Chapter 45

Jordan awoke the next morning with a smile.  She had a clear conscience.  She wasn’t sure why it was, but her mother always knew just what to say.    It was nice to know that she could turn to her mother in times of confusion and know that she would come out with clarity.

Now, she had a new focus.  Porter Grissom.  She had no idea what Morbus had in store but she was eager to find out.  Morbus was never one to let down when it came to sick and twisted shit.  He pretty much cornered the market when it came to sociopathy.  No one in the world was crazier than Morbus.

Jordan got up and did her usual routine.  She got up and changed into her work out clothes, then went for her morning ass kicking with Morbus, Skyler, and her brothers.  Jake and Jeremiah made sure that she busted her ass everyday as she trained, making sure that she kept in mind the most important thing: making the world a little safer for her kids and her nieces and nephews.

Her time in the run was getting better, and she wasn’t hurting as much as she pushed.  And the only people that had ever heard her complain about the pain were the men she was training with.  It wasn’t like her to complain.  She was the person to suck it up; a trait that she’d picked up from her parents.

After training, her brothers went inside and she sat down with Morbus to discuss the plan.  She was eager to get the plan rolling so that Grissom met his maker.  “What’s the plan, Morbus?” she asked once she was sure that Jacob and Jeremiah were gone.

“We’re just going to storm the fucking place.  It’s going to get a little messy, but I have a feeling that being direct is the best approach.”

“How many are we looking at?”

“Four plus Grissom.”

“Grissom is MINE”, she said with a growl in her voice.  Her eyes revealed a killer.  She wanted him dead because he tortured her.  She was bruised and broken when she was rescued.  He needed to know that not even he was above the law.  He and his men were about to know what it was like to suffer the way she did.  She’d spent the last two months she’d spent recovering dreaming about ending that son of a bitch’s miserable life. 

Morbus cracked a smile.  He knew that look in Jordan’s eyes.  He’s seen it a million times before.  He’d seen it in her mother’s eyes.  He’d seen it in her father’s eyes.  He’d seen it in her twin brother’s eyes.  He’d seen it countless times in his own eyes.  It was the look of a killer.  More so, it was the look of a MONSTER.  “Do you have something planned for our good friend Porter Grissom, Jordan?”

“He’s going to feel every single ache and pain I’ve felt the last three months before I send him to hell.”

Carter’s eyes shot open wide.  “Are you serious?”

“Does the look on my face say that I’m kidding, Mr. Carter?”

He laughed in shock.  “Whoa.  I don’t even know what to think about this.  It’s hot, that’s for sure.”

She looked over at him, her face blank.  “Sorry, you’re not my type and I’m taken anyway.”  She looked at her younger brother’s father in law.  “You feel like acting like a psycho with a flame thrower again, Skyler?”

“Can I take some barbeque sauce with me?” Skyler asked with a cold smile.

“Why?”

“Cause we’re barbequing them like a rack of ribs, right?”

Morbus laughed; a sudden outburst of sound.  “Is that what was missing at the last cook out?”

“Well, that and a good dry rub on the meat.”

Jordan nodded.  “That reminds me of the time we scared off Jessi’s boyfriend”, she said with a chuckle of her own.  “Jeremiah picked up the salt and pepper shakers and started sprinkling them on him like we were gonna cook him.  It was pretty funny.”

“I’d heard about that”, Skyler said, “and that’s where I got the idea.  I like the idea so much that I want to put my own spin on it.”

“Ok, take your barbeque sauce with you”, Morbus said.  “I still can’t believe I didn’t think of that one.”

“Nope, that was all Dad, man”, Jordan said.  “We’d done it with an ex of Makayla’s once before and as the guy was in the bathroom Dad suggested it.  James was the one to do it first.  Then when we ran off Remy Caldwell, Jeremiah did it.”

“Well, that was pure genius.  Now, what we need to do is discuss how we’re going to get into the factory.”  Morbus unrolled a paper copy of the blueprints of the one story factory.  “What I’ve come up with is a fairly direct approach.”  He pointed with his beefy fingers to the south entrance.  “We go in here.  This is the opposite end that the men and Grissom are staying.  I want to go in opposite them so that if there are people hiding, we can handle them quickly and efficiently.”

“I want the principle men with Grissom to watch him suffer”, Jordan said coldly.  “I want them to know that supporting that sick mother fucker was the biggest mistake they ever made.”

“So what; you want us to hog tie them and keep them in the room while you inflict pain on Grissom?”

“Tie them up however you please, Morbus.  I just want them to see the mighty fall.  I’m going to bring Grissom’s entire organization to its knees.  There may be militias that support the Utopians and they’ll be dealt with by the government.  That’s not my problem unless they make it my problem.  I think we need to scour his records and get any information we may be able to turn over to the proper authorities.  I’m sure the FBI would love to have information on the People in Support of a Utopian Society and their more radical affiliates so that they can bring them down.  My focus is Grissom and his goons.”

“So, you want me to plant someone in the organization to get his information and get it to the FBI?”

“If that’s what the great Morbus deems necessary, then yes.  We need to be rid of this problem once and for all.  No letting them reorganize again.  Fuck that.  Bring them down hard again and teach them that fucking with the United States government is a bad fucking idea.”

Morbus nodded.  “You got it, Jordan.  You know, you sound just like your parents.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.  Now, gentlemen, I need to eat something.  I’m getting hungry.  I’ll talk to you all later.”

As Jordan walked away, she considered all of the things she was going to do to Porter Grissom when Morbus told her that they were going to move out.  She had very devious things in mind for the wicked soul that tortured her for two days.  “Oh, Jordan!” she heard Morbus call after her.

She turned.  “Yeah?”

“How do you feel about rolling out tonight?”

“The sooner the better.  Tonight is perfect.”  She turned and walked away.

---------------

Once Jordan had disappeared into the trees Morbus, Skyler, and Carter exchanged a look.  “She’s ready”, Skyler said.

“More than ready”, Morbus said as he nodded in agreement and pulled out his phone.

“You calling who I think you’re calling?” Skyler asked.

“More than likely.  I mean, the man has the right to know that his daughter is about to not only kill a man in cold blood, but torture him before she ends him.”

“That’s what I thought.  Tell my brother I said hi.”  Skyler stood and headed toward the four wheelers.  “I’m going to go let Kaylian know what’s going on and that I’m going to get to act like a complete psycho tonight, not to wait up… that sort of thing.”

Morbus chuckled and nodded.  “You got it.  You know what time we roll out?”

“Sunset.  I know.  Have my toy gassed up and waiting for me.”

Morbus chuckled and put his phone to his ear.  “You got it, Bonfire.”  When the phone picked up, Morbus started talking.  Skyler didn’t pay any attention to what was going on.  It was between Morbus and David.  The only thing he heard was Morbus telling David that he said hi.

Skyler just got on his four wheeler and rode off.  The ride back to his little house elsewhere on the property was a short one.  He knew the woods on the Draiman property better than anyone.  The only person who probably knew them better was living in Israel and on the phone with Morbus.

When he walked into his little, modestly decorated house his wife shot him a worried smile.  “Is everything ok?” she asked.

“Yeah.  Everything is set up.  Morbus has a plan.  We leave at sunset.”

“How is Jordan handling everything?”

“Scary well.  Morbus is telling David as we speak.  I heard him talking to him as I walked away and got in my four wheeler.”

She nodded.  “Be careful, love.  Please.”

“I will.  I always am.”

“You worry me, Skyler Aodh Mason.”

“Well, Kaylian, my love, you don’t to worry for much longer.  After tonight, there won’t be any more People in Support of a Utopian Society and there won’t be a Porter Grissom to torment our family.  Our kids and grandkids will all be safe, as will David and Brie’s.”

“I consider each of the Draiman kids to be mine.  You know that, right?”

“Yes, I know that.  I do too.  That’s why hearing about what happened to Jordan pissed me off so badly.  If you didn’t see it, David was as pissed if not worse.”  He kissed her temple.  “Kay, just trust in the fact that Morbus and I know what we’re doing.  As Morbus would say, this isn’t our first rodeo.”

Kaylian Mason cracked a smile.  “Morbus cracks me up.”  She sighed.  “I know that you both know what you’re doing.  I just worry.”

“I know.  I’ll be fine, love, and this all ends tonight.”

---------------

“David, she’s ready to do what has to be done”, Morbus said as he spoke into the phone.  “She’s even plotting to torture the man.”

“Really?” David said.  “That doesn’t sound like Jordan.”

“David, I heard her said it myself.  She wants to make him feel every ache and pain she’s been feeling since he beat the hell out of her.  Then she plans to send him to hell.  Her wording, by the way.”

“Wow”, Brie said.  “Jordan’s not playing around.”

“No, she’s not.”

“Keep her safe, Morbus.  That’s really all we can ask.  She has to be allowed to do this”, David said with a sigh.

“And that’s her plan, too.  She wants me to plant someone inside the organization to get information to turn over to the FBI to out an send to them once and for all.”

“At least we know that she’s making some sense and not withdrawn and not thinking clearly”, Brie said with a soft sigh.

“And we know that Reece isn’t distracting her.  She’s got her goal in mind and that’s putting an end to Grissom and his reign of tyranny”, David added.

“She’s focus on doing what she has to do.  I think she’s put any feelings for anyone on the back burner until she puts an end to this shit”, Morbus said.

“Well, keep an eye on her for us and keep us posted.”

“Oh, I will.  You know I will.”

“We have to go.  Apparently Jasmine is having trouble getting to sleep.  We need to go deal with that.”

“Have fun you two.  I can’t wait until my kids start making me a grandpa.”

“Enjoy every moment you have with them”, Brie said.  “Grandkids are a great blessing.”

“That they certainly are”, David said with a smile.  His face sobered and he took a deep breath.  “Let us know how things go tonight.”

“Will do.  You two get some rest.  I’ll let you know what happens.”

---------------

Jordan had a feeling that they would be moving out that evening so that they could kick some serious ass.  She was ready too.  She’d talked to James and Marc about their favorite implements and methods of torture and they were happy to share.  She talked to Jake about a paralytic so that Grissom could feel everything she was doing to him but not be able to fight her.  That’s what she was going to hit him with first.  She wanted him to feel everything she was going to do to him.  She wanted him to know that by the time she was done with him, he was going to have a one way ticket to the gates of hell.  She was sure that whomever it was that ruled down there would welcome him with open arms because it was rather obvious that he’d sold his soul many years before.

She dug through her closet to see if she had clothes that wouldn’t restrict her movement.  She found a pair of black cargo pants and a black tank top and laid them out on her bed.  When Reece walked into the room from having a conversation with Jacob, he was in shock.  “Jordan, what’s going on?” he asked.

“I’ve got something important to do tonight.  Don’t wait up.  I’ll be back when I get back.  I have no idea how long it’s going to take.”  Her voice was distant as she spoke.  It was as though her thoughts were a million miles away but she was still at her brother’s house.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to wait up for you?”

“No, I don’t want you to wait up for me.  If you choose to wait up, that’s your decision.  I warned you not to.”

He wasn’t sure how to take what she’d just said.  He wasn’t sure if he was ok with her being so distant either.  He did, however, know not to push her.  He just nodded slowly.  “Ok.  I’ll just see what my mood is like after you leave.  When do you roll out?”

“Not sure, but I’m guessing that we bounce at sunset.”

“Who all is going with you?”

“Morbus, Carter, and Jeremiah’s father in law.”

“At least you’re not going alone.”

“Nope.  I have some of the best back up anyone can ask for.”

“Hell, Morbus is better back up than money can buy.”

“He sure is.  He’s been my father’s trusted friend and bodyguard for nearly 30 years.  He’s been watching over Reckless Disregard for about 20.  He was trained by my late Uncle, Master Gunnery Sergeant Matthew Cartwright.  He’s the sickest mother fucker to walk the planet.  There’s no one on this Earth that’s crazier.”

“And you’re scaring me, Jordan.”

“I need to be frightening.  I’ll be soft later.  I’m about to kill a man.  That calls for a certain kind of mentality.”

He nodded.  “Ok then.  I’ll leave you to your preparations.”

“Good idea.  As soon as I’m done in here, I’m going to go do a little more training before I get some lunch.”

He nodded.  “Ok.  I’ll see you when I see you then.”

Chapter 44

Jordan’s guilt over what she’d done earlier was still eating at her.  Even at dinner, she stewed over the choice she’d made.  What the hell was I thinking?, she asked herself.  I’m a lesbian.  How is it that this man gets past all of my defenses and actually manages to catch my eye?  Why is he the exception to the rule?

When she and Reece laid down that night, she had a hard time looking at him.  She still couldn’t get over the idea that she’d had sex with a man.  It wasn’t supposed to happen like that, was it?  But, technically, it wasn’t sex.  He’d made love to her.  He’d been gentle and slow.  He didn’t rush anything.  Was this what it was like to have love made to you by a man?

They lay in bed and watched the movie that he’d tried to watch earlier that day- the one that ended up watching him instead.  He fell asleep by the end of it.  Jordan wasn’t so lucky.  She couldn’t sleep.  She brushed his shaggy hair from his face and grabbed her phone off of the bedside table where it rested and charged for the night.  She needed a bit of clarity, so she would call the only two people that she knew could offer it.

She padded down the stairs and into pitch blackness.  She was the only one up.  Everyone must have called it an early night, she thought as she padded down the stairs.  She didn’t stop in the living room.  She went through the kitchen and out the back door to the patio to the lounge area by the pool.  She stretched out on the very swing her parents were sitting under when Colton proposed to Maddie.  She knew that her parents had memories throughout the house.  Hell, all of them did.

She couldn’t sit and be reminiscent for the moment.  She needed to make a phone call.  She scrolled through her phone book and picked a number.  Once the phone was on speaker, she just let it ring and waited for the person she was calling to answer.  “Hello?” a woman’s voice said sofly.

“Hey Mama.  What are you doing answering Dad’s phone?” she asked.

“I was the first one to grab it.  We’re eating lunch while the kids are doing lessons.  What’s on your mind, sweetheart?”

“I needed someone to talk to.  I did something very out of character for me.”

“What did you do?” her father asked.

“I slept with a man.”

“You slept with Reece?”

“Yes.  And now I’m confused.  I’m not attracted to men and yet, I’m attracted to him.”

“Wait a second here, Jordan.  Start from the beginning”, her mother said.

Jordan took a deep breath and told the story from the top.  How she was looking forward to seeing Reece; how she dressed up to see him.  She told them about her conversation with him about the kids and, finally, how he kissed her and they made love.  “And now I’m confused as hell.”

“What has you so confused?  The fact that he’s the only man you’re attracted to because you’re a lesbian, the fact that he get through all those defenses you built up, or the fact that you’ve identified as a lesbian all these years just to discover that you might be bisexual?” asked her father.

“All of the above, Daddy.”

Her mother laughed softly.  “Why does there have to be a rule for there to be an exception to, Jordan?” she asked.

“I don’t know, Mom.”

“Better question.  What is it about Reece that attracts you to him, but no other man?” her father asked.

“Again, Dad.  I don’t know.”

“Jordan, close your eyes”, her mother said.  She did.  “Once your eyes are closed, I want you to picture Reece and describe him to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Describe what you see.”

“He’s tall, lean, well toned.  His a little shaggy.  The way his hair falls in his face is kinda cute.  His hand are soft.  He has kind eyes that say he’ll do whatever it takes me make things easy for me with the kids.  Mom, I don’t know what the point of this is.”

“Just do it, Jordan.  Tell me what you see.  And look deep.”

Jordan sucked in a deep breath.  “He’s got a kind heart.  He knows who he is and where he comes from.  He knows what he wants and he’s patient.”

“And that’s what draws you to him.  Like two poles of a magnet.  You two are very similar in that you know what you want and when you want it.  You might not always know how to get it, but you will find a way.  It’s not a bad thing that you’re attracted to him and it doesn’t change your sexual identity.  There’s no need to lock yourself in a box with a label.  Just be Jordan.  Don’t worry about being a lesbian.  Just be you.”

“Thanks Mom.  I knew that if anyone could help me it would be you and/or Daddy.”

“I didn’t do anything”, David said.  “This was all the miracle of your mother’s wisdom”

“True.  Thanks you two.  Give the kids my love.”

“We will.  Go back to bed and enjoy having a warm body curled up in bed next to you”, Brie said.

“I will.  Love you.”

“And we love you.  Good night and good bye Jordan.”

---------------

While Jordan was on the phone, Morbus was in his house on a different section of the property plotting the attack on Grissom’s plant.  Will was already in place as the driver.  He’d had to kill the first one, but that happened sometimes in their line of work.  Now, he had to figure out how he was going to get Jordan into the building so that she could do what she needed to do.  Will had texted him with information on the schematics of the building.  It was all one level with the office tucked into a corner in the east wing.  That was, for sure, where Grissom would be.  Three men have come with him, so three should go with Jordan.  I’ll go, Carter should go, and I’m sure that Skyler is dying to play with the flame thrower again.  I’ll have to talk to him.  We don’t need a big team this time around, though.  I’ll see if Jake will be on standby in case someone is injured.  Now, what’s the best way to fuck with this bastard?  Maybe we could season the meat like the boys do when one of their sisters brings home a loser.  He nodded.  There’s a thought.  I’ll see if there’s some kind of seasoning…

He chuckled.  Later Morbus.  Figure out how we’re going to actually get into the building before other psychological warfare techniques.  He studied the pictures that Will sent him and tried to figure out how best to get in.  I’ll have to talk to Skyler and Carter about the op tomorrow.  Jordan will just do what she’s told.  She’s a good soldier.  For now, I’ll just set this aside and go on patrol.  I hope Grissom wasn’t stupid enough to send another spy.  I’ll deliver the dead body of the poor sucker personally this time around… and it won’t be ash either.  The body will be whole this time so that it can burn with the rest of the Utopian way of life.  Kill the head and the body will die.  Kill Grissom and the Utopian Party will fall.

---------------

Grissom lay on the small cot in his office and considered how he was going to find and obliterate the Draiman family.  He had no idea how he was going to find them but there wasn’t going to be a single survivor once he did.  Each and every last one of them would burn with homestead, no matter their age.  Whether they were 70, 7, or 7 months old, it certainly didn’t matter to him.  He wanted them all dead.  The Draiman family was an infection that needed to be treated aggressively.  The sheer size of the family alone was wrong.  Who do David and Brie Draiman think they are?  Were they trying to build their own army by having so many children?  Do they think that being outspoken will continue to be tolerated when the Utopian Movement returns to power?  The first time Jordan or anyone like her opens their mouths in a public venue, they’re be shot on site.  The moment their music plays on a radio station, it will be shut down.  Heavy Metal will again be illegal media.  There’s no army in the world that will be able to take on the Utopian government.  No one would dare.  They will fall.

His inner monologue wasn’t going to change the rest night as he drifted off to sleep.  It was just going to start sounding more and more fanatical as he went on.  In his dreams, he was standing in front of the nation being sworn in as the head of the Utopian War Council.  When he was allowed to address the nation, he turned toward the podium and cleared his throat. “My good people, as your War Council leader, I’ll make it my personal mission to make sure that all enemies of the State are dealt with within the confines of the Geneva Convention.  The people that oppose this government are traitors to the cause of a Utopian society.  People like Jordan Draiman and her loud mouth will be handled with the utmost severity allowed by the law.  Were David Draiman still recording, he’d be dealt with as well.  I promise you, my good people, that no one will be allowed to oppose this incarnation of the Utopian government without meeting the consequences.  Thank you and long live the Utopian Movement”. 

Meanwhile, his men that rode along with him were starting to have second thoughts.  “Something doesn’t  feel right”, Danvers said.

“No kidding.  I don’t think we’re going to live through this.  None of the other men have”, Franks added.

“Personally, I think the boss man is off his nut”, Heath said in a low whisper.  “My parents were in the Resistance when I was growing up.  I listened to the words that David Draiman spoke in the monologues.  Hell, we were at the rally before the historic ‘Never Again’ speech.  The man was a powerful speaker.  Jordan’s just as powerful.  There’s no way in hell he’ll be able to contain a resistance should the Utopians come to power again.”

Wagner nodded.  “I know.  And if that whacko Morbus is still working for the Draiman family, there’s nothing we can do to stop them.  We don’t have a prayer.”

The men continued talking through the night and had no idea that they had ear on them their entire conversation.  The driver had never left and was sending a one way transmission back to base.  The “whacko” known as Morbus was hearing every word the men had to say.

----------------

Jordan finally had the clarity she needed to look Reece in the face again.  Her parents always seemed to know just what to say to help her think clearly- especially her mother.  Her father was correct when he called her mother wise.  Over the 36 years that they had been together, her mother had shared her wisdom with him, the rest of Disturbed, and her own children on countless occasions.  She knew better than to discount her mother’s words.  Too many times had her mother been right.

She climbed into her bed and curled up next to Reece.  She didn’t touch him.  She just waited to see what he did.  The moment he felt her weight at his back, he rolled over and draped an arm over her.  She smiled and snuggled in close.  Maybe this was what was really meant to be for her.  Don’t lock yourself in a box with a label.  Just be Jordan.  And that’s all she wanted to be.  She just wanted to be Jordan.

When she closed her eye and drifted to sleep, the recalled Morbus’s last words to her for the day.  Grissom was in town.  Literally, in Colorado Springs.  Once he had a plan together, they were going to strike and she was finally going to have her vengeance.  The son of a bitch that beat her bloody and caused the pain in her leg that she felt every day would finally pay for what he did.  She didn’t know what she would do when she saw him, but it wasn’t going to be pretty and she was sure that she was going to need a shower afterward.

That sick mother fucker won’t know what hit him after I’m through with him.  He’ll wish that he lived to regret threatening me and my family.  You don’t threaten a Draiman without it blowing up in your face.  There’s nothing in this world that will prevent Grissom getting what’s coming to him.  And once he’s gone and I’ve dealt with my personal issues, I’ll bring the rest of the Utopians to their knees like my father did.  There’s no such thing as Utopia.  Imperfection happens.  It’s what makes up unique.  It’s going to become my personal mission to end the Utopians once and for all.

Chapter 43

Jacob heard soft keening sounds coming from Jordan’s room as he walked to his office to take care of business.  He paused shortly to listen then walked away with disbelief written on his face.  He’d known that she was a lover of women even before their parents did.  They were twins after all.  That’s why he was surprised.

He sat down at his desk and turned on his computer, trying to put the shock of what he’d heard from his mind.  He was sure that Tom had sent him an email dealing with the things that were happening at the practice.  I wonder who’s fucking up now, he thought as he logged into his business email with a sigh.  Fucking.  Funny I think that when my twin sister is tasting her first man.  He chuckled. 

James knocked softly on the opened office door.  “Jake, am I hearing things, or is Jordan getting laid?”

Jake shrugged.  “Couldn’t tell ya, Jay.  What it sounds like is probably what it is.”

“It sounds like someone is making sweet, sweet love to Jordan behind that door.”

“Well, that’s highly unlikely.  Jordan’s not into men and is in the middle of a divorce that’s going to get rather nasty.  She could be in there pleasuring herself.”

James gave Jake an ‘are you kidding me?’ look.  “Really?  Jake… really?  Do you seriously think that’s what’s going on in there?”

“It’s none of my business and it’s none of yours either.  Jordan’s a grown woman.  If she wants us to know what goes on behind her bedroom door, I’m sure she’ll share.  Now, take your nosy ass on somewhere else.  I have business to take care of and I’m sure that you and Justin need to check on the acts you’ve signed to Intoxication since Dad and Uncle Danny signed it over.  Why don’t you two do what you have to do and not worry about what Jordan’s doing?”

“I just wanted to be sure that I wasn’t hearing things.  Delilah’s letting Justin and me borrow her office to handle business.”

“Then go take care of business.  I have a few doctors I need to fire.”

“Why can’t Tom do it?”

“Because the surgeons are his department, and we have maybe two of them other than him.  We have six doctors that are covering my patient load alone.”

“And how many of them are fucking up?”

“All but one of them.  I’m about to start making the phone calls to what I have to do.  Get out of my office and close the door behind you.”

“I’m gone.  Have fun.”  James turned and left.

“Firing people is never fun.  You outta know that by now.”  Jake grabbed his work cell and started making the necessary phone calls one by one.  He kindly explained to them that their services were no longer needed.  He’d be heading back to work soon and his patients could wait for him.  As he stood to leave his office after taking care of his business and talking again to Mrs. St. Charles that her services in convincing his sister that doing something dangerous was ridiculous were unneeded, there was a knock on the door.  “Come in”, he called as he shut down his computer.

Morbus strolled in wearing a light leather jacket.  “I have good news, Jake.”

“What might that be?” he asked.

“This mess should all be over soon. Just got word that Grissom is on his way back to Denver.  He didn’t too much like my package.”

Jake chuckled.  “Well, I can’t imagine why”, he said sarcastically. “I mean, it was so well thought out.  Who wouldn’t love a box of ashes with a note saying, ‘we’re coming for you’?”

Morbus laughed and shook his head.  “Ok, sarcastic ass.”

“Sorry.  Had a moment where I just had to channel Dad.  You were saying?”

“Carter just got a phone call from one of his contacts in Grissom’s organization.  He didn’t react very well to the package.  Apparently, he viewed Miss Cody as a daughter.”

“And who doesn’t love a box of ashes that are supposed to represent a loved one?” Jake laughed again with sarcasm.

“That’s not channeling you Dad.  You’re channeling Mike.”

“Sorry.  Guess Uncle Mike’s rubbed off on me quite a bit over the years.  So, what’s Grissom’s plan?”

“The contact isn’t sure just yet, but will call with further details once they have them.”

Jake nodded.  “I guess we need to let Jordan know to be ready to roll out ASAP and at a moment’s notice.”

Morbus nodded as well.  “Planned on it after she cleans up from screwing Reece.”

“What makes everyone think she’s fooling around with Reece?  She’s a lesbian, for the love of all that’s holy.”

“I can smell them, Jacob.  Don’t give me that bull shit. Anyway, my ears may be going, but they’re not gone yet.  I can hear them both.  She moans softly and he’s a grunter.  Care to argue with me?”

Jake shook his head.  “Nah.  I’ll take your word for it, man.  Well, when she’s done doing whatever she’s doing, we can pull her aside and inform her.  I guess, start putting together a game plan to take this bastard out.  He’s gotta go if we want to prevent World War III.”

Morbus nodded.  “You got it.  You think Skyler would want to play with that flame thrower again?”

“He seemed to enjoy himself from what Jeremiah told me.  Talk to him and ask.  That’s my only suggestion.”

“Planned on it once I have more information.  It all depends on where Grissom it when Jordan offs him.”

---------------

“Holly!” Grissom yelled into the intercom.

“Yes, Mr. Grissom?” she asked sweetly.

“Gather me a new team and get us a flight to Denver NOW.  I want to leave yesterday.”

“Would you like me to arrange transport from the airport to one of our facilities in the area?”

“Yeah.  The Colorado Springs plant.  I want to be close to that Draiman scum.  I want to be close enough to smell them should they walk outside.  And find me an address on their homestead.  I want to watch the fucking place burn with each and every one of them inside so that I can send Mr. and Mrs. Draiman the ashes of each and every one of their heirs!”

Holly remained calm as she carried out her orders.  “Will there be anything else, Mr. Grissom?”

“Have someone go out and buy me some new clothes so that I can blend in out there.  I don’t want to stick out.  That body guard of theirs has no doubt circulated my picture.  And, so hair dye so that I can change my appearance.”

“What color, sir?”

“Black.  I want to go black.”

“And what style clothes do you want?”

“Something that a man my age would wear in Colorado this time of year.”

“You got it, sir.  I’ll get right on that.  Anything else?”

“Order my lunch.  You know what I want.  After you’re done with all that, go on ahead and take the day off once you’ve gotten all of the information to me.”

“Right away, Mr. Grissom.  I’ll get right back to you as soon as I have everything taken care of.”  And she set about doing the tasks she’d been given.  She ordered his lunch and got the team together and told them to get ready to roll when they received the text containing their departure information.  She sent one of her gophers out to go get the clothes.  The scheduled the flight and arranged for them all to be transported from the airport to the plant in Colorado Springs.  It took her all of about an hour and a half.  Buy the time she had finished doing everything, Grissom’s lunch had arrive and her gopher had returned with the clothes.  She smiled to herself and knocked at his office door.  “Mr. Grissom.  It’s Holly.”

“Come in, Holly.”

She walked in cautiously and looked around.  The office was a mess.  There were plants and broken glass everywhere.  It was to be expected though.  When a person is as unstable as Porter Grissom was, violent mood swings were expected.  “I have all of the things you asked me to get for you”, she said sweetly.  She set the bag of clothes down in the floor next to the desk.  “The flight is scheduled for five o’clock this evening, you’ll arrive about two hours later in Denver.  From there, you’ll be taken to the plant in the springs.  Wagner, Heath, Danvers, and Franks are going to be going with you.  I figured that you’d want a small team this time around.”

“Good girl.  Thank you.  Go home and enjoy some time off.  I’m going to need you once the Utopian party is back in power.  You’ll make a lovely press secretary.”

She smiled.  “Thank you, sir.  If you need anything else, let me know.”

“I will.”

Holly turned and left the room.  After gathering her purse and her phone, she headed out the door to her car.  Once she was secure in her car, she drove a few blocks away and made a phone call.  “Thomas.  It’s worse than I told you.  He’s flipped.  I don’t think he knows his left from his right.”

“That’s good.  We’ll be able to surprise him.”

“Is the person that’s going to be doing this that good?”

“They are.  Don’t worry about it, Holly.  We’ll all be out from under that sick son of a bitch soon.  He won’t be able to hurt anyone else for much longer.  Now, give me the information.”

She rattled off the things he’d need to know and sighed.  “You’re sure this will work?”

“Yes Holly.  I’m sure this will work.  I trust the people I’m with.”

“If you trust them, Thomas, then so do I.”

“I trust them with my life, little sister.  You’d be wise to do the same.  After all, they are related to the Voice.”

She nodded.  “Ok, bro.  Call me and let me know how everything went.”

“I’ll call you once he’s dead, Holly.  Don’t worry.  This will all be over soon.”

---------------

“So she’s your sister?” Morbus asked.

“Not really.  She’s not related to me, if that’s what you’re asking.  When we all got drafted into this mess, I was the one that took care of her.  Grissom’s been crazy from the get go, Morbus.  He’s just gotten worse with time.  At first, we all believed what he said.  I mean, what about a society without hatred and pain isn’t appealing?  But, slowly, as his true plan came to fruition, a few of us started questioning everything.  It wasn’t until he threatened my family that I wanted to find a way to escape.  He water boarded me over something I had no control over.”

“What was that?”

“The package that was sent here through Miriam, Jacob’s oldest child.  He had his assistant send that off.  I had nothing to do with it, but I want the one that he tried to drown.”

Morbus nodded slowly.  “I understand.  So, when you made arrangements to get your family out, why didn’t you do the same for the girl?”

“For a few reasons.  First, she wouldn’t have gone.  She may think Grissom’s off his nut, but she would want to keep up appearances until she could legitimately get away.  I mean, what would it look like if his secretary was suddenly missing?”

Morbus nodded.  “Why else?”

“He may have a temper, but there are a very few females in his inner circle that he trusts and he’s not usually the type to put his hands on a woman he trusts.  He has no problem roughing up one that he doesn’t as it evident with Jordan, but Grissom wouldn’t hurt Holly.  And third, she makes a really good spy because she’s so close to him.  She handles a lot of his personal business.  Who better to feed us information on him than her?”

“Good reasons. I suppose.  But if he’s as crazy as you say he is, then why wouldn’t he hurt her?”

“You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.  You don’t piss off the woman that orders your food regularly and handles all of your personals.  You do that and it will come back to haunt you.”

“Granted.  So, you trust her information?”

“Yes, but I suggest that we plant someone as the driver just in case.”

“Who do you suggest?”

“I know where the facility here in the Springs is, but he knows what I look like.  You’re too noticeable.  Perhaps one of your boys.”

“Travis or Will?”

“Yeah.  Just ask them which would be interested.”

“They would both be interested.”

“Then decided based on who’s better at Recon.”

“That would be Will.”

“Then send Will.”

Morbus nodded.  “I need to brief Jake on what’s going on.  You let will know about his new little mission.  If he has to kill to get in, he is to do so quickly, cleanly, and quietly.”

Carter nodded.  “Yes, sir, Morbus.”

---------------

Jordan padded down the stairs after she and Reece had finished.  She couldn’t look at him.  She was too conflicted to look at him for the moment.  He’d fallen asleep after they had finished because he’d expended what little bit of energy he had regained from his nap when they made love.

When she went into the kitchen to get a bottle of water, Delilah caught her.  “So, how did your talk with Reece about the kids go?” she asked.

“It was pretty good.  He said he was willing to put his career on the back burner to take care of the kids so that I could tour.  He’s willing to move in for that to happen too.”

“That’s good.”

Jordan nodded.  “It is.”

“So why do you look like you think it’s a bad idea?”

“I don’t”, Jordan lied.

“Don’t try to get one past me, Jordan.  I’ve been in this family long enough to know how it goes.  You’re feeling guilty about something.  What’s wrong?”

Jordan sighed.  “I just slept with him”, she whispered.

Delilah’s eyes grew wide.  “Repeat that.  I’m not sure I heard you.”

“I just had sex with Reece.”

Delilah was in shock.  “Wow.  I thought you weren’t into guys.”

“I’m not.  That’s the problem.  I’m a lesbian, but somehow he gets through all of my defenses and I don’t know why, but I’m seriously hot for that man.  I can’t explain it, Lilah.  It’s been like that since I met him.”

“Back during that whole debauchal with Samantha?”

“Yeah.”

Delilah nodded.  “I wish I could tell you I knew what you’re going through, but I can’t.  The only person I’ve ever felt that for is your brother.  I’m not attracted to women even a little.  I wish I could help you.”

Jordan nodded and sighed.  “Thanks for trying at least.  I just… I don’t know how to feel.”

“I feel for you, Jordan.  I wish I could help you.  I really, really do.  But there’s nothing I can do for you.”

Jordan took a sip of her water.  “I know.  Thanks anyway.”

“Not a problem, Jord.  If you need to talk, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks.  I’m gonna go for another workout.  Gotta make my calf muscles strong again.”

“There’s one way to deal with it.  Work out some more”, Delilah laughed.

“I’m not dealing with it by working out.  I’m running away from it.”

“Whatever works, Jordan.”

As Jordan headed out the door, she walked past Morbus.  “Jordan, freeze a moment.  I need to talk to you.”

“About?”

“The man that separated you from your children by beating the shit out of you.”

Something moved through Jordan’s eyes. It was like the predator had started pacing near the door of her cage.  Jordan stuffed her down so that she could deal with her family like a normal person, but the mere mention of Grissom- even abstractly- flipped a switch.  “What’s up?” she asked coldly.

“He’s coming to town soon.  Do you think you’re ready to take him one?”

“Do you think I’m ready to take him on?”

“I think you’re more than ready and there will never be a chance like this again.  He’s coming to Colorado Springs.”

She nodded.  “What’s the plan?”

“Still working on that, but it will involve me, the boys, Carter and possibly Skyler.  Can you handle that?”

“As long as I’m the one to pull the trigger on that son of a bitch, we’re cool.  I’m going to make him eat so much lead that it’ll put lead poisoning from lead based paint to shame.”

“That was a bad joke, Jord.”

“Do I care?”

Morbus chuckled.  “Good point.  Go train.  I’ll catch you later to break down the plan for you.”

Chapter 42

Grissom was standing in his office in LA, looking out over the concrete jungle that was the city of fallen angels.  This was where he felt the most at him.  He couldn’t explain why, but he was more at home in LA than he was in New York or Washington.  It was just homey.

There was a solid knock on the door.  “Mr. Grissom, there’s a package for you”, his receptionist said.

“Come in, Holly.”  Once he heard the door open, he spoke again.  “Who is it from?” he asked.

“There’s not return address, Mr. Grissom.”

He looked at her in confusion.  “What do you mean, no return address?”

“Exactly that.”

“Did you have security check it for explosives, right?”

“They did that as part of the routine.  No explosives.  Just a wooden box.”

“Leave it on my desk, then, Holly.”  Once she left, he sat down at the desk and carefully opened the package.  Once the wooded box was removed, he tossed the outer box in the floor and opened the wooden one.  Inside he found a note card.  “‘It is weakness rather than wickedness which renders men unfit to be trusted with unlimited power’  Your empire will soon crumble, Mr. Grissom.  We know about the trouble you’re really in.  Enjoy your seat on the top while it lasts, M .”  He read over the card, then looked beneath it.  There was a familiar ID and a spill proof container.  Young Cody Green- the young woman who was like a daughter to him- was the name on the ID.  He started shaking as he picked up the container and unscrewed the lid.  He saw ash.  His hands trembled as he screwed the lid back on the container, causing him to cross thread it.  He finally got frustrated enough with it and threw the entire container across his office.  Ash was flung everywhere.

His temper flared as he watched all that was left of Cody spill from the container as she flew across the room.  He picked up the first thing he put his hands on and started throwing things.  He didn’t care what it was or how valuable.  If he could lift it, he threw it.  He was beyond angry.  He wasn’t sure who ‘M’ was but he had crossed the line by sending him the ashes of someone he loved like a daughter.  He loved Cody more than his own daughter who was the same age.

Potted plants went flying.  Picture frames went flying.  His computer went flying.  If he could lift it, he threw it.  Nothing and no one was safe from his fury.  Pissed didn’t cover how angry Porter Grissom was when he was ashes and the ID of the young woman he considered a daughter inside the box.  He was beyond pissed; beyond furious.  Someone was going to pay.  The first person to come through his office door was going to die, even if he had to shoot them himself.

And he screamed.  He screamed his anguish at the windows and walls of his office.  He screamed at the top of his lungs and let his pain be felt throughout the office suite of York Industries.

Now, Grissom knew loss.  He knew the pain that he was going to put David and Brie Draiman through when he was going to kill their daughter Jordan.  Now, he knew what it meant to lose a child.  And he was going to make the Draiman parents feel that loss tenfold.

---------------

When they walked into the house, Reece Tyson took a deep breath and Jordan smiled at him.  “You’re going to be ok, Reece.  Trust me.  The boys will behave themselves or I’ll call Dad in the middle of dinner.”

“I believe you.  I’m just nervous to meet your family, that’s all.  I was nervous to meet your parents.”

“Why, for crying out loud?”

“Your Dad’s a living icon.  How can you NOT be nervous?”

“I don’t see it.  He’s just Dad to me.  That’s all he’s ever been.”

“Just try to think about from my perspective.  I grew up listening to him music.  I would watch the music videos on TV or online, and I would be amazed.  It was awe inspiring.  Then, out of NO WHERE,  I get a phone call from the man I idolized as a kid telling me that he wants to meet me.  I freaked after we hung up.”

She thought about what he said.  “I still don’t get it.  He’s just my Dad.  He wasn’t David Draiman, Rock star when he was at home.  He was just my Daddy.  He was the guy I knew would hold me while I cried over something stupid that someone said to me at school, or would scold me when my grades weren’t what he expected of me.  He knew that all of us were destined for greatness and he wouldn’t tolerate anything less than our best.  Even when I was on the road I was still doing my lessons online while we were on the bus or sitting at the venue waiting to go on.  But, Dad didn’t tolerate slacking out of any of us.  He wasn’t the Rock star the rest of the world saw.  He was, and still is, my Daddy.  All of us feel that way.”

“All of you?  Like, all ten of you?”

“Yeah.  All ten of us.  We all just think of him as our Dad.”

“But you all knew what he did, right?”

“Well, yeah.  Kinda hard not to when he’s getting music from Uncle Danny and he’s disappearing for months at a time to go on tour.  But, it didn’t matter where he was in the world; if we fucked up bad enough for Mom to have to call him, he was on the first flight home to deal with the problem when he had a chance to get away.  He didn’t play around, either.”

“I’ll bet not.”  He took a deep breath.  “Let’s get this over with.  Time to brave the gauntlet.” 

“That’s the spirit”, she laughed.  “Come on.”  She opened the door and led him inside.

Jake looked over his shoulder from the couch when he heard the door open and all of the boys stood.  “Hello Reece”, he said with a pleasant smile.  “I’m Jacob, Jordan’s twin brother.”

Reece extended his hand and they shook.  “It nice to meet you, Jacob.”

Jake then went around the room and introduced everyone else that was present.  The kids were all in their lessons, so it was only adults in the room.  Once everyone was introduced to one another, they all sat and talked.  The boys all got to know Reece and he got to know them.  He learned that everything that Davina said about everyone in the family was a complete and utter lie.  He hated being lied to.  He was honestly pissed by the fact that one of the women he trusted to carry his child would lie to him the way she did.  Jake was good natured, Jeremiah- insightful, Marc- so chill he was nearly in a coma, and James- very confident.  All of the Draiman boys were confident, but James seemed to have an extra dose.

When the kids’ lessons were over, they all excused themselves.  “Wow, your brothers and sisters are nothing like what Davina told me.”

“I told you.  They’re all really awesome.”

“Just like their sister”, he said with a smile.

“Don’t kiss ass, Reece.  It’s unbecoming.”

“Who says I’m kissing ass?”

“I know that look.  I’ve seen it before.”

“Not from me.”

“I have nine other siblings and two parents.  Not to mention aunts and uncles.  You can’t pull one over on me.  Don’t try to kiss my ass.  It’s unflattering.”  She took a deep breath in through her nose.  “I’m going to change and go for a run.  I need to get out and let my ankle flexors and extensors know that they’re still loved.”

“What?”

“I need to work my calf and shin muscles out.  I had to have a titanium rod put in to stabilize my leg after an accident.  I’m not going into details about it now, but let’s just say that it was a hairy ordeal.  Now I run a few times a day as well as do other exercises to strengthen them all back up again.”  She pushed to standing.

“Mind if I join you?”

“If you want Morbus kicking your ass, then no.”

“What do you mean?”

“Morbus is helping me get back into shape after my accident.  He’s a harsh task master, but I need it right now.”

He nodded.  “Never mind then.  What can I do while you’re doing that?”

She grinned.  “Come on.  I’ll show you to my room.  You can watch movies in there until I come back.  Then, we need to talk.”

He stood.  “Alright.”

When she started up the stairs, he followed, grabbing his bags as they went.  A short distance down the hall, she opened a door and let him in.  “My room.”

He looked around at everything.  There was a decent sized LCD flat screen TV on the wall.  It had a built in DVD player.  The bed sat in the middle of the room.  There was no desk and was modestly decorated with pictures of the family.  It looked a lot like Jordan’s living room at her house, except there were pictures of the kids and her nieces and nephews at home.  There were only pictures of her parents, brothers and sisters in the bedroom.  “Nice.  This is the room you grew up in?”

“Yep.  Malachai’s in his old room, Jake is in the Master suite.”

“Formerly your parents’ room.”

“Yep.”  She showed him the remotes and explained how the internet in the house was set up before stepping into her closet to get changed for her workout.  Once she was ready to go, she left without another word as he made himself at home in her bedroom.

---------------

Neither David nor Brie were sleeping very well.  They both laid in bed and stared into the darkness.  “Are you awake?” David whispered softly to his wife.

“Not by choice, I assure you.”

“What’s wrong?”

“My shoulder’s bothering me.”

“Which one?”

“The one I was shot in years and years ago.”

His arm constricted around her shoulders and he held her as close as he could.  “A night I’ll never forget.  Seeing you with a bloody hole in your shoulder was one of the most painful experiences in the world for me, second only to the miscarriage you had two days later.”

She unconsciously reached up and rubbed at the scar in her shoulder where the bullet entered her.  “I remember you cleaning the wound for me.  God, it hurt so much.”

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

She pressed her lips to his chest with a sad smile.  “No honey, you didn’t hurt me.  It was a combination of the fact that you had just cauterized the wound on both sides and the fact that I’d just gotten shot.  It had nothing to do with how harsh you were.  You couldn’t have been more gentle.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, dear.  I’m positive.  You are the most wonderful man I’ve ever known; always trying to take care of me.  I know you love me and you know that I love you.  There’s nothing in this world that you could ever do that will make that change.”

He smiled as he laid a kiss against her hair.  “You’re my angel, Brie.  Why wouldn’t I want to take care of you?  I wouldn’t want to give God a reason to take you from me.”

“Who’s to say that you’re not going to be the one that goes first?” she giggled.

“Trying to get rid of me?” he chuckled.

“Not at all.  I’m just saying.  You are the older of the two of us, so if either of us is going to lose the other at this point, it’s going to be me that loses you.”

“Haven’t the kids always said that we’d go together?”

She laughed.  “Yeah, they have.  At least we don’t have to raise anymore.  We’re just babysitting for the time being and I don’t plan on leaving this planet anytime soon.  What about you?”

He laughed as well.  “Me neither.  I think  I wanna stick around a little while longer so that we can continue to torment our children.”

“And that sounds like a perfect plan to me.”  She yawned.  “I think I can sleep now, if only for a couple of hours.  What about you?”

He yawned as well.  “Sounds like a plan to me.  Let’s try to get a little rest.  We’re going to be dealing with the grandkids doing their lessons in the morning.  We’ll have to be on top of things to handle that.”

“Oh great!  Lessons.  Did we do this already when our kids were young?”

He sighed.  “Yes, but we’re the ones that decided to bring them out here, so we’re the ones responsible for making sure that they stay up to date with their education.”

She groaned softly.  “Damn it!” she said with feeling.  “I thought we were done making sure small children went to school when Jessi and Marc started driving.”

“I know, but they’re our grandkids and they need their education.”

“I know, I know.  If they want to go anywhere in life, they need to stay in school.  We wouldn’t be very good grandparents if we didn’t make sure that happened while they’re here.”

“Exactly.  Now, let’s got o sleep.”

---------------

When Jordan came back in, she grabbed a change of clothes before heading into the bathroom to get a shower.  She could feel herself getting stronger and stronger.  She was glad that she never had to do physical therapy.  It would have been too big of a pain in her ass.

As the cool water beat down on her skin, she pushed thoughts of her strength and her injuries from her mind and considered the man that was currently passed out on her bed.  She had to laugh at that.  There was a man asleep in her bed.  That had never been something she had to worry about.  Anytime she brought a lover home, it was a woman.  She’d told her parents early that she wasn’t into men. 

But, for some reason, Reece Tyson was the exception to that rule.  He was, honest to God, the first man she’d ever felt any form of attraction to.  She didn’t understand it.  Sure, he was the father of her children, but the children were created through artificial insemination.  She’d never slept with a man before.  It was against her nature, wasn’t it?

She shook the thought away and finished bathing before getting dressed in her lounge about the house clothes.  When she walked across the hall to her room she was toweling off her hair, which hung in wild curls in her face.  She kept all of her hair care products in her room.  As she went about taking care of her messy curls, she heard Reece stir behind her.  “Hey there.  Back so soon?” he asked sleepily.

“I was gone for two and a half hours”, she laughed.

“Whoa.  I must have laid down and just crashed.”

“So it seems.  I slipped in long enough to grab some clothes and you were out”, she said as she crumpled her hair into her hands to apply the anti- frizz gel that kept her hair from getting too poofy when it got humid outside.

“I’m sorry.”

She waved a hand in dismissal.  “Don’t be.  You just flew from Jerusalem to Colorado.  I’m sure that’s an exhausting trip.”

“But, I’m not sleeping in here, am I?”

“You can if you want.  I’ve never shared a bed with a man, so it will be an interesting experience, but it shouldn’t be too creepy.”

“I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.  I mean, I’m willing to move in so that the kids understand stability, but I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

She sighed.  She knew that she was going to have to admit her feelings for him to him at some point.  “Listen Reece. This is why we need to talk.  Ever since I met you after my break up with Sam, I’ve had this strange attraction to you.  I’ve never felt that toward a man.  You can ask my parents.  When I snuck someone into the house, it was a girl like my older brother and twin did.  But, for some strange reason you’re the exception to the rule.  I can’t explain it, but I do want to see what might possibly become of it.  If you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine.  You can still move in so that the kids know that no matter what, we love them and we’re looking out for them.  I just figured that I needed to clear the air between us so that all of the tension between us can subside a little.”  She picked up the towel and wiped her hands on it as she spoke.

He smiled.  “Jordan, I feel the same way.  Oddly enough, I’ve felt like I was back in high school all these years that we’ve known each other because I’ve had a crush on you since the day we met.  Then, when you asked me to father a child with you, I was excited.  I thought, ‘Wow, I’m actually going to get to make love to her’, then I met Davina.  Talk about a spirit crusher.”

She laughed softly.  “Yeah, I’ve noticed recently that she has that tendency.”

“Are you really going through with the divorce?”

“Yep.  I’m citing irreconcilable differences.”

“Good.  The kids don’t need to be subjected to being pulled away from home every time you go on tour anymore.  You deserve to have some time away to have a career.  Be a Mom while you at home and a Rock star while you’re on the road; not a Mom 24/7 as well as a Rock star when you go on tour.”

“What about your skating, and the video game deals?”

“I don’t travel nearly as much as you do, and we can work around my schedule.  Don’t worry about that.  You shouldn’t have to worry about that.”

She stretched out on the bed and lie on her stomach as they talked.  “Are you sure about that?  Honestly, Reece.”

“Skateboarding competitions take place mainly in the spring, summer, and fall.  I’m a pro, so it’s harder to find invitational’s these days that I haven’t already dominated.  I’m considering snowboarding as well, but if you and I move in together I’m not going to.  Someone needs to be at home with the kids all the time.  I understand that and I won’t resent you if your career comes first.”

She looked at him cautiously.  “Seriously, Reece?  You mean it?”

He smiled softly at her and nodded.  She knew what the smile meant.  Her father got a similar look when reassuring her mother.  “Yes, Jordan.  I mean it.”  He gently brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, his finger tips softly caressing he cheek.

Her breathing shuttered and her eyes fluttered shut.  She hadn’t been touched like that in a very long time.  It was as if he were in love with her, but there was no way… was there?

He pressed his palm against her cheek, his thumb softly caressing her cheekbone.  “You’re so beautiful, Jordan”, he whispered softly.

As she lay next to him, her hand came up and trapped his against her cheek.  She took in the scent of him.  The touch of cologne at his wrist; the woodsy scent of it.  It was intoxicating.  She couldn’t think with his wrist so close to her face.  The next thing she knew, his lips were touching hers and her ability to resist him was gone.  She went with the kiss, her free hand reaching out to explore the plains of his abs and chest.  They were so firm that they felt like flesh covered stones under her hands.

She couldn’t help herself and moved to where she straddled his waist.  He was slightly taller than she was so she laid flat against him as they kissed.  Her hips moved.  She couldn’t keep it from happening.  It was force of habit when she was aroused like this.

His hands wandered up her spine and pushed her camisole up so that he could slip it off of her by pulling it over her head.  Once her shirt was in the floor, his hands slid back down her back to push her pants slightly off of her hips before he sat up and placed her on her back with a hand on her neck and at the base of her spine.  He worked her pajama pants off of her body as he kicked his shoes off and she pulled his shirt off to toss it in the floor as well.  As they worked each other’s pants off, Jordan moaned softly against his lips; a mix of desperate need and uncertainty.  Reece broke the kiss.  “Are you sure, Jordan?”

“Stop talking, Reece.  I wouldn’t have put myself in your lap if I wasn’t.”

He claimed her lips again as he contemplated his first move.  His back arched as he pushed himself inside her, stealing her breath and forcing her to tear her lips from his as she gasped.  The sound pleased him.  She’d just admitted to him that she’d never been with a man, so he wanted to make her first experience a beautiful one.