Prologue

"Come on Jessie." There was a tone in Jake's voice Jessie wasn't used to and distance allowed a closeness that hadn't been there when they were kids. She felt much closer to her brother since he traveled so much and she didn't.

"What's going on Jake?" Jessie ran a hand across her stomach, cradling her slight baby bump in the curve of her most people couldn't see the slight bulge when she wore a baggie shirt, she knew it was there and couldn't keep her hands off of it. "Who is this person? And why does Justice need to know about this?"

Justice North—the leader of the New Species—stuck his head out of his office at the sound of his name on his lovely wife's lips. his own phone stuck to his ear, while he listened to a voice on the other side giving him a report. Jessie blew him a kiss and gestured to her feet which had been firmly but gently placed on the cloth covered ottoman indicating that she had not moved since he left her there. He tipped his the corners of his beautiful lips up slightly showing his pleasure of his orders being followed, but Jessie didn't miss the faint furrow that marred her mate's normally smooth brow.

"Do you remember that light duty job they had me doing after I got shot in the 'Stan?'" Jake asked through the phone.

"Yeah," Jessie replied with a slight frown.

"It was a just a body guard job for a singer."

"Well, that doesn't sound so bad," Jessie replied with a slight frown. "But how is that light duty? You were shot in the leg."

"Well it's not hard standing around looking menacing," Jake gritted out.

"Menacing," Jessie murmured and managed not to giggle.

"W-e-l-l," Jake drawled out. "Jericho and Darkness decided to give me pointers."

Jessie burst out laughing. Justice stuck his head back out of his office door with a faintly amused and curious look on his face.

"Very funny… but they have got it down pat. So yeah, anyway… sShit isn't right with Ivy," He replied with a cold tone.

"What do you mean?" Jessie asked. Her amusement draining away.

"It was like her manager, Wayne.…owned her," Jessie could hear the crackling over the phone as Jake blew out an angry breath over the phone. "I watched her do an eight hour interview block with one pee break." He growled. "Then the little jackass yelled at her for keeping some reporter waiting. I mean, Jesus. No food or water in between reporters, and then he whisked her off to some posh party to 'mingle' with some label executives.," Jake growled. His Frustration frustration was evident in his voice.

"Man, that sucks but…," Jessie started.

"It's not just that, Jessie," he continued lowering his voice. "I think he puts his hands on her. He got pissed that she spilled something on her outfit, and he dragged her off to 'get cleaned up.' When she came back, she was paper white. I've never seen any bruises but." He sighed. "Jess, she needs help. I told her that if she could get to Reservation or Homeland that the NSO would help. Do you know what she said?"

At her silence he continued. "She said 'what difference does it make? There is no place safe for me.' The company got let go shortly after that." The anger drifted back into his voice, "I think good ol'Wayne overheard me trying to talk her into getting him out of her life. Jessie, rumor is Wayne and her have been a thing since she was 16. What if he's somehow brainwashed her. The bastard didn't have me changed out for a new guy. He changed her whole security team. Now they all look like Mafioso thugs."

"You like her," Jessie whispered in awe. Her stone cold, tough, big brother sounded worried.

"Damn it, Jessie," he snapped at her. "Pull your head out of that romantic fog that Justice enshrouds you in and listen. She is a beautiful, talented kid. Well, maybe not a kid. She's 24, but she's getting abused. I just know it."

"Jake," she whispered soothingly. "You know how the NSO are with females. If she can get here or to Reservation, they will help her. You know they will."

Jake Dupree felt the weight lift from his chest as Jessie launched into baby stuff and the latest about her husband, …no, mate. He still had a hard time remembering that. If Ivy could just get to one of the NSO places, he knew those tough sons of bitches would take care of her. Because any man would be in tiny pieces if they laid a hand on her.