Family Bonds: Book 2 of Sista

by Blackstar1979

Family Bonds the sequel to Sista. The the Superstars and Sistas have been through a lot that have carved out bonds where there were none. Will the past rip apart the bonds that have been forged or make them stronger? Reviews are welcomed as always.

52. Chapter 52 Causes of Paranoia

Chapter 52 Causes of Paranoia

Up at Ivey Mansion Cassandra and Rapture drive up to the door. Rap was dropping her off because he had to go get fitted for his graduation suit. It was a dinner in his honor that was going to be held at Amy's place. Mark had invited her there representing LEGNA's local entertainment news as well, she still hadn't bought her own outfit for it but was hoping that since Sophie was coming home today that she could get help from the girls. She'd texted Sophie and got a response when Sophie got back on US soil. Sophie also said she had a few surprises for everyone. The gate reopened, and she sees Sophie and Luke pull in and park in Sophie's preferred spot.

Inside Luke's newest sports car when he comes to a complete stop he touches Sophie's arm as she was about to exit the car. "One more thing Mrs. Ivey-Sheldon." Confusion laces her features "Trust me you'll like this." Luke exits the car, jogs to the passenger side opens Sophie's door, and scoops her up in his arms. She knew what he was doing but it didn't dim the smile that took over her face. He carries her to the front door of their home and looks up for the camera system the door opens before Sophie could help by sliding her card through the slot since his arms were full of his wife. He carries her over the threshold. They quickly discover who opened the door for them. Luke says, "Thanks for the assist Tony." He then focuses back on his wife and kisses her saying "Welcome home my love."

Tony asked Sophie was she ok as Luke let's her back on her feet. "Yeah, I'm great." Sophie says looking back at her husband. Tony asked why Luke was carrying her then. "You want to cover that one babe?"

Janet who was watching them as she stood next to her boyfriend turns to Tony and says wistfully with an awe inspired smile on her face." It's tradition, At least it has been for centuries, since Luke didn't kidnap Sophie they are partaking in the more common twentieth century meaning of the tradition that is where the new groom carries his mate over the threshold to protect her from the demons of her past. It's like a gesture for good luck."

Bobby heads over to Ivey Mansion riding with Joy, he'd been losing it stuck in the house. It was good to get out even if it was just to head up to see his sisters. Sophie was coming home today. He'd missed her smart mouth giving him shit, hell he just missed her. He'd sent the packet to Harold for Adina, he'd had days to ask the correct questions and get answers, though he would not be busting the guy Conrad himself, he'd at the very least provided the paper trail which was the most he could do right now.

Over in Baltimore Adina is monitoring the workmen putting in the new security system. She was working from home today. When they returned home, Gregory had a talk with Conrad about breaking into her office while they were away, and Conrad had been very apologetic and blamed his failing memory. A package was delivered via messenger Adina takes it from her house manager who signed for it. After thanking her staff member, she heads into her bedroom since the workmen were in her office. The package was from Sophie's brother Robert. Adina had read about the attempt made on Chase's life and assumed that since Sophie's brother was injured that it would take a lot more time for something to get to her. She opens the package and her speed reading came back to her with a powerful vigor as her eyes engulfed the large bits of information. A knock sounds at her door. It wouldn't be Gregory he was at city hall. Folding the entire packet, she hides it without even a thought of why. "Just a minute." Conrad wasn't Gregory's father and Commander Harold Sean was on his way here to collect Conrad. Adina hoped he arrived and that everything went smoothly. She had to let Gregory know. She sent him a message, fearing that she would be overheard if she called. The knocking began again, that action told her that what she'd feared was truth. Conrad was at her bedroom door. Her house staff would not have bothered her further than to wait outside to speak with her when she opened the door. They would not have insensately knocked again in such a short period of time. Armed with Gregory's prized Katana that she'd plucked from its rack on the wall, she eased to the side of the doorframe and asked who it is? She catches a glimpse of herself standing by the door holding the long sword as if it were a bat and had to laugh at herself. She looked like she felt, afraid and a bit foolish. She'd never even fenced what the hell was she going to do with a 7-foot shaft of steel? She would have preferred one of the firearms Sophie had given her when it was official that she would move here to Baltimore, at the very least she knew how to shoot. The firearm was in the closet unloaded in the lock box. She had to think, which was hard to do with Conrad beating the absolute fuck out of her door. She couldn't engage the system because if even one of the workmen for whatever reason had taken off their company name plate that was attached to their jacket the system may zero in on them as an intruder. This thought came to her as she'd seen one of their house staff walking about in only jeans and a tee shirt because of the rising temperature in their home due to having the cooling system disabled to that part of the house. The sword was becoming heavy. She puts it down and moves toward her closet she'd get the gun, as she reaches the door she stops and thinks with dread was this what Gregory's mother did? She didn't want to die in her closet. Did bullets have an expiration date? Suddenly the door gave way and in an instant, she was staring at Conrad. His eyes were wild. When he reached at his belt Adina grabbed the nearest thing to her and hurled it at him hitting him in the face, blood sprays on contact. He crumpled to the floor and Adina made her escape. She didn't know where she was running but she was leaving this upper floor.

Moments before, Conrad stood on the other side of the massive door to his son's bedroom and beat on it. The cunt had locked him out of her office. He needed their damn files if he was going to make this work. He hated working blind he wanted all access to the house again. His act wasn't cutting it with the woman of the house. He'd showed her his temper and tried to cover it up. He needed money and access to their files and damn- it he would get both. Gregory was away at work. That left him, the house staff, and Adina. No one believed Gregory's mother's tales after she woke alone in hospital. The authorities believed him, her heart sick lover, that had come bearing horrible news. He'd taken Gregory and raised him, now the little bastard owed him. He wanted the files that would allow him to repeat what he'd attempted to Gregory and his mother, but this time Conrad Frost would succeed. The door gives way he pushes himself in. She was near the closet, before he could pull the kitchen knife he'd pinched at breakfast or say anything she picked up a glass elephant and threw it at him, he tried to duck but his reflexes were slower than his mind, the glass hit him hard right between the eyes. It took him off his feet on to his back. He glimpses the ceiling, excruciating pain registered briefly, then blackness claimed him.

Outside the room Adina runs headlong down to the main floor. Half out of breath she dials Sophie's number and says in a rush "Sophie he broke down my door, but I think I broke his face. No, he's still up there bleeding on my carpet. Agent Harold hasn't arrived yet to my knowledge." Sophie snaps an order for her to take a deep breath before she passed out. Adina follows the sharply given directive of her friend. Her house manager tells her that a slew of federal vehicles had just arrived requesting entry. "I believe he is here. Grant access." Sophie tells her to call Gregory "I will I promise." Adina met Commander Harold Sean at the front door along with her house manager and tells him in quick burst who was at the house and what happened and where she'd left Conrad Frost. Always the perfect hostess Adina says, "I can show you to my bedroom suite that is where he hopefully still is."

Harold eyes the jittery woman and says in an official tone "Mrs. Frost that won't be necessary thanks to Ivey Home Defender though it is not fully active right now we have the most recent blueprint of the domicile but thank you I must ask that you and your house staff and anyone not a part of my team either stay in the office or head into the den on this level. She says yes sir and her and what must be her head of house staff heads into the room off to the side of the huge atrium. Harold cues his men to enter and they move up the stairs. He speaks to his men on his shirt com. "I want this clean as possible."

Over at city hall Gregory had felt uneasy when he'd received the text message his wife sent him, and he became very alarmed when she had not replied to his last message. He'd told her to leave the house and wait for Agent Harold. He walked the length of his office a dozen times trying not to panic. He didn't dare call her she'd said at the end of her message of information overload that she was afraid of being overheard. Grabbing his jacket, he walks out of his office, his admirative assistant asked was there something she missed. "No, I need to go home. My wife may very well be in danger."

Up inside the bedroom Conrad came back into consciousness with a roaring headache. Looking around he hears her speaking to someone he had to stop her. There was still time. He tries to lift his head and dizziness made him lie back down. He must have passed out again because the next thing he knows what is left of the door opened, and a small army of men walked in and one of them started yelling at him to stay where he was. He was instructed to put his hands out to his sides. An idea popped in his head. "Why are you treating me like I'm the intruder that attacked me, I live here? They could still be here, my daughter is here if they didn't take her." One of the younger men with his gun in hand shouts for him to move his hand away from his side now. "Oh no please if you're the second wave of robbers I think the early birds got the worm as afar as valuables. Please don't hurt me."

Harold speaks in his professionally detached tone as Robert had once called it. "Mr. Conrad Stevens I will now advise you of your rights to get that out of the way." Harold recites the Miranda to Conrad. The man looked at him and then tried to say that wasn't his name that his name was Conrad Frost. "Don't interrupt me, I will repeat do you understand your rights?" Conrad says yes but says his name is Conrad Frost "That is information I'm sure will come up at your trial but as of now I will address you by your birth name. If you don't want this room to be where you take your last breath you will cooperate with my team. Are you armed other than the knife on the floor beside you?" Conrad looks at the knife as if he just noticed it was laying by his side. "Hold your positions Mr. Stevens don't move, that knife will get you killed if you move towards it." Harold walked closer telling Conrad what he is going to do. "I'm going to move the knife away from your reach and search you if you move while I'm near you that will be very deadly for you." Harold walks closer gloves his hands and picks up the knife. One of the team takes it by the hilt and drops it in an evidence bag. He then searches Conrad and comes away with a pocket sized can of lighter fluid, strike anywhere matches, and lots of folded paper. "Planning a cook out?" Conrad said nothing. "Smart answer. Ok please remember that you have almost 12 highly train snipers with an array of weaponry focused on you. Sit up, put your hands behind your back, I'm going to cuff you, and then we will assist you in standing." Conrad asked did this mean that he was under arrest. "Very much so." Conrad goes on to say that he didn't think he could sit up because of the attack from the early bird robbers. After securing all the things taken from Conrad's pockets and the other can of lighter fluid from under his shirt, Harold and one of his team helps Conrad on to his feet. Conrad nearly falls over. The sudden lurch to the floor almost cost Conrad his life if his eyes hadn't rolled to the back of his head. They lay him back down and Harold radios for a med crew on his shirt com. The med crew is given clearance and soon takes the bloody unconscious man out on a stretcher.

Inside the den Adina calls her husband, today was full of craziness. Adina hears the tension in her lover's voice as he answers. "Gregory…Greg I'm ok. I am in the den they just took him out on a stretcher. How are you doing with all of this?" He takes a shuddering breath and says that he was just glad she was ok. He says he is on his way and again asked was she ok. "Yes, lover I'm fine. I'm sorry, I called earlier but got your admin. I'll tell you more when you arrive."

Back at Ivey Mansion everyone is super excited to hear what Sophie's surprise is. Luke almost spoiled it many times because he'd see something on one of the many lists he registered for on the way back and had to shut himself up before blurting out something baby related. Everyone including his parents and cousins were here for dinner. Luke really hoped his wife didn't want to wait until after dinner. Sheldon men were speculative by nature his father asked were they ok. "Yes, we're great. It's well in my eyes a wonderful surprise." Then another surprise comes into the dining room lighting Luke's eyes with joy. His uncle Edmond was helped into a seat by his aunt. Luke moves across the dining room and to his uncle's side. He speaks to Edmond and even gets a chance to hold his newest baby cousin. Sophie soon stands near the head of the table and taps her spoon on her glass drawing everyone's attention. Luke retunes to her side as she announces that they are going to have a baby. Everyone is super happy for them and Luke hears a distant voice and looked around for the source, he then sees Adina and Gregory on Sophie's phone sitting on the table facing them inside a vid chat window. He was happy that she was able to spread some good news with her best friends after such a traumatic ordeal earlier today.

After everyone settles down Chase stands up and announces that with the recent arrest of the current mayor and other local government officials that were exposed at city hall he would soon be announced as the new Mayor. Amy was just as happy and shocked as everyone else. She hugs Chase kissing him repeatedly and squeezes him until he winces and taps her arm. She let's go and says "Oh my, not only do we get another baby to spoil, I'm so overjoyed for you Sophie and Lucas, and Chase my mate, is going to clean up this town so all of his grandbabies will have a nice place to live I call this a win win."

After dinner Sophie agrees to help Cassandra find the perfect outfit for Rapture's event. Cassandra shows Sophie some of the ideas she had come up with. As Sophie sat munching on a chocolate candy cluster they'd brought back with them. Luke comes over and takes bite sucking on her finger. He whispers in her ear about how he liked the taste of both her and the candy, making her blush. Cassandra gets up and says she had a few other things to do tonight besides watch the reenactment of how Sophie became pregnant. Luke chuckles unashamed of making Cass uncomfortable.

Cassandra heads up to Joshua's music room where he was not so patiently waiting for her system to prove the photos and old ass video of him was the original or a copy. She knew this was wigging him out even if her little brother tried to act as if he didn't give a shit. He asks what all the shit meant on her screen as she enters the room. She started the program 2 hours before dinner now three hours later Cassandra walks over to her system and sighs. She really wanted to tell him that he had the only photos, but she would not start lying to him. "Josh The good news is that the video is the original but by this being such an old type of film, my system really can't say if it has been duplicated. If it was digital, it would be able to be verified. With it being and older film type, there is no tags or shadows to say if it has been copied. I'd say let Gloria try since she is older and has more experience with older media than I do. Joshua disregards her last statement about the assistant partner of LEGNA and asks about the photos. "Finally, an easy one." Cass thinks to herself as she answers with certainty. "Those are the originals, the negatives that were included were not copied." She sees some tension leave her brother's stance as he sighs and leans on his desk. He says he'd ask Chase before he'd ask the person that put Alex in his fucking path in the first place. "Josh you are really going to have to let that go. With all that is necessary to properly produce Personal Touch at the level of LEGNA. Jonathon taking it on as a solo project for fear that you guys will distance yourself from him is burning him out." Joshua opens his mouth with fire in his eyes. "No listen to me I'm not saying that you would or that you have to love Gloria but let her do her job on your behalf before Jonathon ends up hurt or dead. He doesn't leave the office until he's done which sometimes isn't for days, yes, he shares some of the load with Angel, but it is stuff Angel did before and a few new tasks, the brunt of your production and the numerous other bands he co produces is on Jonathon alone. I watched him one night from a far and thought he was drunk. He walked into the glass door to my office so hard and just stood there stunned until I opened the door. I'm worried about him." Joshua asked her had Jonathon shared the part about his fear of distance with her or. "Yeah he did. I tried to tell him that would not happen all he said was that he didn't come all this way to fail anymore of his kin."

After uttering a curse, Joshua crossed his arms over his chest. "When did he tell you this? Why didn't you tell me before now?" Cass tells him that she thought he'd said it before to them, but she guessed he had not. "No, I would have remembered that. Is she even back yet I heard that she was out of the country?" Cass says yes Gloria returned a few days ago and literally made Jonathon go home last night. "I'll talk to him and if you think Gloria would be better suited to see if those videos have been copied I'll ask her, hell she knows most of this shit anyway cause just like dad said when he had me researched he had Gloria do the digging. This in no way means that I want her here in my home, but I need to know if there is another reel out there floating around I also don't need dad exhausting himself. I didn't know he took what was said like that. I thought he made that decision based purely on his own level of trust in her." Cass says that was a part of it but not the bigger picture. "I guess with everything going on I really didn't think about the amount of work he was taking on when he offered to produce us solo. Thanks for letting me know about the pictures that is a weight lifted, and like you said I don't have to like her just let her do her job, as long as she keeps it professional, so will I."

Joshua heads into JC's room and helps Angel get him down for the night. As they head into their room Angel sets the baby monitor to one sided sound, so they could hear JC during the night. Joshua tells her what Cassandra said about the pictures and about talking to Gloria. As Angel levels up to blast that idea to bits he tells her about Jonathon taking them on managing them solo along with all the other bands and solo acts he co-managed and how it was wearing him out. Angel says the same thing he did about her father taking them on because of his trust in Gloria not his fear of them distancing themselves from him. Angel thinks about what she said that day in the kitchen and saw where her father could possibly get the idea. She says she will talk to her father. Joshua says he wanted to as well because he didn't want Jonathon making himself sick trying to do the job of two or more people. They call Jonathon he picks up and answers his personal phone "LEGNA Recording May I…" then hurriedly greets them. Angel looks at her phone just in case she'd slipped up and called him through LEGNA's phone tree. Nope, she'd dialed his direct number. They ask did he have time for a visit. He apologizes for missing Sophie and Luke's homecoming if that is what she was asking about but he was really swamped right now. Angel asks was he home. He says yes and ask her what they needed. Joshua chimes in and says what Cassandra told him and asked was that what truly drove him to manage them solo. He says hold on and must have muted the call. When he returned he must have went outside because his background sounded different.

Jonathon walked out on the patio. "Cassandra spoke the truth." His children say that is not what they said. "Son, when I spoke of producing your band solo the relief on my girl's face told me all I needed to know. I do not wish to risk being pitched from either of your lives if I can help it at any cost. I'd spent the last 25 or so years away from you my Angel and I don't intend on letting something or anything within my control jeopardize this bond." Joshua tells him if he needed the assistance of Gloria to please add her back to the production team because he would feel like a ton of shit if his dad worked himself to death trying to play super producer. His Angel says for him to please add Gloria back to the co-production team of Personal Touch or give her more to do anything to lessen the work stress he was under. "So, you weren't sending a warning my way?" He mentions the extra time it took him to be cleared into the house that day.

Angel spoke up "No, dad that day was very much filled with mistrust. The night before when everything came out it pissed Joshua off it pissed me off that she would do that stuff. I in no way wanted you to feel that it was a choice you had to make." Angel takes a breath and continues. "It's just, if I must work with her then so be it I still don't trust her personally, that will take time if it ever happens, but if you trust her professionally, which you do, or you would have never kept her on so long, then I trust your professional judgment. I still don't want her around my home. I checked your log after Joshua told me what Cass said. Dad no more 47 hour shifts please. Joshua tells him to add Gloria back to the co-producer position. Angel says "With us touring soon I don't want to come back and hear you let your fear of our distance make you work yourself into an early grave. I've lost one parent to mental illness, I don't want to lose you via you working to please us and damaging your own health I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you, because of me." He grew so silent that they looked to see if the connection was still there, it was. Joshua calls out to him.

Jonathon could hear the clear distress in his children's voices. "It is a relief to know how you truly feel. When I left the house that day I thought that I could manage it, that I had to. I'm glad we had this talk. I will reinstate her as co-production on your band Joshua." They soon get off the phone and Jonathon sits on the railing of his patio and takes a few deep breaths. He then heads back in the house to speak with his mate and business partner.

Gloria watched Jonathon walk out onto the patio and silently questioned his action of leaving the house to speak on the phone. After what seemed like an eternity John returned inside and sat across from her where he'd been working. He says they needed to talk. They had been talking before his phone rang and he'd dashed out onto the patio. He speaks of his fear that had drove him to cut her from co-production of Personal Touch. "John, I don't believe that is what they meant. They were or are angry and mistrustful of my actions and rightfully so. I have said it earlier and I'll say it again, I was way out of line."

John took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "I've have given it a devil of a try, but I guess I have become accustom to having your assistance. I need you to help me with the production of Personal Touch. They are a huge project as you very well know. I tried to do it all. Twenty years ago, I was able to manage many talents solo, now with more talent than I had back then needing production and or direction, If I am truthful with myself I found here lately I can't keep up." Gloria says she won't disappoint him. "I hope not, I hope that you will keep all communication with our talent professional only. You said it best they don't trust you personally, they agreed to tolerate your professional involvement because you are accommodating to me. Without you, my work load worries my children and they are willing to work with you again as co-production if for only the simple fact that you are good at what you do professionally and that you will reduce my work-hour count of which I have just found out that my girl has learned how to access." He says with a prideful smile. "Last year, at this time I was worried that Angel would not take a position here seriously because of who I am to her, when she quit before even signing that reinforced that thought pattern. To see my Angel learning and wanting to operate this business that I started with her in mind, just makes me so proud of her."

Gloria reveals to him something that he'd thought but had not said aloud, and that was his fear that with Angel's distance would come a stop of her continuing to be the legacy of the appropriately named business that he had built in a sense for three reasons. One was to work in a way that he could thrive, another reason he built LEGNA was so if she wanted it Angela could step into his space as the owner and operator of what he built for her. The last reason was to fill the void of his marriage and relationship with his baby girl. John says all true. Gloria reveals more of her own thoughts when she continues. "After Angela walked into your office last year telling you she could not join the company. Do you remember what I asked you?" He says vaguely. "I asked you what if your girl just really didn't want the business? Your somber tone when you said then you had done this for nothing speared me. The pain in your voice caused by your girl last year accepting and declining the contract in less than a day pissed me off even more than you were. Yours was a disappointment, mine was fury that she was hurting you like. So.." John eyed her, his lips thinned into a straight line, as he asked like whom. Gloria went on without answering that land mind of a question. "When you had me draft the second contract months later and called me the night Angela signed on, you were the happiest I'd heard you in years." John then stops her rambling reminded her of why Angel felt she could not join and brought Gloria's behavior towards his girl to the forefront. He asked was she still angry. Gloria had not seen the manifestation of her anger towards Angel in the form of transference. She sat back and examined her actions. "I guess it may have played a role because I feared, and sometimes still fear that she will hurt you again John."

Jonathon sits back and crosses his arms over his chest. Sighing to control his tone he says, "Your irrational anger at my daughter, because somewhere in your head you think she will act as her mother did is insane. My child is nothing like her mother." Gloria says that Angel never liked her. Jonathon sighs pressed his thumb and forefinger to his temples fighting off a headache as he asks, "Why would you say that?" Gloria mentions Angel's refusal to help plan their wedding. Lowering his hand, he meets her gaze. "You asked her the day after I'd hurt her, and foolishly used us." He points between them. "As a reason to blame her for something that was not her fault. You followed me to my girl's home, even when I asked you to remain here. Your actions are the one that hurt me here lately because your behavior stood to jeopardize my bond with you. I love you, I honestly do. As my son is fond of saying, as for your concern that that my daughter will hurt me, It's not your call. I do hope this is the last of your misplaced anger driven toxic behavior towards my family. Let this conversation die in this fucking room right now, never to be revived." Gloria nods, and Jonathon stands and heads to bed. He was worn-out both from working another long day, and the emotional roller-coaster of the past hour.

Up at Ivey Mansion Candy and Bradley are lying in bed talking. What Bradley wanted to bring up probably wouldn't be considered pillow talk, but he wanted to say this for a time now, and now was better than never. He'd moved in with Jazz straight out of the house that he'd shared with Cass. Being able to say he was in the works of having a home that he out right owned was a huge step into the comfortable stable direction. All he needed was about three more nice sized contracts and he could pay Logan the rest of the price they agreed on. "Babe, I've been thinking, don't worry it didn't hurt that bad." She giggles at his bad joke. "But seriously, I'd like you to move in with me. I mean I don't mind coming up here and being with you or getting a chance to chill with my brother and his family, but I have an entire house in Dallas. My house could fit in the living room of this place but it's mine or soon will be. I love you, and I want to build with you." She looks at him then sits up. When she said she didn't know about that considering if he ever got pissed at her he would toss her out and she'd be homeless. "Wow that stings, I think I know where that came from but please enlighten me on why you think I'd ask you to move in with me, if all I wanted was to send you packing the first time we didn't agree on something? Hell, there have been many things we didn't agree on and I'm still right by your side. Last time we did fight what I do I took a fucking walk, so don't lump me in with your ex men, at least do me that favor. Last weekend when you were at the house you seemed to be relaxed. Or did I miss something?" She says no his place is great. She then asks what Josh and Angel would think, because she didn't want them to think she was leaving for any corrupt reason, like before they talked things out. "Well before you guys talked you were trying to wait them out. Since I'm not either one of them I could only guess that if you were happy with the idea, that they would be happy to see you moving forward with your life. Babe, you sold your place, great, you didn't want to go back to a place that has many demons for you I get that. You feel safe here, I get that, but when are you going to be ready to make your next move. As you can see by the announcement made today, this household is growing. If it's just me, you don't want to move in with just say it. If it's Dallas say that. Like I said I want to build with you. I am finally on my way to becoming a stable adult and I would love for the woman that lives in my heart to live in our home. A place we can add to and make comfortable for us both. Those little weekend moments I'd love to get to see you more. I know sometimes you'll be touring, but I still want when you come home, it's to me in our place."

Candy looks down at her mate as he leans back on his elbows looking up at her with those whiskey colored eyes. The bruises in his hairline from his attack stood out against his tanned skin. In such a short time Bradley Albert Davenport had become so important in her life, that scared her. He asked her what was it that made her homeless comment come flying out of her mouth. She'd been thinking about the session that helped get everything out in the open and how if her mate had not of come up with that great idea that she probably would have ended up with nowhere to stay. She guessed someone had told Sophie, because this afternoon she was out on the patio and Sophie came outside and asked to speak to her. Sophie wasn't interested in the small talk Candy attempted she just said point blank she heard what was said and strongly advised against a repeat or she didn't give a shit where Candy roamed but it would not be here at her home where she could continue to stress out or disrespect her family. Then there was the short time she'd dated Bradley, she would look like a hypocrite she says just that to him and explains about what she said about the speed of Joshua and Angel's relationship.

"Babe, I'm a lot of things but I'm not my brother, and you're not Angel. Are you so worried about what we look like to others that you are willing to wait until when some magazine tells you it's ok to move forward? If I've learned anything, I learned life is short and sometimes fragile, no one is promised a second more than destiny allows. It really doesn't matter how long you date someone. Hell, I followed, lived with, lusted after and dated Jazz for almost 16 years and felt nothing like what I felt that first night with you. It's not how long you know someone, time is not my tape measurer of quality, infatuation, or of love." Candy says he has a point because he was the best thing that ever happen to her on so many levels and it scared her how well they clicked. "How about you don't give me your answer right now, I'm not rushing you, it's a big decision, think it through and tell me what you decide, fair enough?" She nods and finally lays back down. Bradley pulls her against him kissing her on her forehead before he drifts off to sleep.

The next day Bradley went to his home to give Candy some space he really didn't want to rush her and have her blame him if they didn't work. He didn't want to be blamed for anything negative if he could help it. That thought latched on to the way Jazz had blamed him for her aunt's store getting barbecued and tried to set him up. The fact that it was Jazz's sick payback still shook him. He couldn't really think of why Candy and he wouldn't work but this was life, and anything could happen. He'd seen both sides of life's game. He'd seen shit go great like his bro and his newest sister, then he'd seen the other half of the circle like how Cass's marriage imploded. He turns on some rock with a heavy beat and started cleaning his home. He wanted to believe that Candy was his "Forever and Always." As the song Angel wrote for Personal Touch's first album featuring her as the frontwoman blared throughout his home system . After thoroughly cleaning his place he walks out on the patio and starts to draw the design for the add-on to the house that he had been talking to Logan about. He wanted this to be a safe place for his woman if she moved in. Though the garage wasn't attached to the house he wanted a closed-in pathway to the mudroom. His phone rings with an unassigned number, he hits mute and answers. "This is Bradley," the voice that meets his ears makes him clench his jaw and push end. He blocks the number, shoves the phone back in his pocket, and turns up the volume on his music.

Over at LEGNA, Joshua and the band rehearse for their tour. Their stage was going to be smaller for the first venue they were going to play. Two newer bands were opening for them. Personal Touch were to perform 6 songs and that meant that their set was an hour 20 minutes give or take. After rehearsal and going through the entire list Joshua thanks the other two band leads as the tech shuts off the mics. Gloria walks in and asks for Joshua to please join her in her office. He says sure and follows her. Earlier today he'd given her the video that Alex had and asked her if they were copied. She tells him that this was the original reel, but her system suggested that it has been converted into digital at the very least twice. She had a still shot of the video on her computer and showed him the same picture on a very disliked webpage. Joshua stared at the old not widely used webpage logo and sighs. Alex had dumped his image onto an underground video sharing page that was originally created to share home movies with far away loved ones. The page had been shut down many times but would just change its location and pick up where it left off. It's users now shared stolen pics and video from performers personal pages and even e-mail accounts and helped their fans stalk them. This site was the site that had helped Lonnie's killer know that she was going to be at a concert at The Davenport as a fan. Joshua looked at the corner of the screen where he was prepared to see his name as it was, or as it is. It listed him as Boy Smyth A.K.A Joshua Davenport of Davenport Lightening. This told Joshua that Alex had posted this shit long before he'd threatened too. At the end of the page he got his answer in blue lettering, he read aloud the text that seemed to jump off the screen at him. "Posted by Alex Mega-Fan Knight. Dec, 2013" Gloria speaks and startles him, he'd forgot she was even in the room as he scrolled down and saw video thumbnail after thumbnail of his younger self.

Gloria saw how engrossed her talent was in her screen she hadn't meant to startle him. "I want to say that I have put our partners Ivey Legal onto this. So far, I have not found that he has taken any of our musical content as Davenport Lightening or Personal Touch. This is an old post but…" Joshua's flinch as she had begun speaking stopped her words. When he looked at her as if seeing her there for the first time she continues. "Joshua, I am sorry for my part in steering this part of your life back into the present."

Joshua was numb to her apology and just shrugged as he says in a defeatist tone "According to this, he started this attack even before he got help from you. Thanks for what you were able to find at least I know it's out there. As for your apology, you just gave him more updated information to use later. If we are done here I have to get going." She dismisses him, and he heads towards Angel's office. He had done all he could to keep his fucking accounts private, he'd set most of his emails with a special secure program, and most people knew not to try to contact him outside of his Music Nation page. It was time to go home. Trevor surprised him by being in Angel's office when he walked in. "Hey Trev, what's up?" Trevor tells him that Connie and he were wondering if he wanted them. "I don't follow, want you for what exactly?" Trevor says to play this tour. "What? Yeah, that's how this works." Joshua says confused. Thinking of one of the last things Alex said about having people changed Joshua's tone. "Is there a reason we would no longer want you around us?" Trevor says that he received a letter informing his wife and himself that they were on probation and listed a breach of contract that they did not commit. Joshua holds out his hand, he was tired of shit floating around with his signature on it. Trevor hands him the folded three-page document. Joshua looks up and says, "You got this before rehearsal and didn't think to bring it to my attention?" Angel comes over and looks at it with him she points at words and the design on the paper. Joshua looks back up as the bass player says that the letter was in his instrument storage here after they were packing up to leave. Angel speaks up since she didn't want Joshua's paranoia tainting a so far good relationship with the Bayley couple. "Trevor, I don't know who sent you this, but number one, this isn't LEGNA letterhead, and number two, Joshua would have spoken to you, way before now if you had of trashed a hotel room on our tour in Vegas. May I have this? I'd like to send it off to see if we can determine who sent it and how they were able to circulate it inside this building, and more importantly into your instrument locker." Trevor says of course. Joshua tells him the next date for practice and then thanks him for bringing it to his attention.

Angel stands by her window watching Joshua return from walking Trevor to the door. "So, did you find out anything from Gloria? Was she able to tell if the video has been reproduced or not?" He looks at her and tells her all of it. Angel moves to her computer. Joshua walks briskly towards her and ask her please not to do go to the site. "Joshua as the liaison between the talent and the…" He says he remembers exactly the day that video was taken, and she was not going to like it. He then tells her what day it was. Angel took her hand off the mouse as if it burned her. "You said he wasn't there when that happened?"

Joshua rubs a hand over his face. He points at the back of her monitor and says "That video was taken the day before my last trip down the stairs at their hands. The thumbnail is a still shot of me running out of the kitchen because I'd fucked up Brenda's stupid fucking drink. All you're going to see depending on if Alex followed James or not. If Alex followed James, you'll get to see James knock my ass clear from the living room back into the kitchen, if not you'll just see me getting up coming back in and Brenda telling me if I had of done it right I wouldn't have to go to my field trip with a busted lip and telling me to say that I fell off my nonexistent fucking bunkbed for the thousandth time." He hadn't realized that he was yelling until Angel flinches as his voice echoes in her spacious office. "I'm sorry for yelling, first the meeting with Gloria then seeing that shit, now we got some person or people handing out probationary notes to the band with my name attached. This has been one hell of a day." Joshua slumps in the stuffed chair off to the side of her desk.

Angel says "Babe it has been a long day. You just surprised me is all, I am not going to watch that I just want that site down." Joshua says that it would just pop back up in a few days and the video would still be there. He tells her how the site kept somehow retaining its data after every shut down attempt. "Not the way I'm thinking of getting it shut down." Angel calls Bobby. Joshua smirks at her, she smiles back, it wasn't her husband's infamous cocky grin, but it was better than the anger or sadness in his eyes. When her brother answers she says, "Hey Bobby, I need a fan favor." He says considering he is bored out of his mind he'd love to help her, but if he left his house, his pregnant girlfriend just might kick his ass. "I think if I even suggested you leave the house she'd come after me too. No, like I said before I need a "fan favor" there is a site. Why? Um," Angel looks at Joshua, he shrugs. Angel tells Bobby the site's name, then says that site is how the person knew where Lonnie was and that it had stolen video of Joshua on it. Bobby says in an official capacity he couldn't do anything. Angel can soon hear Bobby typing, he says he must go. Her brother sounded amped and she hoped she read his coded words correctly. After hitting end, she says to her mate. "I think he is going to be able to do whatever he did to that Scorned AI page." With a mischievous smirk of her own, Angel checks her Music Nation fan chat and sure enough Angelfan77 popped up greeted a few fans and said they were off to play a game. Angel shows Joshua the message. Joshua asks now what. "Now we wait." Joshua asks can they do that at home. "With all the crap going on today I'd prefer it, let's go."

Deep under the Vargo Mansion, the second home of Henriette Valentin-Vargo, Deon Valentin-Vargo waits for the implosion he set up. He would tear Personal Touch apart from within using the oldest tactic he had in his limited for now arsenal, which was divide and conquer. Separate them and he could position himself to quiet Candy and Angel, he got into LEGNA and up to the 70th floor before he could do it again. Their trials were postponed because of all the government officials having to go through their own criminal trials. Emergency elections were being held all over the greater Granville areas North and South. When his wife sent word to him that there was another mansion that had not been compromised, Deon's fear of being caught evaporated and he became the happiest he'd been since marrying Henriette. He was now in charge of not only the family, but he was closer to toppling LEGNA because he had a fully functioning recording agency at his beck and call with his newest last name on it. Vargo Recording was going to smash into the scene and steal it. His wife would be so pleased when she got out. Deon used his new contacts to get Viv out of jail early. She smiled at the camera. Oh, how shocking it would be to see the new band he built, go up against his former band. When he'd seen Vivian Arrow, walk into the location he had set up rehearsal a smile touched his lips as he sat back and listened to the guitarist, her talent was never the problem. She was passionate and fell for Joshua's charm just as his ex-fiancé had. Next were all the surviving members of Angel's former band Angelic Impression, such talent wasted for all this time was a sin committed against the industry. His little local band had started making noise. The new band's name was Loose Ends.

Over at the hospital, Mark exits Kevin's room and calls his wife. He'd been coming back and forth up here for a few weeks now and seeing Kev's wife Beth lose and reclaim her composer just made him want to talk to his own wife. "Hello darlin, yeah Kevin is still in a coma and it's just been an all-around tough week for the family. It was touch and go last night they almost lost him this morning. I have respect for them, but I just can't stand hospitals no matter what their rating is. I keep telling the family he's in the best place, and must keep telling myself it's better than the one Nina was in." Mark runs his hand through his now almost waist length hair. They chat for a time, just hearing her voice and hearing the twins in the background improved his mood. They soon close the call and Mark walks back into the room.

Over at a high elevation that sat mere blocks away from LEGNA making the skyscraper look like a toy Maxwell Stalk Wolfe sits in his massive penthouse at the sheer top of Ivey Suites. His number one had just asked him a question. "We are a bit chatty tonight I see. I'll have your report, then we can speak casually if you wish. The woman?" Salvatore Fenny Paradise tells him that Gloria Fenny is still in a loving relationship with Jonathon L. McBride. Wolfe nods and takes a sip of champagne. "The child?" His number one says that Glenn Dale Conner is well and taken care of. "How excellent, have you removed any trace of the detective's wife?" an affirmative was given. "Our cover for the drug operation is not in good hands I want that dealt with soon. I hate working with apprentices, so much to teach so little time. Have you been informed about Vargo Recording and Vargo's new pet leader? I was rather surprised to see that label produce another group." Paradise says that he has a meeting with one of the executives to get answers. Wolfe sighs and says. "I don't care how you do it just get it done. Please do mention to your suit to tell Henriette's pet novice, that I do implore a fee for working without my blessing. On to other business, has our den lawyer aided Mr. Alex Knight?" Sal says yes Knight was released on bond. Wolfe waves his hand in a silent invitation for Paradise to sit across from him. "Now, you have come with a query on your tongue?"

Sal asks, "So, I get your support of the producer, but if you don't mind me asking, why are you championing Chase Ivey? Now that he has the mayoral seat won't our den in this area be in danger? Do you at least have something on him to keep him in line?"

Wolfe sits back, eyes his number one soldier and says, "First off, if I minded your query, you wouldn't have a pulse. Secondly, years ago I would have thought of some the same things you're thinking right now. Den business will not be harmed, once I remove the false head of the other mob family the infighting will cease to draw attention to us, be it by death, or by government intervention," Sal raises an eyebrow. Wolfe shrugs and says in a bored tone. "I still owe a few federals a prize for helping us watch the child. As for Chase W Ivey, his decision to go along with the ruse of dating the little mother even at the risk of his own success to save the little one gained him my respect and with it my support. I don't do protection business in this area anyway, so the only thing that we would have to remove from the fine towns of Grandville are the drugs. I don't need anything on him, we have met I don't believe he knew who I am and that is safer for both parties. I have a query for you. Why are you harming my den members in protection of Gloria Fenny? Are you feeling homesick?"

Salvatore laughs "To feel homesick would be to suggest I have a home. Not to say that I don't own property but that is more for necessity and image. Can't have the number one solider of a successful den living below the poverty line or appearing to, now can I?" Sal knew this conversation was bound to happen, lucky for him he was very convincing, or he had no doubt that he'd be made to vanish like a fucked-up magic trick. "As for my hurting Alex Knight he was threatening her, when people are threatened by many people at once they do things that could alleviate the stress in a negative way, she off herself we have no leverage to use her later. Alex was using our computers in an unsecure fashion that could lead back to the main den location to track her. He also annoys me." Wolfe smiles and says that he was priming Alex to take over the drug operation. But with him awaiting a trial he may not be the most focused. "That and he is on his way out due to his heath it would be a very short assignment, there is no way in hell his kid is going to help him. Tactically, what he wants it isn't worth the risk, Alex wants us to take the bandleader or his son. My problem with that is number one, then what, we have doctors on the pay roll they are not on the banned list for the kind of work Alex needs done. They are paid to remove bullets. We touch the bandleader and or his kid if things go south at any point or if Chase gets wind of our den messing with his family is not good business. Going head to head with Chase is a minus against keeping our line of work low on the radar he's paranoid, protective, and rich. Anyone that has armored most of his vehicle fleet against firepower higher than a tank blast and isn't a criminal, isn't all there," Sal points to his own head to make his point. "and not someone I'd like to challenge if I don't have to." Wolfe says he has a point. After a few more minutes of lighter conversation and finishing off a bottle of wine Salvatore leaves to head to his own residence. Upon entering, he sets his alarm and heads into his shower to wash off the smell of his own fear. Wolfe's question about him being homesick was surly a test. He never felt like a part of a family after Gloria's mother was killed, he started this little dance with Wolfe to one day bring him down for hunting and killing his aunt he didn't give a rat's ass about his uncle he was loved by Gloria's mother. Sal knew he would be watching for any unusual tails for a while. Just because he was able to walk out of that building tonight didn't mean he was safe. If Salvatore allowed Wolfe to think he was trying to sabotage the operation or had lost his nerve he'd be dead. He just hoped that his words about not helping Alex Knight make their operation hot, sunk into his boss's head, not just make him appear weak for not wanting a war they couldn't win. What Wolfe didn't know was that Chase had more protection than a few well-placed agents on his fucking payroll. Where you wondered if Chase was a bit mental at times, you had no doubt that Joey, Chase's security buddy was certifiable. No one took out a power leader and the top tier of her organization with no traces. There was always a line to follow the tricky part was keeping that information for the right time if Wolfe didn't put a bullet in Sal's head.

Cassandra, Sophie, Angel, and Candy all go shopping for outfits for Rapture's big night. It was the first time since the Vegas tour that Candy and Angel had been shopping together in any capacity. Angel wasn't kidding when she said that she fears letting Candy as close as they once were before Candy opened her big mouth. Where there was once a letting down of her guard when shopping Angel seemed uncomfortable which made Candy feel like the third wheel. "Hey, I'm just going to head out." Sophie says bye and continues looking through a rack of dresses. Angel points out that Candy didn't drive herself here.

Cassandra comes over and asks Candy if they could talk alone. "Sure." Candy drags the word through teeth as if it tasted bad. Cass rolls her eyes and takes her by the arm leading her away from Angel and Sophie. "Ok you can let go now." Cass lets her go with a little shove. Candy gets in Cass's face. "What's your problem I thought we were friends?"

Cass smiles and says "We are friends, that's why I want you to chill with the question circus you are putting on. Since we got to this mall you have asked Angel like 20 questions at every store. From how you like this dress? To what are you and Josh's plans for his birthday? My little sister told me how his last birthday went and based on that I can answer for her there is not going to be a party big or small. Enough with the mini interrogation. It's weird so stop it." Candy says she is or was always talkative with Angel when they shopped together it was shopping that got them back close last time. They talked about everything and now this time Angel gave more shrugs than words. "Ok fine you think asking her all kinds of questions this time is going to restore her trust with you? Last time she had it in her head that it was partly her fault, this time not so much. Bottom line find another less information gathering way. The entire reason she is less likely to blab to you stuff in her life is because, and this is no secret she's trusted you before and it did not go so well. Your thing in the limo was based off that same information sharing, so why would she want to give you new shit to use?" Candy says she wasn't going to do that anymore she just wanted her friend back the way they were. "That is going to take some time she let you into her circle because of your connection to Joshua found out you were cool, and you girls had stuff in common. Now I'm sure that did not happen in six or seven days. Angel trusts hard but not quickly. If you must talk, talk about you, don't ask her nothing that she may think is something you can use later. It worked for me, she didn't like that I was cruel to Josh heck I just didn't know another way existed where we didn't make each other uncomfortable when I stopped and started showing them both not just her, that I could correct the issue she began to be a little bit warmer than when we first met." Candy says she hadn't noticed that she was asking many personal questions just friendly ones but thinking about it she could see why some of them would not have been answered here in public. Cass says "Exactly, I didn't say this, and you didn't hear it from me, but you aren't the only one she is doing this with. Something was hinted by Alex about people they know, so for now Angel and Josh are really being careful with who they share with especially in public." Candy asked when did that happen? "You're doing it again, no more fishing please."

After talking with Sophie, Angel walks over and says if Candy wanted to go, one of the drivers could drive her back to the house.

Candy looks at her friend and says. "No, I still need a dress." Thinking of what Cass said, Candy figured the best way to not ask Angel questions about personal stuff was to lay her own personal stuff out into the air. "So, I'm glad we are getting a chance to shop but I need some advice." Angel sounds surprised when she asked from who. "From you silly." At the slight grimace on Angel's face Candy figured she would change the approach, one of Angel and her issues was that Angel warned her about Shea due to a promise she was trying to keep. "Well from all of you really, I mean it's a relationship question, and who better to ask than the closest sibling to the guy I'm dating, and two married chicks?" Candy tells them about Bradley wanting her to move in with him. They all look at her like there is more.

Sophie voiced what the girls were thinking. "Okay so do you want to move in with him?" Candy says yes but she doesn't know if it's too soon. "Too soon for who, you're a grown woman if you want to do it do it." Candy says what Bradley said about time not being his tape measurer. Sophie cuts in "He's right if it was all based on time dating, I wouldn't have married Luke. We knew each other as kids that was about it. I shudder to think that if it was only based on time dating, I would have married the guy I dated the longest which doesn't even live on this side of the world." Cass says she married the person that dated her the longest and it didn't work out so hot, perfect example of that was her insane divorce and all the shit that came after it.

Angel hugs herself looking at her ring and says "Since Joshua and I never dated in middle school or high school, if it was just based on time dating, Joshua would be married to his ex-girlfriend Kathy, and I would have got stuck with Braden, if he didn't kill me first."

Candy says, "I see your point the person I dated the longest was Deon and he proved that love isn't his plan for me anymore." Angel asks, what Candy said when Bradley asked her. She tells them and even speaks about her not wanting them to think she was leaving because of anything that happened.

Cass gets irritated and says, "So, that's why he went home? Wow, you think he would just up and put you out? I'm going to say this once, don't screw him over give him a yes or no. Bradley loves you. If I know my brother he's only going to wait so long. For every set of 24 hours you keep completely silent, he loses hope that it will happen, and before you know it he will stop coming around. You mean a lot to him but he's not going to beg you if that is what you are waiting on."

Angel pipes in "He shouldn't have to beg you. Him admitting that he wants to build with you is a big step. After all the crap you both have been through, him wanting to step out on the ledge of ever really putting in the work of loving someone is huge. As for you worrying what Josh or I will think. I say if you want to do it, go for it. He makes you happy, you guys don't physically fight, and except for you making him wait, you guys don't usually play mind games with each other. You could do worse. Don't chase away your potential "happily ever after" out of fear."

Candy puts down the dress she was holding and quickly hugs Angel. She just as quickly opens her arms from around Angel before she got drop moved or something. Angel's defensive tense led to only three things here lately, a self-defense drop move: where Angel would drop from your arms and leave you holding air, a headbutt since they were similar in height, or a cross choke that Joshua had taught her. Either way some things would never change unless she invited the contact, or it was her husband, sister, or father, her girl still didn't like to be touched. Candy put her hands out in a placative gesture and says, "Sorry and thank you." Angel says if she just didn't do that anymore would be thanks enough. "Deal"

Sophie rolls her eyes and says, "Go call your man, you damn space invader."

Days later, Rapture's big dinner and awards program go off without a hitch. After he is awarded, Rapture comes to the table that was designated for family, since he was short on family, his woman and his friends sat at his table and had clapped the loudest when his name was announced. These people who he hadn't known for long had more than showed him who had his back. They all congratulate him. "Thanks, and thanks for coming guys." Angel says they wouldn't miss his big day. Cassy gets up and hugs him. The dress she was wearing hugged her in all the right places. Bending down he whispers in her ear. "I'm going to have some real fun getting you out of this tonight. You look great babe." He says fingering the spaghetti strap that ran across the bodice of her midnight blue dress. Always the flirt, she smiles and cups his manhood through his slacks causing a rush of heat to course through him as he hardens in her hand. He kisses her a little harder than he intended, she moves her hand and wraps it around his back hugging him and putting her other hand on his face. When they both come up for air, her lips are swollen, and he'd stolen most of her blue lipstick. She pulls a disposable moist napkin from her purse.

Bradley was on cloud nine, his girl had agreed to move in with him. They finished moving all her stuff she was keeping from her old house that she had stored in Ivey Mansion's unused room over the garage. He leans over and kisses her which made her smile. He now knew what Joshua was talking about because seeing his woman happy instantly was infectious, because it made him happy to know that he had something to do with it. He at once would have never thought that he could live this life and love and be loved, not just use or be used to be a means to an end. Rapture's voice brings him out of his thoughts as he announces that there is an after party. Bradley turns to Candy she was practically glowing with excitement. Bradley shrugs and says "I guess we're in."

Luke says, "I'd love to stay and continue the celebration but with the amount of work that has been piling up I'm afraid I'm going to have to sit this one out." Sophie says she was tired and really needed to get some sleep before she headed back to Ivey Enterprises tomorrow. With their honeymoon this was the longest Luke and she had allowed themselves the luxury of not working. Luke had started getting memo updates the minute he turned his system on, and with all the trials starting up for the government officials her law office was buzzing with the officials that used Ivey Law. When the list grew to the point that Spencer asked to hire two more former lawyers that Strickland fired during the time of the merger, Sophie wasn't up for hiring someone based purely on someone else's word.

Since Sally and Michael had asked to watch JC at the house tonight. It was still kind of weird after all the Sally and Joshua stuff that went down, but they had to start somewhere but Angel felt it was time for her to head home and be with their baby. Bradley jokingly says that their dad probably had JC watching the sports channel on Joshua's huge tv in the den. Joshua shrugs and says maybe. They congratulate Rap once more before leaving. As Joshua pulls away from the curb he slams on the breaks to prevent hitting someone that ran out in the street. Joshua powers down the window and yells "Nice try asshole, but four tons of steel would kill you not just hurt you." with Angel's truck high beams on the person in an instant recognition dawned spiking his anger, "Move before I hit the gas." Vivian Arrow blows him a kiss and then runs off into the night.

"Well, I guess that was her way of telling us she's out of jail." Angel says as she looks in the rearview mirror to see if the team was still behind them. Joshua punched the gas and they sped up the hill towards home. Angel didn't mind the speed, after seeing that bitch all she wanted was to go home and be with her little family. Joshua says he was going to make a few calls when they got home. As they get inside, Joshua heads up the stairs, Angel heads straight into the den and sure enough her dad and her son were watching sports. Well JC was, Michael was asleep. Angel walks further into the room intent on picking up JC and letting Michael sleep Sally speaks from the doorway making Angel jump.

"Oh my, I thought you heard me walking in here. Where is Joshua?" Angel says he went up to his music room. "Ok he must have just fallen asleep." Angel says it was fine JC was on his well surrounded play mat. Sally takes a breath and says "That's a relief. I just didn't want you or Joshua to disallow us the chance to keep him while you guys are on tour just because Michael fell asleep. I was heading back in here to check on them both, Michael is more nervous about this than anyone. Ever since my atrocious behavior, I did receive the email you sent, and I promise I will follow JC's schedule to the letter. I had not realized he was such a busy 5-month-old." The alarm on her daughter's face made no sense. It was exceedingly hard to read Angel sometimes, so Sally wanted to make sure she wasn't stepping on any parental toes. "I'm not judging It's a new generation. Angel what is wrong?"

Angel calls Joshua. "Josh can you come down to the den? Mom got an email from me detailing what is to be JC's activities while we are away on tour." Angel turns back to Sally and says "Mom, I'd like very much to see that email. I didn't send you one. In fact, I don't have your email address, if there was something I wanted done I would have just asked or sent you a text."

Sally opened her email program on her tablet and handed it to Angel. Joshua soon tears in the room. His wild expression spoke louder than his greeting which woke Michael with a start. "Hey yourself, I was just showing Angela the email I received." Joshua walks to his wife and Sally watches as their eyes move over the extremely long list of appointments. "I will admit I was worried about meeting all the timeframes set on the list. I was going to enlist help from your sister if it got to be too much. Then she told me she was called away to take tour photos for your album covers and do interviews along your tour." Joshua meets her gaze and says to her that none of the list was anything they would ever suggest without one of them being present. "Well then, I am glad that I brought it up, what is going on Joshua?"

Joshua tenses with irritation in his stance and says, "I don't know, but this is the second time false information has been sent to its receiver with Angel's or my name attached." Angel says she sent the email to Bobby. Joshua turns to her and asks, "Has he dealt with the website yet?" Joshua hands his mom back her tablet. He points out something. "Mom, if you get another email from this email address please let us know." Sally says sure and flips the cover back over her tablet screen. She asks is it at least Angel's real email address.

Angel says "Yes and no. It does narrow down who it could be. Who sent that either doesn't know that I changed my name or that I haven't actively used that email for a year. It was an email that I used to contact people that I worked with as band lead of Angelic Impression, but never for Ivey Enterprises work or personal use. That's why you never saw this before now Joshua. I thought I'd closed it. I guess I forgot." She gets a call from Joy telling her to have Sally send back a message to the email because they wanted to see where the message redirected. "Ok thanks for calling, Joy. Mom we need you to send back a question or just an ok as if your responding to my message. Sally opens her tablet and dose just that showing them her question.

Sally D: Angel this is quite a list?

Angel. : Sally do what we ask or we find someone else to watch him.

Sally says that answer would have either pissed her off or she would have known something was wrong, but she doubted she would have sent back a message in the first place. Joy calls back and says the message came from inside of LEGNA. "That makes no sense." Angel says with confusion running through her tone.

The next day, Salvatore finds himself on babysitting detail this must be a test. Alex Knight comes out of his home and gets in to the passenger seat of Sal's car. "Buckle up, this beautiful machine doesn't move without you secured in the seat." Alex reaches to pull the belt across him, that's when Sal pulls his 9mm and points it at his head. "Alex, I am not happy with you but lucky for you I'm not the boss I was ordered to work with you. That don't mean I won't cart you around in the trunk all day. Put this on" Sal hands Alex a pair of handcuffs. Alex glares at him. "Unless you want to ride around in the trunk with a hole through your other hand." Alex puts one hand cuff on his left wrist Sal connects the other end to the handle attached to the glovebox. "Now that you can't go anywhere we are going to have a lot of time to chat today." Sal pulls away from the curb. "You ratted me out to Wolfe, not smart you could have gotten both of us killed. I like breathing in and out on my own terms, do you?" Alex says yes "Then your first lesson of today is, don't ever do that again." Alex asks what their first stop is. "That's need to know, and since I don't trust you, you don't need to know."

Alex felt he had to explain. "I did that because Wolfe asked did my son do this to my hand. I was trying to keep my bloodline alive." Sal says last time he checked Alex didn't give a personal shit about his kid. Alex couldn't afford to wrap his mind around the answer that was on his tongue he had to go with greed and selfishness because he didn't want Wolfe thinking the den had someone to use as bait to keep him in line. "I had already fucked up by not having den back up. I thought I could get the kid to talk to me without using that kind of help. If I got him killed, then I don't have a way to get the stem cells from my grand kid or from him. Without him, his wife will pack up shop and I won't be able to get near her or the kid. Or her damn fathers will rein down an unholy war on us until there is no den or half of Grandville is floating face down. I also know that Wolfe would have put a bullet in my head if I got this den taken down by feds in my attempt to get something that would not serve the den. It was personal business and I knew if I tried to use the den as a vest we would have all been taken down. I told my kid no cops, and he brought a part-time fed with initials that I haven't got a fucking clue what they stand for. The parts of Andrew Stark's file that isn't blacked out only tells me he used to be FBI but got promoted up the dark ladder. Now I have a question, where are we going? Don't tell me I don't need to know." Alex tugs the cuff in frustration. "You won't kill me or I'd already be a weird smell in your fancy car, and if this question leads to me with some alone time in the trunk fine, but I have to ask where are we going? I have a plan in motion, I just need to make a payment. Just like you have a million things you'd rather be doing than driving around with me, same goes."

Sal asks who Alex was meeting up with. Alex says that is "need to know" and smiled at him. Sal sneers "You really want your teeth knocked through your asshole for mouthing off to me?" Sal slams on the breaks and punches Alex in the mouth. "Don't ever forget we aren't equals." Alex gets talkative and speaks of visiting Deon's new locked down compound to pay for a kidnapping of his son saying it was the best plan he had and that it wouldn't blow back on the den. "Or he will shoot you, take your money and you'll bleed in a secure location until you die or the cops show, either way you die because if it gets back to Wolfe that you are enlisting help from the mob family that Wolfe wants wiped off the face of the planet he will kill you."

Alex spits out blood from the impact of Sal punching him dead center of his mouth. "not if you help me, I'll look like a hero and get what I want. After he has my kid kidnapped you can get the location to where Deon is hiding but not before. As for him shooting me no, because he wants to hurt my son and his wife and a few others of that bunch that he believes has done him wrong. My way he gets what he wants and gets paid handsomely for it. I told him he just couldn't kill my son but that leaves lots of other ways he can hurt him and still get money. Sal points out that there isn't a doctor that is willing to do that procedure that the den employs. "That's where the den comes in I know a doctor that is very gifted and will just need some persuasion because there would be much too lose if they failed or refuse."

Angel woke with a start, calming herself she listens for what could have awakened her. A voice that she didn't recognize was speaking. Looking over she nudges Joshua he jumps up on guard and then looks at her with question in his sleepy gaze. Then his eyes narrow at the voice as well. Angel asked, "Who is that and where is it coming from?" Joshua points to the baby monitor and tears out of the room. Not wanting anything to happen to her child or her husband Angel ran after him. Joshua opened the door and sighs in relief at the sight of JC swinging the little stuffed horse into the railing repeatedly by its hindleg. Then just as quickly they are both frozen in horror as the unfamiliar voice speaks to their son from the baby monitor. It was a male voice and it had just called JC by his given name telling him to go back to sleep. JC stops swinging the toy and starts whimpering. Fury joined Joshua's trepidation as he quickly snatched the monitor out of its casing, disconnecting the power cord, and taking out the batteries. Joshua's movement brings Angel in to motion as she runs over to the crib, picks up JC taking him to their bedroom. Joshua follows her and takes the power pack off the back of the monitor in their room as well. This monitor was a gift from his best friend and her at the time boyfriend. It wasn't Deon's voice they heard but he wondered how a simple thing like a high-end audio / visual device such as a fucking baby monitor could be compromised. A dark question made its way to the surface of his thoughts as he looked at the screen. Could the guy speaking to his son, see his son? He takes the small device and puts it in an old diaper bag with the one from JC's room. The last time Deon had been in the house he didn't access the second floor at all, he'd came in, stood in the atrium, spoke to Angel, and left so Joshua wondered how this could have happened. If this was Alex's doing it made no sense because Alex didn't come upstairs and for most of the party Angel was in JC's room with him.

Angel calms JC as she holds him to her chest looking as if she'd never put him back down. Joshua seemed to have zoned out after taking apart the baby monitor in their room. She breaks the silence with a question. "Where did you go just now?" He meets her eyes and speaks of the conversation with Alex, and the other thoughts about who gave them the monitor and why. Angel didn't want to feed Joshua's paranoia about Alex's comment. Mind fucks were nothing new from her family, but Alex was an unknown. Thinking of when Candy and Deon gave them the monitor she didn't believe that Deon was angry at any of them, they'd received the gift at the baby shower back before Roman and all the shit that day in Candy's former home brought with it. "Josh stop, though I don't have the how this happened. There is no reason to believe that before Candy's relationship tanked that Deon had a reason to set something like this in motion. At the first hint of his downward spiral after Roman attacked Candy in her home, though Deon has been in the house since, he hasn't been up here on the second floor." Her lover remained silent his eyes were blue fire as he warred for control of his tongue. The next thing that came out she had no answer for. He asked what about Candy because Alex did say someone that he wouldn't expect. Angel closed her eyes to rein in her own response then says as she reopens her eyes. "Don't do that, neither of us can afford to believe that she would do that." Joshua runs his hands through his hair and pulls in frustration, letting go, he says she is right. "For the record, I don't believe Alex could convince anyone that is as close to us as he suggested would do anything to harm JC or us."

Down the road at Bobby's home he sits at his computer console and watches his screens relay information it was harder to go after the website than he at first thought it would be. He now knew why the site could retain all its data, it was bouncing its signal from a few different countries. Joy walks in and asks him why he wasn't resting. Looking at the time in the right-hand corner of his screen, he hadn't noticed it had got so late in the day. She was home for lunch. "I was tracking the website." Joy looks at that moving data on his screen and points to something asking couldn't he just send his little shut down toy to that sequence. "Yeah, I could If I wanted to announce my location, and shut down the better half of Grandville. LEGNA, Ivey Enterprises, and Mark's school is on that feed." At her narrowed gaze he says "It doesn't mean that they are a part of it just that someone from those addresses visited that site. That could be when Gloria pulled it up for Joshua." Joy sits next to him and tells him to get some sleep. "No offense but I don't think you should get to close to this, if you trip something it could blow back on us both." Joy levels him with a glare and tells him he is not a hacker he is just a very handsome federal employee with a few toys, so stop wasting time and let her handle this for their family. Bobby smirks, one of the reasons that comment was so funny was because at its core it was true. He had a few tricks up his sleeve but this site was over his head. Joy on the other hand was a hacker before she went to college, and the police academy. "I'm going to go lay down." Pulling off her windbreaker with Grandville PD, on the back she sits down in front of his set up and goes to work.

Days later, Mark was back on the road. Paula and the girls were at Ivey Mansion, but he needed to get his own head straight. With the time he'd spent at the hospital waiting on Kevin to wake from his coma his reflective nature, and the still remembered drug induced dreams that still played before his mind's eye during his waking hours from Carla's attack were taking a toll on him. Many times, he asked himself were those the same looks of sorrow, and fear on his beloved's face the times he'd got put on his back from a botched move set. He also remembers being so angry at Paula for getting him canned from the bouncer job. Even back then in her own way she was concerned for his wellbeing. He would not have been in the company this long if he had of continued bouncing on the side. Kevin's near-death experience showed Mark what he had to do before he missed another decade of being a good father and husband. Kevin was barely able to speak he had a long road ahead of him. Mark had been lucky, but he wasn't one to laugh in the face of fate. He wasn't getting any younger and had two little angels to help raise and not just be a part time figure in their lives. His baby girl had a boyfriend, there was so much he'd done to keep Janet safe and out of the camera's eye. He'd kept her a secret from his fan base but let wolves of his on invitation hurt her. He calls Sophie "I want a meeting with the company, I think it's time to do what we spoke about." Sophie asked was he sure. "Yes, for once I'm sure."

The next thing to do was call Paula. They speak, and he tells her what he'd been setting up for since the Carla fiasco. Paula said she kind of figured and would stand by any decision he made. He tells her that made it a lot easier to focus. She changed the subject and spoke of Katie pulling herself up and using the playpen as a bounce cage. He'd missed Alana saying Dada for the first time, he'd missed his Katie make her first attempt at her own mobility. He'd missed them crawling. When he came home off the road and got the surprise of Alana and Katie crawling away it filled him with a sadness he didn't need right now. He didn't want to miss anymore fucking milestones. He also missed his wife Paula. Though she tried to keep her feelings out of her gazes when she'd drop him off at an airport and hear him tell her how long this or that tour would take. He chose not to mention that fact that he seen the sadness in her gaze more than a few times. Or the surprise and anxious gazes she'd give him if he returned before time. He didn't mind the surprise, but the anxious gazes are what got him. She always asked was he alright? She watched the area he was supposed to be in and he'd made it a point to call her if anything big happened in the city he was supposed to be in. Her and that damn news app. She'd known about the highway pile up before his convoy had even got to that part of Portland. He felt bad that he missed 5 calls before she got through. It had helped the crew find a detour to avoid the area, but what stuck with him was the fear in her voice that she hadn't hid well. That night as he lay in his hotel bed after a grueling match he wanted more than anything to go home and be with his wife. He had one more tour this month and on it he would go through the selection process to pick someone to take the belt. They both had gone quiet he then breaks the reflective silence. "Well, I'll let you off here, I just wanted to tell you what I was up to. I love you darlin sleep tight."

That night over at his home Bobby sleepily walks back into his war/work room. Upon seeing Joy coming back into the room he asks on a yawn "How long was I out?" She looks over at him and says that she'd been back to work, and come back home, so she would say if he was just waking from his nap that he been sleep for a good ten hours. Running his hand through his hair his fingers catches a large tangle making him wince. It was surly time to trim his hair again. Since he had rank when moving up the federal ladder he hadn't had to have it shaved bald in over 20 years. Bobby with a crew cut looked unapproachable, he had what Chase called a very intense neutral expression. Sophie after seeing a younger Texas Ranger photo of him said without his nearly waist length hair he had male resting bitch face. He liked Chase's description a lot better. Thinking of his family he asked Joy had she found any backdoors. She smiled and said the site no longer existed she'd found a security firewall with all the bells and whistles and sent a nasty seek and destroy program in that looked like a photo storage of Davenport Lighting. "So, what your saying is that you went in the front door and destroyed the hardware. Holy cow. Um, remind me never to piss you off that bad. Wait it's a paid site, you sent them money can't they trace it back to you?"

Joy looked hurt "You think I'm dumb enough to send a real account number to a company willing to bring harm to my future family?" Bobby starts to speak Joy cuts him off "Bobby, I sent them a dummy account that looked stuffed with cash, then when they hit accept my program ripped their data server into pieces, then went back for the site's backup. I also sent a tip to the IRS to do a check for the account that it was to be wired to. These fuckboys forgot that there is always someone out here that can rip them a new one if she chooses to." Bobby asks about the letter and the baby monitor tampering. "That is a little more delicate. I really am not trying to hack Jonathon's site without his knowledge. The baby monitor was done by remote and bounced from LEGNA's tower. I traced the activity to LEGNA but unlike with the website where I don't care that their entire site fails I care about not wrecking Jonathon's livelihood. So, I need someone one to tell Jonathon. Since I know he would want to know and maybe he could let us in through the front door instead of me possibly blowing out his mainframe." After they form a plan. Bobby says he will call Angel in the morning.

The next day Angel heads into her father's den at his home. She had asked for a meeting but not at LEGNA. This was odd but not unheard of. Jonathan let's her in and noticed the team. Looking back down at his daughter she looks up meeting his gaze and without preamble she tells him of the website, the letter, the email, and finally their hacked baby monitors. She also tells him that she was told by Joy that the letter and the email were created at LEGNA. She then explains that she never opened that email on any LEGNA server. Angel tries her best to keep still but he could read the fear in his girl's body language. She asks him to sign off on letting Joy and or Bobby come to the office and see if they could do an onsite now that they knew where some of the stuff was coming from. He agreed but said that it would have to be done in her office because he didn't want to possibly spook the person and have them crash his fucking network. She says that is what she was thinking since she knows them it would not be strange to see her brother and future sister in law "visiting". Jonathon runs his hand along his beard and says, "I can't believe I'm going to ask this, but with all that is going on do you believe I should make Gloria aware of what is happening?"

Angel tells him "I think we should wait until Bobby and Joy are set up in the office, that way if heaven forbid, they get a signal of warning from Gloria's computer…" She hesitates she was letting Joshua's paranoia taint her thoughts. Pushing it aside she continues by saying, "or whoever the inside person is feeding the outside source. It would serve us well to keep this information among as few people as possible."

Jonathon heard her words but also knew his girl. "How very diplomatic of you to say that, I get it you don't trust her, but she would have nothing to gain from this." Angel says it's not about her trusting Gloria. It is more about her standing on a branch of blind faith in someone that has not earned it, and if she is wrong that bad choice could get her husband and or her child taken. "I won't speak of it to her," he sighs his goal was to not upset his child he says, "because if you are right there is lots, she will lose the least of it being my trust." Angel tells him she hopes it isn't Gloria, but she can't afford to be wrong. She continues by saying she just wants to know who is doing this before someone gets hurt. "I know my girl, I want the same."

To Be Continued…

Authors Note: Please do not start throwing your computers, tablets, or phone across the room I'm not responsible for your personal electronics. I am pleased to announce that there is a third book. Please read and review. A huge thanks goes out to my Sistas Salena and Jess for supporting me through times when I didn't think I could finish the story at all and giving me great linage. Also, it has taken me a long time because I had a complete hard drive failure but I'm back for better or worse. I'm so glad I backed the story up on the cloud. Brother Mine is the 3rd book of the Sista series. Hope to see you guys and girls there. As always comments and questions or concerns are welcome.: End Note.