Author's Notes:

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

********

Chapter 1

Ben raked the leaves from the long front yard in front of his house. His property was at the top end, or east end, of Ashburn Court's broad loop. He took a breather and looked around his neighborhood. The court was shaped like a giant keyhole. At its western end was a long straight road lined with four large homes on each side. This lead to a huge circular loop with nine larger homes facing the common park with a small grove of trees at the edge facing the entry road. The park was perfect for the kids to play in and perfect for their parents to keep an eye on them. With only one way in and out of the street parents could also keep watch for suspicious vehicles entering the little community.

The street was blessed with towering trees that lined both sides of the street and the entire housing development projected into a heavily forested nature reserve. A mistake in zoning grandfathered in a delightfully low property tax rate for the entire street. When the reserve was reassessed in seventy five years that tax break would likely vanish but for now it was a lovely bonus.

As well as being within a forest, each property had numerous mature trees standing tall and proud on their expansive yards. Combined with the small grove in the park which also shed its colorful canopy across the nearby lawns, Fall was a busy time of year. The city workers picked up the leaves in the circular park but that still left way too many leaves for the people in the pocket neighborhood to deal with. To remedy this their Homeowners Association arranged for a private service to vacuum up all the leaves from curbside. You just had to rake the leaves down to the curb.

Almost all of Ben's neighbors hired a yard service to do this raking for them as it was still a substantial task. Old man Walker, three houses clockwise along the circular court from Ben, raked his own... with Ben's help. Funny how he always appeared outside with his rake when Ben went out to raked his own lawn.

Compared to most of his neighbors, Ben preferred to spend his money on only the essential necessities and didn't consider himself to be rich. He preferred to think of himself as very comfortable and very careful. He lived in one of the most affluent neighborhoods in town but he maintained a humble attitude.

He'd always been like that. What you saw wasn't what you got with Ben. He was built like a linebacker but in actuality he was a tech nerd to the core. His dad had been a big man so he got his large frame and muscles honestly. A tragedy early in his life short circuited the confidence and bravado that might have accompanied his physical attributes. Instead he became shy and quiet. He turned inwards and concentrated his considerable energies and curiosity on his studies. His high school gym teachers all tried to get him on their football teams and pushed him towards building his muscles. He liked how working out made him feel but his interests ended there much to the frustration of the coaches.

When he was only twenty two and a brilliant engineering University student he earned a tidy fortune with some breakthrough designs for safer and more efficient valves used in coolant systems for nuclear power plants. He sold his patent and made millions from that sale. Intelligent investments made those millions self-sustaining and he could have just lived off the interest but he had a life plan which included a wife and a big family so he went back to his drawing board and released a few additional designs including one for electrical insulators that also reduced current harmonics. Those patents earned him additional million to add to his investment pool. Having assured his future financially for himself and his future family he moved on to finding a home.

Ben had the good fortune to find the property at precisely the right time. The house for sale on the court was the last of the original houses, remaining as it had been built when the area was first developed. His realtor managed to get them in to see if before the owner officially put it on the market.

It was a wide ranch style home with four bedroom, four baths, and a huge unfinished basement. From the outside it was the most modest house on the block. Over the years all of the neighboring homes on the street had been torn down and replaced with monstrously large mansions because the properties were large enough to support them and their Homeowner's Association allowed them to... as long as they didn't disturb the trees.

The property he was interested in had a fenced off public access path running along its southern edge for people to be able to walk into the nature reserve. This brought the property width down by 8'. There was still plenty of width had he wanted to build a monster home.

He immediately saw its potential as a home for his future family. The seller was pleased that Ben shared his distaste for the showy properties which had taken over the beautiful street. The elderly man hadn't been able to maintain the home and it had fallen into disrepair but Ben saw its good bones and knew he could breathe new life into it. That was what made the seller accept Ben's bid. Once out of earshot of the old man, the realtor had expressed that tearing it down was his best option. He disagreed and put his time, effort, and money into gutting the home and bringing it up to and beyond current code requirements. Then he'd renovated each and every room until the house became a beautiful home throughout. Simple, clean and classic design with an open and accessible style. The exterior has been given improvements as well but they were mostly structural, functional, and visually subtle. The house was a reflection of his own duality.

Once he'd made his nest he moved on to the task that he found most difficult. The search for a mate to share it with. Ben wasn't what you'd call a player by any stretch of the imagination. He wasn't good with the ladies as he was so damn shy. He expected this part of his life plan to take a lot longer. Before he even started he called upon the assistance of his University roommate Nedin and his wife Pam to help him update his look. Nedin had also been in his Engineering course and had met Pam on a pub crawl during their last year. They got married shortly after graduation. Having very little positive experience with women himself, Ben saw the couple as his marriage and relationship experts. Luckily Pam was a great stylist so she was able to point out what he could do to make himself a more attractive 'package'. As for Nedin, he told Ben point blank that he still had no idea how he managed to convince a woman as beautiful and brilliant as Pam to be his wife. She just smiled and said 'That's how.'

Pam had a bit of a challenge on her hands. At 6' 3" and 265 pounds, Ben was a big man. Paul Bunyan, broad shouldered big. He wasn't fat, just well cushioned. He'd lost touch with going to the gym during his University days and had survived on pizza and beer a little too much. Pam sent him to a gym which specialized in toning up and weight loss and six months later he'd lost the soft layer of fat and hardened the muscles that had been hidden underneath it.

Combined with his newly exposed muscles on his large frame, his long black hair and beard made him look more than a little intimidating. Pam asked if she had carte blanc to make any changes she thought were in his best interest and he said of course. Off went the beard and his hair was trimmed back to a far more conservative length.

His wardrobe which until that time consisted of t-shirts and jeans were replaced with button down shirts with collars and flattering slacks. Soft leather shoes replaced his trusty work boots.

Now Ben was ready to begin his hunt. The current avenues for finding a wife proved to be unappealing to him. He was still quiet and shy so he found the bar scene to be too intense. The women he met there were immediately drawn to his looks and style and more often than not he found himself being taken home for a night of wild sex but none of them really clicked emotionally. He hadn't had much experience with sex but he learned how to please women as they weren't afraid to tell the big man what they wanted. Some, quite frankly, frightened him. Especially the morning after.

He learned that he didn't truly know fear until he'd experienced online dating. While he'd researched carefully and presented himself and his goals as honestly as possible in his profile, he must have chosen the wrong dating sites as he found his level of honesty was unique. Once more most of the women who contacted him did so for his surface qualities and none of the women he eventually met were a good match for his life plan. Most showed no interest in starting a family unless you counted the woman whose husband showed up with her kids at the restaurant where Ben met her face to face. The experience almost made him destroy his computer.

Pam finally resorted to setting him up with a few of her coworkers from her studio but again the chemistry wasn't there. Two indicated they would gladly take him to bed again if he was interested. Word got out and a few other women at her office asked Pam to set them up with Ben and she began to feel like a pimp. She swore off matchmaking.

Finally he went back to his yearbook and tried to reconnect with some of the girls he'd been friendly with in high school. Most had gotten married or moved away but the girl he'd secretly had a crush on, Wendy Harrison, was living at home with her ill mother and worked as a checkout clerk at one of the big chain grocery stores. He asked her out on a few dates and discovered she was as sweet as she'd been back in high school. She'd put on a little weight but her smile was just as breathtaking as he remembered, her giggle was infectious, and her eyes twinkled when she was really happy. Over the course of the dates they had Ben learned that she'd seen her own dreams die when her mother had a stroke and needed her to move in as caretaker. She had also planned on having a large family. Ben had finally found his dream woman! On their fifth date he asked her to marry him. He promised to take care of her mother so she wouldn't be abandoning her. She'd leapt into his arms and said yes!

The wedding was small and he brought her to his home and got her mother settled in. Three months later her mother passed in her sleep. It hit Wendy pretty hard but Ben was there for her and they got through it. It was a tough time but Ben felt their love was stronger for it. Afterwards Wendy said she was ready to start their family so she went off her birth control pills and they began to try. Ben was so happy. Months passed, then a year, followed by a second and nothing.

During that time they went out on double dates with Nedin and Pam until Pam discovered she was pregnant. Then Wendy found excuses why she couldn't make it. She went back to school to get a degree in business administration. Ben was delighted that she was finding something to make her happy as he was starting to see the twinkle in her eyes less and less. He surprised her with flowers and gifts and sometimes he'd book them a couple's weekend away and they would just relax in spas, eat good food, and drink wine. The sex was good. Really good. But no baby.

In desperation Ben and Wendy finally went to see a fertility doctor. Ben supplied his sample and Wendy underwent her own series of tests. A couple of weeks later they were sitting in the doctor's office when they were given the bad news. Ben's sperm count was low but Wendy was sterile. She was not going to be able to have children. Ever. Wendy was destroyed by the news. She fell into a deep depression and again, Ben was by her side, telling her he loved her and he considered himself blessed. Nothing he could say seemed to be able to break the self-torment she was putting herself through.

Then one morning Ben found her up and dressed and ready for the day. He was delighted until he saw the bitter smile she gave him on her way to class. Something had broken and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to fix it.

She threw herself into her studies and their home life became just a little colder. When he'd hold her at night and whisper how much he loved her she'd murmur she loved him too but he felt the wall going up. She was holding something back. He had tried to get her to attend marriage counselling with him and offered to pay for psychiatric counselling if she wanted it but she'd fly into a rage when he suggested it so he'd given up on that avenue. They stumbled along this way for four years as there were periods when she was almost back to her old self then she'd slip away again.

Then it was almost time for Wendy's graduation. Ben planned a celebration for her; a trip for two to Hawaii as it coincided with their seventh wedding anniversary. He hoped the dramatic change of scenery would bring her out of the shell she was erecting around her heart.

After the ceremony he took her to a nice restaurant. He had the plane tickets in his pocket and a lovely diamond bracelet he'd noticed her looking at. She was preoccupied and glanced at the entrance a few times while they waited for their order. He decided he'd waited long enough and reached into his pocket when he saw Derek LaRue, a classmate of Wendy's, step into the entrance of the restaurant looking for someone. Ben froze and Wendy noticed. She turned and saw Derek then looked back at her husband. The bitter smile was back and Ben felt his heart crack in two. Wendy's frequent late night 'study sessions with her classmates' suddenly took on a sick new meaning. He looked desperately at his wife and knew it was over but he wasn't ready. She took off her wedding rings and left them on the table. She got up and walked out with Derek. She didn't look back.

Ben picked up the rings in shock then ran after her but they were already driving out of the parking lot. He never saw or heard from her again.

The next five years were a blur for Ben. He was never much of a drinker so it didn't take much to get him tipsy. He'd drink just enough to dull the pain every day. He sat on a folding chair in his driveway watching his neighbor's kids play until the sun set behind the park grove. At first he'd watch the road hoping to see Wendy drive back but in time that hope died and his heart died with it. Some of the wives in the neighborhood looked in on him from time to time and he was polite but the raw sorrow in his eyes was painful to see. They were assured he wasn't a danger to himself or the kids he watched and gradually they stopped coming to speak with him. When he lost this human contact he stopped shaving and let his hair grow out once more. He overheard some of the kids calling him Hagrid but he had no idea what that meant.

Ben was well into his funk when tragedy almost struck the peaceful little pocket neighborhood. He was down at the end of his driveway collecting his mail. He was just beginning to feel the gentle buzz from his scotch and it made him a little clumsy. He dropped a few of the letters. The wind picked up and blew them across the lawn. He walked after them to retrieve them and was leaning back against a tree when a van slipped into the court. He heard a high pitched scream and was charging out across the street before he registered why. He saw a man throwing a little girl into the back of the van and racing for the driver's door. Ben hit the opposite side of the door before the punk could get his left leg in and there was a sickening snap as the bones of driver's ankle shattered. He was still screaming when Ben dragged him from the van and began to slam the wailing man against the side of the van. By now other people were on the street running towards them.

Shrieking in pain the punk pulled a gun from his jacket pocket and put three bullets into him before Ben slapped the gun away. At the sound of the shots people dropped and stopped running towards the van. More than one was dialing 911 on their cell.

Ben looked down at the blood spreading across his shirt and looked into the terrified face of the creep he had pinned against the side of the van. He could hear the little girl screaming inside and Gabriella, the woman who lived in the house just south of his yanked open the van's back door and pulled her crying daughter out into her arms. Gabriella held the little girl tightly against her and looked into Ben's eyes. Something passed between them. Ben looked back at the face of the man who was now futilely beating against his arms.

In front of everyone Ben screamed his rage into the man's face, lifted him by his neck and shook him like a rag doll. All of his grief and pain spilled over into his attack. He broke the man's neck and two police officers tackled him to the ground as they mistook him for the criminal. When his neighbors swarmed the police to straighten out the error Ben was already unconscious and slipping away. An ambulance arrived and rushed him to the hospital. It was a close call but they saved him.

For four months he lay in a coma. Another eight in physiotherapy to bring his atrophied muscles back into condition. He threw himself into getting back into shape and spent hours flat on his back as his muscles trembled in pain. When he was finally allowed to leave the hospital Gabriella was there to drive him home. She had restocked his fridge and got him settled into his home once more.

That was five years ago and he kept up the workouts. He'd shaved the beard once more and was back to his conservative haircut. He was healthy, fit, working once more (adding more and more to the nest egg with no purpose), but his life was stagnating and that showed no sign of changing. His heart remained closed and broken and his trust issues prevented him from trying again. He was a hero to the neighborhood kids and their parents. Everyone had a smile for him and a wave as they went on their way.

The neighborhood husbands had tried to get him to join their little boys club and he'd attended a few times but he'd sworn off alcohol, didn't smoke cigars, didn't follow sports, and found the negative talk about 'nagging and needy wives' to be painful to listen to. He was certain that some of them cheated on their partners. He begged off the last few invitations and they finally got the hint. While they thought he was a little too much of a goody two shoes, they respected his privacy and didn't consider him a threat with their wives. What little Ben had offered in conversation made his opinion of cheaters clear enough.

The wives had their own secret thoughts regarding the big man. On those hot summer days when Ben would be mowing his front lawn with his manual hand mower there always seemed to be a gathering of women who'd find that a good time to bring their kids out to play in the park. They did their best not to stare but that became much harder to do when he'd remove his shirt. The sun would glisten on the sweaty skin. The three bullet hole scars on his lower abdomen just seemed to add to his appeal. On those occasions when he noticed the silence from the gabbing women he'd look up and see the group staring at him. He'd wave self-consciously with a shy smile and they'd smile and return the wave in embarrassment and collect their kids.

As he leaned on his rake he smiled to himself as he thought of the funny looks the ladies gave him. He knew it was innocent as they were all married.

Ben finished up his yard and looked at the monstrous pile of leaves waiting for collection. He glanced around and saw that the trees were pretty much done for the season. Soon it would be snow shovelling weather. Something else he did all by himself... when he wasn't shoveling the snow for Old man Walker.

Chapter 2

Ashraf Khaleel was a very successful businessman. He had the drive and charisma to succeed in the bloodthirsty environment of a Financial Market Investment house. He owed everything to his parents who'd immigrated to the US just before he was born. They wanted nothing but the best for their son and ensured he had the best education and lavished love, attention, and money on the boy as he grew to manhood. Had they lavished him with lessons in humility and compassion for the less fortunate maybe he would have had a more well-rounded personality instead of being the self centered prick he'd turned out to be.

His dark, handsome looks, his intelligence, and his confidence were a potent mix and he typically got what he wanted. He was 5' 8" and slim but he kept his body in peak condition through a disciplined regimen of exercise. He'd even done a little modelling in University as a lark. A woman he'd been after asked him to pose for some magazine spreads. He'd enjoyed the attention and had taken his pleasure from her when the shoot was done but dropped her the next day as he realized that modeling didn't hold his interest.

He'd met and pursued Catherine McGovern in University as well. She was two inches taller than Ashraf, with straight white blond hair. She was also strong and svelte from being on the swim team. She would have been the perfect trophy wife except for her annoying tendency of opening her mouth and showing her intelligence. Luckily for Ashraf she had a blind spot for him and didn't realize just how self-focused he was until after the birth of their first child, a girl she named Sophie. He wanted a boy and let his disappointment show. After the second daughter, Rachel, and the third, Megan, he blamed his wife for not providing him with a son. He wouldn't listen to the 'scientific mumbo jumbo' that indicated it was the man's contribution that provided the deciding factor for male children.

They bought and moved their family into the mansion on the north side of Ben's property a few years after Ben bought his.

Daniel Wallace was also a very successful businessman. He also had drive and charisma and was doing exceptionally well as the CFO of a major Pharmaceutical corporation. He was less concerned about being physically beautiful than he was about being financially powerful. While he had two inches on Ashraf, his body was nowhere near as toned. He tried but his appetite for good food and wine had more impact than his workouts.

His wife Gabriella had been born into a very poor family and this may have influenced her a little too much when prioritizing financial security over other aspects of their relationship. When they'd met in University she'd been swept away by Daniel's charisma and financial prowess. Daniel was dazzled by her lustrous raven hair, her intense green eyes and her sexy curves. She was only an inch shorter than him and dancing with her was a dream as they fit together so well.

Gabriella had provided her husband with a daughter, Miriam, the child Ben rescued, and a son, Daniel, Jr. They had agreed to call their son Jacob after her father but Daniel had somehow out maneuvered her at the hospital and registered his son under the name Daniel, Jr. She knew Daniel used the fact that he had a son to goad his drinking buddy, Ashraf.

As the years in their marriage passed Daniel's passion for Gabriella was replaced with his passion for accumulating wealth. She'd tried to get him to join her for marriage counselling but he called that a blatant waste of money. Gabriella had a lucrative business of her own importing high end fashion accessories from Milan and Paris so she insisted she'd use her own money but he refused.

The Wallace's had moved into the mansion on the south side of Ben's on the other side of the public access pathway a year before he moved in.

During one of the neighborhood street parties organized by Gabriella and Catherine, their husbands got to talking and quickly realized they had similar drives for success and similar values when it came to how to achieve it. They were allies in a war against the lazy and stupid who didn't deserve to keep their money. They also had similar appetites for the pleasures of life. Fast sports cars, good wine, good food, cigars, high stakes poker, and fast women were out there for their enjoyment. If their wives had to be kept in the dark so they could enjoy the things that they deserved, so be it. Within a year of the two meeting they were organizing trips to Las Vegas for 'poker tournaments' or so they told their wives. In reality it was a four day immersion in the best, and worst, Las Vegas had to offer. Initially it was only the two men but as they got to know their neighbors they found others who shared their interests and who were looking for more out of their lives. The memberships for the gentleman's club grew and their annual treks to Sin City became grander.

They now had ten members in their club and Ashraf was particularly excited about this year's event. They'd reached critical mass. There were now enough members to take their party up a significant notch. He and Daniel had met with a 'facilitator' during their previous trip and they made arrangements for some of the most beautiful and young women either had ever laid eyes on to serve and service them during their poker tournament. The man assured them the ladies they'd have were guaranteed to be between the ages of 18 and 20 as his stable rotated the older ones out to ensure 'freshness'. There would be no restrictions on what they did with the ladies, short of damaging the merchandise of course. There would also be an extra special party on their final night of their trip. Each of them would make their own arrangement to fly to Las Vegas. They were all staying in the same hotel so they would meet there and contact the facilitator to get their party started.

Daniel expressed some concern that their group had too many members for their activities to remain secret. Ashraf was confident the men would keep their mouths closed. Especially after they got those mouths on the nubile young tarts in Vegas!

Catherine had been making her annual complaints about his willingness to head off on his trips with the boys but not to spend time with his own daughters. She had been after him to take them on a vacation for years but he'd managed to avoid it expressing the timing was bad due to business or the cost was prohibitive. This year his portion of the expenses for the Vegas trip was significantly higher and she found out. There had been a furious blowout and Ashraf told her they would talk about vacations when he returned. The climate in the house was positively glacial from that point on.

He parked his Benz at the airport and put his lovely but tedious wife out of his mind. This weekend wasn't about her. He smiled. It was about him being treated to everything he deserved.

Chapter 3

Ben heard the banging on his front door as he sat in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil. He glanced at the clock and saw it was just a little after 11p. He went to the door and looked out the peephole and saw the top of a girl's head. She appeared to be crying. He opened the door and suddenly found a young girl crushed against his chest. She was definitely crying in huge sobs.

"Miriam?" he said as he recognized the fifteen year old from the Wallace's house.

"HE'S DEAD!" she screamed and her cries got louder.

His first panicked thought was Daniel, Jr. He saw Gabriella drive off earlier in the evening so he knew Miriam was home alone with her 12 year old brother. "Who? Your brother? What happened?" he blurted, kneeling and holding the girl out by her shoulders. He looked into her face with concern.

"NO, DADDY!" she bawled and lunged forward to grab him around his neck.

Totally confused he put an arm around the girl and lifted her against him as he grabbed his keys and stepped outside. He locked the door and hustled over to her house holding the sobbing girl to his chest. The front door was open so he went inside, closed the door, and kicked off his boots.

"Where is Daniel, Jr?" he asked gently.

"He- he's sleep- ping up-upstairs." she hiccupped as she cried.

"OK, let's make sure he'd OK then you can tell me what happened. Let's be quiet though, OK?" he said and she nodded. She directed him upstairs and over to a door. They cracked it open and saw the young man peacefully sleeping. When Miriam's tears threatened to start all over he closed the door and carried her back to the living room. He sat the young lady on the sofa and sat on a footstool facing her.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked the sobbing girl gently.

"It was on TV. I- I watched the news. Plane crash-" the rest was lost in sobs.

The front door opened and Gabriella stepped inside. She saw Miriam crying on the couch and the big man sitting on the stool at her daughter's feet.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!" she bellowed in full mama bear mode.

"MAMA!" Miriam jumped up and ran to her mother who continued to stare at Ben with suspicion.

"There may have been an accident with Daniel. Miriam came over to my house just now crying. I think you'd better turn on the news." Ben said carefully.

"DADDY'S DEAD!" Miriam cried into her mother's chest.

Gabriella's face went white and she stumbled. Ben was there and caught her arm, keeping her from falling. She nodded when she had stabilized. She walked towards the back of the house where the family room was. The TV was still playing and the story was splashed in lurid colors across the huge TV screen. A charter flight crashed shortly after takeoff in the Las Vegas desert. All twenty passengers and the pilot were killed. A series of pictures scrolled past and Gabriella and Ben both froze as they saw the faces of her husband and their neighbors on the screen along with a number of young women.

Gabriella's legs gave out and Ben guided her to the sofa. Miriam crushed herself against her mother and continued to sob.

"They're not supposed to report on this without notifying the families so maybe it's a mistake?" she whispered aloud. The phone rang and she screamed a little which set Miriam off. Gabriella didn't move to get the phone so Ben walked over and picked up the handset.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Sheriff Clarkson of the Los Vegas Police Department. Who am I speaking with?"

"Ben Shepherd. I'm the neighbor of Daniel and Gabriella Wallace." he replied.

"May I speak with Mrs. Wallace please?" the man said curtly.

Ben looked over at Gabriella whose eyes had grown large and filled with tears. "I think you need to take this call." Ben said.

"No... no, no, no, NO!" she said and clung to her daughter and the two began to wail together.

Ben didn't know what to do so he took a few steps away and got back on the phone. "Uh, she's not going to be able to speak with you right now. Can you tell me if this call is in regards to the news report we're seeing on TV. They're showing Daniel's face on the screen and calling him a fatal victim of a plane crash. Seems irresponsible to report this BEFORE the families are contacted!"

He heard cursing on the other end of the line and the handset was muffled as the Sheriff started yelling at someone. He came back on.

"That was a terrible mistake on the part of the news channel. Listen I'm only supposed to speak with family members. Is there any chance you can get her on the phone? She needs to hear this from an official source. As awful as it is it helps in the long run." Clarkson said.

"Hang on." Ben said and went back to kneel in front of the crying woman.

"Gabriella. You need to take the call." Ben said gently.

She opened her eyes and they immediately went back to the TV screen. Ben turned and grabbed the remote and shut it off. He turned back and handed the phone to the woman who held it in a shaky hand.

"H-Hello?"

"Mrs. Wallace?"

"Yes."

"This is Sheriff Clarkson of the Los Vegas Police Department. I'm very sorry to tell you that your husband, Daniel Wallace was involved in a fatal plane crash earlier this evening. His body has been identified amongst the victims. The FAA is investigating the cause of the crash. I'll contact you tomorrow to give you details on when we will be releasing his body. Again, I'm terribly sorry for your loss."

Gabriella handed the phone to Ben, pressed her lips to her daughter's head and rocked the young girl.

Ben walked back into the hall and listened to the handset.

"Hello? Mrs. Wallace?"

"This is Ben again. She's having a quiet moment with her daughter who was traumatized by hearing about her father's death from that fucking news program!" he growled quietly so the two women wouldn't overhear.

"Yes, that was a huge mistake and we will address that as soon as we can. I need to contact the other families-" the Sheriff began.

"Many of them are from this neighborhood! I saw the faces of at least nine people who live on my street."

"What?" There was the sound of shuffling paper and a pause. "Oh shit. Look, I'm going to call your local Sheriff and ask him if he can do something to protect the families from the media. Once they catch the scent of this story I have to warn you, it's going to be a circus and it's going to get really ugly for the wives."

"What's that mean?" Ben asked.

"I'm sorry, I can't say any more except if you are close friends with these families, stay close. They are going to need as much support as they can get. Thank you Mr. Shepherd."

The call ended and Ben walked back into the room to put the handset back. He had a really bad feeling. He also felt like he was intruding on a deeply personal moment for this family.

He knelt down at Gabriella's feet once more.

"Gabriella? Are you going to be ok?" She nodded shakily. "Alright. I'm going to head home now. If you need anything or just want to talk please don't hesitate to call, ok?" he said gently.

The woman nodded and reached out a hand. He gave it a squeeze then stood to leave. Miriam jumped up surprising her mother and flung her arms around him in a big hug. He gave her a little squeeze too and she returned to her mother.

Ben let himself out of the house and ensured the door was locked behind him. He walked back towards his house and spotted someone running from the Khaleel house towards him. He saw it was Catherine and she seemed to be crying. She suddenly noticed Ben standing on the sidewalk and gave out a little shriek.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!" he said.

"No, it's ok. I wasn't watching where I was going." she mumbled.

"Did you receive the call from Sheriff Clarkson?" he asked quietly.

She looked up at his face in surprise. Then she connected the dots seeing him on the sidewalk outside of Gabriella's house. "Is Gabriella OK?"

"Yes, she just got home. Miriam came over to my place when she saw a news report showing her father had died in a plane crash. Hell of a way for the girl to find out! She was really upset. I took her home then Gabriella arrived. We saw the story on TV then the Sheriff called. She took it pretty hard. You must have gotten the call earlier. How are you doing?" He saw the woman was shivering. She'd come outside without a jacket and the late October winds were biting. He tugged off his sweater and handed it to her. She pulled the thick knit sweater on gratefully and immediately felt warmer.

"Thank you! I think I'm still in shock. I should go talk with Gabriella." she smiled weakly at him.

"Listen, if there is anything you need please let me know. Even if you just need someone to talk to. The Sheriff said the media is going to come after the families. It's going to get ugly. Well, like I said, if you need to talk I'm here." He nodded his head to her and made his way back to his house. She stared after him for a few seconds, relishing the warmth from his sweater then continued on to Gabriella's house.

Chapter 4

Sheriff Clarkson wasn't wrong about how the media behaved once the details got out. What started as a sympathetic tale of a small community hit with an enormous tragedy, the loss of nine husbands and fathers, soon became a sick and twisted morality play. Initially the victims of a tragic accident, the members of the suburban neighborhood Gentleman's Club were soon exposed for their 'sinful' activities. Graphic footage from a hidden camera was leaked to the press showing the men enjoying their carnal appetites in a VIP room at a nightclub the night before the crash with prostitutes. Some of those young ladies were victims of the same flight and it was discovered that at least three of them had been reported as abducted. It was discovered that the plane was operating as a Mile High Club service, a flying orgy for wealthy businessmen.

One member of the gentleman's club hadn't been on the flight. Larry Wilson, a psychologist with a fear of flying in small planes had backed out at the last minute when he saw the converted party jet. He watched it crash from the back seat of the waiting limo where one of the ladies had stayed behind with him to give him his own special party. The young woman lost her best friend that night. Having been abducted herself and forced to work as a prostitute by the men who ran the parties, she was sufficiently paranoid about her own limited life expectancy she used the chaos to slip away in the dark. She met and waved down the police on their way onto the airport's tarmac. She directed them to where her abductors were and offered to give testimony about them and the parties they threw in exchange for a ticket home. The police swooped in and captured the group with Larry. The story leaked.

The press camped out at end of the street where the local police had set up a gate to keep them out of the street. It had the unfortunate side effect of trapping the residents in their little pocket neighborhood. The first four houses in the block had to endure the noise and lights of the press encampment and none of them had lost someone.

The kids from the affected families who were attending colleges and universities had to be escorted by the police into the neighborhood and endure running the gauntlet. The image of the three blond and beautiful Khaleel sisters huddled in the back of a police cruiser hit the news outlets and the internet aggregator websites and they became instant celebrities willing or not.

When a group of daring paparazzo attempted to sneak through the nature reserve at night and climb the back fences to take pictures through the back windows of the Wallace's and Khaleel's houses they were confronted by a large man dressed all in black with a long black crowbar. None of the camera gear survived, not even cell phones, and the paparazzo reported that they had barely managed to get back over the fences into the woods alive. Three had broken ribs, two had broken wrists from trying to protect their cameras, and one had a dislocated elbow. All were badly bruised over every surface of their bodies. The man hadn't said a thing. Not even a grunt. He'd left the talking to the crow bar.

The smashed cameras were found the next day in a pile in the middle of a trail in the woods. No memory cards were found.

The police had no evidence or clues to the identity of the man in black and made no significant effort to investigate.

Catherine was sitting in Gabriella's family room with her daughters. Gabriella had her kids on either side of her on the couch. Megan, the youngest of the Khaleel daughters was texting her friends when she excitedly told Gabriella to turn the TV on to channel 23. Gabriella looked at Catherine who nodded. There was a special report on TV about a violent attack on five camera men. There was footage of them in the hospital and graphic imagery of their bruising and casts. The men had admitted to being in the backyards of the houses at the east end of Ashburn Court backing onto the reserve. A mysterious black garbed attacker had savagely beaten the men and destroyed their cameras. A statement from the police indicated it was an ongoing investigation but they were hampered by the lack of physical evidence and were asking for witnesses. The descriptions received from the paparazzo were less than helpful. The talking heads on the show reappeared and started to question if the police were actually making any effort to find the violent offender. Was this a conspiracy?

Gabriella turned off the TV before she heard any more bile. The two mothers looked at each other and knew immediately who their protector was. Miriam sat quietly at her mother's side with a sweet smile on her face. The Khaleel girls looked questioningly at their mother who just smiled and settled more comfortably in the chair, snuggling deeper into the warm white knit sweater. Gabriella looked a little conflicted... and envious.

Chapter 5

The funeral home was very busy. The viewings for three of the men were being held in the available chambers. Across town other funeral homes were dealing with the other families. The viewings were for family and friends only. Daniel Wallace and Devon King were given open caskets but this was impossible for Ashraf Khaleel. This upset his parents but there was nothing that could be done. They spoke briefly with the girls then left, ignoring their son's wife completely. They'd never approved of their son's choice.

Catherine and her three daughters were sitting on chairs along one wall doing their best not to cry but Megan was having the hardest time of the young women. Her mother was holding her hand and greeting those who came in to express their condolences. There weren't too many people willing to run the gauntlet of press outside.

She looked up when Ben walked into the room. He was such a big man and the sharp blue black suit he was wearing made him look even more massive. The black shirt and tie were very classy but it looked like he'd given his hair a little trim himself and had made a bit of a mess. He was staring at the casket and she could see his shoulders relax when he saw it was closed. He looked over at the family and she saw the compassion on his face when he saw Megan's tears. His eyes moved to hers and he smiled with a little nod. He approached them and shook each of their hands telling them he was sorry for their loss. Megan hadn't looked up yet. When he reached Catherine she had to ask.

"Mr. Shepherd, I can't help but notice you had a little mishap with some hair shears." She pitched her voice just loud enough to be heard by the immediate group. She also kept watch on Megan who was their household stylist. As she expected Megan's eyes snapped up to his head. She was surprised when her youngest snorted explosively at the sight of his butchered hair. Everyone smiled at her reaction including Ben.

"What? I thought I did a good job!" he said with a puzzled smile.

Megan lost it. Clutching her tissues over her mouth to stifle the laughter she leapt from the chair and rushed from the room. Her sisters went after her trying to hide their own smiles.

"Thank you." Catherine said quietly.

"For giving myself a terrible haircut? Pfft!" Ben scoffed.

"No, for protecting my family." she said seriously.

"That's what good neighbors do." he said gruffly with a small shrug. "How are you holding up?" Ben changed the subject.

She looked over at the casket and sighed. She wondered why she wasn't more emotional. Her tears tonight were really only in sympathy for her daughters for their having lost their father. While her girls were all grown up, the youngest being 18, the loss of a parent is never an easy thing to deal with. Even one as unaffectionate as Ashraf had been.

Rochelle King sounded absolutely devastated by losing Devon. She could hear the woman crying at the end of the hall. For herself she just felt a little sad. She'd come to the realization years ago that while Ashraf loved her he would never love her as much as he loved himself. The time of that epiphany had been a rough time in their relationship. She stayed in the marriage because of the girls but from then on it hadn't been the same between her and her husband. Now the play acting was done. She no longer had to pretend. Her girls were grown and she had her future in front of her.

"I'll be ok." she said with a smile which he returned. He patted her hand and stepped aside as the girls returned. Megan kept her eyes away from his ridiculous haircut. She suddenly reached out and snagged his jacket.

"Tomorrow, you come by the house around noon and I'll fix... that." She stifled another burst of giggles.

"Yes, maam." he replied seriously and she shooed him away still without looking at him.

With a final nod Ben moved down the hall and stepped into the next room. The sight of Daniel's body in the open casket right next to the door hit him like a tonne of bricks. Images of his dead parents lying in their caskets flashed across his mind and he felt his chest tightening. He looked away sharply and saw Gabriella looking at him with concern. He stumbled away from the casket and the next thing he knew he was sitting in a chair with his head in his hands.

"Breathe! Deep and slow." Gabriella's voice was starting to register over the roar in his ears and he felt her rubbing his back. Miriam was on her right and Daniel, Jr. was on her left.

"What happened to him, mom?" her son asked.

Catherine heard the huge thump and saw a picture rattle on the wall as if something had hit the other side. She rushed to investigate and saw her friend appearing to console Ben.

"What happened?" she asked.

Ben finally felt the roaring go quiet and leaned back in the chair. He kept his eyes averted from the casket and found himself looking into the curious face of the boy. He blushed with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here making a scene." He struggled to stand but Gabriella had leverage and pushed him back into the chair.

"Ben, you almost passed out. You are in no condition to leave. Just sit and rest for a bit." she chastised him.

"Why did you fall down Mr. Shepherd?" the boy asked.

Ben looked over at him again. "I was surprised by the casket being so close to the door. I didn't have time to prepare." He put his head in his hands again and took some deep breaths.

Catherine stood next to Gabriella and asked quietly once more, "What happened?"

"Ben stepped in the room and froze when he saw Daniel. He looked like he was going to pass out and stumbled across the room to land in that chair." she told her friend in a whisper.

Rochelle appeared in the doorway holding a tissue to her nose. Her eyes were red from crying and rimmed with tears but they held curiosity in them as well. "Is Mr. Shepherd alright?" she asked.

Ben surged to his feet. He felt terribly ashamed for having disturbed these women in their time of mourning. His cheeks pinked with his embarrassment. Still a little light headed he closed his eyes and staggered once as hands automatically braced him. "Please, I don't mean to be a distraction. I'm truly sorry for your loss. I'll get out of your way." He opened his eyes and saw Gabriella and Catherine had their hands on his chest, Rochelle had his left arm and Daniel, Jr. his right.

He ducked his head and tried to move but they all just pushed and pulled him gently back into the chair. Rochelle immediately sat down to his left as she continued to hold his arm. She looked up at the other two women and smirked.

"If he didn't mean to be a distraction maybe he shouldn't look so damn good!" she said. Gabriella and Catherine immediately blushed as similar thoughts remained unsaid in their own minds. Rochelle saw she wasn't alone in her appreciation and smiled. She dabbed the tears from her eyes and looked up at the big man. She was 5' 5" with abundant curves but seated next to Ben she looked absolutely miniature. "You're not running away until we know you aren't going to pass out on your drive home. Now, what's wrong?"

"Sorry, I'm just not good with open casket viewings. I shouldn't have come. Brings back too many memories... of my parents. ...I'm feeling better now, I should go." Ben said, uncomfortably aware of Rochelle's soft but heavy breasts resting on his left arm and his hand touching her thigh but he couldn't free himself.

Gabriella whispered something to Catherine who nodded and left. After she watched her friend leave she scooted her son over one chair and sat down on Ben's right. She took his right hand in hers and held it on her lap. He twitched visibly as his hand rested on her smooth legs.

Catherine returned shortly with one of the funeral home directors who closed the lid on Daniel's casket. Rochelle pointed at her viewing hall and nodded. The man returned her nod then left to close Devon's casket as well.

"No, please you shouldn't have to do that!" Ben looked concerned at the two women holding his arms.

Catherine pulled a chair right in front of Ben, sat down in it blocking him in and looked into his eyes. "When did you lose your parents?" she asked gently.

Ben looked at Catherine in surprise. "Uh, I was five. Drunk driver."

"You saw them at the funeral home?" she continued.

"Yes, but... it didn't look like them. Shouldn't have been open casket. Shouldn't." Ben mumbled trying not to remember.

"Who took care of you after they were gone?" Gabriella asked.

"Foster homes." Ben said.

Rochelle made a sympathetic sound and leaned in. Her impressive chest pressed more firmly on his arm. Gabriella just squeezed his right hand a little tighter against her silky legs.

Ben was embarrassed to feel his body reacting to the wonderful softness of the two women. He needed to leave before he made a fool out of himself. He tried desperately to think of anything else to calm his growing stimulation.

Then Catherine put her hands on his knees.

It was too much. His erection kicked into high gear at the feel of her strong hands. His pants were becoming distinctly uncomfortable and the evidence of his excitement was distinctly visible. He panicked.

"I'm so sorry, I should go." He pulled his arms back and stood up.

Catherine suddenly leaned forward to block his escape but instead planted her face solidly against his groin and the large solid mass that was straining to get free. She bounced back and his face went beet red when he saw the look of surprise on hers.

"Oh god! I didn't mean- I'm sorry." he said to Catherine who was holding her hands over her face. He rushed from the room and disappeared down the hall.

Catherine slid her hands down over her mouth to contain the laughter that was screaming to get out. Completely inappropriate, badly timed, but God-it-felt-good laughter!

Rochelle's eyes were almost popping out of her head. She looked at Gabriella. "Did you see the size of that thing?"

Gabriella smirked and watched Catherine choking on her supressed laughter. Tears were pouring from the woman's eyes and her face was getting red. People looking in the doorway saw a woman struggling with her grief. Gabriella should have taken pity on her friend but deep down there was always just a little bit of competitiveness between her and the blonde.

"I think Cat got the bird's eye view." she said staring her right in the eye.

It was too much for Catherine whose laughter exploded past her hands. She jumped to her feet and rushed from the room colliding with her daughters at the door. They grabbed her and hustled her away as her face got redder and redder and the laughter continued to burst forth.

Rochelle looked at her neighbor and shook her head with a smirk. "If I didn't know you were best friends with that woman I'd say that was just a little mean."

Gabriella did her best to school her expression and look dignified but she couldn't quite eliminate the smile from the corners of her lips. She'd apologize to Cat tomorrow but tonight she'd enjoy her little victory.

Rochelle suddenly frowned. "We should probably check in on Mr. Shepherd tomorrow. Make sure he's ok and doesn't think we were offended or anything."

Gabriella's smile got the better of her as she looked at Rochelle who had a smile of her own.

Chapter 6

Ben was pushing a stack of big plates on the bench press. He was trying to clear his mind of the embarrassing mess he'd made of the viewing last night. He should have known better than to attend. Then to get a freaking erection in front of the grieving widows?!? What kind of a low life does that? Why did his body have to be so fucking reactive to women?!? What was he, a teenager?

Hitting Catherine in the face with it was so beyond reprehensible he didn't know what to do with himself. He obviously couldn't show his face to them again. He was seriously considering selling the house and moving so they wouldn't have to share the neighborhood with such a deviant.

He threw his self-disgust into the weights and pushed until he could barely get the weights back into the rack. He was breathing hard after his set and his arms and chest were pumped and maybe a little wobbly from overdoing it. He was punishing himself which was a damn stupid thing to do when working with such heavy weights.

He sat up and wiped the sweat from his face with his towel then froze when he heard the doorbell ring.

He jogged up the stairs and looked out the front door.

Megan Khaleel was standing on his porch with a cross look on her face. Crap! He'd messed up so badly with Catherine now her kids hated him. He couldn't really blame them. Better to take his deserved punishment. He opened the door.

"You missed your hair-" Megan barked until she saw he was only wearing short black shorts and runners. Then her jaw dropped as she took in his sweaty muscles. She tried to start again but the words weren't there.

Ben was getting a chill by the door. "It's cold out. Please come in."

She stepped into the foyer and stared at his chest. "God, you've got bigger boobs than Mrs. King!" she blurted then slapped her hands over her mouth in embarrassment.

He grimaced. He raised his index finger and went down the hall to his bedroom. He quickly kicked off his shoes and sweaty shorts and pulled on his long terry dressing robe. Now he was covered up so Megan wouldn't be embarrassed. He walked back towards the foyer.

Megan saw him approaching and was a little disappointed he'd thrown the robe over his rockin' body. Sure, he was an older guy but damn he looked GOOD for an older guy! A lot better than any of her past boyfriends ever did.

She heard a knock on the door behind her and saw Mrs. Wallace and Mrs. King huddled from the cold. She opened the door and they were a little surprised to see her there. They stepped inside just as Ben got back.

He saw the three women standing there and his heart fell. Catherine had obviously sent Megan as her representative and the three were going to tell him to his face what a dirtbag he was. Well, he deserved it. He steeled himself and looked at the gathered women.

Rochelle was first to speak. "Mr. Shepherd, did we wake you?"

Megan wanted the two women to share what she'd just seen. He'd obviously been body building but he seemed to be tongue tied. She answered for him.

"No, he was just working out. Have you seen these muscles?" she said stepping forward and yanked his robe open.

Ben was completely caught off guard and was so surprised he didn't react for a few seconds.

Megan looked down and discovered his shorts were no longer there.

Rochelle looked like a deer caught in headlights. The image of his naked, sweaty body was burning into her mind for all time.

Gabriella soaked it all in and smiled like that cat who got the cream. Catherine may have briefly felt him through the fabric of his pants but she'd seen it fully exposed not four feet away. Even at rest it was magnificent.

Ben finally snatched the robe closed and more securely tightened the belt. His mouth was working but nothing was coming out.

Megan was also trying to speak but couldn't tear her eyes away from his now covered groin. He snapped his fingers in her line of sight and she jumped. "I'm so sorry Mr. Shepherd! I thought you had your shorts on underneath!"

"Yes well... even if I had you don't go yanking people's robes open. What if I did that to you?" he said then closed his eyes tightly, shook his head and blushed at the image in his mind. He WAS a dirty pervert!

The three women caught the blush and smiled as images passed through their minds as well.

Ben seemed to get a hold of himself. "Look before you say anything I want to apologize for my behavior last night. It was totally inappropriate and I'm more than a little disgusted with myself. I fully deserve your contempt. I wish I could have told Catherine to her face-" Gabriella snorted then quickly suppressed it. "...how sorry I am for disturbing the viewing for all of you."

Rochelle glanced questioningly at Gabriella and they shared a look. While there was opportunity here for a little naughty blackmail neither of them felt Ben deserved it. He was a decent man who shouldn't be made to feel this way.

"What happened?" Megan asked. Ben's face went crimson and he tucked his robe a little tighter.

Gabriella spoke up to let Ben off the hook. "Ben, no one aside from you is upset by what happened last night. We came here today to make sure you were ok. Well, that's what Rochelle and I were here for. Why did you come over Megan?"

"Oh! Right! Mr. Shepherd was supposed to come to our place thirty minutes ago for a haircut. Mom made us all lunch too. I was sent to collect him." she said.

"Oh really?" Gabriella said.

Megan looked at her a little nervously. "She made a large pot of stew so I'm sure there would be enough for two more guests."

"That would be lovely. Ben, why don't you get dressed and we will accompany you to Cat's." Gabriella said.

Ben looked a little confused but didn't argue. "Please have a seat in the living room. Just give me five minutes." Once they were seated he moved back down the hall. He closed his bedroom door and leaned his forehead against it for a few seconds then he stripped and jumped into the shower.

Back in the living room, Megan was looking at Gabriella. "Mrs. Wallace, what happened last night? Mom won't tell us what she was laughing about when we found her in your viewing room."

"Ben did something that embarrassed him and amused your mother. Let's leave it at that so we can spare Ben any additional hurt feelings, alright?" she suggested.

The three ladies waited and imagined what might be happening in Ben's shower.

True to his word he returned five minutes later freshly washed, dried (except his hair), and dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, a black knit sweater and white socks. He slipped his boots and jacket on and followed the women outside. He locked up and followed them over to Catherine's. He looked a few doors down the block on the north side and noticed a black limo idling on the street at the base of the driveway outside of the Lee residence.

James Lee, a 38 year old foreign market investor and recent member of Ashburn Court's Gentleman's Club, had been one of the fatalities from the plane crash, leaving his 24 year old wife Tina and their six month old baby Christopher alone. Ben saw a well-dressed older Asian woman standing in the driveway yelling at the young woman who was holding her baby and crying. The old woman gestured for her driver to get out of the car and continued to yell at the crying woman. Ben immediately turned towards the Lee home and ran over to see what was upsetting Tina.

He took off his jacket and placed it around the young woman's shoulders since she wasn't dressed for the weather and pulled it around the baby as well who was only wrapped in a blanket.

"Mrs. Lee, what's wrong? What's she saying?" he asked. He'd spoken to her before so he knew she spoke English.

"She wants to take Christopher away from me and take him back to Korea." she cried. "She says I was a bad wife for her son and an unfit mother for her grandchild." The young woman burst into tears.

Ben saw the driver walking up the drive towards them. He had something in his hand and when he flicked his wrist it snapped out into a baton. Fuck! Ben wasn't a fighter though he'd been in a few minor scraps during his University days on pub crawls. Now he was facing a guy with a club who looked like he knew how to use it. Ben whipped off his sweater and balled it around his left hand just as the man rushed at him swinging the club. He blocked the first few swings but the next three got through and Ben went down on his right knee in pain. Seeing victory the driver stepped in close to bash Ben's skull but got a solid punch to the groin from Ben's right fist instead. The hit lifted the man right off his feet.

Ben staggered up and stomped on the man's hand as he weakly tried to wield the baton from the ground. Bones snapped and the driver screamed, dropping the weapon. Ben grabbed him by the collar and dragged him on his ass back to the car, keeping an eye on the old woman the entire way. He lifted and bounced the man against the side of the car as he opened the driver's door and pushed him back inside. He slammed the door then walked over to stand in front of the old woman. She sputtered a little but jumped when Ben scowled at her. "Leave." was all he said.

She hastily made her way to the back seat of the limo and the car drove away. He stood at the end of the driveway until the car turned the corner and disappeared. It was only then that Ben realized they no longer had their police barricade and the press had moved on to the next sensation.

He started to shiver and Gabriella who had caught up to him handed him the knit sweater he'd dropped. He pulled it on and hissed in pain as he moved his bruised ribs. Gabriella was instantly at his elbow guiding him back towards Catherine's. He stopped and saw that Rochelle was leading Tina after them. The young woman was looking at him like he was some kind of hero. He sighed and closed his eyes as the pain in his ribs began to make itself known.

Megan opened her front door and Gabriella walked through with her arm around the good side of Ben. She heard Cat's friendly voice. "Megan, what took you so long to get that man over here?" Catherine froze when she came around the corner. "What happened?" she yelped.

"Mrs. Lee's mother-in-law decided to do a little snatch and grab of her grandson." Ben muttered.

"She beat you up?" Catherine gasped.

Ben laughed and immediately regretted it as pain stabbed through his side.

Gabriella scowled at Cat. "No, she brought a goon who had some kind of metal club. Ben beat him up but not before taking a few hits to the ribs."

Rochelle flicked her wrist and the baton she'd picked up snapped out to full length. Cat's eyes went wide. "Oh my god! Bring him into the kitchen!" The group followed her.

Catherine pulled out a chair from the table and they sat him down in it and carefully pulled off his sweater with much hissing. Then came the t-shirt. Three large red welts crossed his side and bruising was already spreading over the area.

Rochelle leaned in and grimaced. "No good deed goes unpunished." she whispered.

Tina Lee saw the marks and burst into tears. "I'm so sorry Mr. Shepherd. It is all my fault! I should have let her take Christopher. She was right!"

Ben's head snapped up. "Stop! Stop right there! Don't you EVER say you're not worthy to keep your child! You did NOTHING wrong! Christopher is blessed to have you as his mother!" He looked around at the other women and gave them all a stern look. "None of you did anything to deserve what happened to you. It was just a stupid accident that took them. Why they were there in the first place is on THEM! Damn! I'll never understand why they did it but it was THEIR choice and is NO reflection on your worth! Each of you is a treasure!" His little outburst caused his ribs to throb so he closed his eyes and hissed in pain. He didn't see the looks in their eyes as they gazed at him.

Gabriella spoke softly. "Ben, maybe we should take you to the hospital."

He opened his eyes and looked at his injury. "No, I'm just bruised. I don't feel any grating so the bones aren't likely broken. I'll just soak in the tub before the muscles tighten up. Besides, we don't need any more publicity. The press has finally left us alone. Must be some other tragedy."

"You could use our hot tub." Cat offered. Gabriella shot her a look and got an innocent questioning look back.

"Thanks but I'll just use my own later. I heard something about a haircut and stew?" Ben looked around hopefully.

Megan burst into a smile and rushed out of the room to get her kit.

Everyone settled in around the table but they left Ben further out so Megan had room to give him the haircut. She put the cape over him and the other ladies sighed as they could no longer see his body. This made them giggle self-consciously. Tina looked at the others and smiled. She also thought Mr. Shepherd was a beautiful man but was trying not to be obvious. Rochelle patted her knee. She knew.

While he waited Ben looked at the group. He pondered Tina's situation. If they hadn't passed by when they did, she might had lost her child as well as her husband. He felt ashamed that he hadn't approached her earlier. The Lee's were the latest addition to the community but that didn't absolve his guilt at not paying better attention. Then he thought of the remaining wives who lost their husbands. Maybe they were hurting and could use a sympathetic ear. "Has anyone spoken to the other women affected by this?"

The ladies all looked at each other.

Gabriella pulled out her phone. "Cat, would you mind if I called them over?"

"No! That would be good!" she replied.

She dialed the first number. "Joanne? It's Gabriella. I'm over at Catherine's. We're just having a little informal get together and were wondering if you'd like to join us. Sure. No need to bring anything, just yourself. OK, see you soon." She looked up at Cat. "Joanne White is on her way. I'll call the others."

Gabriella managed to contact Trish Campbell, Hannah Cooper, and Daphne McKellan who all agreed to join them as well but Beth Wilson's son John said she couldn't come to the phone but he'd pass along the message. Sarah Miller didn't answer. Her SUV wasn't in its usual spot in the driveway so they assumed she'd gone to visit her parents with the kids.

Sophie and Rachel helped their mother gather more chairs for the big kitchen.

Joanne arrived and looked at the group of women sitting around the table. She was surprised to see Ben sitting in the room getting a haircut. She took a seat next to Tina and admired the baby in her arms.

Trish, Daphne, and Hanna arrived next. Hannah had a scowl on her tear stained face and looked at the group with suspicion. Trish seemed to be following her lead though Daphne just looked lost. Hannah looked at Gabriella and Catherine and opened up with both barrels when she saw Ben sitting in the kitchen. Her face twisted into a pained grimace.

"It's not bad enough your husbands seduced ours into their sick and depraved parties now you're after us with this eye candy!??!" she cried.

Suddenly there were voices screaming incriminations back and forth across the table. Ben was stunned by how vicious it got. He'd had enough.

"STOP!" he bellowed as he stood and all the women froze and Christopher began to cry. He winced then stared them in the eye. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I was invited to few BOY'S Club meetings and NO ONE was there against their will. There was NO coercion, NO seduction, and NONE of you had any involvement or knowledge of what when on there. They made that fact VERY clear to me. It was THEIR club, no wives allowed! Their attitudes towards the women they married, the women who should have been their partners in everything... it sickened me and I couldn't be part of it. I heard and saw it because I WAS THERE. It wasn't my place to interfere with your relationships but I could stay away from those men so I did. I'm sorry if what I've said hurts you but you need to be honest with yourselves if you want to heal from this. You have each other. God! You need to understand you were ALL victims and you need to rely on each other. I've known most of you for years and I know you are good people! Which makes what happened all the more bewildering to me. How they could have treated any of you this way..." Ben staggered and looked down. He tugged the cape off and the women gasped. Some saw his muscular chest and firm abs but others saw the massive bruise spreading on his left side.

Hannah was already dialing 911. As a Hospital Administrator she recognized bad internal bleeding when she saw it. She got the ambulance on its way then looked to Gabriella. "What happened to him?"

"Tina's mother-in-law tried to abduct Christopher and brought a goon along to do it. Ben intervened and took a few hits on his side with a club before he took the man down. He said it wasn't more than bruising." she replied frantically.

Ben slumped back into the chair and struggled to remain conscious. The room spun and he slid off the chair before they could catch him.

"That's internal bleeding. It's filling his chest cavity." Hannah said.

"Ben! Try to stay awake!" Catherine yelled.

For Ben it felt like the room was receding from him. It got quieter... and darker... then nothing.