean you’re a father.”

“You know I’ve had enough Bliss, didn’t you leave your child with this psycho?” Jon snapped back, getting frustrated.

Bliss gasped at him as she hit the partition. “You listen to me, you think because you went to war you’re special. I went to war too, Jon! Every day inside of a perfect palace of pain. I was beat, savagely raped, left for damn dead and you don’t get to judge what I had to do to survive you don’t say a word. You are pathetic and I hope Lex never lets you near Miles Hessington.” Saying the Hessington with as much malice as she could muster.

**********

Mason parked the car at the condo complex smiling to himself as he shut the door and texted his fiance back about their first meeting with Merci for the wedding. In truth Zach hadn’t told his family yet honestly he was alright with that it his brother was getting married to a pregnant Greer and that was enough uproar at Braden’s wedding.For now they would met with Meci maybe set a date and go from there. He texted Simon back that as far as he knew the final will was complete as he walked in the building waving to the doorman as he got on the elevator. Pressing the floor for his sister’s condo as he scrolled through some emails at the firm and checked DGI’s stocks that were on the rise. He was actually looking forward to the night out at the Summit gathering it had to have been better than the wedding in which Dimitri had a reign of terror. Plus he wanted to support his best friend in his endeavor. He saw Jamal outside the door on his phone and put his own away hugging his little bro. Jamal had gotten rid of the criminal behavior and was on the straight and narrow with his studio, his only drama was Val and what she did.

“What’s up little bro? When Selina called and said she had more diaries I was wondering if you would show up or not. I know she’s curious man but after the last one I’m not sure what she is expecting to find.” Mason said looking at him as he knocked on the door waiting for Selina to enter and he wondered how Jamal was holding up with everything with Val. He had been so shocked when that video went live about what Val had done behind his brother’s back not to mention how awful it had made Jamal look. “Not that is any consolation what Belle did to you about the whole Val stuff but if you still want someone to go after her for damages I’m your lawyer for the job. I still can’t believe that bitch had the nerve to record you and Val. Let me not get started on how Val should have told you the moment that she knew she was pregnant and at least included you in that decision. You need to talk about it I’m here for you and so is Selina.” Mason said quietly hoping Jamal knew that he was asking out of the concern for him, as his brother.

Jamal wanted answers. That was the truth whatever his father killed himself for maybe in those journals and if Selina thought she had the answers, he’d listen. Since he was younger he never felt like he did enough for his father. That was something honestly he lived with as a regret. Not showing his father how great he could be. Something that Mason and Selina did in spades. One of the many reasons Croix Records had to be a success and it had to be more than just music. It was his way of proving his spot in the world and the Delacroix family. When Mason went into big brother mode he smiled at him. Yes Belle was a bitch but she was a sexy bitch. This was crazy how he was fantasizing about Belle and hating her at once. The other night he had the craziest dream about that girl. She was in a French maid uniform and looking damn good. Well let’s just say he rang every bell. Jamal wondered if he was too old to be having those type of freaky ass dreams. As for Val fuck her she was dead to him as his aborted child. She stole his chance to be a father and he wouldn’t forget that.

“Belle is a bitch but she isn’t that bad. Honestly she exposed how foul Val was to the world and I can’t get mad at that. I can however get mad at the fact she is out here making me look like Chris Brown.” Jamal said as he laughed. “Nah I actually told her I’m going to get her ass back I just haven’t figured out how. She was wrong but she also is sexy? Look I can’t help it who Jr likes.” He laughed looking at Mason’s shocked face. “I just want to know if Selina knows why dad did it. I mean all these years could the reason our dad killed himself be inside of a book? That just doesn’t make sense to me. He was happy with mom, he was good with you, I was doing what I was supposed to do, and Selina was back to herself. Now he kills himself? He fucking just left us like we weren’t important Mason. Like we didn’t need him.” Jamal felt the emotions boiling. “I fucking hate him right now but I miss him so much.” Jamal walked to his big brother and hugged him as tears started to coat his mocha skin.

Selina walked into the room with Elliot hand in hand. She saw Jamal and Mason having an emotional moment and she paused not wanting to break it up. Jamal hadn’t expressed much on how he felt about their father’s suicide. Hearing him say he hated their father broke her heart. As she slowly let go of Elliot’s hand she walked to Mason and Jamal. They were all they had, they were Tony’s kids. “Hey what’s up to my handsome brothers?” She knew Jamal was having a moment and she needed to lighten the mood. Selina couldn’t cry right now and she didn’t want to cry anymore. “Come on, let’s talk.” She took her brother’s hands and sat them down on the couch. She pulled out the second diary and looked at them. Selina read the words and a chill ran up her spine. The way Gloria talked about her father was heartbreaking. People come and go but the way she spoke about her father she never really loved him. At least in her opinion. She noticed Mason had tears in his eyes and so did Jamal. Maybe right now wasn’t the time. “Are you alright?” She wiped Jamal’s face and then leaned over and touched Mason hand. “I’m fighting for the Delacroix to keep us together.” When she noticed someone kept calling Mason. “Answer we can talk a little later.”

Elliot had been looking over the new documents that Jon had wanted him to file for Miles, Skye’s name had been removed when a friend of his had texted him about something going down at the police station related to Dimitri’s murder. He shook off the thought as he went back to preparing the brief while he had kept Selina company until her brothers could arrive to go over her mother’s diaries again, Selina was a peculiar creature in all the best ways. He had no idea why she was so possessed on wanting to know the person that everyone seemed to have hated at DGI, perhaps it was because she had been fed an image of her mother from a young age and it was one that Tony had indulged in. It was intriguing needless to say and if it meant they could get closer he would help her in whatever way he could. Part of him felt like between that and what Dimitri had done she was trying to rediscover herself, who she was and what she wanted and if that included him he was more than happy to be there. “Mason, Jamal as always it is good to see you.” He greeted before holding up a finger as he went back to his conference call in the other room, the door open just in case he needed to come back in to support her.

Mason raised an eyebrow at Jamal when he mentioned that he was going to get back at Belle, as in Rory’s little sister that could be interesting. He wasn’t one to judge but Belle was trouble he knew that just by all the drama she had caused since her arrival in town and after the last year he didn’t think that his little brother needed that, more drama. “I think you and Belle should just not enter each other’s orbit for a while, the last thing you need Jamal is more drama. And let’s face it all that girl has brought to Atlas Falls is drama.” Mason said thinking it over and then he let it sit what Jamal had said about their father, he had no idea why Tony had done what he did, yes it hurt but they didn’t know what their father’s demons were or what he was going through. He had no idea what was going through their father’s mind, where it was but he had taken his own life and it did hurt. Walking in he nodded to Elliot as he followed his sister into the condo and looked at her and the diary that she held, part of him wished she had never discovered or found them. He felt his phone ring and looked it seeing it was Zach he ignored it, only for it to ring again he did the same by the time it happened a third time he pulled it out. “Zach what’s up? Is something wrong did you get a lead on Kieran or something?” Mason asked shooting his sister and Jamal an apologetic look about the interruption.

Zach wondered if he would get in trouble if anyone caught what he was about to do. They were arresting everyone involved except Selina Delacroix because she couldn’t be placed with the other women. He however knew Mason would be pulled into the fray and he also knew his future husband wouldn’t forgive him if he didn’t warn him. “Selina’s in danger. They have no proof right now but they want her right along with Jackie, Bliss and Tamara.” He said in the office watching Miranda and KC talking. “Dear God I don’t believe it.” He mumbled watching Jon and Devin walking into the station with Bliss in handcuffs. “Bliss just arrived here, she’s under arrest for the murder of Dimitri Kavanaugh.”

Jamal looked at Selina whose eyebrow raised when Mason mentioned Belle. “Oh don’t you go telling me who I can play with. Drama or not Belle is intriguing.” He paused noticing the look on Mason’s face. “I wonder if that’s good or bad news?”

“Oh that’s Mason’s worried face. That’s not good news.” Selina said looking at him. “Remember what I went through with Chauncey. I hate to say it but Belle is cut from the same cloth and being friends with a Devonshire is much different than dating one. Remember that and keep your dingaling in your pants when it comes to her. She’s trouble and I honestly don’t think any Devonshire made a splash like her.”

Mason looked at his sister and then at Jamal as Zach told him Jon and Devin had arrested Bliss and he had orders to bring in Jackie and Tamara. He knew that Selina had been taken that night it was only a matter of time before the police chief wanted her down there too meaning he had to be a lawyer for a moment not a brother. He saw a text from Hunter come through about Bliss’s arrest and spoke. “Thanks Zach I’ll handle it. I’ll see you in a bit.” Mason said letting the call go and answering when Hunter called. “Zach just told me. I’m at Selina’s now tell Bliss to not say a fucking word and then drop Fox off with someone you trust to met me at the station. I’ll be down in a few. My guess is that they haven’t even reached the station to book her. It will be okay Hunter I promise.” Mason said hanging up and then he saw his sister go ghost white and he was going to approach the elephant in the room now before it got worse.

Playing a hunch he looked at her she was always scared when they talked about the night that Dimitri had kidnapped her from the party. He saw Elliot come into the room as well, there were so many questions about what happened at the wedding. This was his sister’s chance to come clean about what she knew before he couldn’t help or protect her anymore.
Bliss was just arrested for Dimitri’s murder Jon and Devin picked her up Zach says they’re also bringing in Tamara and Jackie. Hunter said that Bliss was arrested right in front of Fox he’s on his way to the station I’ll met him there. If you know anything about how that fucking monster ended up in that lake tonight you have better come clean and tell me or Elliot. Zach says none of them talk and they don’t get a confession the new district attorney will come for you next.”

Selina looked at her brothers and her lover. She began to quiver as she looked into Elliot’s eyes. She stood up and began to pace back and forth around them. Her eyes began to burn with tears as she looked at Elliot. “He attacked you at Dani and Jackson’s wedding. Elliot that night he kidnapped me along with Tamara and Bliss. Together we were terrified and knew he was going to kill us. I was so mad though that I got captured and I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to kill him but I didn’t get the honor. He attacked us and we all attacked him. Bliss got the gun and she ended it. It was self defense because he was attacking us then Jackie came and Simon it all happened so fast and the next thing I know we were all dumping a body inside of Lake Everestt. He kidnapped us, he tried to attack us again and we knew how it looked. We survived and he’s dead and three privileged women remain.” She looked at Jamal, Mason, and Elliot who all looked shocked.

“We didn’t go to that wedding for that. We just went and were happy before that night. I can’t sleep sometimes because I can see the bullet entering his body. He’s this monster that won’t go away and I’m asking you. Please save them. Jackie just helped us she wasn’t even involved. Please help them Mason because they don’t deserve this. They don’t deserve to spend the rest of their lives behind bars because of that man. It feels like an avalanche in my life. It’s been crashing down on all of us and I can’t breathe sometimes. I can’t get focused on my life because he stole a piece of all of us when we dumped him in the water. So now my friends and these women who have protected each other are in danger. Mason please.” She said covering her mouth. She opened her eyes and her baby brother was in front of her.

“Don’t do that anymore. You’ve been keeping all this in?” Jamal yelled at her. “Dad just fucking killed himself and you just were going to kill yourself with all these secrets. I can’t lose anybody else Selina. I don’t care if you guys took out Dimitri, I care that my sister was carry a fucking secret that was eating her alive. We all saw it. Why do you think Mason asked that? Selina you are the strongest woman I know other than my mother. You are my rock and you can’t bottle this shit up anymore.” He looked at Mason who was shocked. Elliot however looked like he was remembering the night. “I’m proud of you.”

Elliot looked at Selina his memory was still fuzzy from that night but he did remember being outside in the ground and the snow looking at Selina’s face, he then remembered it went black afterwards. He could swear that sometimes he saw a male shadowy figure and this time closing his eyes he finally saw the man in them, Dimitri. His blood ran cold as it set in she had been taken in front of him and he couldn’t even stop it and he felt a shiver in him. Then to hear that Dimitri had attacked her again along with Tamara Wright was chilling needless to say he understood Jamal telling Selina she had to stop holding it all in. He understood why she was so distant now with intimacy with him, understood much better she literally saw Bliss Devonshire kill the man that assaulted her. He didn’t know what else to say to Selina if there was anything he could say instead he walked up to her wrapping his arms around her and simply hugging her wanting to know that he was there for her.

Mason stared at his sister as she confessed that Dimitri had kidnapped her and the other girls he knew that but the story she had told was good it just had holes in it. Holes that he knew now was not the truth, the truth was Dimitri had tried to attack her or Tamara it didn’t matter who it was, Bliss had put an end to it. An end that now everyone involved in that room was going to pay for, he didn’t know what Jon and Devin had on the case or if this was some attempt at the new district attorney to appease Hugo Kavanagh regardless now he could formulate a plan about how to defend Bliss against the charges that she was facing now that he knew the truth. Did Jon and Devin have the gun? Would Tamara turn on Bliss? Would Jackie, given that Bliss was Tess’s daughter, a reminder of Lowell’s infidelity just as much as Belle was? Simon he knew could be heavily involved in the cover up. He literally took the blame when Catherine died, paid off her parents; it wasn’t like he was immune to hiding or burying a body. Plus it was Dimitri no one gave a shit he died and he in his opinion had got what he deserved. Walking to his sister he wrapped her in a hug as his phone buzzed again knowing he needed to get to the station.

“You should have told us months ago Selina. Me and Jamal we are always here for you and so is Elliot at least this way I know how. Elliot now knows how to help you now we can stop this from escalating more. I can help Bliss now so thank you. I promise after today this is over.” Mason said looking at her and then hugging Jamal and shaking Elliot’s hand. “Stay here with Selina in case the cops come Elliot obviously will represent you. We can talk about dad’s stuff with mom when this entire thing with Dimitri is wrapped up.” Mason said seeing Hunter calling him he answered the phone on his way out the door. “Hunter go to DGI and let them know about Bliss I’m on my way to the station right now, Zach called and let me know he gave me the heads up.”

**********

Dani looked at her watch she had a meeting with Jackson later in the afternoon before they headed home, to finalize a few more diplomats for the Summit. She had managed to arrange this current meeting with Jackie and Lex to discuss the fundraiser as well and she was going to set some boundaries. After what Lowell had told them about the CEO position she had no option to not to try and lay those expectations down again. As Jackson’s wife she would take over the charity if she wanted meaning she needed to navigate this for the year and hopefully just have it back to a DGI thing the next year, Hessington’s excluded quitting simply wasn’t an option now. It’s not that she cared about the various pictures he would send of them at various functions his mother of course included in them, but it was enough now. It wasn’t cute or funny and like Zach said at her brother’s wedding if she didn’t set them she felt like Jackson would be on edge about it again. After what Lowell said and the afternoon they had spent together, she still had the marks to prove it she was his, always would be and she wanted him to know that and trust that completely, trust her completely. Lex wanted to start over he could start by respecting her wishes to stop trying to cause shit in her marriage or trying to dredge up memories for her that were in the past. She spotted Lex enter the country club  seeing a text from Zach about missing a visit with Lucy. She closed her phone after trying to figure out why she had apparently missed meeting Zach to see Lucy was that this week?

“You’re here early listen we really need to talk without Jackie here because nothing is more important to me than having this fundraiser as a success for the kids and the hospital. She doesn’t need to be dragged into shit with us. I’m trying to be civil with you over it. You know I cared about your mother she was a special woman, she wanted us together that didn’t happen.” Dani said looking at him that was true Ava was her godmother, she had learned a ton from her when she went to work for Charles after graduating and in some ways she knew Ava was grooming her for a life married to the Governor’s son, a life her father and her mother wanted. Not her looking back now none of it was what she wanted, she wanted to do what she was now run a company as an equal with a man that loved her completely. A man that snatched her entire being a man she could give all herself to because she trusted him. “Shit happened with us Lex I moved on I don’t dwell on it anymore. I’m happy now, I married Jackson, I love him. I’d really appreciate it if you could stop sending pictures of us with her to my phone for the fundraiser. Put one or two in if you want in the slideshow. But the rest let’s just keep it to plans, making sure donors are lined up and getting a list of speakers ready. My mom’s already agreed to donate her art.”

Lex had taken a win on the first round of this custody battle but to hear Jon Harrison vow to use everything he had to fight for Miles was frustrating. And Skye showing up at his side? Sure she didn’t speak on his behalf and she ran out of the room which looked bad but the fact that she showed her face at all sealed her fate. What had she thought he meant when he said he didn’t know what Charles might do next? He was going to be out for blood, maybe literally. Lex concealed his worry from Whitney but after leaving the courthouse, he spent two hours at the gym trying to clear his mind. Would Charles want Skye dead? He’d already made him run her down with his own fucking car so it wasn’t a stretch. There was no way in hell he was killing Skye Morgan. Or anyone for that matter. Just the thought of Charles coming to him with that was giving him anxiety. Hell no. Thats where he drew the fucking line. Charles could call him weak or pathetic or a disappointment. Whatever. No way in hell was he taking this further. When Dani called this meeting, he knew seeing her again was exactly what he needed right now. After his run in with Dru Price, he had even more reason to hope for a second chance with her. Shit might be getting out of hand everywhere else in his life but this was looking up. He didn’t try to kiss her cheek after the chilly reception he received last time but the way she spoke to him, it felt like she was warming up to him. Opening up, for sure. He listened to her, fully focused on her which he hadn’t always been good at in the past and resolved to be better this time. She wanted to hash this out without Jackie because she was worried Jackie would see she was oversimplifying this. It was starting to sound like she was trying to convince herself that this was the way things were. He couldn’t help smiling when she brought up the pictures. So the picture taken just after their engagement, the one she’d told him he couldn’t use, must have moved her.

“So… let me see if I got this straight. You tell me to choose pictures for the slideshow but the first picture I chose, you didn’t want me to use. Now you’re upset because I’m asking you first? You’re sending mixed messages. Are you trying to convince me or yourself that you and Jackson are strong? If I’m stirring up unresolved feelings and you don’t know what to do about it, just say so, beautiful.” If things were as great with Jackson as she claimed, then what was the big deal about a few old photos? She could protest all she wanted, he knew there was more to it than this. Looking through those old photos had affected him as well. He remembered how happy his mother had been when they told her they were engaged. Him and Dani would have made the perfect couple, she would have charmed everyone at the political events and charity balls. Having her as his wife would have elevated his public image as well. “Do you remember where we were in that last picture I sent? It was the weekend we took mom to DC, remember? She’d been having a good few weeks and was so desperate to see the cherry blossoms and you suggested we take her. She loved shopping with you in Georgetown. What was the name of that little boutique she liked? She bought you a scarf there, right? Do you still have it?” Lex was playing the Ava card hard, he knew but it was all true and he knew his mother would be supportive of him making things right. Dani just needed a push. He reached out and put his hand on her lower back, gently pulling her out of the way when some idiot who could barely handle his golf bag almost bowled her over. It also just so happened that the only place she had to go was closer to him. Same with life. Jackson was such a reactive person, if he kept playing into his hands, Lex would have Dani back in a heartbeat. “I haven’t forgotten the way Jackson barged in on our last meeting beating his chest, demanding that I stay away from you. Is this about you or him, Dani? Jackson’s an insecure child and you deserve so much better than that possessive asshole. He should trust you. They’re pictures of my mom. We are naming a hospital wing after her, so it makes sense to use photos with the three of us. You can’t erase the fact that we have a history. Are you going to tell me Jackson never talks to Skye or Merci or anyone else from his past? You and my mom were close, she adored you. Don’t let him take that from you because he’s threatened by the fact that we were engaged and you had a bond with my mother. I’m just as committed to this fundraiser as you. We were a good team back in the day, on the campaign trail. This isn’t so different is it? We can knock this out of the park if you don’t let Jackson sabotage it with his petty jealousy.”

“I just want you to pick something and stop texting me pictures of us all the time it was more than one photo and you know that. I don’t have unresolved feelings for you or us. Jackson and I are strong why wouldn’t we be?” Dani said looking at him wondering if maybe she was just putting too much thought into it and then he moved her out of the way of someone walking by and her body froze in tension no doubt paparazzi snapping a photo of them. A photo that would likely be plastered all over Page 6 with nasty rumors of a reunion, was this what Lowell meant about testing her marriage with Jackson? They had been in the spotlight before but once he was CEO they would be under any scrutiny. If that was the case once the golf bag was out of the way she pulled herself away from Lex, he wasn’t dumb he knew what he was doing. She wasn’t a complete bitch most of the time and she softened when he talked about his mom. It was easy to remember that weekend trip to DC and shopping in Georgetown, he had actually come with her and his mother. It was towards the end she had stopped the chemo and had a few weeks, maybe months left. They had spent the afternoon talking wedding plans and shopping at Lynn Lousia, Ava had bought her a navy cashmere scarf, she still had it tucked away probably somewhere in the back of her closet. “I remember, Lynn Lousia it was your mom’s favorite store. I have it I just don’t reach for it very often. I thought about donating it when I came home but it was a gift from a woman I adored and respected.” Dani was relieved when the waiter arrived to move them to the restaurant and she checked her phone Jackie should be there in a bit.

“Did you think that maybe you deserved it, I seem to remember you arriving back in town for Chaunceys’ wedding to Selina approaching me at the bar, while I was pretty inebriated and taunting me in which he knocked you out. Or how about when you showed up to my dad’s election party and brought up what happened with us, I didn’t rip anything from you and it’s not like you cared anyway you were with her. I told him you know what you said to me that night. What did you expect him to do welcome you with flowers?” Dani asked, looking at him evenly across the table, did he really think Jackson would run to him with open arms and share a drink with him? Jackson was protective over her and honestly she needed that, he made her feel safe and she would like to think that he did trust her, he was just under a lot of pressure at DGI now more than ever. No one told her what she could or couldn’t do, least of all Jackson. He’d never done that to her ever, in the bedroom yes he was in charge and she submitted to him but he also let her have her own career and make her own choices outside of it. She thought about his Skye and Merci comment. Yes Jackson still talked to Merci more than Skye but it wasn’t like he had unresolved feelings for them or at least she didn’t think he did. “Fine it’s settled we’re both committed to seeing this through you can choose the pictures to put in. Throw in some of your mom before she got sick. Throw in some of her and your dad, hell her with you, Connor and Whit. I was close to her Lex I’m not going to deny that I certainly can’t change that nor would I.”

Lex followed her to the table, pulling her chair out for her before she sat down and then taking his own seat across from her. He’d seen the way she reacted when he pulled her close earlier and how quickly she retreated when she could. He thought it best to back off for a bit and let her relax again. Then she started in with this shit about him deserving to get punched in the face by Jackson. Whatever. He guessed that was one opinion but he hadn’t expected her to make this easy on him. “Can I just say how proud I am of you? I love this assertive side of you. Telling me how it is. I admire that. You know, if you want to slap me and get it out of your system, I’ll give you a shot. I don’t think you need Jackson to stand up for you. Ok, seriously I absolutely deserved it, Dani. I am trying to own my shit here. I fucked up, one hundred percent. When I came to town, I foolishly thought it was the natural next step for us to try to fix our relationship. So, when I found out you were with Jackson? Well, it hurt me deeply and I did take that out on you. Taunting… I think that’s subjective and you were fairly intoxicated so can you agree that your recollection may be a bit hazy?” He had to smile to himself when she couldn’t bring herself to say Maggie’s name. So that was still a sore subject. Hardly the response one would expect if there were no unresolved feelings. Maggie was nothing. She was a fuck buddy and way for him to deal with his mothers death. Why couldn’t Dani get that? Fuck, how long was he going to have to be raked over the coals for that. “I like to think I’ve grown a lot since then. I was still grieving for my mother and I am a better person now. I cared then and I care now, I’m just better at showing it now. And what better way to prove it to you than this fundraiser? I’ve already got donations for the auction. I’ve got season tickets to the polo club, I guarantee I can get Ryan and Whit to donate something and those tight ass Montgomerys. How about a private shopping trip with a personal shopper at Lynn Louisa?

“I told you I’m not here to break up your marriage and I really do hope we can be friends, Dani. Like… Jackson and Merci?” He hadn’t missed the quick look of awareness when he’d suggested Jackson was talking to them. He was trained to read a witness. He’d been doing it for years and Dani was giving it all to him. She was like an open book and he loved it.  He slid his chair around the table to sit closer to her and speak lower. “Can I be honest with you? You are one of the very few people who know things with my dad aren’t quite what they seem.” When they were together, he’d confided a small fraction of the things Charles had done to him when he was younger. She didn’t really know the half of it but she knew enough that he could play on her sympathies. He leaned forward, letting his knee graze her leg under the table. “He’s being a dick again and well, you know mom could always cheer me up. Maybe you’ll think it’s stupid but, seeing you again, helps me feel closer to her. You have this calming influence on me and I can’t help but be drawn to that. I can’t talk to Whit about it and Connor’s got his head up his ass over some girl. Just, keep an open mind, ok? It would mean a lot if we could put the past behind us and who knows maybe we’ll get to work together more often. You’ve been killing it at DGI. Who knows where that could take you.” He saw Jackie approach and thank fucking god. All this ass kissing was draining. “Jacqueline,” he smiled, kissing her cheeks and taking the back of her arm as he led her to her chair. “Dani and I were just discussing the silent auction.”

Dani looked at him when he sat down and moved closer to her glaring at him the entire time. How many more signals did she have to send to him? When he leaned forward and touched his leg to her knee she almost screamed looking at the butter knife on the table he wasn’t careful she’d stab him with it. Before seeing Jackie approach thank fucking God. Instead she rose from her seat moving it over for good measure again as she hugged her mother in law. Placing her phone down on the table as she did so. “Yes we were just discussing the auction.”

Jackie had been trying to wrap up a call with a vendor before she had the meeting for the fundraiser with Dani and Lex it had went late unfortunately. She had wondered if Lowell had told Dani the good news if he had a word hadn’t been said to her about it. She had no idea how much she had missed before she arrived but she watched as Dani fumed and moved her chair before she greeted her. If anything she respected Dani for sticking the fundraiser out even more so now that Jackson would be CEO. It would be expected of her to emote an image of a family leader by her husband’s side, it included charity work and in this case working with a man that from what she understood had deeply hurt her. She accepted Lex’s public welcome to the table. An image was an image and she took a seat at the table waving the waiter Gerald off. She sat down next to Dani as she did so looking around the country club. In a few months it would be transformed into a gorgeous Victorian themed ball and she had thought about the charity a lot, of course the cancer wing would be named after Ava Hessington but the children’s wing she knew what she wanted to do.

“I’m actually glad we could all talk. I have thought about a name for this event for a while with your mother’s name on the cancer wing. The hospital has asked us to decide on something for the children’s part. I would like to put it in your sisters’ name Dani, it fits with the theme as well that Lex suggested. A Victrorian masked ball and silent auction. I’ll of course reach to your mother and father about it.” Jackie said watching Dani react to the news a soft and tender subject for her family she was still in charge of the charity ball and it fit with what the hospital wanted and in her mind was a way to help Lauren and Walter grieve properly, it seemed that Lex was in agreement on the matter and she turned her head as Gerald started to rush towards the table followed by Zach Fraiser and Miranda Harrison. She remained calm if they were here to interrogate her; that simply wasn’t going to happen not without her attorney present and she turned her attention to the two. “Can I help you with anything officers?” Jackie asked wondering what in the hell they were going there as she looked at the paper in Miranda’s hands.

Zach felt sick to his stomach because honestly he wasn’t prepared to deal with all this. These women were all basically victims and now they were basically tormenting them all over again. When he saw Dani sitting at the table with Lex he raised his eyebrow at her. Like didn’t they discuss this? Lex had always been bad news and he didn’t like him back then and didn’t like him now. He also got a slight bit pissed at Dani because here she was but couldn’t visit Lucy? She literally asked for Dani and cried when she didn’t see her. He understood what she was about to do. Lucy was going to beg for Dani to use her influence to get her out. Although she had been good in prison, it was prison and his baby sister was fucking miserable. “Look, Jackie we don’t want to do this but please stand up.” He saw the concern instantly etched on Dani’s face. Looking at Miranda he saw she wasn’t looking at Dani, she was focused on Jackie. “Jackie Devonshire, you’re under arrest for the murder of Dimitri Kavanaugh. Now please stand up.”

Miranda waited a few moments she had seen Dani when she walked in ever since the shit at the wedding that had been weird between them and here her best friend was with Lex of all fucking people. Granted it wasn’t a secret that Dani was helping with the fundraiser but she couldn’t stand Lex, especially now with everything going on with Miles. Instead she focused in on the most prim and proper upper class woman really in Atlas Falls and she could already tell that Jackie would be stubborn about this. When she refused she looked over at Zach before moving ahead and helping Jackie rise from her seat she wanted to do this the hard way they could. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.” Miranda said looking at Dani’s mouth hanging open in shock,

Jackie looked at him and almost laughed though when he didn’t change his face she refused only to feel Miranda pulling her up from the chair. She watched the horror on her daughter in laws face. She didn’t even blink an eye she refused to cry as she let Miranda place the cuffs on and then looked cooly at Dani. “You know an excellent attorney call him to meet me at the station. Walk out with your head held high and I will see you at the station my driver will drive you and you alone. Mr. Hessington.” Jackie said hoping Dani understood now if Lowell had told her she would know this was a changing of the guard, eyes would be on her when she left the station they would scrutinize every ounce of emotion she emoted, every movement and she would need to look the head of the next generation and leader she was as Jackson’s wife.

Dani was in complete and utter shock as she looked at her cousin come in with her best friend Miranda and place handcuffs on Jackie Devonshire. She felt frozen as she watched the scene unfold like it was a bad movie that they were all in. She met Jackie’s eyes as she nodded her head at her she got the message loud and clear of course she could have called Mason. But she did know a lawyer a very good one, granted there was one right next to her too but she’d rather die than ask him to do it. Her brother was one of the best and legally he would know the exact reasons and ramifications as a former district attorney. Picking up her phone she slid her fingerprint to open the phone and found Jackson’s number sending him a text.

Your mom has been arrested I’m headed to the police station with her driver. I’ll meet you there when you get there. Love you.

“We can talk about the fundraiser later. I have to go.” Dani said, barely casting Lex a glance as she saw Jackie’s driver reach her and she pressed call on her phone to get a hold of her brother. “Come on Braden pickup.” She muttered following the drivers’ lead out of the country club so they could follow Zach and Miranda down to the station.

Zach looked down at his phone as he lead Jackie out and paparazzi were already crowding everyone. The flashes were blinding; looking over he saw Ronald Fields one of Greer’s most hounding reporters. No doubt someone leaked the arrests to the press. “Everyone back up.” He said as he held one side of Jackie’s arm he looked at her. They led her to the car and placed her inside. “I’m sorry about this.” He saw Miranda’s face when he looked at her. “What if they did take out that scum? He deserved it. They should get a fucking medal.” With that he drove off radioing to the station that they’d be taking the service entrance for high profile clients.

Lex had barely sat back down when Dani’s dickhead cousin Zach showed up with Miranda. He could tell by the way they were looking at Jackie that some shit was about to go down but he’d assumed it would be something to do with DGI. He barely maintained his composure when Zach stated Jackie was being charged with murder and of Dimitri Kavanaugh no less. This was shaping up to be a great day. When Jackie instructed Dani to go to the station in her car, he knew she was on to him but it didn’t matter what that old bat had to say. He’d get Dani back despite her meddling. Once the lot of them were mostly to the door and out of earshot he let out a laugh, no longer trying to conceal his amusement. “Dani, Dani, Dani. My hot little mama. Looks like Jackson’s going to be distracted with his mommy’s legal problems. Perfect time to make things even worse for him.” He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he got to ‘Swamp Girl’. Leaning back in the chair and crossing his leg as he waited for Dru to answer. “Hey, it’s Lex. That thing we talked about? I’m all in. Just tell me what you need, chief.” He hung up, feeling certain that whatever Dru’s next move was, he was going to like it. Pretty sure he could find some business to attend to at the police station and get the intel on what was going on, he motioned for the valet to bring his car around.

**********

Tamara closed the books at The Pub and looked up at Lauren who was reading Randall Sinclair’s novel. She had to say she was impressed with her mother-in-law. She had really let go of the toxic relationship that had developed over the years with her father-in-law. She looked happy but she had years of experience with this woman. Some of that experience had taught her what to look behind the porcelain smile. Lauren would hide behind the altruistic but the facts were she was always in pain. It was something she knew all too well. Hiding behind a smile and for the first time in months she wasn’t hiding. She was legitimately happy now that the secret was out. Now that she wasn’t just being strong alone and the fight to keep that mask on. She walked to the painting on the wall. Looking at it she saw the water and raging ocean behind her. “Hey are you alright you showed me everything but you’ve been I don’t know distant?”

Lauren placed her bookmark inside of the book. She hated those tablet readers. She loved the smell of books, especially books from the library. As she looked at Tamara and smiled. “Well you’ve been honest to me and honestly the last few months we’ve gotten closer. Well a couple of days ago Randall came over and I think I ruined it all.” Lauren said lowering her head. “I had a complete meltdown over Victoria.  You don’t know much about her do you? Braden doesn’t mention her that much? He loved his little sister almost too much. Oh he was so protective over Dani and Victoria and you see he still has that protective streak to this day. I’m so confused, I know I shouldn’t feel guilty it was a mistake and I feel so empty right now. I just buried it all down and I know I should be over my daughter’s death but I can’t think straight right now. She would be only twenty-three. I just want to forgive myself Tamara and I don’t know how to do that.” She said as she felt Tamara arms around her.

“I want so badly to stop feeling like this. What if I miss out on Randall? I can go so dark and it feels like I’m being pulled out from the inside. I feel so uncertain about everything with her death. I try to be alright and try to cover myself in philanthropic things. I volunteer at the orphanage, I go to church and pray, I try to stay clear and not blind to what God wants for me. Except at times I question every move that God made in my life. I have a hole in my heart so big that no love, no amount of happiness can fill it. She is gone and I love Braden and Dani but I miss my little girl. I sometimes wonder what she would be in her life right now? Would she be making major mistakes with some bad boy? Or would she be in college still about to graduate? Could she be traveling abroad right now? Or would she be home butting into Braden and Dani’s life. I just have all these visions of Victoria and wonder what could be. I guess it’s silly right?” Lauren said looking at Tamara who was wiping her eyes. Walking to the portrait she looked at the picture. “That’s life.”

“I am going to hold onto Dylan and Delilah even more so tighter. I couldn’t imagine not having them and I’m so sorry.” She was right; she couldn’t recall one time Braden willingly brought up Victoria. As she leaned in she wrapped her arms around Lauren. “We will never forget Victoria do you hear me? Never? She is still apart of this family and she will never stop being. Lauren I’ve seen so many blessings happen to you because of your heart. You will be rewarded, you will find happiness again. I just hope you truly see that even though you don’t have Victoria you have me. I’m your daughter also and you have another son in Jackson. We aren’t here to replace Victoria but hopefully we can patch a piece of your heart.” Tamara said holding Lauren.

“Oh shit when did you get so wise?” Lauren laughed, wiping her eyes. “I’m so blessed and I just love you. I love you Tamara and thank-you.” When she heard someone knocking at the office door. “Come in.” Lauren said as Zach and Miranda walked into the office. “Hey you two off work? I think we need a Fraiser ale because you’re looking grimm. What’s going on?” When neither of them could look her in the eyes she asked again. “What is going on?” She felt Miranda shift her across the room as she watched Zach pulling out the handcuffs. “What are you two doing? Talk to me! I’m your aunt Zach! Miranda say something!”  She screamed out at her. “What are you two doing?”

Miranda had already told Zach that she would place the cuffs on Tamara how fucking crazy was it that it was going to come to this. It wasn’t like she was going to let Zach do it Braden would pummel his cousin or not for doing it and she didn’t want to do it either, but it was the job they had been assigned to do. They had fought over it the entire ride over and after him beating her five out of six times with paper rock scissors she had taken the cuffs out she’d do it. They walked into the Pub and it wasn’t like they were coming in for a drink at noon for a time to commiserate and get all happy go lucky either. It felt weird because she had spent her youth in the pub and most of her college years. They weren’t here for a social call and she saw Lauren looking at them as she approached Tamara. “Tamara, you are under arrest for the murder of Dimitri Kavanagh. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Listen I don’t want to use these but I will if I have too.” Miranda said looking at Tamara.

Tamara nodded her head. “I have nothing to say to you.” She said numb at what was happening. What would Dylan think of her? Would she see Delilah again? Her entire body was in shock and she felt absolutely lost as she listened to Lauren ranting and raving. As they lead her to the night as people looked at her shocked. When she was placed inside of the car she gasped looking deeply. “Please God, I don’t want to go down like this. I want to see my kids free. Please God.” Tamara said mumbling.

“Miranda! Zach!” Lauren screamed at them watching them place Tamara inside of the car. “This is not acceptable. You can’t do this we are family Zach! We are a family Miranda! I’ve raised both of you! I helped your mothers change you now you will show fucking respect and tell me why are you are arresting her.” Lauren demanded as she screamed at them. “Please talk to me! I’m the woman who changed your dirty diapers.” Pointing at Zach and then looked at Miranda. “I helped put you in makeup when you and Dani went to prom. Please kids what is happening!” Lauren said as she texted Braden quickly

Zach and Miranda just arrested Tamara call me ASAP. 

Zach looked at his aunt and lowered his head with tears. “Listen it’s my job and I don’t want to do this. These women have been through enough by the hands of Dimitri. We are not trying to traumatize these victims again. But the evidence is mounting and if someone doesn’t confess or something doesn’t happen. Jackie, Bliss, and Tamara are going down for this murder. I’m sorry aunt.”

Miranda really didn’t know what to say or do right now Lauren’s truth was hitting close to home for her, almost too close there wasn’t a memory from her childhood that didn’t include the woman in front of her or Dani. Tamara was a part of the Fraiser family, would be because she was Dylan’s mother and that was final for them. She didn’t want to do this just as much as Zach didn’t. “No one wants to do this Lauren we’re just following orders and doing our jobs.” Miranda finally managed to say her voice low when she said it, not even sure if Tamara or Lauren had heard it.

Walter had left city hall as soon as the last small business meeting was over for the county and had decided that he would stop by the Pub to check on things with Lauren and Tamara. It made sense maybe to let Tamara help at the Pub since losing her job at the hospital, it gave her something to do and she could bring Delilah when she needed, it was better than being cooped up. His son still wouldn’t call around for a job even though he could have easily gone to Charles or even Jackson to hire him at DGI, but Braden was stubborn, a family trait that he was all too aware of. He went through traffic like normal and was glad to see this side of the business district back to normal especially after the riots that happened when Kendrick was shot, business was booming. For a night the parking lot was full and he parked in the back of the Pub hearing the commotion inside he went in the back entrance and was shocked as he saw his nephew and Miranda dragging Tamara out in handcuffs.

“What in the hell is going on?” Walter asked looking pointedly at his nephew if he had to guess it was all part of her current closeness to Selina and Dimitri Kavanagh. He had warned Selina and she didn’t listen but to have his nephew involved in taking in Tamara was too much for him. Miranda hurt less. She was simply a friend of the family, but Zach was flesh and blood and he was pissed at the current district attorney had his son still had that position right or wrong this would have never happened. “Nevermind I have a guess or two about what is going on. Do not say a word to either of them. Do you understand Tamara? I will follow you down to the station and I am certain that Lauren has already called or contacted Braden. They have nothing.” Walter said looking at his daughter in law, he had already vowed to himself he would resolve this if he had to make a few calls.

“Walter it’s over. I’m going to keep quiet but I can’t do this. I can’t be away from my children.” She said honestly because they were the only thing keeping her sane. Her husband was her solitude. How could she lose all that? They had just became intimate, it had all just gotten normal and Dimitri Kavanaugh was once again stealing something from her. She lowered her head as she saw Lauren’s tear soaked face. “I’m okay.” She mouthed to the woman as she lowered her head. “Walter please help us. We only were trying to.”

“Shut up!” Lauren screamed at Tamara as she looked at Miranda and Zach furious with them but also understanding exactly what was happening. Walking to the police car she looked at Tamara. “We won’t lose you. I lost Victoria, my daughter but I won’t be losing anymore of my daughters. Do you understand me? Not another damn word Tamara do you understand me? Look at me! Not another damn word! Take her but I assure you both I’ll burn this city to ground before Tamara sees a day behind bars for any of this. Dimitri Kavanugh was a blight on our city and this girl suffered. You both know that! He brutally raped her! He left her for dead and you arrest her? That DA or whomever? Jon? I don’t know but I’m going to find out and when I’m done I’m going to use every connection I’ve formed to annihilate them.” Lauren turned to Walter, yanking him away.

“Uncle Walter, Aunt Lauren.” Zach called out looking at them. “I assure you Tamara will be protected until Braden arrives.” He got in the car and punched the steering wheel. With tears in his eyes he felt horrible as he looked over at Miranda who had the same look in her eyes. “I’m so sorry Tamara.”

Lauren looked at Walter and cut her eyes at him. “Tell me everything now!” She said walking to his car. “I rode with Tamara and you’re driving us to the station, mister mayor. It’s time to use that considerable power to get her off. And by that look on your face you know exactly what’s going on.”

**********

Jon sat silent looking at Bliss who was staring daggers into him. He wrote on a piece of paper and placed his pen down. The way his coworkers were acting he understood. Devin felt like this was a waste of time because none of them would break. Zach was directly in the middle because he was a Fraiser and engaged to Mason. Something he only found out about today. One of the kids he protected in his youth was getting married and they didn’t want to even tell him. Miranda looked sick. He wanted to talk to his sister badly and would. He would be talking to his family which included all his friends. But right now he had to end this which included being as brutal as possible. To break Bliss and get her to confess to what happened. Each one was nearing a cliff. Well all but Jackie she seemed as icy and poised as ever. Which alarmed him. Opening a folder he pulled out pictures from the autopsy and Dimitri body. “This is what he looked like when we found him. His body was preserved from the icy water but he has deteriorated. Look at what you did to him, Bliss, look what happened to him. The father of the little boy you love and he maybe a monster but did he deserve this?” Jon said sliding the pictures over to Bliss.

“This man was a monster but someone placed a bullet in his head and my job is to find out who. Now let’s go over the night again.” Holding up the picture. “Around nine o’clock you were seen with Jackie, and Tamara coming back to the party after the fireworks. You see I hear it was another woman with you all but for some reason they can’t place her. I guess Selina get’s off while you three are going to go to prison.” He picked up the picture of Dimitri gun wound and waved it in front of Bliss face. “Did you kill Dimitri? Bliss, nobody could blame you. I know he attacked you just tell me what happened next.” Jon said looking at her as he watched her massaging her wrist. Jon leaned over and uncuffed Bliss and saw her instantly grab her wrist. Then he picked up the picture and waved it. “Who shot him Bliss? Was it Jackie? Selina? Simon maybe he was involved right? Tell me something to get you back home to your family.”

Bliss looked at Jon and shook her head as she looked away from the picture of Dimitri decomposing body. She refused to let him shake her. Selina wasn’t in danger yet but Jackie and Tamara were. She wouldn’t break and those woman had protected her. She wasn’t going to let them down instead she looked at Jon and smiled. “That’s the best he’s ever looked.” Bliss sat straight up. “I was eighteen years old and met the most charming man I ever knew. He was charismatic and enigmatic enough to swoop me in a world wind engagement. Before I knew it I was in line to be a princess and my mom was never more happier. The bastard Devonshire was a princess. It was one night after I danced with the Ibiza diplomat that it started. We shared a cute little tango and everyone clapped for us. When we got to the castle I was floating. I was so happy that everyone seemed to love me. He however was silent the entire ride. As I got out of this elaborate gown I felt him behind me. I thought he was going to make love to me. I thought he was going to say how impressed he was with me. He yanked my hair and began to beat me until I awoke in bed with doctors around me. The official story was we were in a car accident on the way back from the party. Over the next few months he became more and more abusive. Until one night I tried to leave with my mother who was visiting.” She paused seeing her words were starting to affect him.

“It was a year into our engagement and we had a knock out drag out fight. My mother tried desperately to fight back with me. It’s one time I saw her fight for me. When she was drag away he raped me. He drug me back to our room by my hair and threw me against a wall. To be honest he hadn’t been abusing me so I don’t know if that’s how Fox was conceived or if it was from one of the many nights he just told me to fuck him.” Leaning into Jon. “Have you ever had someone enter your spirit so forcibly that your instincts just freeze? I laid there why he pumped in and out of me. Frozen in place and I can’t say but I knew that Fox was the true love of my life. I’m pregnant you know that? It wasn’t from pain and I have informed you what happened that night Jon. I don’t think I have to say another word to you about it. But I have hours worth of stories of what he did to me. It was one time he yanked my hair so hard I got that infamous haircut all the girls were trying to do. Or when he beat me with his belt like I was a bad child. Or when he stomped me until I was unconscious? Or you want to know about the night I escaped? I have nothing to say without Mason is that clear? Or are you going to disrespect my constitutional rights?”

“Well considering you were born in Europe, and you just got your citizenship last year Bliss we could call ICE and get you back to Ilsa De Cruces or Europe?” Jon said shrugging as he shook the images of the brutal assaults out of his mind. When he said that he could tell Bliss was scared as hell and the tears that began to fall. He knew he had said something he shouldn’t have at that moment. He threatened to send her back to the place that victimized her. Then his mind started to flash with memories of how he was speaking to Skye. At that moment he felt sick. He pushed through however and kept going. “You won’t get to see Hunter and Fox because if you don’t say something that we want to hear. I’m going to assure you that you will be deported away from your son and husband, you think on that Bliss with you being pregnant and all.” Jon said exhaling as he stood up and walked out of the room. Gripping the wall he listened to that woman’s harrowing ordeal. Was he verbally abusive to Skye? Had he used her body like Dimitri had with Bliss? God what was happening to him? He was becoming the monster that he was sworn to slay. This wasn’t him. He saw Miranda down the hall and Jon hit the side of his head. He needed someone to hug him, hell he needed his sister to talk to him. “Miranda.” He mumbled loudly as he paused and stormed away from her. He heard his sister calling his name and he kept going until he stumbled right into Dani who looked horrified with him.

“Fuck not you.” He said, throwing his hands up in frustration. “I can’t do this with you not right now.” Jon said feeling like he was having a panic attack. Her disapproving looks irritated him immensely. “Hypocrite.” He immediately began to walk away from his one time friend. Turning around he shook his head. “You’re looking so very Devonshire. The perfectly coiffed hair, the cold stares, and the icy demeanor damn Jackie is teaching you well. I mean it’s only a matter of time before Jackson steals from another Fraiser right? That’s the Devonshire and Fraiser history right? Or did your twins rectify all that? You said a while ago it wasn’t your place to tell Whitney had my son, I guess it wasn’t my place to give you a heads up I was going to arrest your bitch of a mother-in-law.”

Dani had finally got a hold of her brother and watched in horror as she spotted Bliss inside one of the rooms, followed by Tamara who had arrived and then her parents. Her father had went to talk to the police chief to get to the bottom of all this nonsense and she watched in the hall as Jon had interrogated Bliss. She didn’t even know if he knew that the intercom was on in the room when he had done it but she shook in rage towards him something she wasn’t ever sure she could ever feel for someone she considered a close friend. Bliss certainly didn’t deserve what she was going through and she took out her phone remembering that Julian O’Sullivan was Jackie’s attorney and she wondered if he could spot for Bliss too. Afterwards she paced the hall who in the hell was Jon even more? She saw him storm out of the room and she glared at him when he ran right into her and then he started to go off on her. At least she knew who she was at this point in her life, she was a Devonshire now and he was just about to remember she was still every much so a Fraiser.

“You’re an asshole and since no one else is willing to stand up to your ass I will. This is not who you are Jon, interrogating women that were beaten or raped given all the shit you went through how in the fuck could you even. I am so fucking tired of rehasing this Miles shit with you and so is everyone else, it wasn’t my fucking place but you know what is is my place to be here for Bliss and Jackie. They’re family and that used to mean something to you but given how you are to your own sister and parents I doubt you even know the meaning of the word anymore.” Dani seethed at him she was not going to cower to him she was proud of who she was she had embraced who she was now. She changed, she grew the fuck up but clearly he hadn’t and whatever happened or didn’t happen with Miles or them still bugged his ass. “You want to be mad I married Jackson fine be fucking mad I don’t care. I am a Devosnhire now. I expected more from the godfather to my nephew. I expected human decency and dignity from one of the best people I know or used to know. Where is that man because the Jon Harrison I knew would have rather turned in is fucking badge than do this shit to the victims of Dimitri Kavanagh.”

“Oh get over yourself. You self absorbed bitch.” Jon said it before he even knew it. A piece of him immediately regretted how he spoke to Dani but at the same time he wasn’t budging. She betrayed him as well as everyone else and did they expect him to just forgive and forget? He’d always turned the other cheek and they expected him to do it again. This time he refused. “It wasn’t your place to tell me about Miles? We’ve been friends since we were kids Dani, and you didn’t know Whitney until college right? So she somehow magically trumped me huh? It’s always about everyone else! Nobody cared about me!” He screamed in Dani’s face. He wasn’t going to back down and wasn’t going to stop. She wanted this confrontation right here then they’d have it right here. “I moved on from you with Cassie and Skye. Hell, I’m sleeping with Maggie right now.” The look on her face was priceless; it was a mixture of disgust and hurt. “You aren’t the focus of my life Dani and you haven’t been for years. So please drop the narrative that I’m pinning after you and arresting them because my feelings are hurt that you married Jackson.” Jon huffed as he shook his head.

“So if Braden was still a DA and the higher ups were badgering him for an arrest would you be mad then? Huh? Because I am doing a job and yeah it’s nasty and ugly what I have to say just like them dumping fucking body into the lake Dani. I’m sorry that it’s hurting all of you but a piece of me is absolutely reveling in it. Seeing the Devonshire’s running around looking so sick that Jackie is here or Bliss. You feel like its nothing you can do. That is so satisfying. Well fucking welcome to my world. I wake up every day wanting to be a part of my son’s life. You wake up every day and see your children right? You get to have a happy ending while good old boy Jon get’s fucked with no lube. Not again Dani and don’t sit here and use our past to scold me. You aren’t perfect, you are just like Miranda, and everyone who kept this from me. You who were supposed to be the moral high ground, lied and kept a secret for a Hessington. Didn’t they fucking almost send your ass to the nutty house with me? Didn’t Lex hurt you so badly you came home with your tail between your legs? Unfortunately you spread them to Jackson but I account that for your taste level.” Jon snapped back with his lip curled in disgust. “Don’t fucking tell me to get over my son being stolen from me. Don’t ever! One day something so precious will be taken from you. Then you’ll see why I feel the way I feel. Or maybe you can ask Lauren and Walter how it feels that they should know Victoria, anyone?”

Fine he wanted to call her a self absorbed bitch he could she was over it with him and his pettiness. They were close growing up and she couldn’t change that she left her crush for him behind when she went to college. She and Miranda drifted apart and she and Whitney literally became almost sisters she wasn’t ashamed of that. He literally put moves on her at a dinner and declared his love for her in letters before he moved onto Cassie and then back to Skye. When he mentioned he was fucking Maggie though she did a double take fucking gross and he was one to talk about spreading his legs. She fumed at him when he mentioned what Braden would do, she knew it would have never reached this level he would have protected Tamara from all of it. She had called the right people did exactly what she knew she had to as she looked at him shaking.

“Hope you don’t get an STD with her who knew I’d ever feel fucking sorry for Skye Morgan. Braden would never let it get this far and your delusional if you think he would he’d do anything for Tamara.” She said glaring at him and when he mentioned her break down she fucking saw red and then acting like she just laid back for Jackson like some common whore pissed her the hell off. Her taste level a man that adored and treated her like a fucking queen was may more qualified to be with her than Lex or even this shell of a person before her. She didn’t even know what came over her when she lunged at him, her right hand striking as hard as it could against his face for daring to mention her sister. She was pretty sure people were shocked at the action as she lunged at him again, her hands slapping him wherever they could reach over and over again. “My taste level? You’re a fucking monster at this point Jon you’re a fucking monster. Don’t you ever talk about my sister like that ever again hell me like that ever again. You ruined my rehearsal dinner and tried to bait Jackson when we met for dinner. Yet I have loose morals here you’re literally fucking the woman that destroyed me just as much as Lex. Get the fuck out of my life get out if my nephews too while you’re at it.” She shrieked, attacking him again.

Jon touched his face and saw she drew blood. “Rebecca arrest Mrs. Devonshire. She just fucking assaulted a officer. Pull out your damn cuffs and arrest this ravenous hyena!” Jon screamed as he noticed Walter and Zach appearing out of nowhere. They grabbed her as he looked at her. “Don’t worry I don’t want to be around you, your brother, your daddy, your husband, your nephew fuck you Dani. Fuck you.” He yelled as he looked at her spitting blood on the floor at her feet. “You deserve the Devonshire’s and when they’re done sucking out all the blood don’t come back to the poor folks huh. Don’t come back to the people who made you bitch.” He couldn’t believe he called her another bitch. This time he meant it and before he knew it he felt a fist impact his jaw. Jon flew back to the ground.

Zach held his hand as he looked at Jon flat on his ass. “You are out of fucking line. Call her a bitch again I dare you. I swear to God I’ll stomp your ass out. Rebecca if you pull out those cuffs I swear to God you’ll regret it. Jon, go walk around the building and clean yourself up because you won’t be disrespecting my family. In fact if you don’t get some air I’ll get your ass kicked off this case. I’m sick of it Jon.” Zach held both hands out to block Dani from his sight as he looked at a shocked Walter and Dani. “Go! Now!”

“If you ever touch me again. I swear no Fraiser will stop me from locking your ass up. I hope you are miserable for the rest of your life. I hope you don’t have another moment of happiness. I hope Jackson fucking Devonshire breaks you into a million pieces. My prayer every night is the same that all you people who betrayed me get what’s coming. But I don’t pray for you Dani, he’s going wreck you just like Lex. I can’t wait to watch you go psycho.” Jon walked away and Rebecca had an ice pack and tried to say something threw his hands up and stormed out of the station.

Zach turned to his uncle. “I’m sorry I had to bring Tamara in but I’ve worked so long to be a cop and detective and to tell my superiors no. That would just make me a beat cop again. I’m sorry and Dani stay away from him. He’s serious, and we all just witnessed you hit him. So if that happens again.” He bit his lip and walked away shaking his head. “But I’m proud of you cuz.” He winked at her.

“Go to hell Jon!” Dani said screaming at Jon as she felt someone pulling her away and looked up at her father she fought against him now he cared? Eventually she gave up and a sneer had to from when her cousin promptly put Jon on the floor for insulting her again. Her chest was heaving daring that blonde bitch to pull out the fucking cuffs when she didn’t she looked up at her father’s face trying to read it. It wasn’t like she would stay overnight she’d make bail in an hour and after arresting Jackie and Bliss. Jon decided to slap some cuffs on her she was pretty sure when Jackson arrived he’d destroy him. Instead she watched as Jon walked away and then looked at Zach when he looked at her and she shrugged, her last name didn’t change who she was she fought for her family now it was just both of them. “I’m fine.” Dani said shoving her father off and walking back down the hall past her shocked mother hands shaking at the entire ordeal.

**********

Miranda looked over at Zach while they were in hallway everyone was staring at them since they had drug Tamara in she was pretty sure Cliff had placed a call to Braden. She was pretty sure that Braden would be down to put a stop to it but it still had to be done. Especially with the police chief looking at them from her office arms folded to get on with the interrogation. Holding the bottle of water in her hand she looked at Zach and then down at the bottle. The last thing she wanted was to go in there and start interrogated Tamara. She knew for a fact that Zach couldn’t do it, Tamara was literally family it would be a huge conflict. She began wracking her phone looking down the hallway at Dani on her phone likely trying to figure out where her brother was or calling in legal counsel for Jackie. She had tried to talk to her after Dani had slapped her brother and she simply had been told it wouldn’t be a good idea.

“Do you know if Braden is on his way or what? I tried to ask Dani but I think we can both safely say she’s on team Devonshire and Tamara on this one and isn’t going to talk to us about this case. I really don’t want to go in there.” Miranda said walking down the hall so they were out of the view of the captain looking down the hallway she saw Devin coming fresh out of the break room and he was looking just as grimm as they were. “What if we just undid her handcuffs and suddenly Tamara just went missing and then she ran into your cousin outside. Problem solved then they wouldn’t all be looking at us like monsters. Do you think that would get us on administrative leave or just flat out fired? I know you called Mason to give him the heads up, you did a good thing Zach.” Miranda said looking at her partner wondering how much longer they could both just push off this interrogation.

“Fired, and prosecuted.” Zach mumbled feeling like shit. “This is one time where I feel like following the law isn’t right. I mean this man literally kidnapped them at my cousin’s wedding from hell. I mean who can say they were getting married while someone was getting killed?” He said sarcastically as he looked at Devin who looked just as exhausted as they were with Dimitri Kavanaugh. No offense to Brooke or Atticus but he was so ready for the royals to head back to Isla De Cruces immediately. Folding his arms he leaned against the wall as he stared at Miranda. “I think I got a plan we could say that Dimitri committed suicide and fudge the optopsy report? That way they all get off.” He shrugged looking at Miranda who shook her head no. That idea wasn’t any better.

“Or Devin could take our interrogation. It’s bad if I do it. It’s bad if she does it. Hell it’s bad if any of us do it because we all have personal connections to the Devonshire’s, Kincaid’s, and hell I’m Fraiser. God I’m never going to live this down. My uncle’s and aunt’s expressions. God they looked like I was scum for just doing what I had to. I can’t do it Devin you’re a senior detective you have to do it. I can’t hurt her anymore when I watched her climb out of that dark place. She doesn’t deserve this.” He turned to look at Jackie behind them, and Bliss with her head down in the other room. “None of them do.” Zach punched the wall leaving a hole inside of it and walked away. “I can’t fucking do this.” He yelled getting emotional. He could hear Miranda’s boots following him. “I don’t want to hurt her anymore.”

Devin had watched Jon go hard on Bliss outside the room and he was pretty sure afterwards he was shaken enough to take a damn walk around the building a few times. He could tell that Jon was upset afterwards when he lost it with Dani and he watched as Dani slapped the shit out of him. It was all such a fucking mess the press was hounding the outside of the precinct so he couldn’t even go into the lot for a moment of peace. Turning the corner he had overheard Zach and Miranda talking about who was going to interrogate Tamara Fraiser. Zach literally couldn’t it would be a huge conflict of interest, Miranda looked like she was going to barf at the thought bowing his head he approached them slowly. “I’ll do and I won’t unleash on her like Jon did earlier with Bliss.” Devin said looking between them both and seeing the horror on their faces. “It’s not like Braden and I are really talking right now ever since that shit with Miles happened and Dani’s rehearsal dinner like Jon we’ve been distant.”

He didn’t wait for an answer as he took the recorder on the outside of the room making sure to grab a water bottle on the way in. He opened the door to a frightened Tamara who was sitting there, walking to her he undid the cuffs at the table. It was the least he could do while he looked at the woman that Dimitri had raped and left for dead in a hotel in New York, sitting down in the chair across from her he handed her the water bottle. “Go ahead and take a drink you’re probably thirsty listen Zach and Miranda didn’t want to bring you in bosses orders, everything changed when Braden had to resign and this new asshole is just that an asshole. If you want this to be over just tell me what you know about what happened to Dimitri that night Tamara the real truth.” Devin said looking at her, her eyes were so haunting and he wasn’t even sure he would be able to sleep after this.

Tamara looked at Devin and gritted her teeth as she felt the immense pressure. Should she say something? Should she confess? Had Bliss or Jackie thrown her underneath the bus? No Devin wouldn’t be here; they didn’t have anything on them. As she picked up the water bottle she looked at him. Taking a sip she placed the cap on the bottle as her hand began to tremble. Her eyes burned with tears as she began to unravel. Standing up Tamara walked back and forth until she leaned against the wall. She slightly hit her head on the wall and slid down. “You come in here and ask me what happened. When all of this could have been prevented if you cops did your job. If those cops in New York would have come and got him. He would have been gone and maybe all of this wouldn’t have happened. Maybe it wouldn’t have almost took a year for me to be intimate? Or maybe I wouldn’t have been afraid to even hold my baby? That I didn’t deserve to have my child. That I wasn’t good enough to be a mother. That I was just another junkie. That man treated me like I was a piece of meat that he could just chew and eat on. He raped me and beat me.” Raising up her hair she showed him the permanent scarring behind her neck.

“Is this what you all want Devin? You want a pound of flesh? You want my flesh should I strip again and show you the marks he left all over me? How that sick son of a bitch bit me. Did you ever fight against someone so stronger than you? I have pride running all through me and I couldn’t stop him from hurting me. I fought back. I didn’t want to be a victim. Did you know I hated myself because I couldn’t stop him. So if someone fucking killed him maybe he deserved it. Maybe he needed exactly what he got and I refuse to talk about this Devin. I refuse to die in a cell for a man who put me in a cell for so long. I was trapped in what he did to me and I assure you I didn’t kill anyone! Now let me go!” She screamed at him to let her go over and over again. “Is this what you wanted? Huh to see me reliving this? To see my rapist over and over again. Nothing happened that night and I want to see Braden, my lawyer or someone other than you.” Tamara lowered her head between knees as she wept in the corner.

Braden had answered his frantic sister on the third ring and immediately told her to follow Jackie to the station he would meet her there.  A few minutes later the text came in from his mother and he got in his car starting the drive to the police station to see his wife. He was against the clock and knew that he rammed his hand against the steering wheel when he hit a roadblock on the freeway for an extra twenty minutes. Minutes that he stared at the clock Tamara was fragile right now and he knew how the police could push hell he was the one that made them sometimes. He turned into the station and saw the press circus that was outside as he cooly walked into the station seeing his sister and nodding at her. Seeing Jon go ghost white and Zach scatter down the hall as he walked to the interrogation room flinging the door open at Devin and Miranda as he stalked in turning off the recorder.

“This interview is effectively over immediately. I can’t believe you right now brother. You of all people that helped me with Dylan that we trusted with our son you and Jon.” Braden said darkly as he simply saw Miranda look at him and flee the fucking room. He was shaking with rage as he gently approached his wife bending down to tilt her face up to look at him he was here now and he took off his suit jacket placing it on her shoulders as he helped her up and back to her seat. “I’m here now traffic was a bitch I came as soon as Dani called and my mom text me. They didn’t interview you without me here did they? That would be a major violation of your rights to representation.” Devin wanted to do this with him they could and he rolled up his sleeves looking at the photos of the crime scene. He looked over at Tamara wondering what she did or didn’t say before looked back at Devin. “Do you have a weapon? Do you have anything solid here or are you shooting blanks? Seems to me that is all you and Jon do lately. You know I don’t mind crossing lines and I’ll fucking bury you Devin.”

“Stop, it’s not his fault Braden.” She said, gripping her husband as she stood up. Tamara just held Braden literally for a few minutes and she was too afraid to let him go. “He is just doing what they are asking him to do. He wasn’t mean like Jon, and hell I can’t blame him. Jon is going through a lot right now.” She said honestly. “Devin you aren’t a parent yet but when it happens that feeling is incredible. The feeling that you could never love a person more than that.” Squeezing her husband’s hand she had to speak an awful truth that maybe the boys didn’t get. “I don’t condone Jon’s behavior but I know how he feels. When you got custody of Dylan back then. I felt like everyone was against me and I wanted to rage against everything. I’m not giving that man a pass because Jon was ruthless with me but I understand. I hated you and I hated myself and I hate everything. He needs someone because Jon is blowing in the wind and I know he’s not okay. I know it because I’ve lived it. You took custody of Dylan and I wasn’t right anymore. It’s not the same situation but that palpable feeling I feel all from him. Instead of interrogating all of us, Devin. You may want to stop what you are doing and help your friend because he’s drowning and he needs help.” Tamara saw Miranda tearing up and literally running down the hall. “That’s not Jon that’s a walking wound of pain. So help him, don’t come for me again. Don’t arrest me unless you can prove I shot Dimitri. If you can’t prove that without a shadow of a doubt don’t you dare embarrass me again. Don’t you dare disrespect me like this.”

She looked at her husband whose face was now flushed from her words and actual shock at her sympathizing with Jon. “What? Don’t do that. Don’t feel bad for what you had to do back then. I was a junkie and I was messed up but you took care of our son and I will always appreciate you and Selina for that. It’s just too much though I just want to go home and hold Dylan and Delilah can you please just take me home.” She saw Lauren, Dani, and Walter outside the room and watched as Braden opened the door so they could leave. She ran to them and hugged them as they held her. “Oh my God. I thought I wouldn’t be able to hold you guys again. Even you Walter.” She said as she snickered she hugged him again to let him know it was a joke. Turning to her husband she saw Bliss and Jackie still confined. “I just want this over. For all of us.”

**********

Hunter was frantic after watching Bliss leave the house in handcuffs and put into the back of a police car, trying to let Fox remain calm while his mother was arrested for murdering his father. He had thought ahead had took care of the gun and then placed it inside his pants on his way out the door.Fox was still crying as he had made a call to Anderson that had went to a voice mail to let him know about what was going on and then finally he had called Mason. Mason had assured him that he was on the way to the police station and his only option with Fox was to call Brooke and Atticus to see if they could watch him, he had no idea if Atticus knew about what was happening or not. He had simply kissed his son goodbye told Brooke as soon as he heard anything about Bliss’s arrest he could let her know. He then got back into his car and realized he had no idea if Lowell or any of Bliss’s family had any idea what was going on. Tucking the gun inside his glove box his hands shaking he made his way through traffic to the DGI offices. He had brushed past most of the people in the building found out that Jackson and Lowell were in a meeting and then stormed down the hall. Opening the conference room door he could tell that he had interrupted something by the shocked look on their faces, he was pretty sure he looked like a crazed person.

“Sorry to barge in, I just had to drop off Fox with Brooke. Jon Harrison and Devin Thompson just came and arrested Bliss for Dimirri’s murder. I came here as fast as I could. I’m pretty sure this will be all over the news in a matter of hours if it’s not breaking already.” Hunter said looking at them both they both didn’t need to know the truth that Bliss was the one that shot Dimitri. That was something she had told him in confidence and something they would handle as a couple. He was pretty sure this was a scare tactic at best to see if Bliss would talk or turn herself in. He also had to wonder if the other women were being brought in too. “I had really hoped Isla Del Cruces would have stopped looking into his murder. He was a fucking monster and got exactly what was coming to him no matter who did it. Apparently they pulled some strings with the new district attorney to press the charges cause I don’t think had Fraiser still been there he would have ever signed off on it. I told Bliss to not say a word but this will come back to DGI and our entire family.” Hunter finished looking at his father and brother in law. He was still a part of the Devonshrie family for a second time and he already knew the connotation behind his own family with that picture from the wedding.

Jackson stood up from the moment Hunter said that Bliss had been arrested. His sister didn’t deserve to go down for this and he knew the Devonshire influence would never let her. Throughout every storm they weathered it as a family and no way in hell Bliss would be alone. He wondered who from Ilsa De Cruces would push for this? All fingers directly were pointing at Hugo after all he did lose a son. Folding his arms he walked to his cellphone and noticed no messages from anyone. Thinking about Bliss he felt an instant urge to help her. After all she had been through with Dimitri he would use every drop of power and influence to get her off of this. Did Jon and Devin think they were going to stand by and let them railroad a Devonshire for Dimitri? It was insane. “Mason, we need to call Mason and get Simon here immediately.”

Lowell stopped looking at his paperwork and felt his stomach drop. His daughter had been arrested and honestly he feared for Tamara, Selina, and most of all Jackie. They were going after Bliss but had been harassing Tamara also? That made no sense unless they were going after all of them. That meant Jackie was in danger. “We have to get my daughter out immediately. Jail doesn’t look good on Devonshire’s and I assure you Hunter I’ll do whatever I can to protect her.” Lowell said looking at his son-in-law. “Well Jackson what’s the next move? You are about to anchor the family and this is the first trial. Tell me what you are going to do.”

Jackson grabbed his jacket looking at his father. “I’m about to bring the wrath of God onto the AFPD. I’m going to show them all you never mess with a Devonshire. You let them know that we will reign fire and I’m prepared to destroy the entire police department brick by brick.” He looked at Hunter. “Come on we’re going to the station right now.”

Hunter looked between them both and was relieved to see that both Lowell and Jackson had Bliss’s back when it came to arrest not that he doubted that all. Jackson had been one of the only siblings to support her when she came to Atlas Falls. Jackson was also supportive of their marriage and hell he knew that he would be thrilled when he found out he was going to be an uncle again. Lowell was her father and despite the distance he did believe that Lowell loved Bliss and would do anything for her. Had he known years ago about the entire situation with Dimitri Lowell would have killed the prince, but it was years ago and over now. Hell Lowell had stuck by Bliss’s side when even Jackie had objected. “I already called Mason on the way over he is headed to the station now to put an end to whatever Harrison is going to try and do.” Hunter said picking up his coat as he saw Simon come in. “Bliss has been arrested Mason is on his way to her now, probably already there.”

Simon had been finalizing the official paperwork for the Summit party going over the final draft of Jackson’s speech that Dani had edited when Jackie’s driver had called him. He wanted to not believe it and then he turned on the TV in his office as he watched as Jackie was led out of the country club with Zach and Miranda. The press hounded her and then watched as Dani followed suit with Jackie’s driver behind them. He was just about to text Lowell and Jackson when his phone buzzed asking for a comment about the luncheon before that and started at the picture on Page 6, trashy ass gossip rags. Instead he opened the door to his office and made his way to the conference room where he saw Lowell, Jackson and Hunter flipping on the news he looked at them all. The footage was starting over Ronald Fields reporting about Jackie’s arrest the apparent upheaval it would cause at both the country club and DGI.

“Jackie was also just arrested at the country club in public for Dimitri’s murder. I would suggest we all head down and avoid the trash gossip out there that is already starting to spread on Page 6 as well.” Simon said looking at them all as he took out his phone texting the driver to pull around so they could all head down to the station.

“I think I should also go.” Lowell said looking at them with a smile. “Jackson, I appreciate you willing to reign fire down for Bliss and now my Jacqueline. I however don’t have much time left and I assuredly want to make sure Jon Harrison, and the entire AFPD understand that I’m to be fear even in weak and feeble body. I’m not dying a coward nor will we cower. Call Greer, Simon and give her an exclusive statement. Also whatever the cost buy this new DA off Simon. Everyone has a price and Simon you’ve always been good with finding out exactly what it is.” Lowell looked at Hunter, Jackson and Simon. “You have been friends since you were kids. I can’t be prouder than today seeing three men band together to decimate our enemies. You’ll need to do that together because people are coming after you all when I die.” Lowell rolled out knowing it was one of his final chances to show everyone he was Lowell Devonshire.

**********

Jackie had walked into the police station officers staring at her as she did so, stood as they took her fingerprints and her mug shot, she was certain it looked perfect not even a hair out of place. When Zach and Miranda kept profusely apologizing for taking her in she simply stared at them, they weren’t careful she would have their jobs. Not that she wanted to do that but if push came to shove she and Lowell knew powerful people in powerful places she afterall had dined with Presidents and diplomats alike. She also understood that they were just doing their job, the police to her family were never the enemy and she could remember in Jackson’s less than stellar days when he was booked on drug charges. She and Lowell would come down and Gideon Morrison always made an exception to the rule and released him, he would get off on probation. If that didn’t work they had always simply thrown money to the police to keep things on the hush hush as far as her son’s drug usage was concerned. Now she sat in the cold room charges of her own pending, charges she would happily take for her former husbands’ infidelity that irony was not lost on her.

She had briefly saw Dani outside the room on the phone with Julian O’Sullivan and had heard someone say that Braden Fraiser was on his way, meaning she had followed orders. She didn’t need Braden for herself she had Julian but if she was arrested that meant that Bliss and Tamara had been, probably soon to be followed by Selina. Braden and Julian could work together to get her and Tamara out, hell Bliss as well but she was certain that Hunter had called Mason. Meaning not one of them would be spending the night in a cold jail cell. Jon wanted answers she would lie through her teeth to give him some, she would tell the same story that she had since the beginning, no questions asked. He pushed harder she would tell him some not so hard truths that he didn’t want to hear. She doubted the police had anything if they did they wouldn’t have brought in all of them, it was a fishing expedition and she was willing to fish for the biggest lie ever. If it mean the women that Dimitri had tortured including Bliss were set free she’d confess to the murder, if that meant that the women could start over with their lives. They all had children they needed to be there to raise, husbands and partners that loved them and they needed to be there for. She had lived her life to the fullest extent possible, she could afford to be a commodity and lay down on a sword for her family if it was needed. She saw the door open and Jon walk in.

“Detective. I hardly think this is necessary wouldn’t you agree. I’m actually surprised to see you I thought it would be the other two.” Jackie said coldly looking at Jon up and down at her hands on the table the cuff on her left hand.

“They’re too afraid to question the great Jackie Devonshire. But I’m not. Especially when I have so many questions. Why are you protecting Bliss? I mean you society’s Queen Bee sitting here with her pristine manicure and perfect hair not even a bead of sweat falling. You are vision Ms. Devonshire or is it Davis now considering that your husband married his longtime mistress. If Bliss and Belle never came you’d still be married right? So tell me for a woman who has lost the love of her life to these interlopers why are you protecting her? I mean it’s clear that Tamara, or Bliss or Selina who for some reason nobody can finger her yet. But I’ll get her. Why continue to help and protect your husbands greatest failure to you? I mean he made vows to honor you and I don’t think having two outside daughters is honoring you at all.” Jon sat down. “Tell me what happened last year at Jackson and Dani’s wedding?”

“It’s still Devonshire I have no intention of changing my name legally back afterall I am still the mother to my children. Bliss is part of the family regardless of how she was conceived, as for Tamara she is family too or have you forgotten that as well?” Jackie said looking at him coolly by extension the Fraiser’s were family now that her son had married Dani. Lauren and she had rekindled their friendship. “The wedding was lovely, wasn’t it seeing Jackson marry Dani? You used to be close to the Fraiser’s didn’t you growing up that had to sting. Selina is literally my goddaughter. They needed my assistance that night. Their dresses had gotten quite filthy so I of course made a quick exit from the event to make sure they were pristine nothing more and nothing less. You know what I remember Jon all those times you interfered in my son’s life first with Skye Morgan and then you really thought you could just swoop in with Dani, how is Skye?” Jackie said knowing exactly how to push the man in front of her and his buttons wounds she knew were deep and his hatred of her family. “It must have killed you didn’t it seeing Dani become part of our family, a family you despise.”

“Regardless I certainly didn’t think all that rage would lead to this you dragging down women that had been assaulted and raped by a psychopathic prince down to the police station to interrogation. I remember a time not so long ago that you went out and saved a young Yasmine Kohl from a murdering thug who had kidnapped her. Saved Dani, Donovan and Jolene all in the same day, my have the mighty fallen since then.” Jackie said tapping her nails on the table for a moment seeing his face Kendrick was a poison on this town much like Dimitri was, Dimitri was worse. “I find it funny that instead of protecting the women in this scenario you are hell bent on destroying their lives after what Dimitri did to them. Instead you drag them down here kicking and screaming making them relive their worst nightmares because you’re too scared to do what you know is right deep down. I do wonder if that is because of your irrational hatred for my family or it’s just because you’re an asshole.” Jackie finished looking at his raging face. “I think I know my rights detective I have already told you everything that I needed to tell you the many times that you have interrogated me in the past.”

Jon’s blood began to boil, she seemed to have a revisionist history of what happened between Jackson and Skye, not only that but how dare she pretend to know his history. Was the Harrison’s and Fraiser’s at one point joined at the hip? It was a fact that we were an extended family to each other. It was even more funny that she seemed to think because Jackson had Skye first that’s why he got with her. Shaking his head he knew that Jackie was trying to rattle his cage. So he’d rattle her as much as he could. Fact of the matter was that the Devonshire’s for years had gotten away with bullshit. Now it is over. They were about to go down for a crime and that wasn’t his fault it was theirs who would have believed that Dimitri didn’t attack them. They chose to dump a body instead of facing the consequences immediately now they were facing them now. When she mentioned what happened with Kendrick he felt a pull. Dani had slapped the hell out of him, and he did save her and Yasmine back then. He had no clue until that day Dani was pregnant let alone with twins.

“You are trying to compare me to Dimitri? I have a job to do and it’s not my fault that you Devonshire’s are used to circumventing the law and bending it to your own fancy’s. I’m not that guy. I’m following the evidence and unfortunately it led me right to you and your cohorts. I’m doing my job and working something that I’m sure your family has no idea of. Everything was handed to Jackson including Dani on a silver platter. I didn’t go after any of Jackson women, except Skye. She was the exception so please stop twisting your druggie son’s past relationship as a reason for why I’m doing this. I’m doing my job and I asked you a simple question. Now you can keep spinning in circles. That’s absolutely fine but I for one can’t wait to see you in prison couture. Coming down the cellblock B wearing a jumpsuit by the state Jacqueline Davis. I mean Tess is Lowell’s wife. Why would I call you a Devonshire? I mean she had kids by him but she has the title. You know of Queen bee in Atlas Falls. How does that feel? I mean falling off your perch of perfection and actually being the ex-Ms. Devonshire? Are you Lowell’s mistress now? I mean Tess deserves it right? Just like Dimitri did.”

Monsters were monsters to her; it didn’t matter if they were a dark prince or a cop with a chip on his shoulder. Jackie Devonshire had been around the block a few times to know one when she saw one a man with nothing left to lose, a man ready to blow his gasket at any moment if he wasn’t already. She had been queen bee for years always would be in this town just because Tess had the name now it didn’t matter to her. “It’s telling Mr. Harrison isn’t it our ugliest sides come out when faced with the cold hard truths like your truth. You could have easily turned the other cheek on this given that the woman that Dimitri raped is the mother to the boy who is your godson. Didn’t Dani ask you to kill him and you flat out said yes? You see you seem to think we’d be above making all this disappear. I assure you we’re not.” Jackie said, looking at him wondering if he’d looked in the mirror recently. “Skye fucked you because she was bored and had no loyalty. And Dani chose the better man.”

“Yet here you are dragging women down the station while you look your nose down on at my family? I assure you not one of my sons would lay a hand on a woman if they went through what any of them did, they wouldn’t publicly humiliate them either to break a case. No, that’s you and your little cohorts. Believe me the district attorney will resign by the end of the week. I’ll have his job and if I wanted I’d have yours too. Where did you get that red on your face and the scratches this time?” Jackie asked she’d heard the commotion and saw Dani attack him from the room and smiled when it happened in awe. She wasn’t afraid if a jail cell quit the opposite when it came down to it she’d be willing to go if it meant her family was safe. “I’m quite fond of gray or orange given it can be the right shade. But if you think I’m spending a night in jail I kindly advise you to remember who in the fuck you are talking too.” Jackie finished pursing her lips at him.

“I remember who I’m talking to the ex-Ms.Devonshire considering you don’t have Lowell’s influence anymore. I suggest you remember you’re fucking threatening a officer. Watch your tongue before we find out if your money can really prevent you from going to jail.” He said leaning forward. “You think you’re so above everyone and everything. You’re covered in mud up to your neck and I feel honestly bad for you. The once opulent beauty no longer so beautiful. Tarnished by years of being abused by a man. You call me a monster but Lowell victimized you over and over again and it was fine and dandy for you. You don’t get to act like you’re better than me. You helped them didn’t you Jackie. You helped them dump a body instead of coming right down the hall and telling me and Devin who were right there. What? I wasn’t such a monster then that you couldn’t open your mouth. You think Devin and I would let them go down but you all dumped the body didn’t you? You all killed him and just said fuck the law. Tell me how did you get identical dresses? That’s what kills me how did you pull that off?” Jon snapped back.

“If you were smart you’d save yourself because I get the feeling the pristine queen bee didn’t get her hands dirty did she? If I ever find that murder weapon I got you three dead to right and Selina will be in the cell right behind you. I know you did it just stop trying to fucking get me mad and confess. Maybe we can cut a deal because twenty years behind bars well you are already long in the tooth Jackie. Who would really want you then. What about Donovan? Jolene? They’d be teens and you wouldn’t know them. Or the kid Max and Bliss are pregnant with.” He saw Jackie face light up in fear when he said Bliss was pregnant. Got her. “Maybe I should go talk to Bliss again. Push her a little harder, I mean it’s worth a try. Since I’m not getting anything from you.”

Jackie glared at him when he had hit the soft spot with her, her grandchildren which included Bliss’s soon to be baby and she folded her arms seeing Mason walk by the door on his way no doubt to see Bliss. “You seem to think I need Lowell to save me, I know plenty of my own people with my own connections. I won’t be speaking to you anymore detective I would like my lawyer here before we continue this conversation.” Jackie said leaning back cooly in her chair arms crossed while she waited no doubt Julian was already on his way.

“Fine.” Jon got up and walked out of the room knowing that he wasn’t a monster. As he turned and glared at Jackie he could see his reflection in the glass. The claw marks on his cheek made him feel like a monster. Dear God had his rage blinded him that much? Had he just attacked three victims? These women no doubt did the crime but were they truly the criminals? Had Devin and he done all they could to protect them from Dimitri? Was he a monster? He had done so much to so many people he couldn’t believe it. Touching his cheek he felt the heat from the open wound and his heart started beating faster. It was almost like he was having a panic attack. But Jon knew he wasn’t because he couldn’t be. He hadn’t had a panic attack since he was hospitalized after Skye. His breathing became accelerated and labored. The room almost felt like it was spinning. He had said so much, how would they ever forgive him? That was the question. If he did try to reach out, how could he build those burnt bridges? He stumbled into a desk almost falling over as he felt his breath slipping away from his body. “I’m always alone just like in Iraq.” Jon gasped out, almost crying out for help but didn’t even have the words to say it. He looked at Miranda knowing his sister heard what he said. He bit his lip as he shook his head almost like the bombs were going off again in his head. Things were ticking that hadn’t ticked in a long time. Since he was in the hospital he was feeling that type of despair again. It felt like his emotions were swallowing him whole again and he couldn’t dig out of the darkness that he needed at one point. Jon sat down at somebody’s desk he was sure of who was around him. He couldn’t be having a panic attack could he? Not after all these years.

Miranda had been waiting outside the interrogation room watching the entire interview go down mainly out of concern for her brother. She had barley rounded the corner when she saw Dani attack him and then Zach flatten him on the ground. From there she had went to KC and took a walk to come back in and check on Jon maybe he had cooled down by then. When she watched the interview with Jackie her face furrowed in concern ice cold stone cold bitch knew exactly what she was doing with Jon, honestly it shocked her that Jackie had it in her. Instead she saw Jon stumble out of the room, he was clearly having a panic attack and tried to reach out to her brother to help him. Instead she saw him push her away and then folded her arms rubbing her shoulders, it was just like it was before he was admitted to the VA last time only this time she only hoped and prayed he saw the light before that happened.

**********

Jackson walked into the station and walked past Rebecca who was trying to say something to him. He ignored her and walked directly into the chief of police office. No longer willing to play these games with Jon Harrison, AFPD, or the DA office. He turned around and saw Lex Hessington. He tried not flip out because he had seen that picture on Page Six. Everyone was saying Dani might be cheating well that was what Greer and the fucking New York Times was insinuating. He turned around and saw Dani approaching him and leaving her family. He wasn’t mad at Dani but dad literally said be careful and she was working with that son of a bitch. But they were about to embark on the biggest challenge of their lives being CEO would change everything. She had to be smarter because Lex loved every moment that smug smile in that picture said it all. He walked away from his wife as she approached. He was pissed to be honest Merci could help Lex why did it have to be Dani? He tried to understand but at this point he was getting sick of the little insinuations because they were working together.

He felt her yank at his arm. “Sorry my sister is in there and I just can’t deal with anything else. I need to get her out, that’s what the head of the family does. But can I ask for a favor from you? Let Merci finish that job with him. I don’t want anything to mess up our chances to go where we both know we are going. Plus why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you text or something because all this was going down? I would have fought for Tamara just as much as my mother and Bliss. She is my sister-in-law.” He said irritated and wondering why was Lex here? He wasn’t family and nobody needed him. Mason was Bliss’ attorney, Julian was his mothers and Braden clearly had Tamara. “So did he come for what moral support?”

Dani was partially still shaking after her encounter with Jon Harrison honestly she didn’t even know what had come over her when she did it, pride maybe, anger for sure. Regardless she knew it was in bad form and something Jackie would never do, but she was still a Fraiser with a temper and was not ever going to apologize for that. Instead she had rallied around Braden and Tamara with her parents, happy that she was leaving and then wondered where Jackson was, she had texted him a while ago and when she finally saw him come in she was so relieved. Then she was more confused when he simply ignored her and she followed him yanking his arm to stop him from stalking away from her. She was taken aback at his request to just drop out of the fundraiser they had discussed it, it looked fucking awful if she dropped out period. It proved that they couldn’t play well with others and that would be worse than whatever the trashy tabloids wanted to spread, it would cripple DGI for the fundraiser next year too. Not to mention it wasn’t like she was ever alone with Lex, Jackie was always there other than today when he showed up and pulled that stunt pulling her to him.

“Is this about that stupid ass photo? You do realize how awful it looks if I pull out of the fundraiser right now it practically writes it own headlines, CEO’s wife refuses to play well with others. Will DGI recover when investors learn they can’t share. They’re naming the children’s wing after my sister can’t wait for those headlines either.” Dani said looking at him seeing she had to put up with pictures of him with Merci and Skye their entire first year together he could give her a pass it wasn’t like she was kissing Lex. She looked at him did he really think that fucking little of her when it came to running a charity fundraiser? Shaking her head at him she refused to let go of his hand. “I know you’re worried about Bliss and your mom that’s why I expected you here a while ago when I texted you. I met him and your mom for lunch at the country club to talk about the fundraiser, they came in to arrest your mom. I picked the phone up to text you and then called my brother immediately on the way out with her driver. Nothing happened with him and frankly I didn’t even realize his ass was here either. I don’t know why he is even here.”

Jackson listened to her state the many reasons why she couldn’t just drop out. He understood all that shit but at the end of the day he was about to be CEO. He wouldn’t keep playing these little games Lex no doubt called the tabloids and paparazzi. If he kept playing he was going to fuck him up. He gritted his teeth as he looked furiously at Dani as he grabbed her hand and kissed it. “I don’t like feeling embarrassed Dani, you are mine and I don’t like how he looks at you. He is still carrying a hell of a torch and if this continues these games that you seem to sort of see but you aren’t open to. I’ve been rich longer and I’ve been in the public eye my entire damn life. That picture wasn’t some accident, it was a stunt and I’m not going to keep playing with Lex. I’m going to hurt him. I am about to inherit my birthright. I won’t let him mess up anything. Now Dani I get you have your place in DGI but don’t be coy or aloof to what he is doing. Now that we’ve had that conversation, if he continues it’s going to get way less charitable around here. I’d go behind those bars for you and I need him to know that.” Jackson snarled eyeing him still as he turned to Dani. “Max is on her way to get Fox.”

He stroked Dani’s face then it hit him confused. “You texted me?” He pulled out his phone and showed her nothing from his wife. “I didn’t get it. I think maybe it’s lost somewhere in the cyberspace babe but I honestly didn’t know until Hunter came into a DGI meeting telling us. Then Simon came and told us mom was arrested, you were there when mom was arrested? At least she had someone you know right there that she trusted no doubt.” Jackson sort of gritted his teeth when looked at his phone and saw Mason texted him. Lex had called Julian for Jackie. “Come with me so I don’t punch this guy. But the civil thing to do is say thank-you after all he called Julian in for my mom.” As he took his wife’s hand and walked to Lex. “Hessington.” He called out with his brow furrowed. “I appreciate what you did today for my mother.” Jackson wanted to stop himself but he couldn’t resist the urge to rub his life in this son of a bitch face. “Can you tell me one thing Lex? How did you let the most perfect woman I know slip out of your fingers and right into mine? I mean you two were destined and all that once upon a time right? But damn time changes things now don’t they? Here I am at the end of a dog race to be CEO with one of the most brilliant women I know at my side. Not only that but twins, two. She pushed them out like a warrior. Actually, my son with Dani, you know my wife, well our son’s name Donovan means warrior.” He saw Dani was getting a kick out of him rubbing their lives in his face. “I have her, you don’t it sucks because I can’t imagine losing her Lex. You did though and now you suffer for it don’t you? Nothing tastes as good, no woman smells as good, the sex isn’t good, and it kills you that you can’t have her. It must drive you wild.” Jackson leaned in, kissing Dani’s neck. “We are a unit and since we’re a unit. I’m actually making time to come to these charity meetings. So we can all enjoy charity together.” He smiled at Lex.

Lex had taken up a spot against the wall, waiting for Julian to finish with Jackie. No doubt he’d want to confer with him and Mason on the defense. He was busy replying to emails when Jackson bellowed down the hall like the fucking Neanderthal he was with a thanks that didn’t sound sincere at all. He’d done it for Julian, anyway. Fuck Jackie after she tried to come between him and Dani. Then Jackson was rubbing it in his face that he screwed up with Dani. Lex smiled at him. Jackson should laugh it up now because he’d just sealed the deal with Dru and they were the ones that were going to have the last laugh and he’d have Dani. He’d be sure to invite Jackson to the wedding and give him a front row seat. “Are you… flirting with me Devonshire? First you couldn’t keep your hands off me the other day at DGI and now you’re here trying to make this a threesome? I heard you’re freaky but I had no idea. I did not expect you to try to hop a ride on the Lex train. I don’t like dick but, well, I heard yours is small and you are kind of pretty so who knows what could happen after a few rounds of tequila. I might be willing to broaden your horizons, so to speak. Show you what your lady’s been missing. We should change the location of our charity meetings. I mean, I don’t know if your mom would like us ‘enjoying charity together’ in the middle of the Rawlings and I’m pretty sure the DGI board would frown at that coverage, or lack thereof, splashed all over page 6.” Good news travels fast. No doubt Jackson had seen the photo of him and Dani earlier. He’d gotten a notification about it almost immediately afterwards. He knew he was getting to Jackson, otherwise he wouldn’t be signing himself up to work on this charity committee. He’d never seen Lowell do any such thing. It wouldn’t be too hard to spin this for Dani, just another example of how Jackson didn’t trust her and refused to let her succeed.

To be perfectly honest, it was making him sick to see Jackson with his hands all over his girl, especially with everywhere those hands had been over the years. And those were just the skanky druggies people knew about. Lex knew when to maintain his composure and when he could be a little more free, though. Here, in the police station and with Julian, his mentor and boss, down the hall was not the place to let loose on Jackson but hey, if Jackson punched him he could get a 2 for 1 deal on today’s gossip coverage. Anything that made Jackson look bad, he was all in for. Jackson’s fragile ego was going to end up being his downfall. “Jesus Jackson, your mom and your sister were just arrested for popping a cap in Kavanaugh’s ass and you’re making out with Dani in the police station like a middle schooler? I thought you Devonshires were supposed to have some class. This is a serious matter. A little free legal advice: show some restraint. Take a lesson from Klu Klux Ken over there,” he said pointing at Hunter. “He seems appropriately concerned about Barbie’s welfare. You don’t see him turning this into a dick measuring contest. I, for one, have never used Dani in an attempt to make someone jealous because I think far too highly of her.” He reached out and touched Dani’s hair then put a hand on her shoulder as he stared into her eyes. “Danielle, I’m sorry that Jackson thinks so low of you that he’d parade you around like one of those bimbos he used to date,” he said using air quotes for that, “and publicly discuss your sex life.”

“There’s nothing more that I can do than what I’m doing Alexis.” He said snidely, smirking at him. He could tell he got underneath his skin no matter how cool he pretended to be. He saw that lip snarl and how disgusted he was. “I mean I’m not a lawyer but you are? You care so much about Dani go help Mason and Braden get these women that she cares about off. You seem lonely Lex, like nobody wants you right? That’s a common thing with you right? Your dad treats you like shit per what Dani said. Trust me been there done that but yikes, you must have it really bad because you’re still here lusting after a married woman.” Jackson knew he was winning and he had to push it even more. “You seem to think that I’m parading around my sex life with my wife. If I told you the freaky things she likes now because she’s with me well you’d know that you just weren’t a match Alexis. I call our passion being newlyweds something you know oddly nothing about. I mean there is absolutely nothing you can do about this Lex, I got her and you fucked up. I’m not parading anything, I’m speaking facts. Now as I told her we both have been rich our entire life and I’m pretty sure you have Greer LeClerq’s tabloid and all others on speed dial. That picture was cute Lex but you know what is even cuter? I get to take her home and ravish her all night. I get to play with our children, I get to have my wife that I married. Last year you weren’t so easy to spot. This year it is clear you’re hating that you lost, and I have nothing to do with that.” He took his wife’s hand and kissed it leading her a little ahead of him and Jackson swiftly turned around punching Lex directly in the mouth.

Grabbing him and slamming him into the wall. “I don’t play about my family and I have enough class not to truly fuck you up the way I want to. But after this charity gala you aren’t to come around Dani, a Devonshire, or anyone else I care about by extension. Or I swear to fucking God you’ll be floating with Dimitri. Except I won’t get caught and I won’t have to deal with all of this. Go find another woman to harass, go find something to do with your time because I assure you Lex, if we keep having to have this conversation. I’m going to rearranging your face. Oh and Hunter isn’t racist his father was but Hunter isn’t.” Jackson walked away as he noticed Dani’s mouth on the floor. “I’ll see you at the next meeting, Alexis.”

Dani had followed Jackson towards Lex checking her phone and seeing no text to Jackson, which was weird she remembered sending it hadn’t she? Did she not hit send when she typed it out at the table? Then she heard Jackson speak he had a possessive streak something Lex would have to learn to deal with one that turned her on like no other. She watched the hurt on Lex’s face at the action and the words when Jackson said them it was a fraction of what he had done to her and in her mind he deserved that and so much more. When he had reached out to touch her hair and shoulder though, she saw a darkness float over Jackson and her body tensed at the action like she had when Lex had done it before she simply stepped back feeling Jackson gripping her hand. Removing Lex’s hand from her shoulder honestly she had thought about grabbing his hand and breaking those fingers. Not sure if she could or not but it was probably worth a try and then Jackson spoke again snidely at him and she wondered if Lex really knew what they were into. Something he could never give her, clearly because he never tried. She felt Jackson move her forward thinking they were going to leave felt him let go of her hand and turned around to see him punch Lex dead in the face before pinning him against the wall.

He had it coming Jackson had told him numerous times and she’d sent so many fucking signals to him to tell him to stop. Her heart was beating in her chest not sure if Jackson would hurt him or not, probably not at a fucking police station but she saw the darkness in his eyes he was serious about it. She realized looking at Lex looking right at Jackson she inside wanted Jackson to beat his face in hell she was gleeful at it, did that make her an awful person? Maybe she wanted Lex to hurt like she had and clearly he hated the fact she had moved on, she watched Jackson walk back to her and reached up kissing him deeply. Letting her lips travel over his letting her fingers rake in his hair feeling him holding her and then broke apart from him casting one last glance at Lex. “For the record you could never and I mean never please me like he does, been there done that. But if you wanted to watch for pointers the look on your face would be fucking pricelss. I keep telling you Lex and you just don’t seem to listen maybe you will now.” Dani said looking at him before turning and feeling Jackson’s hand on her back while he led them down the hall. That didn’t send a message loud and clear she wasn’t interested in any way shape or form she had no idea what would.

Lex was feeling smug when Jackson grabbed Dani’s hand and turned to leave. Yeah, Jackson got him again reminding him how he’d fucked up his engagement to Dani but it’s not like he wasn’t already beating himself up about that. Not quite as much as Jackson had today, but a fair amount. Of course he heard it from Charles too so what’s one more person to join the party. Still, Lex knew Jackson was raging inside and just when he was content in the knowledge that it would eat him up all night Jackson turned around and punched him in the mouth. He knew how hard he’d pushed him but it still took him off guard, just as Jackson no doubt intended. Then Jackson grabbed him and Lex let out a grunt as he slammed against the wall. He might have laughed except now he had an immediate headache and his face fucking hurt and Jackson was fucking up his favorite suit by manhandling him. Jackson was a fucking bruiser. Surprising that all those drugs hadn’t affected his eye hand coordination. He listened to Jackson’s demands and managed a snort of laughter and kind of a half smile when Jackson let him go. Lex wiped the blood off his mouth with the back of his while he listened to Dani lay into him. She’d just said that shit about him not being able to please her because he’d done the same to her. He shouldn’t have said that to her. Certainly not in public and was man enough to own that. This little spitfire side of Dani was such a turn on. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that kiss made him jealous, but again he’d give her that. He’d been a dick to her and he’d let her get it out of her system. Thinking about her kissing him like that one day was a nice thought. He straightened out his suit jacket as he watched them walk away, Jackson’s hand on her back. He touched his face again to check if he was still bleeding and then pulled out his phone and called his father. “Charles, it’s Lexington,” he said formally, needing to make it clear he was putting distance between the two of them. Charles never responded well to that tactic but he needed to be clear that he wasn’t going to become his lap dog despite what he’d done recently. That was a one time deal. “I know what a struggle it is for old people to work their phones so I thought I’d call and give you the news. Two little Devonshires and a Fraiser were just brought in for questioning in the murder of Dimitri Kavanaugh. Jackie, Bliss and Tamara. It remains to be seen which one allegedly pulled the trigger but it seems they all allegedly dumped the body. And one hot little birdie in a very short skirt tells me, Selina Delacroix is also a person of interest.” The cute little admin who’d been feeding him gossip this afternoon brought him an ice pack. He winked at her as he took it and gladly held it against his face as he walked off, still talking to Charles. He was sure he’d have a nasty bruise despite the ice but hoping the paps managed to get a pic from the window and at least make it worth the effort.

**********

Miranda had no idea why this new DA was being such an asshole but he was and when the chief came out to tell her he wanted a confession she about screamed at her. She had went to Zach who put his foot down with her telling her he wouldn’t go in that room to torture Bliss Kincaid in an another interrogation, when she turned around she had no idea where her brother had gone either. She rounded the corner and saw him still in with Jackie who was still just as icy as she was when she had walked into the station. She could even see her brother actually tearing up a bit at whatever they were talking about the microphone in the room was off to the viewing room. Walking out the door she saw Devin exit the room with Tamara and Braden was inside with her and she knew what that meant it was going to start to unravel and in reality no one wanted to interrogate these women.

“Chief and the DA want us to try again with Bliss and maybe go a little bit gentler this time. Zach won’t do it meaning it’s up to me and you.” Miranda said, seeing Devin rubbing the back of his neck in frustration before he nodded and followed her down the hallway to where Bliss was being held. She looked like a fucking mess and looking through the glass she picked up the tissue box before opening the door and stepping inside. “Hi Bliss we thought you could use these.” Miranda said placing them on the table while she looked nervously at Devin who opted to stand in the corner.

Devin had just gotten the biggest ass ripping he had ever got from Braden Fraiser in his life and not Braden his brother from another mother, or one of his best friends but Braden the lawyer. There was a reason he was fucking good at what he did and the way he simply had cut off the interrogation was a work of art. The way he went about it he understood now why criminals hated him in court and for a moment he wished Greer never ran that shit in the papers and none of them would be here grasping at straws. Straws for a murder in his mind that didn’t need to be solved or anything like that. The man abused his cousin, tortured and raped Tamara and did the same to the woman before them. He let Miranda take the lead in this interrogation he was so drained after what happened with Tamara. He just wanted all of this over with when it came to the Dimitri Kavanagh murder. He just wanted it over he had told Jon when they started they all should have just threw the son of a bitch back in the lake and let him rot there, he was pretty sure everyone in the department felt the same way. Moving from the wall he took a seat next to Miranda.

“We’re not here to railroad you Bliss we just want to know how Dimitri ended up dead that night that is all, was it self defense? Did he try to attack you again? Or Tamara or Selina? How did Jackie and Simon discover you? You talk first we can cut a deal.” Devin said instead of using scare tactics he knew that he had to approach it more carefully than he had in the past and different than Jon did, threatening her wouldn’t work but perhaps if she talked first they could wrap it all up in a plea deal.

“I don’t want to talk to you without a lawyer? Do you two not hear well? I told the same thing to Jon? Now you’re back here saying we can cut a damn deal. A deal? I didn’t do anything and I won’t go to jail for it. No more now if I say again, I swear to God DGI’s lawyers will have both of your badges. Now I’m not going to pretend to play anymore. I am from money! Money that will get me off from this crime and this nightmare. I assure you that my money will be used in ways that are unimaginable. I will break this department and I will leave you jobless. Now if I tell you again to leave me alone until my lawyer arrives. I swear you will lose. You will lose so much. Did you just get engaged Devin? What about you Miranda? Did the love of your life just rise like Lazerus? I will use every considerable means to.” She paused as she saw Mason at the doorway shaking his head telling her to stop. “My lawyer is here now, get the hell out of here both of you.”

Mason had entered the station waving at Julian on his way in Hunter had called him privately in his car to go over what Bliss was facing things he already knew from his sister. Hunter didn’t have to tell him and walking into the station he knew his options were to see what the police knew and he looked at his cousin and Miranda Harrison. He had heard that Jon had tried to get her to budge and really hoped Jon had left, the last thing Bliss needed to be was railroaded walking into the room calmly he saw both officers freeze. Clearly Bliss was handling herself but he was here now and she had nothing to worry about as he stepped into the room. Placing his briefcase down on the table he sat next to Bliss and motioned for them to go to the door. Once he saw they were both out the door he looked around the room wondering if their listening was still on or night. An old trick that he knew police used as he leaned over in his chair to Bliss’ ear. “I know everything, Selina told me before I came here.” Mason said softly seeing her face at his words almost like it was a relief he took out a notepad from his briefcase and a pen.

It was a safe tactic to use in case the police were listening and he watched Bliss as he wrote his first question down, did you talk or tell them what happened that night? When she shook her head no he was relieved scribbling out the question he wrote the next one. Where is the gun? He watched as she picked up the pen and wrote the answer down in the house Hunter knows. Taking out his phone he texted Hunter to tell him to go get the gun and hand it to Simon, Simon would take care of it. It also proved that the police didn’t have the muder weapon it was simply a scare tactic to get one of them to talk. He wrote his answer down that he would take care of it with Hunter and watched as Devin and Miranda shuffled back in, picking up the paper and putting it back into his briefcase. “You don’t have any evidence if you did you would have booked her, Jackie or Tamara with it. Meaning you have no real suspect in this murder and without a murder weapon we all know that this is dead in the water in court. Mrs. Kincaid and I will be leaving now, shall we Bliss?” Mason said standing from his seat and waiting for Bliss to follow suit.

Bliss walked out of the room with her head held high but she felt so lightheaded. She held onto Mason tightly as she walked out the fluorescent lights were bright. As she looked Tamara who was standing there waiting she rushed to the other women and hugged her. The nightmare was over for now. As she felt uneasy on her feet she looked at Jackson and knew he was here to ensure her walking out of this place. It wasn’t until she saw her daddy did the tears begin again. She walked to him and hugged him in his wheelchair. He came all the way here in his sick condition to make sure she was alright. She held her father in her arms more than she should have. “I miss you daddy.” Then she saw her husband and ran into his arms. “Hunter I was so scared but I knew you were out here making sure everything was perfect.” She kissed his soft lips and smiled brightly at her husband. It was almost over. “I just want to go home to our family.” She whispered in his ear.

**********

Julian O’Sullivan had practiced law for many years and he knew that today he was about to make a powerful enemy. Atlas Falls Police Department and he had always kept a safe relationship with. He however wouldn’t let Jackie spend a moment in jail. In fact he had every intention of getting with Lex and Mason to come up with the perfect defense for these women. He’d also reach out to Braden; they all might as well work together to decimate this force for what was right. Jackie was tangled up in this and that honestly made him even more intrigued and interested in this woman. She would fight for her family tooth and blood that made her even more delectable to him. He at first had to take Zach Fraiser and Miranda Rhodes to the task for even arresting his client with just an unknown eye witness. They’d have to turn over everything and honestly he hadn’t been a murder investigation in years but this one he was going to fix them. As he walked toward the back he saw Lowell sitting in his wheelchair. He nodded at Lex and mouthed thank-you to him.

“Why Jon Harrison, I think my client needs to leave at this point because you have no evidence on Jackie. But eye witnesses are tragically unreliable and if that’s all you have my client will be leaving right now. I assure you Jon Harrison if you continued to speak with her after she requested a lawyer then I’ll bury any and everything you may have discovered from this little chat. Now I could have your badge by the end of week or you can let me take Jackie out of here with her head high. Trust me if you fear Mason and Lex they’re puppies to what I’ll do to you. My client has given her statement and if you don’t have anything to tie her to the gun? Proof she pulled the trigger? Mr. Harrison tell me this who are you charging with killing Dimitri and who are you charging as accessories because you’re telling me that all these women killed him when we all know that it’s quite impossible. So either end this witch hunt, give all these women a public apology or I’m going to enjoy the next move. Checkmate.” Julian said, taking Jackie’s hand. “Jackie shall we exit this disrespectful station and the little people who reside here?”

Jackie had watched as Jon had left the room and then he had reentered later and was almost ready to go another round with him when Julian had walked in. She saw the shock on his face almost like he was eating crow he really thought that she would rely on Lowell to save her, she went to Julian to go against her husband and entitled her to one of the best divorice settlements she wasn’t a stupid woman. Looking over at Julian she smiled at them and then at Jon, head nothing they both knew it and now that Julian pretty much said is she internally was gleeful as hell and she watched as Jon undid the cuffs on her wrists. She rubbed her wrists in satisfaction and looked pointedly at Jon. “It was quite the lovely chat we had wasn’t it detective? But yes please get me out of this undignified hell hole I would very much so like to go home to my children and grandchildren. Perhaps even opening a bottle of the best bubbly is in order wouldn’t you agree?” Jackie asked seeing Jon fuming at her and Julian while the door opened and she stepped into the hall a free woman. She looked at her family as she walked out Bliss was with Lowell, Hunter, Jackson and Dani. Tamara was surrounded by Braden and the Friaser’s her head was held high as she walked to Bliss hugging her feeling Julian watching.

“Everything will be fine Bliss we will go home now and figure out what to do next and if this continues well I have a feeling DGI will bring a new level of pain to this station won’t we? We can make a few calls I am sure to get this entire situation in order.” Jackie asked looking at Lowell and at Jackson he was going to be CEO it meant taking those reigns to make sure their family stayed on top. She had no idea what the media was saying and she really didn’t care what they were saying Talia would clean it up or Simon and she saw Simon walking down the hall his phone in his hand. The first thing she needed to do was to find out where Bliss had put the gun and have Simon destroy it. Get rid of it or whatever it was he did and she would tell him to give a heads up to Ivan as well that his secret needed to be kept. “Everyone is fine and Julian thank you so much for coming. It was anything if entertaining for my afternoon.” Jackie finished looking  at them all and then looking over at Julian with a small smile and she almost felt guilty for it. Lowell was after all still right there and still had her heart but their conversation came back to her his biggest regret was them and she understood that now.

Julian looked at her staring at Lowell and he felt a pang of jealousy. The years that he casted a spell on Jackie, making her think she shouldn’t be number one. He watched as he slept with Audrey, Tess, and plenty of other women. He built solid ground trying to get to know Jackie but as long as that man was around he didn’t stand a chance. Julian wasn’t one to wish a speedy death on Lowell because he knew it would kill her. He did wish that he stopped looking at her like that after all he did divorce her. Walking out with Jackie he immediately began mothering everyone else. Nobody was taking care of her. Shaking his head he touched Jackie back and nodded. “I will always come out for you. You deserve it Jackie and that’s a promise if Mayberry cops come after you again, call me I’m itching to get Jon’s badge after how he behaved today. I don’t find him a man of good morals and high standing. If anything I find what he did to show what little character he has.” He however knew Lex had more than enough ammunition to use in court against Jon. You see everything they were doing was watching both Whitney and Ryan along with Skye and Jon. He made quite the mess today and if Lex was smart he’d use it to his advantage.

“Jackie, I would like a moment alone with you. I do believe we need to go over one more thing.” He said, eyeing Lowell who looked as if he could get out of the chair, he’d kill him. Too bad he was dying and couldn’t do a damn thing. He just hated how Lowell did Jackie all these years and not to mention how he did his own children. People talked and everyone seemed to know exactly what happened in casa Devonshire. Once away from everyone he touched her shoulder. “Lowell caved and gave you everything you wanted in the divorce Jackie, the house is officially yours, the vacation homes, and a few more things. I think it’s inappropriate at the moment to talk about it but you won. He gave up everything to you.” Looking at her eyes she didn’t look like any divorcee. If anything he could tell that just opened a wound up all over again. “Are you alright? You just got a two hundred million dollar mansion. I don’t think I’d look so upset.”

Jackie had been so focused on making sure that everyone was okay she had barely heard Julian speaking to her let alone wanting a moment with her. The stress of it all was starting to get to her and she simply nodded her head at him giving Bliss a quick hug before they walked their way down the hallway. She took a seat on one of the benches in the precinct the reality hitting her of what she had thought about doing, what she was willing to do for the woman down the hallway, Lowell’s other daughter with Tess. Tess was still a sore in her side even more so and through all the process of the divorce all the money and the houses that Lowell had left her she wondered if that was what really mattered to her anymore. She knew now why he had done it to free her but it didn’t feel freeing. Honestly it felt suffocating in a way like drawing in a pool without water and she looked at Julian who of course was charming and becoming a confidant and friend. She just wasn’t ready for more yet.

“He told me he would give me everything a few days ago, he came by the house and we talked I know I should be happy about it, but it feels so far now you know? My life to him coming to this screeching halt. I’ve spent thirty years with him and part of me had no idea where I belong now in society hell in my own house, of course Chauncey, Natasha and Maddie are there but it’s all so forgeign and strange now. She took a breath realizing that today could have been much worse for them all and they needed to formulate a plan to make sure it was over after today if that meant telling Simon to clean things up that is what she would do. “I appreciate the concern Julian of course I do, life has a funny way of coming full circle. For years all I wanted was Lowell at home with me and our children, to really be there and for DGI to take a backseat and now that, that is happening he’s not with me. He’s handing the reins over to the child that is the best parts of us and hopefully will do better, while he lives out his days with Tess in order to set me free.”

Julian looked at Jackie and saw her sadness. She wasn’t married to Lowell but her soul was tied to him and that was something he had come to live with. It would take time for her to move forward but he’d be here waiting. Getting what was going to be his. Jackie’s heart was broken right now and all he saw was take it slow. Be her friend and protect her at all costs. That was what he saw right now because she was a woman who hadn’t been protected. Her heart was broken from Lowell’s betrayals and from not getting her happy ending. After all nothing could stop God from his will and Lowell’s time was ticking. No longer statuesque and strong, he looked feeble and weak. Something he would have never called Lowell in their youth. Sad to see him a titan truly becoming mortal. Grabbing her shoulders he looked at her in those beautiful eyes and selfishly he wanted to kiss her. She was so sad and he saw it. He felt it because her longing for that man was palpable.

“He dies with Tess, Jackie but he didn’t live his days with her.” Julian corrected as he let a sigh out of his mouth. “I believe she wasted her best on a man that was never hers. Unfortunately Lowell now is suffering not having the true love of his life with him in his last days. It’s his cross to bare alone and I can’t believe I’m going to say this but Jackie I do think he was at his best with you. I’m not trying to tell you what to do but if you want to tell him anything, you want to be around him or anything. Well I don’t think either of you should deny that peace. Be at ease and don’t miss that chance you won’t regret it. Neither of you.” He let her go and cleared his throat. Julian pulled her into a hug because honestly who was taking care of Jackie? “If you need anything else my dear please don’t hesitate to call me. As always I’ll be waiting with baited breath.” He snickered, raising Jackie’s chin up. “Hold your head high always, you will forever be the queen of Atlas Falls.” His wife ran off years ago and knowing work was his love. Julian honestly raised his children and this was his first feeling of moving on. Maybe she wasn’t ready but he was right her and wasn’t leaving.

Lowell watched from afar acting as if his body wasn’t shaking. Not from his illness but because he saw what he had lost. His body had given up in the race. Sadly he was about to die and he wouldn’t be able to fight against Tess and Julian. He would never get a shot at fixing what he had broken. He believed that if he had more time, if he wasn’t dying he could get her back. He could mend what he had broken and piece together the shattered years of trust he couldn’t fix. Watching Julian comfort Jackie made him feel ill. He wasn’t the medicine, it wasn’t the illness, it was the realization that this man was going to be a part of her life when he was gone. His children’s lives would continue with him around. That this man cared and she hadn’t stopped loving him but someone was right there. Healthy and was waiting until he died to finally give her what he could never. Peace and happiness he had given her glimmers of both but never what she deserved and a piece of him knew a man like Julian O’Sullivan was what Jackie deserved. He was a good man and that stung even more. His eyes began to get misty as he looked at Bliss, Jackson and Dani. He patted Dani’s hand as he moved through the room in his wheelchair. He grabbed Bliss’ hand and kissed it. “I need to leave, I’m feeling ill. Please continue, Jackson. I’m so pleased my beloved daughter is out of this.” Lowell rolled away looking back at Jackie and Julian one last time. Knowing he’d just given the love of his life to another man.

**********

Hunter had no idea what he was doing when he had watched Bliss, Tamara and Jackie being processed to be relieved but he knew one thing it was ending now. The pain on Tamara and Bliss’s face’s especially he quietly went out the back door to the parking lot. Opening the door to the driver seat he got in and leaned over opening up the glovebox where the gun was looking at the text from Mason. Sure he could give it to Simon and make it all go away or the police could do this again and again to his wife and torture her. He watched as Max pulled up in her car with Fox in tow and was annoyed he had dropped off his son with Brooke and Atticus, he didn’t want him here for it. It was wild to him how protective over Bliss and their kids he was and he did include Fox in that he was his son just not by blood. He knew what he had to do as his stomach knotted and he picked up the gun from the glovebox and placed it into it’s holster before shoving it into the back of his pants. He met Max at the door giving her a look like how in the hell did you manage to wrangle him from Brooke but then took his son inside. He approached Bliss and wrapped his arms around her hugging her tightly as Fox did the same.

“Mason’s here he is going to take care of this for you, you are never and I mean never coming back down here for this do you understand. It’s over after today and I want you to know that I love you and Fox nothing will ever change that and our baby will be born happy and healthy. No pain or darkness hanging over it.” Hunter said pulling back as he stroked her face and leaning in to kiss her if this was the last time that his lips ever met hers he wanted her to know that deep down in his soul that what he was about to do was for her freedom. For Fox’s freedom from all the pain that Dimitri had inflicted upon him as well it was over. There would be no more pain in her life when it came to children or love. “I love you and no matter what happens next I want you to know that okay? You have your family around you to support you and I will always put you and Fox first.” Hunter said looking at her seeing she was so confused about what he was talking about he wiped a tear from her face and leaned in to kiss her again hugging her and then leaned into her ear. “I have the gun.” Hunter said quietly hoping she understood the meaning he told her he would take care of it and he would.

Bliss shook her head as she held onto her boy. Looking over at Max and her grim look she understood instantly what he was about to do. Pulling Fox closer she shook her head. “You don’t have to do this. We can just get rid of it. Please don’t leave us, don’t do this Hunter.” She said softly as she started to weep. “I can’t do this without you, you’re my soulmate. I need you, please let’s just go home tonight.” She felt her stomach clenching in pain. Her eyes started to blur as she began to cry louder as she reached over to Hunter. “Please stop and think about this. Think about me being alone without you. Hunter please no.” Bliss kissed her husband and Fox placed his hands over his eyes. She giggled looking at him.

“Stop it.” She said softly looking at him. “You see we need you Hunter, your family needs you. Everyone thinks I’m so fragile that I’ll break but I didn’t today and won’t in the future. We need you this baby that is inside of me needs you. Hunter please don’t go. I know I’ve changed your life so much but I can’t ask you to do what you are thinking Hunter stop it. Come home with me, Max tell him. Tell him to stop!” She knew Hunter wouldn’t but she had to try. “I’m begging you Hunter don’t do this. Don’t leave me.” Bliss cried to him.

Hunter looked at her and as bad as it was going to be to leave her for a little bit he knew what he had to do, it was the best option for all of them. He ruffled Fox’s hair one more time and kissed her before turning around. There was so much pain in that room as he looked at all the people inside of the station, all the somber faces on the women that Dimitri had hurt the scared faces of their family members. He was even sure he saw regret even maybe in some of the police officers as he started to walk towards Jon Harrison’s desk. He wanted a suspect he’d give him one, he wanted a murderer he would give him one. He would do anything to ensue that Bliss and the rest of them were left alone and Dimitri would be nothing but a distant fading memory. “Hey Harrison since you like to bring my wife down here and interrogate her I want to tell you something. Behind that pea sized brain of yours you were barking up the wrong tree.” Hunter said his voice full of rage at Jon as he leaned on his desk.

Reaching behind hist coat and into his pants he tossed the gun onto his desk watching it hit and the thud it made and he was pretty sure he heard a ton of guns come out of their holsters at the action. He saw Jon push away from his desk looking at the gun on it. “You wanted a weapon solider boy here it is you want to know who killed Dimitri? You’re looking at him. I’m the one who snuck out of the party and into those dark caverns of the tunnels at the mansion once I knew Bliss was missing and your departments incompetence let Dimtiri escape a fully guarded hospital room to reign havoc down on Jackson and Dani’s wedding. I heard my wife screaming while he tried to assault her again, heard them all screaming.” Hunter said with as much conviction in his voice as he could muster looking at the shock on everyone’s faces at the station and he shook his head looking at Jon again. “You thought it was her or Jackie or Tamara. No, it was me. I shot his ass for hurting them. I did what you all failed to do. I was the one that drug his body down to the lake and tossed him in it too so he could fucking rot with the fishes and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!” Hunter screamed, shoving Jon’s desk back into the man full of rage to prove a point he wanted eyes off his wife, eyes off Tamara and Jackie too hell Selina.

Bliss looked at Hunter and collapsed to the ground holding her son. As she saw Devin and Jon stand and look at the gun. She could feel Jackie and Tamara running to her. “No.” She mumbled Hunter was sacrificing himself for them. That wasn’t what she wanted to happen. No this isn’t how she saw her husband leaving her. They were going to be one of those old cute couples who die right behind each other. No it wasn’t right and she could feel Dani taking Fox out of her arms. She almost felt sick as everyone held her up seeing her husband now being placed in handcuffs and she shook her head. He didn’t kill anyone and she was sure that she couldn’t survive without him. They’d built this family unit. Now all of a sudden it was over. Earlier today she was making breakfast and watching cartoons. Now she was facing the real possibility that she was losing the man that she loved. She could feel her family standing behind her and she tried to break free and get to Jon. “No!” Bliss screamed again as she looked at them beginning to read Hunter his rights.

“I hate you Jon! I hate you! I swear you’ll never get Miles! I swear it because you’ve crossed a line and I assure you I’ll use ever Kincaid penny, Blisston dollar, and Devonshire billions to make sure you never see Miles. You lose Jon! I swear you’ve harassed us and think a scratched up face is going to be retribution. I want his head daddy!” She looked at Lowell. Then turned to her big brother. “I want his head on a pike and I want nothing more than to watch the crows feast on his remains. You think you had enemies I promise Jon! I promise you.” She could feel Jackson and Braden pulling her away. “You hear me! I swear it you will never see that boy I’ll use everything in my power to stop it. You think you are in pain you haven’t seen anything yet!” She could hear Jackie saying calm down. “No he’s taking Hunter! No!” She screamed as she looked at Jackie and felt her breathing becoming labored Bliss clutched her belly as she the room became dark and she slowly just felt the urge to sleep.

Jackson looked at Dani and everyone as they surrounded Bliss. “Get an ambulance, she’s pregnant!” He screamed out. “Get a doctor stat. If anything happens to this baby Jon, I swear to God.” He stared at Jon carrying away Hunter with Devin on the other side. Hunter was bucking trying to get free but he just fucked up turning himself in.

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