Mysterious Ambition Prt II

Chapter Ten
Threatened

After the explosion the police immediately arrested Carl and his men who crashed through the windows. Jack and Danielle were both rushed away in ambulances to the hospital. Danielle had inhaled heavy smoke and burned the inside of her lungs. She had the natural scrapes and bruises from crashing through a window, and pieces of glass cut inside side of her right eyeball. Jack had also inhaled smoke and burned the inside of his right lung. A sprained ankle and a compound fracture in his right arm were going to be slowing him down. “Anything else you want?” Asked the nurse.
‘’Yeah I want to see my sister.’’ Said Jack.
“The doctor is seeing her in medical care. He wanted to take another look at her eye. You know your sister is lucky she didn’t go blind.”
“When can I go home?” He asked the nurse changing the subject.
“I’m not sure. That ankle of yours is pretty beaten up. You snapped four ligaments.” The nurse had short blonde hair not long enough to pull back. She was wearing the natural scrubs with white on the bottom and red on the top. She smiled at him and blinked her long eyelashes.
“Any thing else.’’
“No.”
“All right.” He thought she left reluctantly. He was tired of her looking like she was important. Tired of her flirting and asking him if he wanted a sponge bath.
“Danielle.’’ Jack knocked quietly on the door after he had walked in. “Jack? Your not supposed to be out of bed.” Danielle pressed her button and sat up.
“That’s never stopped me before.’’ Jack waddled over to the chair using his one good arm and a crutch.
“If anyone asks remember, you’re still my sister.”
“Right I remember.”
“How’s the eye.’’ He asked elevating his bare foot on her bed.
“It hurts. I’m going to have to wear this patch over it for a week.” She pressed her fingers to the top of the patch.
“What about your ankle?” She ran her hand over his toes down to his ankle. “Ouch!”
“I’m sorry!” She pulled her hand back swiftly.
“I’m just kidding.” He began to laugh at her.
“How in the world did you switch those backpacks?” She asked change the subject.
“I didn’t switch them. Carl had the backpack full of money the whole time. I had the bag full of newspaper.”
“I thought you pulled out money from the backpack.”
“I pulled out four hundred dollars the money that I told you plant on top of the elevator. Remember?”
“Oh yes. We had to do plan B again before plan A.” She replied gleaming. “Yeah I’m finding that a lot these days.” He chuckled.
“I feel bad about pushing the button and blowing up the bank.’’ “You didn’t think it was fun?” He joked.
“Jack.”
“Don’t feel bad about it. I hear a billionaire from Las Vegas is going to donated money to the repairs.” She looked lost.
“You know one of those guys who wear the fancy suits and jewelry that usually own a chain of casinos that bring in millions a year.”
“What his name?”
“I don’t know, but what I do know he is one of the richest casinos owners in all of Las Vegas. Hundred dollar bills are pocket change to him.” “You think he’s doing something illegal?” She asked.
“I’ve been investigating on him for a year until I took your case. The FBI can’t find a single thing.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“You think he’s doing something illegal?”
“Well whatever he’s doing he’s roping in three million a year. I don’t think he’s guilty, but I don’t think innocent as a rose.”
“We may have taken care of your hunters, but mine are still out there. You should probably get back to your room before the nurses worry.’’
“I’d rather be with you.” He smiled slyly.
She bowed her head and felt her cheeks turning red.
“Go on. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
“Well if you insist.” He stood and hobbled over to the door.
“You sure you don’t need protection or anything?” He turned back around.
“What are you going to do crutch him to death?” She joked and noticed he was looking into her eyes.
“Don’t look at me like that!” She commanded him. His eyes dropped to the floor then back to her face sheepishly.
“Did anyone ever tell you your eyes are beautiful?” He whispered. “Antonio always thought they were.” She answered back softly. “Well he’s right, goodnight.’’
---
“Excuse me I’m here to sign out Joanna and Jackson Nicholas.” Said the young man to the nurse behind the desk.
“Yes, and you are?”
“I’m their brother, Jordan Nicholas.” Carter handed the I.D Jack had mailed him three days ago to the nurse.
“All right sign here.”
“And did Jack take care of the medical bills.’’ Asked Carter handing back the blue ink pen and paper.
“Yes. Jack is in room 456 and Joanna is in room 464.”
‘’Thank you.”
“Knock, knock, Danielle.”
“Carter!” She through back her thin layer of blankets and ran into an embrace. It was a warm, long hug, a hug that showed they were old friends. ‘’I missed you.” He whispered in her hair and kissed her forehead. Well maybe more then friends.
“Missed you too.” She rested her hand on his clean shaved face unlike Jacks. “I saw the news what in the world is going on?”
“It’s a long story. How did you know I was here.’’
‘’I got this letter in the mail that gave me instructions and if I followed them I would be able to find you.’’
“Who wrote it.’’
“I did.” Said Jack at the door. He obviously had been standing the long enough to see everything why else would his face look so angry. Carter’s arms dropped from around her waist then took a few steps backwards. “Go get your car and bring it around front be quick about it.” Carter looked at Danielle from the side of his eye, hesitating she nodded to him as if to say “Listen to him.’’
“Jack I know what you must be thinking.” Danielle began after Carter left the room.
“No Dan you have no idea what I’m thinking.”
“It’s not what it looks like, he’s just a friend.”
“Ha! Whatever you say Danielle.’’ He looked at her slyly.
---
“Careful, you all right?” Asked Carter helping Dan into the front seat of his black mustang. His hands hooked around her medium waist and slid her down that was when she hit her head.
“Yes, I’m fine.” She asked rubbing the bump.
“All right you love birds as romantic as this is we need to get out of here.” Interrupted Jack shutting the back seat door. Carter glanced over the seat at him with that look in his eye. The look that said, “Back off, she mine.” “Step on it.”
“Jack do you know something I don’t know why are you in such a hurry?” Asked Danielle in the rear view mirror.
“Carter, look in your side view mirror.”
“Yeah what about it.” He asked.
“Now change lanes.”
“What’s the point of this?” He asked.
“Change lanes.” Agreed Danielle.
As soon as his black mustang served over so did the white car in back of them. “See what I mean.”
“Who are they?” Asked Carter.
‘’There Antonio’s men aren’t they?” Danielle asked turning around in her seat. ‘’Most likely, I’m not quite sure.”

Danielle shyly shook her head.
“What does Antonio Wilson want?” Carter continued.
“I don’t know.” She paused seeming to be deep in thought.
“Take the freeway.’’ Cut in Jack.
“You can’t take the freeway during hush hour! Are you crazy?” Jack immediately lost his patients and ripped the small revolver hidden in his clothes. “I’m losing my patients, with you Carter. Take the freeway!” Carter swallowed the lump in his throat, while staring at the barrel at his throat in the mirror. “Trade spots with me, get in the back.”
‘’What?” Shouted Carter.
“Grab the wheel, Danielle.” Ordered Jack making his way into the front. “I’m not trading spots with you.”
“You don’t have a choice!” Then Jack’s fist smashed into Carter’s nose, breaking it.
“Jack, what’s the matter with you? Have you gone crazy?” Asked Danielle after He had pushed Carter into the back seat.
“Not entirely.’’ He said stomping his foot on the gas, giving Danielle whiplash. She saw the needle race past eighty-five miles per hours as the speeding car wished by.
“Is that white car still behind us?”
“Yes.”
“Is that so, time for a game of bumper cars?” Jack turned off the freeway on to the San Francisco exit.
“Jack, don’t do what I think you’re going to do.”
He slammed on the breaks when he was on the side of the road. The car made a steady jolt backwards once it was put into reverse.
“Jack, they’re getting really close to us.” Replied Dan.
“You might want to go now.”
“Wait for it.”
“Jack go! Jack!” The car flew backward smashing into the side of the white car. Dan’s neck snapped several times as he pulled forward and smashed them into ditch.
“My car!” Shouted Carter from the back seat.
“Carter shut up!’’ Jack yelled slamming on the gas and making tire spin marks on the cement.
“I think that will slow them down for a while.’’ Jack smiled in the rear view mirror and Carter who was holding his bleeding nose.
“Your going to pay for every sent of damage you did to my car!” “Don’t waist your breath Carter. You can’t drive this car ever again. How many people do you think will report to the police about what I just did.” “Then you’re going to bye me a new one!”
‘’I won’t but maybe a millionaire will.”
---
“Run, Carter’s home.” Shouted Andrea to her little sister. Four feet, connected to two bodies in pajamas, scrambled up the steps.
“Girls, I’m home!” Shouted Danielle.
“Mamma?’’ Asked the littlest of the three down the steps.
“Anna? Sweetheart is that you.”
‘’Andrea, Mamma is here!” Yelled the little one as she ran to the steps and slid down the railing.
“Adrian moms home.” Shouted the middle one to the close bedroom door. “Ask me if I give a care.” She shouted back.
“My girls, oh my girls!” She said holding them and caressing them. “What happen to your eye mom.’’ Asked the middle one.
“It’s a long story.” Jack just stood there with his mouth hanging wide open. “Where’s Adrian?”
“Upstairs.’’ Anna glared her eyes.
“I told her you were home, but she said she didn’t care.” Finished the other one.
“I’m right here.” She said coming leisurely down the steps.
Jack’s mouth went wider with all three of them stood before him.
“Who’s he?” Asked Anna. Jack fell to his knees and held Anna in his arms. “Weirdo.’’ Andrea whispered to Adrian.
“Jack what’s the matter with you?” He released her and held on to her shoulders looking into her eyes.
“Anna?” He asked.
“Yeah we know who we are the question is who are you?’’ Asked the Andrea. “I’m… I’m Jack.’’
“That’s the oldest trick in the book.’’ Andrea whispered to her older sister. “What are you doing here, Jack.’’ Asked Adrian.
‘’It’s a long story.’’ He said standing and leaning on his crutch. “Girls we’ll explain in the morning go on up to bed.” Commanded Danielle.
“Jack what’s the matter with you. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’’ “Three of them?” He put up three fingers as an example.
“Not two but three?”
“Yeah.” She admitted. ‘’You knew I had kids.”
“I thought you had two. Did you cheat on Antonio?”
“No! And even if I did it wouldn’t be any of your business.” She started up the stairs in a little hump.
“Hey! Oh man.’’ He complained starting up the stairs with a sprained ankle. “Danielle!” He said slamming through the door.
“Jack you don’t just barge in like that. I couldn’t have naked.” Jack raised one eyebrow and smiled.
She glared her blue eyes, and then continued.
“What do you want?”
“When did you have Anna?”
“I had her December 10th, anything else you want to know?” Dan asked becoming annoyed.
“When did you leave Antonio?”
‘’Why is this important?” She asked throwing down her nightgown. “There could he a threat on Anna’s life you don’t answer me.” “I left him March 8th.”
How long after you left Antonio did you find out you were going to have Anna?”
“Two weeks.”
“It’s gotta be it! She’s turning six in two weeks right?” “Roughly, two weeks. Why what are you thinking.”
‘’Some how Antonio must have found out about her. He’s after Anna. That’s what he wants.”



Chapter Eleven
Suspicion

“Dear Dairy,’’ Danielle began to write.
“I have been home for a little under two weeks. Anna’s sixth birthday party should be quite interesting. Antonio I know for a fact is my killer, some how he found out about Anna and wants her, and he’ll kill me to get to her.
Jack says it’s not smart to go to work and if I go call him every two hours. I guess I should thank him for being a little pair annoyed. Jack also says not to let to let any of the girls go to school, it seems like more of a blessing to them then it is to me.
I’m a little suspicion of Misty Thomas and almost wondering if she and Antonio are making a team effort into getting back and me. She was always jealous of me for who knows what reason and why.
Jack says he has something planned for Anna’s sixth birthday. I do trust him but I can’t be blamed for worrying especially when it involves Anna. He said he was going to set a trap for Antonio. And it scares me to think of the bait. Jack says trust him, but I almost think… he’s, no it couldn’t be. That’s too impossible to be possible.”
---
“Are you crazy?” Shouted Danielle after hearing Jack’s plan. “Danielle listen to me.”
“No Jack there’s no way on earth your going to use Anna as bait for a trap.” She said starting up the stairs from the laundry room.
His plan was a Christmas party combined with Anna’s birthday. A big event, big enough for Antonio to strike at kidnapping Anna and Jack to arrest him.
“Danielle.’’ He augured back skipping steps behind her.
“No Jack.”
“Do you want to have her isolated, do you want our I mean your girls to repeat the same grade just because when we had a chance and we didn’t take it?” “Here, fold these.” She handed him a few shirts.
“The answer is still no.”
”Danielle look!”
“You look! What if Antonio comes in here and you can’t stop him. What if he takes her and just because we took a chance we never see her again.” “I’ll kill him before he does that!”
“Jack I’ve played the games you play, and Anna isn’t in the directions.” “You make have played the games I play, but your forgetting one thing.”
“What?” She set down her folded shirt on the coffee table, and redid Jack’s semi folded shirt.
He whispered like he always did the little trick up his sleeve which he always had. She closed her eyes and exhaled showing her retreat.
“All right Jack, but if anything happens to her…’’
“Shh!’’ He placed his fingers over her soft lips then cupped her face with his hand.
“Do you trust me?” He asked tracing the outline of her lips with his thumb.
“Yes, I trust you.”
“Do you love me?” She didn’t answer that one, keeping a straight face she reached down to the laundry basket. Her arms reached around his neck and up into the thick mass of black hair. Swiftly she used her so-called weapon she had grabbed from the laundry basket and slipped it over his head. Victoria Secret red silk panties were the natural name for them.
“That’s funny Danielle, real funny.” He said peeling them of his head. He took one look at them screamed and through them across the room. “Those were expensive.” She said collecting them from the lampshade were they had landed.
“I’ll take that as no.’’ He said clearing his throat.
“Right answer.” She laid her weapon back in the laundry basket. “How long have you been dating Carter?” He asked changing the subject and picking up another shirt. Danielle swiped the bra that was connected to it before he though it across the room.
“Carter and I have never actually dated, if it’s any of your business which it is not.”
“Hey you didn’t have to tell me.” He placed the folded shirt on the stack then watched her pick it up to redo it.
“I’ve known Carter since the eighth grade. I met him about fifteen minutes before I met Antonio.”
[Flashback]
“Okay, okay this is no problem just mind your own business.” Danielle told herself as she walked through the line of people holding her lunch tray.
“Is some one sitting here?” She asked one of the tables full of girls. “Yeah, so buzz off freak.” Said the leader of the pack.
“Sorry.” Just as she was about to take a step backward and run like heck a hand went on her shoulder making her gasp.
“Chill Misty she’s cool.” Said the voice.
“Hey I’m Carter.” Said the hand owner.
“Danielle Travis.”
“Cool, here have a chair.’’ He pulled her chair out then took the one next to her.
“Wad you say ya name was?” Asked one of the girls.
“Danielle.” She said again. “And you girls are?”
“Misty Thomas.” Said the leader of the snobs. Then her fellow cats joined in until it was broken.
“Misty! Misty! He’s looking at you!” It was like a chain reaction. One looks, they all looks at the young man across the room whom Misty was sweet on.
“That creep Antonio Wilson looking at you again.” Carter never did approve of him. They were always opposite in everything including personalities.
“Oh Carter, bug off.” She exclaimed not taking her vision off of the young Antonio.
“Who are they staring at?” Dan whispered in Carter’s ear. But he didn’t answer, instead he said.
‘’You know Misty it doesn’t look like to me he’s staring at you.”
‘’But of course he is, all the guys like me.”
“Misty don’t be stupid he’s staring at Danielle”
Dan froze spine exactly straight hoping that Carter wasn’t telling the truth and too afraid to find out for herself. Misty’s eyes curved in anger.
“Bring him to me!” She commanded. One of her fellow cats obeyed the order.
“You called Misty.” He answered. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a white tee shirt the black leather jacket and the sunglasses in his pocket gave him a biker appearance.
“Antonio I thought maybe you would like to join us.”
“Nope gotta go.” Carter began laughing, and Dan couldn’t help but giggle.
“Looks like that plan worked out well.” He continued laughing.
“Oh shut up Carter.” She replied crossly.

A few minutes later the lunch bell rang and the lunchroom cleared faster then a blink of an eye. Dan some how seemed to squeeze through the mob of teenagers out the door.
“Wait, wait.” Antonio shouted through the door at Danielle.
“What?” She said as she walked to her locker him along side of her. “Tell me your name.”
“Do you all ways begin conversation this way?”
‘’Just tell me your name.” She stopped walking in front of her locker. “Why should I tell you my name, why don’t you tell me your name?”
“Antonello Diego.”
“What?’’ She said closing her locker.
“Antonio Wilson. Now tell me yours.” She tired to walk off but he caught her by the arm.
“We had a deal, what’s your name.”
“Let go!” His grip became tighter around her arm causing pain.
“Danielle Travis.”
“Danielle Travis?”
“Yes, now if you would let go I’m late.”
“Sure.’’ Was all he said and released her.
---
“That same night he followed me home from school.”
‘’And gave you your first kiss?” He finished for her.
“What makes you so sure about that?”
“Lucky guess. Sounds like he was in love with you the first time he saw you.” “Perhaps.”
“Sounds like Carter was in love with you two.’’
“Carter is my friend; get that through your head.”
“How often does he kiss you?” He blurted.
‘’So this is what this is about.” She crossed her arms in front of her. “You’re acting like my father Jack! I’m not sure if you have noticed but I’m a little bit older then fourteen.” She grabbed the laundry basket a started down stairs for another load.
“Carter acts like your more then friends.” He started after her.
“Jack, enough!”
“Tell me you love me!” He blurted grabbing on to her shoulders and pressing her against the laundry machine.
She saw the ragging desire in his eyes that scared her stiff as a broad. He was at the end of his rope; he would attack her and sweep in to his arms. She had said no to him one too many times.
“Either way Jack you win, if I say no you wouldn’t care you would still take me in your arms and take me upstairs. If I say yes you would do the same thing. So either way I lose.” Her released her arms and took a few steps backward. “Jack?” Called Anna down the stairway.
‘’Thank you, Anna.’’ Thought Danielle.
“Sounds like someone is ready to be tucked in for bed.” She said.
“Jack I’m ready for my story.’’ Reading her a bedtime story was the job the five-year-old had assigned him.
“I’m coming Anna.” He started not taking his eyes off of Dan.
“What took you so long?” The little five-year-old called when he reached the top of the stairs.
“Come on my little angel.’’ He said putting her on his shoulders.
“One, two, three.’’ He said dropping her into the pink bed.
“Will you read me this one?” She asked.
“The three little pigs?”
“Yes please, Jack.”
“I don’t feel like reading a story tonight. How about you read to me?” “I’m not good enough yet. Why don’t you tell me a story?”
“I don’t know any stories that are all right for a five year old.”
“Do you have kids.’’ She finally asked.
He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her tiny body.
“Yes.”
“Where are they?”
“With there mother.’’
“Where is she at?”
“I don’t know.”
“How can you not know, is she dead?”
“Oh Anna.” Deliberated Danielle spying outside the bedroom door.
“She might be.”
“Why don’t you go and find her?”
“You know for a five-year-old you sure think a lot.”
“That’s what mamma says. Mamma says I get it from daddy.” “Where is your daddy?”
“I don’t know I’ve never met him. I don’t think that bad thing people say about him!”
“Who says things about your daddy.’’
“Mom’s friend says things about him.’’
“Carter?”
“Yes, Carter wants to marry my mamma.’’
“Marry her?”
“Oh Anna!” Danielle thought, sinking her hands into her forehead. “Yeah, and when he does he want to adopt us. Whatever adopt means?”
“Adopt means he would take you in as his owe child by law.”
“You mean he would be my daddy?”
Jack nodded.
“What about my real daddy?”
“If were not careful you might get to meet him.’’ Jack thought.
“It sounds like your daddy, huh… well, how do I put this?” He scratched his head.
“Put what Jack?” She scooted closer and put her little hand on his hairy arm.
“Would you like another daddy?” He asked trying to change the subject. “No I want my real daddy. I even have a picture of him.”
‘’You do?” He asked dumbfounded.
“She does?” Danielle thought almost out loud.
‘’Yeah, Andrea and I flipped through some of mom’s old stuff in the basement and found it.”
“Perceptibly it was there for a reason.”
‘’What’s percept…?”
“Perceptibly?”
“Yeah what’s…” she paused. “That word mean?”
“That picture was put there for a reason and the reason is entirely clear to me.’’
“Why was my daddy’s picture put there?” She asked digging into her nightstand dresser drawers.
“Huh.” He hesitated. “Probably… probably for safe keeping.”
“Here. That’s my mamma and my daddy on the wedding day.’’ Jack looked at the picture in astound. It was a colored portrait of Danielle and the mysterious Antonio. She was standing to her side turning her head to look at the camera. Then there was Antonio standing behind her in a strapping black suit, crossing his arms around the front of her waist.
“Hey what are you doing awake?” Danielle replied coming through the door.
“It’s past your bedtime.” Jack slipped the picture behind his back to Anna who covered it with her pillow.
“Good night angel.’’ Jack called to her before he shut the door.
Danielle stood right in front of him, less then an arm span away. But she dared not look into his eyes, too humiliated, too embarrassed, and too much arrogance. He caught on instantaneously that she wasn’t going to look into his eyes, which she wasn’t going to look at him at all. When he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled up against him he had lost his patients.
“We both know you were outside this door the whole time. So don’t engage yourself and play dumb.” Her lips leveled taut and she looked right into his eyes, by inaccuracy. Dan exhaled her forever breath and glanced away, but it was too late. She knew what it felt like to look into his eyes and have the shield melt down in side of her, the shield in front of her feelings, the shield that held a treasure chest, and in that treasure chest was her heart. This had happened to her before although Antonio had blue eyes instead of brown like Jacks, he could do the exact same thing.
“What’s a matter don’t like looking into my eyes?” He asked. “One of these days Danielle, one of these days, I’m not going to take ‘no’ for an answer.”
“Let go of me.’’ She commanded almost breathless. Grudgingly, reluctantly he let go of her and stepped back. It felt like a sovereignty of seduction, she fled to her room and locked the door, but she knew just like he had counseled that one of these days she wasn’t going to be strong enough to say ‘no’ to Jack. She wasn’t going to be able to look away from the seduction of his eyes. And her shield would come crashing down.
[Flashback]
“What happened?” Daniel Travis commanded when Antonio carried his daughter into the house.
‘’She slipped of the cliff and hid her head.’’ Mr. Travis grabbed Danielle out of his arms and on to the couch.
“What was she doing up there, and why were you with her?” He snapped.
“I was looking for her, she wasn’t at school today.’’
“This is your entire fault! Get out of my house, now!”
“But… I was just…’’
“Out!” Antonio scrambled for the door, but tripped over shoes and tumbled down the outside steps hitting his knee. Mr. Travis went to the door after him.
“If I catch you any where near my daughter, with in ten feet of her I’ll have you thrown in jail.” He slammed the door shut and clicked the lock.
“Yeah, if you catch me.” He said aloud into the dark streets of Virginia.
Two days later
“I told you were never to see that boy again!” Mr. Travis exclaimed to his daughter lying still on a hospital bed.
“Dad, you don’t understand!” She argued back.
“I don’t understand? You are the one who doesn’t understand. I warned you about that boy. I warned you from what kind of environment he comes from.”
“Dad, just because somebody made some mistakes in their life doesn’t make them a bad person.”
“You love his boy?” He blurted.
“I don’t know.’’
“You had better not, not that boy.”
“Dad, you don’t know him the way I do.”
“If I didn’t know him I wouldn’t be telling you this! That boy is nothing but difficulty. He lived on the streets of Italy when he was twelve, occupied with gangs, and I will not have him implicated with my daughter.”
“He also was adopted, and started his life over.’’
“You’re not seeing him! End of discussion!”
---
“You know most people like to eat their meals warm.’’
“Hmm, oh sorry I was, just ah, just thinking.’’ Danielle said fixing a bite of scrambled eggs on her fork.
“What were you thinking about?” Andrea, the middle child, asked.
“Nothing that would interest a ten year old.” She answered staring her middle daughter down.
“What about a thirty-two year old?” Jack asked pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“You’re thirty-two?” Andrea asked like she was flabbergasted.
“How old did you think I was?”
“Not thirty-two.” She said a big drink of orange juice.
“Adrian.’’ Began Danielle.
“What?” She growled.
“I’m going to go to the store to pick of things for tonight. So I want you to watch the girls while I’m gone.”
Adrian rolled her eyes, and swore under her breath.
“What was that?’’ Asked Jack.
“Nothing. Why can’t Jack do it.’’
“Adrian!” Danielle scolded.
“I have things that I need to make sure are sent up for tonight, otherwise I would.” Jack said apologetically.
“You see, now I won’t be gone long.” Danielle answered setting her plate in the sink.
“Oh Danielle, would you take a cab please, just in case.’’
“Just in case what?” Asked the middle child.
“Just in case it snows. I don’t trust those snow tires. I’m going to put new ones on it.”
“I thought the snow tires were bran new?” Asked the oldest.
“Oh you know how things wear out so quickly.” Danielle jumped in, telling Jack that she understood.
“I’ll call you when I get there.’’
“Right.’’
---
“Twenty eight dollars and fifty cents.” The store clerk said.
Danielle dug through he wallet and pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and a ten-dollar bill. The clerk seemed to becoming impatient with her when she dropped her wallet.
“Sorry.’’ The clerk, Stacy, her nametag read just glared her eyes. She was wearing the natural store vest with tight fitting, hip hugging, black jeans. Curly red hair, green eyes, and to add heavy makeup.
“Two fifty is your chance. Have a nice day.’’ Danielle guessed that the clerk was having a bad day.
“I hope my house is still in one piece.’’ She thought walking to the door. Her suspicion rose at the sound of footsteps close behind her. She starting walking faster hoping to loose whatever was trailing behind her. She dared not look behind her for if it was Antonio, slowly down for one second meant he could out run her. She knew that for a fact.
“Wait, Miss.” The voice behind her said, but she sped up faster and faster until she was in a run, sprinting across the barking lot.
“Danielle!” The voice shouted behind her. “Miss.” The owner of the voice caught up to her, as she was about to open up a taxi door and slam it shut. His hands grabbed onto her shoulders and turned her around to face him.
“Miss why are you running? You dropped your I.D out of your wallet.” The young man was panting just as hard as she was. He looked to be in between the ages of seventeen to twenty. Not exactly the tallest thing around too Danielle who stood a good five feet nine inches tall was an inch taller.
“Thanks.” Her voice was in a low whisper barely loud enough for him to hear. “No problem.” She palmed the card and then slipped into the slit of her purse. It seemed like when he walked away he felt foolish to chase her all the way to the end of the barking lot.
‘’That was creepy!” She exclaimed aloud opening the door to the taxi. “Ireland Avenue, please.”
‘’Sorry lady, they closed off the highway to Ireland a half an hour ago. If you want I can take you the long way?”
“Why did they close off the road?”
‘’Car accident, three cars hit black ice and went sliding into each other. They figured that they had better close the road until the get it cleaned up.
Danielle was so busy running for her life that she didn’t even realize the heavy snow that was building up.
“That’s December for you, isn’t it? Did you want me to take you the long around?” The cab driver asked.
“No, it’s all right.”
“All right, suit yourself. Merry Christmas to you.”
“Thanks you too.”
“Okay I’ll just walk home.” She thought.

“F-f-freezing.” Thought Dan as she walked home in three feet of snow. “Nice warm bath when I get home. Hot, hot soup.” She continued, but being run into interrupted her thoughts.
“Oh excuse me…” Short pause. “Danielle.”
---
“Ready or not here I come.’’ Yelled Andrea into the quite house.
This was a serious game to the Travis daughters. At least the youngest two took it seriously. After minutes of tickling and chasing the youngest held Jack at tickle point and made him take a brake from his work. Little did Jack know the seriousness of playing hide and seek when the Travis rascal’s.
“I’ve got you now!” Andrea exclaimed bursting open the linen closet. “Gotta catch me!” Jack yelled back before he took of running down the stairs.
“Anna he’s coming your way!” She shouted trailing behind him.
“Can’t you guys shut up?” Asked the oldest in the living room on one of her important phone calls.
“I lost him.’’ Anna said to her sister panting. “I think he went into the basement, then I lost track of him.”
“He’s trapped if he went into the basement. You guard the stairs I’ll go down and chase him up.”
“Ha!” Jack said closing the basement stair door and holding it shut. “Jack you let us out of here right now.’’
“What are you going to do if I don’t?”
“Tell mamma on you.”
“No, don’t do that I’ll get in trouble.”
“That’s the idea. Now let me out.” Jack’s attention was brought the front door that was slammed shut. Danielle leaned pinned up against it as if she had seen a ghost.
‘’What’s the matter Danielle? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Jack said letting the basement door loose. The girls came crashing though one landing on top of the other.
“I ran into…” She paused gasping for air.
“Girls go up stairs.’’
“But Jack.’’
“Go on. You too.’’ Adrian, the oldest, rolled her eyes and started up the steps. “Tell me what happen?”

“Well isn’t that interesting that I would run into you.”
It was Misty Thomas, the high school snob that was always jealous of Danielle in every way possible.
“You having a Christmas party?” Asked Misty.
“Why?’’ Danielle blurted.
“Well, you’re carrying party supplies.’’ Misty pointed to the bags in her hands. “Oh, yeah my daughter’s birthday.”
“That’s right Anna will be turning six on December 10th.”
“How did you know it was Anna, and how did you know it was on December 10th?’’ Misty seemed to have swallowed her tongue after that.
“Well I hope you have a nice party, now if you excuse me I have an engagement.” “Misty!” Danielle exclaimed to her as she turned her back.
“What.’’
“I know things happen to us in the past, but you would hold a grudge would you?’’
“Hold a grudge against what? The fact that Antonio was mine, the fact that you were all I wanted to be.”
“Your jealous of me?’’
“I’m not jealous!” She snapped back. “If I were jealous of anything it would be the fact that you got straight A’s.’’
“You’re full of it Misty! Don’t think I don’t remember your little plans back in high school of trying to separate Antonio and I, and now since it didn’t work you out for your full revenge. Well it’s not going to work not this time not anytime.”
“What are you talking about?”
“We both know what I’m talking about, don’t play dumb.”
“I’m finished talking to you Danielle!” She turned around and stomped away.

“Then.’’ Danielle continued sitting on the sofa next to Jack.
“I followed her to her destination.”

“What took you so long?” Asked a rough male voice inside the apartment. “I ran into Danielle Travis. She wasn’t exactly in a good mood.” Misty admitted hanging up her jacket.
“You ran into Danielle Travis? I thought I told you to be more careful and stay off the streets.”
“Before you get all angry at me, Tony, they closed the road because of the snow. I had no choice.”
“What did she say?” That voice, it sounded like she had heard it before. “Nothing much only that they were planing a party for Anna’s birthday.” “Will we already knew that, and that was the night that was planned for the strike right? Isn’t that what was planned?”
“I don’t know Tony, maybe we shouldn’t go?”
“Why not?”
“I think Danielle may know to much. She probably thinks I have something to do with all the news about her. You know all of the bombings and the person who’s trying to kill her.”
“So she’s on to you.”
“Yes, I’m going to have to be more careful. Tony you know if the FBI or the SFPD gets anywhere near this operation we’re jail birds!”
“No, the FBI doesn’t even know about the scheme, and we both know how much money is in it for us on the other side.”

Chapter twelve
Deceived

“Dear Dairy,
All though I am extremely nervous about letting the party proceed Jack says it’s the perfect opportunity to catch my killer or killers. I knew there was something about Misty Thomas that rose my suspicion. She was speaking to a guy name Tony; it’s probably short for Antonio.
The party will be held tomorrow night. Jack has undercover FBI agent’s attending as common guest. We rented a small business building to with held the engagement. I just hope it’s large enough.
I often feel like I’m the whole character in a book, or I’m in a never-ending dream where I’m just waiting to wake up. Wake up into reality, there’s no one out to kill me, there’s no one just waiting to seek revenge if that be the cause, or to take away someone or something I love.
I guess I can only blame myself. I set myself up for heartache the minute I accepted Antonio’s proposal.”

[Flashback]
“Danielle I’m telling you right now you may not marry that boy! End of discussion!” Daniel Travis exclaimed to his daughter after the long argument.
“I’m marrying Antonio Wilson weather you like it or not, dad!”
“You can’t legally marry him without my consent! You’re not doing it.”
“Fine, then I’ll run away with him!”
“You’ll stay in this house, you’re still my daughter!”
“Look at me dad! Do I look like I’m ten years old to you!” She placed her hands on her hips in the natural teenage hump.
“You maybe sixteen, Danielle Kimberly Travis, but I will remain your dad for as long as you live. So you had better lower your tone to me if you know what’s good for you.’’
“Full name, he’s really steamy now.’’ She thought.
“I love Antonio, dad.’’ She replied in a calm voice.
“Love ha! Your sixteen what do you know about falling in love?”
“Either way dad, I marry him. When I turn eighteen I’ll still marry him.”
“If you marry that boy I’ll disown you as my daughter.”
“If you disown me as your daughter you give me your consent, because either way dad I’m going to marry him.”
Daniel seemed to realize he had lost. He sat down in his desk chair and rested his hand over his eyes.
“All right Danielle you win. You have my consent to marry Antonio, but know the mistake your making. Don’t come running down my ally when you realize I’m right. You’re no longer my daughter.”

“Ever since that night.’’ She continued writing. “My father and I haven’t spoken to each other in over ten years. Maybe it’s my pride. Maybe it’s because I’m scared stiff even to think about seeing his face after he was right. Yes, I admit he was right about my foolishness. I guess I should’ve have remembered his own experience. When my mother walked out on him after they had my brother, Danny or as I call him little dork. I won’t ever make that mistake again. I will not be foolish!” Dan closed the book after glancing at the clock. She didn’t mean to write for two hours.
“Ouch!” She exclaimed burning her finger on the light bulb to her lamp.
“I was trying to turned it off not burn my fingers for dinner.” She thought feeling for the switch.
---
Adrian felt like Tom Cruise in a Mission Impossible sequence. Her clock shown in big red numbers two thirty am. The time she was suppose to get up and go to the bus stop. But a mission was before her for Jack had fallen asleep reading a book on the couch. Quietly she crept down the stairs the wood creaking noticeably. That was when she noticed Jack sleeping on his back.
“Great, just great.’’ She thought. “Now I can have a FBI agent chasing on my tail. Now where did I put my shoes?” With Adrian’s luck she should’ve known her shoes couldn’t be in a more convenient place. Right where she had left them in between the coffee table and the couch.
“You just had to watch T.V last night didn’t you Adrian?” She asked herself and scolded her stupidity.
Her mood went from a Mission Impossible movie to a dog that was creeping along the hard wood floor not to be spotted by its master. Her fingers grasped along the seam of the black ankle boots.
“I’ll have chocolate milk with that!” Jack seemed to proclaim still lying asleep on the couch. Adrian fled for cover rolling behind the couch.
“No I said chocolate milk!” He restated his desire still fast asleep.
By now Adrian caught what was going on and she buried her laughter in her jacket sleeve.
“Did you see the legs on that one, hum?’’ Jack asked still fast asleep. Adrian was laughing so hard that her shoulders were starting to shake and hurt. One arm was flung across her mouth to try and shield the laughter that was just roaring inside while the other arm was tightened taut at a ninety-degree angle on her flat stomach.
“Enough of this I got a bus to catch.” She thought just as Jackson continued on with his…. With his… interesting dream.
“Danielle? Danielle, Danielle I love you.” Adrian was going to grab her shoes and blot for the window but this one send her over the edge. She burst out in laughter her hand, not quick enough to shield it.
“Jack?” Asked Danielle coming down the squeaky stairs. ‘’Jack? Wake up.” ‘’Huh? What? Why did you wake me up? I was having this wonderful dream.”
“That’s why I woke you up. You’re talking in your sleep.”
“I was not!”
“Shh! Not so loud you’ll wake the girls! Never mind just go back to bed, and no more dreams.’’
Adrian hadn’t realized she was holding her breath the whole time her mother was present. She let it out and remembered how lucky she was for bolting behind the couch in time so her mother would not see her.
Now the coast was clear. She pulled on her shoes and zipped her jacket up tight. Jack had staggered lazily up the stairs into the guest room wear he slept. Leaving the explanation note on the table she lowered herself out the window and ran as fast as her heavy boots would carry her.
“And where you think your going?” Asked Jack aloud lifting up the window shade.
---
“You’re wasting your time, Jack.’’ Adrian said staring down at the ground. She had seen him approach out of the corner of her eye.
“I’m not changing my mind. Not this time, I’m out of here for sure.” She continued still starring at the ground.
‘’I’m not here to make you do anything you don’t want to. May I join?” He answered coming out of the dark alley.
She nodded and scooted over causally.
“Where are you going?”
‘’To find my dad.”
‘’Antonio?”
“Yeah he’s my dad! Duh!’’ She replied as if it was the clearest thing on earth. “You have any idea where he is at?”
‘’He’s in Vegas. And don’t try to follow me.”
“What make’s you think he’s in Vegas?” Jack’s eyebrows raised.
‘’He owns a line of casinos out there. He has a suite in the top of Diego’s Palace the heart of his line of casinos.
“How do you know all of this.” Jack almost sounded like he had seen a ghost. “I have my sources, it’s none of your business.” Jack rolled her attitude of his back and ignored her.
“How much cash you got on you?”
“Enough to get me there.’’
“Yeah but is it enough to get you out of there in case Diego doesn’t want anything to do with you. Which he won’t I know that for a fact kid.”
“Here take this.’’ He handed her a wad of folded bills.
“How much is here!” She exclaimed looking at several hundreds.
“About nine hundred.”
Her jaw dropped in astonishes. She had never felt so much money in her hands before. An evil smile quivered across her lips putting the money in a pocket of her backpack.
“I’m not going to try and stop you kid. But I am going to tell you all of the risks of your choice.”
“I’m not changing my mind.”
“You make say that now, but how are you going to even step foot into a casino, your fifteen, a minor. Minor’s can’t get with in ten feet of a one arm bandit.”
“I’ll get a fake I.D” She protested.
“That’s not going to work kid. You don’t look a day past fifteen. And even if you did get into the casino there’s no way you can get into the private suites upstairs. The Queen of England couldn’t get into seeing Antonello Diego if she tired. Sure, you can go there and claim to be his eldest daughter claim to know everything about him from what color are his eyes to how he take his coffee, but no one sees a rich millionaire unless he wants to see them. Trust me on this one kid,” he paused. ‘’I wouldn’t be telling you if I didn’t know for a fact.” Their attention was turned from each other to the large bus that was pulling up.
“Don’t do it kid.” He commanded to her as she stood up and grabbed her bag.
“I’m not chasing you, Adrian.” Jack reminder her. “Its up to you.”
“Young lady are you going to get on or just stand there?” Asked the driver becoming impatient. He was a fat husky man that’s had one to many Nacho plates.
Jack turned his back and started walking towards his car as he heard the bus drive away.
“Jack.’’ There was a quite voice behind him.
He turned around, gleaming a big smile at her.
‘’Can you take me home?” She asked still in a whisper.
“Sure thing kid. Come on lets go home.”
“Oh by the way you’re not getting back your money.” She said getting in the car next to him.
“It’s okay you can keep it.”
“I can!”
“Yeah, its counterfeit.”
“Counterfeit? You mean you knew I wasn’t going to go?”
He giggled and shook his head.
“How did you know that?”
“You forgot your bus ticket.’’ He held it up from his jacket pocket and then burst into laughter.
“Oh and one other thing.” He paused still giggling.
“You need to be quieter when you sneak out, and almost busted out laughing trying to talk in my sleep.”

Chapter Thirteen
The scheme

Danielle exhaled heavily after shaking hands with several guests, a few nights later.
`’How in the world did I let Jack talk me in to this?” She thought to herself, greeting more of the guests that came through the door.
“Danielle. Danielle, you look beautiful!” Exclaimed Carter coming through the front door. He was wearing his black tuxedo and a long black jacket was thrown over his arm. When he smiled at her his silver rimmed glasses slipped down his nose on to the white bandage that Jack had the honor of giving him.
“Thank you. How’s your nose?”
“It will be fine when I punch Jack.’’ Replied Carter crossly.
“Carter.”
“I reunion my car, Danielle. It’s going to cost him five grand to fix the damages. And he broke my nose!”
“Carter, listen I know you’re angry about your car, and your nose, but there’s a lot more then you actually know.”
“Like what, Danielle? When are you going to quit hiding secrets from me?” “I can’t tell you right now, but I promise when this is all over I’ll make it up to you.” She leaned forward and kissed his cheek softly.
“You mean it?” He grinned and kissed her back.
“Yes, I promise no more secrets.”
“Where is Jack anyway?” He asked.
“I’m not sure. He said he was going to get cleaned up and change clothes.”
“He’ll probably show up in a T-shirt a jeans.’’ Carter chuckled, but Danielle wasn’t laughing, she wasn’t smiling either. Her expression astonished, her eyes wide, her mouth open. Carter followed her gaze to the front door. But he didn’t expect to see Jack. At least he thought it was Jack. Since when does Jack gel his hair back out of his eyes? Since when does Jack prefer wearing a pair of black dress pants, a white sports coat, shinning dress shoes, and a tie?”
“So what do you think?” Jack asked coming down the steps.
“Jack? My, my look at you. Here I thought you didn’t have any class.” Carter indicated wrapping his arms around Danielle waist who was still in shock.
“Yes well that proves how stupid you are.’’ Jack smiled, as he scowled.
“Jack, you’re… your… wearing… I mean, wow, you look… could you get me some punch Carter?” She blurted not even finishing her thoughts. Carter scanned his eyes over Jack again, then left her side.
“I know you’ve never seen me dressed up in a monkey suit before.” She bashfully shook her head.
“It’s just that I wasn’t suspecting you to wear Antonio’s old tuxedo.”
“Andrea found it in a trunk in the attic. I hope you don’t mind if I barrow it for the night?”
“No not at all. It fits you nice.”
“Will you dance with me?” He gestured his arm as an offer.
“Oh well…”
“Look Danielle.” He interrupted.
“Look out the corner of you’re left eye, but don’t turn to him.”
“Do you recognize the man in the navy blue suit.”
“No why?” As he always did Jack whispered in her ear his perfect plan.
“Just act normal.’’ He said afterwards in yet a whisper.
“Well you dance with me?” Jack asked again.
“I’m not that good.’’
“Neither am I.” He chuckled. “I dance like a drunken gorilla.’’ He laughed again, this time she joined him.
“I don’t think so Jack.’’
“You’d dance with Carter if he asked you, won’t you?”
“I don’t know he hasn’t asked me.”
“Well, I’m asking you.’’ She didn’t mean to, it was just an accident, but she looked right into his eyes then it was too late to resist. She glared her eyes, partly for her stupidity the other so he leave her alone, then took his arm.
“Okay you lead.’’ He replied slipping his arm around her back.
“Jack, the guy is supposed to lead.” She said hitting his chest with her fists. “I am? But I don’t this song.”
“Never mind.” She tired to walk away, but he grabbed her arm.
“I think I can come up with something.” He glanced toward the ceiling as if his was thinking, but he didn’t expect to see what he saw.
“Well whatever your doing, you had better do it quick because people are starting to stare!” She exclaimed as he webbed his fingers into a dance position.
“Trust me Danielle.” He said trying to sound nonchalant as if nothing was wrong. Danielle saw the fear in his eyes when she looked into them.
“Try to act as if nothing is wrong. You remember the man in the blue suit?" She swallowed hard then nodded.
“He just went downstairs, and I got a pretty good idea what he’s going to do, wait right here.” He whispered. Then he left her side leaving her standing in dance position. Then the lights dimmed into a romantic setting, couples gathered around the dance floor as the band began to play “Oh Holy Night.”
“Danielle.” Jack whispered coming up behind her.
‘’Dance with me.” The he took her into his arms.
“Jack what’s going on.” She demanded to know.
“You’ll see in about five minutes.”
“What about Anna!” She exclaimed in a voice higher then and whisper.
“Shh! She’s fine the kids are just now having cake and ice cream. Then Ronnie will slip her out the back door and take her to the house.”
“If anything goes wrong…”
“Nothing will go wrong. Don’t talk as if something will, it’ll be perfect.”
“How can you always be so sure?”
“You wouldn’t be doubting me now, would you?” She didn’t answer and her lips straightened into a line.
“Can you blame me for doubting?’’ She finally answered.
“Doubting my plan, no, doubting me, yes. Trust me.” Then they were silent for what seemed to be several minutes.
“Jack?”
“Yes.’’
“We’re the only ones dancing.” She whispered. That’s when Jack noticed that all of the dance floor was empty from its existing couple’s, it was just Danielle Travis in the arms of Jackson Nicholas.
A shrill scream pierced the empty aurora of the dance floor, then the lights blanked out leaving only pitch-blackness in the room.
“Jack! Jack, he’s got Anna!” Danielle screamed through the commotion.
“Where are you!” He said back, reaching for her.
“Jack, that’s not my arm.’’ Her voice was strong in command.
“Oh sorry. Come on.” He pulled her though a crowd of people, bumping into them, shoving them, pushing, making there way to the staircase that led down below.
“He cut the power! I had a feeling her was going to do that.’’
“Antonio?” She asked, shielding her eyes from the flashlight he had switched on.
“No, one of his men probably. Antonio is just waiting for the job to get done and Anna to be brought to him. Watch your head in here.” He said helping her down the last stair. There was another shrill scream this time it was close by. Danielle gasped and the sound of gunshots, and slapped her hand over her mouth in astonish.
“It’s all right, he didn’t shoot her.”
“How do you know?”
“He has to take her to Antonio remember?”
“Mama!” Shouted Anna, her voice echoed through out the cellar walls.
“Mama don’t let him take me! Mama!”
“Shut up!” Shouted the male voice. Danielle shook with fear, her head hurt, her knees ached.
“Sit down.’’ Jack ordered sitting her down on the cement floor by her shoulders.
“Ronnie! Ronnie!” Jack replied quietly into his headset of communication.
“Jack where are you?”
“Ronnie I’m down in the wine cellar. Get down here down, I need you to stay with Danielle.’’ He slipped his arms out of his white jacket and laid it over her. Tears of mascara dripped down her face. Not tears of pain, tears of emotions, these were tears of fear. One of Antonio’s men had her little girl, and fear electrocuted Danielle with a thousands volts.
“It’s going to be okay.’’ Jack whispered kneeling on one knee. “I’m going to get her back.”
“I’m sorry, Jack I don’t know how he got a hold of Anna.” The blond hared Ronnie replied coming down the steps.
“Will talk about that later. Just stay with Danielle. I need your other pistol.” Ronnie slipped him silver, six shot revolver.
“It penetrates.’’ Ronnie smiled.
“Mama, he’s taking me…” But then her voice was covered and the windowpane closed behind the kidnapper.
“I’ll call for backup.’’
“No!” Jack shouted running to the window. “Not just yet.”
“What are you going to do?” Ronnie asked following him to the window.
“I’m going to make him think he’s helpless.”
---
“Mama!” Was the call Jack heard when he the window closed behind him.
The evening fog had settled in over the snow creating the impossibility to see anything before you. The summer pool had its winter cover over it, with piles off snow heaping over it.
“Shut up!” The other voice followed.
“Hold it!” Jack shouted panting for air by running after him in a pair of black dress shoes.
The man turned to Jack who was holding his pistol ready. Anna was grasped by the waist and held under his arm.
“Jack don’t let him take, me!”
“Shut up!” The man’s husky voice commanded clapping his hand over her mouth. He was still wearing the navy blue suit but added the ski mask and hand pistol. “Let her go!”
“And if I don’t?” Asked the man his voice with a heavy Queen’s accent.
“You’re trapped. The only thing on the other side of that fence is a swarm of FBI agents waiting for you.’’
“I think you’re lying.” He snapped back his words dripping with disdain.
“That’s possible, I could be lying. I also could be telling you the truth so when ever you feel like finding out jump the fence. It all depends on your brains which only appear to be nothing but air.”
“What if I shoot little girl?” Her asked pointing the end of his pistol to her neck.
“Then what are you going to do?” He asked thinking he was so smart.
“You can’t shoot her you have to take her to your boss, Antenello Diego, the richest man in Las Vegas. Face it your trapped! The only thing waiting on the other side of that fence is the slammer, and even if you shoot me you’re not going to make it three feet behind that fence.”
“You’re lying!”
“Find out for yourself! Jump the fence! Or… On the count of three you drop Anna and I drop my gun.” The kidnapper’s mouth grinned up in a little smile. “All right.”

---
“This is taking way to long.’’ Ronnie thought aloud pacing back and forth on the cement.
“How long have you known Jack.” Danielle asked quietly.
“We’ve worked together for two years now. Jack’s a good man. He’s always watches out for people rather then himself.”
“You got that right.” She agreed. “He just kind of came out of no where when I needed him the most. Kid of like superman.’’ She smiled.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Jack took a bullet in the shoulder for me about a year and a half ago.”
“It’s there something that he wants?”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, it seems to me that all he does is help other people, but what about him?” “Everybody has and Ambition I don’t know what Jack’s is but I no he has one. And when Jack wants something he does the Impossible.”
“The Impossible?” That sounded familiar.
“Yes, things that no other human in the right mind would do to get what they wanted.”
“And Jack would?”
“Yes, when it comes down to winning his battle, losing only money and gaining his Ambition Jack’ll do it.”
---
“One…” Jack paused. His gun he held straight out at his left side. “Two…” His right hand slipped to his back belt. His eyes traced over the kidnapper looking, watching his every move. He had set Anna on her feet but his gun barrel still pointed at her head. “Three!” Jack exclaimed. He released the gun from his hand, but it wasn’t going to the cement, instead it hit the kidnapper straight in the head. He dodged shots as they were fired at him rolling over the snowy cement he grabbed revolver from his belt and yanked back on the trigger. A silver bullet left the barrel just as the kidnapper started over the fence. It plunged into his back, and he slid down the fence and hit the cement.
“Jack!” Anna exclaimed running to him tears streaming down her face.
“Shh! It’s all right my little Angle.” He whispered gently stroking her blonde curls and scooping her up in her arms.

---
“The cradle will fall and down will come baby, cradle and all. Good night my little angle.” Jack whispered smoothing her hair and kissing her forehead.
Jack had carried Anna back into the deserted party room earlier that evening. Danielle went into a hysteric and took her from him immediately.
“Are you all right Jack?” Asked Danielle coming into the dining room. She was wearing a purple silk bathrobe that went to her knees and her hair was tied up in a ponytail. She was obviously ready for bed.
“Yeah, I’m all right.’’ He glanced back at her and noticed what she was wearing. The fact of his eyes on her made her tighten the robe belt as if he wanted to go to her and rip it off.
“Thank you.” She whispered.
‘’For what?” He asked turning completely around to her leaning one elbow on the windowsill.
“Saving Anna. If anything would’ve happened to her…’’
“Hey.” He broke in wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her into him. She closed her eye and the felt of him.
“It’s all over. Don’t think about it.” There was a refreshing touch of a grin on his lips.
“Danielle?”
“Hmm?”
“I love you.” He whispered. Her mouth dropped open a little bit and she avoided his eyes. This was different. She knew it he meant it. Dan lowered her eyes to the floor and swallowed the forever-growing lump in her throat.
“Look at me.’’ He ordered taking the knuckle of his finger and lifting her chin. “Your falling in to his trap.’’ Her mind started in a waterfall of thoughts.
“Stop it Danielle! Don’t look into his eyes.” She seemed to snap out of it and slit his arms off her waist.
“I can’t fall in love with you Jack.”
“You can’t or you’re not supposed too?”
“Jack?” She began.
“Because you think that Carter is the one for you? How long are you going to live a lie Danielle? When are you going to quit denying the fact that you love me? That you want me to take you in my arms? Quit lying to yourself Danielle!”
“You don’t understand Jack!”
“I understand, ever since your dad was right about Antonio you promised yourself never to be that foolish again, never to fall in love again.”
“No that’s not it!”
“Tell me you love me!” He blurted.
“Carter asked me to marry him.” She snapped back. He exhaled twice deeply. “He did what? I’ll kill him!”
“Jack not so loud!”
“You said yes didn’t you?” She nodded looking at the cream colored carpet. “Yeah I said yes. I’m marring Carter, and isn’t anything you can do about it.”
“I wouldn’t say such things if I were you!” With that he grabbed his leather jacket and stomped out the front door. That’s when the flood of the emotion kicked in she collapsed on the sofa her hands covering her eyes, sobbing.
---
Several hours later Jack opened the door. Danielle had fallen past the hiccuping stage into a deep sleep on the sofa. Leaning over her he bent at the waist and picked her up. One hand was under her legs the other under thrown around her shoulder. The half-closed door swung open and he laid her gently and the queen-size bed. He slipped her out of her bathrobe not exactly expecting to see a lacy silk nightgown. He scolded himself because of his smile and through the blankets over her.

Chapter Fourteen
Ambition

“Hello?” Answered Jack into the telephone early the next evening.
“Oh, I’m sorry I must have the wrong number.” Said the trouble manly voice on the other line.
“Not at all.’’ After he set the receiver in position it rang again.
“Hello?”
“Hmmm, I’m sorry it’s me again.’’
“What number are you trying to call?”
“I’m looking for my sister, Danielle Travis.”
“Yes this is her residence, is this Danny?”
“Yes, I’m calling all the way from Virginia and it’s really important that I talk to her, is she in?”
“Not at the moment she ran to the store. I can give her a message?”
“Well… tell her to call me when she get in.”
“I would but it will be past midnight your time.”
“Tell her that Dad had a heart attack last night and he’s in the hospital.”
“Oh no! Yes! I’ll give her the message and I’ll put her on the first flight available.’’
“Thank you…’’ He paused.
“Jackson, I’m a friend of Danielle’s. You take care.”
---
“Hey Jack.’’ Danielle replied coming through the front door arms full of groceries.
“I think were going to have chicken for dinner tonight, does that sound all right to you?” She pivoted on one foot and faced the long face behind her.
“Jack is something wrong?”
He exhaled running his fingers through his black hair pushing it out of his eyes.
“Your brother called.’’ He replied trying to sound nonchalant.
“Danny called?” Her eyebrows rose as she took the chicken out of the bag.
“Your dad had a heart attack.’’ He replied quietly.
The chicken hit the floor and her mouth dropped open.
“What?” She whispered.
“He’s in the hospital in a coma. He went into shock after the effects.”
“But how… No, he was fine, no.”
“Come here.” He said opening his arm in an embrace. She went to them fully and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her tears soaked in his shirtsleeve as the scar across her heart was made for life.
“I got everything taken care of. You and I are on the first flight out of her tomorrow. Your suitcase is on your bed I started packing. Carter is going to watch the girls then fly them up this weekend.” He ran his hand up and down her back and whispered comforts in her plain ears.
---

The taxicab parked outside Virginian National Hospital the very next evening. The rain soaked into Jack as he stepped out the backdoor.
“Here keep the change.” Jack replied throwing him a twenty-dollar bill out of his billfold.
“Wait up.” He sounded to Danielle who and ripped through the cab door and was already inside.
“I’ll wait put it’s going to cost you.”
“Not you.” Jack replied to the husky cab driver. He wasn’t exactly the prettiest sight you’ve ever seen. The minute Danielle saw who her chauffeur was she wanted to switch cabs.
“This is the only one available.’’ Jackson had told her then wrapped his arm in a casual state around her shoulders.
“Hey pal. You want me da stay ‘r not?” The taxi driver asked roiling down his window and letting the downpour of rain in.
Jack pivoted on one-foot facing the driver’s husky unshaven face his long beige jacket swinging with him.
“Be back here in an hour.” Jack replied then turned swiftly and started up the entryway.
“Hey dude that’s going to cost you.” The driver shouted and Jack who was now inside.

When he walked down the hallway Dan stood outside the hospital door. Her hand was stretched out to the doorknob but she couldn’t bring herself to open it. Jack walked over to her side.
“I can’t face him Jack.” She said tears streaking down her face.
“I can’t do it.’’ She continued, “Not after what I did.”
He draped an arm around her waist then replied.
“Come on.” In a whisper that sounded so sweetly it made her want to cry harder. His wrist twisted as he opened the door and swung it open gently. A dark figure sitting in a chair perked his head up.
“Danielle?”
“Danny!” She exclaimed making her way over to the standing figure.
“Are you all right?” He asked giving his sister a hug.
“Not exactly.” She swallowed hard when her brother released her; she hadn’t seen her father in over ten years. She hadn’t spoken to him, and she avoided thinking about him. Now she was at his bedside, looking at the aged figure that had once been her father. She had once called him ‘daddy,’ she had once had a relationship with him where there wasn’t any fighting, there wasn’t who was right and who was wrong. In addition, as Danielle sat there looking at her father’s paled stage she realized that was one of the things she was missing for the past sixteen years.
“Daddy.’’ She whispered under her breath. Her fingers traced over the old veins, now noticeable in his hands. His hair hand turned from the salt and pepper that she remembered to white-gray. Laugh lines, near the eyes and mouth. Cold fragile pale skin.
She exhaled her forever breath and reached to wipe the falling tears. Jack and Danny had stepped outside some time ago and Danielle was left alone with only the quite rhythm of the heart respirator.
“I’m right here, Dad.” She whispered again to his sleeping figure. Her heart skipped a beat as he exhaled deeply and stirred. He stirred again then leisurely opened his eyes. Danielle froze looking straight at him. A small skim of a smile perked across his white lips.
“Danielle.” His voice cracked, reaching a frail hand to her cheek and smoothing the dripping tears.
“My beautiful, Danielle. I thought I never see you again.” He continued still in a whisper. His hand traced over the outline of her lips, over the dimple in her chin, over her cheeks as if he was making sure she was real. “I’m not dreaming.” She closed her eyes at his voice, now old but soft. His thumb smoothed away the falling tears on her cheeks, just like he was wiping away the past.
“I love you, my beautiful Danielle.” He paused, his voice still in a soft whisper.
“My daughter.”
“Daughter?” He nodded his head.
“Yes. My daughter, my…” “My…” He tried again. Tear drops presses down at the corners of his eyes and he smiled a weak smile like he was fighting for a last moment.
“My baby.” He finished.
“I love you daddy.” Although he didn’t say it back the smile on his face and the twinkle in his blue eyes let her know, and that was enough to last a lifetime. She heard him take in a deep breath filling his lungs the breath out like he was accomplishing a masterpiece. Then that was it.
“Dad?” She asked the silence. “Dad!” Nothing. He was gone.
---
“Are you all right?” Jack whispered the very next evening in her ear. She shook her head slowly against his chest as she sat across his lap.
“He’s gone.” She indicated softly. “He’s gone.” She wiped the tears that still fell down her cheeks. Jack slid his hand into her hair and rested his chin on her forehead.
Earlier that evening they had stood in the rain and a two-hour long funeral where Daniel Travis was buried next to his father and mother. The rainy weather seemed to be perfect for the occasion. Heavy raindrops and heavy tears drops. Danielle had never realized how much she loved someone until they were gone forever. She had learned the hard way. Over the past sixteen years she had only her pride holding her back and the natural arrogance in her character that always seemed to win. The arrogance she had used against Jack and her father was crumbling.
“Do you want me to take you upstairs?” He asked his breath in her hair. She nodded closing her eyes against his shoulder as he lifted her from the sofa. He carried her across the hard wood floors to the carpeted staircase. The door was open and he carried her in. Gently he laid her in the middle of the double bed, and pulled back the blankets. He helped her slide underneath them and pulled them over her. Just as he was about to leave she caught his hand and pulled him.
“Stay.” She whispered. “Please, just until I fall asleep.” She smiled a little at the shot down look on his face. He swallowed and nodded nonchalantly. He slipped out of the dress shoes he was wearing with his white shirt and black pants, and slid under the covers next to her. He fought his urge, his ambition and tried not to touch her. Becoming impatient with himself he turned his back from her and lay on his left side.
She knew of his fight, she could sense it from the look on his face. She had let go. Let go of the pride, of the arrogance that she used as her weapon. Danielle sighed then rolled over on her left side. She scooted up against his back and draped an arm over his stomach. Jack balled his hands into fists tightening them like he was fighting. He still wanted her, and it was obvious that her wall was down, and when he decided he rolled over into her, he froze in his actions and looked at the sleeping angel nestled against him. Jack exhaled a little annoyed and hugged her closer. He would stay for a few more minutes, until he could sneak out quietly.
Several hours later Jack opened his eyes to the sound of thunder and the quick flash of lightning. He hadn’t purposely meant to fall asleep. No really he didn’t mean to. At least that’s what he wanted her to believe. Danielle, now using his chest as a pillow, stirred then rolled to the other side of the bed. Just like she was sensing he still there and was now telling him to leave. Jack reluctantly decided to be a gentleman and through back his side of the blankets.
“I love you, Danielle.” He whispered in her ear, then kissed her cheek softly. The soft touch of her skin on his lips shook him sensually. He couldn’t take advantage of her. He wouldn’t not until she was fully his. He left the room before he did any thing he would regret. Naturally he was supposed to sleep on the couch in the computer room, but sleeping on the couch was the last thing on his mind. He wanted to storm into that room, scoop Danielle up into his arms and never let go of her.
---
“Hey Rodney it’s me.” Jack replied into the phone.
“Oh hi boss, where are you?”
“I’m in Virginia there was a little change in plans.”
“What are you doing in Virginia?”
“Danielle’s father died. I took her out to the funeral.”
“How long are you in Virginia for?”
“Couple more days, not long. Listen how’s the business going any trouble?”
“Not with the business, but Haley has been looking for you.”
“What did you tell her?”
“Every thing but the truth.”
“Good. I should be there in roughly a month, if every thing goes as planned.”
“What’s the verdict on your plan?”
“I’m close, but not quite. I have to wait for the perfect chance when it seems just right.”
“Does she trust you?”
“Of course she trusts me. I had no problem getting her trust.”
“Don’t do it to soon boss.”
“Hey, you worry about cleaning up my mess. I’ll worry about the girl. You send the money that I told you right?”
“Yes by your private line.”
“Right. No mistakes, Rodney. I’m spending too much time and money on this for it to be blown up in my face, and I end up getting caught my the police!”
“Hey I understand boss. Everything is taken care of. After you carry out your plan I’ll make sure to cover your tracks.”
---
“Morning Danielle. You’re up a little early.” Answered Danny coming down the stairs in blue jeans and a white T-shirt.
“Jet leg.” Danielle answered back, taking her last drink of warm coffee.
“Hmm, bummer. Warm up?” He asked holding out the coffeepot.
“Please. It’s not like I can fall asleep away.” The hot heat from the coffee warmed her hands through the glass mug.
“Still raining.” Danny indicated now making himself comfortable across the table. Danny was the mixture of the family he had his sisters blond hair and blue eyes his Dad’s height of six feet two inches and his mother’s smile. He stretched his long legs out under the table also something both brother and sister got from dad.
“When is it supposed to quit?”
“They said on the news Wednesday afternoon, but I think that they only like to pretend they’re intelligent.” He chuckled and sipped his coffee.
“How’s the doctor business coming?” He asked changing the subject.
“It’s coming. Of course I haven’t been at work for and number of weeks.”
“Why is that?” She sighed realizing what she just got herself into.
“It’s a long story. Let’s just say things are rather confusing right now.”
“Love life problems?” Danny asked sounding like a little brother.
“No Danny!” She replied back like an annoyed big sister.
“Then what? Wait a minute does your friend Jack have anything to do with this?” She glared her and looked out the window and the rain fell from the roof.
“That’s it isn’t it?”
“Danny!”
“No Danielle don’t go denying it! You’re in love with him aren’t you.” “Now why would you say that?” She asked trying to sound innocent, but by the sly look on his face she could tell he wasn’t convinced.
“You know Dan little brothers know a lot about things you then you make think.”
“Yeah its called stupidity.”
“Well then if I’m so stupid how come you’re the one lying to yourself.” He grinned after that one and she glared his eyes.
“For your information little dork, I’m engaged.”
“To whom.”
“Carter Evans.”
“That same bimbo who had a crush on you all through the eighth grade and high school. Well that is until you married Antonio.”
“Yes and he’s not a bimbo. I owe a lot to him.”
“So he want’s you to repay him for getting you through Medical School and through college by marrying him?” He asked.
“No. After I left Antonio I didn’t know where else to go, so I went to Carter. He got me back up on my feet, had the girls but in day care so could work. After that he help pay my way through Med. School.”
“And were did he come up with forty grand? That’s what I can’t help but wonder.”
“Danny.” She scolded him again.
“So now he wants you to marry him.”
“Well yeah, I mean he’s all ways been there for me and the girls.”
“Do the girls like him.”
“There used to him being around. Anna is the one who would have the most trouble with it. She doesn’t want another daddy. She wants Antonio.”
“That’s predictable, Danielle. She’s the littlest and the one who has never seen Antonio. The other two have memories, but not Anna.”
“I guess your right.”
“Then there’s Jack.” Danny asked shifting his eyebrows.
“Is he sweet on you.” He asked hiding behind his coffee mug.
“Very much so.”
“Are you sweet on him?” She shook her head trying to look innocent once again.
“You always were a bad liar.” He smiled as he stood and carried their mugs to the sink.
“What it seems like to me Dan.” He paused, turning around before he left. “Sounds like you’re in love with one man and your marrying another. Later sis, I gotta go to work I’ll be home tonight.” He answered as he left the kitchen.
She leaned back in her chair and exhaled a heavy sigh.
“Little bother’s!” She thought out loud.

In between the two choices of a hot shower and returning to bed she decided and hot shower would be the way to go. She returned to her bedroom and gathered her shampoo and conditioner along with a robe and clean panties. Then started down the stairs again. As she made her way to the only bathroom she noticed the environment of the apartment. It wasn’t large, big enough for two, although it did have two bedrooms. The whole apartment was hard wood flooring, except for the bedrooms on the second floor, and the few additional Victorian rugs that her brother decorated with. Pictures covering the walls, some of her girls others of friends. Then there was one picture her brother had at the end of the hallway on your way to the bathroom. She walked toward it in astonish. It was Antonio and she on there wedding day; the same picture she had put in the basement and Anna had found.
“What’s he doing with that?” She said her thoughts aloud. She made a metal note to ask her brother later and stepped into the bathroom.
After finishing in twenty minutes, drying off, brushing her hair and teeth, she started up the steps to dress and quietly read.
“Hey.” Jack answered when she reached the top of the steps.
“Morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Not exactly.”
“Jet leg.” They answered simultaneously then laughed.
“Hey I was thinking why don’t you let me cook you breakfast?” He asked.
“You can cook?”
He laughed and nodded his head.
“You haven’t tired one of Jackson’s best omelet’s yet and it be my pleasure to make you one.” She smiled feeling a little pursued.
“All right.” Her voice sounded quiet. “Let me get dresses and I’ll be right down.”
“Good. I just hope its edible be the time I’m finished.” She laughed walking past him in her room.

She decided she wanted to be comfortable so she changed into a pair black jeans and a blue short sleeved top that matched her eyes. She ran a brush through her hair again and pulled it back out of her eyes in a clip leaving it hang down and over her shoulders.
“I have time.” She thought reaching for her make up. After a little mascara and eyeliner she started down the steps that was when she noticed the burning smell.
“Jack what’s burning? Jack!”
“How do you turn this thing off!” He yelled back fiddling with the knobs on the stovetop.
“Back flames, back.” He said hitting them with a medal spatula.
“No!” She exclaimed looking the cupboards. He flipped the faucet on hosed down the pan of now scorched bacon.
“Hey!” She exclaimed when he hit the back of her shirt.
“Sorry!”
“No that well just make it worse.” She said running over to the stove with baking soda. She dumped it, head over end on to the pan and choked the burning flames out into smoke.
“That stove has a mind of its own.” Jack said. Danielle looked from the bacon, well what was bacon to Jack and back to the mess they made.
“How does going out to breakfast sound?” Jack asked with a smile on his face and a giggly gleam in his eyes.
“That’s a good idea.” That was when she couldn’t hold it in any longer and she held her stomach she laughed so hard. He laughed with her and held up a piece of scorched piggy and dropped it into the pan.

They ate a quite breakfast and the pancake house. Still giggling over the mess that still laid and home.
“Danny is going to kill me when he sees that mess.”
“It’s all right we’ll get in clean up in time.”
“He hates messes, just like dad.”
“You like making them.”
“Not exactly. You’re the one, buster in the first place you burned it.”
“Guilty.”
“What happened any how.”
“I don’t know I turned my back for one minute the next thing I know I’m making flamed kissed bacon.” She chuckled a bit and noticed his hand as it slipped into hers across the table. That was something Antonio used to do to give her butterflies and the same thing happened when Jack did it. It was the same magic in his eyes when she looked into them. Dan smiled bashfully and realized it was the first time he had held her hand like that. It was the first time she would let him. It had all ways been obvious she was attracted to him. It had all ways been obvious that he claimed to love her. But now there wasn’t a shadow of a doubt in her mind. And he knew it.
---
“I want to thank you two for the lovely mess you left in my kitchen I came home to.” Danny replied sarcastically later that evening at the dinner table. Dan and Jack smiled at each other both trying not to laugh.
“Sorry about that had a little accent this morning.” Jack admitted then giggled.
“Right well I wasn’t going to ask.” He answered taking his dinner dishes to the sink and escaping to the living room.
“So much for cleaning it up.” Dan said placing hers and Jack in the sink. “It was your idea we go shopping.” He answered coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.
“I didn’t think we would get lunch and then go to the movies too. Here help me with these.” She asked opening the dishwasher and beginning to load.
“What do you think?” Asked Danny coming from the living room in a navy blue suit.
“Whoa! What are you all dressed up for?” Danielle asked hands on her hips.
“I got a date tonight.” He explained straightening his tie.
“You know that one thing I never could believe about Danny. Twenty seven and still single.”
“And you’re thirty one and has a fifteen year old.” He replied back looking and his sister’s face that turned from joking to a little-brother look.
“I’m just kidding, sis. This one is different though. She’s a keeper.”
“What’s her name?” Jack asked becoming interested in the conversation.
“Rebecca.”
“Where are you taking her?” Jack handed a plate to Danielle as he spoke.
“The Phantom of the Opera is showing in Richmond.”
“You’re going to drive to Richmond in this weather?” Danielle asked sounding a little concerned.
“Come on Dan, it an hour drive. I’ll be all right. Anyhow I got to go and pick her up. You guys be good! And no messes in my kitchen.”
“What, he must think we won’t be good.”
“You won’t be!” She shot back in a teasing tone.
“Stop teasing me.” He whispered coming behind her and kissing the back of her neck.
“What’d I tell you. Go away I have to finish these dishes.”
“Finish them later.” He murmured his mouth still on her neck.
“Jack!” She said smacking him with the wet cloth she had in her hand.
“Ouch!” He yelped. She started giggling and went back to the dishes.
“That’s not funny Danielle.”
“I thought it was. Serves you right. Now if you’re a good boy and help me with these dishes…. just maybe.”
“Maybe what?” He smiled slyly showing his straight teeth.
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” She shot back and watched him pick up a dishcloth.
“Dan? Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, what’s on your mind.”
“If you would’ve met me before you met Antonio. Would you have married me instead.”
“If you would’ve met me before you met Deanna. Would you have married me?”
“In a heart beat.” He blurted. “I don’t think you ever agreed to marry Carter, Danielle. You were only using the fact that he purposed to you to keep me away. But I’m not a fool, so don’t take me for one. We both know so don’t deny it.”
“And I’m not a fool either Jack. That’s why I told you I was engaged to Carter. Jack the last time you told me you loved me I was fighting not to give in. I’ve been fighting every time I look at you, not to go to you and ask you to hold me. Do you know why I was fighting, Jack? I left Antonio when I was Twenty-five, Jack. I had Adrian when I was sixteen, Andrea when I was nineteen. When I had Andrea I knew I had lost Antonio for good. He was out with friends. Out wasting the celery he had earned, on drugs and drinks. But I didn’t want to give in. I wouldn’t believe it to be true that Antonio, my love, did care. And all that he claimed, all that he said was lie. I didn’t want to believe that he didn’t love me any more. So when Andrea turned six I was out of there. About two weeks later I found out I was going to have Anna. So I’m not a fool Jack, I didn’t want to be hurt, so I kept denying it. I thought that if I just kept denying it you would believe it. But the more I denied it, the more I knew it was true, what you were saying and what I was feeling.”
---
“Hol’e.” Danielle answered sleepily into the phone later that evening.
“Dan. Sorry to wake you sis, but the roads are closed from Richmond. I’m going to but up here for the night.”
“What about your date?”
“She lived in Richmond I dropped her off at her house. Anyway I’ll be home by tomorrow morning at the earliest.”
“All right Danny. I can’t wait to here how your date went. Goodnight.” She placed the receiver back down and then noticed were she was. Her book lay open on her chest and she was stretched out on the sofa. After her little talk with Jack, he was practically speechless. He knew now that she loved him, but she could sense something in him holding him back. If she would’ve said that to him a week ago she would be in his arms right now, listening to him whisper gentle endearments in her ears throughout the night.
She stood from the couch and clapped her book shut. Glancing at the clock she groaned and started up the stairs noticing it was past midnight. She gently opened the door and tip toed in trying not to make any noise. But the cat didn’t help when she stepped on it.
“Shh! Stupid cat.” Jack flinched and rolled on his side. She set her book on the night stand next to the alarm clock. She decided not to change into pajamas or wash her face. Lifting the blanket’s back she crawled in and scooted next to Jack. He lay on his side facing her with his arms bunched up in front of him. She scooted right up against his chest expecting him to reach out to her and hold her, but he only sniffed and rolled over.
“Never mind.” She thought crawling out of bed and reaching for her shoes. Maybe a walk would make her feel better? At least she hoped it would.

She stepped outside in to the cool air and noticed the peaceful rain that still persisted to fall. Dan pulled a sweatshirt over head and started down the driveway. She knew where she was going; she wanted to see if the memory place was still there. It was like she was watching the clock turn back time to when she was fourteen. The day she met Antonio, and the night he showed her the sunset over the ocean. And when she pulled back the bushes at her final destination she stood in astonish at the sight. It was still there. Same color but paint now chipped same length but a few boards here and there broken.
[Flashback]

“It’s beautiful!” Danielle had exclaimed that night.
“No, you’re beautiful.” He whispered in he ear and ran his hand through her thin hair.
“Stop Antonio!” She commanded shifting her head.
“Stop what?” He asked planting his hand on her waist and began kissing the soft skin of her neck.
She closed her eyes at the felt of his soft lips trace over her neck.
“Please stop.” Her voice wasn’t as commanding, because she was melting. Melting the shield of pride masticated over her heart.
“Do you really want me to stop?” He asked moving to her forehead then her cheeks, but he didn’t kiss her mouth.
---
It was a vivid memory that she played back in her mind over and over again. Some how she knew that, that was the day she fell in love with him. Impossible! That was her first reaction to getting a dose of the truth.
Dan walked towards the bridge and leaned her elbows on the rail. As she exhaled her breath showed in the cold air.
“You know I just thought I might find you here.” Dan looked over her shoulder then turned completely around.
“Thought I’d take a walk.”
“I admit peaceful but highly too wet. You know spending time out in the pouring rain is a good way to catch a cold.”
“I like the rain.” She answered then shivered.
“Yeah by the looks of it, it likes you too.” Jack chuckled then walked over to her side and offered her under the umbrella he was holding.
“Thank you.”
“So is this one of those spots.” He asked wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
“I have memories here, yes.”
“Good memories?” He asked now deciding it was okay to rest a chin on her head.
“Yes, good memories.” She smiled a sly smile at him then rested her head against him.
“Like what?”
“Like were Antonio first kissed me.”
“Oh that good huh?”
“One of that happier things I like to remember.” She chuckled noticing the muscles in his chest.
“Tell me you love me.” He blurted before he could think. She glanced up at him and looked right into those brown eyes. She ran her hand over his chin and jaw letting her thumb trace over his full lips.
“I love you.” She whispered ever so sweetly, it sounded like music.
“You do?” He whispered back in disbelief.
“I do.” Jack wrapped his arms around her letting the umbrella fall to the ground, and with in seconds they were soaked. He kissed her mouth once gently, twice gently, then he lost count once she responded to his wishes and kissed him back. His hands cupped her face as he melted into her neck and kissed it hungrily. She ran her fingers through his black mass of wet hair spiking it, as his mouth covered hers once again.
“I love you.” He murmured in between gently kisses from her on the mouth and throat.
“Hold me.” She begged wrapping her arms around his chest and feeling his mouth descend to her forehead. He kissed the raindrops dripping, running there line down her face.
Dan could hear him breathing heavily and feel every breath he took in against her chest. Like she made ever breath something to remember. Every blink, every touch and every kiss worth something far more then reality made them to be. She was giving him something. Something that she had bottled up for the past six years and was now letting out. Now letting him have something, a desire, a powered wanting, an ambition that made everything count to the very fullest.
---
Jack kicked the half-closed bedroom door opened, then closed and laid her in the middle of the bed. The sheets lay tangled together with a few pillows thrown here and there. Mute evidence to his tossing and turning. As he leaned over her he kissed her forehead and her cheeks. Then he froze looking straight into her eyes. She was shaking, shivering cold, from the rain that had soaked them both. Jack waited, wanting to see if it would all be a dream and he would wake up the next morning alone. He most likely thought she would slap him and commanded his presents out. But what she did was what he least expected. Arching foreword she burned her lips against his, feeling the sweet moisture of her tongue.
“Do you want me?” She whispered in his ear then kissed it.
“I want you.” He answered back in the sill same whisper. With that she leaned back on the sheets like she was offering herself up to him. Letting go of her fear, her pride and arrogance. Jack was her hero, her superman, and now her lover. She was his, a goddess that Jack claimed her to be.
This was his desire, to make endless love to her. To caress her, kiss her, love her, but most of all have her love him as well.
She ran her hands down his chest feeling he bulge of muscle to end seam of his T-shirt. He lifted his arms up while sliding out of it, then she carelessly threw the wet T-shirt on the floor. Danielle arched forward again and kissed his chest and throat while he reached behind her, and pulled her shirt over her head. It too landed on the floor.
“That black bra, again. Your not wearing those red panties are you?’” He murmured his mouth against hers. She giggled and ran her fingers through his hair.
“I might be. You’re just going to have to find out.”
“Do you remember this?” He asked running his hands over the flat plates in her stomach, then kissed them one by one.
“That was an accident!” She replied back in between kisses and giggles.
“Sure it was.” He teased, then teased her lips of a little kiss, then kissed her deeper. His hands slid over her shoulders catching the straps on his middle fingers and guided them down. She kissed his throat as he reached behind her again, until it fell to the floor. Then he froze his hands at her black jeans. His was mouth slightly open, taking in deep breaths as if he had never seen anything as beautiful.
“You’re so beautiful.” He whispered his voice almost breathless.
“Shh.” She placed her fingers gently on his lips hushing them. He kissed them before she pulled them away. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him down to her breasts and closed her eyes at the felt of his mouth tracing over them.
Jackson had touched her in a sensually way before, but nothing prepared him to be able to caress her sweetly, touching and treating her gently as if he didn’t want to hurt her or lose her.
Her hands pressed against his back like she was pulling him, but he didn’t rush anything. Rather than he kissed her breasts, each three times, then down her stomach and up again to her lips. She tired to say something but her words weren’t good enough to reply. To explain how much she loved him. So she closed her eyes and melted with every kiss and every touch of his mouth on her body and lips.
Jack tried to ignore the red light blinking on and off in his mind throughout his exploration. But he knew the reason of the protest, and he pulled away.
“What’s the matter?” She asked in a soft voice. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah I’m fine.” He raised her sweaty hand and kissed her fingers one by one then returned to his enjoyment.
They clung to each other throughout the rest of the night. And like she thought Jack whispered endless endearments in her plain ears. It was so gentle it put her to sleep in his arms. He ran a hand over her bare arm as she held on to him as if to make sure he was still there.
But something was wrong. The red light had showed something wasn’t quite right. His ambition was now fulfilled. However he knew he would have to confess, and it was going to be soon. For his ambition had turned into something far more mysterious then what he realized.

Chapter Fifteen
The letter

Danielle opened one eye early that next morning. She rolled over and looked and the clock. She had slept for approximately four hours and she didn’t feel like getting up. Jack laid sound asleep close to her, his arms still wrapped around her from the night before. She stroked his chest something she always liked doing, that and lying in an embrace. He sighed and rolled over like he was trying to annoy her. Catching on to his little scheme she lifted her feet and laid them right on his back. She knew they weren’t warm and the cold effect almost shot Jack through the roof.
“Hey!” He yelled. “What was that an ice cube?”
“No!” She laughed, now holding her stomach. “That was my feet.”
“Those are some cold feet.” That was when he rolled over and came to her. She pretended to resist, still giggling then helplessly gave in.
“You think Danny is home yet?” Asked Jack holding her in an embrace.
“I don’t think so. He said later this morning, or was it early this morning? I don’t know, he’s coming.”
“Are the girls coming?”
“Yeah some time today I’m not sure of that either.”
“Your not sure of anything these days are you?”
“I’m sure of this.” She replied then kissed his mouth gently.
“That’s a good thing to be sure of.” She chuckled at him then kissed him again.
“Why don’t this time I make you breakfast?” She offered doing her favorite thing of stroking his chest.
“You going to make me breakfast?”
“Yeah, how does pop tarts and cold cereal sound.”
“Danielle.” He scolded.
“I’m just teasing.”
“I suppose you’ll do a better job with the bacon then I did?” He asked his mouth against her forehead.
“Jack, Anna could’ve done a better job with the bacon then what you did.” “Hey, I was hoping I could impress you.”
“With what? How to scorch bacon. That does take a lot of talent.” Her voice playful.
“No with how good my omelet was supposed to taste.” She laughed, then replied.
“Good job.”
“Stop teasing me.” He murmured his mouth seeking hers.
“You know what since your teasing me I get first shower.” He continued.
“Not if I beat you to it.”
“Your welcome to try.”
“Just stay here for now, I’ll beat you later.” Danielle begged caressing the sweat of his forehead with her finger.
“Yeah that’s what I thought.”
“Tell me you love me.” She asked.
“What gave you that impression?” He smiled slyly and expecting to get hit.
“Because then you’ll let me have first shower.” She smiled back, and yes, hit his chest.
“Oh is that how your thinking? All right, you may have first shower, but if your not done in ten minute’s I’m coming in.”
“Oh okay then I’ll leave the door unlocked.” She kissed his forehead then his mouth before gathering her things and heading for the bathroom.
---
“Hmm mum, something smells good.” Jack replied walking into the kitchen wearing only his boxer shorts.
“I thought I’d do pancakes and sausage. Try?” She asked holding a piece of pancake up. He looked at her with the same sensual gleam in his eye before she placed the pancake in his mouth.
“Perfect. Is it my turn for the shower.”
“Yeah go right ahead. By the time your finish breakfast should be ready.” He stole a kiss on the mouth.
“I want you again.” He whispered kissing her on the lips.
“I never would’ve guessed.” Her arms slid around him and kissed him fully in response.
“Whoa mom!” Said a voice. Danielle jerked back from him and all most lot her balance. There in the doorway stood four surprised faces. Adrian the one who had said something, Andrea and Anna who were holding the stomachs laughing by this time. And Carter who stood perfectly still his face red with anger. If that didn’t make matter’s worse, in the entryway of the kitchen stood Danny he too perfectly still.
“Ah, girls why don’t we go upstairs? I’ll let you check out my new stereo system.” Asked Danny letting Danielle breath by breaking the silence.
“Sure.” They all agreed.
“I’m going to take a shower.” Jack replied swiftly as if to get out of there as fast as possible.
Then there was Carter, his face still red, standing with his mouth open. “What was that?” It looked as if that was the only thing that he could squeeze out of his throat.
She turned around to face him and glared her eye as if he was her father.
“Have you been sleeping with him the whole time?” He blurted.
“Carter! Stop! That none of your business.”
“Don’t tell me it’s none of my business, Danielle. You slept with him didn’t you?”
“I never said I was going to marry you!”
“So for and answer you sleep around with him?” She exhaled in a little hump.
“I love him.” She replied ever so simply it hurt.
“So you did sleep with him?”
“What are you going to do about it Carter?” He didn’t answer knowing she had stumped him. Without another word he picked up his suitcase and slammed the door behind him. She clenched her teeth together so tight her jaw hurt.
She just lost a best friend. Someone that once claimed to love her, and she had claimed to love. If she knew Carter, which she did he wouldn’t come back.
Two strong hands wrapped around her waist and pulled her back. She leaned up against Jack’s bare chest smelling the scent of after-shave and cleanliness. She reached her hand up to his cheek and stroked a clean- face.
“I’m sorry Danielle.” He murmured against her hair. She turned into him and kissed the side of his cheek.
“I’m so sorry.”
---
“Hello Mr. Pucker Up.” Addressed Andrea when Jack walked up the stairs. “You know Jack that was some of the best lip action I’ve seen in a long time.” Her older sister joined in beginning to enjoy it. The girls laughed and slapped high five’s.
“That was gross!” Was the only thing Anna said.
“Okay Larry, Curly, and Moe. No jokes on your mother, she’s a little fragile.”
“I heard a bunch of yelling. What was that all about?” Asked the middle daughter.
“Her and Carter got into a little argument.”
“Let me guess, Carter was angry about the little show that went on between you and mom in the kitchen.” Adrian giggled and Andrea joined her. “Yes. He wasn’t to happy about that!” He tried not to laugh but helpless gave in.
“Is mama still gonna marry Carter?” Asked Anna. Jack lifted her into his arms.
“I would think not.”
“Is mom going to marry you?” Adrian asked smiling cunningly.
“I don’t know I haven’t asked her yet.”
“Then I suggest you do so.” The middle one put in stroking her chin intelligently.
“I don’t know about that.”
“Why not? Don’t you want to marry mom.”
“Of course I do. It’s just there’s issues.”
“You have a girl friend don’t you?” The oldest automatically proclaimed.
“No! I haven’t had a girl friend in…” He didn’t finish instead he scolded the two laughing figures.
---
Later that evening the girls talked Jack into a game of hide and go seek tag in the dark. Well, the they didn’t do much talking. They mention hide and seek and that was all it took.
“Nothing had better get broken.” Their Uncle Danny had said when he heard in the dark.
“Jack that means you too.”
“Yes Danny.” He gleamed back with a smile on his face. Danny had his doubts about his apartment still standing by morning but he closed the door behind and walked down the stairs.
“What a bunch of monkeys.” He replied sitting across from his sister at the table.
“Yeah and Jack’s the worst one.” She chuckled and took a drink of hot tea.
“He really adores them doesn’t he?”
“Yeah there’s no doubt about it. Jack’s got a lot of love to give.”
“And you would know wouldn’t you.” Danny shot back smiling a wise-guy gleam. She glared her eye then thought it best to change the subject.
“How did your date go?”
“It was good. Typical, but good.”
“Typical? Let me guess she paid no attention to you.”
“Right on the money.”
“I’m sorry Danny.”
“I just wasted eight hundred dollars for box tickets. In addition, get this if that isn’t bad enough she waits until after the show to tell me she wants to break up. So now I can’t get my money back. You know I really thought I knew her. I really thought every thing was perfect and I was going to marry her.”
“Well at least it was now and not later. Then you’d be filing for a divorce.”
“You got a point their, sis.”
“Take it from someone you knows what it feels like to leave because you have to. Alternatively, to go through life wishing you hadn’t been as stupid in the first place. But now for the first time in my life everything feels like its perfect.”
“Everything feels to good to be true?” He asked.
She nodded then replied.
“I’m just waiting to wake up and find it’s a dream.”
“I’m going to get you Andrea.” Jack’s voice shouted running through the kitchen and into the living room.
“You can’t catch me!” She shouted back about three feet in front of him.
“Which way did he go?” Asked the other to girls coming down the stairs afterwards.
“That way.” Danny pointed and watched them take off one after the other.
“Wait for me.” Anna called to Adrian.
“Danny if anything gets broken which it most liking will. I’m sorry.” Danielle answered figuring it was smart to apologize ahead of time. “That’s all right. What’s the worse that can happen?” However, Danny spoke too soon. A crash sounded through the aurora of the house and the girls laughter followed by it.
“What was that?” Brother and sister jumped up from the table.
“It wasn’t me it was Jack.” Andrea concluded jumping knees first on the couch.
“Andrea!” Jack sounded back. Danny look at the his Victorian head Statue of Michel Angelo now lying in a pile of broken glass.
“Girls!” Danielle began. Their laughter desisted into little giggles at there’s mother’s comment.
“Jack!” Danielle hit him across the chest.
“My statue!” Danny said a sad look on his face.
“Sorry Uncle Danny.”
“Okay what happen?” Danielle started again.
“It was Jack!” Andrea pointed out again.
“Andrea! If I hadn’t been tripped and tackled this would’ve happen.” Jack replied back.
“Fine I tackled him.” Adrian admitted.
“I tripped him.” Andrea admitted.
“I was going to tickle him.” The third one admitted.
“Okay upstairs all three of you.” Uncle Danny replied after picking up the glass shavings.
“All four of you.” Danielle shot a glance at Jack who smiled seductively back.
---
“Opus.” Andrea said collapsing on the sofa in Uncle Danny’s office.
“So much for fun.” Anna replied then slid out of Jack’s arms.
“If I know mom we’re all going to have to pitch in and help buy Uncle Danny another statue.” The oldest one put in collapsing into the chair next to Andrea.
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Okay you four.” Danielle said coming up the stairs her arms full of blankets.
“Time for bed.”
“Mom I’m not even tired yet.” The middle child protested.
“Sweet heart it’s after midnight.”
“It doesn’t fell like it.”
“Maybe you have a little jet leg. Anyway lights out up here in ten minutes no more, and no messing around with the computer.” She pointed to the desktop computer open on the desk. Adrian smiled and her eyes lit up and the sight of it.
“Adrian, don’t touch the computer.”
“Yes mom.”
“You hear that Jack ten minutes.”
“Yes Danielle.” He smiled slyly as she started back down the steps. “ Where are you sleeping Jack?” The oldest one asked pulling the sofa out into a full size bed. Then the middle one joined in on the fun. “Yeah, where are you sleeping, Jack?”
“Uncle Danny is putting me in on the couch.” He blurted the first thing that came to mind.
“Sure.” Andrea whispered to Adrian sarcastically.
“You girls be good up here I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Us be good moms more worried about you.” The older ones giggled and slapped their natural high fives.
“Very funny. Good night.”
---
“What happened to ten minutes?” Danielle asked as Jack came down the steps and into the kitchen.
“They just flew by. Where’s Danny?” He asked putting his hands on his waist.
“He went up to bed about an half an hour ago, and are the girls asleep?”
“Almost, there on the verge of falling asleep.”
“So now it’s just you and me.” She replied wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I have to sleep on the couch.”
“What! Why?”
“The girls are a little suspicious considering what happened in the kitchen this morning about us.”
“Let me guess? Andrea and Adrian were giving you the questions.”
“Yes they were.”
“Those little rascals.”
“Well they take after her their mother.” Jack replied lifting her into his arms. “Actually they take after their father.” She answered back kissing his neck as he took her up the stairs.
“Shh! Be quite don’t wake the girls up.” He replied coming to the top of the steps and walking into the bedroom.
“Everything is perfect Jack.” She murmured against his mouth.
“What?” He asked pulling back and setting her on the floor.
“Everything is perfect.” She repeated her hands around his neck. “Perfect?” He asked. That red light blinked again in his mind as her mouth went over his in a deep kiss. He responded only once to her. “What’s the matter Jack?” She asked noticing the same look he had had the night before.
“Nothing every thing is perfect.” He whispered then kissed her back the way she wanted.

---
Jack opened his eyes three hours later. Danielle laid curled up against him her one arm thrown across his bare chest. Gently, he kissed her forehead and eased his way out of bed. He quickly dressed in a black suit, something he would never naturally wear, then carried his packed suitcase into the living room and laid it open on the couch. Jack gathered his things from the bathroom and laid them in then went back up the stairs for one last check. He glanced around and found nothing else that need to be packed, that was when he noticed Danielle in the same position as if he had never left. He couldn’t do this to her any longer. The more he hung on to her the more it hurt. To her it was real, but to him it was an act only to fool the unsuspecting. He had to tell her the truth. He couldn’t let her believe a lie for the rest of her life. With that he laid the letter he had prepared on his pillow, the only clue on the nightstand and kissed her one last time on the forehead.
“Good bye Danielle.” He whispered then walked outside the bedroom door and leaned up against in knowing he would never see her again.
“Jack?” A little voice whispered. “What are you doing?”
“Anna, sweetheart what are you doing out of bed?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” She said wrapping her arms around his neck. He lifted her and carried her back into the computer room.
“Shh! Just try and fall asleep.” Jack whispered gently to her after laying her on the floor back in her sleeping bag.
“Jack?”
“Hmm?”
“Promise me you won’t ever leave us.”
“What makes you think I would leave?”
“Sometimes people leave each other.”
“I can’t make that promise, Anna.”
“Why not Jack? Don’t you want to stay with us?”
“Of course I do Anna. You just won’t understand.”
“Promise me Jack.” She hung on to his suit jacket with her little fists not letting him go.
“Please Jack promise me.”
How could he say no to this? He shut eyes and exhaled deeply.
“All right Anna. I promise.”
“Will you lay with me for a while.”
“No angel I’m very tired and I’m going to go back in my own bed. Good night.” He answered gently and kissed her forehead.
“I’ll see you in morning.” She replied.
“Yeah.” He paused feeling like his heart was ripped out of his chest. “In the morning.”
---
Jack sat on the couch for a minute not even sure if he would leave now. It would break that little girl’s heart if she woke up and found him gone. There was still time, he could unpack and slide in next to Danielle as if he had never left. He could convince himself that he had won and that everything really was perfect.
That’s when he knew a lie would never be true. That’s when he knew he had no choice, and that he had to leave, he had to break his promise to Anna. He could not make Danielle live a lie. In an act that he created to gain his ambition.
He stood from the couch and took a deep breath hoping it would all be a bad dream and he would end up next to Danielle. He would roll over and kiss her sweetly on the lips and everything would be flawlessly perfect. However he knew he was kidding himself, he got himself into this mess in the first place and now the only thing he could do was run.
“Good evening to you sir. Am I late.” Asked the chauffeur to the silver stretch limousine.
“Not at all. Airport, on the double!” Jack demanded getting in to the back seat and stepping out of Danielle Travis’ life forever.
---
The next morning Danielle opened one eye and glanced at the clock. She did her natural groan and rolled over with her eyes closed feeling for Jack. She snapped open her eyes and found an empty space, with no Jack. That was when she noticed it. The letter on his pillow still nestled the same way he had left it. Something blinked in side of her telling her of the bad news this had to be. She shook as her hands opened the letter and unfolded one and half-long pages.







To my darling Danielle,

Like the gentle winds of destiny that flow upon this earth I walked into your life, and in the same way I hope to walk out. Last night you laid asleep in my arms after we had made love and I lay there awake wishing to myself that it were true. Trying to convince myself that it wasn’t a lie. But the more I kept denying it the more I knew it was true. I had to tell you the truth, even though everything inside of me wanted them to be true.
A man cannot love a woman if he wears a mask over his true identity. A mask that I created to trick you in to believe I was who I said I was; Jackson Nicholas whose only assignment was to protect you. But the truth is Danielle. I’m a fraud.”
She closed her eyes and pressed the letter to her chest. Tears began to swell up in her eyes and she blinked them back fighting for her self-control.
“I wanted to win you. So I let a powerful wanting grow inside of me. Soon that wanting became a desire, that desire became an ambition. That ambition turned into something far more powerful and mysterious then I meant it to. Soon I didn’t know which is truth and which is lie. Because I wanted the lie’s to be truth, but I knew I was only kidding myself.
Like the ocean, and how it fools the sailor and turns his boat into the storm behind his back. The wave’s crash over the side trying to manipulate the sailor. The wind blows vigorously still commanding the sailor to give in and to quit lying to himself. He can’t make it! He has to tell the truth. So he jumps over the side into the icy water helplessly giving in. Only giving the explanation that he was in love with a woman that meant more to him then anything, and he would do the impossible to have her.
So that’s what I did. I did the impossible. I set up a scheme ever so perfect to make you think you need me to survive. Nobody would ever believe it was a scheme, which is why it was impossible. On the night of your high school reunion, you were kidnapped and taken all the way to Seattle, Washington. There you met Jackson Nicholas, a FBI agent that was to protect you from your killer. But the truth is, my darling, you never had a killer in the first place.
I’m not asking for forgiveness, I’m not asking you to understand my intentions or my reasons. I don’t care if you hate me; I don’t blame you if you hate me, but I’m still in love with you, Danielle. Even though the rose gets stomped on the roots are still there.
Remember that. And don’t ever forget the man that loved you enough to do the impossible.

All my love,
Jackson


Chapter Sixteen
Face to face

“Will it’s about time you got up.” Danny began as soon as she hit the bottom step.
It was evening now and Danielle had chosen to sleep the whole day. Every so often she would awake and find out it wasn’t a bad dream. She would wipe the moister following from her swollen eyes then surrender helpless back to sleep.
“I’m only up because I’m hungry.” She snapped back popping two pieces of bread into the toaster.
“Danielle stop this!”
“Danny please!” Her back was turned and she raised an arm in protest.
“Danielle move on. Mopping around all-day, and sleeping all day isn’t going to bring him back.”
“Either way he doesn’t come back!”
“The more you sit around here and act like the world is coming to an end the more you hurt yourself. Move on!”
“I can’t just move on like that Danny!” She slammed her fists on the counter.
“Fine, Danielle if you don’t want to move on then why don’t you just go find him.”
“Yeah right Danny. You might as well as me to find a needle in a hay stack.”
“You know Danielle nothing is impossible, Jack’s all ready proven that.” He said nothing else, and gave her a you-know-I’m-right-look.
She turned her back from him not wanting him to see the collapse of her emotions, and Dan didn’t turn around again until she heard his footsteps leave.
In her hand she carried two buttered pieces of toast and the newspaper as she climbed the stairs back into her exiled bedroom. The girls were surprisingly being good in Uncle Danny’s office. However the quietness sounded too unbelievable.
“Hey girls.” Danielle answered standing outside the doorway to the room.
“Hey mom.” Andrea said. She had never in her entire life seen her girls look this way. It was one thing when they got a scratch or a cut, but Danielle was starring at three saddest faced in the history of the Travis girls.
“Are you doing okay. You missed dinner.” Adrian asked. She was sitting on the window seat her knees drawn up to her chest.
“And lunch, and breakfast.” Put in Andrea who was lying on her stomach with her two blue jeaned legs stretched out behind her.
“Yeah, I’m all right I’m going to eat this.” She gestured to the toast in her hand.
“Are you all right Anna?” Danielle asked noticing the little blonde headed girl with her back turned. She turned her head slowly showing her red tear-streaked face. Then turned it back without answering. Dan set her paper and plate on the book self and went to Anna. Gently she scooped her baby up in her arms.
“Don’t stay up too late. We have a plane to catch in the morning. Goodnight girls.”
“Night mom.”
Adrian sighed as she tapped her fingers on the glass windowpane. The night obviously was cold by the moisture capping on the glass.
“I got an idea.”
“No way Adrian. I’m not listening to any of your famous idea’s.”
“I think I can fine Jack.”
“Yeah right, Adrian get real. He’s probably all ready there anyway. What are you doing?” Andrea jumped to her feet and went to her sister’s side. “I’m going to fine Jack.” She answered logging onto the computer.
“You know what happens if mom or Uncle Danny catches you?”
“All well.”
“What are you going to do.”
“I’m going to hack into the airport files.”
“Adrian! Are you crazy? If you get caught…”
“I won’t get caught! Hand me the phone. All I have to do is make sure I bounce it off enough phone lines, so the FBI can’t trace it.”
“What happens if they trace it?”
“Let’s just say I’m one dead cookie.” Adrian answered keeping her eyes on the screen and typing quickly.
“Have you hacked into anything this big before?”
“Not exactly only small business. It’s not like I would do a lot anyway. Switch a couple of things around, no harm. Yes! I’m in.”
“Whoa talk about information. Departures- San Francisco, Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Los Angeles. Are you kidding me Adrian? He could be anywhere.”
“All right we’ll try something else. Hang on a second.” She punched a few little things here and clicked the mouse a few times.
“We’re going to be in some much trouble!” Andrea repeated to herself over and over.
“Andrea! Please!”
“You’re right.” The middle daughter sighed then started a new round of chants.
“You’re going to be in so much trouble.”
“Andrea!”
“Sorry, I’m nervous.”
“You’re nervous? Ha! How do you thing I feel? I’m the one behind the computer.”
“Well your just being stupid.” Andrea back away swiftly before her sister’s fist smacked her.
“If your gonna stay in here, zip the lip. Not one word!”
Andrea smiled cunningly knowing she had annoyed her sister then nodded in agreement. Only because it was either that or spitting her teeth, and she liked number one better.
---
Danielle carried her baby into her bedroom and sat on the bed holding her. “He broke his promise, mama.” She cried her face in her shoulder.
“What promise baby?” Danielle asked slipping her hands through her baby’s blonde hair.
“He promised that he would never leave me.” Her voice was muffled against Danielle’s shoulder, and she raised her head. That’s when Danielle saw right through her. Her eyes were swollen, just like Danielle’s. Her cheeks were red, just like Danielle’s, and her heart was broken, just like Danielle’s.
“I thought for once I could have a daddy.” Anna whispered. That was when Danielle started to cry, and she bowed her head from Anna who knew everything.
“Don’t cry mommy. Please don’t cry.” Her little hands pressed to Danielle’s cheeks feeling the tear drops as the fell, one after the other.
“I don’t want you to hurt, mommy. Not as much as I do.”
Jack was right when he said Anna did a lot of thinking. She did. She seemed to knowing everything. Whether Danielle was sad, or hurt, Anna seemed to know just what to say, at just the right time.
Danielle closed her eyes holding her littlest in her arms, gently rubbing her back. She knew what she had to do. She couldn’t let Anna shatter over the years. The problem had to fixed, and she was going to have to do it. Whether she like it or not, whether her pride like it or not. Once Danielle looked into Anna’s blue eyes, which she got from her mother, she saw herself several years earlier. When she knew that Antonio didn’t love her anymore. When she knew that she had to leave him, she relativity had no choice.
“Shh, just lay down sweet heart.” Danielle whispered to the half sleeping baby in her arms.
“Mama will you lay with me?”
“Yes, I’ll lay with you just for a little while.” Anna scooted close to Danielle after she was settled and laid her head on her shoulder.
“I hurt mama, I hurt.”
“Shh, I know baby. I hurt too.” Danielle exhaled deeply through her mouth.
“Where are you Jack?” She thought.
---
“Can you break the password?” Andrea asked to Adrian who was typing vigorously.
“I don’t know.”
“Try…. stupid head.”
“Andrea I highly doubt stupid head is going to be their password to airport files.”
“It was just a guess.”
“Let’s try Internet.” She typed it in swiftly but had no luck.
“All right Adrian it looks like we can’t find Jack, so just get off.
“No, I’m not giving up. Not with out a fight.”
“What ever Adrian I’m going to bed.” The twelve-year-old changed into pajamas and hit the light.
“Wake me if you find something.” She yawned then rolled over.
“What happened!” Adrian exclaimed looking at a dark screen.
“Huh?”
“The power went out!” The oldest one exclaimed again typing on the keyboard and turning it off and on again.
“I was so close.”
“All well you tried.” Andrea said looking at the bright side.
“It’s going to take a miracle to find Jack now.”
---
Anna fell fast asleep to the sound of Danielle’s sweet hum of Hush Little Baby. Dan kissed Anna’s thin blonde hair, also from her mother, and started her soothing hum again.
If there was only an easier way, if there was only a way to turn back the clock and start all over again. If only she knew it was too good to be true. She was only kidding herself. She knew it. Just like the sailor and the ocean. Danielle had been trapped by the words “If only,” her entire life. But she never realized the truth of those words until now. Jack was gone, and like the sailor she had give in to it. If only there was a way to fight back, but there was no “If only.”
She thought she loved him. She thought that for one time in her life she had done something right. She thought she wasn’t being foolish, and yet now the truth comes out.
This was the reason she didn’t want to fall in love. This was the reason that she had dreaded since the day she left Antonio. She was afraid of the four-letter word called “Love.” Because to be in love with somebody meant to put down The Wall of Pride that she had built when she left Antonio. To put the wall down meant to give herself to him, and that meant she was in love with him.
Then there was Anna. Her baby. She had to find Jack. Somehow some way she had to find him. Anna’s heart was shattered like broken glass. Danielle took one look into that baby’s eyes and they’re no question about it. Jack was her hero too. Her pal, her friend, she made him her daddy.
Gently easing out of bed, Danielle recovered Anna and walked over to the window. No, she couldn’t. Trying to find Jack would be… utterly impossible.
She closed her eyes at the since of tears beginning to form, and breathed out.
Nothing is impossible, Danielle. Her little brother’s words repeated in her mind.
Nothing is impossible, Danielle.
Nothing is impossible, Danielle.
She opened her eyes interrupting the repeat of words.
“It’s impossible.” She whispered crossing her arms over her chest and closing her eyes again.
As she stood there with her eyes closed she remembered what it felt like to be held by Jack. He kissed her lips ever so softly it was magic that only he understood and comprehended. He caressed her, touching her softly like she was fragile and would brake in his arms. He treated her like a queen, like she was a goddess and he was coming before her, asking for her sweet love. How gentle his voice was when she lay in arms making love and heard him whisper endless endearments in her ears. Claiming them all to true. She remembered everything. The night he told her he was in love with her. The first time she saw him. How he wanted her but wouldn’t move an inch toward her. And when he said, “I love you Danielle.”
“Mama?” Anna said in a cry.
“Shh, I’m right here Anna.” Danielle replied going over to here daughter and resting a hand on her cheek.
“Just go back to sleep.” She answered sitting on the side of the bed next to the nightstand, and beginning Hush Little Baby.
“I love you mama.” Anna mumbled before she fell asleep again. Danielle stopped singing and paused for a moment.
“I love you too, baby.” She whispered.
---
The hour was approaching four by now and Danielle still lay awake with Anna sound asleep at her side.
Nothing is impossible, Danielle. Her brother’s words came back. She got back out of bed for the fifth time that night, and paced the carpet. Back and forth, back and forth. She sat down on the bed then got back up again. She sat down again, this time on her way up her foot caught on the leg of the nightstand and Danielle smashed face first into the carpet.
“Ouch!” She choked back a few curses, and hoped she hadn’t awoken Anna. The alarm clock now hung off the side by its cord and the lamp hid the floor next to Danielle.
“Opus. Klutz.” Danielle thought returning the lamp and clock to its place. That was when she noticed it. The piece of paper laying on the nightstand just waiting for her attention. It was long and circled off at the corners.
“Passenger.” She read to herself. “Jackson Nicholas. Departure-five thirty a.m. Destination- Las Vegas, Nevada.” She pressed the paper to her chest in disbelief. A smile quivered across her lips, and she glanced down making sure the paper wasn’t a mirage from tiredness.
“His receipt!” She exclaimed to herself. “I’m going to find you, Jack.”

---
“Come on man you need to quit thinking about the girl!”
“Rodney, how many times have you been in love?”
“Hmm, never.”
“I thought so.”
“Boss, if you loved the girl that much why didn’t you marry the girl?”
“Cut it out, will you Rodney?”
“Sure don’t listen to me. I’m only your best friend who ran your business while you were gone with little miss blue eyes.”
“That’s true you did run my business. I owe who for that one.”
“Just a ten percent raise is all I’m asking.” He settled himself on the tiger skin couch and kicked off his black dress shoes.
“Yeah right, Rodney.”
“Just kidding boss. You know ever since you got back you’ve been really up tight.”
“It’s Danielle.” He admitted pacing back and forth behind the couch.
“Miss blue eyes? Is Danielle her name?”
“Yes, ever since I’m back to my old life. I can’t stop thinking about her.” He ran in his fingers through his blond hair and removed a fuzz from his suit pants.
“Well I told you to marry the girl.” Rodney replied sitting up and putting on his shoes.
“Rodney! I couldn’t okay.”
“Do you love the girl?”
“Of course I love the girl.”
“Then go back to her, boss. Sweep her off her feet in to your arms, and then do whatever.”
“Yeah that’s really romantic.” He chuckled at Rodney then lit himself a cigar and sat down in his matching tiger skin chair.
“Hey I try. I don’t know what’s it like to be in love, but according to your experience I’m not sure I want to.”
“No! It’s not bad. I thought I had planned it so perfectly. Made everything just right.”
“Yeah you were pretty much an idiot.” Rodney laughed as his boss hit him across the leg.
“Did you do what I told you too?” He asked standing from his chair and taking a drag of his cigar.
“Yeah. I think I did.”
“Rodney? You didn’t forget to do what I told you to, did you?”
“Well let me see. You told me to send a Victorian Head Statue of Michael Angelo to Danny Travis. By your private line so there wouldn’t be a return address, right?”
“Right and did you do it?”
“Yeah I did it. Gee I didn’t know covering your tracks would be this hard.” “You agreed to the job. Did you do what else I told you to do?”
“What was it.” He placed his fingers to his chin in a thinking mode.
“Rodney?” He scolded.
“Oh yeah. You told me to send a 1975 Black Mustang to Carter… Carter…”
“Evans!” He blurted back to Rodney.
“Yeah that’s it. Yep, yep, I did it.”
“Good.”
“What would you do without me.” Rodney gestured his hands pointing to his chest.
“Get things done on time.”
“Hey, it was done on time.”
“If you we’re my best friend. I’d swear…”
“Boss, don’t go getting yourself all wild up.” He stood from the chair and pressed his hands to his boss’s suit jacket.
“You’re liable to hurt somebody. Me. I’ll have you car pulled up front if you wish?”
“No it’s all right. I’ll pull it up.” He tossed him the car keys in his pocket.
“What ever you say boss. See you in the morning.”
When the door closed behind Rodney, he collapsed face first on the couch, and buried his face in a pillow. Just then the phone rang next to his head and startled him.
“What? This had better be good.” He answered into the receiver
“Ah, boss it’s Gregory.”
“What do you want Greg?”
“Well, what if I told you…” He paused.
“Greg.” He began as he stood. “If this one of your ridiculous security scheme’s you can stop now! I am not in the mood.”
“Tell him I want to see him right now.” Said a female voice in the back. “Who was that?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, boss. Remember your female friend, well she’s standing right next to me, and is commanding to see you.”
“I don’t want to see her! I don’t want to see anyone! Do you understand?”
“Hey wait! Go can’t go up there!” Greg shouted in the background.
“Get that girl.”
“Hello, Greg? Greg are you there?” He set the receiver down knowing it was hopeless.
“Sorry boss!” Greg exclaimed bursting through the door.
“She slipped away.”
“You let go of me right now!” The girl commanded being held back by the shoulders.
“It’s okay Greg. Let her go.”
“Get your hands off of me!”
“I’ll be back in ten.”
“Thanks Greg.”
“Well don’t you look like something the dog drug in.”
“Hello to you too, Haley.”
“I don’t believe you looking all scruff. Haven’t shaved. Definitely haven’t showered. Only wearing dress pants and a white T-shirt. This is not the upper class man that I know. What did you do with him.”
“Okay, Haley. What do you want this time?” He asked collapsing into his desk chair and putting his feet up.
“Now how come every time I come to you, you think I want something?” She asked sitting on the side of his desk in her black leather skirt and heels.
“You’re actually telling me that you don’t want anything.” He asked in disbelief.
“Well…” She paused. “I kinda needed a little bit of greens.”
“How much money this time?”
“Fifty grand.”
“Haley!”
“Thirty grand.”
“What happen to the forty five grand I already gave you?”
“Will I….I….” She looked at the floor.
“Haley! Did you loose it on a machine?” He braced in his hands on the arms of the chair.
“Most of it.” She bashfully admitted.
“And much do you have left?”
“Ten dollars.” Her voice still full of embarrassment.
“Haley!” He jumped out of his chair.
“Now muffin don’t go getting all mad and angry at me.” She swung her legs across the desk.
“That’s sixty grand, Haley that you’ve lost of my money.”
“Muffin.” She jumped off the desk and went over to him.
“Haley, you promised me.”
“Muffin.” She tired again.
“You promised me that you wouldn’t blow my money again! And now all together you’ve lost sixty grand.”
“Muffin, I just couldn’t help it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “No not this time, Haley.” He removed her arms.
“I suppose you still in love with that other girl.” She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back in a little hump.
“Haley.” He tired, putting his hand on her shoulder.
“It didn’t work between us.” He answered gently.
“You were still hooked on that other girl! What was her name…? Danielle. You were unfair to me.”
“You’re right I was unfair to you, but your forgetting who it was that took you in off the streets, Hal. Who was it that got you a job?”
“Serving drinks in you casino isn’t exactly what I call first class.”
“Hal, if you worked on my yacht you still wouldn’t think it was first class.” He returned to his desk chair.
“I’m not angry that you lost my money. I just thought we had settled your problem.”
“I know, I know. I’m sorry, muffin. I really am.” She bated her long eyelashes at him leaning on his desk.
“Forgive me?” She asked smiling at him. He only cleared his throat and walked over to his Brandy table.
“Come on, muffin.” She followed him to the table and wrapped her arms around him.
“Please, please forgive me.” She asked running her hand over his briskly face.
“Are you broke?” He finally asked.
“Not quite, ten dollars.”
“Hal.” He set his glass down. “I can’t keep bailing you out like this. The more you make mistakes the more my money goes down the drain.”
“Oh come off it! You only have millions and millions of dollars!”
“That’s not the point! I bail you out single time for the same reason.”
“Muffin.” She started her flirtation and drew him closer.
“Haley.” He scolded. She backed off and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m asking for very much.”
“You’re asking for thirty grand! And then when you gamble that away that will be ninety thousand dollars gone.”
“I won’t gamble this time. I promise.”
“That’s what you said last time.”
“Please give me one more chance.”
“If I give you one more chance, and you blow it. I’m not going to be there to bail you out, Hal. You’re on your own.”
“So harsh.” She turned her back from him.
“I’ll give you fifteen thousand. That’s it take it your leave it.”
“That’s all?” She turned to face him. He stared her down with his blue eye and she helpless agreed.
“Fine only because I have no choice. I just ask you for a little help and you give me half.” She examined her perfectly manicured red fingernails.
“Did you get that done with the ten dollars you had left?” He asked holding up her hand.
“No are you kidding me a ten-dollar manicure? How low do you think I am.” She flipped her red hair behind her.
“Anyway I’ve got to scoot along. I’ll be by tomorrow to pick up the check. Tootles.” She kissed her hand then blew it to him on her way out the door. “Oh brother.” He replied then downed the rest of his Brandy.
He collapsed and stretched out his long legs.
“What now?” He shouted to the knock on the door.
“It’s just me boss.” He answered coming through the front door.
“What now, Greg?”
“I’m going home for the night. Do you want me to bring your car around?”
“No. I’m not even sure I’m going to go home.”
“You going to sleep in your office again?”
“Greg.”
“Yes, sir. Good night sir.” As soon as he left he walked over to the door and locked the chain across it.
He sighed deeply, strutting over to the widow and closing the curtains. Standing there for a moment he tied his hands behind his back at the wrists and closed his eyes like he was trying to comprehend. Comprehend the memories that he spent with Danielle. She looked like an angel when she slept. She felt like an angel when he touched her, and she kissed like an angel. He told her she was his angel when he made love to her for the first time, and whispered endless endearments into her ears. Telling her that he loved her, and wanted her. Telling her she was beautiful, she was his beautiful angel. Not wanting to let her go, ever.
What if he could go back? What if he could turn back time, change everything from a nightmare into a dream. What if he hadn’t given into it? If he had tired harder to fight back? Jack had lived by the rules “what if” his entire life. Being haunted by them, and trapped by them. The rules didn’t apply this time there was no “what if?’’ He couldn’t go back.
“How could I’ve done this?” He said aloud bowing his head in his hands, swallowing the lump in his throat.
“How am I going to get myself out of this?” His shook his head at the thought of going back to her.
“Are you crazy?” He talked aloud as if someone was there to listen to him. “I can’t go back to her. I can’t face her! Not after what I did.”

Walking over to the Brandy table he poured himself another and downed it quickly. Then repeated the same process. He naturally wasn’t a drinker. And if he did it were at the most two glasses of Brandy a day, and the natural dinner wine.
After his sixth glass he held his head, and grabbed on to the table for balance. His head hurt. His vision was blurring from his normal twenty-twenty. He squeezed the eight-oz. whisky glass in his right hand. His other hand, still at the table for balance. Shaking he reached for the bottle of brown liquid, still fighting for his balance he poured a seventh glass hoping it would do it. It would knock him out; he didn’t care as long as it would take every thing away, at least for the time being.
He started at the seventh glass and when the liquid hit his throat it burned like fire when he tried to swallow. Forcing it down he held his throat and coughed violently like he had swallowed a double-edged knife. He stared at the half full bottle of whiskey on the table. His vision was going and he blinked back like he was fighting. His took another drink, but this time couldn’t get it bast his tongue and he spit it out on the carpet.
“I can’t escape!” He braced his arms on the table still staring at the bottle. He clenched his teeth together, tighter and tighter until his jaws hurt. Sweat dripped of his forehead and down his face as he balled his hands into fists. “What am I supposed to do?” He shouted to the empty office room.
“Go back to her.” Rodney’s words answered his question as he thought of them.
Angry he smacked the whisky bottle on to the floor and it shattered into tiny pieces.
“I can’t go back!” He shouted then kicked the whisky table over and shattered the glasses and platter it was sitting on.
“I can’t go back.” He murmured to himself collapsing face first into the tiger skin couch.
“I can’t go back.” This time he said it in a whisper.
“Not after what I did. I hurt her. I hurt the women I loved.” Right before he surrendered into a drunken sleep he saw Danielle in his mind. She was wearing that same blue top and black jeans, blond hair down at the shoulders.
“I’m sorry Danielle.” He murmured again. “I’m so very sorry.” Then he fell asleep.
---
Darkness fell into the office as he slept into the wee hours of the morning. He tossed and turned, then tossed and turned some more. Finally after sleeping for two and a half-hours he woke up. His vision still was a blur in the darkness and he about fell over when he sat up. His head hurt like a painful migraine that was targeting his temples and forehead. Feeling the need he jumped up from the couch his hands over his stomach and ran for the bathroom.
“I’ll never do it again.” He managed to tell himself in between rounds of vomiting and a few dry heaves.
He reached for the door handle after flushing the last round and held his stomach walking out. The broken glass crunched under his shoes as he walked carelessly over it. He hit the couch again and tired to surrender helpless back to sleep but lay there awake. He rolled over trying to keep his mind off of Danielle and rolled over again. But each time he saw that blue top and black jeans. He saw his angel. He sighed knowing sleep was hopeless, and sat up. He didn’t feel like sleeping, not when all he could see was Danielle. His Danielle.
He wanted her back. He wanted her back in his arms. Wanted to kiss her mouth, kiss her cheeks and neck, and make endless sweet love to her.
“Who am I kidding?” He asked the darkness standing and beginning a search for his jacket.
“I’m never going to see her again.” He figured the jacket was pointless and stormed out the front door into the dark hallway. Stuffing his feet as he walked down to the elevator. He froze, arm stretched out to the button. Why did he stop?
“Thought I heard something?” He murmured to himself then pressed the down button.
He froze again just as the door opened. That time he new he heard something back by his office. The elevator door closed with the natural bell sound and he crept quietly down the hallway. He shook his head from the effects of the Brandy trying to stay focused. Gently he reached out to the office doorknob and twisted his wrist opening it.
“I meant to get the fixed.” He thought as the knob creaked open. Nothing, only darkness, like the way he left it.
“That stupid Brandy.” He muttered under his breath. That was when he saw it the darkness moved. Like it had heard the door creek open and was scurrying for cover.
“Haley.” He thought feeling for the hall light switch.
“What are you doing in here?” His voice sounded as the light flipped on outside. The figure rose from its cover and squinted at the light as it framed his figure but left his face black.
“No body is allowed in this part of the casino.”
“I’m sorry I was just looking for somebody.” The figure’s voice replied a familiar tone to his ears, and he recognized it immensely.
“In my office at three o’clock in the morning? I should call security, but you’re lucky I won’t.” His dark figure leaned up against the door frame releasing the doorknob from his right hand.
“Hello Danielle.” That was when he flipped the over headlight switch and stood face to face with each other.
Her mouth dropped open starring at him, her blue eyes wide. However it wasn’t Jack. The black hair had been replaced with short blond ponytail that hung to the middle of his neck. The magical brown eyes that made her melt were now blue. A clean- shaven face was replaced with a briskly freshly grown mustache. He stood up straight wearing a pair of black pants and a white sleeveless T-shirt.
“Antonio!” She proclaimed breathless. “It was you.” Her voice still was breathless as she covered he mouth in astonish.
“The whole time. It was you! You tricked me!”
“Knock it off Danielle! Don’t even start. Remember it was your choice to come after me.” He snapped at her, partly from the Brandy.
“I meant to come after Jack!”
“Jack’s gone Danielle he never existed!”
She exhaled deeply and closed her eyes like she was counting to ten before deciding to blow up. She clenched her teeth tightly together and balled her fists up.
“How could you?” Her teeth clenched as she spoke. “You tricked me! You made me believe!”
“Believe what? That you were in love with Jack?”
“I trusted you! I believed you!”
“And now it feels like everything was wiped away from existence doesn’t it, Danielle? Well, that puts us at an equal! Now you know what it feels like to wake up one morning at find the person that you love…gone. You know what it feels like to want to look but not know where to begin the search.”
Her bottom lip jutted forward teeth still clench and she turned her back from him trying to control herself.
“Listen to me Danielle.” His footsteps sounded behind her as he walked over to her.
“I came home one night, six years ago. I was out with my friends and I came home earlier then usual so we could talk. Earlier that same evening we had had an argument, and I stormed out of the house leaving you in tears. But little did I know that when I got back you and my girls were gone. With out a trace of a clue behind.” He continued taking another step behind her, and she felt his breath on her neck.
“I ran out of the house shouting your name through the streets, but something inside of me knew already that you were gone that you weren’t coming back. I tried to forget about it. Tried dating, and hanging with friends, but nothing worked. I couldn’t stop thinking of you, and it drove me mad. I wanted you back, but all logic showed it was impossible. I might as well try to find a needle in a haystack.” Those words rung a bell. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.
“I didn’t want it to be impossible, and I decided it wasn’t going to be. I was going to get you back. The hard way if that’s what it took. I went to Las Vegas got a job Steven Ranks casino.”
She had heard of Steven Ranks one of the richest men in all of Las Vegas. Front cover of the newspaper, front of Times Magazine. He was a billionaire.
“Four years later I opened my own casino. All the while thinking of how I was going to get you back. Two more years passed and I almost gave up, that it truly was impossible. By now I had three casinos and roping in over five million every two mouths. That’s when it hit me.” His voice turned into a soft whisper. The voice she remembered of endearments.
“Your high school reunion. It was perfect! So I devised a scheme that I would disguise myself as a FBI agent, Jackson Nicholas. If I made you think that there was someone out there, someone that wanted to kill you or harm you. Who would you trust? Who you run to? Who would you fall in love with? I wanted you back Danielle, and I did the impossible to get you.” She fought for her breath letting it out carefully like she would never take in another.
“What about the drug dealers?” She turned swiftly to face him. “What about D.W.”
“The drug dealers were part of the scheme, Danielle. None of it was real.”
“And I suppose you going to tell me that you had a ring made and engraved D.W. into it?”
“You mean Danielle Wilson?” Her mouth dropped open and her gaze glanced down at the blue ring on her finger. When she was sixteen Antonio had it engraved her ring with his initials A.W. then asked her to marry him with the same ring.
“That was…. My wedding band, Danielle.” He paused looking into her blue eyes.
“Everything was a set up Dan. The warehouse, the dealers, Anna’s birthday party, everything.”
The mention of Anna’s name but her over the edge, her lips tightened into a white straight line and she backhanded him across the face.
“I hate you.” She muttered in between tight lips.
“If you hate so much why did you follow me? I only left my receipt on the night stand to see if you would follow me.” Her mouth dropped open again and she raised her arm again for another slap, but he caught her wrist and pulled her to him. Without another word he kissed her mouth forcefully. His tongue questing for hers. Like a commandment. Telling her to respond to him. She squirmed fighting him off, pushing him but he was much stronger, in will and strength. Slowly her arms wrapped around his neck giving in to him. He felt her shield go down and he kissed her deeper full of real desire without a mask. Until she gently pulled away. His hand traced down the indention of her back as she stood starring into his blue eyes. Antonio kissed her again softly on the lips then the neck. She closed her eyes feeling his mouth’s enjoyment on her skin. This time he pulled away and looked at her. Her hand traced over his cheek and noticeable teardrops formed in her eyes.
“Shh, Danielle.” He whispered. “Please my darling. Please don’t cry.” He kissed the teardrops as they dripped one by one down her soft cheeks.
“Don’t cry.” He murmured against her mouth then kissed her forehead softly.
Danielle’s hands ran over his bare brown arms feeling the tight muscles in both of them. Then she ran them over his chest, her favorite.
“You said you loved Jack…” He paused whispering gently into her blonde hair.
“Why should Antonio be any different?” His hands slid to her waist and slipped under that same blue top she was wearing. As he worked his way up along her she realized it was a trap and she pulled away.
“Stop Antonio.” She wanted to say it full of commandment by it came out soft.
“Stop what?” He smiled at her that same seductive smile that Jack smiled.
She didn’t answer, only crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back from him. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her again. Stealing a little kiss on the neck he whispered.
“I made a promise to myself when I was fourteen. It was the night I took you to the bridge to watch the sunset. I promised myself I was going to love you for the rest of my life.” He rested his chin on top of her forehead in a pause mode.
“I don’t blame you for hating me, Danielle. I know what I did. I don’t expect you to forgive me. But understand, Danielle. I loved you. I wanted you back. One day you wake up and you sit there and you think…. What if I could make the impossible possible? Turn a nightmare into a dream? What if I would’ve fought back? What if I could turn back time, and make everything flawlessly perfect? What if, Danielle…. I told you I love you?”
She swallowed the heavy lump in her throat as his mouth kissed down over her forehead, cheeks, and her mouth. She turned into him realizing that she couldn’t fight him. He would win; Antonio always won. His breathing became hard, and again his hands slipped under her blue top. She lifted her arms above her head as the top slipped off and fell to the floor. Antonio scooped her up, one arm around her back the other under her legs and walked into the back bedroom of the office.
She lay the in the middle of the bed Antonio leaning over her. He was frozen looking down at her, into her blue eyes. Thinking, She’s forever, mine. He bent down and kissed her mouth breathlessly.
“Tell me you love me.” He replied after pulling away and slipping out of his T-shirt.
She tired to avoid his eyes but looked straight into them. One breath after the other she felt him take in.
“Tell him.” Her mind agreed.
“Tell me you love me.” He replied again a little more impatience.
“He’s growing impatient with you Danielle. Tell him!”
“I-I-…” She closed her eyes hoping it would make it easier and sighed. Then whispered something he would never forget.
“Even though the rose gets stomped on…the roots are still there.” In the same still sweet whisper. Danielle opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was a grin, from ear to ear on Antonio’s face. She smiled back and kissed his chest then mouth.
“I love you Antonio.”
She laid in his arms the rest of the night making love to the gentle tone of his endearments in her ears. Every so often she would fall asleep then wake up from a kiss on the mouth. She would cling to him as if she let go he would disappear.
He had done it. Fulfilled his mission. Completed his task of the impossible because she was his. His angel, his beautiful treasure, she was back in his arms were she belonged kissing him, holding him, wanting him.
“I did it.” Antonio thought rolling over to the angel next to him.
“I’ve done the impossible.”