We've broken the 500 mark for reviews! Thank you so much! All of you are so amazing. Thank for you for following the story and investing in my depiction of these characters. A reviewer asked for a flashback or even a stand alone one-shot of Damon and Bonnie's wedding/honeymoon. Let me know if that is something that might interest you guys. If there is enough interest I will try to make it happen.

Bonnie knew how to be a good wife and mother. Her grandmother had taught her how to be a formidable leader of men. She was simultaneously street smart and book smart. Bonnie had the grades, accolades, and IQ to prove it. She understood when mercy was warranted and when death was the only recourse. Bonnie was also skilled at taking the lives of those that dared betray her family. She was a great cook and a decent baker when she tried. Bonnie was graceful when she danced and could belt out an on-key note if properly motivated. However, she had absolutely no idea how to be a woman.

Bonnie's ascension into womanhood had been stymied by her marriage to Damon. Marrying a man ten years her senior made for a confusing power dynamic in their relationship. As husband and wife, they were intimate at Damon's discretion. He always initiated intercourse and Bonnie always acquiesced. She understood her duty to satisfy her husband and procreate with him. However, Damon also behaved in a paternal way towards her. He lightly discouraged her from activities he believed to be inappropriate for his wife. The reprimand was always with sweet words but she understood the boundaries that Damon was setting in their relationship. He would shower her with gifts after stacking another stone on the wall of her prison. It was as if Damon did not realize that a benevolent prison warden was still a prison warden.

In the beginning, she blamed Giuseppe for isolating her from friends and family. He wanted to make her dependent on him and his poisonous brood. However, the simple truth was that Damon allowed his father to isolate her. She wasn't sure if it was a conscious decision on her husband's part or merely an extension of the neglect that permeated every corner of their marriage. Bonnie once believed that Damon fought Giuseppe to allow her to attend college because he cared for her happiness. Now she wondered if he just wanted something to distract her. In the early days of their marriage, college coursework kept her busy. Bonnie was a perfectionist when it came to school. It wasn't easy achieving that perfection while taking online classes, being mother to a toddler, and being wife to the heir apparent of a powerful criminal syndicate.

Bonnie's decision to demand a separation had changed everything in a matter of days. Part of the girl was happy to shed the masks that she had hidden behind in her marriage. However, she was also afraid of the unknown. Bonnie usually felt more centered when she was in control. Relinquishing control meant being vulnerable. Giuseppe had beaten and nearly raped her because of that vulnerability. Granted something good had come from that painful indignity. Giuseppe was a marked man and Bonnie had finally accepted how little she meant to Damon. Her father-in-law's brutal act had released the shackles binding her to his toxic family. Bonnie was tasting freedom for the very first time and she liked it. However, she was mindful of the storm that threatened to destroy everything for which she had sacrificed.

In these tumultuous times, it was imperative for the young woman to cling to one of the most important lessons taught to her by Sheila. When the world was out of control, it was Bonnie's responsibility to bring it to heel. Tonight's festivities were the first step in doing just that. John Gilbert was celebrating his 42nd birthday at Niklaus Mikaelson's flagship nightclub. The rat-faced bastard loved promiscuous college coeds, expensive liquor, and party drugs. Tyler and Matt had devised a plan that would make John's vices his undoing. Bonnie planned to be on site to witness the traitor's last moments. It wouldn't be as satisfying as when she slit Freddie's throat a few weeks ago but sometimes their business was about expedience and not pleasure.

This would be her first time ever venturing into the Los Angeles club scene. At the ripe old age of 21-years-old she had never stepped foot into a nightclub or a bar. It had nothing to do with her age because her last name would have gotten her through most doors when she was barely old enough to drive. However, Damon had made it abundantly clear that nightclubs and bars were not appropriate places for his wife to visit. Back in March, Caroline had to change her birthday party's venue because of Damon's decree. Bonnie had been mortified and begged Caroline not to change everything for her. Of course, her sister-in-law had refused to have a party without her. The compromise had been a Great Gatsby themed party aboard a 344-foot yacht. Damon had agreed to foot the bill to appease Caroline.

Abby had convinced Bonnie to view tonight as something of a coming out party. She had dozens of industry contacts from her years working as a tour choreographer. A few of those people she even considered friends. The older woman had reached out to a few friends to give Bonnie a full makeover for her big night. She had enlisted the help of a make-up artist, a hairstylist, and a fashion stylist. Bonnie had joked that she imagined this was what it felt like to prepare for the prom. Abby had not found her daughter's wisecrack to be amusing. It was a stark reminder of all the little milestones Bonnie had not been permitted to enjoy.

As a child Bonnie was homeschooled by the best tutors that money could buy just as her mother had been years before. However, Sheila had allowed Abby to attend a local private school when she was old enough to start high school. Sheila decided not to afford Bonnie the same opportunity. She believed that allowing Abby so much freedom was the catalyst that ultimately led her astray. Sheila swore that outside influences had convinced teenage Abby that individualism was to be prized over duty to family. Truthfully, outside influences probably played some small part but learning that Giuseppe killed her father was the tipping point.

"Bonnie…" came a soft voice from beside the girl.

The green-eyed girl blinked as she realized that the make-up artist was trying to capture her attention. Bonnie looked up with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry. I must have zoned out for a moment. Was I holding my face the wrong way again?"

Gabi laughed good-naturedly as she unclasped the plastic smock protecting Bonnie's insanely expensive dress. She had been surprised when Abby called to ask for her help with Bonnie. Abby and Gabi had been friends for fifteen years so she had seen the difficulties in their relationship. She was thrilled that they were getting along now.

"Yes, you were but I made magic happen anyway. I have to say that this is some of my best work. Go on…have a look."

Bonnie stood up and walked over to the art deco inspired makeup table situated in the alcove in her mother's bedroom. The lighted mirror was perfect for Bonnie to inspect Gabi's hard work. She studied her appearance in the mirror with a small smirk. Gabi was right that Bonnie's make-up was flawless. She might have to use her services again in the near future. After all, they would be burying her father-in-law soon. Bonnie wanted to look stunning while she feigned grief for a man she despised.

A full face of make-up was out of character for Bonnie. She possessed a natural beauty that didn't require a great deal of embellishment. However, tonight was all about stepping out of her comfort zone. She was finally out from under Damon's thumb and it was time to spread her wings. While the make-up was a shocking departure, her hair was perhaps the biggest change to Bonnie's appearance. She now had goddess locs that fell to just underneath her breasts. The locs were jet black with streaks of midnight blue woven into them. The hairstylist had randomly used gold plated beads with a filigree pattern etched into them to accessorize the style. The goddess locs had also been swept into an intricate bun atop Bonnie's head.

She turned around and said, "This is amazing. Thank you for coming over on such short notice, Gabi. How much do I owe you?"

"It was my pleasure and Abby covered this in full, Bonnie. Besides, I wanted to help," Gabi replied as she packed up her supplies.

Bonnie walked over to the older woman and hugged her. "I appreciate it."

She returned the hug and said, "I hope this means that I will get to see you more often."

She nodded. "Definitely. It would be nice to see you. You always have the best stories about my mom, even if she swears none of them are true."

"That's because Abby doesn't want you to know how much of wild woman she can be on tour. I am going to dig up some pictures and videos for the next time I see you."

Bonnie laughed softly. "I can't wait."

Gabi finished packing up her supplies and then headed for the bedroom door. "Have a good time tonight."

"Oh, I will," Bonnie said with a mischievous grin.

Gabi quietly slipped out of the master bedroom so that the young woman could finish getting ready.

Bonnie walked over to bed where Abby had laid out several jewelry options. Her mother had dug deep into her impressive jewelry collection for pieces that would complement Bonnie's gold Versace dress. Bonnie was grateful for Abby's generosity since she had yet to retrieve her belongings from the Salvatore Manor. She planned to collect her and Sarah's possessions once the interior decorator completed the work on the beach house. Bonnie didn't see the point of moving everything twice. In the meantime, mother and daughter had the essentials and could buy whatever they were lacking.

After much deliberation, Bonnie choose a set of diamond cluster teardrop earrings, a vintage art deco style diamond bracelet, and a thin gold ankle chain that had tiny gold feathers around it. She opted against wearing any of the beautiful necklaces her mother had suggested. Bonnie was content to wear her gold crucifix and Tyler's Saint Christopher's medal. Both would be prominently displayed because the dress' neckline plunged well below Bonnie's breasts.

She stepped into a pair of gold Christian Louboutin pumps and grabbed the matching clutch purse that she had already filled with all the essentials. Afterwards, she moved over to the full-length mirror to evaluate the completed look.

Abby stood in the doorway with a smile on her face. "You look beautiful, baby girl."

"Thank you, Mama. You don't think it is too much?" she asked nervously.

The older woman's hazel eyes lit up as she shook her head. She walked up behind Bonnie and said, "You look like a princess. More importantly, you look happy."

"I am happy," she replied in an almost surprised voice.

Abby's heart ached when she heard the shock in her oldest child's voice. Happiness shouldn't be so rare that it felt unfamiliar. She pushed those dark thoughts from her mind because tonight was about Bonnie moving forward. "Then I am happy, too."

"Thank you for watching Sarah for me tonight, Mama. I just…I need to get out of the house. I need to feel more like Bonnie and less like Mrs. Salvatore," she confessed.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me, honey. You deserve a night as Bonnie Sheila Bennett because that is who you are. A name on a piece of paper and a scrap of metal on your finger could never change who you are in here," she replied and placed a hand over her heart.

Bonnie couldn't describe how good it felt to have Abby supporting her through this. She didn't feel the soul crushing loneliness that had consumed her for years. Part of Bonnie feared that the happiness she felt would be fleeting. Her grandmother had lived a life of suffering and sacrifice for the good of their family. Some days, Bonnie feared that would be her lot in life, too. It had taken years to free herself from the guilt of even considering wanting something more.

She said, "If Sarah wakes up, just call me and I will come home straightaway."

Abby tutted and smoothed a hand over Bonnie's designer dress. She said, "Sarah will be just fine while you go out for the night, baby girl. She is already fast asleep for the night. I doubt that she will wake up before you get back here. And if she does, I know how to get a little one to go back to sleep."

Lucy walked into the room wearing a fuchsia bandage dress that left very little to the imagination and a pair of peep toe stilettos. She had traded her normally long dark curls for a pin straight wig. The black wig had been styled into a side-parted bob.

She asked, "Are you almost ready? Tyler is waiting outside in the car and everyone else is meeting us over there."

The Lockwoods, Donovans, and Benedetto cousins would all be partying together at Klaus' club. They would be celebrating Bonnie's move to take over the smuggling operation while simultaneously eliminating the last viable threat to Damon's rise to boss of the Salvatore organization.

Bonnie nodded. "I am ready. Let's get out of here."

Lucy whistled as she glanced at Bonnie. The younger girl's dress fell just at the tops of her thighs. She hadn't seen her cousin so uncovered since she was a teenager. "You are gonna turn heads tonight, cugine."

She asked, "Really?" She tugged at the material near her stomach. "Can you tell that I'm pregnant?"

"I don't think that anyone will notice. Besides, they will be too busy staring at your boobs."

Bonnie laughed softly.

"I don't know about you but I am ready to go steal somebody's man tonight," Lucy teased.

Abby stifled a chuckle because Bonnie had already done that. Tyler hadn't broken up with Elena yet but the girl was already a fading memory in his mind. Tyler looked pained every time he had to leave Bonnie.

Bonnie asked, "What will Brady have to say about that?"

Lucy shrugged with a devilish grin. "I might dance with some poor bastard just to get Brady's blood pressure up. I like him angry and aggressive."

"I really should have taken Tyler's bet on one or both of you ending up in jail before New Year's Eve. You and Brady as a couple is what I call a natural disaster," Bonnie joked.

She slung an arm around her cousin's shoulders. "You are only saying that because you have never been allowed to let loose. Well, don't you worry because I am going to show you the ropes, cuz."

"Lucy Marie, you make sure that my baby girl gets home safely," Abby said.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I'll have my eyes on her the whole time."

"I'm serious," Abby replied sternly.

Lucy's expression sobered when she understood her cousin's warning.

The older women shared a loaded look with each other. They both had their concerns about Bonnie spending the evening at Klaus's club. There was a slim chance that he might not be there because he owned several clubs in Southern California. However, Niklaus had shown an uncanny ability to sniff out Bonnie's location.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Both of you stop worrying about me. I am not going to do anything reckless. I just want to have a little fun and I will gut Niklaus like a fish if he tries anything with me."

Lucy grinned. "If it comes to that you won't even have to get your hands dirty. He will not ruin this night for you. We should get going. I am ready to shake my ass for Brady."

Abby huffed out a laugh and followed the two younger women downstairs. "Have a good time and be safe," she called after them.

Tyler was waiting beside the car. He was rocking his hipster chic look complete with leather pants and the unnecessary gray knit hat. He opened the backdoor when Bonnie and Lucy emerged from the house. He whistled lowly at the dress Bonnie was wearing. He was especially fond of the plunging neckline. Tyler was definitely a breast man.

"Damon would lose his shit if he saw you out looking like this."

The younger girl grinned at him. "I'm going to take that as a compliment, Ty."

He winked at Bonnie as she climbed into the SUV. "Oh, it was definitely a compliment," he said in a gravelly voice.

His eyes lingered on her toned thighs a little longer than was appropriate. Maybe he was a breast and a leg man...or perhaps he just wanted Bonnie.

Lucy gave them a knowing look but didn't say anything. She climbed in beside Bonnie and turned to look at her once Tyler closed the door. "When I talked to Brady, he told me that John is already at the club. He has a table in the VIP section and he is making a nuisance of himself as usual. He has the cast of girl's gone wild keeping him company. It shouldn't be hard to dose him in all the chaos."

Tyler climbed into the driver's seat and drove away from Abby's house.

Bonnie was pleased to hear that things were lining up the way she wanted. They had known for a few weeks that John Gilbert needed to go. However, he had eluded them for awhile when he suddenly left the country. She said, "Good. I didn't like the bastard even before I learned that he had betrayed me by siding with Giuseppe over Damon."

Lucy hummed in agreement. "He has always been a manipulative little snake."

"Grams knew that he was a snake but it was a useful trait as long as he was using it for our benefit. How else do you think he wormed his way into becoming Giuseppe's consigliere?" Bonnie replied.

"That shocked the hell out of me. I just knew that Richard was going to get the job. He was the obvious choice because he was Aunt Sheila's most trusted lieutenant," Lucy added.

The Lockwood family had been surprised as well. They had wondered if their position within the organization had been diminished somehow. However, Sheila had assured Richard that it was all according to her plan. She had whispered in Giuseppe's ear and convinced him to place John in that position. Sheila wanted John to skim from the Salvatore organization. It was a risky prospect that could have gotten him killed. She wasn't willing to put Richard in that sort of jeopardy. Sheila had always viewed John to be expendable because of his propensity for duplicity. She had planned to wring as much out of him for as long as she could before discarding his empty husk.

"Grams had her reasons for choosing John. He has performed his duties well. Our coffers can speak to that. However, we can't have him divulging our secrets to anyone to save his own skin. My husband knowing my plan to take over the smuggling operation is one thing. He took that in stride considering his male pride. However, I think his reaction would be just a bit different if he knew how deeply embedded I am in his family's organization."

Lucy chuckled and said, "But the look on his face would be priceless. Of course we'd have to promptly kill him so I see why it wouldn't be worth it."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "We're not killing my husband…unless it becomes necessary."

Just a few months ago, Bonnie wouldn't have considered killing Damon. She loved him and probably always would. However, the husband and wife's circumstances had changed drastically. Bonnie was too close to the finish line to let anyone, even Damon, get in her way. She would have the smuggling operation all sewn up and under her complete control by the summer. In addition, she prayed that Dr. Huerta would have good news next week. A son would guarantee her family's eventual dominance of the Salvatore organization. It wouldn't matter if Damon were alive or dead. One of his uncles could manage the organization until Bonnie's future son was old enough to take his place as don. Her family would wage war against theirs if anyone tried to deprive her son of his rightful inheritance.

"Atta girl," Lucy replied. "If Klaus is at the club tonight…"

"You are worrying for nothing, Luce. Klaus is crazy but he isn't suicidal. He wouldn't approach me while I am surrounded by so many people that he believes would report back to Damon."

Tyler wished that he could share Bonnie's confidence in Klaus' sense of self-perseveration. The man had always been unhinged and the longing in the so-called apology letter made Tyler wary. Klaus' desire for Bonnie was all twisted up in his self-worth. That made rejecting his advances even more dangerous for the young woman. Tyler wished that whacking John could have gone down at literally any other place in the world. Unfortunately, the traitor loved partying at Klaus' club because it was one of the hottest nightclubs in the city.

He said, "I'm surprised that John hasn't already ratted us out to the old man."

Bonnie shook her head. "I'm not. John is probably waiting to see what side wins. He has always been dedicated to his own survival. Not that I blame him…"

Lucy said, "Well, we have everything under control. I just want you to focus on having a good time tonight. You deserve it, Bonnie Bee."

"Thanks, Luce," Bonnie said. She switched her phone to vibrate and then tucked it into her purse. "To thank all of you for all of your hard work I called ahead and talked to the manager. There will be bottle service all night and there is no limit on the bill. Go wild. I will be drinking Pellegrino tonight while you all get drunk but it's good enough."

Tyler grinned as he looked at her through the rearview mirror. "Bottle service? Damn you are a good boss, Bon."

Bonnie laughed as she checked her makeup one last time. She said, "Think of it as our office's Christmas party…you know if we actually worked in an office."

Lucy lips curled up in amusement. She could tell that Bonnie still wasn't okay but she was trying to get there. That was as much as any of them could ask of her. No matter what was going on in her marriage, Bonnie was focused on taking care of their business interests and their people. Lucy believed her aunt would be proud of Bonnie.

It was just after 11 o'clock when they made it to the club. However, the line of club goers was already stretched down the block.

Tyler looked over the seat. "I am going to drop the two of you off out front and then I will find a parking space."

Bonnie opened the door and slid out of the car. She said, "Thanks, Ty. Just give the bouncer your name when you make it back. I made sure everyone was on the list tonight."

He nodded. "I'll be back soon."

Lucy closed the door and then followed her cousin up to the front door. She put herself between Bonnie and the line of paparazzi snapping pictures of the entrance. The Claw was a hotspot for celebrities and the paparazzi were always hanging around. Bonnie was a well known socialite and her rumored connections to organized crime always made her picture a hot commodity for tabloids.

The bouncer recognized Bonnie immediately as she approached the door. He said, "Good evening, Mrs. Salvatore. Go right inside."

She flashed a small smile. "Thank you."

The two women walked into the club and headed toward the second floor. The manager was standing at the top of the staircase. She smiled at them and said, "Welcome to The Claw. Some members of your party have already arrived and are waiting for you. Your section is at the end, Mrs. Salvatore. We made sure it wasn't visible from the main floor."

"Thank you," Bonnie replied.

"Also, Mr. Mikaelson is comping your evening. Is there anything that I can get for you?"

Lucy was careful not to show her annoyance in front of the manager. Her concerns about Klaus making an appearance had just increased by two-fold.

"That is very generous of Niklaus. Send up several bottles of your best champagne, two bottles of Don Julio 1942, three bottles of Pursite vodka, and whatever selection you have for San Pellegrino."

"Right away, Mrs. Salvatore."

Bonnie said, "Thank you."

As they walked toward their section, Bonnie spotted John. Girls young enough to be his daughters surrounded the Salvatore family's consigliere. Despite the relative early hour, John already looked three sheets to the wind. Taking him out tonight would be like shooting fish in a barrel. It was almost unfair…almost. As they made it to their table, Bonnie smiled when she saw that almost everyone was there.

Cesare, Lexi, Cristian, Remy, Veronique, Jules, Mason, Vicki, and Brady were lounging around on the tufted leather sofas as they chatted and enjoyed a few cocktails.

Mason lifted an eyebrow when he saw how Bonnie was dressed. He was concerned about the blowback when Damon saw the photos snapped by the paparazzi. He had witnessed how possessive Damon was when it came to Bonnie. Mason was glad that she was staying at Abby's place for now.

Vicki stood up and pulled Bonnie into a hug as soon as she came into view. "I feel like it has been forever since I've seen you, Bon!"

Bonnie laughed and returned the hug. "It's good to see you too, Vicki. I am glad that you could make it tonight."

"I wasn't about to miss a chance to spend a night away from the kids. I am so happy that Carol agreed to watch them for us tonight." She took a step back and looked at Bonnie's dress. "Damn, look at you."

The girl laughed. "Thanks. You look great too, Vick."

Vicki rolled her eyes and said, "It's spanx but I'll take the compliment."

Bonnie moved on and greeted her cousins.

Lucy walked over to the curved leather couch and sat on Brady's lap. "You got started without me."

He kissed her neck and said, "I've only had a couple of drinks. You can play catch up. Where's my nephew?"

She said, "Ty is parking the car. He should be in soon."

Bonnie tossed her clutch onto the couch and started moving her hips to the music thrumming overhead. "I want to dance. I didn't wear this dress just to hide up here all night."

Vicki grinned. "That's what I'm talking about! I'm coming with you. Mason thinks that he is too tough dance."

Mason chuckled. "I'll dance with you later."

"I'll come, too," Lexi said.

Bonnie's cousin Remy and his wife, Veronique, promptly stood to follow them downstairs to the dance floor, too. They had been waiting for Bonnie to arrive before really kicking off the night's fun.

Jules finished her drink. "Let's do this. I am looking for someone to take home tonight."

Mason wrinkled his nose at his sister. "Stay classy, Jules."

She flipped him the bird. "Fuck you, Mason."

Lucy stood up. "Wait for me, Bonnie!"

Brady grabbed her hand. "You're going, too?"

She said, "I'm supposed to be keeping my little cousin out of trouble. I can't be doing that from up here. You could always come with me."

He smirked and patted Lucy on the butt. "I'll meet you down there in a few."

"You better or I'll be looking for someone to take home tonight, too," Lucy teased.

As she walked away, Brady called out, "Don't make me kick someone's ass tonight. You're going home with me, Luce."

Mason shook his head at the unsettling grin on his younger brother's face.

Cesare sat down beside Mason. He was a muscular man that stood about 6'3". He had dark olive skin and honey colored eyes. His dark brown hair was styled in a traditional Caesar cut.

"Are you going to tell me what happened to my cousin last month?"

Mason considered him closely and then asked, "Have you talked to your cousin?"

"I have but she won't budge. She has always been a stubborn little thing," he said fondly.

Brady snorted and said, "That is putting it mildly."

"My grandfather knows that something has happened. He is trying to allow Bonnie to come to him in her own time," Cesare explained.

"That is a wise course of action," Mason replied. "You know that my hands are tied. I cannot betray Bonnie's confidence."

He nodded. "I know. I am asking you to pass on a message to Damon. My grandfather is old but he has not yet fallen into senility. He has drawn certain conclusions from the strange happenings these last few weeks-including Bonnie suddenly visiting Shadow Hills. Giuseppe harmed our Bonnie and yet he lives. My grandfather will be making the trip here very soon. If Giuseppe is still drawing breath when he arrives…the Salvatores will pay a very steep price. Others have been killed for far less."

"Bonnie will not be pleased that Big John is meddling. She has a plan and it is a good one, Cesare."

"I am sure that she does. No one is questioning Bonnie's leadership, but this is a matter of pride and respect. They walked into our home, broke bread with us, and asked for favors while Giuseppe roamed free with the blood of our kin on his hands. It will not stand. I will speak to Bonnie on the matter tomorrow. I do not want to tarnish her night. You make sure Damon knows that he is on a clock."

"Will do," Mason replied.

Cesare smiled and then stood up. "I believe I will go downstairs. I rather like the music they are playing."

Cristian nodded in Brady and Mason's direction before following his older brother.

Brady asked, "What are you going to do?"

He shook his head. "I'll talk to Bonnie first but he is right. Damon took a risk when he met with Big John without telling the truth. He is going to have to face up to the consequences. If the old man is feeling generous, the consequences will take the form of cash considerations. If not…"

Brady was about to reply but stopped when he heard heels clicking against the floor.

A few moments later, Tyler arrived with Matt and his girlfriend.

Mason was drinking a shot of tequila. "Where the hell have you been? Bonnie said that you were just parking the car."

"I was but Dad called me," the younger man replied. His tight expression spoke to how well the conversation had gone. He asked, "Where are the girls?"

Mason nodded his head down. "Dancing."

Tyler walked over to railing and looked for Bonnie on the dance floor. He spotted her dancing with the other girls and relaxed. He was still uncomfortable with her being in Klaus's club.

Mason smiled at Davina. "How are you doing, sweetheart?"

"I'm good," she said shyly.

Matt walked over to Brady and shook the older man's hand. However, he also slipped him a baggie of tainted drugs discreetly.

Brady asked, "Are we good?"

He nodded and lowered his voice. "It's from the same batch that those college students overdosed on a few months back. The dealer Tyler and I stole those from is very dead. How are you going to get John to take it?"

Brady grinned. "That's where Luce comes in. Speaking of Lucy, I had better go get her. It's never a good idea to leave her alone for too long."

Mason chuckled because he knew Lucy well. He said, "Good luck…"

Tyler said, "I am going to head down there, too."

Mason lifted an eyebrow at his nephew.

"Don't worry. The only person's wife I am going to dance with tonight is yours," Tyler replied with a grin.

He snorted. "Go ahead. She doesn't want you."

"You keep telling yourself that," he said as he walked away.