Author's Notes:

'A Shepherd's Crook' is the fourth book in the Chronicles of Ben Shepherd. The chronological order of the stories is:

• The Shepherd of Ashburn Court -- Parts 1 - 5
• A Shepherd in France -- Parts 1 & 2
• A Shepherd Afield -- Parts 1 - 5
• The Shepherd's Crook -- Parts 1 - 4

Minimal effort is made in this tale to explain the backstory, so please read the other stories first.

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

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A Shepherd's Crook -- Part 3

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Chapter 18

The Spa.

Where every squad in the US Army dreamed of being stationed for a coveted two-week rotation.

General Davis confided in Ben that if he'd known how much it would increase discipline and morale within the troops, he'd have built a few of them in scenic spots around the country. He actually was in discussions with Dominic Sellini and Dan Bishop about plans for another, but for now, there was just the one, and demand was high.

Of course, it couldn't be denied that one of the highlights of this particular location was the number of beautiful women living in the neighborhood.

For a squad to be assigned the perk of being stationed here for two weeks, they had to reach some performance milestone Ben was unaware of and really didn't care about, as long as they were on their best behavior while they were here.

Davis assured him that a bad report would eliminate chances of a return visit, so the soldiers also policed themselves. If one of the squad members started to get out of hand, his team would set him straight.

This was on Ben's mind as he listened to Sergeant Killcade's report after they'd finished the breakfast clean-up.

"...and three members of the squad were taken to the hospital with minor injuries," she concluded.

He rubbed his face tiredly as Tina and Lucy watched him with concern.

Ben locked eyes with Evelyn. "Tatiana?" She nodded.

"What was it this time?" he asked, but he was sure he already knew.

"Three soldiers were having an unofficial sparring practice in the park. She joined them, convinced them to team up against her, and said take me to the matt. Those were apparently her exact words. She also told them not to hold back," Evelyn said with a disapproving tone.

Ben nodded as he'd heard enough. "Okay. I'll drop by One Ashburn with her to have her apologize to them."

Evelyn checked his schedule. "I don't believe there will be time today as you have a meeting at ten with your accountant, Jerry Taggart, to see his newly expanded offices. The Squad is rotating out this morning, and our next visitors will arrive at noon." She looked up at Ben with an intense expression. "General Davis notified me that it'll be two SEAL Platoons this time, thirty-two sailors. He wasn't able to delay them any longer." She smirked. "He was trying to schedule them to be here after it snowed."

Ben smiled and shook his head. It was just the beginning of September, and the weather was unseasonably warm. He was enjoying the heat as he wasn't a fan of winter. The forecast suggested this warm spell could last through the month, but they'd been wrong before.

He sighed. "I'll still have a talk with her. She has to stop tormenting the soldiers."

"Maybe it is better she takes her frustrations out on them than you," Tina suggested nervously.

Ben looked into her concerned eyes and shook his head. "She needs to speak with someone about her anger management issues."

Tina didn't look satisfied with that answer, but he couldn't offer more. His mind flashed back to the day Tatiana arrived in Ashburn Court. Her secret intent then had been to retrieve the diamonds he'd inherited and demonstrate to Ben that he didn't have the right to set conditions for her freedom. The day might have ended with Ben dead at her hand. Instead, he'd sent her to the hospital in an ambulance. He'd answered her violence with his own, and she'd spent the following week recovering from the concussion.

Ever since he cleared up Tatiana's invulnerability misconception, she'd been on edge. Her confidence in being the pinnacle predator must have helped her cope with the stress of her occupation. Being shown she wasn't the apex damaged something her training hadn't prepared her for.

Their first encounter with a potentially deadly situation arrived just a month ago when Ben attended a conference in Las Vegas. Ben made her rein in her aggression as she'd prepared to use lethal force.

She'd been looking for targets to conquer ever since, but nothing had escalated beyond beatings... so far. He needed to speak with Liliya again and perhaps Dr. Granger.

He took a deep breath and looked toward the Sergeant once more. "Anything else on my calendar?"

She smiled and shook her head.

"Good! Maybe I'll have some time this afternoon to work on the Department of Energy request," he sighed.

He'd been shown a new energy cell that promised to hold power longer without degrading, but something was causing the cells to fail catastrophically. The original designer was killed in his lab by a cell that exploded. Ben was reviewing the original design specifications and had done a few virtual tests in his testbed software. No virtual explosions but also no results that impressed. He believed this wasn't something that translated to software. He would have to rent some lab space to build a physical cell from the components. He wouldn't risk doing this at home.

He was eager to begin, and the Sergeant shared his enthusiasm.

Earlier this morning, he'd worked out, showered, dressed, and had his breakfast. He'd received his debriefing, yet there was much to do. He thanked the Sergeant, kissed Tina and Lucy, and scooped Christopher out of his highchair to set him on his feet.

"I'll take the kids to Daphne's while you get ready for school," he said to his two ladies.

Tina and Lucy smiled happily as he lifted Gretchen into his arms from Lucy's hands. Evelyn accepted Sam and the two of them walked to the front door with Christopher chattering away happily next to them. Boots and shoes went on, the Sergeant slipped off her boot covers, then they crossed the court to the daycare.

Lori greeted them with a wide smile as Lisa returned from the back to assist. They signed the children in and took the younger ones into their arms as Christopher raced into the back immediately. Ben leaned forward as they were otherwise alone and gave the twins kisses, which added a sparkle to their eyes.

When Ben stepped back outside with the Sergeant at his side, he took a deep breath and sighed as his eyes scanned the activity in the court.

He saw Ashley getting the kids into her truck. They waved, so he waved back to them. Karen and Penny were halfway to her house, and they saw Ashley's motion, so they turned and waved at Ben and Evelyn.

Rain was pulling out of her driveway in the minivan Ben purchased for their home. She went in the opposite direction to Ashley as the clinic she worked at was on the other side of town. When the local headquarters of Ben's foundation center were built, Rain would be transferring to work from the new clinic he was setting up there. She was rather excited about that.

He saw Liliya walking towards him with a smile as her daughter, Rose, rushed forward.

"Daddy!" she called out as her little legs carried her up the driveway into Ben's arms as he knelt to give her a hug and kiss.

"How's my Rose this morning?" he asked with a smile.

"Good!" she grinned back at him, then she burst into giggles and struggled to get free as he pretended to nibble her ears.

"Good morning, Ben," Liliya said as she reached them.

He lifted the squirming and laughing girl into the air and handed her to Liliya.

"Good morning, Liliya," he said with a smile. His eyes looked past the blonde to the brunette who was causing him the most trouble.

"Good morning, Tatiana."

The raven-haired beauty smiled at him. "Good morning, Ben. Sergeant." She nodded to Evelyn with a smirk.

"I'll be just a moment," Liliya said as she carried Rose to the daycare entrance.

Ben touched Evelyn's arm to indicate she should stay where she was as he moved forward to walk Tatiana a few feet away to the sidewalk. She looked into his eyes as he watched her. He caught a few subtle but involuntary ticks she'd developed whenever he got close to her; her eyes widened slightly, her nostrils flared, and her lips parted.

"Tatiana, I heard you sent three soldiers to the hospital yesterday," he began.

"It was nothing. Some simple sparring," the assassin immediately asserted.

Ben kept his voice quiet and calm, but he continued to look into her eyes. "You set them up. You knew they couldn't take you, but with three against one and telling them to not hold back, it gave you an excuse to get rough with them. You need to stop abusing the soldiers. They aren't the enemy."

Tatiana's eyes flared as she moved even closer. He could see she was trembling. "There hasn't been an enemy since Las Vegas, and even then, I was held back from doing what I do best!"

Ben moved closer still and saw her trembling increase. "You're more than a killer. The most effective weapon is one that wins the fight before it needs to engage. No more fighting with the soldiers!"

Her breathing became ragged, and Ben saw her nipples pressing firmly against her tight blouse. She was excited? He growled quietly as he didn't know how to deal with this. A shiver went through her at the sound.

"We're visiting my accountant today. Are you going to be able to be civil?" he asked quietly.

"Yesss," she sighed, equally quiet.

Ben heard Liliya rushing down the steps toward them, so he nodded to Tatiana and leaned back. The brunette nodded and closed her eyes momentarily as she struggled to regain her earlier calm.

Liliya stepped up beside them and quickly assessed their physical and emotional states. She noted the signs of Tatiana's excitement and glanced at Ben's face, but he just looked frustrated.

"We have to go," Ben said as he walked back to his place.

Evelyn quickly joined Ben to walk at his side. She glanced at his face and saw his grim expression. She needed to get him thinking about something else.

"I'm curious why you chose an accounting firm in a neighboring city instead of a local company," she said.

Ben looked over at her with a small smile. "I have nothing against local firms. I'd just rather work with someone I know. I met Jerry Taggart in college. We clicked, and when he reached out to me once he set up his own company, I began to move my business over to him. He ended up handling all my finances. He's a good guy. He's only a thirty-minute drive away, and I rarely need a face-to-face with the man. We handle most transactions online or over the phone."

Evelyn held out her hand as they approached his SUV, and he snorted in amusement at her little smile. He dropped his keys into her palm and headed for the front passenger seat as she rushed around to the driver's door. Liliya slipped into the spot behind Ben, and Tatiana followed the Sergeant to sit next to Liliya and stare out the window sullenly.

They headed north out of the city and pulled onto the highway. Ben enjoyed watching the scenery as the Sergeant drove. The forests lining both sides of the expressway showed no signs of changing color yet, but he knew this corridor would burst into a stunning display of color not too long from now.

As they approached the southern edge of the neighboring city, the forest made way for the urban sprawl of suburbia. They remained on the interstate encircling the core until they reached the northern edge. Ben had Evelyn take the next exit and gave her directions to Jerry's new office location.

They'd entered another densely forested area, and the road wove amongst the trees. The new development on the city's northern edge was a business park for legal firms, architectural services, insurance companies, accountancy offices, and light tech companies. Ben recognized the name of a prominent software development house. Their office seemed to blend into the surrounding trees. He was very impressed.

The emphasis on the entire development area was much like Ashburn Court. There was a feeling of integration and cooperation with nature rather than the usual attempt to conquer it. There were no expanses of perfectly level, green lawns. Wildflowers could be seen covering any area not occupied by the trees and forest undergrowth

Aside from the software development house, which rose to two levels in some places, most of the surrounding buildings were just a single story but extended back from their frontages along the winding roadway. Most of them used as many floor-to-ceiling windows as possible, and their facades used natural materials like stone and wood.

Evelyn pulled them into the driveway for Jerry's building and found a guest parking spot near the front door.

Getting out of the SUV, Ben inhaled the fresh air and picked up the scent of some nearby evergreens. He smiled as he joined the three women on their way to the entrance doors.

Once more, the construction materials were glass and highly polished wood, such as the tall handles on the front doors. He held one open for the Sergeant and Tatiana, Liliya gesturing for him to enter first as she brought up the rear with a scan behind them.

Ben moved toward the reception desk and returned the smile of the lovely young woman sitting behind the stone desk.

"Welcome, Mr. Shepherd!" she said. "I'll let Mr. Taggart know you've arrived.

"Thank you," he said as she glanced at the three women with him. She spoke into the mic on her headset and nodded to him. "Mr. Taggart will be here in a moment."

Less than a minute later, they heard footsteps in the corridor to the right of the reception desk, and Jerry stepped into view.

"Thanks, Melanie!" he said to the young woman at the desk before turning to his guests. "Ben! Welcome to my new offices!" the man said with a wide smile.

Taking the man's offered hand to give it a firm shake, Ben grinned at his college buddy, who hadn't visibly aged much since those days. He was five-foot-seven, with a lean build, lightly peppered black hair, and a neatly trimmed beard. There were a few new lines on his face, but as an avid cyclist, he'd kept his body fit and maintained a healthy lifestyle to fight off the signs of aging. His infectious smile drew similar expressions from Ben and his group.

"So good to see you again," Ben replied. "This is Sergeant Evelyn Killcade, my administrative assistant and my Liaison for the Military and Government offices."

Jerry aimed his smile at the woman as he shook her hand. "I believe we spoke on the phone once."

Evelyn smiled and nodded as she dialed back her usual grip.

"This is Liliya Sokolov and Tatiana Pushkin, my personal security," Ben said, gesturing to the two lovely women standing behind him. They nodded to Jerry, so he returned the gesture and then looked back at Ben in surprise.

"Just the distraction factor of being surrounded by so much beauty protects you. If you weren't so big, you might become invisible!" Jerry teased.

Ben snorted and grinned. "I often wish I was!"

Jerry chuckled. "Come on. I'll give you the tour."

Ben and his entourage followed Jerry into the hallway.

"We really lucked out snapping up the lease for this building as there's been a huge demand to get into this new development, and this was the last building to open," Jerry explained.

"The design is gorgeous!" Ben exclaimed as he admired the view of the surrounding forest through the wall of glass. He noticed that none of them opened, but he could smell the fresh air. His walking slowed as his brain latched onto that. "This building isn't sealed?"

Jerry's grin widened as he saw Ben's wonder. "Nope. The old-style hermetically sealed office is unhealthy. Our air is fresh, filtered, and perfectly temperature balanced throughout the entire building year-round. No more freezing under a blast of air conditioning in the summer or sweltering in the winter's stuffy, dry air."

They moved forward, and Ben noticed the workstations had plenty of worksurface and were separated for privacy. The gentle murmur of conversation didn't travel very far. He noted the strategic placement of sound-dampening panels around some of the workspaces.

Jerry's eyes were twinkling with delight at Ben's keen interest. "Ever the engineer! Yes, this building is a marvel of technology in the middle of nature. Imagine this level of attention over the entire development. You can see why it was in high demand."

"It's brilliant! I'm so happy for you, Jerry!" Ben exclaimed.

"It wouldn't have happened without your faith in my business, Ben. You're not my only customer, but I'm not exaggerating when I say you're my most important one," Jerry said sincerely.

Ben turned to the man to look into his eyes. "You've always been a straight shooter with me, Jerry. You've never given me anything less than the unvarnished truth, and I hold that as the highest quality of character."

"Thank you," Jerry said. He looked a little overwhelmed, so he quickly spotted a new hire he'd wanted to introduce to Ben. She was just entering her space. "Ah, Grace!" He gestured for Ben to follow him as he approached the lovely brunette, who smiled curiously at him. "I'd like to introduce our premier client and my good friend, Ben Shepherd."

Grace's eyes widened in surprise and recognition. "B-Ben Shepherd?" She looked at him, and a smile appeared. "I feel foolish now, as I saw your name on the client list, but I didn't connect it to you."

Ben shrugged with an answering smile.

"Grace Wilson is our brilliant new Forensic Accountant. We'll be sharing her talents with Walter's company--"

"Damn! I wanted to introduce her!"

Ben and the others turned to see Walter Greyson joining them with a grin.

"Too late! I got dibs!" Jerry teased, and Walter shook his head.

"Yeah, but who convinced her to leave that stuffy law firm to join Greyson and Associates?" Walter countered.

"I think what sold her was that she'd get to spend the majority of her time working with me from this lovely space in a building just fifteen minutes from her home!" Jerry asserted.

Walter threw his hands up in surrender. "Whatever the reason, we're thrilled to have her on our team!"

Ben caught Grace's eye and saw she was blushing. "Their squabbling to take credit for hiring you is praise of the highest order," he said, and she grinned happily.

Turning his head back to Walter. "I wasn't expecting to see you today."

"I heard you were visiting Jerry, and I had some business in town, so I thought I'd drop in to remind you I need that medical report for the insurance," the man said.

Ben sighed as he recalled reading the email. Truthfully, he had been procrastinating as some of the tests requested were rather personal. He rolled his stiff neck muscles. "I'll get on that this week." Walter nodded, and Ben looked back at Grace.

He moved closer to look into the area she'd been given to work from. She had a lovely view of the woods. Someone had set up a bird feeder outside as well.

"Do you like your new workspace?" he asked.

She smiled broadly. "It's so much better than the cramped desk I had at my last job."

Ben spotted some framed pictures on her desk. In one, three young girls, blonde, brunette, and strawberry blonde, grinned happily at the camera. He gestured to the picture as he smiled. "Yours?"

She nodded happily. Pointing to each child, she said their names. "Evelyn, Caelyn, and Brooklyn. They're seven now."

"Triplets!" Ben gave her a delighted smile as he looked at the picture of Grace being hugged by a tall, muscular blond man whose smile showed he was a man in love.

Grace noticed his gaze. "That's Ed, my boyfriend, and papa to our daughters. You have children, too?"

He nodded and pulled out his cell to show pictures of his kids. "Here is Christopher. He's Tina's son. I adopted him. Here are Karen and Penny. I adopted them when I brought them home from France after freeing them from the slavers. This is Sam, who I had with Tina, and Gretchen, who I had with Lucy."

Ben looked to Grace and saw her sweet smile but curiosity in her expression. His smile became self-conscious. "I have... a complex home life," he said awkwardly. Tatiana snorted, and he sent her an annoyed look.

Grace touched his arm and shook her head. "No need to explain. I'm in one of those myself."

It was Ben's turn to give a curious look, but Jerry was keen to keep the tour moving.

Ben welcomed Grace to the team and introduced her to the ladies with him before letting Jerry and Walter drag him away.

When they finished introducing him to the team and showing off the office, they finished off in a gorgeous meeting room at the back of the building. Ben was greatly impressed. "This space is wonderful, and the team seems so happy and comfortable in it--" His cell rang, and he glanced at it. It was Hannah, so he sent an apologetic look at the others. "Ah, sorry, I need to take this." They nodded, so he moved a few feet away to stand by one of the large windows. "Hannah?"

"Hi, Ben. Sorry to disturb you, but Dominic Sellini was just rushed to the hospital. He collapsed at home, and he's being prepared for emergency surgery. He asked me to get you to speak with him before he goes in."

"I'm coming," Ben said.

"Thanks. Be careful. Bye," Hannah said and hung up.

Ben looked at Jerry and Walter, and their smiles faded as they saw his worry. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to go. My friend, Dominic Sellini, was just rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. He's asked to speak with me."

The men nodded and guided him back to the front of the building, where they shook hands before Ben rushed out to his truck. The moment the four of them were inside, the Sergeant got them headed back to the highway. She pushed the accelerator and drove them back to the city in excellent time. She pulled up to the hospital entrance so Ben, Liliya, and Tatiana could rush inside while she parked the truck.

Ben found Hannah, who guided him to the surgery prep room. The ladies had to wait outside, but he put on a mask, gloves, and a gown before they let him inside. He spotted Dominic on a gurney and rushed to his side. The man didn't look too good.

"Ah, you made it," the big man sighed.

"I came as quickly as I could," Ben said. "What happened?"

"I've had heart issues for a few years. I promised Sophia that I would retire if it got worse. It did."

Ben looked at him. "Your health comes first. Nothing else matters if you don't have that!"

"I really wanted my company to be part of your new Foundation, but that's not happening now. I wanted you to know I'm not leaving you without support. I took steps to find an alternate commercial developer. Louis Klein has been doing some amazing new developments with his company, the Klein Group. I've asked them to handle the design and construction of the Foundation buildings and habitats. Initially, they were just going to handle the international offices, but since I'm retiring, they'll be taking over the local one as well."

Ben stared at Dominic incredulously. "You did all that this morning?"

Dominic stifled his chuckle and shook his head. "No, I've been working with them for weeks."

Ben frowned. "You knew your health was deteriorating for that long, and only now you're stepping back?"

Dominic rolled his eyes. "I got this speech from Sophia."

"People who care for you tend to have a clearer view of priorities!" Ben asserted.

Dominic had to smile at that. "Thank you, Ben."

"You should be relaxing before your operation," Ben suggested.

The man nodded. "I wanted you to know my team is being absorbed into a construction company Klein uses. Jayden will keep his job."

"Stop thinking about business. We'll talk more after the operation." Ben spotted the nurses coming for Dominic, so he gave the man's hand a gentle squeeze before stepping back so they could wheel Dominic away.

He stepped outside and pulled off the gown, mask, and gloves before heading for the waiting room. He found Sophia with her son Marcus and his wife, Eva. He gave them all hugs.

"I spoke with Dominic. He told me about the steps he's taken to transition the work over to the Klein Group. I told him to stop talking business, and we'd talk after."

Sophia shook her head angrily, and tears began again.

Ben took her face between his hands and looked into her eyes. "They have top-notch surgeons here. They'll take good care of him, and we'll chew him out for this poor judgment about prioritizing his health when you get him home. He can recover with babies bouncing on his knee."

That brought smiles to Marcus and Eva's faces. "Speaking of the kids...." he asked.

Eva smiled at him gratefully. "Anthony and Julius are at school but will be coming home soon. We have a babysitter for Katrina and Jasmine. I should get back...." She looked to her husband, who nodded.

Ben looked at the Sergeant, who immediately nodded. "I'll give you a lift home," Evelyn said.

"Oh! You don't--"

Ben stopped her. "Please. It's no problem. I'm sticking around until Dominic gets out and is settled in the recovery room."

Sophia hugged Ben again as Marcus smiled gratefully at him.

Eva left with the Sergeant as everyone took seats, preparing for a long wait.

-=-

It was sometime after nine when Hannah walked into the waiting room. Ben's head was back against the wall as he was asleep. Sophia was also asleep, cuddled up against his side. Hannah's eyes caught Marcus', and she smiled at him and nodded. She saw him relax as he acknowledged she was delivering good news.

Tatiana, Liliya, and the Sergeant also relaxed, and Hannah gently woke Sophia. Ben's eyes opened immediately. He saw Hannah's smile.

"The surgeon will be in shortly to update you, but it went very smoothly, and Dominic is in the recovery room," the Administrator said.

"Are you stealing my thunder?"

Heads turned to the doorway, where a tall, slim dark-skinned beauty in hospital scrubs smiled back. Her straight black hair was woven into a braid, which reached the back of her knees.

"Not at all, Dr. Shyamalan! I was about to say how fortunate we were to have you here today!" Hannah said, then turned to Sophia and Ben. "She's the chief surgeon at Forestvale Memorial Hospital. Our chief surgeon, Dan Parker, is recovering from injuries sustained in a car crash, and Dr. Shyamalan has been graciously alternating between the two hospitals in the two cities."

"Thank you for saving my husband," Sophia said with a shaky voice.

"My Dad," Marcus added.

"Thank you for taking such good care of my friend, Dominic," Ben said.

The doctor tipped her head to them with a smile then she focused on Sophia. "Your husband needed six stents to be inserted into his blocked arteries. The operation, while long, went smoothly, and he was a very well-behaved patient. He gave us no trouble at all. He'll be kept under observation for twenty-four hours. Then he can go home. The hospital will give you information on what to watch for and what changes he'll need to undertake in his lifestyle to maintain this healthier state. They'll also schedule his follow-up appointments with his doctor."

"Thank you, doctor!" Sophia cried, and Marcus hugged his mom to help her calm down.

The surgeon paused as she looked at Ben with one raised brow. "Have I seen you on TV?"

Ben sighed. "Not intentionally."

"We can speak on that later, Mishka," Hannah said quietly, which earned her a curious glance from the surgeon. Her dark eyes went back to Ben as she struggled to recall.

Hannah looked at Sophia and Marcus. "If you come over tomorrow after the lunch hour, you can visit Dominic, and he'll be ready to be discharged after dinner. It's been an emotionally draining day, so you should head home and get some sleep."

Marcus nodded, and Sophia turned to hug Ben. Then she hugged Hannah before her son guided her out of the waiting room. Ben hugged Hannah and turned to leave as well.

"Wait, before you go, Tina told me you need to schedule a full medical," Hannah said to Ben.

Ben grimaced but nodded. "Yeah, it's an insurance requirement for setting up the Foundation since it will be a global charity organization."

They turned their heads to see Mishka was still there, watching them with keen interest.

"Is there anything else you needed, Mishka?" Hannah asked.

"No, I'm going to head home, but you indicated you'd speak to me about why Mr. Shepherd was on TV."

Ben frowned. "Take your pick: the Brass statues, rescuing women from White Slavers, my ex's interview on TV, the deaths outside the courthou--" Ben's voice failed him as his chest tightened from the emotional pain of recalling Gretchen's sacrifice once more. He turned away, struggling to get control over his emotions. It had been a long day.

Hannah placed her hand on Ben's arm and shook her head gently at Mishka, who had a distraught look on her face. She nodded and quietly left.

"She didn't mean anything by it, Ben," Hannah said gently.

"...I know. I must be overtired. I'm going to head home now. I'll send in the request form for the medical tests tomorrow, okay?" he asked.

"Sure, Ben. Tomorrow's fine."

Ben turned and kissed Hannah before he walked out of the waiting room. Evelyn, Liliya, and Tatiana followed, with the latter giving Hannah an unreadable look before she slipped out the door.

The Sergeant drove them home and parked in Ben's driveway, where they got out.

Ben walked around the car and accepted the keys from Evelyn. "Good night," he said to her and the others. Tatiana waved over her shoulder as she walked down the driveway. Liliya spared her a glance and then moved to join Ben.

"Rose was picked up by Lucy today," Liliya explained as she climbed the steps with Ben to the front door.

Tina opened it, and Ben smiled at her. "Dominic is good. He'll be home tomorrow."

"This is good news!" Tina said with a gentle smile. "Have you eaten?"

"I'm not really hungry. I think I'll just head off to bed," he replied.

Lucy came around the corner with Rose asleep in her arms. She smiled at Liliya and transferred the girl to her mother.

"Thank you," Liliya said quietly to Lucy and Tina.

"papa..."

Ben stopped as he heard Rose call to him. He smiled and turned back to accept a kiss from the sleepy girl on his cheek. He turned to give her a kiss and suddenly found his lips pressed against Liliya's. Her eyes widened as she squeaked gently in surprise.

Ben pulled back and saw Rose was grinning with delight.

"Sneaky girl!" Ben said and managed to catch her cheek for a kiss this time. He looked to Liliya as her daughter continued to giggle softly.

"Sorry," Ben said.

"No, it was nice. Good night, Ben," Liliya said with a sweet little smile of her own. Mother and child left, and Tina closed the door and locked up.

Ben rubbed his face with his hands.

"Did something happen at the hospital, Ben?" Tina asked.

"Nothing significant. It was a trying day. I'm tired, and I'm going to bed," he sighed and walked down the hall toward the bedrooms.

He stopped by Christopher's room and kissed the sleeping boy's forehead. He went to the next bedroom and kissed Sam and Gretchen before heading into his own bedroom. Lucy was already waiting for him, naked. She helped him undress then they prepared for bed. Tina arrived as they slipped into bed. She quickly got ready and slid under the sheets next to Ben.

"Did you get a report from Hannah?" he asked.

Tina was quiet for a moment. "As you said, it was a difficult day. We love you, Ben."

"I love you both, too," Ben said. "Let's get some sleep."

Even though he'd rested at the hospital while they waited, it didn't take long for the comfort of his bed and the soft warmth of the two women to ease his mind into slumber.

-=-

A soft knock against Hannah's door jamb caught her attention as she prepared to leave. She looked up and saw Dr. Shyamalan standing there with a concerned expression.

"Yes?" Hannah said.

"I just wanted to apologize for upsetting your friend. I must admit I didn't connect the dots when I first met him. I don't spend much time watching television or reading gossip magazines. My partner enjoys that, so I must have caught a glimpse from that," Mishka said sadly.

Hannah gestured to the chair before her desk, and the woman sat as Hannah sat in hers. "Ben is a very private person, so he's had difficulty with the amount of attention he's received in the media. Some of that attention came at times of great emotional pain."

"The deaths outside the courthouse. I looked that reference up. That was horrible, and to have it televised!" Mishka gasped.

"Ben hasn't healed from that yet. They'd only known Gretchen for a short time, but it was an intensely emotional experience for everyone. To have her die so suddenly, I'm not surprised he's still dealing with it." Hannah smiled gently. "He knows you didn't mean to cause him any pain. He doesn't hold grudges."

Mishka nodded and stood. "I should be heading home. Please pass along my apologies, just the same."

"I will. See you in a couple of days, and thank you again," Hannah replied and got a smile and a nod from the surgeon as she stepped out.

Hannah finished up and locked her office door. She wanted to go home and give her son's forehead a goodnight kiss.

-=-

Liliya tucked her daughter into her bed and kissed the sleeping child. She headed downstairs and saw the glow of a cigarette in the darkness of the deck off the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of wine and joined Tatiana outside. She sat on a chair across from her partner, far enough away to avoid the smoke.

"Is Rose all tucked away?" Tatiana's voice asked calmly from the shadows. "Did Papa give her kisses?"

Liliya heard the tension in the woman's voice and decided it wouldn't be wise to share that Ben had given her a kiss as well. Her lips tingled as she thought about it.

"He did."

Tatiana made a quiet sound, like a release of tension. "He is too free with his kisses. They bind people to him."

"And you know this how?" Liliya snapped as her temper suddenly flared at Tatiana's harsh judgment of Ben.

A moment of silence came from the dark. "Yes, he didn't kiss me, did he."

"You don't get kisses when you attempt to murder him," Liliya said as she rested her hand on the hilt of her knife.

More silence.

"Is true," Tatiana finally replied.

Liliya caught the gleam of a wine glass being lifted to Tatiana's lips.

"Do you hate Ben? The life he's made possible for us?" Liliya asked gently.

Tatiana made a choked-off noise, and Liliya couldn't tell what it meant. They were both quiet for a moment and sipped at their wine.

The brunette finally spoke. "I would love to hate him. I would love to love him. It is doing both that torments me. When I think of him, I am at war with myself. I want to drive a blade into him, but the thought of doing so makes me sick with dread. I cannot think of him when we work. He is simply the asset I must protect."

"You will continue to protect him?" Liliya pushed.

The ashes flared on Tatiana's cigarette as she took an angry drag, then she snuffed the embers against the ashtray as she blew the smoke up into the darkening sky.

"Are we not on his leash?" Tatiana spat. "What choice do I have? He said he would give us freedom, but we are trapped in this tedium instead."

"Ben said if you didn't want to stay, he wouldn't try to stop you, but he won't help you make that bad decision."

"Exactly. He won't give you what he owed you--"

"What makes you think I would give you the diamonds? I should help you make this bad decision when Ben won't? Maybe you planned on killing me for them?" Liliya asked calmly.

Tatiana was quiet for a moment. "I would not kill you. I will not make Rose an orphan."

Liliya felt strangely comforted by that notion. Still, there was an issue to resolve. "I told Ben I didn't want the diamonds. What he has given me holds more value--"

"To be babysitter? How is this better? We were once feared and respected!"

Liliya's temper flared again. "Respected?!? We were nothing but tools to our handlers and as easily discarded! A rabid dog is feared. How can you not see that? The Colonel manipulated us, set us against each other. He was evil!"

"We agree on that! But the Colonel was a strong man! He did not cry!" Tatiana snapped.

Liliya was stunned. Was this why Tatiana had such trouble with Ben? "Yet the man who cries beat you, barehanded against your blades," she said cautiously.

Tatiana surged to her feet and walked to the edge of the deck to stare off into the dark woods.

Liliya pushed forward. "Have you asked why he cries? He won't speak of it, but the others must know. Or are you afraid to know what a real man is?"

"I'm afraid of nothing!" Tatiana spat.

Liliya considered her partner. "I think this is not true." She waited for Tatiana to respond, but there was just silence. So... she would deliver one more truth tonight. "The Colonel cried when facing his death."

Liliya calmly looked up into the eyes of Tatiana, who leaned over her, blades in her hands. The blonde continued. "Ben faced his death many times that night and didn't flinch. Not once. Perhaps you need to reassess what it means to be a man."

Tatiana stormed back into the house, and Liliya heard her climbing the stairs to go to her room. She rested back on the chair and took another sip of her wine as she relaxed her grip on the handle of her own concealed blade. She needed a little quiet time to calm her nerves.

She knew she wasn't skilled enough to help her partner with her mental issues. She lost her temper with the woman too much. Tatiana pushed her buttons as much as she pushed back. Still, she needed to bring the woman's issues to the surface to give Ben early warning if Tatiana was becoming a threat to him or his loved ones.

It sometimes felt like she was dealing with a rabid dog, after all.

Chapter 19

Ben stayed home the following day and worked on the energy cell project. He was exhausting what he could do without working with the actual physical components. He asked the Sergeant to arrange access to a rental lab with all the necessary elements of the cell.

As promised, he sent the medical request form to Hannah, and she made an appointment for Ben on Friday morning.

After dinner, Hannah and Beth joined Ben for another group therapy session in his media room. They settled in, and Beth asked to speak first. She looked nervous.

"Beth, what's wrong?" Ben asked.

"This-this will be my last session with you guys," she finally managed.

Ben and Hannah glanced at each other in concern.

"What? Why?" Hannah gasped.

"I'm getting married!" Beth exclaimed.

They stared at the elated yet nervous expression on Beth's face. Neither knew what to say as this was the first time they'd heard Beth was seeing someone.

"What? Who?" Hannah managed.

Beth giggled nervously. "His name is Keith. Keith Waterman. He's Canadian and lives in Vancouver, B.C. We met at a Dentistry conference here last year--but he's not a dentist or involved in anything related to dentistry. He was just a guest at the hotel the conference was held at."

Ben smiled. "It's okay, Beth! Take a breath. Slow down and breathe."

She giggled again and took some deep breaths before continuing. "He's a Philosophy Professor at the University of B.C. in Vancouver. He was in town visiting family. We met at the bar in the hotel and clicked. He's so easy to talk to, and we danced until they shut down. He's a widower and has two kids the same ages as mine. I visited him and met them, his son and daughter. They're really sweet. He visited me. John and Jane like him too."

Hannah gave her a puzzled look. "Why is this the first time we've heard of him?"

Beth looked down at her hands. "I needed... I needed to prove this was something I could do on my own." She gave Ben a guilty look. "Your life has taken on larger-than-life proportions. I wanted to make sure everything about Keith and I was driven by our desire for each other. This was for me. Sorry, Ben."

Hannah frowned angrily, but Ben held up his hand to stop her response. He sighed. "No, I totally get it. I'd leap at the chance if there was a way to separate myself from the noise surrounding me." He smiled fondly at Beth. "He makes you happy?"

Beth had tears of joy in her eyes. "So much!"

"Then we're happy for you!" Ben pulled Beth into a warm hug then Hannah held Beth's hands between hers.

"I understand you being upset with me," Beth said to her. "But this was something I needed to do. Keith asked me to marry him last weekend, and I said yes. I'm going to move to his home in Vancouver with my kids. They're sad to be leaving their friends here but excited about their new home. They said they'll keep in touch and play together over the Internet, whatever that means." She shrugged and looked at Ben. "Would-would you be interested in buying my house?" she asked timidly.

Ben grinned at her. "Of course, I will!"

"Whatever you think is a fair price," Beth said with a relieved smile.

Ben shook his head. "I'll have Trish's cousin Shelly work out the comps, and you'll get top dollar." Beth grinned with happy tears in her eyes. She plucked a tissue from the box to dab them.

"When do you leave?" Hannah asked.

"In two days, as I need to get my kids enrolled in the local high school. I've already begun that process."

"Such exciting news! We'll be sad to see you go, but we're so glad you found someone that makes you happy!" Ben said, and Hannah nodded in agreement.

There didn't seem to be anything more significant they wanted to talk about after Beth's news, so they decided to end the session there.

Ben gave them hugs at the door, and they went on their way. Ben wandered back into the living room and saw Tina and Lucy working on their tablets. They looked up and smiled at him.

"Your session was short tonight!" Lucy said.

"Yes, Beth had news that kind of topped anything else we had to say, so we decided to call it." He saw their curious expressions and knew Beth's news was no longer a secret, so he assumed it was shareable. "Beth is getting married to a University Professor in Canada. She's moving to Vancouver, B.C., with her kids in two days. I'll be buying her home."

Tina and Lucy had identical looks of surprise on their faces. Ben chuckled. "I imagine Hannah and I looked just like you two a few minutes ago when she sprung the news on us."

"It is such a surprise. She said nothing!" Tina said.

Ben shrugged. "Beth met him here last year. She's visited him in Canada, and he came here to meet her kids. He's a widow with a boy and girl the same ages as hers. She didn't mention anything to us and didn't introduce him to anyone. She told me that she wanted to ensure their relationship was purely driven by their interest in each other and wasn't affected by the drama in my life." He saw their frowns and quickly spoke again. "Those were my words, not hers. She said she wanted to prove she could do this on her own."

"Still, it feels like she was ashamed of us," Tina said softly.

Ben shook his head, then sighed. "She's not. I actually envy her ability to remain under the media's radar."

"What are you going to do with Beth's house?" Lucy asked.

"I have some ideas. First, though, I have to buy it. I need to call Shelly," Ben said as he looked up her number on his cell. He dialed as the ladies watched him.

"Hi, Ben!" Shelly answered.

"Hi, Shelly! I'm hoping you might be available to create a comp report for Beth Wilson. She's selling me her home as she's moving to Canada to get married. She leaves in two days. The quicker we can move, the simpler this process will be."

"Wow! That's soon! Do you have her number? I'll give her a call," Shelly said.

Ben read out the digits to her.

"You know, most of the comps will be purchases you made," Shelly said with a grin in her voice.

"That's fine. She deserves a good price, and I want her to feel comfortable about this," Ben replied.

"Okay. I'll let you know. Thanks, Ben!"

"Thanks, Shelly!"

Hanging up, he looked at the curious expressions on Tina's and Lucy's faces. "I think it might be nice to have a guest house available for when Dan and Willow visit or the Noskovs. When I visited Jerry, I saw some beautiful modern architecture that blended in with the forest surrounding the building. I think that design would look awesome here as well. Beth's lot is extra-large, so I'm imagining a wide, deep ranch with loft bedrooms with decks for private sunbathing facing the forest."

"That sounds gorgeous!" Lucy said.

"I think it will be. The lot is the perfect size for the design I have in mind." He frowned. "Of course, with Dominic retiring and his team moving to a new construction company, I'm not sure if I can get them back to work on this project. I'll talk to him tomorrow."

He looked towards the kitchen. "I think I'll soak in the hot tub. Anyone else interested?"

Lucy and Tina shared smiles, and Tina tipped her chin towards Ben, indicating Lucy should go. She looked at Ben. "I will watch over the children. The hot tub drowns out the sound of the baby monitor."

Ben snorted and dipped down to give Tina a kiss. "Your turn next time then?"

She bit her lip and looked up at him with heat in her eyes. "Yes!"

"Can you set the privacy curtain?" he asked her, and Tina nodded.

Ben smiled and went to get changed for the tub. Lucy gave Tina a sweet kiss, then moved quickly to join him. Tina rushed to the kitchen to press the switch, which dropped the curtain over the deck to ensure no one could see what they were up to in the tub.

Once they both were wearing only their robes, Ben and Lucy walked back to the kitchen, stepping out onto the deck. They hung the robes on the warming rack and climbed into the hot bubbling water.

Lucy smiled at Ben and eased herself closer to press her naked body against his.

They both sighed happily.

Bliss!

-=-

The doorbell rang, and Tina answered it to see Shelly smiling back at her.

"Hello, Ms. Spencer! We weren't expecting to see you tonight," Tina said in surprise.

"I was just over at Trish's when Ben called. I printed off an agreement, spoke with Mrs. Wilson, and then reviewed her home with her. I showed her the comparable sales, and we quickly settled on a price." She held up the purchase agreement in her hand. "Ben indicated he was in a hurry, so I thought I'd just drop by to fill him in. Mrs. Wilson is willing to complete the transaction tonight. Is he available?"

Tina glanced back towards the kitchen, then smiled at Shelly. That smile began to grow, and Shelly wondered what delighted the petite woman so much.

"Yes, please come in," Tina said, stepping back. Shelly came inside, and Tina closed and locked the door as Shelly slipped her sandals off.

"Have you met Lucy?" she asked the tall blonde.

Shelly shook her head. "No, I don't believe so."

Tina's smile got a little wider and more mischievous. "She lives with Ben and me, and we share everything." She raised an eyebrow, and Shelly's eyes widened as she picked up Tina's meaning. "Lucy can do what you can do for Ben, but I believe she would greatly appreciate learning from you."

Shelly's eyes were locked on Tina's, and the tip of her tongue unconsciously slipped out to moisten her lips as her mind took her back to that magical night. Tina was offering her another chance. She wanted that so much! She nodded nervously, and her smile trembled.

"Come with me," Tina said and led Shelly into the kitchen.

Standing next to the counter, Shelly could hear the hot tub bubbling on the deck through the open door.

"Undress. They are not wearing anything in the water," Tina instructed.

In surprise, Shelly looked at the small woman, quickly slipped out of her sundress, and slipped her bra and panties off. She felt a little self-conscious before Tina, but she knew the woman was doing this for Ben, not herself.

Tina took Shelly's hand and guided her onto the deck next to the tub. Ben was resting back against the padded headrest, but there was no sign of anyone else in the tub. He moaned gently, and they suddenly knew where Lucy was.

She surfaced and brushed the water from her face. She froze when she saw the tall naked blonde standing next to the tub. Then she saw Tina holding her hand, and her eyes widened in excitement as she realized who this might be. Her eyes met Tina's in question, and Tina nodded.

"What!?!" Ben jolted as he suddenly became aware of the company.

"Ben, Shelly has come to speak with you, but first, I would like her to show Lucy what she can do for you. While I have described the evening, Lucy would very much like to see and learn from Shelly."

"I-I don't--"

"Please," Tina said sweetly.

Ben looked up at Shelly and saw the hope in her eyes. He looked back at Tina, then at Lucy, who was trembling with excitement.

He huffed as he felt outnumbered. He nodded, and Shelly's smile bloomed. She moved gently into the tub and purred at the heat from the water.

Tina dipped forward and kissed Ben. "Thank you for helping Lucy learn new ways to please you," she said softly.

He gave her a hot look, and she slipped back into the house to check on the kids.

Tina's body was tingling as she knew Ben would exact some delicious revenge on her later.

-=-

Ben looked to see Shelly biting her lip.

"How--" He cleared his throat. "How should we proceed?"

"You can sit on the edge or just let yourself float, and I'll support you. It might be nice to begin with a kiss," Shelly said, her voice trembling slightly as she moved forward between Ben's legs. She brought her face to Ben's, and he caressed the soft pillows of her plump lips with his mouth. Her large fake breasts pressed against the slabs of muscle on his chest.

She moaned faintly as her lips tried to capture his.

Ben stroked her lower lip with the tip of his tongue as he slid his fingers into her hair to hold her head between his big hands.

She whimpered with need as she tried to suck on his tongue.

He gently sucked on her upper lip, and her eyelids fluttered with the delicious sensations coursing through her body.

Shelly dragged her nipples across his chest and felt the rougher texture of his scars tease and tug on her stiff buds. Fuck, she was so turned on. Now it was his turn. She pushed back from his body, and his eyes opened to watch her with hunger. She moved to Ben's right side and slipped her hand under his leg.

She looked across his body into the eyes of Lucy, the woman she was demonstrating for. She smiled, and Lucy returned it. "Hi, I'm Shelly."

"Lucy. I'm so pleased to finally meet you."

So, the young woman was excited as well. "Lift Ben's other leg," Shelly instructed.

Soon they were holding him just under the surface of the water. Ben had a grip on the handles next to the headrest, watching them closely.

"It's wonderful, isn't it," Shelly said, admiring his cock. Lucy nodded with a grin.

They lifted him just a little higher until the tops of his thighs were above the water's surface. Shelly looked into Lucy's eyes as she used her free right hand to gather his balls into her palm. She leaned her face down and ran the flat of her tongue over the surface of his heavy balls. Ben moaned and trembled.

Lucy watched him and felt his reaction against her. She smiled at Shelly, who pulled her face back and gestured for Lucy to have a lick. She grinned excitedly, then dipped her face down to repeat Shelly's actions, sliding her wet tongue across the sensitive skin. Ben moaned again and lifted his hips slightly as Lucy pulled back.

Ben's cock was stiff and lying against his stomach as Shelly kissed its base, where it linked to his balls, wrapping her thick lips around the shaft in a slow and sensual tease.

"fuuuck," Ben muttered.

Smiling, Shelly tenderly kissed, licked, and pressed her cheek against the underside of his cock, as she moved up toward the head slowly.

Ben was squirming when she pulled back, and Lucy made her pass up the length of his thick cock, mimicking the other woman but not quite matching her due to Shelly's inflated lips.

Once Lucy pulled back, Shelly used her free hand to grip the base of Ben's cock and pointed it skyward.

Now she indicated Lucy should join her, and they kissed, licked, and sucked their way from the base to the tip on opposite sides.

"Oh Fuck!" Ben gasped, his hips surging upwards.

Shelly smiled and held Lucy's eyes as they began kissing the head of his cock.

"FUCK! Oh, fuck!" Ben exclaimed as the intense sensations threatened to derail his mind. Their tongues were stroking all the sensitive surfaces and came into contact, a feeling that drew Ben's eyes.

Shelly watched the lovely creature on the other side of Ben's stiff appendage with a knowing smile. Lucy was trying to capture her tongue against the cock, and Ben was twitching with each attempt. She glanced at Ben and saw his feverish attention. From her night with him and Trish, she knew that he thought women kissing was hot. She agreed. It was.

The next time Lucy's tongue slid across the slick head of Ben's cock to dance with hers, she sucked it between her lips and kissed the woman.

Ben moaned as his cock surged.

Lucy sighed at the pure sexiness of the sensation and squeezed her large natural tits in her free hand.

Shelly gasped as she felt electricity shoot through her body from Lucy's lips on hers to Ben's hand now caressing her ass under the water.

When she pulled back from the kiss, Lucy had a dreamy look in her eyes, and her lips were plumped slightly from their kiss.

Ben's cock urgently needed attention, so Shelly smiled at Lucy and moved to bring her thick lips over the head. She kissed the tip, and Ben moaned once more. Smiling at the needful sound, she opened her mouth and circled the head with her tongue, a firm caress that pulled another gasp from Ben. His cock was well lubricated from their attentions, so he was ready for the main event.

Shelly lowered her head slowly, taking the cock deeper and deeper into her mouth, never slowing or pausing as it slipped into her throat until her fat lips were pressed against Ben's body. She tickled his balls with the tip of her tongue.

"Oh my god! You're so sexy! That's so beautiful!" Lucy sighed as she watched from mere inches away.

As Lucy was obviously a kindred spirit, Shelly felt a warmth spread through her.

It was time to breathe, so she reversed her direction and slowly rose up the length, her tongue sliding from side to side. When the thick head slid free from her lips with another kiss, Lucy moaned sexily.

Shelly smiled, then squeaked as Lucy leaned across Ben's legs to kiss her firmly. They stroked each other's tongues, then Lucy pulled back with her face flushed with excitement. Shelly nodded towards Ben's waiting cock, and Lucy nodded.

She kissed the tip, and Ben's moan brought a smile to both women. Lucky man!

Doing her best to emulate Shelly's motions, Lucy slowly descended over Ben's erection taking him to the back of her throat, where she paused and pushed forward to force it deeper, sliding him into her throat until she'd taken him to the base. Lucy managed to extend her tongue to tickle his balls slightly then she drew him out. There was a slight pause as the head cleared her throat, then she rose up to kiss the tip as she pulled her face away.

Shelly rewarded her with another kiss, and the younger woman melted against her, their breasts squishing together across Ben's legs. Shelly moved her lips from the kiss to whisper into Lucy's ear.

"Place your hand on my throat as I take Ben once more."

She pulled back with a smile and looked at Ben. He enjoyed the show, but her grip on his cock told her this part of his anatomy was eager for her to continue. She moved her face over it once more and felt Lucy's fingers touching her throat. She repositioned Lucy's fingers to feel her movements, then took Ben's cock into her mouth once more. Down she went, taking more and more. She heard Lucy gasp quietly as she prepared her throat to accept the thick intruder. Then he was in her throat and moving deeper.

"Oh god! So good!" Ben moaned in ecstasy as Shelly reached the bottom and began to make slow, shallow pumps up and down. She withdrew his cock equally slow. "Fuck! I'm going out of my mind here!" Ben muttered with a shaky voice.

Once he slipped from her lips, Shelly smiled at him, and Lucy pulled her hand back. "Good! Then we know it's working." She looked to Lucy as it was her turn.

Ben saw Lucy's smile as she moved into position and wondered why Shelly put her hand on Lucy's throat. Then his mind blanked as Lucy's soft mouth took him inside. There was a slight pause, and a bump as the head slipped into her throat and moved down.

"Mmmmmm!" Ben hummed as the pleasure surged through his body. Lucy took her time sliding him out, and his body trembled with the sensation. Finally, she leaned back and looked at Shelly with a small pout.

"I couldn't do it as smoothly as you," she said.

Shelly just smiled. "I don't think Ben minded one bit."

Lucy smiled at Ben. "I think the man is ready for some relief. Please make him feel good."

Shelly grinned at Lucy. "It would be my pleasure."

She took him to the base slowly and drew him out at the same pace. Then she began to speed up as her hand caressed his balls.

Ben could feel his body preparing for a huge release. Their lessons had teased him into an almost desperate state, and now Shelly was bringing it home.

"Fuck! I-I'm gonna come!" he growled as his muscles began to tense up.

This sent Shelly into a frenzy. She was making her needful little sounds again, which pushed Ben over the top.

"Ahhhhhh! Fuck!" he gasped as his cum surged into Shelly's mouth again and again. She purred happily, and the vibrations almost drove him insane. Those soft pillow lips of hers were sealed around the head of his cock, as she collected his cum. Her hand squeezed out the last drops then she and Lucy let Ben's legs sink down into the water. Shelly leaned down and met Lucy's lips halfway. They kissed slowly and deeply, sharing Ben's essence.

Finally, they turned their faces to see Ben watching them with heat in his eyes. While the taller woman was distracted by Ben, Lucy took Shelly's nipples between her fingers and thumbs and gave them a gentle squeeze and tug.

Shelly lost muscle control as she gasped, dropping into the water as Lucy released her and Ben moved forward to catch her. The three of them ended up squeezed together face to face. Shelly had a desperate expression, and Ben realized how turned on the woman was. The last time he'd been with her, she'd touched herself while she pleasured him, but she'd had to hold him up in the water this time. She hadn't come.

Ben brought his mouth closer to hers, and she immediately kissed him. She moaned happily as Ben kissed her just as eagerly.

Lucy grinned and slid behind Shelly, moving her hands to cup the undersides of the blonde's impressive implants.

Ben felt them pressing on him and looked down as her nipples seemed to beg for attention. He smiled and took one in his mouth, teasing the stiff flesh with his tongue and enjoying her gasps of pleasure. He sucked the other one into his mouth, and her writhing increased.

"Ben, lift her legs. It's her turn to float," Lucy suggested.

He smiled at her mischievous smile and moved back to bring Shelly's body to a horizontal position. He knew what Lucy wanted from him as he was between Shelly's legs. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Shelly's mound, and she cried out in bliss. He began kissing, licking, and sucking her tender pussy as she gasped and cooed. Ben had her ass cheeks in his hands to support her in the water, but he was also squeezing them.

Lucy's face was next to Shelly's as she supported her. She was nibbling on the woman's ear and sucking her earlobe as she played with her nipples.

"Please, Ben! I need you inside me!" Shelly suddenly begged and bit that delectable lip.

Ben paused while stroking her with his tongue and locked eyes with her. He could see her desperate need. She was asking him to go farther than he'd intended to go tonight... but she wouldn't know that. He glanced at Lucy and saw she was watching to see what he would do. She wasn't stopping her own caresses, so she wasn't upset with the woman.

He really liked Shelly. She was such a positive person and incredibly sexy too. She certainly didn't hold back on sharing her passion with him, so he couldn't do it to her. He nodded to her, and she smiled in relief.

"Hold her securely," Ben said to Lucy, who nodded and wrapped her arms around her torso under her heavy breasts.

Ben's next issue was that the water had washed away any lubrication from his skin. While Shelly was quite wet from his oral efforts, his cock was not slick at all. He glanced towards the open patio door as Tina rushed out with a small jar of lube in one hand and the baby monitor in the other. He noted her face was quite flush, so she'd been watching their fun in the tub from the patio door. Imp!

While maintaining his grip on Shelly, he turned to Tina, whose eyes were trapped by his erection. "Lube me," he said, and she jumped. She set the monitor down on the table, scooped a large glob from the jar, and stroked it over his hot skin.

Ben leaned forward, and instantly Tina was kissing him. Her tongue dipped into his mouth, and she made needful sounds when he sucked on it.

"Enough," he said when he pulled back, and she released her grip on his cock. She moved back to the table but made no move to go back inside. Ben turned his attention back to Shelly, who stared at his cock nervously.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and she nodded almost frantically.

Not giving himself time for second thoughts, he moved closer and pressed the fat head of his cock against her pussy lips which were still swollen from his sucking.

"Ahhh! Yes, Ben!" Shelly gasped as he slipped inside. Tina had been generous with the lube, but Shelly was incredibly tight, so he took his time.

"Oh! Oh my god! So big! Filling me up!" Shelly mumbled as her eyes threatened to roll back.

His hands were on her ass again, supporting her just above the water, and he squeezed the softness as he forced another two inches into her body.

"AHHHH! BEN! IT'S... SO INTENSE! So good!" Shelly said as her body shook.

She was becoming too tight for him to go any further, and she only had two-thirds of him, so he drew himself out and pushed back in.

"OH! OH! OH!" Shelly cried out and clung to his arms desperately. Her eyes closed tight as she was overwhelmed by the sensations.

Ben saw Lucy was squeezing Shelly's breasts and nibbling her ear again, so he picked up the pace of his strokes. He never went deeper as she couldn't take more. He glanced over at Tina, and she was immediately at his side. "Touch her," he said, and Tina immediately slipped her hand over Shelly's belly to massage her clit in small circles.

Shelly's inner muscles were clamping down on Ben so tightly in pulses he wasn't going to last much longer.

"OOOOWWWWAHHHHHHHHH, BEN!"

Lucy tugged on Shelly's nipples, and the woman turned her head to thrust her tongue into Lucy's mouth.

Ben's orgasm crashed through his senses, and he felt surge after surge fire into Shelly's body.

She squealed into her kiss with Lucy, then suddenly went limp.

Ben and Lucy quickly adjusted their grip on the woman as she slipped back into the water. He finally hoisted her over his shoulder and climbed from the tub. Once on his deck, he adjusted his grip to hold her against his chest in his arms.

"Tina, put towels down on the guest bed," he ordered, and she rushed inside, taking the baby monitor. Lucy quickly climbed out of the tub and pulled on her gown over her wet body. She pressed towels against Ben's and Shelly's bodies as he carefully carried the woman through the door into his home. He brought her to the guest bedroom and eased her onto the towels.

"ben..."

He looked into her eyes, and she gave him a trembling smile. "It's never felt that good before," she sighed.

Ben smiled and gestured for Tina and Lucy to join him. "I had help," he said, gesturing to the two smiling women.

Shelly's smile widened. "Thank you for making my return to sex so special!"

Ben gave her a confused look. "Your what?"

The woman nodded timidly. "This was the first time since that night in college."

Ben's jaw dropped. "Why?"

Shelly gave her head a quick shake. "His betrayal hurt too much. I lost the ability to trust. I-I feel safe here... with you." Her eyes rolled back as another wave passed through her body as she rubbed her thighs together.

"Rest, Shelly. We'll talk at breakfast," Ben said softly.

Shelly was fading. "papers... need signature...." Then she was out.

Tina guided Ben and Lucy from the bedroom and closed the door. Then she led them into the master bathroom to the shower.

Ben gave Lucy a little smile, and she nodded.

They had Tina's clothes off in seconds and carried her into the shower. Lucy kissed her and squeezed her ass as Ben watched. When he lifted Tina in his arms and took her against the wall, hard and fast, she was caught up in the passion and quickly rocked through a mighty release.

Lucy and Ben rubbed her with towels and gently put her to bed.

Before Lucy could move to her side of the bed, Ben pulled her into the bathroom and lifted her to sit on the counter's edge. He gripped her hair and kissed her deeply. She whimpered into the kiss, then cried out again as he moved his mouth to her nipples and finally to her wet lower lips. He drank from her as his tongue drove her out of her mind.

When he lifted her against his body, she almost didn't register the change of position until he dropped her wet pussy onto his stiff cock. Her eyes flew wide, and she held on for dear life as he pounded up into her hot wetness, his hands gripping her ass tight.

Ben reached his orgasm first and ground himself against Lucy until she tripped over the edge into her own. When they were done, he carried them into the shower again to rinse off. After, he rubbed her down with a towel as she purred happily. He dried himself as she sat on the toilet and watched him with a blissful smile. He carried her to bed, then tucked her in.

He was curious about the paperwork Shelly mentioned, so he quietly went back to the kitchen and saw the document. He read through it, and the numbers made sense to him. He signed the agreement, then sent an email to his bank manager to let him know he was purchasing Fourteen Ashburn Court and the amount he'd need a certified cheque for. He also sent a note to Jerry to let him know of the transaction. He asked Jerry to get the developer's name who built his office.

That done, he collected his robe from the patio, put the cover over the hot tub, and locked the patio doors. He raised the privacy curtain, then walked back to his bedroom and slipped into bed between his two ladies.

Before he could close his eyes, Tina opened hers and looked into his. "I'm sorry if I pushed you into something you weren't prepared for. Shelly is very special to us."

Ben sighed. "Yes, she is." He held Tina's face in his hand and saw trust and love in her eyes. He kissed her tenderly, and she sighed happily.

"We'll talk at breakfast, okay?" he said, and she nodded. He turned the lights off.

As he relaxed between the two beauties, Ben felt some concern about Shelly's expectations, but that would have to wait until the morning.

Chapter 20

For the first morning in weeks, there was a break in the heat. The air had a hint of crispness, and Ben breathed in deeply as he went for a walk around Ashburn Court.

He'd woken earlier than usual and did his workout in the basement. He showered and felt the need to stretch his legs, so he decided to go for a walk before breakfast.

He paused before Beth's home and envisioned the property with the new house he wanted to build on it. The older two-story currently in place was one of the originals. Large and blunt, Ben didn't care for the design at all. He was also aware it needed many upgrades, so it made more sense to pull it down and start fresh. With the size of the building and the cracks he'd seen, he planned to excavate the old foundation as well. Everything was going.

He continued on and admired how the new buildings complemented the surrounding woods. Rain stepped outside and locked up behind herself before jogging down her driveway to join Ben on the sidewalk.

"Good morning, Rain," he said with a smile. He noticed she was wearing a skin-tight top and running tights. "Off for a jog?"

Rain hugged Ben and turned her face up to him, so he dipped down and received a very sensuous kiss.

"Mmmm, Ben! That's how I like to start my day!" she purred. She gestured two doors over where Trish was exiting her house. "We're going for our daily run. You're up early!"

Ben shrugged. "Yeah, not sure why, but I thought I'd get started since I was up."

Trish ran over and pressed her tightly bound tits against Ben as she pulled his face down to hers for a deep kiss.

"FUCK! That gets the juices going!" she exclaimed as she pulled back.

Ben glanced cautiously towards Daphne's place, but he realized it was too early for the parents to be dropping off the kids.

Trish grinned as she hooked her thumb over her shoulder at her cousin's car, still parked in her driveway. "Did you fuck my cousin silly last night so she couldn't drive home?" she teased.

Ben stared at Trish in surprise but caught on too late that she was just teasing. Trish caught the truth in his expression, and her look of delight was priceless. She leaped up against Ben's chest and hugged him as she laughed with joy. He wrapped his arms around her to support her as he glanced in confusion at Rain, who grinned happily at him.

Finally, Trish released him from her grip, and he set her down on her feet again. "Ben! You don't know how much of a relief this is to me! She told me she hasn't been with a man since college, since that prick broke her trust." Her expression flashed between anger and sadness as she glanced toward Ben's place.

"I-I never told you. Shelly's a twin. Twins are special, ya know? They have some... mind connection shit we don't, and they were really close. Shelly's twin, Patty, disappeared just after their sixteenth birthday. The police got involved and questioned everyone. Shelly confessed she thought Patty had a secret boyfriend. We never heard from Patty after that. It freaked out the whole family, but it hit Shelly the hardest. She'd always been the quiet one, but she started having trouble connecting with others. It wasn't until college that she started coming out of her shell when we hung out on campus. Then that two-timing asshole broke her heart, and she dropped out. It took years for us to reconnect. I told you about the family Christmas party where she showed up with big hooters like mine?" she smiled up at Ben, who nodded.

"You're right, I hadn't heard any of this before, and she certainly didn't tell me," Ben said. "Not that it would have made a difference," he mumbled uncomfortably.

"I know! That's why you're the perfect man to reintroduce her to sex!" Trish said with a grin.

Ben rolled his eyes. "Enjoy your run. I'm going to keep walking now."

"I love you, Ben," Trish said, and Ben stopped to look into her eyes.

"I love you too, Trish. Now, stop embarrassing me."

Trish burst into a delighted laugh as she set off with Rain, who was looking back at Ben with a happy grin.

Ben shook his head and sighed. He knew the moment he said it that there was no way Trish would stop pushing his buttons.

He continued walking and saw Jayden rushing out to his car. Heading off to work, Ben supposed.

Jayden caught his eye. "Ben! Can I come talk to you later tonight?" Jayden called out, halfway into his car.

"Uh, sure! I'll be home!" he answered and got a wave from Jayden, who got in and drove off.

Ben remembered that Jayden would be one of Dominic's team picked up by the other construction company. He might have asked him about getting the team for the new build but speaking with Dominic would likely yield the same answers.

As he continued along, he noted that Rochelle's home could use some updating and made a mental note to touch base with her later to see if she might be interested.

Standing before One Ashburn Court, he pondered the issue of Tatiana. Every time he thought he had a handle on how to deal with her, she changed her attack. He'd promised Gabriella he wouldn't get involved with emotionally unstable women and Tatiana certainly fit that definition.

With a sigh, he crossed the road and admired the work he, Dominic, and Dan Bishop had done with Two Ashburn Court, the Spa.

He had to admit, he liked the nickname.

As he was looking at the building, the front door opened, and two men in uniforms climbed down the stairs and walked briskly towards him.

"Mr. Shepherd?" one called out.

"Yes," Ben replied, and they reached the sidewalk.

The man who spoke thrust out his hand. "I'm Lieutenant Ashton," he glanced at the other man. "Leader of SEAL Platoon Five." Ben shook the man's hand, then accepted the hand of the other sailor.

"Lieutenant Gage, leader of Platoon Three. I've been informed that you are a man of discretion and can be trusted to not disclose any information about our presence or activities at this location."

Ben snorted and smiled as he held the man's eyes. "Yes, that's an accurate statement. However, you should note that this is a residential neighborhood, and I'm not the only occupant. Many families live here. There's also a daycare in Ten Ashburn Court with parents from the surrounding neighborhoods dropping off and picking up their children.

I've made an agreement with General Davis to work on his engineering projects, and he gets to rotate troops through this location. But there can be no visible or overt sign of a military presence on the street. His troops run night exercises in the forest and enter that by going around the wall. The men are welcome to exercise in the park, but no visible weapons. Kids play there too."

Gage nodded. "Yes, we've been briefed on the expected and acceptable activities." Ben nodded and saw the men share another glance. "We couldn't help notice the rather impressive structure rising up behind your home."

Ben glanced down the street and smiled at the tower that housed the indoor kid's play center and jungle gym. "Yes, it was a lot of fun to design and build that."

The men shared a look. "It has quite the deck on top."

Ben grinned. "Captain Kendricks indicated it has plenty of space for a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to land, with room to deploy personnel."

The Lieutenants took another look at the structure and frowned. "Hovering," Nelson clarified.

Ben shook his head. "No, land. The structure supporting the deck and the deck itself are extremely strong. I prefer to over-engineer structures I design as you never know when you might need to land a helicopter on your rooftop barbecue area. Maybe even a Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion."

They looked surprised, then glanced at each other again. "We wondered if you might be willing to let us use the structure for some night-time maneuvers."

Ben looked at them in surprise. "What kind of maneuvers?"

"Zip-line drills."

Ben was still confused. "Zip-lines? From the tower to where? Not into the court," he insisted.

"No, into the surrounding forest. When we arrived yesterday, we saw the structure and sent scouts into the woods. They mapped out two clear paths from the top of the deck to locations deep in the forest," Gage indicated.

Ben's mind was sifting through the logistics of their request. "If you intend to leave the zip-line in place, connected to the trees for the two weeks you're here, you'll probably need a permit of some kind from the US National Park Service. The forest surrounding us is owned by them."

"That won't be an issue," Gage declared.

Ben frowned. "You'll need access to the interior to climb up to the top platform."

"Is it only accessible from inside the house?" Ashton asked.

Ben shook his head. "No, the tower's interior can be accessed by a door from the backyard. That's how the daycare team gains access to the jungle gym during the week. There is a locked interior door between the playroom and the house." He considered their request. "In principle, I don't have an issue with you using the tower for this purpose. I'd want a signed agreement that any damages to my property from this usage would be repaired to my satisfaction. I'd also need a waiver from you accepting responsibility for any and all risks from the activities performed from my property."

"Agreed," Gage said immediately.

"However, before I agree to this, we need to determine the answer to one critical question. Will the Zip-Line generate noise that can be heard within the house? After all, we'll be trying to sleep during the time interval in question."

The two lieutenants looked at each other. "We could set up the line and run a test."

Ben nodded slowly. "Come by after lunch. As it's pointing away from the court, a couple of tests shouldn't disturb anyone," Ben suggested.

"Thank you, sir," Ashton said.

"Ben is fine. Don't forget to bring the agreement and waiver."

Both men nodded with smiles.

"See you this afternoon, Ben," Ashton said.

He waved and continued his way back toward his home. He wanted to stop and speak to Dominic, but he should be getting back to talk to Shelly first. It was still early, so when he eventually stepped back in his front door, Shelly was just walking down the hall toward the kitchen dressed in Ben's dressing gown. She smiled at him shyly as she pulled the sides of the large garment tight around her.

"Good morning," she said softly. Her eyes darted to his face to see his expression.

"Good morning, Shelly. Sleep well?" he asked with a gentle smile of his own.

Her lips picked up a wide smile as she nodded to him. "Very well. Better than I have in a long time."

She paused, and he could tell she wasn't sure what to do. He walked up to her and pulled her into a hug, and he heard her breath gust out as she must have been holding it. She clung to him a little tightly as well.

When he pulled back, she was a little slow to release him and her face tilted up immediately. Ben paused for the briefest moment before capturing her lips with his for a sweet kiss. Her eyes were twinkling happily as she turned and walked into the kitchen.

Tina turned her head to smile at her and Ben. He saw her notice the joy on Shelly's face and the concern on Ben's as he walked in behind the blonde.

Ben was worried how she might react to his saying he wasn't interested in adding another woman to his... entourage? Harem? Shit! What did he even call it?

Now that he knew the fragility of her emotions, he was hesitant to say anything she might construe as rejection. He was grateful Trish was there this morning to let him know, but maybe he should have known earlier?

Ben walked over to give Tina a kiss, then went to the table to kiss the kids.

Lucy walked in with Gretchen, so he gave them both a kiss, then took his spot at the table. Lucy got Gretchen situated in her highchair, then assisted Tina with getting the children their breakfast. He saw Shelly watching him with a smile on her face. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"You really are a devoted family man," she said, smiling.

Ben nodded as he caught the looks of love Tina and Lucy were sending him after her comment.

"Yes, I suppose I am, but I never expected it to happen. It's a special experience for me."

Shelly just nodded and flashed a happy smile at Tina, who placed a plate before her with eggs, bacon, and toast. "Thank you!"

"Thank you, Tina!" Ben said as he accepted his plate. She nodded to him and Shelly.

"Coffee?" Tina asked Shelly, who nodded, so Tina brought a mug of the dark brew to her.

"I take it black, thank you!" Shelly stated before Tina could ask.

Once they were all seated, they began eating, and Ben realized this may not be the best moment to drop a bomb on the woman's expectations. Instead, he gave his family a heads up on the guests they'd see this afternoon.

"I spoke to the two SEAL platoon leaders this morning on my walk around the block. They want to use the tower for zip-line practice at night. I told them they could if it didn't cause noise in the house. They're coming over this afternoon to run some tests."

"They're planning from the tower into the court?" Lucy asked in surprise.

Ben shook his head. "No. The other direction, into the woods."

The ladies raised their eyebrows as they thought about it.

"I bet Trish would love to try that," Shelly said, grinning.

Ben snorted and nodded.

The doorbell rang, and Ben shared a glance with Tina as they knew it was the Sergeant. "We gave her a key, right?" Tina nodded. Lucy got up to answer the door.

Shelly's eyes were wide as it looked like she might bolt. Ben put his hand on hers, and she looked into his eyes.

"Finish your breakfast. The Sergeant is aware of your presence in my home as she tracks comings and goings from my front door. She sees all--"

Shelly burst into nervous giggles as her eyes looked to the deck off the kitchen. Tina grinned at him too.

Ben wanted to retract his words, but it was too late as Lucy returned with the woman in question.

"Good morning, Evelyn," he said to the smiling woman.

"Good morning, Ben. Tina. Ms. Spencer." She looked back at Ben. "Am I too early?"

Ben sighed and shook his head. "No. Take a seat. We were just finishing up. Would you like anything?"

"No, I'm good. Did you enjoy your walk this morning?" she asked.

Ben figured she would be aware of his little stroll and nodded.

"You met the Lieutenants?" she asked, and he raised an eyebrow as she really had kept an eye on him. Then he realized she'd probably contacted them to let them know he was entering their protection zone. She handled the eastern end of the court.

"Yes, they came out to introduce themselves. And to ask if they could zip-line from my tower into the woods during their nighttime training."

The Sergeant's face clouded over as she suddenly became angry. "They had no right to ask for more than you've already granted us--"

"Evelyn, it's okay. I told them I don't have an issue if the activity doesn't cause noise within my home," Ben explained. "Zip-lining is something the SEAL team would need to practice, yes? If I can help them become better at it, that's in everyone's best interests. That said, if their tests this afternoon result in vibration noise in the tower's frame that we can hear within my home, then it's a no-go. I'm not going to disturb the sleep of my family for this. In that case, they'll just have to set up their lines from tree to tree in the woods."

She looked upset. "Still, they shouldn't have attempted to expand the rights we've been granted. The Army is also aware of the tower's suitability for these exercises, but the General directly indicated we weren't to ask."

Ben watched her in surprise. "I see. Well... someone didn't pass along that message to the SEAL Teams or me. I'm sorry if I stepped beyond the agreement the General set."

Evelyn suddenly looked dismayed at making Ben apologize. "No, no! It was our mistake, and you shouldn't have to deal with it. I can go tell them the test is off."

He gave her a serious look. "Won't that just perpetuate the animosity between the Army and Navy?" The Sergeant blinked her pretty blue eyes at him as her face reddened. This answered the question for Ben. "Why don't we go ahead with the test this afternoon, and if it looks like zip-lining is possible, we open up the option for future Army squads. As long as these activities don't impact the lives of the people living in the court, I'm okay with it."

The Sergeant nodded slowly then her expression became serious. "I'll attend this test and ensure none of the east-facing windows on the McGovern and Wallace homes are visible from the zip-line. I assume you'll leave the privacy screen up at night over your deck to hide... uh, activities." Evelyn's face got redder, her eyes flicking to Shelly, whose blush matched the Sergeant's.

Ben cleared his throat and held Evelyn's eyes with his. "We'll set appropriate start and end times for the zip-lining to ensure privacy, but I'd appreciate you confirming the visibility of my neighbor's windows."

The Sergeant nodded. She stood and gestured toward the stairs down to Ben's office. "I should get started. See you down there?"

Ben nodded.

Evelyn looked to Shelly. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Spencer!"

Shelly smiled, nodded to the Sergeant, and glanced at Ben as Evelyn left the room. "Did-did you have a chance to sign Mrs. Wilson's sale agreement?"

"Yes. The price looks fine. I left a message with the bank to prepare a certified cheque for me today," Ben said with a smile, relaxing now that the topic was less charged. He pointed to the documents in question on the end of the kitchen counter.

Shelly grinned. "Excellent! I'll contact Walter to get him to complete the title search on the property, and if all is good, we can complete the transaction today!"

Ben nodded, and Shelly looked to Tina and Lucy. "Thank you for breakfast. It was delicious!" She blushed again. "A-and thank you for last night. It was... magical."

"It was for me as well," Lucy said.

Tina took her hand between hers. "Ben was surprised by my bringing you to him last night. I did it because I know he is a man of limitless love." Shelly nodded as she glanced at Ben's face. "This makes me sometimes forget he's just one man with many demands on his time."

Ben snorted in amusement at the sweetly apologetic look on her face. He nodded. "Speaking of time, I'll take Christopher over to the daycare now and come back for Sam and Gretchen."

"Yay!" the boy cheered, and Ben smiled at him.

Ben stood and gave the ladies a kiss, including Shelly. Then he scooped up Christopher and flew him to the front door, where they put on their boots. It was warming up outside, so Ben slipped Christopher's light jacket on and held his hand as they left the house.

They crossed the court as Christopher told him about the games they would play today, and he led the boy inside.

Lori was at the entrance and grinned happily to see the wide smile on Christopher's face. "You're our first arrival today!" she said cheerfully, and Christopher raised his hands in victory. Ben set him on his feet, and Lori led the boy into the back. Lisa immediately rushed out to the front to see Ben.

They were alone, so she tilted her face up to get a kiss which he gladly did.

"Trish texted us that you had a visit from her cousin, Shelly, last night," Lisa purred as Ben took in her beauty.

"What? When?" he asked in surprise.

"A few minutes ago," Lisa said.

Lori joined them and gave Ben a hopeful look, so he kissed her. He turned back to Lisa. "I thought she was out on a run!"

Lisa grinned. "She's not going to keep such exciting news from us until she gets back! We heard about the first time, and that was so sexy!"

Lori nodded. "We can't wait to hear about last night!"

"Whatever happened to private intimacy?" Ben mumbled. The twins grinned excitedly, and he sighed. "I suppose if I asked Shelly to keep the details to herself--"

"No! Please!" the twins exclaimed in unison as they clung to Ben's arms.

Dawn Liston entered the door with her daughter next to her and stared at the two women leaning against Ben as they begged him for something. Her eyes widened, and the twins immediately released Ben's arms to smile at her and her daughter. Lori signed the child in and brought her to the back.

"Good morning, Dawn," Ben said with a smile.

"Good morning, Ben. Did I interrupt something?" she asked curiously. Lisa just tilted her head slightly and maintained her friendly smile.

Ben sighed. "No." He looked at Lisa. "I'll be back with Sam and Gretchen in a moment." Lisa nodded to him.

With a nod to Dawn, he left and walked home. Shelly was walking down his driveway. He thought about asking her to keep the details to a minimum if she felt she had to tell Trish about the previous night, but he held his tongue. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable with her cousin.

"Walter is working on the title search, so I should have news for you later today," she said as she stopped before him.

"I look forward to it," he said.

She flashed him a happy smile and nodded as she walked back to her car. Ben headed up his drive and climbed the steps. He heard a noise like a faint squeal and turned to see Trish hugging Shelly in her driveway. He saw her trying to pull her cousin toward her home, but Shelly waved her off and climbed into her car to drive away. Ben breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was going to keep their evening's activities private after all.

He went inside and saw Lucy had Gretchen in her arms.

"I'll walk over with you," she said to Ben as Tina approached to hand Sam to him.

"Did you say something to Shelly about last night?" he asked.

Tina nodded. "She said she understood my comment regarding the demands on your time. She said she was grateful for being included last night." Ben began to protest, but Tina held up a hand. "I told her you would not have been with her if you didn't consider her a special friend." Tina smiled sweetly. "We shared some happy tears."

Ben leaned down and kissed Tina. "Thank you for explaining this to Shelly. Let's not expand the circle of special friends with more, okay?" He caught Tina's and Lucy's eyes, and they nodded with little grins.

Lucy and Ben walked back to the daycare, and Daphne was at the front door this time. She smiled with delight as Ben kissed Sam and handed the boy to her. She nuzzled his ear, and he smiled for her.

"Sam is a real sweetie!" Daphne said with a smile.

"As is Gretchen!" Lori said as she accepted the girl from Lucy's arms. Lucy waved and rushed back to the house to get her day started.

Ben waved, then walked over to Dominic's home and rang the bell. Sophia answered and gave him a huge smile and a hug.

"How is Dominic doing?" Ben asked.

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Such a grumpy old man!"

"I heard that!"

Dominic walked into the foyer and shook Ben's hand with a grin.

Ben grinned at the man. "Good to see you up and on your feet. You look so much better!"

"Yeah, funny how having the proper blood flow going through your heart improves the rest of your body. I feel much better, too!" Dominic agreed. They shook hands, and Dominic gestured for Ben to follow him into the living room.

Sophia looked at Ben. "Would you like a coffee? Tea--"

"Or me?" Dominic finished for her as he glanced sidelong at his wife with a raised eyebrow.

Sophia gasped in outrage and gently slapped her husband's arm as he grinned at her. "You're such a naughty man!" she scolded.

"Hey! I wasn't the one caught sleeping with another man!" he continued to tease. "Marcus told me all about the hospital waiting room."

"Incorrigible!" she gasped again, and her face reddened as she recalled resting against Ben's broad chest.

Ben held up his hands. "Nothing for me, thanks!" he said with a smile. She nodded and shot her husband another stern look before leaving.

"Diet is the thing I'll have the most grief with," Dominic sighed.

Ben nodded. "Changes are required to adjust to your new condition."

The big man just nodded. "Anything new in the neighborhood since I went into the hospital?"

Ben chuckled as it had only been a couple of days, then he nodded as there had been a significant change. "Beth Wilson is getting married to a fellow from Canada. She's moving away, and I'm buying her house."

"Ah! That's wonderful for her! Honey!" he called out.

"Yes?" Sophia said as she appeared in the entrance.

"Beth Wilson is getting married and is moving away." Dominic suddenly frowned. "Wait, this seems sudden. Were you aware of this guy?" he asked.

Ben shook his head. "She's been keeping their relationship under wraps to ensure it wasn't impacted by the noise surrounding my life. This way, she could tell it was by her and for her. I think that was a smart move for her."

"Are you buying her house?" Sophia asked.

Ben nodded. "I wondered how I might be able to work with your old team through the company that hired them."

"Just give Louis Klein a call and let him know what you need. He can take it from there," Dominic said. He looked at Sophia. "Would you bring me my wallet?" She nodded and stepped away.

"I'll give you Louis' card as he planned on calling you this week anyway. You can call him and make what arrangements you can," Dominic said as Sophia returned with the wallet and gave it to him. He plucked the business card from it and had Sophia hand it to Ben. "Thanks, honey."

Sophia nodded and left the room once more.

Ben entered the details from the card into his cell, then popped the card into his pocket for the Sergeant.

"Who's this home planned for?" Dominic asked.

"I thought it would be nice to have a house for guest visits. I'm hoping to work with the architect who did the building my accountant Jerry Taggart is working in to design the home. It will be ranch-style and blend into the forest. I'll ask Dan if he's available to work his magic on the home's utility systems."

Dominic frowned as he recalled the size of the existing home. "That's going to be a considerable change from the home that's in place now. It looks like it was one of the first mansions built on the court."

Ben nodded. "Yeah, I've never liked the design. It's so blunt and makes no attempt to blend in with the forest at all, aside from the mature trees around it."

Dominic glanced at the doorway. "So, you'll be getting those food trucks back for this rebuild?"

"I heard that!" Sophia called out from the kitchen.

Ben chuckled. "If I do, I'll be giving them instructions to only take your order from Sophia."

"What?" Dominic complained.

"Thank you, Ben!" Sophia called out.

"She's not the only one who wants to keep you healthy and with us for a long time," Ben said.

Dominic sighed deeply. "Fine. I'll be a good boy."

Ben smiled and stood up. "That's good to hear! I should get back home as I have another project to sink my teeth into. I'm glad you're feeling better."

Dominic rose and shook Ben's hand and followed him to the door.

"Thanks for coming by," the big man said.

Ben nodded and waved as he walked down the drive to the sidewalk.

The air's briskness was gone, and the day was shaping up to be another hot one. Parents were dropping off their kids at the daycare, and most took the opportunity to wave to him. He politely waved back though he barely knew any of them.

He sighed happily as he slipped inside his front door and locked it behind him. He walked down into the basement and joined the Sergeant. He could hear her speaking to someone on the phone. She was arranging lab space.

He smiled at her and pulled out his own cell. He'd see if Mr. Klein was available.

Before he could dial, it rang, and he saw it was Rochelle calling him.

"Good morning, Rochelle!" he said with a smile.

"Good morning, Ben! Is this a good time to call you?" she asked.

"It's always a good time to talk to you!" he said with a grin. "How's California?"

He could hear the smile in Rochelle's voice. "So good! We should have opened up a restaurant here years ago! They love our recipes, and business is booming! This brings me to my reason for calling. Sara has joined me in California. She's setting up our new franchise head office. We need to expand, so I want to sell my home on Ashburn Court. Would you be interested in buying it?"

"Uh, yes, of course. I guess this means your move is permanent?" he asked.

"Yes. Thomas and I got married last weekend--just a small ceremony," she rushed to add.

Ben nodded to himself. He knew Rochelle needed this. "Congratulations, Rochelle! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thanks, Ben!" she said, her voice wobbling a little.

"Oh! What about Jayden?" Ben asked.

"He said he'd make arrangements for himself. He's really become such a dependable young man. I have you to thank for that," she said.

"Please, you gave him a solid foundation of right and wrong. He was just following a poor path out of love for his father," Ben argued. "Even he understood there was a conflict, but he needed to get to the answer on his own. If he hadn't had that foundation you gave him, he never would have been strong enough to change his course. You can be proud of yourself for that!"

There was quiet on the other end of the phone for a moment, then a sniffing sound.

"You're a special man, Ben. I'm so glad you found love as well."

"Thank you, Rochelle. I guess we're lucky people," he replied. "I'll have Shelly work out the comps and contact you. You and she can work out a price you're happy with, and then I'll get involved. How does that sound?"

"Very good!" Rochelle said.

"I found out recently that Beth Wilson is moving to Vancouver, Canada. She's marrying a man from there. I'm buying her home too," Ben explained.

"Oh! Are you sure you want to buy mine too?" Rochelle said anxiously.

"It's not an issue. Of course, I'll buy it!" Ben said and heard Sara's voice calling out to her mother in the background.

"Oh! I have to go! Thanks, Ben. I'll wait for Shelly's call," Rochelle said.

"I'll ask her to contact you today. Have a good one!"

"You too, Ben. Bye!"

Ben hung up and looked up to see Evelyn watching him with wide eyes.

"Is that why Ms. Spencer was here last night? You're buying Mrs. Wilson's home and now Mrs. King's?"

"Yes. That's the main reason Shelly dropped by last night. Now I have to call her to get her working on Rochelle's home. I spoke with Jayden this morning, and he said he wanted to speak to me tonight after work. It's probably related to Rochelle's request, but we'll see."

Ben dialed Shelly's number. She picked up on the third ring.

"Hi, Ben! I haven't heard back from Walter yet," she said with a grin in her voice.

"Actually, I wasn't calling about Beth's house. I need you to contact Rochelle King as she just called me to offer to sell her home to me. She'll need the comps and help working out a price."

"Oh my god, Ben! You're going to own half of the properties in the court!" she chuckled.

"Close to it, at least," he said. He gave her Rochelle's number.

"I'll set up a comp report and contact her right away," Shelly said. "I'll say it again! You're my favorite client!"

Ben chuckled, and they said their goodbyes.

He looked at Evelyn with a smile. "Maybe we can get some real work done now! What's it look like for getting lab space?"

She loved working with Ben! Evelyn smiled at him and pulled up her notes.

-=-

Ben was tidying the kitchen after making lunch for the Sergeant and himself when they heard the doorbell.

"I'll get that," Evelyn said. She quickly moved to the door and opened it to see the two Lieutenants standing on the step. Four SEAL team members stood on the driveway with large duffle bags on their backs. "You can walk around the house and wait by the entrance to the tower in the backyard," she said to the men with the duffles. She looked to the Lieutenants.

"Please come in. I'm Sergeant Killcade, Ben's liaison with the Army and the other branches of the government. You're Lieutenant's Ashton and Gage?"

The men nodded to her, but their expressions were curious. "Sergeant Evelyn Killcade?" Gage asked.

She looked at him. "Yes." Her look was curious as well.

"Your reputation precedes you," the Lieutenant said.

"If it's speaking to her incredible organizational skills, efficiency, brilliance, or loveliness, then it's accurate."

They turned to see Ben joining them. Evelyn did her best to control her expression, but her face felt very hot.

Gage wasn't finished. "It was directed more towards her combat abilities."

"She's second to none. That was proven in this very neighborhood," Ben said. Without waiting for the men to comment on that, he continued. "As the Sergeant is my liaison for all things military, she'll be reviewing the zip-line set up to ensure it does not impinge upon the privacy of my neighbor's homes."

"Uh, certainly," Lieutenant Gage said.

Ashton handed Ben the requested documents, and he read them. Ben nodded as they covered his concerns. He nodded to Evelyn, and she smiled.

She handed the two men boot covers. She was wearing her own over her combat boots. After they slipped them on, she led them through the house to the locked door that led into the tower. While it looked like any other interior door, it was armored and reinforced against forced entry.

Ben picked up a small toolbox and a beach towel he'd left by the door earlier.

Evelyn gestured to the cushioned floor. "This special flooring is padded, and no outside shoes should touch its surface. Your entry will be from the side door, which has a tiled floor. You shouldn't have to cross the cushioned surface, but if you need to, wear the booties. You'll be responsible for bringing your own for future visits. Get the waterproof kind."

They reached the side door, which had a small tiled area next to it. A bench with incorporated storage for shoes ran along the wall. Hooks for their jackets were above the seating. This is where the daycare kids stored their shoes and outerwear before playing.

Evelyn opened the security door for the four soldiers, and they entered to wait on the tiled section. "Please don't step on the cushioned floor unless you have boot protection." She pointed to the Lieutenant's footwear. "The tile leads to the stairs up to the deck. Please keep this area clean. Leave no trace." That got through to the two leaders. "Inspections will be done every morning by me. Should trace be found, access to the tower will be reviewed."

The Sergeant received stiff nods for that. She headed for the stairs and opened the childproof gate to begin climbing.

Ben gestured to the small lift against the wall. "The dumbwaiter has a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound weight limit. Please don't overload it," he said.

Two sailors put their duffle bags in the elevator and sent it up. Then they carried the remaining two bags between them by the end straps as they climbed the stairs. Ben followed.

When they reached the top, everyone stopped to admire the view. Ben laid out the beach towel on the floor next to the wall of the stairwell exit.

Ashton turned to Ben. "The view of the fall colors must be spectacular from here!"

Ben nodded with a smile as he made his way to the railing at the eastern edge of the tower, facing the forest. The Lieutenants joined him. "Is this where you intend to launch from?" he asked.

The men examined the railing and nodded to each other. "As close to this railing support as possible," Gage said. The man inspected the extra thick aluminum of the structure supporting the polished wood handrail and the glass panels, which wrapped around the entire deck.

Ben nodded. "I'll remove the glass panels on either side of the support, so they won't get damaged," he said and set down his toolbox. Ben pulled out his socket wrench and removed the four large nuts holding the panel in place. The hardware went into the toolbox then he and Ashton carried the panel over to rest it on the towel, leaning the glass panel next to the stairwell. They returned to do the next pane, then joined Gage as the man examined the railing.

The Lieutenant looked at Ben in surprise. "You weren't kidding about overengineering. This railing is one piece?"

"I welded the sections together once they were bolted to the building's frame under the platform," Ben explained. "Do you have something to protect the surface of the wood handrail? I can remove them too, but that's a little tedious."

One of the sailors opened a duffle and brought over a dense cushioned pad which he draped over the railing at the support. Ben nodded as it would keep the woodwork from being damaged. Next, they mounted a mechanism with three guide wheels and a sleeve to route the zip-line cable over the railing.

Ben walked back to the large table at the center of the deck with the Lieutenants following him. "There's an anchor point at the center of the platform. The table is connected to it, and the chairs are tied to the table so they don't blow around the deck on windy days. We can untie the chairs, and one of your guys can crawl under the table to connect the zip-line to the anchor point. This is affixed to the tower's structure and where the vibration noise will likely be transmitted from if it can't be deadened where it passes over the railing."

The Lieutenants directed their men to begin their preparations.

Ben and Evelyn stood off to the side as the team pulled their tools from the duffle bags and got to work. They fired a weighted cable over the wall at the back of Ben's backyard into the woods. Other SEAL team members on the ground grabbed this and radioed Gage that they were in position. The other end of the wire was bound to the end of the main zip-line cable, and the order was given to the team below to reel in the line. The men on the tower fed the zip-line through the guide wheels and sleeve above the railing, which limited the speed of the cable's feed. The thicker steel cable stretched across the yard and out into the woods.

Two men on the tower had affixed a short section of leather-wrapped chain to the anchor point under the table and were connecting it to the termination of the zip-line cable. They nodded to the Lieutenants when the connection was confirmed.

Gage was in constant communication with the team in the park. He looked to Ben. "They've reached the ground-level anchor point. They'll take up the slack now."

They watched the cable tighten until the leather in the chain links began to creak. Gage said something into his mic, then looked at Ben. "Ready to run the first test."

They connected the four duffle bags together and hooked them to the zip-line trolley. There would be no one to operate the brake on this run, so the weighted load in the bags wasn't anything dangerous. They contacted the people on the ground, then pushed the bags through the opening under the handrail, and away it went.

"If the bags graze a tree on the way down, we'll have to move the endpoint," Gage explained.

They waited for a short interval then the Lieutenant smiled at them. "Payload arrived undamaged and unmarked. Ready for a manned test."

The Sergeant moved forward, already wearing the safety harness, but Ben caught her shoulder gently. She looked back at him in question. "They can prove it's safe and secure. Then you can do your run."

Evelyn gave him a small nod.

One of Ashton's sailors secured his harness and connected his safety line and trolley/brake to the wire.

Ben gauged him to be heavier than the Sergeant, so he'd feel better about her going once this test was successful. They watched the man ease himself through the gap under the rail then he was rushing away towards the trees. He quickly disappeared behind the foliage.

They looked to Gage, and he turned to smile at them again after a few moments. "Successful run."

Evelyn stepped forward and connected herself to the line. She eased herself forward, and off she went. She stopped herself just before she reached the trees and turned her body to face the back of Catherine's, then Gabriella's homes. She took photos with her cell, then slipped that back into her pocket before continuing through the forest.

Ashton looked curiously at Ben.

"This ensures there's no opportunity to compromise the privacy of my neighbor's homes," Ben explained.

"Ah," Ashton replied with a nod.

"We wouldn't--" Gage began.

"That's understood, but we still need to perform the due diligence steps," Ben insisted, and the Lieutenants nodded in agreement, but Gage was still frowning.

"If you change the termination point for the zip-line, you'll need to notify us so we can repeat this test," he said, holding their eyes. They nodded in agreement.

"If the Sergeant reports we have no privacy issues, the next tests will be for noise within the home. When the Sergeant returns, someone on your team with a radio and I will move to various rooms and listen while your men use the zip-line. Does that work for you?" Ben asked.

"Yes-here's the Sergeant now," Gage said as Evelyn rushed through the door breathing hard from running back and climbing all those stairs so quickly. She looked at Ben, and he could see her eyes were almost twinkling with excitement.

"Any privacy issues?" he asked. She shook her head.

He smiled at her. "The zip-line was fun?" he asked, and after the briefest pause, she nodded.

Ben looked to the Lieutenants. "To get an accurate assessment for each bedroom, we should do three runs with people of different sizes using the zip-line. The Sergeant can assist with this." He got nods from the Lieutenants, and Evelyn's smile widened. "Who's going to assist me with the radio?"

"Billings."

One of the sailors on the roof moved to join Ben.

"Would you like to use the express route to the ground?" Gage asked, looking at Ben as he gestured to the zip-line.

Ben snorted in amusement. "No thanks. My life has enough thrills in it."

The rest of the team chuckled and flashed knowing smiles at each other.

Ben cast an eye over the men and sighed as he was pretty sure he knew what they found amusing about that. He shared a look with Evelyn, then headed for the stairs with Billings following him.

Once he was in the master bedroom, he pulled his cell out and started the voice recorder. "Master bedroom," he said. He turned to the sailor and nodded to indicate he was ready. The man spoke quietly into his mic. He nodded when they began the test.

Ben listened but heard nothing. When he'd initially renovated this home, he'd put extra effort into soundproofing the rooms, and it seemed like that was doing its job even against the vibration noise in the building's frame.

"Run completed," Billings reported. "Second test now."

There was no sound, and Ben nodded.

"Run completed," Billings reported. "Final test beginning."

When the sailor nodded to indicate the run was done. "No detectable noise in the master bedroom. Moving to Gretchen and Sam's room."

They moved through the bedrooms and followed the same process until they'd confirmed the noise wasn't getting through to any of them significantly. Ben turned off the voice recorder app and put his cell away.

Ben looked to Billings. "There's one room that must be picking up the noise. I'd like to do one more run though this one won't have any bearing on the verdict." The sailor let his Lieutenant know they needed one more test and followed Ben down to the basement office.

He indicated to the sailor that they were directly under the tower. Ben nodded to the sailor who spoke into the mic.

The buzz of the wire from the weight rushing down its length could be heard distinctly at first, then it quickly grew quieter. Ben grinned at Billings. "That's fine. Thanks!"

They left the office and climbed back up to the top of the tower, where Ben nodded to Billings as the sailor rushed over to slip a harness on. It was his turn.

The Sergeant joined Ben with a smile on her face.

"How'd we do?" Ashton asked with a smile.

"You got a passing grade. No noticeable sound in the front bedrooms. The sound was barely detectable in the rear guest bedroom, and no one is using that room now."

Ben watched Billings accelerate away on the wire and grinned before looking back to the Lieutenants.

"I'll add the following entry code for you on the keypad for the backyard tower entrance: 37483. The code will be active between midnight and six in the morning, starting tonight. Is that sufficient?"

"Yes, that would be perfect. Thanks!" Ashton agreed, and Gage nodded. They shook Ben's hand and then moved to join their men as each took their turn to zip down to the ground. Ben and Evelyn watched as Ashton and Gage joined their sailors and disappeared into the foliage. Then it was just the two of them on the tower.

"Enjoyed yourself?" Ben asked.

Evelyn grinned at him. "Very much! The wire skims below and beside the branches and between the trunks. That makes it feel much faster. It's also excellent training!" She looked back at the anchor point and the railing. "Once more, I'm in awe of the engineering used in this tower. It's so much more advanced than anything you'd see commercially or even by Army standards."

Ben smiled. "I had the luxury of exceeding the minimum industry standards to meet the client's highest expectations." She grinned at him as they headed for the stairs.

When they reached the ground floor, Ben used the wall-mounted control panel by the inner door to program the outer door keypad for the SEAL team's access. They went into the house, and she proceeded him into the basement when the doorbell rang.

"I've got it!" Evelyn said and turned to climb back up only to discover Ben's bulk was blocking her way.

He snorted and walked back up, where she slipped past him to rush to the door. As he was already in the hall, he followed.

Evelyn peeked to see who was there and opened the door with a frown.

Ben could see CIA Agent Stephanie Russo standing before the door with Liliya and Tatiana behind her.

The Sergeant opened the storm door and stood back for the three women to enter.

"Agent Russo, I wasn't expecting to see you today," Ben said.

"A pleasant surprise, then?" she answered with a coy smile.

Ben returned her smile and gestured for her to enter the living room and take a seat. He nodded to Liliya and Tatiana.

"Can I get you a drink?" he asked.

Russo shook her head. "This shouldn't take too long."

"It wasn't something you could do over the phone?" he asked.

The CIA agent smiled and shook her head. "You never know who might be listening."

Ben couldn't stop the snort from leaking out, and he saw she enjoyed getting that response from him.

"I needed to brief your security detail on the latest information we have on a threat developing against you. We finally got confirmation of a power shift within the Russian Federal Security Service. This means many things, but one of them affects you. The loss of the late Colonel Vasiliev agitated some reactionary elements within the Security Service. Certain agents within the Service have been granted authority to proceed with some covert missions. One of the players, Agent Sergey Zhdankov, worked as the liaison for Colonel Vasiliev. He's been given the mandate to quietly remove you as a threat. We believe he will send a team to make this happen."

Ben stared at Russo for a moment, then he blinked. "A team. He's going to send a team of assassins to take me out." Stephanie nodded. Ben shook his head. "Have we considered the idea of asking him not to?"

It was Russo's turn to snort softly. "We can't let on that we're aware of this intel as we'd jeopardize the lives of the agents who collected it for us. We can only prepare and act."

"General Davis hasn't notified me of this threat," Evelyn said with a frown.

"He'll get the update this afternoon," Russo explained.

Ben's eyebrows rose. "Not that I don't appreciate the early warning, but shouldn't he have the news first, so he can alert the troops in the neighborhood?"

"You have two Navy SEAL platoons in the Spa for the next two weeks. General Davis will give their commanding officer the low down," the CIA agent informed them. To Ben, it felt like she was showing off how knowledgeable she was about the neighborhood's business. He wasn't impressed.

"What's the next step?" he asked.

Russo nodded. "We're keeping an eye and an ear on Zhdankov. If he contacts a hit team, we'll get intel on them and pass it along, so you'll know who to watch for."

Tatiana made a sound of frustration. "That is reactionary response. We should take Zhdankov out," she insisted. Liliya also looked upset, but she was keeping her advice to herself.

Ben frowned at the brunette. "That's also a reactionary response, which would just yield greater violence from the next agent or officer up the chain. His superiors gave this Zhdankov permission to act because the Colonel was killed. This could easily become an escalating shit storm."

Stephanie stood up. "I've told you all I can at this time. I have to get back to Virginia."

Ben glanced at her in surprise, then rose to walk her to the door.

As he reached to open it, Russo moved closer and looked up at his face. "I also wanted to let you know we may be calling in that favor soon," she said quietly.

He was quite aware of the CIA's favor and knew he didn't really have any option but to play ball at this point. He nodded stiffly.

Her smile turned sultry as she watched his mouth, then looked into his eyes. "I'm looking forward to working with you."

She stepped back as Ben opened the door. She left with a sly smile on her lips.

Locking the door behind the agent, Ben returned to the living room. Evelyn had moved into the dining room to speak quietly into her cell. Liliya and Tatiana were talking to each other in sharp tones, but all Russian sounded harsher than normal to Ben's ear.

"I'm not sure of the usefulness of being informed in advance when there's so little information," Ben said.

"Agreed. This was a political move on Agent Russo's part. She wants something, and she wants you grateful," Liliya suggested.

Ben nodded. "She mentioned she might be calling in a favor."

Tatiana surged to her feet. "I will get this information from her."

Ben caught her just before she reached the door, and she yanked her arm from his grip. She snarled as she aimed an elbow jab at his throat. He was ready and caught that with his palm, twisting her arm behind her back. Before she could retaliate, he slammed her against the wall face first, with his body pinning her in place. Still, she struggled, so he added pressure and lifted her off her feet. He had his face next to hers and heard her sudden gasp. He realized his cock was pressing firmly between her ass cheeks, and there was a tremendous amount of pressure there as he was almost lifting her with it.

"You will settle down and get control over your impulsiveness," he growled into her ear.

"Uhhh--or what?" she spat.

Ben felt her body trembling as she tried to push herself away from the wall with her free hand. She was still fighting. He knew she was trying to go for her knives.

With a mighty shove against the wall, Ben stepped back, suddenly releasing the pressure holding Tatiana up. Her shaky legs wouldn't support her, and she fell onto her ass as her arms flailed. She lost her grip on the blade she'd palmed, and it skittered across the floor towards the kitchen.

Ben watched her with a scowl. "You're free to leave at any time. If you can't work with others in a rational, civil way, or if you put others in danger, you're not welcome here. It's entirely up to you." She looked up at him with an unreadable expression. "Now, get your knife and get out of my house."

Tatiana saw Evelyn and Liliya standing in the entrance of the living room. They'd likely seen and heard it all. She pushed herself to her feet and moved unsteadily to her knife. She slipped it away and walked back to the door. Each step brought more control to her muscles. Quietly, she stepped outside and walked back to their home.

Liliya moved to stand before Ben. She looked to the Sergeant. "May I speak privately with Ben?" she asked calmly. Ben nodded to the question in Evelyn's eyes, so she moved downstairs.

Liliya looked up into Ben's troubled eyes. "I am not a psychologist, but I know Tatiana is not coping well with this new life. I believe the Colonel broke something in her that makes it difficult for her to understand kindness and generosity. She only seems to respond to violence and strength. She is confused by her reactions to you. I think you would be at risk if you used a gentle touch with her."

Ben's frustration flared. "Gentle? I practically beat her every time we have an argument! I want to get her a psychological assessment. Would she go?"

Liliya shook her head. "We are conditioned to invalidate any such testing." She paused as she thought of what might work. "She cannot disguise her loss of control around you. If you joined her in the session, the doctor might have a chance to get a read on her."

Ben was uncomfortable about that, but Tatiana was becoming a risk to everyone in the court. He nodded. "I'll speak to Hannah and see what she can set up when I go in for my physical."

Liliya nodded. "I am sorry for this, Ben. You were not responsible for her becoming this way, but you are shouldering the burden."

He sighed and pulled Liliya against his chest as he hugged the surprised woman. After only a moment's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him and enjoyed the closeness.

"I sincerely believe in second chances. But you must want it and work for it... as you are," he said quietly, practically rumbling it in his chest.

She smiled and gently pushed back, struggling to ignore her own tingles.

"I will see if Tatiana will leave or hang on," she said.

"Be careful," Ben said seriously.

Liliya smiled. "She told me she wouldn't make Rose an orphan. But hearing Rose call you Daddy, she might reconsider since Rose has two parents now."

Ben's eyes suddenly had an intensity to them as he looked at her in concern. It caught her by surprise, and she reached up to cup his cheek to calm him.

He leaned into her touch, and his eyes flicked to her as she pulled her hand back.

"Sorry," he said as his face warmed up.

She smiled and slipped out the door before her own face could ignite.

Ben closed the door and took some deep breaths. Tatiana was seriously jeopardizing the serenity of the court and Ben's own peace of mind. He pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed Hannah.

He was about to hang up when she answered. "Ben?"

"Hi Hannah, I was hoping you might do something for me."

"If I can," she answered.

"I'm coming in on Friday for my physical. I'm hoping Dr. Granger might be available to speak with Tatiana. Liliya has explained that I'll need to be present for Tatiana to have any chance of communicating openly with the doctor. They have the training to void psychoanalysis."

"Let me speak with her, and I'll let you know. It's kind of short notice," Hannah explained.

"I know. Sorry. She just had a little breakdown of control at my place, and I think it's getting worse. The Russian Colonel messed her up, and she's not coping with civilian life. Liliya is thriving, but Tatiana is becoming a bull in a china shop."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Ben. Let me call you back later, okay?"

"Sure, Hannah. Thanks!"

He pushed his cell into his pocket and rolled his neck to ease the knots. He could still feel Tatiana grinding back against him as he had her pinned to the wall. He was troubled by how much her excitement affected him. He wasn't a rapist. He wondered if she'd ever experienced sex any other way based on how she acted.

This situation had to stabilize, or for the safety of the others in the court, he'd tell the General Tatiana needed to go.

There were no third chances.

Chapter 21

Ben was relaxing in his favorite chair in the living room after a delicious dinner as he reviewed the engineering boards on his laptop.

The doorbell rang, and Tina hopped up from her seat on the couch to answer it. When she returned to the doorway, she had Jayden with her.

Ben put his computer away and stood up to greet him. "Ah! Right! I forgot you were coming over. It's been a busy day."

Jayden gave him a nervous look. "Are you still available to talk?"

Ben nodded with a smile. "Sure. Let's go down to the media room to give the ladies some peace and quiet."

Jayden waved to Lucy and Tina, then followed Ben down to the room.

They got comfortable on the sofa's and Jayden noticed they weren't facing the screen. Ben smiled.

"Hannah, Beth, and I use this room for our group therapy sessions." His expression became a little sad. "I guess it's going to be just Hannah and me from now on."

Jayden looked worried. "What happened to Mrs. Wilson?"

Ben caught his expression and smiled reassuringly. "Nothing bad. It's good. She's getting married to a university professor in Vancouver, B.C."

Jayden's eyebrows rise. "Canada?"

Ben nodded. "I'm buying her house."

"Oh! Uh, did Mom call you?" Jayden said uncomfortably.

Ben smiled and raised a hand to calm the younger man. "Yes, she did. I told her I'd buy hers, too. Shelly is working out a price with her." He grinned at the relieved look on Jayden's face. "She's really proud of you, you know. The way you turned yourself around recently. She was so afraid you were heading down a bad path, but now she's so happy for you."

Jayden looked like he didn't know where to look. His eyes were getting glassy. Then he scowled at Ben. "Shit! Not cool, Ben! Hitting me with that!"

Ben held his hands up in apology. "She mentioned you were making arrangements for yourself."

Jayden rubbed his face and flashed an annoyed glance at Ben before he got control over himself. "Uh, yeah... what I came here to talk to you about." He took a deep breath, and Ben could see he was focusing on his rehearsed speech.

"I'm in love with Karen, and she's in love with me. We're serious about being a couple, and I want to ask her to marry me once I'm more established with my career. I want to have a steady income." He glanced at Ben and didn't see a frown or other visible signs of upset, so he pushed on.

"With Mom selling her home, Karen suggested I move in with her. I told her I'd speak with you about it. I could rent out a vacant room if you'd be more comfortable," Jayden suggested.

Ben sighed. He knew this day was coming. "May I assume you and Karen have included intimacy in your relationship?"

Jayden looked at Ben with a confused look, then barked out a laugh as Ben's meaning suddenly resolved. He smiled at Ben. "Yes. I was only able to resist her demands for so long." He smiled. "She'd never been intimate with someone she actually loved. She was very emotional." He glanced at Ben and shrugged. "We both were."

"So, insisting you have a separate bedroom would be meaningless," Ben suggested, and Jayden's smile confirmed the answer to that one.

Then his smile dipped. "I just realized I have stuff I no longer have anywhere to keep. I don't care about my furniture, but I have stuff I've collected during my life. I've only ever lived in that house." He looked a little lost for a moment, then he looked to Ben. "What are you going to do with the home?"

Ben looked him in the eye and gave him the truth. "Honestly, I'll tear it down and build a new ranch-style home on the property with loft bedrooms. It's what I'm going to do with Beth's property." He looked at Jayden and saw the young man suddenly realizing the impact these changes would have on his life. He smiled. "Jayden, I'm okay with you moving in with Karen. Your mother isn't the only one impressed by how much you've matured recently. You've become a very responsible man! Listen, there's an extra bedroom in the basement of Karen and Penny's home you can use for an office. You can store your stuff there."

Jayden's eyes were looking a little glassy once more, so Ben gave him a moment to get control over himself.

"Thanks, Ben," he said quietly, and Ben just nodded to him.

"Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?" Ben asked.

Jayden nodded and took a deep breath. "I understand Karen will be attending college for her culinary courses. We talked about that, and we don't know where that will be. I'm worried about her being away from home. She still has trouble with how she reacts around forceful men. Assholes are always trying to pick her up, and she... locks up. Penny seems to be able to deflect them, but Karen's just not assertive at all. She's aware of it, and it upsets her. I'd like to kill the bastard who hurt her this way, but I know he's already dead."

Ben nodded. "Karen is fortunate to have a compassionate partner. As I told Karen, I'll ensure she gets the training she needs to find her place. If there is a school here that can give her what she needs, great. If not, and we need to hire someone to train her locally, then that's what I'll do."

Jayden smiled in relief. "Thank you, Ben!"

"Just remind her of what I promised her," he said, and Jayden nodded. "What about you? I understand you are now working for a company connected to the Klein Group. How is that going?" Ben asked.

Jayden nodded thoughtfully. "That's something else I'd like your advice on," he said reluctantly, and Ben nodded to indicate he was listening.

"It was awesome for Mr. Sellini to ensure we all had continued employment. The new job is good, but the company is larger and has different work practices. There really isn't as much room for individual creativity and craftsmanship. Not all the guys want to stay there. Several of them are talking about forming their own renovations company. Hector is speaking with the team to see who's interested. The new company would mainly focus on kitchens and bathrooms. With all the custom work we've been doing in this neighborhood, the guys got the taste for it, and it's a lucrative market." He looked seriously at Ben. "Hector wants me to join them as he likes my custom work."

Ben nodded as he suspected Hector would want Jayden's creativity.

The young man wasn't finished. "A big part of me is telling me to join Hector's company as that's the kind of work I really want to be doing. The other part of me is telling me to stick with the security of the larger established construction company and its steady paycheck. I have Karen to think about after all."

Ben was grinning at him, and Jayden looked back hesitantly. "What?"

"You're young. You're learning what you are really good at. It's my personal opinion that you should take this time to build on that. As long as your goal leads to something from which you can earn a living, give yourself a little time to find out if it's a viable path. If it is, then determine how to ensure you can get a steady paycheck from it." He smiled at Jayden. "As long as you keep Karen in the loop on your plan, she'll know she's part of your future. Are you two in a rush to take the next steps in your relationship?"

Jayden looked a lot more relaxed with Ben now. "We've been talking about how being married might keep some of those jerks away from her."

Ben nodded thoughtfully as that might work unless they're dirtbags. "You could always start with an engagement ring. You can set the wedding date for a year or two if you are both onboard with the idea."

"Ohhh, I'd love to do that, but the ring I can afford to give her now wouldn't be visible enough to be a deterrent," Jayden said with a grin.

Ben chuckled, then he paused as an idea came to him. "Wait here for a second."

He went into his office and returned a minute later with a small paper envelope. He looked into Jayden's eyes

"Before you say anything, these cost me nothing as I inherited them." He handed Jayden the envelope, and the young man frowned as he flipped the top open and poured the contents into his palm. His eyes widened as he stared at the two decent-sized princess-cut diamonds next to an enormous glittering beast. He looked up at Ben in shock.

"I think the smaller stones are half carats, and the larger one is probably five or six carats. I think. You'll still need to find someone for designing a setting for them. Maybe a band as wide as the smaller diamonds, mounted on either side of the larger one? The stones are always the biggest expense for rings, so this should help. The size of the stones should make some of these Lotharios think twice about being able to compete with you," Ben said with a smile.

"Ben... this... this is too much," Jayden said with a trembling voice.

"Nothing's too good for my daughter," Ben said gently as he rested a hand on Jayden's shoulder.

Jayden looked at him and nodded shakily. His eyes barely held back his tears as he realized Ben included him in that.

"You've proven yourself to be good for Karen, which gives me peace of mind," Ben said.

"Stop!" Jayden croaked as he stood up.

Ben rose as well and pulled the young man into a hug.

"Shit, man! I'm trying not to cry, and you're not helping," Jayden said against Ben's shoulder.

Ben chuckled. "Sorry. Just telling it like it is."

"Well... you're all right too," Jayden huffed.

Ben released him, and Jayden stepped back and carefully put the diamonds back into the envelope. He looked at it for a moment. "I think we should keep this a secret until I get them mounted on a band." Ben nodded in agreement. "And thank you again."

"Not that I'm trying to pry into their relationship, but how serious do you think Penny and Frank are?" Ben asked.

It was Jayden's turn to chuckle. He finally nodded. "It wouldn't surprise me if Frank proposed to Penny this year. They definitely love each other."

"Maybe you could have a talk with him and find out. If he is, have him come talk to me. I don't really know Frank other than the few times we've met."

Jayden nodded. "We've hung out a few times with Karen and Penny. Frank's quiet but smart and pretty easygoing. I like him."

Ben nodded with a smile. "Good. If he is going to ask Penny, I'd be willing to do the same thing with the ring for Penny. Maybe you two could get a deal on creating settings for two rings?"

Jayden nodded with a grin. "I'll ask. I've taken up enough of your night. Thanks for the talk and the other," he closed the envelope before tucking it into a pocket.

Ben nodded, then walked him to the front door where they said their goodnights.

He walked back into the living room and smiled at the two ladies relaxing with their tablets. The kids were obviously in their beds already. His mind was still on the diamonds, and he saw Tina was wearing the ring he'd given her.

He suddenly spotted Lucy's bare finger and realized he hadn't given her a ring! He looked to Tina's and gauged the size. He made a note for himself on his cell, then dipped down and kissed the two women.

"I think I'll head off the bed early," he said.

"Oh! Are you tired?" Tina asked.

"No," he said with a smile as he walked from the living room. He grinned to himself as he heard their quick footsteps as they rushed to follow him.

There were many ways to burn off excess energy before going to sleep. The ladies were more than willing to help him try a number of them.

Chapter 22

The key to a successful guerrilla operation is secrecy. The members of America's Answer, the self-proclaimed solution to threats against the world's greatest nation, in their opinion, didn't know each other and never met face to face. Yet they had communication channels that let them receive their orders and financial support via untraceable money drops. They knew the leaders of America's Answer had their finger on the pulse of their country, and eyes and ears in places the government thought were secure. They only acted when action was needed.

Tonight, four members of the ultra-secret organization received identical orders. They knew the threat was unprecedented as they read they'd be working for the first time as a squad with a fifth specialist, a sniper, as their backup. Rental cars had been arranged, and hotel rooms booked. The precise time and place for the operation would be delivered soon. They replied to the message with their affirmation.

All five men immediately paused their lives and put the needs of their nation before their own, as true patriots would.

-=-

A Russian intelligence operative named Mikhail Gharcov arrived in Sergey Zhdankov's waiting room and was directed to enter immediately.

The man behind the desk looked up expectantly.

Mikhail didn't think he was a particularly impressive man. He was more of a pencil pusher with delusions of grandeur, but this was his chain of command, so he showed the man some respect with a salute.

Zhdankov was not tall and certainly not fit, nor was he a handsome man. He was losing his hair but tried to hide it with a bad comb-over. His ugly suits were stretched tight over his stomach, and his voice was not pleasant to hear. But he did have the ear of powerful members of the FSB, so this gave him some power of his own.

Mikhail smiled. "Our infiltration of the domestic terrorist cell was successful. I sent your orders, and all five have indicated they are prepared to move. They have no idea the orders came from us, not from their leaders who remain unaware their people have been activated."

Sergey smiled coldly. "It is useful to have expendable local resources available for wetwork. I will provide you with the location, date, and time in the next day or two. My contact inside the Pentagon is gathering intel on Shepherd's latest project. We believe he'll leave his protective enclave. Then our latest recruits can prove what patriots they are."

Sergey and his underling shared a smile.

-=-

Ben's stomach growled its disapproval at being so empty.

He hadn't had anything to drink or eat since their early dinner the night before. He'd fasted for the medical tests he'd be doing today.

He'd also skipped his morning workout, so he was already feeling restless.

Hannah greeted him as he arrived, making him feel a little better.

"I spoke with Dr. Granger, and she made time for you this afternoon," she said.

"Afternoon? I was hoping I wouldn't be here that long," Ben said with a frown.

Hannah chuckled. "Ben, did you look at the list of tests requested? You will have a majority of the hospital's departments working on you today and the lab. I've never seen such a comprehensive medical assessment request form. You fasted?"

Giving her a look of dismay, he nodded.

"Good. Your first destination is the lab downstairs. They want your blood, urine...." She paused to look at the sheet of paper in her hand. "Oh! And semen!" She looked at Ben. "Very comprehensive testing." She handed him the schedule and left with a smile on her face.

Ben scowled at the sheet but headed off to the stairs with Evelyn, Liliya, and Tatiana accompanying him. The Sergeant led the way with the others behind. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to the necessity of having a security detail. Of course, his mood may have been caused by his current discomfort over the tests they wanted. The last fertility test he'd had was back in Paris, and Catherine had... assisted with collecting the sample. He felt a familiar tingle begin and sighed. Not helpful at the moment.

He signed in at the lab and endured having tube after tube of blood drained from his arm.

Then it was off to the washroom to get them a small bottle of his pee.

When he returned, the nurse handed him another sterile container... with a smirk. He was certain it was a smirk, but she'd wiped it from her face when he glanced back at her again with a frown.

He walked to the washroom door in the hall and took a deep breath. Before entering, he glanced at Evelyn, whose face was hot pink as she looked away. Tatiana's face wore a sly smile as she enjoyed Ben's discomfort. He saw Liliya frowning at the other two, then she moved to stand next to Ben.

"Is there a problem?" she whispered.

He looked at her but saw only concern. He shrugged, but she continued to hold his eyes with hers, so he felt compelled to continue. "I'm not... good at doing this. Never have been," he sighed.

She nodded and opened the door for him. Once he stepped inside, he felt her hand on his back, pushing him further into the small room.

"What? What are you doing?" he asked as she stepped into the room, closed the door, and locked it.

"Ben, I have been trained in many aspects of espionage. You may say I have a very particular set of skills." She smiled at him, and he couldn't stop an amused snort from escaping at her movie line reference. "One of those skills can be used to assist you in getting the sample. Hand me the bottle."

He gave it to her, and she opened it, placing it on the edge of the sink. Then she reached down and unzipped his pants. She slipped her hand inside, past his underwear, and pulled his cock through the opening.

She smiled down at his member in her hand. "I think the last time I saw this, we were in the ballroom of a hotel on fire." She glanced around. "This place isn't much of an improvement."

Ben enjoyed the sensation of her fingers wrapped around his cock as she gently squeezed it in pulses, moving her hand slowly up and down the shaft.

At the same time, his brain was struggling with dealing with Rose's mother/his bodyguard doing him a favor by giving him a hand job. Physically, he was in the moment but mentally, he was all over the map.

Liliya must have noticed a decrease in firmness as she looked into Ben's eyes. She slid her other hand behind his head and pulled his face down to hers. Their lips met, and she gently kissed him. Her kiss deepened when she felt him hardening, and Ben followed her lead.

She squeezed her thighs together as she was tingling madly. She had to stay in control.

When she moved both hands to Ben's cock, he gasped lightly into their kiss.

It was true. She was... skilled.

Her touch was drawing his need higher and higher. He could feel the pressure building and knew his release wouldn't be much longer.

Ben desperately wanted to put his hands on Liliya's body, but aside from her lips, tongue, and hands, Liliya was standing apart from him.

She lightly raked his balls with her nails, and he pulled back from the kiss to gasp loudly. He was suddenly right there!

One of her hands slipped up to stroke the sensitive glans.

"Fuck!" he grunted, and she returned to pulsing strokes as he came in surge after surge.

Finally, he slumped back against the wall and closed his eyes momentarily to catch his breath. Tissues were used for dabbing him clean, then he felt a brief change in the air pressure.

He opened his eyes, Liliya was gone, and the sample bottle had its lid back on.

Feeling just a little awkward, he tidied himself, tucked himself away, and zipped up his pants. Then he glanced in the mirror and grabbed another tissue to wipe her lipstick from his mouth. He felt another throb as his mind returned him to the kiss.

He gave himself a shake, then put on his game face. He had more tests to do.

-=-

When Liliya left the small room, she glanced at the Sergeant's incredulous expression, then the conflicted one on Tatiana's face. She gestured to the ladies' room and went inside. It took a moment to reapply her lipstick and take some breaths to calm her tingling body. Ben was an excellent kisser, and she saw him struggling to keep his hands back. She'd done her best to maintain her distance, but her willpower would likely have cracked if he'd placed his hands on her body.

She returned to the others as she saw Ben returning from the lab where he'd turned in the sample container. She gave him a smile. "Where to next?" she asked in a friendly voice.

He glanced at her, and his expression relaxed into a relieved smile. He glanced at the paper Hannah had given him. "Up to the sixth floor. Stress test for my heart." He nodded and headed off to the elevators, with Evelyn leading the way.

Liliya followed Ben and could feel Tatiana's eyes on her. She glanced back with a scowl, and Tatiana looked away.

They rode the elevator up to the sixth and brought Ben to the Cardiologist's office. The Sergeant did a quick inspection, then stepped out into the hall while Ben followed the nurse into the back. Liliya took a seat in the small waiting room.

Tatiana suddenly sat next to her and leaned in close. "Did you have sex? Is there no limit to your submission to him?" Her eyes widened. "Did you kneel before him and take him in your mouth?" she hissed softly.

Liliya frowned slightly at her emotionally agitated partner. "Tatiana, we received the same training. Ben was not prepared to give this sample. He indicated that he's not skilled at achieving an orgasm with his own hand. So, I used mine and my training. This achieved the success required, expedited our way to the next test, and here we are."

Tatiana wasn't finished. "You used your mouth! Your lipstick was badly smeared?"

"I kissed him to draw his attention back to the moment. His body responded to my hand, but his mind did not. The kiss focused him." Liliya shrugged, then looked closer at Tatiana. "You know this. These lessons you have learned as well."

Tatiana stood quickly and glared at Liliya. "You jump too quickly to his aid!" She frowned. "He did not ask. You volunteered, like... his slut!"

Evelyn stuck her head in the door. "Tatiana! I can hear you in the hallway! Are you unable to do your job? Do we need to make alternate arrangements?" she snapped.

Tatiana stiffened and aimed cold eyes at the Sergeant. "Is that a threat?"

"No, it's a promise, like the one you made to do this job, to be a professional. Or was that a lie, too?" Evelyn said evenly as she watched the assassin calmly.

The air crackled with tension until Ben stomped back into the waiting room. All eyes turned to him as he looked at the three of them. He must have been undressing as he was bare-chested and clutched a medical gown wrapped around his waist.

"Could everyone just cool it for a while? I need to get my heart rate down into a normal range before I get on the damn treadmill!"

"Sorry, Ben," Evelyn said, then her eyes dropped to see the distinct outline of something large pressing against the tight fabric. Her face flushed, and she stepped back out into the hall.

Ben frowned and looked down. He sighed and loosened the fabric a little. "Just a little peace and quiet, please," he asked, and Liliya nodded. Tatiana gave him a stiff nod and sat a few chairs away from her partner, covering the exit. Ben turned to go back down the hall, and Liliya caught a glimpse of his exposed ass and barely stifled an amused snort.

She turned her eyes to Tatiana and caught the brunette looking away from Ben's ass, too. Liliya wasn't able to get a read on her emotion, though.

It certainly wasn't amusement.

-=-

Ben finally returned from the stress test and nodded to the two ladies as they moved for Ben to endure several other invasive and tedious exams. Room after room until Ben was sure they had pictures of every surface of every organ in his body.

He left the MRI chamber he saw Hannah waiting for him. He looked at her wearily. "Please tell me I'm done."

She smiled sympathetically. "You've run the gauntlet today. The only appointment you have left is with Dr. Granger. Do you think you'll be able to get Tatiana to join you?"

He frowned as he felt the weight of that task settle on his shoulders.

"Why don't you have both Liliya and Tatiana join you at first to address the argument they had when you were going for your stress test?" Hannah suggested.

Ben's face dropped. "You heard about that?"

She gave him a sad smile. "Unfortunately, they were a bit loud, and now everyone seems to be talking about it. I swear there are more gossip hounds in this hospital than anywhere I've worked. And gossip about you is gold."

He rubbed his face. He just wanted to go home, eat some of Tina's delicious food, then go to bed between her and Lucy... after he kissed his kids.

But this needed his attention now.

"Right. Okay. Dr. Granger it is."

He hugged Hannah, then joined his security detail in the waiting room.

Liliya looked at him expectantly, and he nodded. "One last doctor to see."

They followed him out into the hall, where they picked up the Sergeant and went to the elevator banks. Ben pressed the button for Dr. Granger's floor, and Evelyn glanced at him but said nothing.

Once they left the elevator, Evelyn led them to the psychiatrist's office. She'd figured it out.

When she stopped by the doorway to the waiting room, Ben gestured for her to enter. Her eyebrows rose, but she immediately went in. Ben indicated to the others to come inside as well as he stepped inside.

Dr. Granger was standing next to her open door with a friendly smile. "Good afternoon, Ben. Go right in. Ms. Killcade, Ms. Sokolov, Ms. Pushkin, you as well."

"What?" Tatiana balked. Liliya looked surprised, but she moved to follow Evelyn, who was already in the doctor's office.

"The session is for Ben and the members of his security detail. This includes you, Ms. Pushkin," the doctor said calmly.

"There is no need--"

"Don't make me come out there to get you," Ben growled from the other room.

Tatiana's eyes widened, her nostrils flared, and her jaw tightened, but she didn't step forward as her hands automatically slipped to her blades.

"We're just going to talk. There's no need for a confrontation," Dr. Granger said quietly.

Ben appeared in the doorway. His eyes locked on Tatiana's.

"I've just about had enough of your attitude. Am I going to have to take your knives from you again?" he said with quiet menace.

Doubt, need, and confusion flashed by in Tatiana's eyes as she saw the resolve in Ben's.

"Come inside and sit down," Ben continued calmly.

Tatiana stiffly moved forward, and Ben stood aside, but his eyes never left hers as she entered the room.

Four chairs were lined up facing a single chair before the doctor's desk. In the one closest to the door sat Evelyn. The chair next to her was empty, but Liliya had taken the next one. This left her sitting furthest from the door or next to the Sergeant. She chose the closest chair and sat.

Ben walked to the last chair as the doctor closed her door and moved to sit before her desk.

She smiled at them. "I'm Dr. Granger. I've been asked to help you with some issues that have surfaced as you work as a team. Today there was an incident in the waiting room of the Cardiologist's office. It's my understanding Ben was in the back preparing for a test when confrontational words were spoken between Ms. Sokolov and Ms. Pushkin. These words were spoken loudly enough that the hospital staff overheard, and rumors have begun to spread. Let's begin with those words. Who'd like to begin?" She looked to Tatiana, but her jaw clenched.

Liliya sighed. "I will." Tatiana shot her a surprised look, but the blonde continued. "We'd just left the lab area in the basement. While there, Ben indicated he'd have difficulty collecting a semen sample, so I assisted him. Tatiana and I have... training in such things. When we reached the Cardiologist's office, Tatiana confronted me about my actions, my willingness to assist."

Dr. Granger didn't seem at all phased about Tatiana's confession. She looked to Tatiana. "What was it about Liliya's actions that you took offense to?"

Tatiana frowned, and her lips tightened.

When she said nothing, Liliya volunteered another fact. "She accused me of being a slut. Too willing to fulfill Ben's needs."

"He didn't ask you to assist him! You jumped at the chance to be with him! You admitted to kissing him!" Tatiana snapped at her partner.

"I told you! Helping him expedited our way to the next appointment! The kiss was to help him focus! You know this! You have the same training! You have done this with many men!" Liliya yelled back, then her expression showed a cruel smile. "Why don't you just admit you want to fuck him? Your jealousy is out of control!"

"LYING BITCH!" Tatiana screamed, jumping to her feet, her chair tumbling back as did Liliya's. She kicked backward, sending Evelyn and her chair tumbling toward the closed office door. Blades were out, and the two assassins faced off.

Liliya was suddenly yanked backward to crash into the blinds covering the window.

Tatiana was facing Ben in full rage, and she froze. She cried out in pain when Ben grabbed her wrists and squeezed, forcing her hands to release the knives. As they dropped, she tried a counterattack, but Ben grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off her feet to slam her down on the plush leather couch against the back wall. She stared up at him in shock and desperation.

"You pull those blades once more in my presence against someone who isn't a legitimate threat to us, and it will be your last. Do you understand me?"

She clung to his arm as she struggled to speak, so he loosened his grip on her throat.

"Y-yes!" she finally managed to gasp.

Ben continued to hold her down on the couch as he looked at Liliya, straightening her clothes from when he grabbed them to pull her off her feet. She looked back at his scowl. "You need to control your temper and tongue," he said bluntly.

"Yes, Ben," she said contritely and dipped her eyes downward.

He looked down at Tatiana and finally noticed how tight her grip remained on his arm. Her eyes were locked on his, and something was unsettling about the desperation in them. She almost seemed like she might be...

Ben stood up and released Tatiana's throat. He felt a little ill once more. Not as bad as the time he'd punched her. He saw the beginning of the bruising on her neck and wrists, and his discomfort increased. He glanced over at Dr. Granger and saw her intense gaze as she watched him carefully. He sighed.

"Everyone out. I need to speak with Dr. Granger alone." He saw the Sergeant was sheathing her own blades. "You okay, Evelyn?"

"Yes, sir--I mean, Ben," she stammered. She spun and opened the door to step outside.

Liliya crossed the room and followed the Sergeant into the waiting room.

Tatiana gingerly stood up, collected her knives, sheathed them, and left with a glance back at Ben. She closed the door behind her.

Ben picked up the fallen chairs and dropped himself wearily in one before the doctor. "I'm so sorry about the violence. It escalated so quickly." He shuddered. "It's the only language Tatiana seems to understand. I've tried reasoning with her, but she just gets more sharp-tongued and hostile. She'll settle down for a bit after this."

The doctor paused for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. "How are you feeling about how you dealt with her?"

Ben smiled weakly. "I feel sick but not as bad as the last time. I only gave her bruises, not a concussion."

Granger nodded. "Tatiana is fascinating, and I wish I could have her in private sessions to dig through the trauma that brought her to this place in her life. Without that background, all I can do is give an impression from the surface. It's likely to be very inaccurate."

Ben nodded as he suspected as much.

The doctor continued. "She appears to be a very troubled woman. Life was not easy for her, and this training she endured is likely the source of her troubles. Her trainers must have been quite brutal with her."

"I believe so," he agreed.

"Liliya was probably right with her claim about Tatiana. From her reaction to your manhandling her, she was highly excited and appeared to want you to take her right there on the couch."

Ben squirmed. "I can't rape her. I won't. It's probably all she knows. She wouldn't understand tenderness. She'd recognize playacting, as that's all she does." He looked down at his hands which only moments before held a woman's neck in a stranglehold. A wave of nausea passed through him again.

"What do I do? She isn't settling in. She constantly challenges me and others. I don't believe having sex with her would suddenly alter her attitude. Much like these bursts of violence, it would be a temporary patch. It's moot anyway. I'm not going to rape her."

"If she doesn't work with you, what other options were available?" Granger asked.

"Maximum security jail and a life sentence." He shook his head. "She'd run first and be hunted until someone managed to take her out. She really is one of the deadliest assassins in the world... and she's stuck being a babysitter." He paused to think about it. "A significant number of people would die if she ran." He glanced up and caught the look on the doctor's face. "I know, I know. Those deaths wouldn't be my fault, but I'm not ready to inflict that upon the world."

"Instead, you restrict the misery to yourself and those around you," Granger said, and he scowled but couldn't argue.

"We should have a temporary cease-fire for now." He looked toward the door. "I gave her an ultimatum today. If I must deal with her again, there's a good chance one of us won't be walking away. Hopefully, that won't be for a while, and we can develop an alternate plan in the interim."

"Again, Ben, you don't have to take this responsibility completely on yourself. You have a significant support base, especially with the army involved," the doctor reminded him.

He nodded, then stood. "Thanks for seeing us on such short notice."

She nodded to him as she rose and walked him to the door. He gave her a hug, then stepped out into the waiting room, where three sets of eyes turned his way. Evelyn's held worship, Liliya's an apology, and Tatiana's showed confusion and desperate need. He didn't have the strength to deal with any of them.

"Let's go home. We're done for today."

Chapter 23

Ben spent his weekend at home just playing with the kids and enjoying the weather. It remained unseasonably warm, but he wouldn't complain as the long, cold winter months would be upon them soon enough.

The movers arrived first thing on Saturday morning, and shortly after the lunch hour, Beth's home was empty of the bubbly woman's and her two great kid's belongings.

He gave the family hugs before they drove away for the last time. He felt a little sad about that but balanced it with the thought that she'd found love.

A second move also began on Saturday. Karen, Penny, and Frank assisted Jayden with carrying his boxes from his childhood home to move in with Karen. Ben saw the group making multiple trips between the two houses, talking and laughing. Karen looked happier than Ben had seen her in some time.

They finished sometime mid-afternoon and came over to thank Ben with hugs. Frank looked like he wanted to speak to him, but Penny held his arm too tightly. Ben expected he might get a visit from the young man later in the week.

Shelly came by late Saturday evening to present the sale offer for Rochelle's home, and Ben agreed to the price. It was a little higher than he thought it should be, but Rochelle deserved, and likely needed, the extra funds. Shelly promised she'd have news on the sale by Tuesday. He'd arrange for another check.

Jayden dropped by Sunday afternoon to let Ben know he was officially moved out of his old home and thanked Ben for his help. He mentioned Frank would call him this week.

Then Walter dropped by late Sunday afternoon, and Ben was surprised to see Chanel was with him. That seemed like an odd mix. Ben was sitting on a blanket on his front lawn with Lucy, Tina, and the kids playing in the grass.

Walter smiled at them as he approached, and Chanel was grinning too as she watched him playing with Gretchen.

Ben handed his daughter to Lucy before standing and greeting his visitors. "Hi! I wasn't expecting to see you two today!"

Walter's expression became a little embarrassed. "Yeah, sorry. Something odd came up while we did the title search on Beth's home. Before the Wilsons owned it, the property belonged to a numbered company. I was curious about that as I don't see it too often with residential properties. I asked Grace to trace the ownership and follow the money to avoid any surprises. She found a name linked to the numbered company. It was buried deep, but Grace is very thorough. The name was Marion Spencer. I asked for a background check on this name to ensure there wasn't anything nefarious behind hiding the ownership behind the corporation. That set off an alert with the local police for an old unsolved case. Chanel contacted me as she was assigned the cold case. Shelly was to drop off the keys to you tomorrow, but she agreed to come today and meet us there."

"Marion Spencer. Is she a relative of Shelly's?" Ben asked.

"He," Chanel corrected. "He's her uncle who was questioned in the disappearance of his niece Patty Spencer."

Ben's smile dropped away. "Oh. Oh damn. I just heard about that from Trish." He turned to look at the home. "Wasn't the home checked back then--" He stopped as he realized why they'd missed it. "The police didn't know about his ownership of the property?"

"That's right. He didn't disclose he owned it, and the police didn't have someone like Grace tracking the ownership," Chanel said grimly.

Ben shook his head. "The house had a family living in it for years. They would have noticed something!" At their shrugs, he looked back at Tina and Lucy. "We're going over to Beth's house to look around." They nodded and waved to the group, so Ben set off toward the home as the others followed.

As they walked, Ben's mind spun with dark thoughts about what might have happened in the home before the Wilsons moved in. He glanced at the other houses on the block and realized there was no real way to know what happened in any of them. He knew from her own confession that Tina was being abused by her husband in her old home. Looking back at Beth's home, he wondered, if the walls could talk, would he want to hear what they had to say?

He caught the motion of Shelly's car driving into the court. "Does Shelly know?"

Walter nodded. "I explained what we found, and she was very eager to help."

Ben looked to Chanel. "What are we expecting to find that Beth's family missed for so long?"

"They didn't know they should be looking for something. We're just going to do an inspection now that the house is empty for anything that seems off. Like the footprint of the rooms is off, indicating a hidden room," Chanel explained.

Shelly pulled her car into Trish's driveway, shut it off, and quickly walked to join them. Ben did his best not to stare at the bouncing her quick pace was causing her chest to do.

When she got closer, Ben could see the anxiety around her eyes.

"Hi, Shelly," Ben said, and she stepped closer to give him a hug. He thought he detected a slight tremble.

"You have keys for me?" he asked, and she nodded as she gave him a manila envelope with some paperwork and the keys inside.

As they approached the building, Ben eyed it once more from an architectural perspective. It really wasn't a very stylish construction. Shutters had been bolted onto its surface by the windows, but they didn't soften the visage. He was glad he was tearing it down. He looked over his shoulder at Chanel.

"My intent is to demolish it, foundation and all. Couldn't this inspection wait until then?" he asked.

Chanel shook her head. "Heavy equipment might destroy evidence."

"Do you really think my uncle could be involved in Patty's disappearance?" Shelly asked with a quiet voice.

Chanel addressed her question. "Please understand, I was just assigned the case, and I haven't completely familiarized myself with all the collected statements given at the time, nor have I read all the case notes. What I do know is that many people were interviewed, and many properties were searched. Your uncle indicated he only had the apartment he was renting at the time. Now, we've discovered that he owned this very large home but didn't inform the police of this fact. This is a new lead in an old case. We will confirm if it gives us new insight or not by carefully examining it."

Ben frowned. "Did your uncle have a family? It's a large home."

Shelly shook her head. "Uncle Marion never married. Never had a girlfriend, or a boyfriend for that matter. He seemed to spend most of his free time with some kind of club he was part of, but he never talked about it in front of us. Mom wasn't comfortable around her brother-in-law, so he wasn't invited to our place very often."

"Is he still around?" Ben asked as he walked up to the front door.

"I heard he's in the Sandy Pines Long Term Care Facility because his kidneys are failing. He's on dialysis," she said.

Ben unlocked the door, and they entered. He looked to Chanel.

"I suggest we start at the top and work our way downstairs," she suggested.

They climbed up the stairs and made their way through all the bedrooms, checking the rooms for hidden doors, false walls, anything that could suggest a place to hide someone.

Ben saw little signs of the Wilson's presence, and it made him smile but a little sad too.

They found the attic access, but only Chanel went up the ladder to look around. The space was hot, musty, and empty.

Moving to the ground floor, they poked walls, closets and took some measurements, but there didn't appear to be any missing space.

The basement had a lot of open space. There had been walls down here, but they'd been removed sometime in the past. The painted concrete floors made Ben frown.

Walter noticed. "What is it, Ben?"

He glanced up, then shook his head as he cleared his frown. "No, I was just thinking of how much work it'll be to bust up this cement floor to pull it out."

"You're going right down to the dirt? You can't salvage any of it?" Walter asked.

"No, it all has to go," Ben sighed.

They checked out the utility room and a storage room, now empty. They found no extra spaces. The footprint seemed fine. Ben went back into the utility room and picked up an old plumber's pipe wrench he saw leaning against the wall, left behind by Beth and family.

"What do you plan to do with that?" Chanel asked.

He smiled at her. "I added an extended basement under the back yard for my house. I wondered if this place could have one too. This wall faces the backyard, and it's drywalled. What if there's something behind the drywall? It doesn't matter if I bust up this wall as it's all coming out."

Chanel nodded and gestured for him to proceed.

Ben tapped on the drywall to find the spot between the studs. Then he swung the wrench. It smashed through the wall covering, and they saw insulation behind it. Tugging the stuffing out, he saw the foundation wall behind it. He shook his head to the others, moved three feet to the left, and tried again. He saw poured concrete again. He repeated this process two more times and got the same results. He shrugged as he looked at Chanel. "I'm not seeing anything other than the foundation wall."

"It was a good try, Ben," Chanel said and looked at Shelly. "The house seems to be just an anomaly. I'm not sure why your uncle didn't report it at the time." Shelly just shook her head with a sad expression on her face.

Ben carried the heavy wrench with him as they climbed back up to the ground floor. He locked up as they exited the home.

"I'll let you know if we find anything when the excavation crew starts removing the building," Ben said to Chanel.

She nodded and turned once more to Shelly. "I'll review the case material now that it's on my plate. I'll keep you informed of any progress I make."

"Thank you," Shelly said to her.

Walter nodded. "I'm still having Grace chase down any and all information we can get on this property. That said, there doesn't appear to be anything blocking you from moving forward with your plans."

"Thanks, Walter," Ben said and shook the man's hand. The lawyer and the detective walked away with a nod to him and Shelly, who turned to look back at the house. Ben remained with her and watched the emotions pass across her features. There was a profound sadness in her eyes. Ben moved to her and pulled her into a hug. She trembled in his arms and sucked in a breath as her emotions swelled.

"I'm sorry you went through this. I was a single child and orphaned at an early age, so I have no frame of reference for the pain you're going through, but I know what loneliness looks like and how it feels. Please know you aren't alone. We're here for you," Ben said quietly and kissed her forehead, drawing a smile from the woman.

"Thank you, Ben."

"Hey! Can I get in on that action?"

Ben and Shelly smiled as they looked toward Trish, who joined them on the sidewalk. Ben opened an arm, as did Shelly, and Trish didn't hesitate to move into their embrace.

"Mmmm! That's the good stuff!" Trish sighed, and Ben chuckled as he saw the loving smile on Shelly's face.

Trish looked over to watch Walter driving away when they released their hug. "Was that Walter and Chanel with you two earlier? What's up?"

Shelly looked back at the house. "Walter's title search turned up that my uncle Marion once owned this house."

"Get the fuck out of here!" Trish gasped, and Shelly nodded.

"We went inside to search for possible hidden rooms," Shelly said with a shaky voice.

"Fuck! I assume you didn't find anything," she said, and Ben shook his head. "What's with the huge plumber's wrench? You doing a little fantasy roleplaying? Ben's a plumber coming to take care of our pipes?"

Shelly snorted and slapped Trish's arm as her cousin grinned at her.

"On that note, I'm going home," Ben sighed and lifted the wrench to rest it on his shoulder. Both ladies gave his pose an admiring smile, and he turned to go.

Behind him, he heard Trish's voice drop. "You've put me off long enough! I want all the details of your hot tub party with Ben!"

Shelly's answering giggle was all Ben needed to hear to know there would be no intimate secrets withheld.

Chapter 24

A few minutes before ten AM Monday morning, Ben and Evelyn stood outside of One Ashburn Court. They'd received a last-minute invite from General Davis first thing this morning to tag along on a tour of the Spa with Louis Klein and some of his team. The General had been in touch with the man regarding some potential new work, and the Klein Group was decidedly eager to do business with them. Davis was only able to arrange an hour from the SEAL Teams for the tour.

As Ben had yet to contact Louis Klein regarding his desire to have Dominic's team for the renovations of both his recently purchased houses, this seemed like a prime opportunity to speak to the man and get a feel for how he did business.

The General's limo and escort vehicles quickly pulled into the wide driveway, followed by a high-end SUV. A silver-haired man in a tailored suit stepped out of the driver's door and flashed a wide smile at Ben. The driver was probably in his late fifties, but he looked fit.

"Dominic mentioned you lived nearby, and I was wondering if we'd get to meet. I'm Louis Klein," he said as he extended his hand.

Ben shook it and nodded to the man. "Ben Shepherd."

Louis' smile widened as he gestured to another man coming around the front of the SUV. "My partner, Dan Siegelman. He's also our in-house legal counsel."

Ben smiled and shook the hand of the lawyer, whose grin was just as wide as his partners.

A slim Filipino man was standing behind Louis, and the company owner gestured him forward. "This is Mark Catapang, our chief designer."

"It is an honor to meet you!" Mark gushed.

"Oh! Uh, thanks," Ben replied as he shook the man's hand.

The fourth occupant stepped around the back of the SUV, and Ben recognized him from the photo on Grace Wilson's desk. This was Ed... Wilson?

"Finally, we have Ed Walters, our expert on building services," Louis said proudly. Ed smiled back at the man, then stepped forward and shook Ben's hand.

"I met Grace Wilson at Jerry Taggart's office," Ben said to the big man and watched his eyes light up. "She showed me the picture of your daughters. They're lovely!"

Ed was nodding happily. "They're so smart too! They take after their mom!" he said.

Ben chuckled at the man's pure joy when discussing his children. He knew exactly how that felt. He gestured for Evelyn to step forward. "This is Sergeant Evelyn Killcade. She's my administrative assistant and liaison for the Military and Government offices I do projects for." The men nodded to her, and she to them.

General Davis was at their side and nodded to them. "Now that the introductions have been made let's begin the tour. The SEAL Teams only gave us one hour if we promised to be quiet and not disturb their beauty sleep." He led the group up to the front door and went inside. Evelyn went with him as she had all of the specs for the building memorized so she could answer any questions that the General or Louis' team had.

Ben brought up the rear after Ed.

They did a quick walkthrough from the top floor down, Evelyn pointing out the most notable features of each room.

Mark's eyes glowed with interest as she described the sound dampening features of the sleeping quarters.

When they got to the utilities room in the basement, Ed's excitement ramped up. He examined every component and how they interfaced with the control center.

"This should be how building services are managed in all new projects. Everything is so neatly laid out, easy to monitor and control from one central point. It would be so easy to manage a building's needs from here. Climate control, electrical, plumbing, network, lighting, and security can be reviewed and acted upon from this room!" he gushed to Louis. He was enamored by how brilliant the design was as his eyes jumped from system to system.

Ben could almost see his mind working out how to draw each of these systems back to the central point. "Sometimes, the sensors are read remotely, and their digital feedback is the only connection to make it back to this resource hub. It may not make sense to do a plumbing line run to the location of the control room. Remote sensors are used in those cases."

Ed was nodding as this fit into his mental picture of the design.

Ben watched him with a smile and noticed Louis was doing the same.

They concluded their tour with the General, Evelyn, Louis, and Dan in deep conversation in the driveway. Ben turned to Mark and Ed. "I was just visiting my accountant who moved into that new environmentally friendly development in your hometown. Was that your firm's doing? Were you responsible for the design and implementation of that?"

Mark smiled proudly as he nodded. "That's my favorite project so far!" Ed was nodding with a grin.

"I've purchased two more homes in this neighborhood, and I'm going to replace them with more environmentally integrated buildings like those you built for that commercial development. I'd like to see how it might work in a residential property," Ben said.

Mark turned to Ed. "Your place was the inspiration for that whole series of buildings."

Ed nodded to Mark and turned to Ben. "I could ask Zoe if she wouldn't mind if I gave you a tour. Would you like to see it?"

Ben's ears picked up the unfamiliar name. "Zoe? I thought you lived with Grace."

Ed's face became a little pink. "I do, in Zoe Sandoval's home with her, her daughter Sophia, Rachel Thompson, and our three daughters. It's a large home."

Ben smiled and raised his hands. "Ed, I have a complex home life too." He gestured to his home up the street.

Eyes turned, and Ed's widened when he saw the tall structure on the back. "What is that tower for?" he asked in awe.

Ben grinned. "It contains a kid's jungle gym play zone, and there is a canopy level deck for barbecue parties."

Ed's eye lit up. "A kid's play zone right inside the house?" he exclaimed.

Ben nodded. "Well, connected to the house. Would you like to see it?"

"Yes!" Ed exclaimed excitedly, then looked to his boss apologetically. "Sorry, I forgot we're here on business."

"It's okay, Ed. We'll finish up with the General and meet you and Mark there," Louis said.

"Sixteen Ashburn Court. The one with the tower," Ben said with a grin.

Ben led the way, with Evelyn, Ed, and Mark following. They admired the homes along the way, and Ben pointed out the ones he'd renovated. As they crossed the park, he pointed to Beth's house. "That one is being pulled down, foundation and all, and I want to build a low rise home based on a similar design to my accountant's offices. It has to be integrated with the natural setting. The current building is a big ugly blunt brick in comparison. The new design will be ranch-style, but the bedrooms would be in second-story lofts further back, and the single-story living quarters would be in front." He could see Mark's expression of interest as the design resonated with him. Ed looked interested as well.

They reached Ben's place, and Evelyn said her goodbyes as she headed back to her desk in his office.

Ben took his guests around to the backyard. Ed looked up and spotted the wire leading from the tower into the woods.

"What's that?" he asked.

Ben nodded. "The SEAL Teams asked if they could set up a zip-line to do training exercises during their two-week stay in the Spa."

Mark laughed. "The Spa? That's what they call it?"

Ben nodded. "It was named that by the first squads of soldiers who stayed in it, and it stuck."

He unlocked the back door, and they went inside. Ed stopped and stared at the five-story play zone inside. "Oh wow... my girls would love this..." he whispered in awe.

Ben grinned at him. "They're welcome to come play in it. The daycare in the neighborhood brings their kids over a couple of times a week to let them burn off some energy. When the weather isn't great for being outside, they schedule more frequent visits."

He took the two men up the stairs and pointed out the features of each level of the play zone as they climbed. Then they were on the deck.

"Whoa! What an amazing view!" Mark sighed.

Ben smiled and nodded as he took in the sight of his neighborhood again.

They saw Louis and Dan pulling into the driveway and waited for them to get out.

"LOUIS! Up here!" Mark called out and waved.

The man in question looked up and waved back.

"You gotta see this! Go around the back and climb up!" Mark instructed, and Louis nodded as he headed off with Dan.

A short time later, the two men joined Ben and the others on the deck. Louis looked a little winded, but Dan took in the scenery with a grin. "This is beautiful!" he gushed.

"Could use an elevator," Louis sighed.

Ben smiled. "The dumb waiter has a two-hundred-and-fifty-pound weight limit, but it wouldn't be a comfortable ride."

Louis snorted and shook his head. He gave Dan a sour look as the man raised an eyebrow at his partner's physical condition. Louis pointed to the zip-line.

"I saw your impressive jungle gym but is that a zip-line?" Louis asked.

Ben chuckled. "That was set up by the SEAL Team for night training maneuvers. It's not for the daycare kids."

"You run a daycare?" Dan asked.

"No, a neighbor of mine does. Daphne McKellan at Ten Ashburn Court," he pointed to her house from the deck. "She set up the business in her home. I helped with the renovations with Dominic's team!" Ben looked at Louis. "Speaking of his team, I plan to tear down Fourteen Ashburn Court." He pointed again, this time at Beth's home. "I want to build a new home on the property with a design similar to your new nature integrated light industry commercial park. I'll also be tearing down Six Ashburn Court for a similar rebuild."

"That design was first implemented on a residential property," Louis said and nodded to Ed.

"Yeah, I'm going to ask Zoe if it would be okay for Ben to have a tour of the house to see how it's built," Ed said and frowned. "Now I wish I'd set up a services control center like the Spa has."

"The control center is the brainchild of an engineer friend of mine, Dan Bishop. He's got some amazing ideas that reduce costs and increase efficiencies, and he said he's willing to give us his time for this project. I want him involved in all the builds we do for the Foundation. He'd work very closely with Mark and Ed."

Louis looked to Mark and Ed as both nodded enthusiastically, so he turned to Ben. "Send us his contact details, and we'll set up the meetings. Speaking of meetings, next week I've scheduled some initial meetings with Real Estate Developers in a few of the countries you'll be setting up your Foundation in. We'll be working closely with these local companies to complete the work. I was wondering if you might be convinced to join us?"

Ben looked at Louis in surprise. "I don't know anything about commercial Real Estate Development. I just fix up homes."

"Yes, but your name is going to be on these buildings. You should feel comfortable about who's selected to develop them for you," Dan suggested.

Ben noticed a slight smile on the lawyer's face, which set off alarms. "And the real reason you want me there is?"

Louis chuckled. "It's not the only reason, but your inclusion in the meetings will put them off their game, and we'll get a better impression of how they operate. We've fully vetted the companies we're meeting with, and they all have a reasonable portfolio of successful projects. While we're there, we intend to do an assessment of some properties built by each as due diligence."

Dan picked up the thread. "They'll try to sell us on their idea of what they prefer to build. They all do this. How they respond when we push back is a good barometer of how future interactions will go. Having the client in the meeting would expedite this process."

Ben considered this, and aside from losing some personal time, he had no real issues with the idea. He knew General Davis might tell him to stay home, but he refused to put his life on hold and hide in a hole. "Do you have an itinerary? I'd need to know where I need to be and when, as Evelyn will file that with General Davis."

"I'll send that to you by midweek. Thank you!" Louis said with a smile.

Ben frowned. "My next question is, how are you getting to these countries? I can't take commercial flights anymore with this stupid public attention on me. I have a friend who owns a fleet of private jets, so I'd be using his services."

Dan grinned as he gestured to the four members of the Klein Group. "With four of us traveling, our travel budget means commercial airlines, but Louis and I get the luxury of premium economy."

"Or you could join us on my buddy's jet," Ben suggested.

Louis looked at Dan with a wide smile as Dan seemed a little shocked. "Yeah... that could work too. Who do you travel with?"

"I'd have Evelyn and my personal security, Liliya Sokolov and Tatiana Pushkin. They go where I go, so all transfers and hotels will need to accommodate them. It might make sense to let Evelyn handle the arrangements for booking the hotels as she'll work with the team to ensure the security requirements are met." Ben thought about the logistics. "Which countries are you planning to visit?"

Louis looked like a kid on Christmas morning, discovering Santa had been very good to him. "Dominic asked us to concentrate on London, Paris, Berlin, New York, and Hong Kong. We have a selection of Developers for these and are finalizing candidates for Singapore. We have preliminary dates for the meetings to be firmed up. Also, there was some mention of Moscow?"

"I can't travel to Moscow. Neither can my Security Team. Don't worry about that one, as I have an alternate plan," Ben said. He thought about what Louis said. "If you can finalize the candidates for Singapore, I suggest the following sequence for coordinating the flights: Hong Kong, Singapore, Berlin, Paris, London, and finally, New York."

Dan was making notes on his cell.

"Factoring in time for the meetings and reviews of their buildings, I think you should coordinate with Evelyn. She can assist with any questions regarding timing. She'll handle the logistics of flights with the private jet service, plus the transfers and hotels at the destinations. I'll also cover the costs for those," Ben offered.

"I knew working with Ben was going to be fun!" Louis said gleefully.

"That's really generous, Ben!" Dan said with a smile.

"This project is really important to me. I don't want it to be done half-assed," Ben insisted.

Mark and Ed were looking at each other with excited grins.

"Now, back to my question about having Dominic's team work on my home renovations. Is that going to be possible?" Ben asked.

"We'll make sure you have the resources you need," Louis replied. "When are you planning to get that project started?"

"The demolition of Fourteen Ashburn Court can begin as soon as possible. I still need to see the example of that light industrial office design used for a residential property before designing the new home for that lot," Ben explained. Eyes turned to Ed.

"I'll find out when the best time for that visit would be. Maybe this coming Saturday?" Ed suggested.

Ben nodded. "The weekend works for me."

Ed grinned. "For after the tour, bring your swimsuit as we have a pool and barbecue party on the weekends at Angie's!"

Ben noted another new name. "Sounds fun. Would it be okay to bring my family?"

Ed nodded. "I'll need to know how many for the food order."

"Evelyn, Liliya, and Tatiana are always with me when I travel. I'd also bring Tina, Lucy, and my kids, Christopher, Sam, and Gretchen. Oh! And Rose, Liliya's daughter."

Ed nodded seriously. "Ten people then."

Ben smiled and nodded.

"There will be lots of kids at the party," Ed said with a grin.

"We can have the next party here so the kids can enjoy the play zone, and we'll have a barbecue on the deck," Ben offered, and Ed nodded enthusiastically, then he looked back to the open panels on the railing.

Ben knew what his concerns were. "The panels will be back in place before the party."

Ed nodded with a little smile.

"I'll see if I can get the team out to take down the house. Fourteen, you said," Louis confirmed.

"Yes, that would be perfect. Thanks! Have them speak to me when they arrive," Ben said.

"Thanks for everything, Ben. We should get back to the office to get those meetings arranged," Louis said.

He nodded and followed them down to the driveway, where he waved as they drove off.

Heading back inside, Ben went downstairs to his office, and Evelyn smiled at him from her desk.

"We have new plans for next week... I think," Ben said. She tilted her head as she focused on him.

"Louis and Dan are arranging visits with Real Estate Developers in six countries and have asked us to come along. I've asked them to coordinate with you. We'll need to reserve one of Dennis Thomasson's larger jets for flying to Hong Kong, Singapore, Germany, Paris, London, and New York in that order. Transfers and Hotels for eight people: four on their team and the four of us."

"Sounds like quite the trip. Beginning next week, you say?" she asked. He noted the hesitation in her voice.

"Listen, I'm aware there's a nebulous threat out there, but I'm not willing to stop participating in my life just in case. I have you, Liliya, Tatiana, and whatever resources the General can bring to bear if he chooses to get involved. I'm going," Ben insisted, and Evelyn just nodded.

"As for when the trip happens, I believe it will be next week, but it will depend on how quickly they can arrange the meetings. Louis indicated that he had most of the candidates selected and was targeting next week, but they haven't determined the Singapore developers yet. Coordinating multiple meetings in six countries with sufficient time to review existing projects they've done doesn't sound like something that can be done quickly. Can I ask you to get in touch with him to help them?" He plucked Louis' business card from where he'd left it on his desk and handed it to her.

"Definitely! I'll ensure the General is aware of the itinerary as well," Evelyn said, looking Ben in the eye.

He smiled and nodded as he sat at his desk. He appreciated that Evelyn was making an effort to ensure he was aware that she wasn't doing anything behind his back. He knew she was the General's link to him and had to report his movements to the man. She never did so without Ben's knowledge beforehand, and that was fine. Ben understood the General had made above and beyond efforts to protect him, so he was grateful and willing to put up with the well-intentioned in-house surveillance.

"We'll have the lab space for the battery testing tomorrow. Today they're installing the heavy-duty workbenches. Tomorrow morning, the materials for the first tests will be delivered," she said.

"Excellent! I've done everything I can do in terms of reviewing the notes and specs. Something is missing. I don't see what caused the explosion, nor do I see how the designer could get the performance numbers he reported," Ben said with a frown. The puzzle was itching his brain as he felt close to something.

"We have an appointment with Catherine at her office this afternoon at three. She's completed the report on the Foundation's service offerings. I'm eager to see what the buildings will require!" Evelyn said.

"Louis has been waiting on that, hasn't he," Ben said, and Evelyn nodded.

"Not for the preliminary developer meetings but soon after. Dominic had your initial plans, which he would have given to Louis in the hand-off. Catherine was expanding on that," Evelyn explained.

Ben sat back in his chair and glanced at the clock. It was only eleven-thirty, so he had hours until he had to meet Catherine. He looked to Evelyn.

"I need to run an errand downtown." He sighed. "We have to bring Liliya and Tatiana, but I don't want them in the shop with me. That would just lead to another flare-up from Tatiana."

"They can watch the front and rear doors of the shop," Evelyn suggested.

Ben nodded. "Sure."

He went to the safe and opened it to select some diamonds, placing them in a small paper envelope. This went into his pocket. "Okay, let's go see the ladies."

They took Ben's truck and parked before Two Ashburn Court. They walked up to the front door, and Ben rang the doorbell.

Almost a minute later, Tatiana opened the door to stare at Ben. "Yes?" she said with a dull voice.

"I'm running an errand downtown," Ben said.

She rolled her eyes and turned to walk back inside. "Liliya! Our leash is here!"

Ben remained at the door as he needed to calm himself.

Liliya arrived and sent Ben an apologetic look. He just nodded and stepped outside to walk to the truck. Tatiana locked the house behind her and was last into the vehicle. The Sergeant didn't wait for her to buckle up before getting them back on the road. That wasn't missed by the brunette.

The drive downtown was quick, and Evelyn got them a spot on the street a few doors away from the shop.

Evelyn looked over the seat toward the two ladies in the backseat. "Liliya, if you could watch the front door, Tatiana can watch the back door. Twenty-eight twenty-eight is the address. Jahal Jewelry Design."

Tatiana's eyes jumped to Ben then she was out of the truck and walking toward the alley leading to the back of the shop.

The others got out, and Ben headed for the front door. Evelyn touched his arm to make him wait as she went inside first.

Liliya was at his side immediately. "I'm sorry, Ben. I should never have mentioned the diamonds to her."

"It's fine," he sighed. He didn't want to talk about it again.

Liliya would have continued, but Evelyn opened the door and indicated he was free to enter.

Ben nodded to the Sergeant and stepped into the shop. He'd done his research and read the reviews before choosing this business. They did excellent work at decent prices. He approached the counter and saw a woman in her late thirties, maybe? She was watching him with wide eyes, so she probably--

"Mr. Shepherd! It is an honor to have you in my shop!" the lovely East Indian woman gasped.

Ben glanced around at the small space and smiled. It was intimate with something interesting for the eyes everywhere he looked. "It's lovely, and your reputation for quality work brought me here. Are you the owner?"

A smile flashed across her face. "Yes, thank you. I'm Jahal Mannan. What can I do for you today?"

Ben nodded. "I need a ring designed. I have the diamonds, so I need a setting for them. A central stone and smaller stones on either side.

"I can do that." She looked into one of her jewelry cases and pointed out some examples. "Something like these?"

Ben examined the rings and pointed at one he thought was close. "The one in the center is like what I was thinking about, perhaps not quite so... linear?"

"Slightly offset perhaps?" she suggested.

"Yes!" he agreed. He pulled the small envelope of diamonds from his pocket, and she placed a black velvet cloth on the counter. He poured the stones out, and she smiled in appreciation.

"I can make a lovely ring with these. When do you need it by?" she asked.

Ben realized he was likely to be away next week overseas. "Two-three weeks?"

She smiled in relief. "That's definitely possible." She arranged the stones on the cloth in roughly the order they would appear on the band, and Ben nodded his approval. She made some notes and gestured for Ben to put the diamonds back in the envelope. He handed it to her, and she wrote out a receipt.

As she handed him the slip of paper, there was a terrible crash noise from the rear of the shop. Evelyn was immediately through the staff-only door and returned quickly.

"Something metallic struck the rear exit door. It's still secure, but I can hear screaming in the alley," she reported.

The shop owner looked worried, but Ben just sighed. "I have one of my security detail back there. We'd better get out there before she kills someone."

"Oh!" Jahal exclaimed. She rushed to the front door, locked up, and flipped the Open sign over. Evelyn made some hand signals to Liliya through the front window. The Russian quickly headed for the alley entrance.

Evelyn led the way through the shop to the back door, followed by Ben and Jahal. The Sergeant pushed the back door open and discovered it was blocked by an unconscious male. Ben put his hand on the door, and they shoved him out of the way and stepped out into the alley. Tatiana was standing amongst four men on the ground. Two were moaning in pain. The other two were out.

Ben spotted movement in the corner of his eye, and his hand was moving before he registered it was a sixth man sitting on the ground leaning back against a dumpster. He was lifting a gun to point it at Tatiana. Ben's fist struck the man's swollen face with a sick crack sound, and the gun fell from the lifeless fingers.

He stared at the dead man in shock as Evelyn quickly moved the weapon and checked the man's pulse. She looked up at Ben with a grim expression and shook her head.

"Shit! I didn't hit him that hard!" Ben muttered.

He looked at Tatiana, who was looking back at him in shock. Liliya joined them and said something quickly to Tatiana. Without taking her eyes from Ben, she gave her partner a report, gesturing to each of the men.

"Shakti!" Jahal exclaimed as she lifted a hand to cover her mouth.

Ben saw she was staring at the dead man with recognition. "You knew him?" he asked.

She nodded shakily. "Yes, but he was supposed to have gone back to India. I-I filed a restraining order against him. He wasn't to come within one hundred yards of my home or business."

Ben glanced at Liliya. "Tatiana was confronted by that man when she approached the shop's back door. He used harsh words against her, so she returned them. Then he grabbed Tatiana's wrist."

"I struck his temple with the pommel of my blade. Hard. He should have remained unconscious," she frowned as doubt passed over her expression.

Liliya continued. "These others left the van and rushed to the man's aid, beginning with the man on the ground by the door. She put them all down."

Ben looked at Jahal. "Do you recognize any of the other men?"

The woman shook her head in confusion. Ben walked back to the door and examined the man on the ground. He was unconscious and had a nasty bruise on his cheek. His jaw looked crooked, so it might be broken. He grabbed the man's collar and dragged him over with the others.

As he gently laid him back on the road, Jahal gasped, and eyes turned in her direction.

"I do know this one! He works for Shakti," she exclaimed.

"Why would he have come to your place of business, to the rear entrance with a group of men?" Ben asked.

"Two months ago, he tried to convince me to return to New Delhi with him to get married. I refused, and he became violent. I called the police, and he left when they arrived. That's when I filed the restraining order. I heard from a friend of the family that he went back to India. He must have come back with them to abduct me."

"You won't have to worry about that anymore," Evelyn said as she put her cell away and pulled out some zip ties.

A few minutes later, a police cruiser pulled into the alley, and Evelyn waved to them.

"I called Catherine to reschedule until tomorrow. I believe we'll be occupied this afternoon," she said to Ben, and he nodded with a grim look on his face.

His eyes lifted once more to catch Tatiana watching him. He realized he'd killed for her. Unintentional, of course, but he wondered what she made of that.

Chapter 25

Louis Klein contacted Ben late Monday night, so bright and early Tuesday morning, Ben was out on the sidewalk before Beth's old house watching the demolition equipment rolling into the neighborhood. He grinned as he saw the familiar smiling faces of Dominic's crew. Hector Ramirez hopped out of his truck and walked over to shake Ben's hand with a big smile.

"How've you been?" Ben asked.

"Really good! Glad to be back in the hood, though. The new job has me on the road more than I like," the younger man sighed.

Ben nodded to that. He'd wondered if they'd have to make the drive to the next city for the job transfer.

Hector got a look in his eye as he glanced back at his crew, who seemed to be waiting on something. "So... we were wondering if you've made lunch arrangements." There was hope in his expression.

Ben laughed and nodded. "Yes, they were available, so I booked them for the week."

"Yes!" Hector cheered and raised his fists. A cheer rang out from the other men.

Ben noted a few unfamiliar faces, smiling but looking at their coworkers in confusion.

"I see you brought some new friends," Ben added.

Hector nodded. "Yeah, we lost some of the old team when the bossman retired. The new guys are good."

"That's good enough for me," Ben said with a smile.

Jayden joined them, and Hector rolled his eyes.

"Look who wanders over to the job site with only seconds to spare," Hector scoffed.

"I'm on time, aren't I?" Jayden dished back with a grin.

Ben noticed admiring eyes turn to watch someone approach, so he looked to see Chanel coming. He smiled at her. "Good morning, Chanel!"

"Good morning, Ben," she said, ignoring the worker's blatant stares. Ben passed his eyes over the group, and they suddenly found things to do.

"Hector Ramirez, this is Chanel Babineaux, my good friend and neighbor. Chanel, Hector is the site foreman for this crew."

She flashed a brilliant smile at him. "Nice to meet you. I'm also here in my official capacity as a detective for the police department. I need to ensure your men are aware of this building's role in an ongoing investigation."

Hector nodded. "Yes, I was informed by Mr. Klein that we are to stop if we discover anything that falls outside the expected floor plan or evidence of violence."

Ben's expression was grim. "I sincerely hope that won't be the case, but I'm grateful for your vigilance in this."

Hector smiled and waved it off. "We're doing salvage first thing, removing doors, fixtures, cabinets, and whatever seems salvageable. This is one of the reasons we love working with you, Ben. Nothing goes to waste if it can help someone else." He looked to Chanel. "We'll peel this place apart, and if anything surfaces, I have your number."

"Most appreciated!" She looked at Ben. "You didn't have too much trouble at the station yesterday with the death of that potential kidnapper?"

Ben squirmed uncomfortably as Hector and Jayden stared at him in shock. "Uh, no. They determined it was accidental and justified as he attempted to shoot my bodyguard. It's over."

Chanel grinned at his embarrassment. "You're a good man to have at your back. Tatiana should be grateful."

Ben frowned, and she waved to stop his response as she knew the truth. "I should leave for work. Thanks again," she said with a smile.

Ben's gaze was caught by her amazing ass for just a second, then he turned to Hector and Jayden, who also tried not to gawk at the woman when their curiosity about Ben's involvement in a death grabbed their attention.

"Details!" Jayden insisted.

Ben rolled his eyes. Then he pulled a card from his wallet and handed it to Jayden. "This is where you should go to get that thing made." The young man looked at the jeweler's card and tucked it away. He returned to staring at Ben.

Sighing, Ben gave them a quick explanation of what had happened the day before.

"Killed him with one punch?" Hector gasped.

Ben shook his head. "It was likely the blow from Tatiana's knife hilt that broke the bones in his skull. I had no idea punching him would drive pieces into his brain. It was just a stupid accident, but it kept Tatiana from being shot, so something good came out of it. The guy was there to kidnap the store owner, so stopping that was a bonus."

He shook his head. "Anyway, it's over, and I'd appreciate it if we could move on." He glanced back at his place. "I should get back to work as well. Give me a call if anything comes up."

"Will do, Ben," Hector said, eager to tell the latest story to his team.

Ben went home and met with the Sergeant coming up from the office in the basement. "I just confirmed the lab space is ready. Are you ready to go?"

He grinned at her. "Yes!"

They went to his truck, then picked up Tatiana and Liliya.

The commercial district where the lab facility was located was on the other side of the city, so the Sergeant took them on the highway to bypass driving through the core. The morning traffic was heavy, but their GPS indicated this was the quickest route.

"Any news from Agent Russo?" Ben asked.

"Nothing yet, Ben," Liliya answered.

Evelyn shook her head. "We've heard nothing from the CIA either, but the General is keeping on top of this."

Ben frowned. He wasn't happy about this potential hit squad as it could also put others around him in danger. He glanced back and shared a look with Tatiana and saw her frustration.

They finally pulled off the highway and, a short time later, parked next to a single-level industrial park.

"We're in unit one-oh-three," Evelyn said, pointing to the door up ahead. The building was just a long rectangle with doors at set intervals but no windows. There were maybe three other cars parked before the long building.

"I will check the perimeter," Tatiana said as she stepped out of the truck. She walked away before they could respond.

The Sergeant led them to the door and punched in the code she was given to unlock it. The front of the unit had a small reception area with tables and chairs. Behind this was a small kitchenette with a fridge and coffee maker. The restrooms were next then the lab space. Liliya said she'd remain in the reception area.

Ben and Evelyn put on the supplied safety gear, which in this case was simply a white lab coat and safety goggles. They went into the lab area and saw the work benches were set up. Everything the original researcher had in his lab had been duplicated. All of the components required to build the energy cells as he originally had were in boxes on the floor before the benches. Ben had reviewed the man's notes in excruciating detail, looking for clues as to what went wrong, but something was missing.

He looked at Evelyn and rubbed his hands together with a grin as today they were moving beyond theory and doing some hands-on research.

"Let's see what we have in the boxes!" he said with a grin, and she smiled back at him.

They began unpacking the items, and Ben lined them up on the test bench in order of assembly based on the design docs. They needed to make space around the table, so he had Evelyn assist him in moving the blast shield to the side of the room where the breaker panels were. This would go back around the bench once they powered up the energy cell they'd build.

Each test bench had power outlets they could plug into, but they were currently unpowered as an extra safety precaution. The breakers for them would need to be flipped first.

Ben inspected each component to ensure it was exactly as the original designer specified. He examined the flat rectangular lithium cells and frowned as each had a thin blue plastic wrap around them.

"His documentation says nothing about this plastic coating. Is it new?"

Evelyn shook her head. "Let me contact the manufacturer." She pulled out her cell and frowned. "I have no signal. Give me a moment." She moved to the back door and stepped outside, leaving the door slightly ajar as there was no handle on the outside. Ben moved on to inspect the next component as Evelyn made a call. He was finished by the time she finally returned.

"It took some time to find someone in the manufacturing process who could address this, but they've been putting this plastic protective wrap on their cells before shipping them out since the beginning. I'm not sure why the designer didn't mention it," Evelyn said.

Ben pondered that. "Is it just a protective coating meant to be removed prior to use?"

"According to the technician I spoke to, yes," Evelyn responded.

Ben looked at the assembly notes. "As there's no reference to removing the film, our first test will have to leave it in place to see if that has any effect."

They got to work.

A short time later, Liliya poked her head in the door. "Ben, the building construction is interfering with our radios. I need to go check on Tatiana. The front door will remain locked."

He looked at her distractedly. "Huh? Oh! Sure."

Evelyn smiled and shook her head as she knew Ben probably wouldn't recall Liliya telling him, so she nodded to the woman.

They made quick work of the assembly and found packing the lithium cells into the outer metal shell to be the most difficult stage.

"It's the extra thickness of the plastic," Ben sighed. "Again, no reference to the shell being this tight, but we'll have to try it." He looked to the supplies they'd ordered, and they had plenty of spare lithium cells to run additional experiments.

He looked to the Sergeant, and she was frowning at her radio. Then she checked her cell. "What's wrong?"

"The building is blocking the radio and cell signals," she grumbled. "I didn't expect that. I need to check on Liliya and Tatiana."

Ben looked at her, his mind a million miles away. "Sure."

She smirked and headed for the back door. Ben heard it close behind her.

He frowned at the battery unit on the test bench. It should be ready to go according to the docs. He looked toward the back door, but Evelyn hadn't returned. He walked over to the blast shield to see if he could move it back to the work bench. The thick plastic sheets mounted in the frame proved too awkward for one person to move.

He was glaring at it when the door to the front area opened, and a stranger rushed inside. He moved to stand directly across the room from Ben with only the two work benches between them, ten feet away. As Ben stared at him, he lifted his arm and pointed a gun at Ben. The shot was deafening in the enclosed space.

Ben looked at the slug trapped in the blast shield between them. It would have gone straight through his head, killing him instantly. He would have missed his children growing up. The weddings for Karen and Penny. Growing old with the women he loved.

He touched the barrier that saved him and felt the bump where the bullet stopped.

Then his eyes focused on the surprised face of the killer across the room.

Ben reached behind himself and flipped the breakers without taking his eyes from the other man.

Nothing happened at first, and the man's eyes flicked up to the overhead lights, which remained on. He smirked and began to circle the work bench lifting his gun once more.

The second boom was much louder and sharper. The blast shield once more protected Ben as the shrapnel from the battery bomb exploded in all directions.

The gunman wasn't so lucky. He was a bloody mess on the floor... and on the wall behind him. The exposed bits of lithium burst into intense flames as they reacted with oxygen.

Ben flipped the breakers off once more. He looked up at the sprinklers, but they hadn't triggered yet. He wasn't sure how to extinguish a Lithium fire.

He saw the hitman's gun on the floor and was contemplating getting it when Evelyn burst through the front door with someone in military fatigues at her back.

They took in the carnage, and Evelyn's eyes quickly scanned the room, finding Ben standing behind the blast shield. The sailor with her rushed to the back door and opened it.

Two more SEAL Team members joined them. "We have the hit team in custody, no fatalities," one reported.

The sailor with Evelyn shook his head. "One fatality." He pointed to the blast victim.

"Shit! What did that?" one of the sailors asked.

Ben glanced at him as he walked past. "A bad battery." He dumped his goggles and lab coat on the spare work bench.

Evelyn snorted, and eyes turned her way. She blushed and followed Ben outside, where the parking lot behind the building was swarming with police and two SEAL Team squads. Three men were on their stomachs with arms and legs zip-tied behind them. A police officer was having an argument with Lieutenant Ashton. With a glance at Ben, Evelyn went over to speak with them.

Another shot rang out, and everyone ducked. Ben looked up at the roof of the building across the lot and saw Tatiana push the dead body of another man over the edge, followed by his rifle.

The police pointed their weapons at her, yelling at her to drop her gun and come down. She smirked at them.

"SHE'S ON OUR SIDE! PUT YOUR GUNS AWAY!" Ben bellowed, and the police turned to look back at him. "She's my bodyguard," Ben added. He looked up and saw her nod to him in acknowledgment.

Liliya walked another prisoner around the corner of the building. The police swung their attention to her.

"She's also one of us," Ben called out.

Liliya knocked the man down onto his stomach next to the others and quickly zip-tied his legs. She walked over to Ben. "A sniper. I caught him on the roof of the next building covering the front entrance."

"I think Tatiana caught another one. She killed hers."

Tatiana walked up to them with a smug look. "Paying you back for stopping that man from shooting me yesterday. We are even."

Ben looked her in the eye but spoke quietly. "Tatiana, I'm aware of how many mob people you... took care of to protect me and mine. We are nowhere near even."

She smiled and nodded to acknowledge his gratitude and debt. She seemed a lot calmer now that she'd been able to kill someone. That gave Ben some concern.

They looked at the men on the ground. Evelyn rejoined them. "The prisoners are going back with the SEAL Team, and our people will take them from there for interrogation. They are being classified as a terrorist threat," she explained.

"They sent a team of six after me?" Ben asked in surprise.

"Five," Tatiana corrected smugly.

Ben gestured towards the door. "There's another one inside. He's dead."

That seemed to set her back a bit, but she quickly recovered. "He was on a team of amateurs. Even the Sergeant could deal with him. The sniper I shot was not with them. He was a contingency, sent by Zhdankov to ensure your death after these losers failed," Tatiana explained. "This was just a test."

Evelyn began to speak, but Ben got there first and pointed to the corpse of the sniper. "How could you know that one wasn't with the others?" Ben exclaimed.

"His weapons. His clothing. His skill. Signs of the training camps we went through. These others lacked the edge. I believe they are locally hired," Tatiana purred, pleased she was schooling Ben.

He looked to Liliya, who nodded in agreement. "We were able to take them alive," she said gently.

Evelyn still looked agitated, but Ben placed his hand on her arm to stop her from speaking.

"What does that mean for future attempts?" he pressed.

Tatiana leaned forward. "If we do not take Zhdankov out now, the next team will be a larger threat."

Ben glared at her. "One of these less capable assassins got past you, Liliya, and Evelyn. He shot at me." Tatiana froze, then turned to glare at the Sergeant, but Ben wasn't finished. "Evelyn lost contact with you two due to the building's shielding. She left me in a locked building to re-establish communications with the team. This amateur, as you called him, managed to get past three trained professionals into a locked building and fired his gun at me from ten feet."

Tatiana was blinking at Ben as her face reddened. "How..."

"I was standing behind the blast shield Evelyn arranged for the lab. Lucky for me, she bought one that was bulletproof. It saved my life," he asserted.

"How did you defeat the gunman?" Liliya asked quietly.

"The battery pack we were testing had a defective design. There was a chance that it might explode. I fed it power, and it did," he explained.

Liliya's fair complexion paled even more. "If it hadn't--"

"I'd be dead."

The three women looked appropriately shaken.

"Mistakes were made. How they tracked us here needs to be determined. Maybe the General needs to speak to Agent Russo to discover how they missed the team and the contingency agent," Ben suggested, and Evelyn nodded.

Ben looked back at the door to the lab and sighed. "Shit! I was looking forward to doing the next test, but I guess we won't be doing that today."

"It would be strategically wise to return to the neighborhood until we can get some answers on how they found the lab," Evelyn suggested.

Ben huffed in frustration. "Fine. Let's go."

Evelyn rushed back into the lab and gathered the documentation for the experiment. She placed this in the docket and returned to the truck. She saw Ben was behind the wheel, and his expression told her not to argue.

One of the SEAL Teams was heading back to the neighborhood, bringing the living suspects to hand over to the General's interrogators. The second team remained with the police, who were waiting on the coroner's arrival.

The drive back was quiet as everyone was subdued after the attack.

As they pulled into the driveway of One Ashburn Court, the Sergeant spoke. "I think it might be wise to postpone the meeting with Ms. McGovern and her team until tomorrow. I need to speak with the General first."

Ben looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

"I'm sorry we failed you today, Ben," Liliya said contritely.

Tatiana's eyes flared. "Do not include me in that failure! I fulfilled my role!" She glared at Evelyn, then got out of the truck and slammed the door as she stormed off.

Liliya sighed, then got out. Ben waved to her as she reached the door and looked back. This brought a small smile to her lips as she stepped inside.

Ben drove to his driveway, where he parked, undid his seatbelt, and turned to Evelyn. She undid her belt and waited as he collected his thoughts.

"I'm beginning to see the merit in Tatiana's idea of taking the fight to them--I know, we can't... but just reacting to their attacks when we're not getting sufficient intel seems suicidal," he growled in frustration.

"I'll talk to the General and get him to light a fire under Agent Russo," Evelyn said, and her eyes became a little glassy. "I-I'm so sorry I failed you so badly today!" Her bottom lip began to tremble as her emotions swelled.

Ben looked her in the eye. "Hey! You didn't fail me! The enemy may have been underestimated, but if you hadn't purchased the bulletproof blast shield, it would have gone much worse for me. Those shields aren't typically so strong, are they?"

Evelyn was trembling and shook her head. "I thought it would be better protection if the batteries exploded."

"It was."

He saw she was starting to get the shakes, so he reached over and pulled her into a hug. She made a squeak noise then she was clinging to him tightly as she cried on his shoulder.

He rubbed her back as he made calming noises to her. They remained that way until her tears finally calmed.

When she pulled back, he saw her lovely blue eyes were still very glassy.

"You didn't fail me. We need better intel. Maybe we need a better plan for dealing with these hit squads. You didn't fail me," Ben said firmly as he held her eyes with his.

She nodded shakily and gave him the hint of a smile.

"Are we okay?" Ben asked, and she nodded again.

He sighed. "I'm going to take the rest of the day off. I've had enough excitement."

They got out of the truck, and Evelyn ran back to her house with a final look at Ben.

Ben got himself inside his house and let the shakes he'd been suppressing rock through his body. Once he felt like he wouldn't come apart, he walked out to the deck and prepared his hot tub.

He needed a soak.

He was also looking forward to having his family home tonight as well.

Ben considered checking on the demolition of Fourteen Ashburn Court, but he just didn't feel up to making conversation with anyone. He needed some me time, then family time.

So, that's what he would do.

Chapter 26

Catherine was agreeable to having her meeting with Ben at his place. She brought along her team, and they arrived at ten AM.

Tall, blonde, and slim, Ingrid Nilson was Catherine's Logistics Controller. She was grinning ear to ear as she sat in Ben's living room. She was no longer hiding behind big chunky glasses, favoring wire frames now to show off her lovely eyes that shared her delighted smile. Ben also saw what looked like an engagement ring on her finger.

Next to her was Darcy Lane, Cat's Financial Controller. She was still carrying extra weight on her petite frame. Some of that mass was bulging out of the neckline of her dress. A push-up bra must have been employed to assist with this emphasis. She had a wicked smile on her lips, so she knew he'd noticed.

Ashanti Tippin was pregnant and showing significantly. She also had a tranquil smile on her lips as she was enjoying her first child experience. It was a late pregnancy for the woman in her late thirties, but Ben had become a father in his forties, so he wouldn't judge her. Catherine mentioned to Ben that Ashanti was only along to assist with the transition as she was leaving the charity to be a full-time mother.

Trish was there as well, as she'd been working with Catherine closely on their preliminary efforts to set up the foundations in each target country. When she saw Darcy's cleavage display for Ben, she undid a few buttons on her top to add to the visual distraction.

"Sorry you weren't able to come by yesterday. We had a little dog and pony show set up for you," Catherine said to tease Ben.

He grinned at her. "You know I have every faith in you and your team. There's no need for window dressing. Sorry you all had to come over here, but we had a little excitement yesterday, and we're reviewing what went wrong with the security process." He saw Evelyn's smile wobble as she was still carrying guilt for that.

The ladies' expressions became concerned. "What happened?" Trish asked.

Evelyn was about to answer when Ben held up a hand to stop her. "It doesn't matter. It was handled, and people are investigating to ensure it doesn't happen again."

The nervous looks didn't disappear, and Cat's and Trish's eyes locked on Ben's until he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. "Okay, fine. A hit team made an attempt on my life at the lab space we rented. They were caught, some were killed, and we're having Army Intelligence and the CIA review how they got so close without us getting a warning."

"Fuck!" Trish exclaimed as she looked at Evelyn.

Ben saw the Sergeant was becoming a little red-faced. She'd spoken to Ben after she arrived this morning, and he noted she was a little stiff in her behavior. She told him General Davis was livid with both her and the CIA. He was following up with Agent Russo as it was discovered that her team had knowledge of the Russian assassin but lost track of him and failed to notify the General.

"It's done. Steps are being taken to increase security. We move forward. This isn't what we're here to talk about today so let's hear the presentation. No dogs or ponies required," he said with a smile.

They heard he wasn't going to give them any further details, so Cat nodded to Ingrid, who handed out the report they'd compiled for the requirements they determined. For each section, there were subcategories for each country, outlining the unique needs of that region.

Ben smiled as he followed along, Catherine presenting with input from Trish and the others.

There were a few gotchas, and Ben was getting a clearer idea of just how expensive this plan would be. Darcy surprised him with a report on how they could recoup some of these expenses directly from the countries hosting the Foundations through existing local incentive programs.

They were heads down over the charts outlining the logistics of the supply chains for each country when there was a loud knocking at the front door. Ben frowned and looked over his shoulder out the living room picture window. Several police cars were arriving at Fourteen Ashburn, including Chanel's sporty little coup.

Ben's throat tightened as he glanced at Trish. She looked out the window and then headed for the door.

Ben looked at Catherine and her team. "This is awesome, and I want to continue, but we'll need to take a break. Something's happening over at the demolition of Beth's house."

He heard someone step up to the living room doorway and saw Jayden standing there with a grim look.

"We found something."

-=-

Chanel was speaking with Hector on the driveway next to the home when Ben arrived with his entourage. The detective took one look at the group and shook her head. "We cannot have anyone else on the property until we've inspected the recent discovery.

Trish looked like she might run around Chanel, so Ben gently pulled her to his side. He looked to the home and saw they'd pulled the upper floors down and had been in the process of scooping the debris into trucks to be hauled away. The basement was exposed, but Ben couldn't spot anything he'd consider a discovery. He looked curiously at Hector.

"The basement foundation extends out under the backyard. The excavator's bucket struck the back foundation wall, and there was a thin layer of concrete over the cinder block. They broke and fell into a void behind the wall," he told them.

"Shit! We checked the back wall in the basement, and all we saw was concrete," Ben exclaimed.

Hector nodded. "Someone was very clever with how they disguised that entrance."

Chanel raised her hand to stop Hector. "We're bringing in the forensic team to do the inspection. We need the corner where the entrance was found to be cleared of debris safely. Then we need a ladder down to the basement floor from that side."

"I'll speak with Julius to get him to clear the area with the excavator. We also have a ladder we can secure to the floor," Hector confirmed, then he moved off with a nod to Ben.

"Your project will have to be put on hold until the forensic team has released the site," Chanel said to Ben.

"Understood," he replied with a nod.

She looked at Trish. "We'll keep you, and Ms. Spencer informed of our findings. For now, we need everyone to move back to let the teams work."

Ben nodded and guided Trish and the others back to the sidewalk before the home.

A Police SUV rolled up and turned into the driveway. Ben's group watched Chanel approach it to begin speaking with the CSI techs stepping out. The excavator was gingerly scraping up and moving all the busted lumber, drywall, pipes, and wiring away from the now exposed entrance. Jayden was standing by with another worker. They had a ladder, a short piece of two-by-four, and tools to affix the board to the basement floor to brace the ladder's feet against.

"It could be a long time before they announce their findings. Let's go back to my place and finish," Ben suggested.

They went back to Ben's and tried to return to the presentation. It didn't take long for them to realize how futile it was trying to concentrate on the plan when there was such a distracting event taking place just a few doors down.

"Ben, we've reviewed the most significant sections, so why don't you and Evelyn read over the remaining pages of the report. If you have questions, let us know, and we'll return to answer them," Catherine suggested.

He sighed and rested back in his chair. "Yeah. That sounds like a good idea. Thank you so much for all of your efforts to date. This is excellent work! I feel much better knowing you have such an excellent grasp of the requirements for the project moving forward."

Everyone stood, and Ben gave Cat and her staff hugs. Darcy's hands were a little low for a friendly hug, but he let that slide as she grinned at him. Before they stepped out the door, Catherine slipped back up to him and took a hot kiss before pushing her ladies outside.

Trish wouldn't be outdone, so she squeezed herself against Ben's chest and tasted his mouth with a deep kiss before pulling back with a grin and skipping down the steps from his door. She waved at Cat as she jogged back to her place, watching the activity before Beth's old house.

Ben and Evelyn watched Catherine's team climb into her car and drive away.

Next, their eyes went to Fourteen Ashburn Court, where the techs were swarming over the scene. The ladder was in place, and Jayden could be seen back behind police tape on the sidewalk with the other members of the team.

The gourmet food truck Ben had arranged was pulling into the court, but the police stopped them from moving into the circle. They backed up and parked at the curb in front of Trish's place. Ben locked up, and Evelyn followed him across the park to the truck where the construction crew was already lining up. Ben joined Hector at the back of the line.

"What's the word from the police?" Ben asked the man.

"This might be a good time to start on your second project. We could begin the salvage on it. Which home was it?" Hector asked.

Ben gestured over his shoulder to the home next to Trish's.

Hector's eyebrows rose. "Jayden's place?"

The man in question heard his name and moved back in the line to join them. "Yeah, mom sold it to him. I'm living with Karen now."

Hector gave Jayden a false scowl. "Here I thought we were friends, and you're keeping secrets from me!"

"It just happened! Besides, I don't need to pass every detail about my life past you for approval!" Jayden exclaimed, fighting back his grin.

"Putting that aside, yes, you can get started on the salvage job for Six Ashburn Court. Might as well get the guys on that after lunch." Ben pulled a key off his keychain and handed it to Hector, who added it to his. He nodded to Ben.

Then the foreman pointed at his eyes, then Jayden's, indicating he was watching him. Jayden couldn't keep from cracking up at the intensity of Hector's expression. Both men broke into chuckles.

Ben just shook his head as he shared a look with Evelyn. "Kids."

He looked behind himself and noticed the line included a few SEAL Team sailors, several police officers, and at least one CSI agent. He glanced back at the number of people still on the site. He stepped out of the line to move to the truck to speak to the owner.

"Felipe! How's it going?"

The man grinned at Ben through the window as he prepared the next meal. "Ben! Business is great!"

"Did you want to bring in your second truck? There's a larger than usual group today," Ben asked.

"Are they part of your deal, too?" the man asked.

"Yes, I'll cover their orders," Ben agreed, and the man's smile widened. He nodded to Ben as his wife, Camila, lifted her cell to her ear to call in their second truck. She waved to Ben and blew him a kiss. Ben grinned at Filipe's playful cry of protest, then walked back to Evelyn.

One of Hector's crew made noises to protest Ben's not moving to the back since he left the line. Ben looked at the grinning man. He raised his voice to be heard all the way to the end of the line. "I just arranged a second truck to serve you back-of-the-line-folks. No more comments from you, Larry!" That cracked up his buddies.

He caught the eye of the officers. "These trucks are no charge. Please pass this along to the others."

Ben saw grins pop up on faces.

Ten minutes later, he was almost to the window when a second truck rolled up to the curb directly behind the first and quickly opened for business. Hector was there to indicate the line for that truck started with one of the police officers. Then he returned to stand behind Ben.

"I gotta say, Ben, this is the best perk of working with you!" Hector said.

"What? It isn't my charming personality?" Ben asked in outrage.

Hector laughed, as did Jayden.

"Hey! Disrespectful youth!" he grumbled with false ire. Evelyn smiled at him as she patted his thick arm consolingly. That brought a smile to his face.

Then they were up. Lunch time!

-=-

Ben walked through his neighborhood after finishing his delicious meal. While he'd enjoyed his lunch on the steps of Jayden's old home with the young man and Hector, Evelyn had gone back to her desk in his office to eat as she wanted to follow up with the General and Louis Klein on separate matters.

He was walking past Gabriella's home when he heard Chanel call out to him. He stopped to look back, and her grim expression immediately wiped the smile from his face.

She closed the distance to stand near to him to speak quietly. "They found bodies."

Ben's ears began to ring as he jolted. "What? Bodies? As in, more than one?"

Chanel nodded. "I need to inform you that there will be a very painstaking examination of every inch of the chambers found in the sealed basement extension. The house will be under police guard for at least a week." She took a breath. "There are three bodies, found locked in what looked like prison cells."

"Did you find Patty?" he asked.

She looked uncomfortable. "The team is still working on identifying the victims." Her eyes told Ben she believed it was highly likely that one of the bodies belonged to Shelly's missing sister.

Ben's mouth opened as his eyes went to the excavation site. He tried to find words to express his horror, but he was at a loss. He closed his mouth, and his jaw flexed as he began to think of who might have done it.

"Was it Marion Spencer?" Ben asked quietly.

Chanel frowned. "It's too soon to say," she sighed and shook her head. "I can't say too much. I won't jeopardize the case. Now that we have this new evidence, I'll be interviewing him again."

Ben saw the grim determination in her lovely eyes. He knew she would get justice for the victims. Then he thought of the news getting out and Beth learning about it that way.

"Are you going to contact Beth to let her know?" he asked.

Chanel looked at him curiously. "The techs informed me that the extended basement was sealed before Beth and her husband purchased the home. They weren't involved."

"Of course, but I think she should be told directly, as hearing about this on the news would be a cruel shock," Ben asserted.

The detective sighed as she contemplated making that call.

"If you're okay with me calling her to let her know, I'll do it. I won't tell her the details, but she should hear about the investigation from us," he offered.

She looked at him for a moment, then nodded.

"Thanks, Chanel. The site is yours for as long as you need it. No pressure from me. I've directed the crew to begin working on the other house I'm tearing down and replacing."

"Thanks, Ben. I'll talk to you later?" she said, and he nodded to her. She returned it, then headed back to her team.

Ben's eyes went back to Beth's house. He had an uncomfortable call to make, but his friend deserved to know.

Chapter 27

The rest of the week seemed to crawl by for Ben.

He couldn't get back to working on the battery project as the company that rented space to him was refusing to rent to him again after the previous fiasco. The sergeant went back to researching options.

The crime scene techs were especially meticulous about their investigation, and getting news on their findings was impossible. He didn't blame them, but it was frustrating to see Shelly so distraught. Trish kept an eye on her at her place and let Ben know she was there, so he felt a little better. He visited, and they spent an evening cuddled on a couch watching Shelly's and Trish's home movies.

Speaking of the redhead, while he was visiting, Trish told Ben she had a trip of her own coming up as she would be meeting with some of the marketing teams in the countries they were setting up Foundations in. She'd made a few video calls with prospective candidates, but she needed to have boots on the ground to make her final selections.

Ben let her know he had full confidence in her, and she gave him a searingly sexy kiss for that. Shelly got in on that action, too, much to Ben's surprise. Then they spent the rest of the evening in Trish's bedroom.

The demo of Rochelle's old home was moving forward quickly while they waited to get access to Fourteen Ashburn Court.

He was able to complete his review of Catherine's report, and Louis Klein was delighted to receive the final version.

Ben had a very terse call with General Davis, who said in no uncertain terms that going on a round-the-world trip was ill-advised. He recommended laying low. Ben let the General know he had no intentions of hiding for the rest of his life. He'd already lost years being a recluse and wouldn't return to that. If he flushed out the assassins during the trip, he had confidence in his security to deal with them.

The General wasn't happy, but he knew he couldn't force Ben to stay home if he wanted his continued involvement with his projects.

After that unpleasant call, Evelyn let Ben know she'd spoken to the General, and while he wasn't happy about it, he was on board. This also confirmed he was being kept in the loop. The General would be ensuring local resources at each destination were aware of Ben's presence and keeping an eye on them.

Knowing they'd have boots on the ground watching over them eased some of Ben's concerns.

Evelyn then told him Louis had confirmed the dates and locations for the meetings the following week. She'd reserved Thomasson's largest jet for the round-the-world trip, and Dennis was tickled pink.

She was now working on booking their accommodations, and she said she was also making excellent progress on that.

Evelyn also told him the hit squad that came after him at the lab was part of a domestic terrorist network the FBI was hunting. How they'd been activated and sent after him was still being investigated, but the presence of the Russian-trained assassin pointed to their involvement in some way.

As he'd stayed at home, he hadn't had to deal with any further explosions from Tatiana. Friday morning, he'd bumped into Liliya and Rose in the park as he brought his kids to the daycare. She let him know her partner was focusing on finding her center again. He was hopeful.

General Davis called Ben to say he'd been assured the bottleneck in the communication channels between himself and the CIA had been eliminated. Ben got the impression that this elimination may have had an actual body count connected to it from the way he said it. He assured Ben there were no current threats on the horizon, but they were being extra-diligent to keep tabs on all players in this arena. They wouldn't allow such a mistake to happen again.

The week was dragging by, and still no sign of Frank until Ben got a call Thursday night.

"Hello?"

"It's Jayden," he rasped quietly into the phone. "Frank is on his way over while Penny is distracted with her racing game."

"Oh, okay. Thanks!" The line went dead.

Ben stood up and walked to the door, arriving just as the doorbell rang. He opened the door and smiled at Frank, looking just a little winded from his run over.

"Come in," Ben said. "I assume you'll need to rush back before Penny realizes you're away?"

Frank grinned self-consciously. "I-I'm sorry to be so rushed, sir."

Ben shook his head. "I told you, call me Ben."

Frank bobbed his head in apology. "Sorry, Ben. Yeah, I was hoping to do this properly."

"Hang on one minute," Ben said as he looked for Tina and Lucy, but they were still bathing the children. "Come downstairs so we can talk in private."

Frank followed him down to the media room, and Ben shut the door. He turned back and noticed something different about the man. He seemed... bigger. "Have you been working out?" he asked.

Once more, Frank's head bobbed but this time with a smile. "Yes, Penny said I had the frame for bigger muscles and thought I'd look good with them, so I've been strength training. She likes the bigger me, but I just want to be prepared if we ever get into a situation where I need to quickly put some thug down."

Ben smiled and chose not to remark upon the strikingly similar hairstyle they now shared.

"It looks good on you," Ben said simply, and Frank's smile was wide and grateful, then his expression became earnest.

"What I really came over to speak to you about was to ask for your permission to marry Penny. We love each other, and I'll be a good and faithful husband to her," Frank said, and Ben picked up he might have been practicing that little speech.

He grinned at the man and put his hand on his shoulder. "Frank, I'm delighted for you both. I think Penny found a really good man. Did you have a date in mind?"

Frank relaxed, and his smile returned. "I was talking to Jayden, and his plan matches mine. We were thinking of the summer after next. This gives us time to stabilize our careers and gives the ladies time to plan their weddings. I heard Karen speaking to Penny a while back, suggesting a double wedding. This might reduce the costs too!"

Ben chuckled. "It might, or it might inflate it incredibly. Weddings can be tricky." Frank nodded. "Did Jayden tell you about the engagement ring?"

"Yes! That's why he sent me over here so quickly. He wants to order the ring for Karen as soon as possible," Frank explained.

"Are you okay with me offering you the stones for Penny's ring?" Ben asked.

"I'm very grateful for your offer! I'm sure they're better than anything I could afford to buy her this early in my career," Frank said self-consciously.

"They're just pretty rocks. I don't get the appeal, but women like them. These didn't cost me anything, but my daughters deserve to have something pretty to wear on their hands," Ben said and pulled the small envelope he'd prepared for this from a nearby drawer. He handed it to Frank, and the man poured them into his palm.

"Oh my! These are... big!"

Ben shrugged. "They're the same size as the ones for Karen. Jayden thinks it might help ward off the Romeos who hit on Karen, but creeps will be creeps, ring or no ring."

"Agreed," Frank replied, then slipped the diamonds back into the envelope. "Thank you, Ben. This is over the top generous." He tucked it deep into the front pocket of his jeans.

"Just keep my Penny happy and safe. That's all I ask," Ben said.

"Yes, sir--Ben!" Frank said as his face heated up.

They shook hands, and Frank's cell chirped. He jumped.

"That's Jayden's alert that Penny noticed I'm not there," Frank said worriedly.

"Off you go, then!" Ben said, shooshing him upstairs. The younger man grinned and ran for the stairs. By the time Ben got to the front door, he spotted Frank halfway to Penny's home, running as fast as his legs would take him.

As he closed the door, he felt a wave of warmth pass through him as he realized both of his daughters seemed to have found someone worthy of them. He was just a little concerned that Penny was potentially modeling her chosen mate after her adopted father. In that regard, he'd been worried about Karen, as he'd once overheard her confessing to Penny that she was hot for daddy. That worry had proven to be unfounded, so he let himself relax about Penny too.

His daughters were getting engaged!

He felt so proud!

Thankfully, he had well over a year to prepare, for once.

-=-

Friday night, sometime after eight, Ben was relaxing in his living room, reviewing the engineering boards, when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hi Ben, it's Ed Walters."

"Hi, Ed! What's up?"

"I'm just calling to confirm you and your family will be coming to visit this Sunday," Ed said, and Ben could hear the smile in his voice. Ben winced as he'd forgotten to get back to the man about the change in plans. Earlier in the week, Tina and Lucy made alternate plans for the weekend when it seemed like Ben would be confined to the neighborhood due to the unknown security status.

"I'm sorry, Ed. This week, there was... an issue with my security, so I think we'll have to take a rain check on the party. I should have called you earlier, but I'm sorry to say it completely slipped my mind."

"Oh, that's too bad," Ed replied, and Ben could hear the man deflate at the other end of the line. He frowned as he really liked Ed, and he should have warned him earlier. He thought about an alternate plan.

"Due to the issue, my family made alternate plans, so they can't join us, but if you're okay with a shorter visit, I could do the home design review with you and my security team on Sunday. Would that be all right?" he asked.

"Sure! That would be fine! What time?" Ed said, his mood bouncing right back to happy.

"How about eleven? We'd only be there for an hour, two at most, so you can get us out of your hair and get back to enjoying your pool party," Ben suggested. "Remember, we have our flight to Hong Kong that night."

"Yes! I'm really excited about the trip!" Ed gushed.

"It should be fun," Ben chuckled, enjoying the other man's enthusiasm.

"See you Sunday!" Ed said, and Ben made a sound of agreement, then hung up.

He looked up to see sad expressions on Tina and Lucy's faces, and his smile dropped away. "I'm sorry, it's just too much of a logistical nightmare for a full-day visit with everyone at this time."

Tina shook her head. "It's not that. We'll miss you while you're away," she said, and Lucy nodded.

Ben gazed at their sad expressions and wondered what he could do to--a wicked idea came to mind.

"Can we get a babysitter tonight?"

Eyes lit up with curiosity and excitement. "I'll call Ashley!" Tina said and immediately began dialing.

He dialed Liliya, and she picked up on the second ring. "Yes, Ben."

"Last minute plan. I want to take Tina and Lucy out dancing tonight--"

"We'll be there momentarily. Rose can sleep at your place?" the woman responded immediately.

"Of course! Thank you!" he said and heard her disconnect.

Next, he called Evelyn, and she said she'd be right over.

Ben made one more call.

It picked up on the third ring. "Hi, Ben!" Lisa said happily.

"Hi! Oh, are you and Lori on your way to a party?" he asked. He could hear the hum of traffic.

"Just to a club to do some dancing. Do you want to join us?" she immediately asked.

Ben smiled at the plea in her voice. "Actually, I'm taking Tina and Lucy to Club Eon--"

Lucy leaped to her feet with a squeal as she heard this, and Tina beamed him an excited grin.

"Oh my god, Ben! Can we join you?" Lisa begged on the phone.

He chuckled. "Why did you think I was calling?"

He had to hold the phone back from his ear as she squealed excitedly. Cautiously, he put the phone back to his ear and heard Lisa telling Lori. More squealing.

Lisa came back on the phone. "Should we just meet you there? Oh! Rain is with us. Hang on." There was some muffled conversation then Lisa was back. "She'd like to see what it's all about too!"

Ben smiled and nodded as he imagined she'd be wearing the yellow tourist ring tonight. He'd have to see if he could get his security detail the purple identifiers to ensure they didn't get approached. The logistics were getting complicated, but he refused to let this prevent him from enjoying the evening with the ladies. He'd promised them this so long ago.

"Great. Let's meet there at... nine?" He suggested as he saw Tina and Lucy nodding excitedly.

Lisa squealed again. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"See you there," Ben said and hung up.

"Ashley will be over shortly," Tina said and rushed away to get dressed, Lucy at her heels.

Ben chuckled at their excitement.

He went after them and quickly dressed in a charcoal grey shirt under your black blazer and slacks. It was what he wore on his last visit, but the shirt was new.

The doorbell rang softly, so Ben returned to the door to open it.

Liliya stood on the porch with Rose in her arms. She stepped inside, and Ben scooped the sleepy girl from her arms. He carried her to the guest bedroom and slipped her under the sheets, giving her forehead a smooch. Rose grinned and quickly faded again.

Ben rejoined his security detail at the door.

Liliya was dressed in a sleek dark blue dress, and Tatiana wore a black and shiny bodysuit. It almost looked like latex, but it moved like silk. Evelyn was in her black commando gear and looked badass as usual.

He gave them all a smile. "Sorry for the last-minute call, but I'm going to be away for over a week, and Tina and Lucy deserve this."

"It's fine, Ben. You don't need to explain. We understand you're just as affected by this arrangement as we are," Liliya said, and Evelyn nodded.

"Where are we going?" Tatiana asked bluntly.

"Club Eon. It's an alternate lifestyle club for people who enjoy Dom/Sub relationships. There are badges we wear to indicate our preferences and intent. I was thinking of asking the management to supply you three with the purple badges which indicate members are not to approach--"

"Perhaps we can choose our own badges?" Tatiana asserted.

Ben watched her silently and saw she was reverting to her antagonistic behavior. "Do as you please."

He turned his gaze to Liliya, who did her best to keep her smile in place.

The doorbell chimed again, and Evelyn let Ashley inside.

"My! Don't you all look so nice!" she gushed and turned to face Tina and Lucy, who joined them. Tina wore a tight black dress with a lot of very revealing lace that hinted at the treasured within. She also had a slim black choker around her throat with a silver ring attached at the front.

Ashley's eyes widened as she saw Lucy's matching choker was the same pale pink as her silk blouse. She was wearing it open almost all the way to her belly button. Ashley's eyes locked on the fine gold chain crossing the blouse's gap, seemingly from nipple to nipple. "Oh my stars!" she said softly.

Ben pulled Ashley into a hug. "Thank you so much for watching over the kids tonight. Do you have plans for tomorrow? Maybe we could take the kids out for mini putt?"

Ashley snapped out of her daze and grinned at Ben. She nodded. "That sounds wonderful! They'd love that!"

Ben gave her a kiss, making her squeak in surprise as he gestured for the others to step outside.

Ashley's eyes returned to the chain distractedly as Lucy slipped past.

"Would you like a chain of your own?" Ben asked her quietly when they were alone in the entrance.

Ashley's face flushed with embarrassment. She looked into Ben's eyes nervously and saw he was watching her lovingly. "You are such a tease!" she huffed in relief. Then she sighed as he kissed her sweetly, holding her against his chest. She felt her breasts squish against his hard muscles, and a rush went through her as her mind returned to the chain.

Ben stepped back and gave her a smile as he joined the others outside.

She bit her lip as she closed the door and leaned against it. She vowed that she would ask that man for some alone time after they took the kids out. The bold thought sent sparks through her body.

Outside, Ben climbed into the front passenger seat of his truck as Evelyn was behind the wheel once more. He gave her the directions to the club, and she got them moving.

Shortly before nine, they pulled up to the building.

"I'm going to stay in the truck," Evelyn said. "Liliya and Tatiana will send me reports from inside."

Ben looked at her in surprise. "You could be out here for hours!"

Evelyn smiled at Ben. "That's what a security detail is."

He frowned, but he couldn't argue with her. Instead, he joined the others on the sidewalk before the doors of the hotel/club. He spotted the twins rushing to join him, with Rain following. They were all dressed to dance, and he took a moment to appreciate their beauty as they got close.

When the twins saw Tina and Lucy had chokers on, they grinned and pulled theirs out of their tiny clutch purses. They helped each other fasten them onto their graceful throats. The red bands made their creamy skin look that much paler.

Rain was watching this with fascination. She was wearing a slinky green dress which showed off a lot of skin and her tattoos. Several gold chains rested upon her chest, and bangles adorned both wrists. She smiled at Ben's admiring gaze.

"Shall we?" Ben said, gesturing to the door.

Tatiana went first and scanned the lobby as she entered, nodding to Ben. He followed with Tina, Lucy, Lisa, Lori, and Rain following him in. Liliya was last as she watched Evelyn drive off to find a secure spot to watch the entrance.

Ben approached the counter, and the night manager quickly stepped out of his office to greet him.

"Mr. Shepherd! It's wonderful to see you again.

"Good evening... Henry," Ben replied, pulling the man's name out of a vague memory and hoping he got it right. From the burst of joy on the man's face, he had.

"W-will you be staying with us tonight? I didn't see a reservation," he added quickly.

Ben shook his head. "Not this time. I've just come to enjoy your club with my ladies."

The man's eyes widened as he took in the number of beauties at Ben's back. "C-certainly!" He gestured toward the doors leading to the club, and the two large doormen in leather straps opened them for the group.

With a smile at the excited looks on Tina and Lucy's faces, he led them into the small antechamber and up to the hostess' desk. It was the same woman as before, wearing her leather straps and knotted ropes.

She looked at Ben with a wide smile. "So good to see you return, Mr. Shepherd."

"Thank you. Please call me Ben."

Her eyes were taking in the large group of women behind him, and she struggled to keep her surprise from showing. "How many this evening?"

He gestured to the women as he named them. "I'll wear blue and white. Tina, Lucy, Lisa, and Lori will wear red and white." The hostess prepared the rings as Ben spoke.

Ben looked to Rain. "Will you wear the yellow tonight?"

She smiled at him. "I don't know what the colors signify."

The hostess smiled at her and pointed to a wall display with the rings in a row. "Blue means Dom. Red means Sub. Orange is both. The intent rings are green for inviting new partners, white for not open for new partners, and yellow for tourists, who observe only."

"The white ring means people won't try to approach me?" she asked.

The woman nodded. "If they do and are not civil about accepting a no, we have security people to make them leave the club."

Rain grinned as she looked at Ben. "I'll wear the orange and white, please." He nodded to her with a smile.

"And these lovely women?" the hostess said, gesturing to Liliya and Tatiana.

"Blue and green," Tatiana insisted.

"You are working tonight. Blue and white," Liliya insisted.

Tatiana curled a lip at her partner. "The green lets me crush their souls with rejection. They will enjoy."

The hostess was going to protest, but she stopped. Many subs in the club would enjoy such treatment.

"I was going to suggest the purple as they're my personal security and are working," Ben suggested.

"I'm sorry, Ben. The purple rings are for staff only," the Hostess said politely.

"Orange and white," Liliya said.

"Blue and white," Tatiana muttered as she watched her partner.

The hostess pinned Ben's rings to his blazer's lapel. Then she handed him the red and white rings. He clipped them to the chokers the ladies were wearing. Each grinned at him excitedly.

When he received the orange and white for Rain, he saw she had doubled one of her gold necklaces, making it almost as tight as a choker. She smiled up at him as he clipped the loops to the chain.

Liliya accepted hers in her hand and pinned it to her dress.

"Give me a blue and green," Ben said as the hostess prepared Tatiana's.

All eyes went to him then he turned to hand the loops to Tatiana. "If this makes you happy and others happy in their misery, who am I to judge."

Tatiana's eyes flared as she tried to stare him down, but he simply turned back to the Hostess and nodded to her. The woman smiled and gestured to the two men in straps guarding the door. They opened them, and Ben walked inside with the women falling into step behind him.

Once more, he took in the large room with its bar along the back wall, a large dance floor to the right, with tables and booths straight ahead and to the left. The lighting was intimate, and a sea of colored rings spread out before them. There were fewer yellow tourist circles this time. A majority of the intent rings were white, but there were still many green circles on display.

He spotted someone with a blue and white ring coming toward them, their submissive partner following.

As she got closer, Ben recognized Pepin Stiegerwald, the woman who operated an adult toy store downtown and ran a Dom/Sub Social Club. "Pepin! What a nice surprise!" He smiled and waved at Melody, her Sub, who grinned back at him.

Pepin stood before him with an astonished look on her face. "I saw a group enter with a surprising mix of rings, and I had to find out who it was!" Pepin said. She looked to Tatiana, the only other Dom in Ben's group, but it was clear none of the Subs were with her. Pepin looked back to Ben. "Four?"

"Five," Rain added with a grin and chuckled at Ben's exasperated glance at her. She was loving this.

Ben turned to face Pepin. "Yes, I believe we talked about this. Tina was the first woman to begin this kind of relationship with me. I had no clue, so I'm grateful she was far smarter about it than I was. When I finally clued in, Lucy was next, then Lori and Lisa."

Pepin glanced over to Rain, and Ben felt obligated to explain. "I met Rain in Costa Rica. She's a brilliant psychologist and really helped me out. I brought her back home to live in my daughter's house and work at the clinic downtown.

"I only occasionally share a bed with him," Rain said politely and grinned at Pepin's conflicted expression as she scanned the others for signs of jealousy.

"Tatiana and Liliya are my personal security detail," Ben explained, and Melody burst into giggles.

Pepin glanced at her, and the young woman throttled down her laughter, but her eyes twinkled merrily.

"What? Can't a man have security?" Ben asked Melody with a smile, and she nodded with a grin on her face.

-=-

Pepin struggled to get control over her emotions. To be in a polyamorous relationship was a dream of hers, but on the few attempts she made, each had failed spectacularly due to petty jealousy. When she spotted the outrageous cluster of rings entering the room, she had to admit that her temper flared.

When she got closer in the dimly lit room and recognized the tall, broad-shouldered man was Ben, she realized the grouping wasn't a crass insult.

Seeing Ben successfully involved in such a relationship felt like proof that the fault for her failures was hers alone.

Her eyes moved to Liliya, whose rings matched those worn by Rain, but she hadn't spoken for herself yet. Pepin caught the gorgeous blonde's enigmatic smile, and she couldn't shake the feeling this woman might be Ben's as well.

Looking at the tall brunette, the only one wearing rings indicating she wasn't with Ben, she saw a look in the woman's eye that might refute that message.

She suppressed her emotional turmoil as she desperately wanted Ben to feel comfortable with her and her group. "Please, let's join the others."

"There won't be another whipping demonstration, will there?" Ben asked seriously.

"No, we haven't done that since the last incident," Pepin assured him.

That had been another failure of her group leadership and one she would not allow to occur again. Her vetting process for new members was far more vigilant.

She guided Ben's ensemble toward the bar where the rest of the club remained, watching with various levels of scorn and disbelief visible in their expressions. She had to get out in front of that immediately. She pitched her voice to be heard by everyone gathered by the bar.

"People, it's my pleasure to introduce Ben Shepherd, his lovely partners, and his personal security detail." For the last part, she gestured to Tatiana and Liliya to identify them as not part of Ben's relationships. This seemed to reduce the tension among some of her members.

"Matching their successful polyamorous relationship is something many of us have strived for, but few have achieved. They are our greatly appreciated special guests, so I expect best behavior from all members of our group." Pepin locked eyes with a few of her more contentious doms and dommes. Most nodded slightly, but not all.

Unsurprisingly, The Baron, as he called himself, was her biggest headache, and it looked like today wasn't the day he remembered to bring his manners.

"You expect us to believe this neanderthal is in a stable Dom/Sub relationship with all these bitches?" the man said with a haughty expression on his flushed face.

Pepin winced and closed her eyes in frustration. She needed to begin revoking memberships to the club.

She saw Ben step closer to the Baron and hoped for the best. It was out of her hands.

-=-

Ben stood before the shorter man, who seemed to be dressed in some form of period costume. Was he attempting to emulate some level of royalty, perhaps? He seemed to be trying to exude an impression of being worldly and sophisticated, yet, to Ben, he didn't appear remarkable in any way. He sighed.

"Saying such ignorant and offensive things shines a big spotlight on your sad, pathetic mind. An apology to my friends would be a good start toward developing some character," Ben said calmly, holding the other man's gaze.

"Y-you don't intimidate me!" the man blustered as he shifted closer to Ben, almost leaning against his much broader chest.

Ben snorted in amusement and smirked down at him. "That was never my intent. I'm offering you advice to help you not look like such a tool. I get the impression you're trying to make people respect you. This isn't the way to do it."

"Baron, step back before you embarrass yourself further," Pepin sighed.

"Why? Is he going to sick his guard bitches on me?" the man said belligerently.

Tatiana took a step closer. "I would welcome a private... conversation with him."

Ben sent her a back-off look, and she stepped back. He returned his gaze to Baron. "I don't care what you believe, but if you continue to act rude to the women, I'll ask the bouncers to expel you from the building like the little turd you are."

Baron's bravado overcame his common sense, and he grabbed Ben's jacket lapels to give the bigger man a rough shove.

Ben seized the man's wrists, hyperextending them backward just short of breaking, and Baron was suddenly on the floor screaming shrilly as Ben smoothed the wrinkles from his jacket. The smaller man held both hands out before him as both wrists were badly sprained.

Looking over at Pepin with a frown, Ben nodded toward the wailing man. "This wasn't what we came to do at the club tonight." He turned his eyes to the others. "Does anyone else feel compelled to attack me or treat my friends rudely?" Silence and shaking heads answered him.

He gestured for the approaching bouncer to collect Baron. "He needs an ambulance," Ben offered, and the big man in the leather straps nodded and gently lifted Baron to his feet to guide him away. A woman wearing the red and white rings of a sub followed them. Ben felt sorry for her, but he wasn't getting involved in her poor judgment.

He looked to Pepin once more. "We're going to dance, and once we're relaxed and have shaken off this unpleasantness, we'll rejoin you if anyone feels like talking in a friendly manner."

She nodded to him, so he walked toward the dancefloor with his entourage following.

The music picked up in tempo as the DJ switched tracks when he saw Ben and the ladies step out onto the floor. The lighting was dim with red and blue spots slowly panning over the floor, with an intermittent sparkle of white light from an old school disco ball suspended high over the dancefloor. This darkness gave the area an intimate feeling and Ben's inhibitions relaxed.

He gave Tina and Lucy a contrite smile. "So sorry your first visit was marred by that jerk's poor behavior."

Tina gave him a sweet smile. "Please do not be concerned. We love being here with you! Seeing you defend us was exciting!"

Ben saw Lucy, the twins, and even Rain grinning happily at him. Apparently, his display of brutish violence was stimulating entertainment. He shook his head and let himself slip into the music and move, the others joining in. Liliya and Tatiana were at opposite sides of them, swaying to the music as well as they scanned the room with their eyes.

The dance floor slowly filled with other people though none encroached upon their space.

They stayed on the floor for a few songs and found a table that could accommodate them when they took a break.

One of the latex-wrapped waitresses arrived at the table and took drink orders. While they waited, Ben took Tina and Lucy back out onto the dancefloor when a slower tune began. Ben was grateful that Liliya and Tatiana remained at the table since they could watch from there.

Once they were swaying to the music, Ben pulled Lucy and Tina close and kissed them. He caressed their lips with his, and once they were gasping, he kissed each of them deeply. They swooned and smiled at him once he pulled back.

"We really have to take more opportunities to go dancing," Ben said.

"That sounds dreamy," Lucy sighed, and Tina nodded happily.

They went back to the table once the song was over to take a break and enjoy their drinks. After a quick sip of his water, Ben went back out onto the floor with Rain, and they bumped and ground to a new track he hadn't heard before. Rain knew some very seductive moves and had Ben stiff as iron well before the song ended. He swept her up against his body as the music wound down, and they shared a deep and hot kiss.

"Damn, Ben! You're giving me indecent thoughts!" Rain teased as they separated and made their way back to the table.

Ben got ten seconds to sip his water before Lisa and Lori tugged him back out for another slow song. They immediately swayed right up against him, and he slid his fingers into the hair on the back of their heads to pull them close to taste their mouths. They moaned and ground themselves against him while they moved to the music.

He could tell they were quickly becoming excited while they pressed their bodies to his as they panted against his neck between kisses.

When his hands slid down to squeeze their asses, pulling them hard against his legs, both cried out in bliss as they each crested through an intense release.

The DJ slipped them into another fast number, but neither woman had the strength to continue. Ben put his arms around them and gently walked them back to the table.

"That last number looked like it took a lot out of them," Rain teased, and the twins beamed her blissed-out smiles.

Tina and Lucy were grinning at them as well.

Ben caught Tatiana's face twisting through a few emotions quickly before she surged to her feet.

"I must do a perimeter check."

Then she dashed away.

Ben looked to Liliya, who gave him a troubled smile. She couldn't read her partner when she was in this state.

He went back out to dance again with Tina and Lucy, a fast number this time, and he spotted Pepin and Melody nearby. He shared a nod with the woman and returned his attention to his dance partners.

They alternated between the table and the dance floor, and everyone enjoyed the good music and moving to it.

Ben caught glimpses of Tatiana from time to time as she patrolled the outer boundaries of the large room. She seemed to have an entourage of three men with red and green rings following her. Their expressions seemed desperate. So, she found some victims after all.

Once they'd had their fill of dancing and drinking, they headed to a quieter lounge area next to the bar. Ben saw Pepin and Melody waiting there as others from her club quickly joined them.

Once Ben had ensured his ladies were comfortably seated, he realized they'd sat in chronological order, from Tina to Lucy, the twins, and Rain. Liliya stood with her back to the wall behind them, and Tatiana was... missing. He glanced back at Liliya, who frowned and gestured behind him.

Ben turned and saw Tatiana joining them with a satisfied smile on her lips. There was no sign of the three desperate men.

"Are they alive?" he asked quietly as she approached.

She paused, smiled at him and nodded, then she took her spot by the wall on the other side of their group.

Ben forced his concerns away and smiled at Pepin and nodded. The woman joined him and turned to face her people to address them.

"Our special guest tonight needs no introduction as he gets quite a lot of attention from the media, but most of that is unsolicited and intrusive. So, tonight we will be polite and solicitous in our inquiries as he has been kind enough to accept my request to speak with us." She looked at Ben. "Would you like to say anything before we open the floor to questions?"

Ben nodded and looked at the curious and, in some cases, cynical expressions. He took a deep breath.

"As you might be aware, I don't normally share details, any details, of my personal life with anyone outside my immediate circle of friends and family. But Pepin asked me to address her club to explain how it was possible to be in love with more than one person and for those relationships to not self-destruct. I won't claim to be an expert in love. The secret, if you want to call it that, wasn't my discovery."

He glanced at Pepin and saw he had her full attention. When Ben faced the group again, he gave them a serious expression. "The truth of the matter is, I wasn't looking for a polyamorous relationship, and when I discovered myself in one, I was terrified it would end in pain and disaster. I'd been married, and that failed so badly, I thought I'd never love again. I was afraid to. That's when my friend and neighbor, Gabriella, explained the true nature of love to me. She proved to me that it was not only possible to love, but I had the capacity to love more than one partner." He paused to let that sink in.

"She showed me that love is inclusive, not divided amongst those you love. Each partner gets all the love in your heart. Time must be shared, but love must be freely and fully given to all."

"As for how this translated into my participating in this lifestyle, that happened when I was introduced to it by Tina. At first, I wasn't a willing participant. She proved to be the wiser and more patient of the two of us, waiting until I finally accepted that I'd let her into my heart. That's when she showed me I had the ability to be what she needed me to be." He smiled at her, and she sent him a dazzling smile in return. "When Lucy came to live with us, it was Tina who once more showed me I had the capacity to meet Lucy's needs too. And it was the two of them who were responsible for making me face the truth about my need for Lisa and Lori." The twin's eyes were twinkling with joy as they watched him.

"Gabriella proved to me that I could truly and fully love more than one person, giving all the love in my heart to them. Tina proved to me that love could adapt to fulfill the needs of those you've opened your heart to." He shook his head gently. "I'm not responsible for this miracle. I'm just profoundly lucky to be in love with beautiful souls who understand love far better than me."

Pepin smiled and began clapping, which was picked up by most of the others. There were still a few skeptics, but Ben wasn't going to try to enlighten the non-believers.

"I would love to meet Gabriella. She sounds very wise in the ways of love," Pepin said.

Ben nodded with a smile. "Tina called her the Goddess of Love, and I sincerely believe that to be true."

"She's not a participant in this lifestyle, though?" Pepin asked.

He smiled and shook his head. "No, she's not."

"I'm sure this question is going through the minds of most of our members. How do you deal with jealousy?" she asked.

Ben nodded. "Personally, I've struggled to feel worthy of their love, but I gratefully accept the miracle that they do love me. If you believe you're owed something and fear that someone else is getting what belongs to you, you're deluding yourself and doing a tremendous disservice to those you claim to love. Trust that their love for you is not diminished by their ability to love another. Remember, love is inclusive."

He smiled back at the ladies and saw Liliya was smiling too, though her eyes continued to pan over the group before them. Tatiana was watching him with a frown. She looked away when she felt his gaze lock on her.

Pepin opened the floor to the others, and most of the questions were polite. Ben just ignored the belligerent ones with a simple next question.

The questions quickly tapered off, and Ben had a closing thought. "While I may be in a successful relationship with multiple intelligent and beautiful women, I don't consider myself an expert in that either. Something I do know is that you must nurture every relationship. Communicate openly and ask yourself the hard questions. Perhaps ask yourself why you're looking for a polyamorous relationship and be critical of your answer. Perhaps the one you're with isn't fulfilling a need, but exactly how realistic and reasonable is that need. Is that need fed by ego or love? Ego is, by its nature, selfish, so be cautious of that. Love can be obsessive, so that needs to be watched for as well. I wish you good luck... and better love." He smiled self-consciously as he was still uncomfortable talking to strangers about something so personal.

This time the applause was a little more universal. The group began to go their separate ways, and he knew the evening was done for the club.

He looked to Pepin, smiling at him with gratitude, so he gave her a nod. He looked to Tina and held out his hand as he thought it was time for them to go as well.

She rose to her feet and skipped closer to him to take his hand. She tilted her face up to him, catching him unprepared, but he dipped down to kiss her tenderly. When he pulled back, she smiled and moved to the side as Lucy was before him with a cheeky smile on her lips. Behind her were the twins and Rain. He'd been set up. He gave each of them a sweet kiss, and Rain was practically giggling with delight at the flush on Ben's cheek when it was her turn.

After she enjoyed his kiss, she smiled at him. "This experience has been fascinating! The dancing was delightful, and studying the dynamics of the relationships on display from the inside has been thought-provoking! I must admit, yours is the most interesting, but I'm obviously biased."

He nodded to her. "I'm biased toward it myself," he said quietly with a self-conscious smile. He looked to Liliya and gave her a nod to indicate they were leaving. She nodded and signaled Tatiana.

Ben and the ladies made their way to the door. They handed in the rings, and Tatiana ducked outside. After a moment, Liliya nodded to Ben, and he led everyone out. Evelyn pulled up to the curb in his truck. He turned to the twins who'd driven in their own car.

Before he could speak, Lisa touched his lips with a finger. "Tina asked us to be with you tonight."

Ben's eyebrows rose, and he glanced at Tina's smiling face. "Oh, she did?" Tina giggled. "Right. See you back at our place, then?"

The Twins nodded with excited grins on their faces.

Rain moved closer. "I'll be getting a lift home with them, so I'll get my kiss goodnight now."

He picked her up in his arms as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her kiss was deep and sensual, and she sighed when they separated. "That will give me delicious dreams tonight," she purred.

"Thanks for charging him up," Lori said with a grin.

Ben shook his head as he set the woman back on her feet.

He glanced at Tatiana, who was fidgeting badly. "Can you see them to their car?"

She gave him a terse nod then the four women walked away as Ben opened the door for Tina and Lucy.

"Making plans for me?" Ben asked Tina quietly.

She nodded with a smile. "We get the lion's share of your time at night, so they deserve some time as well."

Ben had to accept Tina's logic. He nodded to her as she got into the truck.

Moments later, Tatiana joined them, and Evelyn got them heading home.

Ben looked over at their driver. "Sorry for the boring evening for you."

She smiled and shook her head. "Ben, it's part of my job to remain vigilant for signs of danger. It's all training. Tracking the coming and going of the people around the hotel and club was a good exercise. I saw an ambulance take someone away." She glanced at him.

"Yeah, someone got belligerent and needed their hands removed from my jacket. I stopped at spraining his wrists," he admitted.

She nodded with a small smile on her lips.

They got home in good time, and Liliya ducked inside the house to collect her daughter. Tatiana marched away without so much as a glance back.

The twin's dropped Rain off, then pulled into his driveway.

Tina and Lucy guided the twins inside and gave Ashley hugs for babysitting.

"You had fun dancing?" the woman asked, and all four ladies nodded and smiled.

Ben caught Tina's eye. "I'm going to walk Ashley home. I'll be right back."

"Oh, Ben, you don't need--" Ashley began.

"We need to finish planning our day tomorrow," he insisted with a smile.

He led her outside and offered an elbow for her arm. She smiled at his genteel manners.

They walked arm in arm down his driveway leisurely, enjoying each other's company. "What time should I pick you up tomorrow, and who will be joining us? Tina and Lucy can look after Joshua."

"That would be lovely. Just my girls then and ten-thirty?" she suggested.

"Sure, sounds good. We can catch lunch after eighteen holes?" he asked with a grin, and she nodded.

He could see she was steeling herself to ask something, and he had a suspicion of what it might be.

"I'll be flying overseas Sunday night. I was hoping you might have a moment to trim up my hair before I went, so I could look my best. Perhaps the girls could hang out at my place while you did that?" he asked.

Her smile was wide and delighted, and he felt her tremble at his side. "Yes! Yes, I could do that for you tomorrow when we get back."

They reached her door, and he pulled her into his embrace as he kissed her tenderly. She melted in his arms, then clung to him as his hand slid down her back to her hip.

She pulled back, and her eyes flared with excitement.

"Until tomorrow?" he said, and she nodded.

The door opened, and Savannah stood there with a fake stern expression. "Do you know what time it is, young lady?" she asked.

Ashley giggled and kissed her daughter's forehead as she stepped into the house.

Ben pointed a finger at the girl. "Tomorrow. Mini Putt. It's on!" he said in challenge.

The girl's excited smile instantly shed years from her, and she squealed as Madison joined them, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, sending her sister a puzzled look.

"Mini putt!" Savannah gasped to her sister, who was instantly awake and happily jumping up against her mom's side.

"Goodnight, Ben!" Ashley said, hugging her kids.

"Goodnight!" he called back as he headed back down the driveway. He realized the only time he was allowed to be by himself was here in his neighborhood. That was a little depressing. He tried to think of an alternate plan. He used his cell to bang out a quick text to Liliya, Tatiana, and Evelyn to ask them to work out how he, Ashley, and her daughters might have a little space when they went to the mini putt place tomorrow.

He let himself inside his house and locked up. Walking back to the bedroom, he saw the guest bedroom door was closed. He knocked gently, and a moment later it opened, and Tina smiled up at him with Lucy right behind her.

"I need my goodnight kiss," Ben said and slipped his fingers into the hair on the back of Tina's head. He closed his grip, and she gasped before Ben stroked her lips with his and took a kiss from her mouth. Lucy got similar treatment, and he left them both smiling dreamily at him as he closed their door. He saw Lucy reaching for Tina before the door blocked his sight, so he imagined the ladies would find joy in each other's arms tonight.

He opened his bedroom door and walked in to see two exquisite naked beauties stretched across his bed, leaning on their elbows as they watched him enter. He closed the door behind himself and smiled.

"Did you enjoy yourself tonight?" he asked.

"Very much!" Lori said as Lisa nodded.

He undressed for them slowly and felt their eyes traveling over his body.

The moment he was naked, they each raised a hand to get him to join them. He knelt comfortably on the end of the bed and gestured for them to come to him.

"Take me in your mouths," he commanded, and their smiles widened. They loved it when he asserted his claim over them.

They slid over the sheets to bring their faces closer to his stiffening cock.

Lisa dipped her face lower and sucked one of Ben's balls into her mouth and swept her tongue over its surface. While she did this, she gently scratched his other testicle with her nails. He immediately moaned as the sensation was exquisite and pushed his cock toward its full strength.

Not to be outdone, Lori sucked the head of his cock into her mouth, locking her lips around the ridge of the glans. She stroked the head with her tongue and Ben's moans increased as did his rigidity. Lori's fingers curled around his shaft to gently stroke the hot flesh.

"That feels so good!" Ben rumbled as he gazed down at the two gorgeous redheads.

He wanted to please them at the same time, so he made them both lie back on the bed side by side. He gazed down at their beauty in awe. They smiled back at him with love in their eyes.

"Bring your knees up to your chests," he ordered, and they giggled excitedly as they rushed to comply.

He spotted the gleam of the jeweled tops of their butt plugs and he gently pressed on them, rocking them from side to side.

Lori moaned but Lisa's eyes threatened to roll back. He smiled as he loved how differently they responded to similar stimuli. He dipped his face down and worshipped Lori's pussy with his lips and tongue as she cried out, clinging to his head.

While he did this, he rubbed Lisa's pussy with firm hand, finally plunging a thick finger into her depths as she moaned in bliss.

When they were both very wet he pulled back and watched their dazed eyes lock onto his.

"I want Lori to ride my cock as Lisa straddles my face," he said, and they quickly moved so he could lie between them. The moment he was ready, Lori swung her leg over his torso and positioned herself over his cock. She rubbed it against her wet pussy then dropped her weight against it. It took several tries but eventually she had all of him inside her. Her body trembled at the fullness she was experiencing.

Lisa moved up and settled her pussy down over his mouth, and he drank deeply from her as his hand found her anal plug to tug on it. She cried out and rocked her hips to keep pace with his tongue.

Lori was lifting and dropping on his cock, but he could tell she was beginning to reach her limit. He slid a hand down her body and rubbed his thumb over her clit, and she suddenly clamped down on his cock as her body spasmed through an intense orgasm. She clung to his hand, pressing it harder against herself.

Playing with Lisa's butt toy was pushing her to her limits as well. She twitched strongly as Ben felt her body begin to shake through her release.

He was a little surprised by how quickly both had crested as he was only halfway there.

Lori pulled herself from his cock and dropped onto the bed next to him, panting.

Lisa eased herself down his body and stretched out over him to smile at him. "That was delicious!" she purred. She wiggled her body against him, feeling his erection pressing up between her legs. She sighed as she felt the heat.

"Ben, I'm ready," she said.

He raised an eyebrow. "Ready?" Lori was watching her sister curiously too.

"I-I want you in my ass," Lisa gushed. Lori squeaked in surprise.

Ben gave the beauty resting on his chest a cautious look. "I'm much larger than the plugs you've been wearing."

She grinned bashfully. "The one I have in now is much larger than the one you originally bought for me. I've been training myself with larger sizes."

Ben realized this explained why Lisa's reaction had been more dramatic than her sister's when he'd played with the jeweled tops of their plugs.

"You didn't tell me!" Lori said to her sister in surprise.

Lisa looked at her. "I know you aren't as much into this as I am. It's okay."

Lori still seemed a little put off by her sister's secrecy.

"You kept this a secret from your sister?" Ben asked as he held Lisa's gaze. She dipped her eyes submissively.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm," Lisa said contritely.

Ben cupped her cheek with his palm. "Of course, you didn't, but you're going to need her help with his so it would have been good to keep her in the loop?"

Lisa looked at him in confusion. "I-I'll need her help?"

Ben nodded and saw he had the curious attention of both sisters. He sighed. "I'm not going to give details, or names, but from my previous experience with a first-timer, the real thing was nothing like the... practice experience the person had. They needed loving support of a friend as well as my efforts to make it pleasurable. We don't have to do this now. You can take some time to think on it."

"No, Ben. I've psyched myself up to do this and I really, really want to do it!" Lisa begged. She looked to Lori. "Will you help me?" she asked desperately.

"Of course!" Lori insisted.

The women turned their expectant gazes on Ben and he nodded. He quickly rolled Lisa off onto the mattress then rolled her back under him on her stomach. He pressed her to the bed under him. She gasped and closed her eyes as she felt his hard cock pressing between her ass cheeks.

"Fuck!" she sighed.

Lori was watching Ben with wide eyes as he turned his face to her.

"Get the bottle of lube from the drawer in the bedside table, please," he asked.

As she slipped off the bed to collect the lube, Ben slid down Lisa's body, kissing her skin until he was facing her ass. He kissed her cheeks and she gasped.

"Let's see what you've got hidden back here," Ben said as he played with the disc pressed up against her puckered orifice.

Lisa made a cute little grunt noise as he slipped his fingers around the top and began to tug gently.

"Ah! Oooh!" she cooed, then bit her lip as she looked back at him with need in her eyes.

Ben, and Lori who'd joined him, watched in fascination as Lisa's sphincter slowly stretched wider and wider to accommodate the shiny bulb of the plug. He glanced at the sister as he was having some trouble pulling it out. He didn't want to force it.

"Maybe you could add a little lube to this?" he said quietly.

Lori nodded and spread a little of the slick stuff against the edges of Lisa's widened orifice.

"AH! Oh god!" Lisa gasped.

Ben allowed the plug to settle back in and tugged it out to get the lube to spread evenly across its surface. Then he began to pull it a little further out with each tug.

"OoooO!" Lisa cooed again.

Finally, Ben got the widest part of the plug past the ring of muscle, and it quickly slipped down the other side, forcing it out.

"FUCK!" Lisa gasped as her body trembled.

Lori looked at the width of the plug and looked at the girth of Ben's cock. They seemed roughly the same. She locked eyes with Ben. "She seems to have the size right."

Ben nodded. "But the plug lets the orifice relax once it's inside. A cock doesn't."

Lori's eyes widened. "Right. Oh!" she exclaimed as she looked up into her sister's desperate eyes.

Ben pushed himself up onto his knees as he straddled Lisa's legs. "Lori, lube me well."

Lori grinned as she scooped some of the slick stuff out and stroked it onto his cock. He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply as she pumped his cock to maximum rigidity. He pulled back and Lori watched his mouth hungrily.

"Spread some on Lisa's asshole," Ben said, his voice rough with lust.

Lori grinned and pressed a glob over Lisa's twitching rosebud.

"Ahh!" the prone woman gasped at the sensation.

Ben smiled at Lisa. "Are you sure you want this?"

"Yesss!" Lisa gasped as her sister wiped the excess lube from her hand onto her sister's butt cheeks.

Ben looked to Lori. "You're going to guide my cock in, so hold the head against her asshole."

Lori's eyes widened and she reached between them as Ben braced himself over Lisa's body. She gripped his cock and pointed the head down slightly until the head settled into place directly over her sphincter. "Okay. You're on target," she said with a nervous smile.

"Lisa, you need to relax as much as you can," Ben said as he began to apply pressure.

"Oh fuck!" Lisa grunted quietly.

"If it becomes too much for you let us know," Ben said.

She nodded and Ben felt her struggling to relax her ass. He applied pressure in slight pulses until the head of his cock was suddenly accepted inside.

"OHHH! Fuck!" Lisa gasped.

Ben held still and waited for her trembling to calm. When she seemed to have accepted that he began pushing again.

"Ohhh! Oh, oh, shit, oh... god!" Lisa moaned quietly.

Ben looked at Lori and nodded to her and gestured with his head for her to move up to Lisa's face. She released her grip on his cock and stretched out on the bed next to her sister until she could see her expression. "Are you okay, Lisa?" Lori asked. Lisa's eyes were glassy and her face was red.

Ben managed to sink an inch then another into the woman's ass then he held still to let her adjust to this.

"It... it's nothing... like the... plug," Lisa managed to say.

Ben frowned as he shared a glance with Lori. "Should I pull out?"

"No! Please, no. It's so intense, but I want more," Lisa begged. She began to pant.

Lori was watching her sister with wide eyes.

Ben drew out an inch and pushed in three.

"OOOOOOOHHHH! SO FUCKING FULL!" Lisa moaned loudly.

Ben didn't bother asking if she wanted him out. She'd tell him when she'd had enough. He began to slowly stroke in and out.

"Fuck! Oh yes! Ahhh!" Lisa exclaimed as she writhed under his body.

When she seemed to have adjusted to the intruder, Ben had another surprise for her. He rested his full weight on her, driving the remaining length of his cock into her body.

Lisa exhaled noisily as she was pinned under Ben's weight. His pelvis ground against her ass and her eyes rolled back in her head. She was past the point where she could make intelligible sounds. He moved his hips in small circles, stirring his cock around in her ass as she gurgled.

"Nod if you want Ben to pull out," Lori said as she held her sister's face up.

"...no..."

Ben smiled at Lori as he altered his hip movements to include some aggressive thrusting. The grip and heat of Lisa's tight asshole was driving Ben insane.

Lori watched her sister's mouth drop open, but no sound came from the woman except the her gusting breath as Ben pounded her ass against the bed. Her eyes seemed to reflect her mindless bliss.

"Lori, slide your hand under Lisa and touch her so she can get some relief," Ben instructed. She didn't hesitate as she reached under them to rub circles over Lisa's clit. Ben was really slapping her ass with his body, so she had a difficult time keeping on target. That intermittent touch was enough to push Lisa over the top and her body began to shake through a colossal orgasm.

Ben immediately pinned her to the bed as he fired his cum deep inside her ass in stream after stream.

Lori watched her sister's face, but she was too far gone in her orgasm to be aware of anything else.

Lisa sagged, completely spent, and Ben slowly eased himself out of the woman's ass.

The moment he was clear, Lori slipped Lisa's anal plug back into her ass. She watched in fascination as Lisa's sphincter slowly shrank, swallowing the bulb of the polished metal plug once more.

Ben was panting as he watched Lori's ministrations. He raised an eyebrow.

Lori smiled at him. "She'll want to keep all that goodness inside her, for just a little while."

Ben snorted gently then moved to lie next to Lisa. He turned her face to look at him and she slowly opened her eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked

"...perfect..."

Ben smiled and kissed her cheek. "How are you, Lori?" he asked as she stared at her sister.

"Hmmm? Oh! I'm good," she said as she watched her sister's state. She wondered if she was brave enough to follow Lisa's path to fulfillment. She enjoyed a little bum play but having it fucked by Ben's cock? That sent a little shiver of fear down her spine.

But that shiver left a tantalizing tingle in her pussy just the same. Maybe someday.

Chapter 28

Ashley grinned over at Ben as he sang along with the radio while Savannah and Madison accompanied him. When Ben got the words wrong, the girls would burst into giggles.

She was surprised that they didn't have company in Ben's truck as he seemed to always have his security with him.

She noticed Ben glancing in the mirror from time to time, and he was careful not to rush through changing traffic lights. So, they had an escort. Then she realized the car next to them was the same black sporty coupe from the last few lights. She spotted Tatiana behind the wheel.

Her daughter's giggles brought her back to the moment, and she looked over at Ben. He seemed to really be enjoying himself. She knew he now had children of his own, and he loved playing with them, but he also had so much fun with her girls. This was what Ben was meant to be, a father. Or, in her kid's case, a father figure.

She got tingles as she suddenly remembered what the afternoon had in store. Her face blushed as Ben glanced over at her with a grin. She didn't know where to put her hands, so she clasped them together on her lap.

She was wearing her new jeans, and a pretty blouse that she was fretting was too tight across her chest. Glancing at Ben, she caught his admiring look and realized he didn't mind the snugness. That made her feel tingly, too.

When they arrived at the mini-putt course, Ben led their group up to the check-in desk and let the girls choose the color of their putters and the golf balls. Savannah chose yellow, and Madison was pink. Ashley chose orange, and Ben was blue.

"I hear you two are experts at this game, so I'm going to add ten strokes to your scores now to make it fair," Ben said seriously as he pretended to write the numbers on the scorecard.

"What! No way! No fair! We should add twenty to yours for that!" the girls squealed in protest.

Ben laughed, and they shook their fists at him for teasing them.

He looked at Ashley, who was grinning at the girls. "Feisty bunch!" he teased.

"Now I have to beat your score!" Savannah insisted.

They were lucky that the course wasn't too busy, so they didn't have to wait on other groups to move to the next hole.

Ben was doing well until he reached a hole with a tricky spinning windmill obstacle. Savannah putted perfectly and managed to drop her ball into the small building's center hole, avoiding the spinning blades. Her ball rolled down the tube to stop just an inch from the cup.

Madison also managed to sink her first putt into the center hole, but her ball rolled a few extra inches past the cup. Still, an excellent first putt.

Ben's ball was smacked by the turning blades to roll back to his feet. He cried foul and insisted it didn't count, but his pleas fell on deaf ears, and he had to take his second attempt. This time the blade knocked his ball to the left, causing it to slip into the tube that took his ball to a low green below the cup. He'd have difficulty putting uphill to the main green to join the girls.

Ashley dropped her ball and lined up her shot. She also managed to sink it in the center hole, and it rolled from the tube into the cup for a hole-in-one.

The girls jumped up and down excitedly as Ashley raised her arms in the air in triumph. This was the best she'd ever played!

Savannah sank her second putt, and Madison did as well, but Ben took three more strokes to get out of the pit and into the cup.

"I think I should get a couple of strokes taken off my score because the windmill was obviously out to get me," Ben grumbled dramatically, but the girls insisted he put the proper number on the scorecard with huge grins on their faces.

When they reached the end of the course, Savannah was the winner, with Madison trailing her by three strokes, followed by Ashley two strokes higher and Ben one stroke behind her.

"Obviously, the slope on these holes was uneven, and the course was too tricky," Ben insisted to the girls.

They burst into giggles at Ben's excuse, and Ashley grinned at their happiness.

Ben smiled at her as the girls rushed back to the desk to drop off all the clubs. The eighteenth hole kept the golf balls and had cost Ben another three strokes.

"Thank you, Ben! That was so much fun, and the girls were delighted to get better scores than you," Ashley said quietly.

"They earned them fair and square. I've never been very good at this game," he sighed.

Ashley patted his arm in consolation and was thrilled to feel his powerful bicep.

"Shall we get some lunch?" he asked.

She nodded distractedly, then looked into his eyes. His desire for her was clearly visible there.

"YOU!"

The word was screamed with a combination of rage and loathing, so heads all over the course turned to see who was so upset.

Ashley didn't recognize the man but sent Ben a worried glance as trouble seemed to follow the sweet man.

-=-

Ben spotted a man walking down a white gravel path from a small hut atop a rise next to the course exit.

The hut had a sign with manager written on it in bold capital letters, so Ben assumed this was the course operator himself.

The livid man had tensor bandages wrapped around both of his wrists and bitter rage in his eyes.

That's when Ben recognized him. "The Baron," he sighed.

When the manager cleared the bushes lining the gravel path and stepped out into the open course ten feet ahead of them, Ben could tell this was going to get ugly.

Two sudden cracks sounded from behind Ben. A neon orange golf ball nailed the man directly in his balls as a bright yellow ball deflected straight up off his forehead, snapping his head back. He crumpled to the ground. Ashley rushed forward to kneel next to him as the yellow ball dropped to the gravel next to her.

Ben walked up to stand next to Ashley, and he saw the man was just stunned. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened to him?" Savannah asked as she and Madison rushed back to their mother's side.

"Mini putt is a dangerous game. He just had a little accident," Ben said as he helped Ashley back to her feet. They could see some of the course staff hustling over to their manager.

Maybe hustling was too strong a word as neither of the young course attendants seemed the slightest bit concerned about the fallen man. Apparently, the Baron made friends wherever he went.

"Ah! That's where my ball went!"

Ben turned to see Tatiana approaching with Liliya. Both had slight smiles on their faces.

Tatiana picked up the orange ball and tossed the yellow one to her partner. "One hole to go," the tall brunette said as they walked to the tee of the eighteenth hole. Ben watched Tatiana skillfully putt her ball into the one-stroke hole. Liliya did the same. Shit. He'd have to remember never to play against them.

"Ah, we've tied again," Tatiana sighed as she frowned at the scorecard in her hand.

As the manager was now curled into a fetal position and being assisted by the teens in uniforms, Ben gathered Ashley and the girls and guided them to the exit. "Who wants lunch?" he asked and got cheers from Savannah and Madison.

"Can you tell me what that was about?" Ashley asked Ben quietly.

He nodded. "He was at the club last night and got verbally abusive to the women I was with. He was exceedingly belligerent, then tried to physically attack me. That's why he's wearing the wrist guards today. I have no idea what he was up to just now. If he thought it would go better for him in public, I hope he knows better now."

Ben drove them to the girl's favorite restaurant, and they enjoyed a peaceful meal. He was in heaven as no one approached them, aside from the waitress who seemed too busy to recognize him. It was just a happy lunch with Ashley's family. He felt himself relaxing in public, and he couldn't recall the last time he'd felt that. He smiled at Ashley, and she beamed a joyful smile in return. Liliya and Tatiana were sitting at the counter, keeping an eye out so he could let himself just be in the moment. The Sergeant remained at home. He'd thank her later.

After they finished up, Ben drove them back to the neighborhood, and his security detail peeled off at the entrance. Ben continued to park in his driveway. The girls knew the score, so they ran up the stairs to his front door, where Tina let them inside. She waved to Ben and Ashley, whose face turned crimson as she knew Tina was aware of their afternoon plans.

Once they'd waved in return, Ben and Ashley walked back to her house, and she let them inside.

"Kitchen!" Ashley said with a slight squeak in her voice.

He smiled and took off his shirt, pants, and socks to sit in his boxers on a chair he pulled out. When Ashley returned with her hair cutting kit to see him like this, she made another squeak of surprise.

"I don't want my clothes to get covered in cut hair. This makes sense, yes?" he asked with a coy smile.

She bit her lip and nodded.

Taking a deep breath, she eyed his hair critically. "I won't need to cut much from it, but I can make it neater."

"I'm in your hands," he said with a smile.

She grinned and pointed to the sink. "We wash it first."

He stood and leaned his head over the sink, and she immediately pressed her body against his as she wet his hair and worked shampoo into it. He recalled the first time she did this for him and how nervous she'd been about touching his body. Now, he could tell she was really enjoying it, but so was he.

She moved him to the chair, and true to her word, she didn't need much time to trim his hair back into the neat order he preferred.

"I think I'm seeing a little grey beginning at your temples," she said softly with a smile.

He snorted. "I can't say I'm surprised."

Using a barber's whisk, she brushed the loose hair from his body, then swept it up, dumping it into the trash.

When she returned, she shimmied out of her jeans and straddled his thighs as she sat on his lap, facing him.

"I think the grey patches are very attractive on you," she said with a grin.

"I think you are very attractive on me," he countered as his hands slid down her back, under the panty waistband, and cupped her ass cheeks.

"Oh, stars, Ben! I love your hands on me!" she gasped, then she kissed him deeply.

He pulled her closer, and his erection pressed against her through her panties, making her gasp into their kiss.

Ben suddenly bent down and lifted her over his shoulder as he stood, his arm securely wrapped around her legs to keep her from tumbling all the way down his back. She squealed in surprise as she clung to him.

He rushed out of the kitchen and upstairs to the master bedroom. There, he rolled her onto the bed as she squeaked once again.

Ben quickly moved over her and kissed her deeply as he pinned her against the mattress with his body. When he finally pulled back from her lips to smile down at her, she was panting as her eyelashes fluttered. Her face was flushed with excitement and Ben thought she looked absolutely ravishing.

-=-

Ashley head was spinning with an overload of passion. Ben had literally swept her off her feet. His rough yet gentle treatment of her body was bringing back memories of the early days of Eli's courting. She'd been so innocent and naïve when they'd met. She thought he was so manly and dominant, and she was in awe of his boldness and strength. He hadn't shown his cruel side yet. When they finally had relations, she was surprised by his aggression as he took her from behind. It would become the only position they used, and Ben was the one who showed her what true lovemaking was.

She suddenly wished Ben had been there to rescue her from Eli all those years ago. She knew that was a selfish desire and impossible as well, but Ben was so much better than Eli, she wanted him to erase everything Eli had done to her.

Her eyes flew wide as she looked up at Ben suddenly. He blinked in surprise at her expression. "What?"

"I-I want to do something!" she said urgently, the idea becoming more crucial as she thought about it.

He smiled gently at her. "Okay. What do you want to do?"

She looked at him and the words froze in her mouth.

Ben watched her face patiently as she struggled. "It's okay. Take your time," he said.

She swallowed and it felt like her face would burst into flames. She was about to give up when Ben leaned forward and kissed her sweetly.

"I'm here for you. Whatever you need. No judgment."

"From behind!" she gasped then put her hands over her face as she trembled.

She felt Ben's fingers slide through her hair, stroking her head. She felt herself calming from his gentle, loving touch.

She pulled her hands from her face and saw he was watching her. He nodded then pushed himself up and off, moving back to kneel on the mattress. He held out a hand and she placed hers in his so he could pull her up to a sitting position. She smiled at him timidly and he nodded to her.

When she turned and moved onto her hands and knees facing away from Ben, she had a flash of memory of being with Eli. This sexual position had been branded in her mind as Eli's and it felt so wrong! She was about to spin to face Ben when she felt his hands settle on her lower back. They massaged her tight muscles and she felt herself relaxing once more. There was no cruelty in his grip. He caressed and kneaded her skin, and she felt a warmth spreading from his touch. He slid his hands further up her back, rubbing and squeezing the tension away as he moved, and she felt the memories of Eli's treatment slowly fading under his comforting touch. Ben's hands were so strong, yet they worshipped her instead of punishing.

When he reached her shoulders, she suddenly felt the heat of his hard cock press against her wet lips down below. She gasped and pressed back instinctively. He felt so good! His cock was pointed up, so she was pressing against its underside but even that felt incredible!

Then Ben began to move his hips and his cock stroked up and down against her, drawing a sharp gasp from her, as pleasure shot through her body.

Any comparison to how Eli had relations with her were destroyed by this simple movement. That man hadn't cared one bit if she felt good. His pleasure was his only consideration. Ben was sharing the pleasure with her.

"I need you inside me!" she cried suddenly.

Ben's hands reversed their direction and stroked down her back to her hips. He pulled back and used one of his hands to rub the thick head of his cock against her wet opening.

She whimpered as the sensation made her weak in the knees. His grip on her hip kept her from collapsing.

Then he was forcing her lower lips open to accept his girth. This was another major difference in the experience from Eli. He'd never taken his time to get inside. Ben was driving forward slowly and withdrawing, giving her time to adjust and accommodate his thickness inside her. She could feel herself squeezing his cock on the inward stroke and relaxing on his reverse. This allowed him further inside on the next deliberate thrust.

She gasped and reached back to cling to his hand on her hip as she pushed back to take another inch. He felt impossibly large inside her, but she just wanted more.

His other hand took hold of her hip and she flashed to Eli's cruel grip as he yanked her back against his body, slamming himself against her again and again like some rutting animal. Ben's hands caressed her as he filled her slowly. She moaned with how full she felt and how good it was.

When Ben pressed his hips against her ass, Ashley's eyelashes were fluttering once more. She had all of him, and it felt like she might burst if he gave her more. His hands released their grip on her hips and slid around her torso to caress her stomach, moving up to cup her breasts and squeeze them.

"Ben! Oh my stars! Your hands feel so good!" she gasped.

"You feel incredible! You're so beautiful!" he whispered back and kissed her shoulders.

It was Ben's touch that finally obliterated the memory of Eli's cruel hands. She could no longer feel her husband's rough grip on her skin. The bliss of Ben's big powerful but gentle hands overwrote those poisonous recollections. They faded under the onslaught of sensation Ben gave her.

He tugged gently on her nipples, and she cried out as she drove herself back against his hips.

Ben pulled his hands back down her torso and squeezed her ass cheeks with his strong fingers. Tremors shot down her body making her miss his withdrawal until he thrust himself inside once more, softly slapping her ass with his pelvis.

"Yes!" she gasped as tingles exploded through her ass.

Ben drew himself back once more and thrust forward a little faster, slapping her ass harder.

Ashley's head was spinning under the dual assault of his filling her so deeply and the spanking. She loved it and wanted more. She began to push back with his thrusts until the room filled with the smack of their bodies colliding.

It was too much! It was filling her mind with so much bliss she was crying out constantly. She couldn't tell what she was saying as sensation was everything.

When Ben squeezed her ass cheeks, it triggered her release and she screamed as she ground back against him. She felt his heat firing deep inside her body in surges as Ben moaned with pleasure.

Once more, they were sharing the experience of their bliss.

Eli was no more.

Finally, Ben slid his relaxing cock from her body and she shivered at the delicious feeling. He rested on his back next her on the bed and sighed happily.

Ashley stretched out against Ben's large body and rested her head against his shoulder. Her fingers slid gently over his skin, feeling the contours of his scars. She was amazed at Ben's resilience in surviving the events which placed these marks on him.

She sighed as she felt safe, loved, and content. When she'd been married to Elijah, she'd given up all hope of ever feeling this. Now she cherished the gift.

"Penny for your thoughts," Ben said gently.

She squirmed and kissed his chest. Then she looked up to see he was watching her face.

"It's nothing. I'm... just happy," she sighed.

Ben was quiet for a moment, then he spoke again. "I'm sorry we don't get that much time together."

Ashley lifted her head and turned to face him. "Don't get any silly ideas that I'm feeling neglected in the slightest. I know how busy you are, and I know how many people you're splitting your time amongst. I'm delighted to spend this time with you. Besides, my life has been so full, with taking care of the girls and Joshua and attending school."

Ben pulled her closer so he could kiss her then she settled once more against his side.

She would have to collect her children at some point, but for now, this was her me time.

Chapter 29

Sunday morning was busy for Ben. He woke early so he could get in a workout. He wasn't sure how many opportunities he'd have over the next week, so he'd start with a good one.

Once he'd showered and dressed, he packed his suitcase for the business trip. Tina and Lucy helped him with that as he trusted their style better than his own. When they were finished, he knew which combinations he could use to mix and match the clothes he was bringing and look good doing it.

He packed some casualwear as well, but Evelyn hadn't briefed him on what their schedule looked like yet. Lucy said she slipped one pair of swim trunks into the bag, just in case. He packed some workout clothes as well.

Once he'd had breakfast and brushed his teeth, he kissed the ladies and kids and stepped outside. It was going to be another hot one today.

Liliya carried Rose up his steps, and he kissed the girl before the mother handed her daughter to Lucy.

They walked to the driveway, where they met Tatiana and Evelyn. Ben tossed the Sergeant the truck keys as she grinned at him. Once they climbed in, Ben punched in the address to Ed's into the GPS.

The drive to the next town was relaxing, and Evelyn used the time to fill them all in on the schedule for the next few days. It certainly sounded like they'd be busy.

"Do you know if any of these hotels has a gym?" Ben asked.

"I think some do, but they might not be up to your preferred standard. Tourist hotels often don't have serious gyms," Evelyn said.

They left the highway and made their way across town to the Silverton Heights neighborhood. The homes got larger and with more property on this side of town. Once they turned onto Ed's street, the road went through a lovely tunnel of trees before they saw the first driveway. There'd been another bump in the size of the homes and properties. Ben admired the neighborhood with its mature trees and beautifully landscaped yards. The houses were gorgeous, and as they went up the hill, they became fancier.

"This is the one," Ben said as they almost reached the peak. They couldn't see the home as a tall, evergreen privacy hedge surrounded the property. They turned into the driveway to follow the curving lane to a tall brick wall with a huge, motorized gate. Evelyn dropped her window and pressed the intercom button.

"Hello?"

Ben recognized Ed's voice.

"Ben Shepherd and party," Evelyn announced.

"Ah! Come on in!" Ed said excitedly, and the big gate began to move.

Evelyn drove them through and continued along the path until they pulled onto a large parking pad before the home. Ben and Evelyn smiled as they admired the natural aesthetic of the structure. They could see the greenery growing on the roof.

"I can see design elements from the building your accountant works from," Liliya said.

"Yes, Ed said this home was a prototype they used as a template for the office development," Ben replied.

They parked and got out of the truck as the home's front door opened and three young girls charged outside. Blonde, brunette, and strawberry-blonde, the three rushed up to stand a few feet away from Ben with wide, toothy grins.

Ben smiled as he saw Ed and Grace follow them out.

"Hi, Ben! You've met Grace?" Ed said.

"Yes, hi again!" Ben responded, and she waved with a shy smile as she eyed Ben's entourage.

Ed continued. "May I introduce Evelyn, Caelyn, and Brooklyn, our beautiful daughters."

Ben smiled and bowed slightly to the three. "Hello there! I'm Ben, and this is Liliya, Tatiana, and Evelyn! Two Evelyns!"

The blonde girl smiled at Evelyn. "Are you wearing a uniform?"

The Sergeant smiled a little self-consciously. "Yes. I'm a Sergeant in the Army."

"What do you do?" Caelyn asked Tatiana, who was watching the Sergeant with an amused smirk. The tall assassin looked down at the small brunette child in surprise. She smiled sweetly at the girl. "I do many things, but right now, I protect Ben from bad people." She caught Ben's warning glance and stopped with a smile.

"You protect him?" Caelyn gasped as she looked at Ben's size compared to Tatiana's.

Tatiana nodded with a grin as she enjoyed the wonder in the girl's eyes.

"So do I," Liliya said. "And Evelyn does, too."

Now all the girls were looking at the ladies in amazement.

"Why do you need so many people to protect you?" Brooklyn asked in confusion.

Ben shrugged dramatically. "Maybe it's because I'm just so big!"

The girls giggled.

"Okay, girls. It's time for you to head inside and prepare for the party," Grace said, and her daughters waved as they rushed back into the house. The mother followed them in.

"Come on, I'll get your tour started!" Ed said.

"Even from the outside, we can see the similarities to the office development. The building is gorgeous! It's all one level?" Ben asked.

Ed nodded. "There is a basement level under the ground floor, but nothing above this. The majority of the roof is covered with a green roofing system. There are some solar panels, wind turbines, and mechanical systems on the roof as well."

He led the group inside, and in the foyer, Ben saw a stunning redhead dressed in a red bikini and a gauzy coverup that did not cover much. She grinned at Ed's frozen expression.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" she purred to Ed, who tore his eyes away from her straining bikini top.

"Oh, yes! Rachel Thompson, this is..." Ed turned to the ladies. "I'm sorry, I didn't get your last names."

"Evelyn Killcade," the Sergeant said with a smile and nod to the red-haired beauty.

"Liliya Sokolov," the blonde replied.

"Tatiana Pushkin," the brunette sighed.

Rachel nodded to the women, then turned her eyes to Ben.

"And this is Ben Shepherd. We're going to be working together on a large project."

Rachel's smile suddenly froze. "Sh-Shepherd?"

Ben saw recognition in her eyes, which immediately dropped to stare somewhere below his beltline. Just as quickly, they snapped back up to his eyes, but she knew he'd followed her gaze, and her face soon matched the color of her hair.

Ed seemed to have missed the byplay and continued enthusiasm. "We're flying to Hong Kong tonight!"

"Yes, that's right! How exciting!" Rachel said, with a wobbly voice to Ed. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, and she gazed at him with twinkling eyes. "Did you mention before that you were working with Mr. Shepherd?"

Ed thought about it and shrugged. "I think I did. I'm pretty sure I did, but I might have just said Ben."

"Ed! I need help with the cooler of steaks!"

The man in question looked past Rachel toward the voice calling out for his help.

Ben looked down the hall and saw another woman approaching. She was just a few inches over five feet but what she packed into that petite stature captured the eye. Like Rachel, she wore a bikini that struggled to contain her more than generous curves. Gold appeared to be her favorite color and metal as she'd adorned herself with rings, bracelets, chains, and earrings made of the precious metal, and her metallic bikini gleamed as well. Her straight black hair was currently disappearing into her deep cleavage as her head was bent forward while she straightened the cups of her bikini top.

She looked up and swept her long hair back over her shoulders and stumbled to a stop as she faced a bunch of strangers in her home.

Ed made the introductions. "Ben, this is Zoe Sandoval. Zoe, this is Ben Shepherd, Evelyn Killcade, Liliya Sokolov, and Tatiana Pushkin."

Zoe's mouth dropped open as she stared at Ed. "You didn't tell me they were coming today!"

"Yes, he did," Grace said calmly as she joined them with her daughters, who were also wearing their bathing suits. Grace was wearing a pretty one-piece suit and sandals.

"W-when?" Zoe squeaked.

"Friday night."

"What was I doing that ni--Oh!" Zoe's eyes went to Ed.

"Yes, that was your date night with Ed. You were... preoccupied," Grace teased.

Zoe's caramel complexion warmed as she smiled at the memory. She pulled herself from that to smile at Ben and the ladies. Ed hustled away to grab the cooler and took it out to the car.

Ben watched the comfortable banter between people who obviously loved each other, and it felt wonderfully familiar. Glancing at Rachel, she was still a little star-struck, but now she was smiling at Zoe's flustered expression with affection. He'd seen love in her eyes as she gazed at Ed earlier. When Ed returned, Zoe flashed him a hungry yet playful look that hinted at their passion, and Grace's smile let him know she was fully aware of it.

Looking at Ed, Ben could see his love for these women clearly, but he was also a little embarrassed about this public disclosure.

Finally, Ben locked eyes with Grace, and she gave him a little nod and smile, sharing their mutual awareness of the unique and wonderful dynamic of their complex home life.

Ed recovered the conversation as he felt a little uncomfortable with the teasing. "This home is Zoe's, and she redesigned it so we could all live here with her. Maybe we should start the tour?"

Rachel moved closer to Ed and smiled up at him as she placed a hand on his shoulder. His eyes once more dipped to her deep cleavage, then back to her eyes.

"I don't want to keep Angie waiting, so Grace, Zoe, and I will head over with the girls." She tilted her face up, and Ed's eyes flicked to Ben before he leaned forward to kiss the woman.

Pleased with the kiss, Rachel turned to Ben. "It was nice to meet you. Hopefully, you'll be able to join us at Angie's or up at the Dumas/Saxon mansion for one of their parties in the future."

Ben smiled and nodded as he shook her offered hand. "I look forward to it," Ben said, and her smile widened as she became a little starry-eyed again.

Zoe skipped over to Ed and pressed her body against his as she turned her face up for a kiss too.

Red-faced, Ed bent down to capture her mouth with his, and she purred when he pulled back.

She turned to Ben and his entourage and nodded to them as she helped Rachel collect the three girls and guide them to the door.

Grace kissed Ed too and patted his chest as she looked into his eyes. "Enjoy the tour, and I'll see you at Angie's." He nodded to her.

Next, she walked to stand before Ben and held his eyes with hers. "You'll take care of Ed on this round the world tour?"

"I'll guard him with my life," Ben said honestly.

She smiled and went up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

They watched her join the group and head out the door.

Taking a deep breath, Ed turned back to Ben with an embarrassed smile.

Ben could see he was struggling to explain that little display of affection from the ladies. He held up a hand and smiled at the man. "Ed, you're a lucky man. I completely understand the complexities of living in your situation as my household is very similar."

Ed's smile relaxed and became a grin. He nodded and gestured for Ben to follow. The tour had begun.

They returned to the foyer roughly ninety minutes later and stepped outside to stand by the truck. Ben's head was packed with ideas for the new homes he would build.

"I wish I'd thought of building loft bedrooms!" Ed sighed. "Having a deck for each would have been so nice!"

"See how they turn out with the two houses I'm building, and maybe you can do an add-on for this home," Ben suggested. Ed nodded with a smile.

"Thank you so much for the tour, Ed. We won't keep you from your party any longer. Please thank Zoe for us for allowing us to see her place."

"Will do! See you at the airport tonight!" Ed said with an excited grin, and Ben shook his hand.

Ben climbed back into the passenger seat, and his bodyguards slipped into the backseat as Evelyn got behind the wheel again.

As she drove them down the lane and through the opening gate, Evelyn glanced over at Ben. "That was a very impressive home. Perfectly suited for so many to share!"

Ben nodded. "Zoe knew what she was planning when she designed it."

"A woman of extremes," Tatiana offered out of the blue.

Ben looked over his shoulder and saw the brunette watching his reaction. He nodded. "Yes, she certainly seems to be."

"Will you be kissing her in the future?" Tatiana pushed.

Ben's eyes narrowed as he tried to understand where she was going with this. "I won't interfere with Ed's relationships."

"Not even for such a bountiful prize? I imagine she must feel like a marshmallow!" Tatiana snorted.

The comment caught Ben by surprise, and he snorted in amusement as he imagined Tatiana wasn't wrong. When the truck stopped, he looked forward as three women were getting out of a red SUV just inside the driveway. They looked toward his vehicle with hopeful smiles on their faces. Liliya stepped out of the truck as Ben opened his door.

"Hi," he said as he stepped out.

A lovely and tall platinum blonde wearing a glittering silver bikini and a gauzy white coverup stepped forward with her hand outstretched. Ben shook it, and her smile trembled a little as it widened. "Hi! We were just coming up to collect Ed for the party. Down at my place. I'm Angie Spencer. These are my neighbors Stephanie Mathews and Carolyn Patterson." She seemed to be babbling, just a little.

She pulled her hand back so the other two could move forward. Stephanie, a slim, pretty brunette with a pixie cut, trembled with excitement as her hand disappeared in Ben's larger one. Carolyn had light brown shoulder-length hair with blonde highlights and wore a broad smile. She was much calmer but no less delighted to shake his hand. Stephanie and Carolyn were wearing one-piece swimsuits that showed off their trim figures.

"Ben Shepherd," he said, then introduced the ladies with him. Then something percolated in his mind, and he turned his face to Angie. "Did you say, Spencer?"

Angie nodded. "My husband was Danny Spencer."

"Sorry, my neighbor's cousin is Shelly Spencer, and she lives one town away. I wonder if there might be some relation," Ben said.

Angie looked back at him curiously. "Danny's parents were extremely strict and disapproved of his interest in being a musician. He had a major falling out with them when he was in his teens. He left home when he was seventeen, but I recall him mentioning he had younger sisters, but they were twins." Ben stared at her in surprise, so she continued. "Uh, he never went back home as his parents disowned him. The sisters would have been thirteen or fourteen at the time."

"Shelly and Patty," Ben said quietly, and Angie's face lit up.

"Yes! I recall him mentioning a Patty!" she exclaimed.

Ben's smile became a little strained, and Angie's dimmed. "What's wrong?"

"Patty went missing just after her sixteenth birthday. I'm sorry to say, the police just found what may be her remains in a hidden cellar of a home I bought and was tearing down in my neighborhood," Ben admitted.

The three women gasped.

"Oh my god! I can't imagine what that must be like for Shelly!" Angie said in dismay.

Ben nodded. "Her cousin Trish is with her, and she's getting a lot of support from her and my friends in the neighborhood."

"Maybe once the situation settles, I can go visit her? Danny didn't talk too much about his family as it was painful for him, but I think I may have an old photo album stored away she might like to see," Angie offered.

Ben smiled at her. "That sounds wonderful. I'm sure she'd appreciate that. Thanks!"

Angie watched his expression and smiled. "You have a soft spot for Shelly."

He blinked at the direct statement. "Uh, yes. She's a gentle soul and a very sweet woman. I like her very much," he said self-consciously.

The three women aimed knowing smiles at him, and he looked away as his face warmed up. He spotted Ed walking down the lane toward them and breathed a sigh of relief. "Here comes Ed. We should be heading home as we have to prepare for our trip tonight. It was very nice meeting you."

Angie, Stephanie, and Carolyn smiled and waved as he got back into the truck.

Ed met up with the grinning ladies as Evelyn got them on their way once more. Ben waved out the window, and they drove down the hill.

"I wonder which house is Angie Spencer's," Ben pondered.

"Do you want to kiss her too?" Tatiana asked.

Ben turned in his seat to glare back at the woman. "What the hell is it with you? No, I don't want to kiss Angie, and more importantly, what business is it of yours who I decide to kiss? Don't answer. It's none of your damn business!"

After that, the atmosphere in the truck was downright chilly and had nothing to do with the air conditioning.

When they pulled up to the driveway for One Ashburn Court, Ben turned in his seat again and locked eyes with Tatiana before she could get out of the truck.

"Are you going to be able to get your shit together for the trip, or should we leave you behind?" he asked.

She stiffened but held his gaze. "I will keep it together."

"Good. See you in a few hours."

Ben glanced at Liliya as Tatiana stepped out of the truck.

The blonde remained in her seat. "I'm going to pick up Rose to spend some time with her before we leave."

They continued to Ben's, and once they were standing in his driveway, Ben turned to her. "I need your honest assessment. Is she getting worse, or is it my imagination?"

Liliya bit her lip. "I think the trip might help her as there will be a higher potential for risk in the unknown environments. She will be able to concentrate more on the job of protection. There is a very low threat level here, and she feels undervalued and unmotivated."

Ben looked at Evelyn. "I'm aware you're the one who'll pull the plug if the arrangement I made for her looks like it's heading south. I won't interfere with your call on this. I've done all I can."

The Sergeant looked at Ben with relief and gratitude. "Thank you, Ben. For now, we'll follow Liliya's advice. If Tatiana seems to be having some mental break while we are on the trip, I will call in our support team to assist in taking her offline."

Ben gaped at her. "Can we not use euphemisms? Offline?"

Evelyn gave Ben a contrite look. "Sorry. Assist in taking her into custody to imprison her."

He nodded. "Right... okay."

Liliya kept her expression neutral, and Ben assumed she was just being polite for the Sergeant's sake. Ben was also concerned for the safety of anyone who went up against Tatiana.

Misinterpreting Ben's unease, Evelyn patted his arm and dropped his keys into his palm. "Enjoy some time with your family, and I'll be over to drive us to the airport in a few hours.

He nodded, and they watched her run towards her place.

Ben shared a smile with Liliya. "Let's go play with some kids!"

Chapter 30

"This jet is beautiful!" Ed gushed. Mark just looked awestruck.

Louis Klein grinned at his employee's reactions, but Ben could see he was equally pleased with the luxurious interior of the executive jet. His partner, Dan, was smiling at Louis as he was delighted too.

This was Ben's first time in this particular aircraft, and he saw it was definitely appointed with the highest levels of luxury in mind. He imagined it being leased out to corporate CEOs, a-list celebrities, and even high-level government officials and royalty. It all felt a little grand for his tastes.

"Is this how you normally travel?" Louis asked him.

Ben shook his head. "No, this is the first time I've used this jet. Their other jets are also very comfortable but nowhere near this fancy. I was told this is the only jet in their fleet with the range we need for the trip."

Louis and Dan took seats and began stowing their carry-ons as Ed and Mark moved to the next quad of chairs to put their bags away.

Evelyn returned from speaking with the flight crew. She nodded to Ben. "All good." She'd arranged to be in the cockpit's jump seat during their flights. This gave her communication access, and in a pinch, she could assist the crew as she was a licensed pilot herself. Ben was a little jealous as he'd have loved to geek out over the tech gear in the cockpit. She headed back to her seat.

Liliya entered the cabin and nodded to Ben with a smile as she took the first seat to cover the door. Tatiana would be taking the seat at the back of the cabin to cover the rear entrance.

Speaking of their last passenger, Ben raised an eyebrow at Liliya in question.

"She was having a last cigarette in the terminal's smoking room. She will be here shortly," the lovely blonde said.

Ben nodded. He wasn't surprised she had the habit.

The tall brunette strode into the jet without the slightest reaction to its luxurious appointments. She passed Ben with a minimal acknowledgment of his presence and ignored the other passengers as she made her way to the back. She settled into her chair and turned her face to look out her window. Ben shared a weary look with Liliya, whose smile was stiff.

Movement at the front drew Ben's attention. The last flight crew member was speaking with one of the ground crew, going over some paperwork. They smiled at each other, and their flight attendant closed and sealed the jet's door. She stowed the paperwork in a small storage bin, spoke briefly to the pilot on a handset, and walked toward Ben.

She was a stunning six-foot redhead wearing two-inch pumps. Her silky smooth, straight crimson hair was pulled back and tied into a ponytail hanging down her back to her tailbone. Blue-eyed and fair-skinned, she had a bright and wide smile with a slight overbite as she approached and held out her hand to Ben, who shook it.

"Welcome aboard Sky Shepherd's premium service craft. I'm Robin, your inflight service attendant. If there is anything you need during the flight, please feel free to contact me." Her crisp British accent made his ears perk up.

"I'm Ben. Thank you."

Her smile widened as she gave his hand another squeeze before releasing it. "Everyone at Sky Shepherd is thoroughly briefed on who you are, Mr. Shepherd. I'm thrilled to finally meet you."

"Briefed?" Ben asked in surprise.

She nodded with a smile. "Mr. Thomasson makes sure everyone who works for the airline knows the truth behind the terrible misinformation about you." Her eyes practically twinkled with delight.

"Oh!" he said, wondering what exactly Dennis told his people.

"If you could finish stowing your items, we need to take our seats as we will be leaving the gate shortly," she said.

Ben nodded and packed his laptop case into the overhead bin as she moved back to speak to the others.

As he buckled himself in, Robin stopped next to him once more. "We'll be on our way shortly. Once we're in the air, I can offer drinks and snacks."

"Thank you, Robin," Ben said, and she nodded with a smile before moving to her own seat at the front.

They taxied out to join a short line of waiting planes and were soon racing down the runway. Ben noticed the thrust felt more intense than the commercial airline jets he'd traveled on before, then they leaped into the air. Watching the city below, he realized they were moving significantly faster than he was used to and once more wished he was sitting in the cockpit.

Quickly, they reached their cruising altitude, and the seatbelt light turned off. Robin made an announcement over the cabin speakers with the usual safety recommendations. She joined them, going from seat to seat, asking if they cared for a complimentary drink and snack.

Ben shook his head, then unbuckled to walk back to see how his fellow travelers were getting on. Robin headed to the galley to prepare their orders, passing Ben with ease as there was a lot of space in the cabin.

Louis looked up at Ben and gestured to one of the seats facing him and Dan. Once Ben sat, Louis leaned forward. "We really appreciate the efforts you're going through on this project." He gestured to their surroundings. "This is truly over the top!"

Robin returned with a tumbler of scotch for Louis and a hot tea for Dan.

"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Robin asked Ben.

"I'm good, thanks," he responded, and she moved back to serve Ed his apple juice and a tea for Mark.

Ben watched Louis take a sip and smiled as the man obviously enjoyed the drink.

"This is exquisite scotch!" He turned to Dan. "You teetotalers don't know what you're missing."

Dan sighed and looked at Ben. "Do you enjoy scotch?"

Ben shook his head. "I don't drink anymore."

"Oh! Sorry!" Louis said, but Ben raised a hand.

"It's fine! I have no issues with others enjoying a drink. Years ago, I lost myself in the bottle, but once I sobered up, I decided that was it. No more." He noticed Robin had returned holding a plate.

"Oatmeal raisin cookie?" she asked.

Ben grinned. "Sure." He accepted the treat from her and then looked at the other men. "I still have my guilty pleasures."

Robin chuckled as she served Dan a cookie, but Louis shook his head with a small shudder.

"I'll never understand how people can enjoy raisins in cookies. They trick you into thinking they're chocolate chips!" Louis complained.

The lovely redhead laughed lightly as she moved back to serve Ed and Mark. Ben saw Robin pause by Tatiana, but the brunette snapped at her without looking her way. The attendant simply turned and walked away. She caught Ben's concerned expression but shook her head with a small smile as she passed by on her way to the galley.

Ben scowled at Tatiana for a moment, then brought his attention back to Dan, who said something. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

"I was just seconding Louis' thanks for making these arrangements. These trips are critical but can be very draining. Commercial airlines are always crowded and noisy. The hotels we stay at are typically adequate at best. The seats on this aircraft are more comfortable than my bed at home, and I saw the hotel listing on the itinerary the Sergeant arranged. These are beautiful properties!"

"Evelyn chose them for a number of criteria, mostly security-related. The higher-end hotels must have higher security to protect their guests. I'm not a great traveler on my own as I tend to find myself in some kind of trouble. I'm hoping Evelyn, Liliya, and Tatiana can run interference for me this time. I'd welcome an uneventful trip," Ben sighed.

"We'll try to avoid the slavers and mobsters. The worst we should encounter is some overzealous sales pitches. We did our research before selecting the developers we're seeing but seeing them in person and hearing their pitch is always enlightening," Louis said with a smirk.

"That I can deal with," Ben agreed.

Ben sat with them, talking about the Foundation he was building. Ed and Mark joined them, and Robin stayed close, offering water that Ben accepted with thanks.

When Ben yawned, they took that as a sign to put a bookmark in their conversation. He was a little embarrassed that the others were deferring to his fatigue, but he admitted he could use the rest. He said his goodnights and went back to his seat. He collected his toothbrush and toothpaste from his carry-on and made his way back to the washroom. Taking care of business, he stepped out to see Ed waiting his turn, toothbrush in hand.

Ed smiled at Ben. "I promised Grace I wouldn't get lazy on the trip."

Ben grinned and patted him on his shoulder. "Smart man."

Ed's answering smile showed how pleased he was.

Ben went back to his seat and packed away his stuff before settling down.

"Would you like a pillow and blanket?" Robin asked, standing next to his chair.

"Oh! Uh, yes, that would be great," he said.

She moved to the other side with a smile and a nod to collect the items. Ben couldn't help but notice how toned her body was as she stretched up to pull down a fresh planet and pillow. He recalled the Sergeant telling him about the hotel's fitness facilities. He hoped he'd be able to get in some workouts while he was on the trip. He wondered how Robin kept fit on trips like these.

He put his seatbelt on and accepted the items from her when she returned.

"Thank you, Robin."

"You're welcome, Ben! Sleep well," she said with a smile, then moved back to offer pillows and blankets to the others.

Ben relaxed back in the comfortable seat and sighed. It was a very luxurious recliner, but it was missing something he'd come to depend on for a good night's sleep, the soft bodies of Tina and Lucy at his sides.

He glanced forward and saw Liliya settling into her own chair. She smiled at him, and he returned it.

"Sleep well, Liliya."

"Goodnight, Ben."

Closing his eyes, he realized he felt comforted by the woman's presence and not just from a security standpoint. He felt his face warm up and tried to put it out of his mind. Tomorrow would be a busy day.

Chapter 31

"From the examples we showed you today, you can see how Huen Kang Development Group is the leader in creating the grandest inspirational commercial and residential architecture. We stand above all others!"

The man delivering this pitch to Ben and the Klein Group was dressed immaculately in a very expensive and tailored suit. He practically gleamed with wealth, success, and power, but Ben was feeling a little frustrated by the excess glam and glitz the presentation had been surrounded by.

They were sitting in the penthouse meeting room of the company's headquarters, the jewel in their crown, the salesman insisted.

The three examples they'd been shown earlier in the day had façades that were lovely to look at, but they'd never looked past the veneer. That set Ben's nerves on edge. He wasn't sure how Louis would run this interview, so he'd tried to hold his tongue. So far, neither Louis nor Dan had interfered with the salesman's monologue, except for requesting a closer look at the infrastructure of the buildings they'd visited, but they'd allowed themselves to be dissuaded! Ben's patience was coming to an end.

He glanced around the room, and a pretty woman smiled back at him everywhere he looked. There had to be close to a dozen of them, but he wasn't sure of their function in the business if not to act as a distraction. They were all truly lovely, but it was a little unnerving to be the focus of their undivided attention.

He saw Louis and Dan still had their poker faces on, Mark was doing his best to emulate them, but Ed was equally distracted by the extra ladies. He caught the man's eye and saw a flash of embarrassment before he shared a smile with the younger man to let him know it was cool. Ed grinned back at him.

He took a deep breath and prepared to put the breaks on the pitch as he'd had enough.

A sharp knock on the door stopped him, and he caught a frown from the polished gentleman who nodded to the eye candy closest to the door. She opened it, and another lovely woman whispered something to the one inside. She turned to face the group. "There is a visitor to see Mr. Shepherd."

Ben's eyebrows rose in surprise as Tatiana moved into view in the hall with a redhead at her side.

He was on his feet and moving to the door before the salesman could make a peep as his eyes locked on the smiling features of Trish. He met her in the hallway. Liliya stepped out of the room behind him and shared some signals with Tatiana, who walked down the hall toward the elevators. Evelyn slipped by to take position down the aisle in the opposite direction.

"What's happened? Is everything alright?" he immediately gasped.

She patted his chest to calm him. "Everything is fine! I was in the neighborhood and have some papers you need to sign."

Ben blinked at her. "In the neighborhood?" he said incredulously. His mind spun at the distance she'd traveled to be in the neighborhood, then he remembered. "Oh! Shit! I forgot you said you were interviewing marketing companies." When Trish smiled and nodded, then he frowned again. "You could have flown with us if our trips were going to be to the same places."

"This is the only destination that matched, and I'm on a different schedule than you. It's fine." She looked around. "Is there someplace we can go to get some privacy?" She held up the dossier of papers for Ben to sign.

A junior exec in a less expensive suit stood by and looked at Ben questioningly.

"I need a room to sign some papers," Ben said. The man glanced to the open door of the conference room, but Ben shook his head. "I need privacy."

Looking a little flustered, the junior produced a key he used to open a door next to the conference room and gestured for them to enter. Trish led the way, and Ben stepped in, nodded to the man, and closed the door behind them.

Turning to face the room, he was surprised to see it was just a narrow closet with tall shelves to his left and a low row of cabinets with a countertop running along the wall shared by the conference room. The counter made an excellent surface to sign the paperwork, so Ben quickly completed that for her. He noted quite a few from Walter involving the properties, specifically Beth's old home. This was likely to protect him from the legal nightmare of the criminal case the property was currently linked with.

When he was done, he faced Trish, and his jaw dropped as her yoga pants and panties were down at her ankles, and she was rubbing her pussy in little circles with a grin on her face.

"What are you doing?" he gasped.

"You mentioned we could have shared a flight, which made me think about our flight to Germany and how hot the sex was. We're not going to see each other for at least a week, so we need to take this opportunity for a quickie!" she panted.

Ben stared at her incredulously once more. "We're in a-a supply closet of a high-rise in Hong Kong!" he said.

"That just makes it extra hot!" Trish dropped to her knees before Ben and quickly unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. She tugged his clothes down and began running her tongue over his cock.

"Fuck!" Ben gasped.

Trish grinned up at him and took his swelling member into her mouth. She wasn't going for finesse as speed was more important right now. As he wasn't erect yet, she managed to get most of him into her mouth and slipping down her throat.

"Oh fuck, Trish! We-we shouldn't be doing this!" he said with a strained voice as she worked her magic on him. He was quickly becoming too hard for her to easily push into her throat.

With a satisfied smile, she pulled his rigid member from her mouth and licked the head, causing him to jolt. The intensity of his gaze sent tingles down her spine. She'd really charged him up.

Ben reached down and lifted her to her feet. Then he leaned her over the countertop as she gasped at the rough need in his grip.

When the thick head of his cock pressed against her wet opening, she cried out in surprise at how hot it felt against her. Then he was sliding it into her, gradually but with undeniable strength. He'd withdraw and inch, then reverse and slide in two.

"FUCK! Ben, you feel so fucking THICK!" she gasped as she reached back to pull at his body. She wanted him to drive that beast deep inside her, but he enjoyed making her squirm with need. She couldn't get mad at him as she knew he'd give her what she craved, eventually.

She began thrusting back, pushing against the wall before her as Ben gripped her hips.

"Trish, that feels so good, but we have to finish quick," he said, returning to his senses.

She looked back at him over her shoulder. "I've been trying to get you to move faster, but you controlled the speed! Fuck me, dammit!" She was grinning, so he knew she wasn't really upset.

Ben drew his cock out to the head and then slammed himself deep.

"FUCK! YES!"

-=-

Liliya was standing outside the door to the closet and was the first to hear the beginning of Ben and Trish's interlude. She immediately locked down her expression and casually scanned the faces of the junior executive and the pretty attendant waiting in the hall. Neither appeared to have noticed so far.

She glanced down the hall to see Evelyn's eyes turn in her direction. She passed a hand signal and watched the woman's blue eyes widen. The Sergeant moved closer and ducked into the washroom across the hall to return moments later with a nod for her. The woman returned to her position down the aisle.

The Russian blonde smiled as Evelyn had thought ahead perfectly. Now she knew she could direct Ben to the washroom without having to pre-inspect it. She wished Tatiana worked with her so smoothly.

There was a distinct thump from the other side of the door, and this time the junior exec and the lovely woman next to him heard it.

The young man went toward the door, but Liliya stepped sideways to block his access. He frowned, but she held his eye and just shook her head. Her steady gaze intimidated the man, so he stepped back.

Liliya hoped Ben finished up quickly.

-=-

"Oh fuck! Fuck! Fuck! YES! Ben! Fuck me harder!" Trish moaned as Ben stroked faster.

He was in heaven as well and began to pound her ass with his body, oblivious of the steady thump of the cabinet against the wall. He seemed unaware that it wasn't bolted down, and Trish loved his attention so much she ignored the movement in the wall she was bracing her hands against.

"You feel so good!" Ben moaned as his hips accelerated again.

'YES! FUCK, YES!" Trish cried.

-=-

Ed was sitting closest to the door and began to hear sounds through the wall. It'd started with a steady but quiet thumping, but now the pace seemed to be increasing. He wondered what mechanical system might be nearby to bleed its noise into the room. He knew they were on the top floor, so there were many things it could be, from the air conditioners, pumps, and diesel power generators.

When a muted but distinctly female voice cried out in passion, Ed recognized that sound immediately. His last evening with Rachel suddenly popped into his mind, and he felt a familiar tingle begin down below.

He quickly scanned the room to ensure no one was looking his way as he adjusted himself in his pants. Once the pressure was relieved, he looked up to see a knowing smile on one of the ladies standing by the door.

His face reddened as he directed his gaze elsewhere.

He hoped whoever was making those sexy sounds finished soon as his dress pants were becoming entirely too tight.

-=-

Ben was quickly reaching his release, and he could tell Trish was seconds away, too, as she was beginning to bear down on his cock. Her ass cheeks were red from the spanking he was giving them, but she seemed to need a little extra effort to hit her peak.

He released his grip on her hips and reached forward to cup and squeeze her heavy tits. That did it.

"FFFFUUUUUUCCCKKK!!! COMMMMIIIIINNNNGGG!!!" Trish cried out, and her hips began to shake.

Ben slammed into her three more times, but without a firm grip on her hips, his thrusts slapped her ass with extra strength, bouncing her against the cabinets.

Trish's ecstatic cries cut through the noise of his pounding heartbeat, and he finally heard the start of a deep rumble. Dust and bits of crumbling cement began to fall from the wall before them.

Ben's eyes widened as the wall began to collapse. He pulled Trish back against his chest and turned them towards the door, which suddenly swung inwards, Liliya reacting to the sharp sounds of cinderblocks falling. She leaped back as Ben rushed out into the hall with his pants down around his ankles. The junior exec and the lovely assistant got a surprisingly clear view of Trish impaled on Ben's still hard cock. The young woman swooned and fell into the arms of the exec.

Trish was still going through her release and seemed oblivious to everything else.

Liliya pushed the washroom door open, and Ben immediately carried Trish inside.

He moved to stand before the sink and saw Trish's eyes fluttering as he was supporting her entirely with his cock and his grip on her breasts. He was so deep. He carefully moved his arms to wrap his left around her body, freeing up his right hand to lift her from his cock. Her legs wouldn't support her weight, so he held her until she began to return to her senses.

"Holy Fuck, Ben... that was the most intense yet. You surprised me!" she muttered as she trembled through an aftershock. She licked her lips and frowned as she tasted gritty dust. Her eyes opened, and she saw in the mirror that the two of them were streaked with the stuff. "What happened?"

Ben scowled. "The bloody wall collapsed. Can you take a seat on one of the toilets so I can get cleaned up and go back out there?"

She nodded, but he had to help her into one of the stalls. He did his best to brush the dust from himself and saw his jacket was torn, and he had a nasty scrape on his leg from a falling block. He cleaned himself, then pulled his underwear and pants back up. Once he was presentable, Trish left the stall on her own. Her panties and yoga pants were back on as well.

"Freshen up and come out when you can. I'll see if I can dig out the paperwork I signed," he said.

She nodded to him, then got a quick kiss. "You were incredible! That should last me until next week."

Ben snorted in frustrated amusement but moved toward the door.

When he stepped into the hall, he was faced with several angry older gentlemen yelling at him in a language he didn't understand. He glared at them, and they lost a little steam as his facial scars flared white.

Ignoring them, he stepped across the hall into the storeroom. The door was now wedged open behind the fallen blocks. He began picking them up to examine their tops and bottoms. As he saw a minimal mortar application, he tossed them further in. Doing this repeatedly, he managed to clear the countertop nearest to the door and uncovered his signed paperwork. He carried the docket back out into the hall with two of the cinderblocks. Evelyn took the docket as he pointed the bottoms of the blocks at the men who'd been shouting at him. They shut up quickly.

He tossed the bricks back into the storeroom and faced the salesman, whose expression indicated he knew exactly what Ben was about to say next.

"This is the jewel in your crown?" Ben growled. "If you cut costs by skimping on the mortar between the bricks, how strong can your foundations be? Your little show was very pretty, and the buildings you took us to appeared nice, but you're wasting my time. If you can't show pride of craftsmanship in the smallest details, the integrity of the entire enterprise is put into question."

Ben looked at Louis and Dan and saw they were struggling not to smile. Mark was definitely giving him a hero-worship expression, while Ed's face was just red with embarrassment for some reason.

He'd had enough. "We're done here."

Trish joined them in the hall, and all faces turned to her. She flashed them a brilliant smile.

"Good meeting?"

-=-

Louis leaned back in his chair at the hotel restaurant and sighed happily. He gave Ben a contrite smile. "We knew this developer wasn't going to work out once they refused to show us the bones of the buildings. Letting him continue allowed us to see how you reacted to the dog and pony show. When they filled the room with beautiful women, I was slightly concerned as you like to surround yourself with beauty." He nodded toward Evelyn, Liliya, and Tatiana sitting by themselves at small tables on three sides around Ben's larger central table.

The Sergeant seemed a little flustered to be included.

"Louis, I'm a mechanical engineer. You want to dazzle me in a demonstration? Show me the infrastructure, the guts of the building!" He saw Ed nodding with a grin and gestured to the man. "He knows! As for beauty, I do truly appreciate it, but I've just been fortunate to circumstantially find myself surrounded by it." He noted that Ed was nodding to this as well. He'd have to share stories with the man when they had time.

"I have to admit, it took every bit of my willpower not to explode into laughter when Ms. Campbell asked if we'd had a good meeting," Dan said, then burst into chuckles. "She's priceless!"

Ben chuckled as well as a warmth spread through his chest as he thought of the feisty redhead. She'd given him a kiss outside the building, then rushed off to catch a cab to take her to her meeting. She was hopping on another flight to head to Singapore tonight, so she couldn't stay for dinner. The paperwork he'd signed would be couriered back to Walter.

"Tomorrow's developer should be much better," Louis said, and Ben nodded in relief.

"Will you be testing the architectural integrity of any other buildings during the trip?" Dan asked with a cheeky smile.

"Trish and I won't cross paths again until I get home, so no. That woman pushes me outside my comfort zone like no one else," Ben sighed and saw Ed was nodding thoughtfully again. Maybe he also had someone like Trish in his life? Curious.

"I'm going to check out the hotel's gym offering before heading off to sleep. I'd like to get a workout in first thing tomorrow," Ben said.

"Me too!" Ed chimed in with a smile.

"Would you like to join me to see what they have to offer?" Ben suggested.

Ed nodded. They waved to the others and followed the Sergeant to the elevators, where they and Ben's security detail rode up to the tenth floor. They spoke to the facility manager and were given a brief tour of the machines available and shown the pool and steam room.

"So, what do you think, Ed? They're a little light on the free weights, but I can make do with the functional trainers."

"That would work for me too. See you here tomorrow morning at six?" Ed asked.

"Sounds good! Sleep well!" Ben said.

"Oh! Thank you for giving me my own room. This is the first time I've ever had one. I usually have to share with Mark, and he talks in his sleep," Ed said.

Ben nodded to the other man. "It's my pleasure, but Evelyn made the arrangements." They looked at her, and she nodded.

"It was better for us to book a larger number of adjacent rooms," she said.

Ben grinned at Ed. "There you go. Security and efficiency worked in your favor!"

Ed smiled and nodded to Evelyn. "Just the same, thanks!"

They took the elevator up to the fifteenth floor and walked down the hall to their rooms. Waving to them, Ed opened his door and stepped inside.

Ben looked to Evelyn. "Do you think I might be able to get these pants washed tonight and returned in the morning?"

"Did you spill anything on them?" she asked as she looked down. She frowned as she spotted a stain on the side of his leg. "What is that?"

"Blood."

That caught the attention of all three on his security detail. "You got hurt in the wall collapse?" Tatiana asked crossly.

Ben nodded, ignoring her tone. "It's just a scrape, but it's pretty wide. After the collapse, I cleaned it in the bathroom, but I didn't have time to treat it after we got back from the developer's office before dinner. I'll need to deal with it now. We have bandages?"

Evelyn nodded but pointed to his door. "Let's get inside, and I'll take a look. We may need to call up the front desk to get them to bring in a doctor to do the first aid."

Ben found himself standing in the living room before the couch with his pants off as Evelyn examined the wound on the outside of his left thigh. Liliya and Tatiana were watching from the side.

"It's a bad scrape, and some of these are deep, but you seem to have done a good job cleaning it. We need a larger gauze pad than I have. I'll call down to get you a proper-sized bandage," Evelyn said and moved off to make the call.

Liliya smiled at Ben and shook her head. "How are we supposed to keep you safe if you're the one causing yourself injuries?"

Ben snorted. "I know. Sorry," he said with a small grin.

"You shouldn't strain the injury tomorrow on the machines. No leg work," Tatiana insisted.

Ben looked at her and nodded as she was right. She looked smugly pleased with herself, and Ben did his best to ignore her condescending tone.

Evelyn returned. "They'll send one up as soon as they can get one. In the interim, I've put a towel down on the sofa. Have a seat. We can watch some TV while we wait."

She walked away, and Ben smiled with Liliya at the Sergeant's take-charge attitude. He joined her on the couch as she turned the large flat-screen TV on.

Tatiana found a chair and spent her time playing a game on her cell phone.

They found the English channels, but there wasn't much on. Ben rarely watched TV and wasn't seeing anything interesting now. They settled on a bizarre game show where the contestants had to endure outrageous physical challenges. Evelyn suggested routes through the courses to avoid the dangers, but no one seemed to find them.

When the news came on, Ben yawned as he was ready to call it a night, but the gauze pad hadn't arrived yet. Evelyn moved to the phone to call down for an update.

"Ben! They're talking about you," Liliya exclaimed.

He looked to the screen, and there beside the news anchor was a picture of his grim face.

"The notoriously reclusive international celebrity Benjamin Shepherd is in Hong Kong today and visited the headquarters of real estate developer Huen Kang Development Group. It is speculated that he is looking for a company to build the Hong Kong campus for his Shepherd Foundation, a charity school to help underprivileged young people learn new skills and trades to help them escape the cycle of poverty. While we commend the purpose of his venture, we are disturbed by the man's behavior."

Ben frowned and sighed. This was why he didn't want to be in the public eye.

The anchor continued. "During a meeting with the developer, Mr. Shepherd was visited by an unidentified red-haired woman claiming his signature was required. He interrupted his meeting to speak with the woman, and they moved into the storage room next to the meeting room. What happened next was captured by a security camera. Please be warned, the footage is very explicit."

"No!" Ben shouted as he suddenly shifted forward to the edge of the cushions.

What appeared next on the screen was shot from ceiling level at the back of the room in the shadows. The picture wasn't terribly sharp due to the low light level and the distance, but it was clear enough to show Trish pulling his pants down and taking him into her mouth. The shots of his cock were being roughly censored, which initially hid Trish's face, but once he had her bent over the counter, her expressions were clear enough. The action was hot, heavy, and fast as they thought they were having a private quickie in a public place.

Knowing how this ended, Ben watched the wall Trish was bracing herself against and saw how the repeated and increasingly violent slamming of the cabinets against the wall broke the weak mortar between the blocks. When they escaped from the collapsing wall, the footage switched to a hallway camera. While Trish's face was not visible, her limp body movements were those of someone unaware of their intimate exposure.

Thankfully the footage ended when they ducked into the washroom.

"Why Mr. Shepherd thought he was justified in enjoying himself this way during a business visit and causing such property damage is unknown to us, but we hope he shows more civil and moral behavior during the remainder of his visit."

Ben put his face in his hands and cursed softly. Liliya turned the TV off.

"Were you trying to fuck her through the wall?" Tatiana snapped angrily.

Ben looked at her in surprise and saw her face was flushed and she was breathing hard. "No! We just... got carried away. Trish does that to me," he finished awkwardly.

Tatiana leaped to her feet and stormed towards the door. Liliya raised a hand to stop Ben from following.

As the angry assassin yanked his door open, a small man in the hallway squeaked in fright.

"Who are you?" Tatiana barked.

"Doctor!" the man returned fearfully.

Tatiana sneered and gestured inside. "He is there. Give him horse tranquilizer too, to prevent him from fucking through more walls." She stepped out, leaving the man blinking in confusion at her departing back.

Evelyn was immediately at the door to guide the doctor inside with quiet apologies for the other woman's harsh words. She led the man to Ben and showed him the wound they needed to cover. This seemed to calm him down.

The Sergeant shared a look with Ben. Tatiana's stability was weakening.

-=-

The brunette in question rode the elevator down to the ground floor and headed for the bar. With Ben in his room, Liliya and the Sergeant watching over him, she could take some down time.

When she reached the bar, she nodded to the bartender, who approached with a smile.

"Vodka."

The man's smile froze as he picked up the tension in her voice. Her expression wasn't friendly either, so he poured her a drink and waited as she tossed it back. He poured her another and then a third until she nodded to let him know he could leave.

He did so without looking back.

Her hands were trembling, and she felt a scream of rage and frustration bubbling just under the surface.

It was the redhead's fault. Trish.

Tatiana closed her eyes but opened them immediately as all she could see in her mind was Ben fucking the red-haired slut... as he should be fucking her. He was so brutal with the woman. He took his pleasure from Trish, and she could do nothing to stop him, not that she'd tried.

Tatiana tossed back the third vodka, then pulled her cell from her pocket. It didn't take her long to find the news clip online. She found multiple sources and found one without the annoying censoring. She stared at the screen, transfixed by what she saw so long ago and had only felt through his clothes.

He was big, and he was driving it into Trish so hard! Tatiana sucked in a choked breath as she'd forgotten to breathe.

It wasn't fair. He didn't look at her like he looked at the other women surrounding him. Even that useless Sergeant got smiles from Ben. She got frustration, anger, and worse, disappointment.

That last one hurt most of all.

She snarled and stormed out of the bar. She needed to release this pain on someone else.

-=-

Louis was sitting at a table in the bar and raised a hand to stop the bartender from chasing after the assassin. "She's with us, Ben Shepherd's group. Bill her drinks to my room, fifteen-oh-five."

The bartender smiled with relief and nodded to Louis as he walked back to the bar to adjust the bill.

Louis cast his glance back to the exit and pondered what might be upsetting the woman so badly. She'd been prickly from the start of their trip, but she'd been on edge ever since Ben's little liaison with Trish. Something must have happened upstairs.

He hoped it didn't continue to be a problem as they'd just started their trip.

Dan returned from his room, where he'd been making a call to his wife. He took a seat and caught the expression on Louis' face. "Something happen while I was gone?"

Louis gave his partner a little shrug. "The dark-haired beauty Ben brought with him just came in for a drink. She was upset and looked angrier when she left. I'm not sure what that means."

Dan frowned. "I hope Ben can keep that one in line. She's kinda scary."

Louis snorted as he took the last sip of his drink. Dan watched him closely. "It's my last for the night," he sighed, annoyed by the judgment in his eyes but secretly grateful too.

"What did you really think about Ben's little stunt today at the headquarters?" Dan asked.

Louis thought about it for a moment. He knew Dan needed an honest answer, so he controlled his urge to joke about it.

"Ben is paying the bills. It's his dream we're going to be building. He's got a lot going on in his life and needing to have twenty-four-seven security can't be fun either. He works for the US Military, and you saw the permanently stationed troops in his neighborhood. I heard from Dominic he's some kind of engineering genius with dozens of patents for shit we've never heard of. If he has a few eccentricities like grabbing a quickie not with some stranger but with one of the women in his life in a supply closet, I think we have to give him the latitude to do it without judgment," Louis said.

Dan grinned at his partner and nodded. "Good. I feel the same way. I felt kind of bad for Ed there. He was closest to the wall and heard more than we did. Did you see how he was blushing?"

Louis chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about Ed. He and Ben have a surplus of good fortune romantically. If anyone can understand being surrounded by hot women, it's Ed."

Dan nodded as he couldn't argue the point. Ed did have several gorgeous women in love with him. If Dan hadn't been married to the love of his life and Ed wasn't such a nice guy, he might have been jealous.

Louis snorted. "Did you see Mark's expression when Ben returned from the bathroom? He's got a serious case of hero-worship."

Dan nodded and yawned. "Here's hoping tomorrow goes smoother."

Louis grinned at his partner as they got up from the table and walked over to the bar to settle their bill.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Chapter 32

The hotel was quiet in the early morning hours, with only a few staff members moving about their duties.

Ben, Evelyn, and Liliya met Ed in the hallway and took the elevator down to the tenth floor, where they found the gym to be completely empty.

"This is nice, having the place to ourselves," Ben said as he checked out the machines.

Ed nodded and moved to an open area of mats, where he began his stretches.

Ben joined him and felt the morning creakiness slowly leaving his joints. He wasn't as young as Ed, after all.

He looked at the young man doing his best not to stare at Evelyn, who'd joined them on the mats. The Sergeant was very fit and attractive--Ben dragged his mind back from that dangerous territory.

Instead, he looked over at Liliya, who'd positioned herself to cover the room.

"Not going to join us this morning?" he asked with a smile.

She returned it. "I did my exercises in my room this morning."

He nodded. "Any sign of Tatiana?"

"She's in her room," Evelyn said. "I checked on her this morning."

Ben's eyebrows rose, and he looked at her in concern. "It might be better to let Liliya do that."

Evelyn locked eyes with Ben. "I can take care of--"

"I'm not saying you can't. What I mean is that Liliya has more history with Tatiana and is less likely to trigger her aggression," Ben quickly explained.

"Is Ms. Pushkin all right?" Ed asked.

Ben sighed as he looked at the man. He wouldn't lie to him.

"Tatiana hasn't adjusted to civilian life as well as Liliya has. She was in a high-pressure, high danger environment before she came to work for me. Her training didn't prepare her for this."

Liliya didn't agree. "Ben, I had the same training. The difference is that Tatiana enjoyed her work and let it define her. For me, it was just something I needed to endure until I could get out."

"You're happy now?" Ed asked curiously.

Liliya flashed a bright smile at him. "Yes, I am happy. I live in a beautiful home, I have a purpose that does not require me to kill the innocent, and most importantly, my daughter is safe and has a bright future." Her eyes went to Ben's, and he could see relief, gratefulness, and joy in them.

He nodded and returned to his stretching as his face warmed up. His muscles needed some attention, so he got on with the business of pushing them to their limits.

Ed seemed to be right into it as well, and the two of them began comparing notes on their routines. As their muscles heated up, they took off their shirts, and Evelyn's face suddenly got a little red.

Seeing all the scars, Ed's eyes widened. "What-what happened?" he asked.

Ben smiled gently. "I've been through some things, and they left their mark. Shot with a handgun," he said, pointing to the cluster of three circular scars. "Stabbed multiple times and slashed by a crazed lunatic with a knife." He made a general gesture toward his chest and face. "Shot in the back with a shotgun and fell off my bicycle," he said, pointing to his back. Grinning, he gestured to the bandage on his thigh. "Scraped by a falling cinderblock in a storeroom."

Ed shook his head in awe. "It's amazing you survived all that! Uh, that last one wasn't too bad."

Ben winced as he remembered Ed was a witness to the event. "Sorry to embarrass you like that. I should have resisted, but as I've said, Trish always seems to get her way. You have anyone in your life like that?"

Ed suddenly smiled, then tried to hide it.

"If I'm treading into personal areas you'd rather not discuss, please feel free to tell me so. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. It just seems like we have more in common than I first thought."

Ed seemed to come to a decision. "No, it's okay. I just don't discuss my time with the women in my life. I will say there's one who makes me behave in ways I'm uncomfortable with. Nothing bad, just not how I usually do."

Ben nodded. "I completely agree. I don't talk about that either. I also don't normally do what I did last night." His face heated up, and he saw Evelyn watching him. She quickly looked away and moved on to her next exercise. He caught himself admiring her muscles and pulled his mind back on track.

Less thinking and more exercising.

Much safer.

-=-

Ben was smiling as the young executive of their second developer visit concluded his pitch. Unlike the previous day, during the tour of the three properties they were shown, their guide took them into mechanical rooms and let them inspect the electrical and water control systems for each building.

He and Ed were particularly fascinated though he could tell this was not the case for Louis and Dan.

The only thing marring a perfect presentation was the group of junior execs, team supporters, or whatever their role was, as Ben had forgotten how they were introduced. They couldn't stop themselves from staring at Ben excitedly from the side of the presentation room and were comprised of three women and one overly excited male who'd been on the edge of his chair during the entire meeting.

Two of the ladies had been with them on the tour of the properties, and Ben was convinced more buttons on their blouses were coming undone each time he looked in their direction. He also caught them on one occasion casually taking selfies with him in the background. No doubt these would be up on some social media pages shortly.

Louis was speaking to their main contact and presenter, Peter Lee, and he looked over at Ben.

"I've been very impressed with their company's offerings. If you have no objections, I believe we can start the contract negotiation phase," Louis said with a smile, and Peter's grin showed he was very pleased.

"I agree. It was a fine presentation, and the tour really sold it for me. The buildings are very well constructed, and I feel comfortable with this company building our Hong Kong Foundation headquarters for us," Ben replied.

There was a burst of excited voices from the group by the side, and now they were all staring at Ben openly.

Peter said something stern, and they settled down a little.

Everyone stood as it seemed time to shake hands as the meeting was over.

The young man at the side of the room immediately rushed toward Ben only to find himself rolling over Tatiana's shoulder to crash to the floor with the woman kneeling on his back.

Everyone froze.

"He has something in his hands," Tatiana said to Liliya as she pinned his arms. She took the items from him and dropped them on the floor next to his head. Then she searched his pockets, dropping what she found next to him. Cell, breath mints, pass card, and keys ended in a pile. He made little gasps each time her hands were on his body.

Ben stepped closer to look for himself. "It looks like he had a pen and notebook, Tatiana."

The young exec on the floor turned his head. "Autograph?" he asked with a wobbly voice.

Ben sighed and looked in embarrassment towards the shocked faces of Peter and his team. "Sorry for the excitement. Tatiana, you can let him up." He looked at the man on the floor and resisted the urge to moan. "I don't do autographs, but if you want a picture with me, we can do that." His offer triggered squeals from the other team assistants, who got their phones ready.

The man's face lit up once more as Tatiana removed her knee from his spine. He slowly pushed himself back to his feet, his stuff going back into his pockets as he watched Tatiana with wide, almost worshipping eyes. Finally able to look away, he moved closer to Ben with his cell phone in hand.

Evelyn came forward and took the man's cell to get the pictures as the three ladies walked past Tatiana cautiously, then got in line for their own photos.

Meanwhile, Louis and Dan shook hands with Peter and congratulated him on winning the contract.

Ed and Mark watched Ben with grins on their faces as they could tell Ben was regretting the offer already as the woman cuddled in next to him for their moment of glory with the big brute of a man. Each was very thrilled with the photos taken when they took their phones back.

Ben finally managed to make his way over to shake Peter's hand when a photographer from the company arrived to take the official photo of the entire group. Ben smiled through that set of images as well.

"Dan will get the ball rolling on the contract, and you'll be our main point of contact?" Louis asked Peter.

The senior exec nodded and gestured to his team. "Yes, and my team will assist."

When they'd finished shaking hands and smiling at each other, the group made their way outside, where they faced a wall of press. Ben let Louis and his team slip out ahead of him to get to their taxis unmolested.

Tatiana and Liliya scanned the crowd and let Ben know they saw no immediate threats, so Evelyn led the way to the curb where another cab was waiting for them. She slipped inside and waved for them to follow.

The flashes were sending spikes of pain through Ben's head. He managed to hear a few questions yelled at him, and they were outrageously rude. Likely meant to make him react badly so they could get their pictures of that. He kept his expression as neutral as possible as he passed through their midst, but his scowl was back by the time he was inside the car.

Once Liliya was in the cab, the police began arriving and cleared the press from their path so the taxi could pull away. Ben leaned back and closed his eyes to reduce the pounding.

He felt a soft hand grip his. He opened his eyes to see the compassionate expression on Liliya's face. He gave her a small smile in return and gently squeezed her hand. His eyes went to Evelyn and saw she was also watching him sympathetically.

Tatiana's expression was not so easy to understand. She seemed angry again, and he just didn't have it in him to ask why. He closed his eyes again and leaned his head back against the rest, unaware he was still holding Liliya's hand but taking comfort from it.

"We're on our way to the airport. Our flight to Singapore leaves in ninety minutes. We'll have a late arrival, but the next hotel is ready for us," Evelyn said calmly.

"Thank you for taking care of this for us," Ben said without opening his eyes. His tension was slowly draining away.

A short time later, he felt Liliya pull her hand back gently as the taxi came to a stop. He opened his eyes and flashed her a grateful smile as his headache was gone. He followed her and Tatiana from the cab as Evelyn settled the taxi fare. Once they were all on the sidewalk, they moved into the terminal and made their way through the check-in and security. They met Louis and the others in the waiting area before the gate.

"You made it through the press gauntlet in one piece," Dan said with a smile.

"Resisting the urge to slap the smug expressions from the faces of those idiots was almost more than I could endure," Ben sighed.

"They're almost ready to let us board," Evelyn said as she joined them.

"Good," he sighed.

Ben looked around the waiting area, and this section was relatively quiet. People were resting in their seats, and some watched the overhead TVs currently tuned to the local news. Something caught his eye, and he walked closer to one of the displays. They showed a scene with a chaotic collection of police vehicles and ambulances near what looked like a warehouse area at night. At the bottom of the screen, the text indicated something about organized crime, gang wars, and a major battle last night. Ben's expression froze as the ticker stated most of the dead were killed with bladed weapons, and the battle took place slightly after midnight.

He turned to look at Tatiana, who was trying to pretend she wasn't aware of his attention. Her rapid breathing spoiled the illusion, and her eyes snapped to him as he slowly stepped closer.

"Anything you'd like to mention about the story they're reporting?" he said very softly so only she could hear.

Her eyes flicked to the screen, then back to Ben's. "I won't tell you what you don't want to hear."

He took a deep breath to calm himself. "There's no evidence linking it back to you?"

Tatiana snorted in scorn. "Of course not."

"Because they're bad guys isn't enough. That's no longer your job--"

"So, I take down your over-zealous fanboys now?" she hissed. "This is what I've become?"

Ben clenched his jaw and looked for anyone watching them. Liliya and Evelyn were, but none of the people nearby seemed aware of their words.

"What you've become is someone I rely on to protect my loved ones and me from hostile forces, as I believe you have exceptional skills for that. But most of the time, we won't be in crisis situations. During those times, I rely on you to remain vigilant for dangers and take reasonable steps to disable them, non-lethally when possible," Ben explained as he looked into her eyes.

She looked like she might argue, but Ben put his hand on her shoulder, squeezed a warning, but nodded with a smile. His eyes were tracking the progress of a few airport security men who were walking through the departures area in their direction. They seemed like they might be looking for someone, but that might have been Ben's paranoia now that he was aware of Tatiana's extra-curricular activities

"Sergeant? Any word on boarding, like now?" he called out for her to hear. The woman in question hustled over to the gate and spoke tersely to the agents there. They talked into their mics and nodded to her. Evelyn caught his eye and gestured to come.

Ben released Tatiana's shoulder, and she wobbled momentarily before turning and walking to the gate casually.

He turned to Louis and his group and gestured for them to board quickly. Ben picked up his carry-on and joined them, with Liliya bringing up the rear.

She was keeping an eye on the security people, and they hadn't spotted Ben's group yet as she stepped into the gangway.

Once they were on the jet, the flight crew expedited their roll back from the gate and taxied out to the runway. They got into the queue, and soon they were rushing down the runway.

Ben allowed himself to relax as the jet reached cruising altitude and the seatbelt lights turned off. He turned in his seat and looked back at Tatiana, who quickly turned her head and looked out the window. He just didn't have the energy to continue with her now. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, feeling his age.

"Excuse me, Ben?"

He opened his eyes to see Louis and Dan standing next to his chair. "Yes?"

"Can you tell us what that little bit at the end was? Something we need to be concerned about?" Dan asked.

Ben knew Dan was the legal brain in their company, so he wouldn't put the man in a compromising position. "It wasn't anything for you or your people to worry about. It may be another burned bridge for me, though."

When Louis and Dan saw that was all Ben was willing to say, they nodded, shared looks, and went back to their seats.

Liliya had moved back to sit with Tatiana, and they began speaking quietly, but neither was smiling. The tension could be felt, and the Sergeant joined Ben.

"I take it that news story was related to a certain team member?" she whispered.

"Yes," Ben replied.

"The headcount was reported to be twenty to twenty-five. That's not a minor blip. It isn't something I can downplay for the General," Evelyn said hesitantly.

"Don't," Ben said as he held her eyes. "I'm out of my league here. I've done what I can, and it's apparently not good enough." He looked away. "Do what you need to do."

Ben closed his eyes again. He felt sick to his stomach. Giving up on someone grated on him like nothing he'd felt before. He forced the bile down and turned his face to the window to avoid more conversations.

-=-

Robin picked up on the tension the moment their passengers stepped on board, so she tried to melt into the background. She ran through her pre-flight duties and skipped the less essential ones to ease them on their way.

Now, she sat in her position at the front of the jet and absorbed what appeared to be happening.

The Angry Beauty was first to board the jet. She didn't look at Robin and immediately took her seat at the back. She seemed to be having trouble breathing like she'd been running and suddenly stopped. She might be the instigator or the target of the tension.

The Developer Team was next, and they just looked confused and concerned. They were the innocents.

The Sergeant followed, and Robin saw the tension in her expression. She was a doer, so she might be the final solution.

After Ben arrived, the Deadly Blonde slipped inside and kept her eyes on the Angry Beauty until she could move to the back and speak with her. Robin wasn't sure what role she played in this. The last line of defense, perhaps?

Ben's expression was most telling. He was trying for neutral, but his frustration showed in his eyes, and now she could see he was having trouble swallowing, and his look was now one of defeat. That seemed out of character for such a powerful man.

She felt an instinctive tug, a need to go to him to make it better, but she knew it wasn't her place to do that, so she'd just give him space.

Something had happened while they'd been in Hong Kong. She was aware of the media frenzy over Ben's interlude in the supply closet. She doubted that was the cause of the current mood. Something must've happened after that. She looked at the angry expression on the dark beauty's face again. She caught her glancing toward Ben. Maybe the interlude was a factor?

She'd do some research once they got to Singapore.

For now, she'd do her duties.

Chapter 33

Ben fell in love with Singapore.

To him, it felt like a modern city that embraced nature within it. Beautiful, tall, mature trees shared space with gleaming glass and steel office towers.

There was also what seemed like a harmonious mix of religions and cultures, with civility and hopeful enthusiasm amongst its populace.

He admitted he might have been projecting his own current need onto his perceptions, but he didn't believe so.

Then there was the food.

The food was unlike anything he'd ever experienced! After their first meal in the city, Ben was already making plans to bring everyone he could to share in this experience.

The security team was on the best behavior, so he could relax and enjoy the visit. Ben enjoyed getting to know Ed, who seemed to be a sponge for knowledge. He asked questions about the meals in the restaurants and even managed to get some recipes from the chefs so he could make some dishes at home.

This made Ben realize he was observing one of the biggest differences between him and Ed. While he was considering bringing his entire family to Singapore, Ed followed the simpler, more reasonable path of a homebody, bringing the experience to his loved ones. Ben wondered when he'd switched behaviors, as his new ease with wealth felt recent.

The real estate developers they met were both suitable, but Louis and Dan opted for the first one as they had more years under their belt and had an excellent relationship with the country's governing body.

They enjoyed their second night in the gorgeous city and did a little sightseeing before heading back to their hotel to sleep. Their flight to Germany was first thing in the morning, and they'd been visiting three developers, so they needed to rest.

Ben was feeling much better than he did when they left Hong Kong. Tatiana was subdued but behaving professionally. Liliya seemed more relaxed as well. Evelyn was watching Tatiana like a hawk. He'd spoken to her about easing up to prevent Tatiana from lashing out, and the Sergeant accepted his advice, and her observation became less obvious.

The primaries of the company they selected took them for an incredible seafood meal on the patio of a restaurant overlooking the beach on the southern shore. The conversation was lively, and the food was exceptional.

Afterward, they shook hands, and Ben's group went back to their hotel and up to the rooftop bar to enjoy sunset views and drinks.

Ed and Ben continued to discover similarities. After dinner, the two began comparing notes on their areas of technical knowledge, and the conversation drove Louis, Dan, and Mark to find more interesting scenery.

Like Ben, Ed avoided alcohol, but for different reasons, so they enjoyed some herbal tea as they sat in the lovely rooftop bar watching the sunset. Ed confessed to enjoying scotch, but his tolerance was low, and he said his behavior changed when he was drunk, so it was safer to avoid it.

Robin walked into the bar, and Ben spotted her looking around. He smiled and waved to her, so she approached their table. He couldn't help but notice how good she looked in her little black cocktail dress, which emphasized her long, toned legs. She'd also released her long hair from her ponytail, and it flowed down her back.

"Good evening! Would you mind if I joined you two?" she asked.

"Good evening, Robin! Please do," Ben said, gesturing to the chair between Ed and him.

She sat and glanced at their beverages. "You've come all the way to Singapore, to one of the country's premier bars with the most spectacular view, and you're not following the tradition of enjoying a Singapore Sling?" she asked with a smile.

Ed perked up. "What tradition?"

"It began with the poshest hotel in Singapore, Raffles. They have a lovely bar where the drink was said to have been invented. I understand there is a tradition to enjoy a Singapore Sling as you enjoy the view of the city, especially when it's this breathtaking," she said with a smile.

Ed looked over at Ben as if asking permission, but Ben just raised his hands. "If you want to try one, I'm not going to stop you. You know your limits far better than me. For myself, I'll pass."

Robin flagged down a waiter. "Two Singapore Slings, please."

"I'll have a bottle of spring water. Put the drinks on my bill," Ben added.

Robin grinned at him. "Thank you!"

Ben nodded. "It looks like you're prepared for a night on the town and maybe some dancing?"

She smiled and nodded a little self-consciously. "I travel a lot in my job, but It's very rare for me to come to a place as lovely as Singapore. I'd hoped to enjoy the nightlife, but it's looking like I'll be calling it an early night. I've got to be at the airport early tomorrow morning, and I don't know enough about the city to find the right hot spot to truly enjoy myself. I should have prepared better."

Ben nodded as he knew very little about the city other than he loved it and wanted to come back.

The waiter returned with their drinks, and once he left, Robin lifted her glass. Ed and Ben raised theirs too.

"To a successful completion of your around the world tour!" Robin said, and they tapped glasses.

Ben watched Ed's face as he took his first sip. The man's eyebrows went up, and he looked at Robin with a smile. "That's really good!" She smiled after she took a sip of hers.

"Just a word of warning. I believe it's also very strong. That's all I'll say," Ben offered, and Ed nodded.

"Did you ever think you'd be here doing this when you were growing up? I know I didn't," Robin said as she shook her head in wonder.

Ben looked over at her curiously. "Why?"

She shrugged self-consciously. "My mum worked as a maid in a big house in central London, and my grannie raised me. My father worked as a taxi driver. My world was contained in two city blocks. I didn't know there was anything outside of that."

Ed sipped his drink and nodded to himself. "My mom died in a car accident when I was five. Her cousin was the only family available to take me in. Aunt Shirley raised me and her daughter Grace. She didn't have much money, especially after getting hurt in the factory. We learned how to live with very little, but we were happy, most of the time."

Ben was staring at Ed as his mind spun. Another similarity and an ugly one. "My parents died in a car crash when I was five. I didn't have any other family, so I was put into the foster care program." He swallowed some water for his suddenly dry throat. "My experiences weren't... positive, but I survived and picked up my engineering skills in school and college."

"To humble beginnings leading to greater things," Robin said, raising her glass once more.

Ed and Ben raised their glasses as well.

"Ben has certainly achieved greater things, and from what I understand, he's been successful in finding love as well. How about you, Ed? Have you found love? I don't see a wedding ring."

Ed's face flushed, and he gave her a bashful smile. "Yes. I've found love, and I have three beautiful daughters."

Robin grinned. "Pictures!" she insisted.

Ed didn't need much coercion to bring out his cell phone and pull up a picture of his triplets. He handed the cell to her, and she cooed over the images.

"They're lovely! Triplets?" she gasped, and Ed nodded proudly.

She handed the cell back. "And their mum?"

Ed swiped to the next picture. "In the black swimsuit," he said, handing it back.

Robin's eyes widened as she took in the number of bikini-clad women in the photo's background. She focused on the woman in the black one-piece and could see the love in her eyes. "I see where the daughters got their looks."

"Grace is very beautiful!" Ed said happily.

Robin's eyes widened. "Oh! Your cousin?"

Ed's smile slipped away. "Second cousins, actually."

Robin immediately looked contrite. "Please don't misunderstand. I'm not judging you! The heart wants what it wants, and you make a lovely couple!"

Ed's smile returned, and he nodded bashfully.

The lovely redhead looked at Ben and saw he had his cell phone in his hand. "Children?" she asked with a grin.

Ben nodded happily and showed her the photo of Tina holding Sam with Christopher leaning up against her side with a big smile on his face. Then he showed her the picture of Lucy with Gretchen.

"They're beautiful, and that was a lovely tribute to your daughter's namesake," Robin said gently.

Ben's smile wobbled a little, but he nodded.

"This is the first time I've met you on one of Sky Shepherd's flights. Do you travel much?" she asked Ben.

"No. I prefer to stay home with my family," Ben said. He looked at Ed in question.

Ed nodded. "I go with Louis and Dan on these developer meetings. Sometimes, I travel to inspect the buildings to ensure everything follows the specifications and the local building standards. I don't like traveling away from my family either."

"I don't have anyone at home, so I don't get homesick, which would be troublesome for someone in my line of work," Robin explained.

Ben sipped his water to relax his throat and nodded. "Meeting someone must be difficult when your job takes you away so much."

She nodded. "That's why I made a deal with myself to move on to another occupation when I turn thirty-five. Before taking this job, I've worked in several different fields, so I may go back to one of them when I've gotten this wanderlust out of my system."

The music playing in the background changed to a slower tune, and they watched two couples get up and move onto the dancefloor.

Robin looked at Ben with a hopeful smile, and it took him a moment to catch on.

"Oh! Would you like to dance?" he asked.

"I would if you don't mind?" she said as she rose to her feet at his nod.

Ben got up as well.

"I'm not a dancer, so I'm going to head back to my room. My head's spinning a little," Ed said.

"Goodnight, Ed. See you at breakfast," Ben said and patted the man on the shoulder as he followed Robin to the dancefloor.

They faced each other, and Ben took her hand in his as his other landed on her lower back to pull her closer. He moved them into the flow of the music, and Robin's eyes flashed with delight as she grinned at him. They smiled at the other couples enjoying the music then Robin sighed happily.

"I rarely get to dance, and I enjoy it so much," she said.

"You don't dance when you're alone?" he asked with a cheeky smile.

She grinned. "Of course I do! But dancing with a partner is so much better. Especially one who moves so beautifully. You've had lessons!"

He gave her a small smile. "A long time ago, but muscle memory is a strangely permanent thing."

They were quiet as they enjoyed the rest of the song and danced through the next two as well.

"I'd love to spend the rest of the night out here on the dancefloor with you, but I have an early start tomorrow," she sighed regretfully.

"I had a delightful time. You're a great dance partner," he said with a smile.

She bit her bottom lip as she looked at him, then smiled. "See you tomorrow."

He bowed over her hand and stepped back. She grinned, turned, and headed for the exit as he watched her leave. She was a strikingly lovely woman, and her movements were graceful like someone else....

Ben was about to head back to the table when he heard his song playing. The opening notes to When I Fall in Love caught him, and he couldn't move. The tide of emotions caught him by surprise.

-=-

"Are you all right? Ben?"

Liliya's hand was captured by Ben's, and he pulled her close as he moved them onto the dancefloor. She was a little stiff at first but quickly let him guide her, and they moved as one. She wanted to see his expression as he'd looked so lost moments before when she approached him.

She'd seen him freeze and went to make sure he was okay. Now she felt like a feather in the wind, giving him complete control of her movements. She'd had training in dance as it was a necessary skill to lure in her targets, but Ben's movements were pure heaven. She gave herself over to it and relied on Tatiana and Evelyn to remain vigilant for dangers as she enjoyed the dance.

When the song came to a close, Liliya finally got to see Ben's face, and she saw the tears there.

"Ben, come back."

He blinked, confused for a moment, then he looked at her, but she wasn't positive he was seeing her.

His lips landed softly on hers as his big hands gently touched her face. She pressed her mouth against his, and the kiss threatened to ignite her ears as he sensually caressed her lips with his. It was so sexy, her breath caught in her throat.

"NO!"

The shout was sharp and violent, jarring Liliya from the moment. She was trembling as she turned to look in the direction of Tatiana, who was storming toward them.

"STOP!"

Equally sharp and loud, the Sergeant stepped between Tatiana and her. She wanted to yell a warning to her as Tatiana wouldn't stop. She didn't see the Sergeant as a threat.

Tatiana lashed out lightning-fast with her right fist, but the Sergeant had already moved, and the punch sailed over her shoulder.

Then the brunette assassin hit the floor face first as her legs were swept out from under her. Evelyn had her pinned instantly.

Liliya worried that Evelyn might have taken a step too far.

-=-

Ben came out of his momentary confusion standing on the dancefloor clinging to Liliya as the Sergeant held Tatiana down.

"What the hell is going on?" Ben asked.

Liliya stepped away from him. "You reacted oddly to a song the DJ played for the dancers. Have you been subject to psychological programming?" Liliya asked.

"Get off me! I swear I will kill you if you don't," Tatiana snarled from the floor.

Ben blinked in confusion, then closed his eyes as he felt the memories fading. He'd had another regression. They were fewer and farther between, but he wasn't cured, it seemed.

He frowned. "Why is Tatiana on the floor?"

"She was going to attack Liliya, you or both," Evelyn said as she struggled to keep her grip on the struggling woman.

Ben knelt next to her, and she stopped moving to watch him cautiously. "Why would you do that?"

Tatiana sputtered, and her eyes went to Liliya. "She was kissing you. She is on duty," she blurted.

Ben turned to look at the blonde. "You kissed me?"

Liliya's face flushed as she could still feel his lips on hers. "Actually, you kissed me first, but your eyes weren't completely focused."

Ben's expression froze. He hadn't kissed anyone while having a memory leak. That was new behavior. Considering who he usually was with in his mind, he found this both disturbing and sexually charged. He didn't need to deal with either at this moment.

"Evelyn, let Tatiana up." Then he pointed a finger at the woman on the floor. "You will be on your best behavior. The Sergeant was following my orders if you had another burst of violence."

He saw Tatiana was having difficulty looking him in the eye.

The Sergeant released the assassin and skipped back out of range of any follow-up attack. Tatiana slowly stood, dusted off her clothes, and straightened them. She looked Evelyn in the eye.

"You will never get another chance like that again. I know your trick move now," she snarled at the Sergeant.

"You think I only know one?" Evelyn said with a slight smile.

Tatiana snarled and took a step forward.

"Stop! Enough!" Ben snapped, his patience reaching its limit. "We're done tonight. I'm going to bed. We're getting up early. Tomorrow, it's Germany. There were people there who didn't appreciate my last visit. You need to be sharp! If this team can't work together, I might as well go there with a big target painted on my back."

Tatiana huffed, but she couldn't refute his words. She gave him a terse nod.

Liliya and Evelyn copied Tatiana's gesture, and Ben didn't wait for further confirmation. He waved to Louis' group, who were watching the drama like most of the guests and hotel staff in the room. They waved back, and Ben headed for the elevators. They were only going five flights down, but they waited for an empty car.

Ben picked up the tension between the three women and sighed. Was this his fault? His episode on the dancefloor probably made it worse. He'd kissed Liliya. Damn. He needed to deal with that.

He looked at the gorgeous blonde and felt something in his chest move as her lovely eyes looked up into his. He forced that feeling down.

"I apologize for my uninvited kissin--"

"The slut wanted it!" Tatiana spat.

Liliya responded equally fast and viciously, but in Russian, so Ben didn't know what she said. Whatever it was triggered an escalation of harsh words between the two.

"STOP!" Ben bellowed.

The elevator doors opened, and they stepped out into the hall. "Everyone, get some sleep." He looked into Tatiana's eyes. "No vigilante shit tonight!" He cast his eyes over the group. "See you at breakfast."

He stomped off to his door and let himself in. He walked to the bed, stripped all his clothes off to drop them on the bedspread, then turned to the washroom to take a long hot shower.

As the water poured over his head, he tried to make sense of the night and how it went downhill so quickly.

Evelyn was right. Tatiana's behavior was quickly deteriorating. They needed to contain her someplace where she couldn't unleash her homicidal tendencies.

The team was non-functional. They'd have to work with just two until he could get home.

He shut off the water, dried off, and walked back out into his room to take care of his clothes. Then he tucked himself into bed.

Robin popped into his head as he felt himself drifting off. It had been nice talking with her tonight. She'd helped him get to know Ed better as well. He hoped she slept well tonight.

-=-

Robin tingled with excitement but kept it contained as she sat in the taxi's back seat on the way back to the cheapest hotel she could find close to the airport.

Tonight had been a gold mine for her. She'd played her role perfectly, and Ben opened up to her! It really helped that Ed was a perfect tool for making Ben feel at ease with sharing his personal history.

She thought back to the years she'd spent following this story, gathering facts about the elusive Mr. Shepherd, always fearing someone would scoop her story from her. But he remained an enigma and avoided the press, bless his privacy-obsessed heart.

In her journey to discover Ben's story, she'd stayed in the lovely bed and breakfast in Saint Pierre d'Albigny Ben visited. She'd spent a week there gradually working her way into Stephanie Murano's confidence and eventually spent hours speaking with her in her studio. The brilliant artist was driven by her muse to create the most exquisite sculptures... of Ben. She had dozens of them, most just parts of his body such as his hands, feet, his torso, many busts of his head and shoulders, and a scandalous number of reproductions of his cock. Perhaps, the woman was a little obsessed, but Robin could not deny her talent.

Before she left, she managed to slip one of Stephanie's erect penis models into her bag. It wasn't that much of a leap to imagine how it could be used to make a mold for mass-producing life-sized, realistic dildos of the big man's most intimate part. Robin knew there'd be a market for this should her other business venture not bear fruit.

Before she visited France, she'd spent a short stint working at Blake Uranium as the personal assistant to Don Blake. This had given her tremendous insight into Ben's white knight syndrome. How he rescued the girl from the strip club was a legend the members of Bryan Crane's Wild Dogs loved to retell. Mare was particularly useful in separating the truth from the myth after being given sufficient beer.

She frowned as she remembered the bitter end of her stay with them. She hadn't meant to destroy Don's marriage but truthfully, the man's wandering eye, and hands, were stronger than his vows.

She pushed that from her mind as she recalled dancing with Ben. She'd heard about his skills on the dancefloor, but again, she'd expected this to be yet another exaggeration, boosting the mysterious man's legend.

Experiencing it firsthand was thrilling! He really did have a natural grace as he moved them across the floor. He'd mentioned these skills were from long-term muscle memory, which backed up the story she'd received from a guest who'd attended a party with him in the Hollywood Hills. A woman from Ben's foster care childhood taught him to dance, and tingles ran through her body once more as she remembered being in his arms.

She'd been responsible for the DJ's playlist tonight as she'd called the Hotel Manager with the songs their special guest would enjoy when he was in the bar. It'd been remarkably simple to pretend to be part of Ben's administrative team, ensuring Ben was happy on his trip away from home. The Manager was only too pleased to do this special favor for him. She'd gotten the song list from the woman at the Hollywood party.

As she'd prepared to leave the bar tonight, she heard another of the songs begin and glanced back to see Ben frozen in place. Robin watched from the shadows just inside the door as Ben glided across the floor with the blonde assassin moving in perfect synchronicity with her partner. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched them kiss at the end, and she cursed herself for leaving one song too soon. To have been the one receiving that kiss would have made all her efforts worthwhile.

She once more forced down her disappointment and brought her attention back to the driver who was telling her they'd arrived. She paid and went inside. She wasn't lying when she said she'd be getting up early for the flight.

This last stage of her investigation into Ben Shepherd's life had been the most difficult. Getting the job as inflight service attendant on Sky Shepherd's most prestigious aircraft had taken almost six months of her life, and the work was not easy. Her previous experience working as a flight attendant in her early twenties had prepared her, but doing the work in her early thirties proved more difficult. She couldn't wait to get back to London. She'd part ways with Ben's tour there and unknown to her boss, Sky Shepherd Air Charters. She'd already spoken with Dennis about swapping her out with another attendant in London, and he'd made the arrangements. He didn't know it would be permanent.

Robin had most of what she needed. Tonight, she'd gotten confirmation from Ben on some of the data she'd already collected from public sources and some private databases through bribes and sexual favors. This ensured she had as accurate a picture of the man as possible. Now all she needed was some time to put it all together.

That work would begin when she returned to London.

Ben wouldn't be happy that she'd collected such a comprehensive story of his life when she shared it with the world. She did feel a little bad about that, but Ben's story was a commodity, and she intended to profit from it so greatly that the grumbling of her conscience wouldn't be heard above the hum of the money counting machines. Her own humble beginnings taught her valuable lessons on how to enjoy wealth.

This delightful thought followed her into her dreams, where her palace filled with gold awaited.

Chapter 34

Louis, Dan, and Ben sat in a meeting room at the Berlin hotel they were staying in. The three developers they'd visited today left them with a problem. Each had excellent qualifications, their tours demonstrated they did excellent work, and their presentations were almost identical.

They wouldn't go wrong with any of them. Ben wasn't sure how much value he could add to the decision as everything he was concerned about was being managed by all three contenders for the contract.

"I'm going to step back and leave it to you to decide. They all seem to fit the bill, so I have no qualms with any you'd select from them," he said, and Louis nodded with a smile.

"How is it going with your team?" Dan asked. It was a surprisingly blunt question from a lawyer, but Ben understood he was concerned for their safety, and one of his team was quickly becoming unstable.

He sighed. "I think we're going to have to make an adjustment. I'll do my best to ensure it doesn't impact the tour. My apologies for any tension and discomfort we may have caused so far."

Louis glared at his partner, then looked to Ben. "Please don't worry about us. We're still very grateful for your support during this trip. A little turbulence is no issue for us. Our concern is for you."

Ben smiled. "We've made it this far. A few more days, and we'll be back in the states."

There was a sharp rap on the door, and Evelyn opened it. "Ben. We need you."

He read the tension in her eyes and stood as he looked at Louis. "More turbulence ahead."

Ben quickly joined Evelyn, and they took the elevator up to their floor and rushed to his room. He was starting to get worried.

The moment his door closed, he reached out and held her shoulder. "What's going on?"

"I received word from the General of another Russian hit team on its way to Berlin. The intel he received said it was a two-person team. This time they're both from a secret program much like the one which produced Liliya and Tatiana." Her blue eyes were wide and worried.

"Where's our team?" he asked.

"Tatiana doesn't trust the timing of the report. She believes they're already here, so she went hunting. Liliya tried to talk her out of it, though she also agreed the report was likely late. She's doing a sweep of the area as well. I'm your primary security at this moment. You need to follow my directions." Her blue eyes locked on his dark ones.

"We're not going to stay here and endanger Louis and his team, right?" Ben asked.

"The General is scrambling a team of local resources to take us to a safe house until our flight. He's already got people guarding the jet," Evelyn replied. "We stay until they get here. Ten minutes ago, the General said they were thirty minutes out."

Ben walked further into the room and sat on the sofa. He wasn't keen on the wait-and-see approach.

Ten minutes later, there was a sequenced knock on the door.

"Tatiana," Evelyn said and rushed to the door. A quick peek through the peephole, and she pulled the door open, skipping back from it in case she needed space to react. She stopped a few feet into the room and watched the brunette assassin slip inside and lock up.

When she turned back to face Evelyn, Ben was surprised by the hate in her eyes. "I told you! I told you your sources are incompetent. I found the assassins. They were in position to kill Ben as he left the hotel. Now they are dead."

She looked at Ben. "You know nothing. The only way to stop killers is to kill them first. But you must kill them at the source. Cut the head from the beast, then you stop them from thinking of new ways to kill you!"

"What are you talking about?" Ben asked as he was getting concerned about how wound up she was becoming.

"Sergey Zhdankov. We must kill him. Now!" she shouted as her hand went to her hip.

Evelyn drew her combat blade. "Stand down, Tatiana! We have our orders."

Tatiana finally focused on the Sergeant. "Orders? Empty words from your incompetent leaders who would have gotten us all killed. They are idiots and don't understand how this must be done."

Ben stood and moved closer. "If we kill him, they'll just assign another agent who will send out more assassins."

"Then you kill the ones who assign the agents. This isn't complicated. You just need the will to do it right. I can kill them."

"No," Ben said.

"YOU ARE WEAK!" Tatiana screamed and lunged forward, knife in her hand.

Evelyn caught the assassin's blade against her own and drove her knee into Tatiana's side, knocking her back. The Russian beauty wheezed but threw something at the Sergeant's face. Evelyn tried to slap it away, but it exploded in her face, and the Sergeant was blinded by the small satchel of pepper and dust.

Tatiana went for the kill.

Ben had a split second to reach out, grab the Sergeant and pull her back from the knife aimed at her throat. He closed his fist on her uniform and tugged her back with all his strength as he swung forward as the counterweight for her movement.

Tatiana adjusted her grip on the knife to extend its reach, but the blade missed Evelyn's throat. It slashed across the woman's face instead, a long but shallow cut.

Ben was stunned by the violence and missed the shocked expression on Tatiana's face as she tried to stop her slash.

When her hand struck Ben's body with a deep thump, he lost his grip on the Sergeant's uniform, and she tumbled to the floor, hitting her head against the floor hard.

Ben blinked at the look of horror on Tatiana's face then he looked down to see the hilt of her knife sticking out of his abdomen. He didn't feel any pain, but he was aware of a deep pressure.

"Fuck!" he grunted. His legs suddenly gave, and he went down on his knees. That hurt, then the pressure he'd felt exploded into agony. He tried to lean away from it, but he just ended up on his back.

Pain was filling Ben's world, threatening to spiral down a dark tunnel.

Fuck.

-=-

"WHY? WHY DID YOU MAKE ME DO THAT?" Tatiana screamed at him, but he didn't respond.

"NOOO!"

Tatiana spun and caught Liliya's blade against her remaining knife, but Liliya slashed her arm with her own second.

The brunette was at a disadvantage since her primary weapon was still sticking out of Ben's body. Still, she knew she was a superior blade fighter to Liliya.

Except the blonde was fighting with a vicious ferocity Tatiana had never experienced. Her stabs and slashes were more aggressive than before, and Tatiana leaped back as she felt a sharp bite against her cheek.

That sent a spike of fear through the woman. They'd had an unspoken rule for sparring. Due to the agonizing pain of the surgeries they'd gone through to improve their looks, their faces were never to be targeted. Now, she knew Liliya would kill her without hesitation.

"You killed two of the three assassins so you could do the dirty work yourself?" Liliya spat as she backed Tatiana toward the bed.

This confused the brunette. "Three? There were two."

"Newsstand. The third killed the old man running it."

Tatiana momentarily froze as she recalled the younger man behind the counter after killing the two in the building across the street. Shit.

Liliya used that moment of distraction to launch another attack, and Tatiana took two more shallow cuts before she threw a pillow from the bed to block her opponent's sight and launched her own attack. Her ankle caught Ben's, and she fell but turned it into a roll that got her past Liliya.

"Fuck!" Ben gasped as the collision sent more pain through his body.

"Hang in there, Ben. I will get you medical help once I kill this traitorous bitch!" Liliya snapped.

Tatiana could see Liliya was prepared to kill her. "I never meant--"

"Spare me your scorpion lies! You wanted to kill him yourself, so they'd take you back!" Liliya snarled.

Tatiana shook her head. "no...." Then she spun and fled from the room, knocking Ed down in the hallway.

She looked at the simple man as he stared at her in surprise. She saw recrimination in his eyes. Opening up her stride, she raced away down the hall.

She would fix this. She would show them.

-=-

From the floor of the hallway, Ed watched Liliya begin to run toward him.

"No! Get an ambulance for Ben!" Evelyn called out from somewhere inside. She sounded like she was desperate and in pain, so Ed got up and rushed into the room.

Liliya huffed in frustration but spun to get to the phone. She dialed, then forced the handset into Ed's hand as he approached, staring at Ben and the Sergeant on the floor.

"Get ambulances for Ben and the Sergeant," she ordered, then fled from the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Ed passed the message to the front desk clerk and the room number and was told they were on their way. He knelt next to Ben, who was resting on the floor with a grimace on his face.

"Was this how you got all the other scars?" Ed asked Ben.

Ben looked blearily at the big man. "Something along these lines, yes." He glanced over at the Sergeant, whose face was covered in blood. "Are you still with us, Evelyn?"

"Mmph."

Ben looked to Ed. "Get a clean pillowcase and cover her wound."

Ed moved to do that, and once he had the white fabric soaking up the blood, there was a deep thumping at the door.

"Get it," Evelyn mumbled.

Ed hustled over to the door. "Who is it?"

"General Davis sent us."

Ed looked back and saw the Sergeant giving him a thumbs up, so he opened the door.

The moment the men in the hall spotted Ben and the Sergeant on the floor, they surged into the room, dragging Ed with them, two pinning him to the wall with his arms behind his back.

Their leader knelt next to Ben and took in the knife hilt sticking out of him. "Wizard is down! We need a medic, now!"

"I called for ambulances!" Ed called out.

"Ed's wiff us," Ben mumbled, beginning to feel the room slip out from under him.

"Hang in there, Wizard! Medics are inbound."

"Who are you?" one of the soldiers holding Ed to the wall asked.

"Ed Walters. I-I'm a friend of Ben's. We're building his Foundation Headquarters," he said. The two turned him around, and he looked at them with wide eyes. Both had thick beards and wore tactical uniforms with no military insignia but many pockets. Ed was a little dazzled by how many pockets they had.

"Did you see what happened?" one asked, then stood aside as paramedics rushed into the room with a stretcher.

"No. I was in the hall when Tatiana ran out and knocked me down. The door was open, so I came in and saw them on the floor. Liliya told me to call for ambulances, and she ran out the door."

"Why were you in the hall?" the man asked.

Ed was distracted by the knife but looked back at the soldier. "Oh, I was going to my room. Two doors over."

He looked at the medic, checking Ben's wound. The man looked up at the soldiers and Ed.

"We'll need help getting him up on the gurney. We need to keep him level, so the knife won't move."

Ed found himself lined up on one side of Ben. He slid his hands under Ben's shoulder as five big soldiers took their own grips.

"On three, we lift. One. Two. Three!"

Ed did his part, and they smoothly lifted Ben straight up as the paramedic moved the gurney under him. They gently lowered him onto the bed then everyone stepped back as the paramedics strapped Ben down.

"We've got it from here, Ed. Thanks for your help. You should go to your room now," their commander said.

"Why did you call him Wizard?" Ed asked.

The man flashed him a quick smile. "Because that's what he is."

Liliya appeared in the doorway, and Ed could see she was pissed off. He guessed she didn't find Tatiana.

The commando's leader looked at her. "Who are you?"

"Liliya Sokolov. One of Ben's bodyguards."

"Looks like you did a shit job of that. Where's your partner?" the commander snapped.

"Gone. Likely on her way to Russia. She was the one who stabbed him."

The commandos all shared looks and followed the medics with Ben out of the room.

The second team of paramedics entered and quickly transferred Evelyn to their stretcher and hustled her from the room.

Ed was pulled from the room by Liliya, who closed the door, then left him as she ran to the elevator bank.

He turned and walked back to his room. He stood facing the door, unsure what to do next.

The elevator dinged down the hall, and he turned to see who it was.

Louis, Dan, and Mark stepped from the car and approached him with smiles on their faces. The smiles faded as they saw Ed's frown.

Then Louis saw the blood on Ed's shirt and pant legs. He rushed forward. "Ed! What happened? Is that blood?" Dan and Mark quickly joined them.

Ed looked down at himself and realized he got this when he helped Ben onto the gurney.

"It's not mine," he said.

Louis looked into his eyes and saw he was dazed. "Ed, what happened?"

"Tatiana stabbed Ben. The knife... it was sticking out of him." He gestured with a hand to the location the handle was poking out of his gut. "She ran away, and Liliya tried to catch her... but she got away. Tatiana also slashed Evelyn's face." He looked down at himself. "Some of this might be hers."

"I don't understand. Why would Ben's bodyguard attack him?" Mark said.

Louis shook his head. "I don't know. Ed, is Ben alive?"

Ed nodded. "He was when I helped lift him onto the gurney. A team of commandos sent by General Davis arrived to help, but they didn't dress or look like any soldiers I've ever seen." He frowned in confusion again as the expression on Tatiana's face returned to his mind. She wasn't showing anger when she slammed into him in the hall. He wasn't so great at reading people, but he was sure she was desperate and afraid. Maybe it had been an accident?

Louis patted his arm. "Ed, this is what I want you to do." He saw he had the man's attention. "Go inside and take these clothes off in the bathroom. Rinse the blood from them in the bathtub. Take a hot shower, hang the wet clothes to dry, and get ready for bed. Before you go to sleep, I want you to call Grace and talk to her."

Ed smiled and nodded. That was a good idea. She could help him figure this out. "Thank you. Good night!"

The others smiled, and he went inside. He had tasks to accomplish and a call to make.

-=-

After saying their goodnights to Mark, Dan followed Louis into his room as they needed to talk. They took seats across a small coffee table.

Dan nodded to Louis. "Smart thinking, telling him to call home."

Louis looked at his partner. "I'm just following Grace's request. She took me aside to speak to me when we hired Ed. She said if Ed ever seemed to be having a moral dilemma or was struggling with someone's behavior, I was to suggest he call her." Dan nodded in approval.

"The woman is his light in the dark," Louis said with a gentle smile.

"I didn't know you had the heart of a poet," Dan said in surprise.

"How about this one:

There once was a man named Ben Shepherd

Whose project was the biggest on record

The Klein Group was thrilled

But Ben's bodyguard killed

Now the deal has become just a turd."

Dan scowled at his partner. "I take back the poetic heart comment."

Louis shrugged. "But my point is made. The man is reportedly healthy as an ox, but what if he dies from this tonight? Was this contingency in our contract with him? I don't think we contemplated the ramifications of doing business with someone who has three people protecting him from assassins. Real assassins, not the imaginary ones self-delusional people fear are after them."

Dan sighed. "So, we cancel the rest of the appointments and contact the companies we're ready to create contracts with and let them know we're in a holding pattern for word on Ben's health."

Louis pondered that for a moment. "Let me call Ben's lawyer, Walter Greyson. He needs to be informed if he hasn't already been. We can ask him what the contingency plans are."

Dan nodded.

Louis dialed the number and waited while it connected.

"Walter Greyson and Associates. How may I direct your call?"

"Hi, this is Louis Klein calling to speak to Walter Greyson, please."

"Certainly, Mr. Klein. Hold, please."

A moment later, Walter's voice came on. "Walter speaking. What can I do for you, Mr. Klein?"

"Hi Walter, please call me Louis. I have my partner, Dan, with me. May I put you on speaker?"

"Certainly."

Louis pressed the button and put the phone on the table between them. They leaned toward the phone. "Can you hear us?" Louis asked.

"Yes," Walter said.

"I take it from your sunny mood you haven't received news from Ben's team here," Louis said gently.

There was a momentary pause. "No, I haven't. What's happened?"

"Ed Walters, an employee of mine, witnessed the aftermath. He informed me that Ben was stabbed in the abdomen with a knife, apparently by his bodyguard, Tatiana Pushkin. Ben was rushed to a hospital, but we have no information on which one or what his condition currently is. Apparently, Evelyn Killcade was slashed across the face and taken to the hospital. Only Liliya Sokolov remains with him as Tatiana fled the hotel. You might be able to get more information if you have the number for General Davis, as he sent a team of commandos to protect Ben. They arrived after the attack and went to the hospital with Ben and Evelyn."

Walter was quiet for a moment. "Shit."

Dan and Louis shared a look as Walter's voice wobbled.

"Okay. I do have a number I can call to reach the General. I'll see if I can find out more."

"Evelyn was arranging our flights and hotels, and I think we're going to have to put off the rest of the tour, cancel the appointments, and either stay in Germany with Ben until we can fly him home or arrange commercial flights home. Unfortunately, we don't have any of the contact numbers to take care of these things for her."

Walter's voice sounded a little firmer now that he had a plan. "I'll call you back as soon as I've reached the General. Thank you for contacting me. I will do what I can from here. If you could contact the hotel front desk and see about extending your stay for a day or two, that would be helpful."

"We will do that immediately. Thanks, Walter."

"Thanks. Bye." The line went dead.

Louis and Dan shared another look then Louis picked up the handset on the room's phone. He'd deal with that now.

He hoped Walter got some good news from the soldiers the General sent to help Ben.

-=-

Ed rested back against his headboard with the phone on his lap. It had taken a few minutes to figure out how to make a long-distance call, but it was finally ringing.

"Hello?" Grace's voice immediately made him feel better.

"Hi Grace!" he said.

"Ed! What time is it there?"

He looked at the digital clock next to the bed. "Just a little after eleven."

"Shouldn't you be going to bed? You have an early flight to Paris, right?" she said with a smile in her voice.

"I-I don't know if we're going to go to Paris, London, or New York. Ben was stabbed tonight by one of his bodyguards. He was rushed to the hospital, but I don't know how bad his injury is."

"Oh my god, Ed! Are you okay?" she gasped.

Ed shook his head. "I'm really sad about Ben. He's such a nice man, and he was in so much pain. I hope he'll be all right. I don't understand why his own bodyguard would do this. I knew she hadn't been very happy during this trip. She has such a bad temper, but her stabbing Ben doesn't make sense."

"I'm so sorry you went through this, and I'm sure Ben will be okay now that he's at the hospital. You've talked to Louis about this?"

"Yes, he was the one who told me to call you before I went to bed. After I washed all of Ben's blood from my clothes, I mean."

Grace was quiet, and he heard muffled sounds, then she came back on. "Until you have more information on what happened with this bodyguard, there isn't any point in trying to figure out why she did it. She might not have been mentally stable. In the meantime, listen to Louis and Dan, and I'm sure they'll keep on top of this situation. If you have more questions or just want to talk, please call me."

"Thanks, Grace. I knew you'd know what to do. I love you! Send my love to our daughters and to the ladies."

"I will, Ed. Get some sleep now. Things will be clearer in the morning, I promise. I love you, too!"

Ed smiled and hung up. He connected his phone to its charger and turned off the light.

He knew he'd sleep better now that he'd spoken with Grace. She always understood.

Chapter 35

Out the front picture window of Ben's home, Ashburn Court was bathed in the early morning light as parents brought their children to the daycare.

Just another normal morning in the neighborhood. Gabriella took another deep breath.

She sat in Ben's living room with Tina and Lucy with their children. Catherine and Chanel were there as well as Ashley and her children. Hannah was at work, but she was on Gabriella's speakerphone and could hear them. Trish was still away on her business trip, and they hadn't reached her yet.

Gabriella passed her gaze over the nervous women. "I just spoke with General Davis thirty minutes ago. Ben just got out of surgery. The operation took over eight hours as they had to repair the damage to his small intestine. He said it was fortunate that the blade was as sharp as it was since that made their repairs easier. The General said the prognosis is good and Ben will be fine, but he will need recovery time. At least a month based on the extent of the damage."

Tina and Lucy were crying, and Gabriella was fighting back tears of her own. She saw Cat was crying against Chanel's shoulder, but the police officer's expression was barely controlled rage. Gabriella knew she'd been against bringing the assassins into the neighborhood, but she wouldn't argue the point now.

"I'm going to keep trying to reach Trish. I think she's in London now and will be flying home tomorrow," Gabriella said.

"When will Ben be home?" Tina asked.

Hannah chimed in. "He'll be coming to my hospital for a day or two when he first gets back. We'll confirm there were no complications from his flight, then we'll send him home. From what I understand, he will be able to leave the Berlin hospital in three days. If they don't keep him longer than that, add a day for the actual transit, two days for our confirmation, and he'll be home in under a week."

"The only reason it felt safe for Ben to travel was because he had his personal security. Now we hear one of them was responsible for this!" Ashley gasped.

"It came as a surprise to all--most of us," Gabriella said, correcting herself as she saw Chanel begin to object. "There were clear signs that Tatiana wasn't happy being here, and Ben was having issues with her, but for her to stab him? Liliya was closest to Tatiana, and she didn't see this level of danger. Something must have happened in Berlin." When she saw they were absorbing that, she added something else. "Evelyn was also hurt by Tatiana, but her injuries were not as severe."

Gabriella's phone made an odd chirp sound. "Oh! That could be Trish! Stay on the line, Hannah! I'm just going to answer the other call."

She pressed the answer button. "Hello?"

"Hey Gabriella, I saw you left me a message, but my cell died, and I couldn't retrieve them. What's up?" Trish said curiously.

Gabriella fought back a gasp as the situation suddenly crashed over her, obliterating her calm. Tears came to her eyes, and she looked at Chanel, who read her face and nodded.

"Trish? This is Chanel. Ben's been hurt. He's in a hospital in Berlin recovering from being stabbed by Tatiana."

"FUCK!" Trish shouted.

"We've got the kids here, Trish," Ashley called out.

They could hear Trish panting on the other end. "S-sorry. What hospital?"

Gabriella's control returned. "It's called Charité. It was the closest to his hotel, and I'm told it's excellent. He'll be there for a few days--"

"I'm going there now. I don't have a working cell, so I'll call you when I get there." The line went dead.

Blinking in surprise, Gabriella brought Hannah back on the line. "Hannah, that was Trish. She's going to Berlin to check on Ben at the hospital."

"Good. He needs people he can trust at his side," Hannah said, and Chanel nodded.

Gabriella could see Chanel was feeling more comfortable knowing Trish would be there to protect Ben. She glanced around and saw relieved expressions on a few faces.

"We'll get Ben back in a short time, then we get to pamper him as he recuperates. That's good news," Gabriella said with a trembling smile, and she got the same from the others. She wondered if Ben would survive their pampering.

She looked to Chanel. "Is there anything you can tell us about your investigation on the property?"

Chanel shook her head. "It's too soon. We'll likely have something by the time Ben returns." Her expression brightened. "We are making excellent progress on tracking down all of the investors who paid into the shell company which bought the home before Beth owned it. Grace Wilson is following the money back to their sources. There are at least a dozen people involved beyond Shelly's uncle whose name we linked to the numbered company."

"What went on in that house?" Catherine asked.

"Something ev--very, very bad," Chanel amended as she saw the children watching her. "Good thing Ben's having it completely torn down and every bit carted away. He'll build something beautiful in its place."

Ashley's girls smiled and nodded to her.

Gabriella got their attention once more. "Please pass along the news about Ben if you meet any neighbors not currently here. I tried reaching Penny and Karen, but they got an early lift to school with Jayden. Rain left early, too."

"We'll fill in Daphne and the twins when we drop off the children," Lucy said.

The rest nodded to her, so there was nothing left to share, and the day needed to begin. Ben was healing and would be coming home.

The knowledge that a life important to them had almost ended needed to be put aside.

Life moved forward.

-=-

Ben slowly surfaced from a deep sleep. The room he was in came into focus even slower. He felt weak as a kitten. Then nausea made itself known. He moaned.

"Ben? You awake?"

The voice was familiar as his brain sluggishly tried to connect dots. His eyes swung left to look at red hair and a crooked smile.

He felt another wave of nausea sweep over him, and he closed his eyes to steady himself. He frowned.

A name popped into his mind. "Trish?"

"Yes! Yes, Ben! It's me! So glad you're back!" she gushed, and he felt soft lips touch his forehead.

This made him open his eyes again.

She was close, and she had a black eye?

Ben's rage tried to rise, but whatever meds he was on interfered with that emotion. Still, his vision sharpened as he checked out her lovely face for more injuries. "Who... who hurt you?"

Trish's smile split her face. "This is nothing! Some bearded neanderthal tried to get fresh when I got to the hospital and tried to enter your room. He didn't move aside when I told him who I was, then he decided to get handsy. It took me a little longer to put him down, and he got in one good hit, but in the end, he was unconscious on the floor, and I was standing over him with a broken chair in my hands. His team showed up, and they were willing to listen when I told them who I was. The CO was pretty pissed at his goon."

The door opened behind her, and Trish turned to look at the tough-looking man dressed in black with a combat harness over his sweater. "Speaking of the CO."

The man nodded to Trish and stopped next to her to smile at Ben. "Mr. Shepherd, I'm Fisher, the Commanding officer of my squad. General Davis assigned us to keep an eye on you while you're in Germany. I'm sorry we took so long to get to you the night we were called in. We might have been able to prevent Tatiana from attacking you."

Ben leaned his head back against the pillow as another wave of nausea swept over him. "She-she didn't attack me."

Fisher frowned. "The knife in your guts says otherwise."

Ben took slow deep breaths to ride out the sickness.

"She was trying to cut Evelyn's throat. I pulled her clear, almost, but moved myself into range of Tatiana's strike. She couldn't stop, and I was in the way." Ben looked at Fisher. "Where's Evelyn?"

"I'm here, Ben."

He turned his head to the right and saw another bed. She was lying in it and had bandages over her face and eyes. "What happened to your eyes?" he asked in concern.

"Scratched cornea's from the dust in the packet she threw at me. I also have a minor concussion from hitting the floor, whiplash from being yanked backward so hard, and a cut across my cheeks and nose. But I'm alive and healing because of you. Thank you, but don't ever do that again."

Ben snorted and immediately regretted it. He moaned.

"What's wrong, Ben?" Trish asked.

"Feel sick," he moaned weakly.

"The doctor mentioned you might experience nausea," Fisher suggested.

"He was right," Ben whispered. He stared at the ceiling and tried to endure the next wave. It was exhausting, and he felt himself slipping under again. He forced himself to open his eyes and saw Trish's worried expression. His time sense was fucked.

"How long?"

"You've been in the hospital for three days," Fisher answered.

Ben frowned. "What about Louis and his team?"

"They canceled the rest of the meetings and took the jet home. They said they would reschedule when you were better. Only three countries left to do."

Ben scowled. "They could have done the meetings without me."

"There is no hurry, and they said they preferred having you in these meetings," Trish explained.

He turned his eyes to Fisher. He wasn't wearing a uniform, just the harness. He saw no insignia of any kind. "What branch of the army are you from?"

Fisher grinned. "The secret one."

"Ah," Ben sighed, then thought about how important their time likely was. "Why are you still here wasting your time on me?"

Fisher snorted. "General's orders. Originally, we were supposed to protect you from a team of assassins sent by the Russians, but your Ruskie bodyguards took them out before we arrived. There was bad intel, and the team was already in place when we learned they'd been assigned. The one who stabbed you took out the two shooters in the building across from your hotel. The blonde killed the last one in a newsstand on the corner. We haven't received any word on additional teams sent after you, but the General is taking no chances. We stay until you are on your way home. Your jet will return tomorrow. Hopefully, you'll be well enough to travel. My men are going stir-crazy sitting in this hospital."

Ben absorbed that and felt his mind trying to slip away again. He forced his eyes open again. "Liliya! Where is she?"

Fisher looked uncomfortable. "She's in the hallway. She won't leave, but she's not allowed in here."

Ben locked eyes with the man and focused hard. "Bring Liliya in here. She did nothing wrong," he growled.

Fisher leaned away and glanced at the smirk on the redhead's face. He looked back at Ben and nodded before stepping out. Moments later, Liliya stepped inside with Fisher behind her. Trish walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. Liliya sucked in a surprised breath, then hugged the woman in return.

"Don't keep the man waiting. He's struggling to stay awake," Trish said softly to her.

Liliya approached the bed and looked into Ben's glassy eyes. "I'm so sorry--"

"Stop. No more self-incriminations. None of us could see what was going on in Tatiana's mind. It's as much of a failure of mine as anyone's," Ben insisted.

"But she was supposed to protect you and attacked you instead."

"No. She tried to kill the Sergeant. I pulled Evelyn away but put myself in the way of her blade. She wasn't attacking me. That was my fault, but I had to protect Evelyn."

"No more!" the Sergeant said from the other bed.

Ben's endurance reached its limit, and he sagged to the pillow.

"Theezznew wimmun in ma life. I luv em, but nag, nag, nag," Ben slurred softly as he faded and was out.

-=-

Liliya stared at Ben in shock. She glanced over at Evelyn, who was facing Ben's direction, her mouth frozen open in a surprised oh.

She looked at Trish with guilt on her face, but Trish just shook her head with a grin.

"Welcome to Ben's harem, you two!" she teased with a wicked smile. Fisher glanced at Trish in surprise.

"Th-that's n-not what he meant!" Evelyn sputtered. "He can't--"

"But he can and probably does, as the man is desperately honest. Wait 'til we get him home to address your new status. Remember Evelyn, he saved your life. That means your life belongs to him now. Just sayin'."

"You are teasing," Liliya said, but there was doubt in her eyes.

Trish shrugged with a coy smile.

Liliya watched Ben sleeping for a moment, then she spoke. "Ben was wrong about one thing."

Trish and Fisher looked at her while Evelyn listened.

"Tatiana could have turned the blade, but she did not."

Fisher frowned. "I call bullshit on that. If you're swinging the blade in an arc to cut a throat, your grip has to be fixed and firm, and your muscles prepared to cut through those tough tissues."

"Would you like a demonstration of what we were taught?" Liliya asked.

Trish looked at Ben, then held up her hands. "Let's take this outside so Ben and the Sergeant can sleep."

"I want a demonstration when my eyes are better," Evelyn said before they could leave.

Liliya smiled. "Yes, Evelyn. Sleep well."

They stepped out into the hallway. Three of Fisher's team were watching them with interest.

Fisher eyed her cautiously. "Exactly how do you propose to demonstrate your knife trick?" he asked, and his men's eyes locked onto the assassin as they went still.

Liliya nodded as her smile slipped away. "Tatiana was attempting to stab the Sergeant in the throat, not slash it as that would be less effective. We were told by Ben she did a sweeping movement with her arm. But Ben yanked Evelyn from the blade's path, transferring his weight forward. Tatiana would have adjusted her grip from a punch to a slash to reach the receding target, which she did, and the blade managed to slash the Sergeant's face. Her arm continued on its arc, but Ben was now in the blade's path.

"And she stabbed him!" one of Fisher's bearded soldiers insisted. The man had a bandage over his recently broken nose.

Liliya nodded. "Yes, she did, and this would have required another grip adjustment from a slash back to a punch. But Ben believes his being stabbed was an accident. That she didn't mean to stab him, and his actions put him in her way."

"That's bullshit!" the soldier continued.

Fisher was looking at Liliya pensively. "You're saying she intentionally stabbed him, but she could have avoided it?"

"She could easily have turned the blade, but she consciously, or unconsciously, chose not to," Liliya asserted with a nod.

The soldiers did not agree. The argumentative one was the first to object. "Based on the depth of the thrust, her hand was moving damn quick. Too fast to make a grip adjustment to not hit the target."

His teammates made agreement noises.

"This is what I will demonstrate," Liliya said and looked for items to use.

She pointed to a ballpoint pen one of the men used on his crossword puzzle. "May we use this as a stand-in for the Sergeant?" The soldier offered it up.

Then she pointed to a balloon on a flower arrangement on the nurse's station. "That balloon will be Ben."

A second soldier stepped over to it and tugged it loose.

"Hey!" the nurse at the desk complained.

"You'll get it back in one piece," Liliya called back as the soldier brought the foil balloon to the group.

"Which of you has the strongest grip?" Liliya asked.

The men chuckled as the argumentative one stepped forward. "That's only because Stim beats off so frequently!" another called out.

"Fuck you, Dunno!" Stim barked back with a grin. "It takes a Kung-Fu grip to tame this beast!" More chuckles erupted.

Liliya handed Stim the pen, tip pointing up. "Stand here and grip the bottom as tightly as you can. This represents the sergeant's face, Tatiana's alternate target.

She looked at the balloon. "Who's willing to hold this?"

None of the soldiers stepped forward, and they all looked at her warily.

"Wimps!" Trish said and took the balloon from the soldier's hand.

Liliya looked into her eyes. "Do you trust me?"

Trish nodded and smiled with a spark in her eyes.

"Stand here," she pointed to a spot on the floor. Trish moved there, and Lilya rested the balloon against her stomach, held between Trish's hands.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Fisher barked quickly as his men grumbled and shifted uneasily.

Stim leaned back suddenly as Liliya came at him with a blade suddenly in her hand. The overhead lights flicked off the metal as her hand flashed by the pen.

The thump of Liliya's knuckles against the balloon made everyone jump, and Liliya stared at them, her hand pressing the intact balloon against Trish's stomach.

Her blade was pointing upward. "Did you see it?" Liliya asked.

The commandos were stunned into silence as their minds returned to the attack. Stim was staring at the sliced pen in his hand. Just the tip was gone, and he'd caught a streak of ink across his cheek.

"No, we didn't see it. Your hand was moving too fast," Fisher insisted

"Yes, it was, yet the pen's tip was slashed off, and the balloon remains intact," Liliya explained. "The only way to do this is to adjust the grip, mid-attack." She saw them acknowledging the truth to that. "Tatiana could do this, usually better than I could. But this time, she did not."

She smiled at Stim. "Sorry about the ink on your face. Simulated blood splatter."

He touched his cheek and then saw the ink on his fingers. "Shit. I didn't feel the tug on the pen."

"Of what use is a dull blade?" Liliya said.

"How did you change the grip yet maintain control?" Fisher asked.

Liliya smiled knowingly. "I said I would demonstrate what we're taught, not how."

Trish was giggling, but some of that was just the unused adrenaline from not being stabbed. She took a deep breath to get control again. "Whew! That was impressive. It also tells me that part of Tatiana wanted Ben dead."

Liliya nodded as her smile slipped away as quickly as her blade. "She told me not long ago that she both loved and hated Ben, which was torture for her. It seems she needed release from her pain."

Trish looked grim. "This wouldn't have released her. Now the part of her that loved Ben will remind her she could have spared him. What do you think she might do to ease that pain?"

Liliya looked at Trish in surprise, then worry crossed her features.

"Nothing good."