Unmasked: Friends and Frenemies Part III: Fire

Prologue—5 Years Ago

     It’s almost time for my undercover assignment to be over, and I am praying I make it out alive. I alerted the department that the gang I had infiltrated was planning to take a hit out on one of the former members’ family. I hope that they bust these guys in time. There’s no way me or my partner could do it alone.  

     “Hey, Maria…” Big John, one of the members interrupts my thoughts. He was hard to miss as he had to be over 300 pounds. If you were getting to know him, you would ordinarily think he was a nice guy. That’s only a façade. He was one of the deadliest men on the block, and he could wipe you out quicker than a natural disaster.  

     “What?” I ask, annoyed that he disturbed my thought process.

      “You alright?” He asks, looking in my eyes.

      “I’m fine, just, uh, got some shit on my mind.”

      “Like what?” I quickly try to think of a lie.

       “Got some bad news from back home.” As far as they knew, I was Maria from Los Angeles, California. They believed that all my family was there; although, that couldn’t be further from the truth. I was born and raised in the Bronx, and man did I have it rough. My dad lost his battle to crack addiction and my mother worked herself into an early grave when I graduated high school. It was just me and my younger sister, Breanna, who recently got married.

     “Anything we can do to help?” Big John interrupts my thoughts once again. I shake my head.

     “My family always gets through the toughest times. They’ll be okay.” He gazes at me with sympathy and reaches in his pocket, pulling out a roll of hundreds.

     “Family is important to me, Maria. You know that.” He hands me ten of the hundred-dollar bills.

      “Send that to them. I know money ain’t gonna solve everything, but shit, we all need a little help sometime.” As much as I don’t want to, I know I need to keep my cover for one more day, so I take the money from him with a feigned smile of gratefulness.

      “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

       “I want to.” He closes my hand around the cash.

       “Well, thank you.” I shove the bills in my shirt pocket. He seems satisfied with my gratitude and gets up to check on the others.

       I hate pretending to hang out at this house: the smell of weed constantly permeates the air among other things that were being smoked (and I’m not talking about cigarettes either). The house itself was filthy, and I tried my best not to pick up anything even though the clean Jilly inside of me was screaming to clean it up. Once this is over, I have some things to think about when it comes to my career as an officer.

     Later that evening, Robin, one of Big John’s many girlfriends, sits beside me holding a huge bottle of liquor. She pours some into a small glass and shoves it to me.

     “You might need this. It’s gonna be your first hit.” I swallow hard. I had been praying all day that they would call it all off and that I would disappear without a trace. I missed my sister and my friends on the force. I wanted to be me again. Shaking the internal struggle, I take the glass from her and down the burning liquid. I hold the glass in front of her.

     “Fill it up…” I tell her, and she happily obliges me, pouring the brown substance to the brim of the glass. I’m technically not supposed to drink, but my Sergeant told me to do what I needed to do within reason to get through this.

     As midnight approaches, five of us stand in front of the brownstone and I am teeming with anxiety. Because I’m with so many of them, I can’t even communicate with the officers that have us under surveillance. I only pray that before anything happens, the SWAT team will intervene.

     One of the members jimmies the door, and it opens with ease. He directs us to go inside and start ransacking the house. I drag my feet as the others hurriedly tend to their tasks. Please guys, come on. I start to wish the surveillance team could hear my thoughts. Suddenly, a little boy emerges from the bedroom, wiping his eyes. No!

     “Mommy?” He asks before I hear the gunshot followed by Robin’s blood curdling scream. My heart leaps into my throat as I see the boy fall on the floor with blood spilling from his little neck. I want so badly to go to him, stop the bleeding, but I can’t.

“Shit! I didn’t know it was a kid!” One of the guys yells as he quickly tosses the gun.

“What the fuck were you thinking?!” Robin yells.

“Will you two shut the fuck up?!” Another guy hisses.

     “Police! Freeze!” I finally hear the life-saving phrase as the SWAT team files into the brownstone. I am immediately swept away by an officer and handcuffed (as to not blow my cover). My mind is still on the little boy. I want to think the best, but it didn’t look good, and I don’t know if he was saved in time. Before I am even aware of my feelings about the situation, I’m hauled into one of the waiting SUVs and driven silently to the precinct. Out of an abundance of caution, the officers don’t give any indication that I’m on their side until I’m safely behind closed doors.

  Thirty minutes later, I sit across the table from my partner, Tony, in the interrogation room, blank.

    “Jillian, say something” he coaxes.

    “The little boy—” I start, and he sighs.

     “DOA, Jillian. I’m sorry.” Tears start to roll down my face.

     “It’s part of the job, you know this.” He regards my emotional state.

     “When can I go home?” I ask, suddenly emotionally drained from my three months undercover.

     “As soon as we book them, you can go. You want anything to eat?” I shake my head. The last thing on my mind was food. My partner studies me closely before sliding a piece of paper towards me.

     “Jillian, there’s a new CEO for this pharmaceutical company and he needs an executive security specialist. Why don’t you call for an interview?”

     “You think I’m gonna quit?” Not that I wasn’t thinking about it, but I was a little annoyed that he instantly came to that conclusion.

     “What I see in your eyes is burnout. You’re too young to be burned out. It doesn’t hurt to try. Take some leave and just see what it’s about.” I nod, taking the sheet of paper.

     “Oh…” I say, remembering the thousand dollars in my shirt pocket. I take the wad of bills and shove them to him.

    “What’s this?” he asks.

     “Blood money” I answer quietly.

    Once I get home, I immediately shed my clothes and toss them in the garbage. I stand silently in the shower, not able to get the sight of that child out of my mind. Eventually, my emotions overcome me, and I sob loudly as the water cascades over my body. My partner was right: I am burned out. It was time to do something else. My life was already full of tragedy, I didn’t need to work in it every day.

The next morning, I feel a hand on my back which startles me awake.

“Easy, Sis…” I see my sister Breanna sitting on the side of the bed.

“You scared me…” I sigh.

“Tony called me and said you were done with your assignment, so I decided to take off work today.”

“Oh, Bre, you didn’t have to do that…”

“I wanted to.”

I sit up and gaze at her with seriousness.

“So? Are you ready to hang up your handcuffs or what?” I knew that was coming. Breanna never wanted me to be a police officer. She worried herself half to death when I was on undercover assignments; hell, she worried when I was just working patrol.

“I don’t know yet, Bre. I have to think about it.”

“Isn’t there something else, you can do?” She asks. I sigh heavily, handing her the paper on the nightstand. She reads carefully, looking up when she’s done.

“Jilly, I think this would be great for you, and look at the salary! That’s double what you make now!” I chuckle.

“I knew you would be enthusiastic about it…”

“Why not?! Protecting some executive is far safer than pretending to be friends with the scum on the streets!” She had a point, and what was I afraid of anyway? I was young enough to make a career change without regretting it, and I knew I was more than qualified.

“I guess you’re right, Bre. I’ll call for an interview, okay?” She hugs me tightly.

“I know this is the right move…” she whispers.

The next day, I enter the humongous office building, immediately seeking out the blonde receptionist at the large desk in the middle of the floor. She looks up at me with a smile.

“Can I help you?” She asks.

“Yes, I have a ten o’clock appointment with a Mr. Vincent Marks?”

“Mr. Marks is on the fifteenth floor. Here’s your visitor’s badge and just sign in right here.” She hands me the badge and a clipboard. After signing my name, I am led to the elevator and the friendly blonde swipes a key card before pressing the fifteenth floor.

“Good luck…” She says as the elevator doors close.

Once I land on the floor, I am greeted by a tall, dark and handsome man with long locs down his back.

“Officer Moreno?” He asks. I nod, almost stunned into silence by the towering figure. I’m 5’10 myself, but he was even taller than I was.

“I’m Jack Lloyd, assistant head of security. If you’ll follow me…” He turns around, and I follow him to an office door. He knocks rapidly before the door opens and we are greeted by another tall man. Jeez, am I in the right place? He looks fairly young…almost too young to be a CEO. Maybe he’s a junior executive or something.

“Ms. Moreno? I’m Vincent Marks, CEO.” Oh! He is the CEO!

“Jillian, please…” I stutter shaking his hand.

By the time the interview is over, I have a new job and a company car. I was actually excited at the prospect of working for Mr. Marks. He seemed genuine and fair; though, he had high expectations of his security staff. He told me I was exactly what he was looking for, and for the first time in years, I knew I wouldn’t have to dread going to work anymore.

   

   

Chapter 1—Present Day

“Jillian…” Zack interrupts my distant thoughts.

“What?” I respond absently.

“Did you even hear what I said?” I turn to look at him, not realizing he’d said anything.

“Sorry, my mind’s been occupied lately.” He scoffs.

“That’s an understatement.”

“I’m sorry.” I don’t know what else to say. I sure as hell couldn’t tell him what was up.  

“Stop apologizing and talk to me. I know something’s on your mind.” I sigh heavily, looking at him. I didn’t want to tell him what really was on my mind.

“I’m just caught up in my head.” I try to think of an excuse he’ll buy into.

“Is something going on with the Marks’?” He asks.

“No, it’s just that Aaliyah’s been having problems in school with some bullies.” Not all a lie. My niece had been having a hard time adjusting to high school, but she was a big girl, she could fend for herself. What was really on my mind was what I found this evening while he was in the shower. It was totally by accident. I was looking for one of his t-shirts to wear to bed and there it was…a ring box. Well, I couldn’t just close the drawer, I had to look inside. It was a stunning diamond ring…like the one I had marveled at in a magazine ad one lazy Saturday. There was my confirmation, he was going to propose, and I was terrified.

“Ah, well, I was bullied all through high school for being a geek. Half of those bastards wish they had the money I have now.” He lets out a breathy chuckle. He probably wasn’t lying. His software business was one of the most successful in the world. Yes, the world, not just the country. He was a billionaire many times over. If I were a lesser woman, I’d be intimidated; however, since I was used to working for billionaires, it didn’t faze me much. I exhale slowly, trying to let my vision of the ring in his drawer disappear from my mind. He pulls me on top of him, and I give him a kiss.

“Is that really all that was on your mind?” He asks, brushing my braids back.

“That’s it. Really.” I lie, giving him another kiss.

“Oh, now you’ve gotten yourself into trouble, young lady.” He growls, rolling me on my back before devouring me with his kisses.

The next morning, as I help Madeline drop off the kids at daycare, she gives me a suspicious stare as I absently take off little Amelia’s coat.

“You okay?” She questions, as Andrew runs joyfully into the classroom. Amelia follows him willingly as I stand up to look at Madeline. Maybe she can give me some advice. After all, Mr. Marks had given her plenty of experience in the “romance” department. In fact, I myself had a hand in many of his wild gestures.

“Do you want to grab a coffee before work?” I ask her genuinely. A hint of a smirk appears on her face.

“Sure, I don’t have a meeting until ten.” She waves to her twins before we head out of the door. Ordinarily, I kept my personal business to myself, only telling my sister something if she really needed to know it. I loved Breanna, but she was too good at inserting her opinion about everything without really listening. It’s been that way since she could form a sentence.

After Madeline has gotten her fusion green tea whatever-you-want-to-call-it and I have my plain old cops’ cup of coffee, we find a booth by a window to sit in.

“So?” She looks at me through her purple rimmed glasses.

“So, don’t judge me…”

“I wouldn’t ever judge you.” She interrupts. I take a deep breath.

“I was looking for a shirt in Zack’s drawers last night, and I found…” I hesitate.

“Yes?” She looks intrigued.

“I found an engagement ring.” Her eyes light up.

“That’s great! I mean…it is great, right?” She regards the panicked look on my face.

“It is…but it’s scary. I’ve never gotten so close to something like…marriage.” I can hardly choke the words out.

“But you love him, right?”   

“Of course I do. I’m just in unknown waters.” I take a sip of the bitter black liquid in the cup I’m holding.

“Well, it was for me at one time…of course, I didn’t find my engagement ring before Vince proposed. I don’t know how I would have felt about that either.” I appreciate her honesty and start to feel less mortified at myself for being reluctant. I breathe a sigh of relief.

“I was starting to feel pretty terrible about myself…” I admit, “most women would jump at the opportunity to get married…especially to Zack.”

“You’re not wrong for being afraid of the future. Hell, who would we be if we didn’t worry?” She smiles.

“I am worried. I know that if I say ‘no’, it’s over. I also know if I say ‘yes’, then my life is no longer what I expect it to be.” She laughs.

“When is life ever predictable?” Well, my life was…until Zack. Even when all the mafia shit was happening with Madeline and her family, I had still fallen into a routine. I was painfully single for nearly ten years, and my teammates on the security team and a few ladies from the precinct were my only friends for a long time.  

“I guess you’re right. None of us knows how life will turn out.”

“Exactly, and what’s wrong with having a handsome, rich man to love on in the meantime?” I chuckle.

“That might mean you’d be down one security specialist.” I expect her to laugh. I doubt she nor Mr. Marks ever thought I would leave them because I was getting married, but knowing Zack, that conversation would happen sooner or later. He always told me that he wanted me to spend my life traveling with him. I guess we’ll see.  She shrugs.

“You’ve served us well. I’d have no complaints. So, what are you going to do? Wait it out?” I sigh.

“I still have a lot of thinking to do, but thanks for letting me air out my feelings.”

“Anytime!” she grins.

Once I retreat to my office, I see someone sitting in the chair across from my desk. Curious, I step carefully into the room to see my good friend and former partner from New York, Tony.

“Tony?!” I almost think I’m dreaming. I haven’t seen him in years.

“Well, are you gonna stand there or are you gonna give ya boy a hug?” He says, standing up. I hug him tightly, almost overcome with emotion. The only regret I had when I left the department was leaving him behind. He looked older but more or less the same.

“What are you doing here?” I ask him as we separate.

“Well, I have some family down here and thought I would visit since I officially retired.” I gasp.

“You retired? Just how old are you anyway?” He chuckles.

“I’m forty, but I had the years and it was wearing on me.”

“Well, I’m glad to see you. How long will you be in town?”

“Indefinitely. I thought I’d check out the scene here. Maybe I might like it enough to leave that dirty old city alone.” I chuckle.

“Well, I have some work to do right now, the head of security is on vacation this week. Maybe we can meet for lunch later?” I inquire.

“That sounds good. My relatives live near this place called ‘Little Five Points’. Are you familiar with it?” Was he kidding? Zack lived near there and so did the Marks’.

“Of course, I run at the park around there. There’s a pub in that area I think you’d like.”

“I’ll see you around one?” He asks.

“Definitely!” I give him a smile and wave as he heads out of my office. Danny, one of our other security specialists, pokes his head in.

“Who was that?!” I laugh.

“Why is that any of your business?”

“Everything you do is my business. Your ‘daddy’ told me I had to make it my business.” He chuckles. I scoff.

“Don’t let Shane fool you. He’s only about thirteen years older than me.” Shane Watson, the former head of security at PharmaCo had followed Mr. Marks to his new position at MedCorp and left the charge of head executive security specialist to Jack, his second in command. He was like a father to me as much as I hated to admit it: the only one I could really depend on when we first moved here.

“Regardless, I always have to keep an eye on you and make sure you’re alright.” He gives me a genuine smile.

“Danny, I’ve been in law enforcement for more years than I care to count. I highly doubt I need anyone to keep an eye on me.”

“Oh, come on, Jilly. Even you need someone every once in awhile.” He regards me seriously.

“Well, maybe you’re right…” I concede, “now get back to work.” I smirk.

“Yes Ma’am.” He gives me a goofy salute and disappears just as quickly as he came.

Later that afternoon, I meet Tony at the Irish pub I suggested for lunch. As I settle into the small booth, I see him walk in and talk to the hostess at the front who points him in my direction. He flashes a smile as he moves towards the table.

“Cozy spot. Do they have good beer?” He asks. I shrug.

“You know I don’t drink beer, but it’s an Irish pub, so my guess is that they do.” I slide the beer menu towards him. He stares at me for a minute.

“You look good, Jilly” he says, quietly. I blush.

“Don’t flatter me.”

“I mean it. Atlanta’s been good to you.”

“Ha, you sure it’s not just the fact that I’m not in the GTF anymore?”

“Well, I guess that could be it. The Marks guy, is he treating you well?” He asks as he peruses the menu.

“I actually don’t work for him anymore.”

“Is that right? You found a job somewhere else?”

“Well, I work for his wife now. She took over the company after he left.” He nods in approval as the waitress approaches us. I order a sweet tea while he orders some beer I’ve never heard of. When she leaves to fill our orders, I glance at him with suspicion.

“Why did you really come to Atlanta, Tony?” I ask.

“I told you.” He grins.

“Come on, out with it.” He sighs, obviously forgetting that we shared a squad car for five years and I knew him better than he knew himself.

“Okay,” he holds up his hands in concession, “Char and I got a divorce.” I look at him in astonishment.

“Seriously? You guys have been married forever!” He chuckles.

“Forever and a damn day. While I was working my ass off in the force, she was creepin’ behind my back.” I’m shocked. They always seemed like they were so in love. Suddenly, I feel nauseous. Is this what I have to look forward to?

“You okay?” He asks. I nod quickly, thankful when the waitress sets my tea in front of me. I guzzle it down quickly, trying to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

“It just wasn’t meant to be. I decided that maybe I need a change of scenery. My daughter wants to come to college down here in a couple years. She’d have a place to stay, and I could be as far away as possible from the bullshit.” I nod with understanding, still shocked at what he told me.

“I’m sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. I think we’re both better off. So, what’s going on with you, anyone special in your life?” He quickly changes the subject.

“Yeah, there is. His name is Zack…Zack Huntingdon.”

“Huntingdon…as in Z-Corp?”

“You know of it?”

“Of course! We use his software for surveillance, girl where have you been?” I laugh.

“Obviously not minding his business.”

“So, you think you’ll be in it long term?” I hesitate, not really wanting to discuss my future with Zack when I haven’t quite figured things out myself.

“We’ll see where it goes.”

“How long have you guys been dating?” I take a deep breath.

“Three years.” He raises his eyebrows.

“Three years? You should’ve been hitched by now!” I scoff.

“I’ll admit that until recently, I played a little hard to get.” He laughs, shaking his head.

“Well, I hope you’re happy at least. I’m sure a guy like him spares no expense.”

“He doesn’t…”

At that moment, I’m relieved when the waitress returns to take our food order. With so much to think about, I really didn’t want to talk about Zack anymore.

Once she leaves, Tony looks into my eyes.

“I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable talking about your relationship.”

“You didn’t. I’m just in a gray area with things right now, you know?”

“I understand, just making sure you’re doing alright, Jilly.” I chuckle.

“I promise you, I’m fine. I might be going through some changes, but I’m still the same. Jilly.”

“Maybe not all the way the same, but close enough.” Tony raises his glass with a smile, and for the first time since I made the discovery, I start to feel more relaxed. Maybe it did me good to see some old familiar faces.

Chapter 2

After the twins have been put to bed for the night, Vince and I share a bottle of wine while lounging on the couch. I’m overly anxious tonight as he will leave us to travel to London in a few days. As used as I was to our hectic traveling schedules, I still didn’t like the idea of him being away…even If it was only for a week.

“You’re awfully quiet tonight” he says after taking a long sip.

“It’s been a long week.”

“Ha! You’re telling me! I’m almost grateful for a ride over the ocean just so I can catch up on sleep” he replies.

“Well, if you would stop keeping me up so late, maybe you could get sleep” I give him a coy smile.

“I didn’t hear you complaining” he returns my gaze.

“And I never will…” I clink my glass with his.

“So…I did find out something interesting today…” He says.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Zack came to see me at the office today.” I grin.

“And?” His expression changes.

“Do you know something I don’t?” He gives me a suspicious glare.

“Not at all. What did he want?” I hastily put it back on him.

“Well…he wants to propose to Jillian…but judging by the look on your face, you already knew. How did you manage to find that out?”

“Well…this morning, Jillian said she found the ring in his drawer.”

“Oh, so she knows.” I nod.

“I think she’s feeling a little hesitant about it.” Vince shrugs.

“Jillian’s a creature of habit. It’ll take a lot for her to finally let go and let life happen.”

“But I think she loves him. I just don’t know what she’s so afraid of.”

“Come on, Baby. Big changes are always scary.” Well, he wasn’t wrong about that. I knew what it was like to get a little too used to the same thing every day, every week. When I met Vince, a ton of that changed.

“Well, when is he planning on doing this proposal?”

“Soon. I think he’s trying to call some of her friends from her old job at the precinct first. He wants them to be there.”

“Shouldn’t he be talking to her sister?”

“He already has…” I’m genuinely shocked. I guess the guy really wants to marry her.

“So, why did he come talk to you?” Vince laughs.

“He actually wanted to talk to Shane but invited me to stick around.” I look at him in surprise.

“He asked Shane if he could marry her?” Shane had practically adopted Jillian. I knew she was technically a part of his family, and he was overprotective as hell.

“More or less. You know the guy loves her like his own. ” I pour more wine in my glass and look at my husband.

“Did you ask my dad if you could marry me?”

“I did. I thought I told you that.” I shake my head.

“Never. I mean, I assumed you told my parents because they were there when we got engaged. I didn’t think you asked my dad when he was alone.” The thought was heartwarming, but I’m surprised because he more than likely told my mother who could never hold a secret. Maybe that was one he kept to himself.

“Yes, I asked your dad before I bought the ring…well, actually, I put down a deposit on the ring first.”

“Really?” I’m intrigued.

“What did he say?”

“Well, after making me promise I wouldn’t interfere with your career, he said I could. It’s funny because Shane said the same thing to Zack. Although, honestly, Jillian really wouldn’t need to work. She’s been in a tough business for so long that she could use the break.”

“She alluded to that.”

“And you would be okay with it?”

“I told her she’d done her job. I mean, hell, if she would have left after the whole Luciano fiasco, I wouldn’t have blamed her. She deserves that break, don’t you think?” She did deserve it. Jillian surpassed my expectations in more ways than one. I knew that she hasn’t always had an easy life, and I was happy that there was hope for her future.

“I can’t say I disagree with you…but…” He gazes at me with those deep hazel eyes.

“But what?”
“I can’t say it’s gonna be easy for me to part with her. I mean, she’s been my right-hand woman since I started at PharmaCo.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t take her with you to MedCorp…” I argue.

“She still works for you, she’s still around. I trust Jillian with my family, it’s gonna be hard to find someone I trust just as much.” I feel a twinge of sympathy for him. Vince was serious about protecting us, and I knew it would make him feel uneasy to even think of a replacement. Still, it was something we might have to start thinking about.   

“But don’t you want her to be happy? I mean, tell me the truth, had she even been involved with anyone the entire time she was working for you?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Well, come on, Vince. She deserves to have some happiness. She’s spent a good part of her life taking care of others. Isn’t it time that someone takes care of her?” He shakes his head at me.

“Yeah, you’re right. She deserves it all. I guess I’m being selfish.”

“Not too selfish, my Dear.” I give him a peck on the lips.

The next morning, I wake up with a churning in my stomach and immediately jump out of bed, barely reaching the toilet before I vomit violently. Jeez, was it the wine?

“Madeline? You okay?” I hear Vince behind the door.

“Yeah…” I manage to get out before I throw up again. I sigh heavily, thinking that I must have caught a stomach virus of some sort. Leave it to me to get sick on a weekend.

After I emerge from the bathroom, I see Vince standing outside of the door, looking worried.

“Are you sick?”

“I think it’s just a little stomach bug, I’ll be fine.”

“Well, lay down. I can see if Mrs. Lovett will watch the kids.” I scoff.

“That won’t be necessary. I’m perfectly alright.” I brush off his concern. I didn’t feel too lousy considering I’d just puked my guts out.

“Are you sure?” I walk up to him, placing my hand on his cheek.

“I promise. Now come on, I know the kids are about to get up.”

We walk into the twins’ rooms and surprisingly, they are both sound asleep which is an extreme rarity.

“Maybe they decided Mommy and Daddy needed some time alone?” Vince suggests. I laugh.

“You totally overestimate their train of thought. We did put them down a little later than usual last night. Come on, we’ll cook breakfast in peace for once.” He shrugs, leading the way downstairs.

Later that afternoon, I start to feel lethargic and dizzy. I try to keep my concentration on the kids, who are playing on the floor of my office but finally decide I can’t take it anymore and yell for Vince who appears at the door quite quickly.

“Can you watch them for a bit? I’m gonna lay down.” His expression changes.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“I just feel a little tired all of a sudden.”

“Well, I’ve got the kids, go lay down.” I gladly get up without argument and head to the bedroom, not even bothering to take off my clothes before I fall into bed.  

 I wake up to see the moon shining through the bedroom window. I jump up, mortified that I’d slept the day away; however, I notice that I’m not alone in the bed. Right beside me, sound asleep are the twins and Vince. I shake my head at the three of them who are out like a light. We’ll never get them to sleep tonight. I must have been sleeping pretty soundly to not hear them when they got in the bed with me. Deciding to leave them be, I change into my pajamas and go downstairs to find something for dinner. The queasy feeling I had earlier is replaced by rampant hunger, so I decide I need to make something that doesn’t take much time or effort. In a matter of minutes, I find a frozen pizza and toss it in the oven. As I’m busying myself in the kitchen, I hear heavy footsteps coming down the stairs and see Vince walk into the kitchen.

“Hungry?” He asks.

“Yeah, I didn’t eat much today.”

“Well, you’ve been knocked out for about two hours.”

“How long have the kids been asleep?”

“Only for about forty-five minutes. They wanted to sleep with you.”

“You know you’re staying up all night with them tonight, right?” I tease as I search the cabinets for a wine glass.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine if we wake them up in a few minutes. It’s only five.” He takes a bottle of wine off the rack and sets it on the counter. Once I place the glasses on the counter, he fills both of them up, and I quickly swipe mine, taking a hasty sip.

“Hey, easy! Not like you had to baby-sit all day like me” he jokes.

“Oh shut-up, and go wake the kids” I say, looking at my watch. If they sleep any longer, we really will be up all night long.

After cleaning up the mess of pizza sauce and breadcrumbs made by the twins, Vince and I take Mrs. Lovett up on her offer to watch them for the night while we go out for a few drinks.

Luckily for us, our neighborhood was changing and there were more spots near the house to chill out and have a couple cocktails: much needed when you both run multi-million-dollar corporations with a pair of kids at home.

As we settle into the quaint tapas bar that is a mere short walk from our place, both Vince and I order an exotic cocktail from the intriguing menu which boasts unique food and drink options.

“Do you feel better?” Vince asks as the waitress leaves with our orders.

“I’m fine. I probably picked up a little stomach bug.” He gazes at me suspiciously.

“Forgive me for asking, but are you sure that’s all you’ve picked up?” I return his stare curiously.

“Meaning?”

“I mean…it’s been three years…” I come to the sudden realization of his insinuation. I couldn’t blame him for thinking it as I was violently ill when I was pregnant with the twins.  I didn’t think this was the case at all as we’ve had several false alarms through the years.

“I hardly think that’s the issue,” I try to sympathize with his concern, “but if I don’t feel better by Monday, I’ll call Megan just to be sure. Just let me have a few cocktails before you sentence me to nine months of no drinking?” I smile at him.

“I guess so…” he returns my grin as the waitress brings our drinks.

“Madeline? Vince?” I hear the familiar voce say beside us. We look up to see our neighbors, the Graysons.

“Hey guys!” I respond, “why don’t you join us?” I slide over so that Allison Grayson can sit next to me while her husband, Connor takes his place next to Vince. Connor and Allison were two of the wealthiest people in the neighborhood. Connor owns a chain of hotels and resorts while Allison runs a publishing house. They have two children: Tim, who’s eight and Stella who is four. We socialize with them occasionally as the two (or rather Connor) never trusted many people.

“Did you guys need a break from the kids too?” I ask as the waitress comes over.

“God, yes!” Allison laughs before giving the waitress strict orders for her martini.

“Our children have mastered the art of arguing with each other. They’ve been at each other’s throats” Connor adds.

“Maybe you and Zack set that example?” Vince suggests. Zack and Connor are stepbrothers and were constantly arguing mostly due to Zack’s constant teasing.

“Even we don’t argue like those damn kids” Connor shakes his head.

“Ugh! I had to give Stella a spanking today. Almost broke my heart to do it…” Allison gazes at us.

“Really?” I ask. I was kind of surprised they even believed in that sort of punishment.

“Never bothered me, my stepdad did it all the time” Connor points out. Vince chuckles.

“So did my dad. He didn’t play.”

“Well, my mother never believed in it, but I think it’s necessary” Allison says as the waitress sits down a colorful cocktail in front of her before setting a bottle of craft beer in front of Connor.

“It only took one time before I decided to never cross my parents again. My brother and sister though…” I shake my head. My siblings were always in trouble when we were younger, especially my sister, Vivi who was always a smart ass.

“The trials of being a parent, I guess.” Vince shrugs.

“So…” Connor looks at us, “has Zack talked to you two?” He glances at me and Vince.

“He came by the office and spoke with Shane. I’m sure you’re okay with it since I know you’ve looked up Jillian’s entire history?” Vince says, jokingly.

“Jillian’s alright with me. Decorated police officer, excellent sister and aunt. I know that if you saw it fit to hire her then she’s not crazy like his other wife was.” Connor laughs. Vince and I gaze at him in surprise. Given the fact that he did research on everyone he came in contact with, this was a definite change. I guess Jillian had that effect on everyone.

“He hasn’t asked her yet…” Allison rolls her eyes at her husband.

“What? You think she’ll say no?” Connor gazes at her.

“I didn’t say that…”

“I think I’m pretty certain that she’ll say yes” I declare. Vince glares at me with warning. He must think I’m an amateur at this. I’d never divulge the secret that Jillian already knew about the proposal.

“How do you know?” Connor asks. I shrug.

“I’m pretty sure Jillian is crazy about him, don’t ya’ll think so?” Connor considers it.

“Our family loves her, and I think she figures we’re alright.” We all laugh.

“It’s a big change for her, you know” Vince says.

“What do you mean?” Connor looks at him.

“Do you at least know her backstory?” Both Connor and Allison shake their heads.

“Drug addicted father and her mother died when she was a teenager. She had to raise her sister. That’s why she’s so tough. She had to be because she grew up way before she was supposed to. Just realize that it may take some time for her to get used to things.”

“I understand that…” Allison remarks.

“So do I, but I think she’ll be fine. Although, Zack probably won’t want her to work anymore…would you two be okay with that?”

“We’ve talked about it. Of course, I won’t do anything until she actually says she will no longer be working. I don’t want her to think we’re pushing her out.” Connor nods in agreement.

“Well, a toast,” Allison raises her glass, “to Zack and Jillian: may they both gain the happiness they’ve always searched for.”

“Here, here…” Vince smiles as we all raise our glasses.

Chapter 3

     “Why are you worried about it?” My sister, Breanna asks me over our weekly Sunday dinner after I tell her about my fiasco. I shrug as I dig into the pastelon (our Puerto Rican version of lasagna) she prepared for today.

     “You two practically live together, you’ve met his family, he’s met us, and we love him. Stop overthinking, sis.”

     “I’m not overthinking. Marriage is a big step, you know…” She laughs loudly.

     “I had no idea…” she teases as I remember that she’s the only one of us who has been married before.

     “And…also…Tony is back.” Breanna drops her fork.

     “No, Jillian.” She gazes at me with defiance, remembering that at one time in my life, I lusted after him to the point where I actually let myself go far enough to be seduced…until I came to my senses and left the hotel room. Neither of us ever talked about that night. It was a huge mistake.

“What do you mean ‘no’?” I raise my eyebrows at her.

“You dodged that demon once, and you might not be able to do it again. What is he doing here anyway?”

“Well, he got a divorce.”

“Hmph.” She glares at me in disbelief.

“I don’t think about him that way anymore!” I argue.

“Jillian Moreno…you’re vulnerable right now because you’re nervous about being proposed to. Don’t screw this up!” I scoff at her assumption.

“Breanna, do you really think I would screw up things with Zack for Tony?” She sighs.

“I don’t know…after you saw that boy get killed…you lost your inhibition. You almost slept with him then and he was married at the time!”

“Oh, yeah, bring up the one time I fucked up in my life…sorry, Aaliyah…” I look at my niece who shrugs away the curse word and continues scrolling her phone.

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to see him alone until you’ve decided how you’re going to respond to Zack.”

“I just had lunch with him Breanna, nothing sinful.” She sighs, shaking her head before getting up.

“Do you want some wine?” She asks me, grabbing a glass out of the cabinet.

“Sure, why not?” I respond without enthusiasm.

“Aunt Jilly?” my niece pips as my sister pours herself a tall glass of wine.

“Yes, Aaliyah?” I look at her.

“I think you should definitely marry Zack. He’s rich, cute and cool.” I laugh at her.

“I’m not with him because he’s rich and cute…maybe because he’s cool, though.”

“You still should marry him” she raises her eyebrows at me which signals that she wants an answer.

“I guess I should, Aaliyah. I’m only gonna get older, and he does love me.” Breanna sits a full glass of wine in front of me before sitting down with hers.

“So, are you going to say ‘yes’?” She gazes at me intently.

“What do you think?” I give her a hint of a smile.

“That’s my girl…and leave Tony alone. I mean it, Jillian. It’s too dangerous.”

“He’s not so bad, Bre.”

“Well, at the end of the day, you’re an adult and it’s up to you. I just have a bad feeling about him being here.” My sister and her gut. I tend to trust her instincts, but I was almost certain she was wrong about Tony. We’d been partners for years, and that one incident didn’t define us. It was just a moment of weakness.

On Thursday evening as I’m chilling out in front of the TV watching some cop drama, the phone rings.

“Hello?” I answer.

“Jillian…” Tony responds.

“Tony? Is everything okay?”

“I was wondering if you were busy tonight.”

“Not really. What’s up?”

“I was thinking of checking out this new jazz club tonight, would you want to come? You think your boyfriend would mind if I stole you for the night?” Hesitation rises in my throat, but what harm could it do? Zack was working late at the office tonight, and maybe Tony needed something to take his mind off the divorce.

“Sure, I don’t think he’ll mind.”

“Pick you up around eight?”

“Sure.” I get up, a little nervous about seeing him especially after the conversation with my sister on Sunday.

Tony and I sit at a little table near the stage as the musicians play their covers of different jazz compositions. I make a note to bring Zack here, no matter how much he’ll hate it. He and I had severely different tastes in music, but it worked for us.  

Tony orders us a bottle of Merlot and I start to feel a little more comfortable. After all, it was just an innocent night at the jazz club and Tony had been a perfect gentleman so far.

As we get through half the bottle, an attractive, brown-skinned woman sporting a beautiful natural hairstyle steps to the microphone as the band plays an intro to her song.

She begins to sing Is it a Crime by one of my favorite artists, Sade. I start to move to the music, almost getting lost in the tender voice of the singer onstage.

“Would you like to dance?” Tony asks. I take a deep breath, wondering if this is pushing a boundary.

“All innocent, I promise.” He regards the uncertainty on my face and stands up, holding out his hand.

We begin to dance as the singer continues her rendition of one of my favorite songs.

“Why are you nervous?” Tony asks with laughter in his eyes.

“I’m not nervous…” I belt out quickly.

“Don’t worry, I’m not here to take you away from your boyfriend. It just feels nice to have a woman in my arms again, especially when it’s you.” I close my eyes as the shuddering breaths escape from my lips.

“Tony, we’re just friends, you understand that right?” I look in his eyes.

“Of course I understand, but that doesn’t mean I’m not kicking myself for not making love to you that night.”

“That’s over and done with…” I stutter.

“Maybe it is…maybe it isn’t.” Now I’m deathly nervous as he moves closer to me, finally pressing his lips to mine. I push him away as the song ends.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Just giving you what I thought you wanted. Obviously that guy doesn’t give you what you need.” I stare at him in disbelief and anger.

“What?!”

“Come on, he would have married you by now don’t you think? You know I can give you what you need, Jillian. I saw that look in your eyes that night. I know you were against it because I was married, but I’m not married anymore…” He caresses my cheek and I swat his hand away as I cock my head at him.

“You…asshole!” I shove him again and run to our table, grabbing my jacket and purse before leaving out. I can’t believe I fell for it…again. My sister was right, he wasn’t up to any good. I quickly text Zack to pick me up. He tells me he’s coming, no questions asked.

“Jillian, wait!” He comes out the door.

“Don’t come near me!” I shout.

“Look…you’ve always wanted me…you know you have.” I shake my head at him.

“I’ve changed. Now get the hell away from me.”

“Okay, so maybe you’re more dedicated to this guy than I thought. My bad. Come on, I had to test the waters one more time. Can you blame me? You were practically serving it on a silver platter.” I can’t believe the bullshit pouring from his mouth.

“You need help.” I pray for Zack to show up. His office is only a few blocks from the club. Suddenly, there he is, coming to a screeching halt in front of us. He jumps out of the car, looking at me and Tony.

“Jillian…what’s going on?” He demands.

“Nothing, I just thought I was having drinks with a friend, but I was wrong.”

“You made a pass at my girl, bro?” He gives Tony a stare.

“I’m not your bro, White boy.”

“You fuck with my girl again, and we gonna have some problems.”

“I’ve known her way longer than you man.” Tony seems amused at the harsh threat. I’m almost certain I hear laughter in his voice.

“Get in the car, Jillian.”

“Zack…”

“Get in the fucking car!” I freeze, not knowing what will happen if I leave these two alone.

“You can’t make her do what she doesn’t want to do…I can see why she needs a real man.” Tony keeps taunting.

 Zack moves toward him angrily and Tony laughs, antagonizing him.

“I’m a cop you pansy ass. Just try to hit me.”

“Mr. Huntingdon?” Surprisingly, I see Shane and his wife, Maggie walking briskly toward us. If Zack didn’t scare Tony, it was a totally different story with Shane. He might be older, but the man could tear anyone apart and looked like he could. Tony seems to shrink in his presence.

“Is there a problem?” His eyes dart from me to Zack to Tony.

“Naw, there ain’t a problem. This White boy was being abusive to Jillian.” I can’t believe he fixed his mouth to tell that lie.

“Cut the bullshit!” I say, giving him an angry glare.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he turns to his wife, giving her his keys and looks me in the eye, “you’re going with her.”

“But…” I start, already knowing I’m defeated.

“Jillian” he warns.

“Come on, honey” Maggie grabs my arm, leading me toward their car. I look back at Zack who has an expression of hurt and confusion on his face as Shane gives harsh words to both of them.

The drive to my house is silent with only the sound of the tires on the pavement breaking it. Shane grips the steering wheel with both hands like he is ready to curse me to hell and back. Before I know it, the car screeches to a halt in my driveway.

“In the house…” He says, turning off the car.

“Shane…just let me explain!”

“In the house. I’ll deal with you tomorrow.” I give Maggie a pleading gaze and she turns to him. Luckily for me, she always took my side.

“Honey…let’s go in so that we can hear her side of the story.” She grabs his arm and he sighs heavily, never able to resist her requests.

As we sit at the table in my kitchen, I feel like I’m in the interrogation room. You could cut the tension with a knife.

“What are you doing, Jilly? What are you doing?” Maggie asks.

“It was innocent, I swear! He’s an old friend from the force…”

“The same one who tried to take advantage of you?” Shane interrupts.

“That’s not how it happened…”

“Oh yeah? A married man trying to take advantage of his co-worker who was traumatized? What do you call it?” I stare at the floor in shame.

“Jillian, honey. Look at me.” Maggie orders. I’m almost afraid that I will turn to stone if I look in her eyes.

“You can’t do this, okay? That situation could have turned really quick if Shane and I hadn’t been walking. Either one of them could have had a weapon…” I start to think of the pain I saw on Zack’s face when I was being led away from the altercation and finally lose it.

“I didn’t mean to hurt anyone! It was just supposed to be a friendly drink! Then he started coming on to me!” I sob.

“Oh, Jilly…” Maggie gets up, hugging me tightly.

“Jillian, leave that motherfucker alone, you hear me? Your future depends on it. Understand?” I nod, still sobbing into Maggie’s shoulder.

“That man loves you…” she whispers. I knew he loved me. Why was I so hell bent on going back to my past? What was there for me? Absolutely nothing, except a scheming guy who thought I was gonna sleep with him because he got a divorce.

“I’m sorry, Shane” I whisper. He sighs.

“Girl, you’re gonna be the death of me, you know that? I just want the best for you, and that asshole ain’t it. Never has been and never will be. I finally see you happy and being loved for the first time since I’ve known you and that guy comes strolling in. You have no idea how much that pisses me off. You can’t fall for his shit anymore.”

“I know!” I sob as Maggie squeezes me.

“He’s not mad at you, Jilly. We both just want to see you happy. You deserve it more than anyone we know.”

After I’ve pulled myself together, Maggie and Shane leave me to my own madness. I know I have to call Zack. I start to fear his response. I might have fucked everything up with this stunt. However, I’m no coward, so I decide to call him.

“Hey…” he answers solemnly.

“You okay to drive?” I ask.

“No.” I hear the clink of ice in a glass and know he’s probably dived into some expensive bottle of liquor just as I devoured a whole bottle of wine.

“I’ll come to you. You alright with that?”

“Yeah.” He hangs up and I call Mr. Marks. Normally, I wouldn’t involve him in any aspect of my personal life, but I knew he would be there for me and tonight, I needed a designated driver.

“Jillian?” Mr. Marks answers.

“Mr. Marks, I know it’s kind of late…”

“You didn’t wake me if that’s what you’re worried about.” Suddenly, the waterworks come back.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Can you come get me?” I ask in a small voice.

“Where are you?”

“I’m at home…I’m just afraid I’ve screwed up everything with Zack and I can’t drive…I drank too much.”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes, okay? Don’t cry.” As much as I would love to obey that command, I can’t help it. I’ll never forgive myself if I’ve ruined my relationship with Zack.

Ten minutes later, Mr. Marks arrives in his Porsche and I walk slowly to the car as if I’m doing a walk of shame. He gets out and opens the car door for me. I slide in, still sobbing as he gets back in the driver’s seat.

“Jillian, what in the hell is going on? Shane’s all disgruntled, Zack almost crashed into his house coming in. Did you two have a fight?” I shake my head.

“I did something stupid.” He glances at me.

“Jillian, I don’t know what has happened, but all I say is own up to it and let Zack know that you’re sincere. There’s no need to cry. The guy is crazy about you, I don’t see him breaking up with you over a mistake. I’m glad you called me.” I sniffle.

“You are?”

“Come on, now. You know I care about you. I can’t stand to see you this upset. Everything will be fine, do you believe me?” I nod, wiping my tears. Before I know it, we are in Zack’s driveway.

“Thank you, Mr. Marks…” I step out of the car, slowly heading towards the front door. I notice that Mr. Marks is watching as I approach the door. Maybe he thinks Zack will be angry enough to turn me away. The door opens and Zack gazes at me with a hint of anger and hurt in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, Papi. I’m so sorry.”  It seems to be the only words I can belt out before sobbing uncontrollably. He eyes me for the longest minute in the world.

“Get in here.” He pulls me into a hug.

“I need to explain…”

“Come on…” He leads me to the couch, and we both sit down.

“I didn’t tell you the whole truth about…Tony.”

“Well, you said he was your partner.”

“Yeah, well…”

“Was there more between you two than that?” I hang my head in shame.

“I had…just quit the force to work for Mr. Marks, and he called me, saying he was worried about me because I’d seen that kid get killed. I went to meet him for a drink after work.”

“Did he do something to you?” I shake my head as tears roll down my face.

“It was my fault…I’d had too much to drink and told him I wished he wasn’t married. He told me that didn’t have to stop anything, and before I knew it, we were in a hotel room.” Zack takes a deep breath, grabbing his glass of whatever deep brown liquid occupies it.

“So, you slept with him” he concludes, taking a gulp.

“No…I couldn’t go through with it. I knew his wife and children. My conscience wouldn’t let me. He was upset…told me I was a tease, but I guess he thought I would tell his wife because he called me the next day apologizing and asking if we could start with a clean slate. I forgave him, and still felt guilty enough that I kept in contact with him for a bit until I moved here. Five years later, he shows up here and told me he had gotten a divorce.”

“And you didn’t think there was something strange about that, Jillian?”

“Why would I?” Zack chuckles in disbelief.

“The guy tried to take advantage of you when you were drunk and traumatized, you should have reported his ass!”

“And said what? That I got drunk with him and willingly went to the hotel room? He wasn’t the only one at fault!”

“Regardless, you made the choice to see him again, Jillian. Why?”

“I felt bad…”

“For what?!”

“I just did, Zack, okay?”

“How many times have you seen him since he’s been here?” I start to tremble. Maybe this would be the end. I had to be honest with him.

“He showed up at my office the other day, we had lunch and then he invited me out tonight.” Zack huffs angrily.

“What did you think would happen, Jillian? Did you want to sleep with this guy?”

“No!”

“Then why did you see him?”

“I told you I felt bad.”

“So, you were doing this just to be friendly?”

“Yes!”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it, I swear!”

“Why did you ask me to pick you up?” Jesus, if software engineering didn’t work for him, he should have been a cop.

“Because he went too far…we were dancing…”

“Dancing?! Jesus fucking Christ, Jillian!” He gets up furiously, swiping the empty glass off the end table before heading to the kitchen. I hear ice clinking and liquid pouring while wondering if I should just call a cab and leave him be. He comes back, his glass filled to the brim.

“Can you understand why I’m just a little pissed off about this, Jillian?” I nod slowly.

“None of it meant anything, Zack” I whisper.

“Are you going to see him again?” I shake my head.

“I don’t want to see him again.”

“Don’t I do enough?” He asks quietly.

“You do more than enough! This wasn’t about you! This was just some attempt to right my wrongs. Can you at least see that?” He sighs, putting down his drink.

“You should have left well enough alone. What if this isn’t the end of everything? What if this guy decides he has to have you?”

“That’s not gonna happen.”

“You obviously have a lack of good judgment when it comes to him.”

“Not anymore. I see him for what he really is now.”  He takes my hand, standing me up and wrapping his arms around me.

“I need all of you, Jilly…” he says in my ear.

“You have all of me, Zack.”

“No, I don’t…” I clutch him tightly, desperately wanting to give him what he desired from me. The man asked for so little, couldn’t I give it to him? I feel the doubt leaving me and return the pleading stare in his eyes.

“I promise. You have me…”

“That’s all I want, Jilly. I just want you.” He gazes into my eyes before giving me a soft, deep kiss.

“It’s getting late…” I whisper and he takes my hand, leading me upstairs.

That night, he makes love to me more passionately than he ever has, and I finally let go, giving in to the love he’s shown me since the beginning. My body erupts harder than ever before, taking me to a height of ecstasy I’ve never known.

He pulls me close to him, holding me as if he doesn’t want to let me go.

“I love you, Jilly…” he whispers.

“I love you, Zack…”

Chapter 4

“Is she okay?” I ask Vince as he walks into the kitchen from the garage.

“I think she’ll be fine.”

“She’s never called you crying. I’m worried.”

“Some asshole from her past decided to show up and try to ruin her life all over again. Luckily, she has a man in her life that stopped that from happening. Although Shane is not too happy right now.” I set a glass of wine down in front of him.

“Poor girl.”

“She’s holding on to the past, Baby. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why.”

“Sometimes we want to stay where we think we’re the most comfortable, only to find out it’s not good for us.”

“We who?” He asks.

“All of us. Didn’t you just want to have a one-night stand with me before you realized you wanted something more?” He gives me a scolding look.

“Well, didn’t you?”

“Don’t remind me of the man I was.”

“I think she just needs to come to terms with what happened to her in the past. I don’t know anything about the guy, but I can almost bet he knew she was happy with Zack and was jealous that he couldn’t take part in that. Remember my ex showed up when we started dating?” He clears his throat, obviously uncomfortable with the statement.

“Yeah…” he mumbles, taking a gulp out of his glass.

“Maybe I should talk to her” I say. Vince shakes his head.

“She’s gonna have to deal with this in her own way.”

“But Vince, she’s never had anyone looking out for her. Think about it: her mother died, her sister is younger than her. She doesn’t have a woman in her life.”

“Madeline, you know you’re a good four or five years younger than her…besides, she has friends from NYPD and Maggie.”

“So? They obviously don’t know all that’s going on with her.”

“I don’t think that’s it, Baby. She probably doesn’t tell them anything. The girl is a pro at hiding her feelings.”  

“Look, I’ll invite her to lunch and let her tell me what she’s feeling. You can’t stop me.”

“Of course I can’t” he sighs, chugging the rest of the wine in his glass. I get up, taking my place on his lap.

“Why do you insist on being everyone’s Mrs. Fix-it?” He brushes my curls out of my face.

“You wouldn’t have married me if I wasn’t.” I put my forehead on his.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Maddie Marks….” He caresses my cheek before kissing me deeply.

“I know something I can fix…” I whisper, teasing the growing bulge in his pants.

“Oh yeah?” He grins, brushing my fingers.

“Yeah, take me upstairs…” He immediately stands with me in his arms.

“You know you’re about to get it…” I laugh.

“Oh, it’s a sure thing.”

“You bet your ass it is.”

The next day, Jillian comes to the house, ready to drive me and the twins to our morning destinations. I notice she looks a little tired. I’m assuming she and Zack spent the better part of the night making up with each other.

“You know, if you need to take the day to get some rest, I’ll understand.” I give her a smile as she shakes her head.

“You’re forgetting that I’ve seen you walk into the office after many nights of passion, Madeline.” I can’t help but laugh.

“Touché Moreno…” I comment as I put Amelia in her car seat.

After both kids are strapped in and we climb into the car, I look over at her.

“You know, Jillian, you can always talk to me.” She sighs.

“It would work for me if I didn’t include my employers in my business. I’m sure you’ve heard what mess I got myself into with my own partner from NYPD.” I’m surprised. Vince didn’t mention that the guy was her partner.

“Your partner, Jillian?”

“Yes, my partner. Someone I trusted my life with every shift.”

“Well, my own boss turned on me. Remember?” She takes a deep breath.

“I know.”

“So, why don’t you know that I understand? And that you can talk to me?”

“I do know, but I would rather if you didn’t get involved.”

“Why?” She chuckles, looking over at me.

“You’re my boss.”

“So what? I’ve known you for years!”

“Look, I would rather handle things on my own.”

“How is that working for you? What would have happened if Shane hadn’t shown up?”

“Madeline…”

“No, I’m serious! We’re trying to help you! You are so stubborn that you don’t recognize when everyone is on your side!”

“Like you?” Hell, she got me there. I was the same way: never wanted anyone to help me…or rather, didn’t want anyone to know I was in trouble or feel like I couldn’t get myself out of situations.

“Exactly like me, and remember how you had to help?” I ask.

“Look, my sister begged me to report him, but I knew it would also implicate me in the incident. We both would have been disgraced. He wouldn’t have gone down alone.” She looks over at me.

“He even tried to tell Shane that Zack was being abusive when he was just trying to get me out of the situation I stupidly put myself in. Can you imagine what he would say about me if I had reported him a few years back?” I could most certainly imagine. I wanted to report my old boss so badly when he groped me at a company function and didn’t feel like I had any power to do so. Maybe if I had, the whole situation with my kidnapping wouldn’t have happened.

“I’m not judging you…”

“I know…” I decide not to talk anymore. When she’s ready to really face her demons, she will. It might not be in my presence either. I choose to turn up the music on the radio to break the silence.

Once we reach the office and go our separate ways, Lacy, my assistant nods her head towards my office.

“You have a visitor. Zack Huntingdon.” I sigh, half expecting it.

“No calls while he’s here” I order. Lacy gives me a thumbs up. I immediately walk into the office, facing Zack.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“Nothing, I’m just ready to do this before I lose my nerve.”

“When?”

“Saturday night.”

“Call her girlfriends.”

“I called them to come down on Saturday” he responds.

“No, call them to come down Friday night, so she can spend time with them before you ask. She needs something that none of us can give her. Maybe they can.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“I’d rather just make this motherfucker disappear.”

“There’s no need for you to do all that. Trust me, call her girlfriends. They’ll handle it.”

“How do you know? Jillian is her own woman…she does what she wants.” He shifts nervously in the chair.

“I just know. Call them, tell them that she needs them before you propose. If they are really her friends, they’ll get it.”  

After Zack leaves, I tell Lacy to hold my calls for a little longer while I make a phone call.

“Grayson…” the voice answers.

“Connor, it’s Madeline. I need a favor.”

“Anything. What’s up?”

“I know you didn’t feel the need to do some research on Jillian, but I need to know about this partner she had in New York.”

“What, you don’t think Zack already asked?” He chuckles.

“I wasn’t sure…”

“I want to tell Zack before I tell you. Just know that this guy is up to no good.”

“I figured as much.”

“I promise you, I’ll tell you and Vince all the details once I share this with Zack, okay?”

“Thanks, Connor.”

“You know I’m on it.”

“Always.”

I hang up and sigh, wishing that Jillian didn’t have to deal with this. She’s been through so much in life, couldn’t she just be happy? Suddenly, Lacy comes over the intercom.

“Madeline? I know you didn’t want any calls, but there is this really strange man on the line who wants to speak with you.”

“What do you mean ‘strange’?”

“He keeps saying that he knows something about one of our employees that he thinks you should know.”

“Okay, patch him through, but tell Jack to come to my office now.”

“Got it. Line one.” I cautiously press the button.

“Madeline Marks, here” I answer.

“Mrs. Marks…” A low, throaty voice responds.

“Yes, can I help you?” The line is silent as Jack walks into the room with his laptop.

“It’s on tap…keep him talking” he mouths to me as he sits down.

“Hello?”

“I thought you should know something about one of your employees…Jillian Moreno.”

“What about her?” I roll my eyes. This guy must be an amateur at blackmailing.

“You trust her with your life, don’t you?”

“Look, what do you want? I’m a busy woman, and you’re wasting my time.”

“You know she’s a seductress, she ruined my marriage, did she tell you that?”

“Her personal life is of no concern to me.” He laughs.

“All I’m saying is watch your husband around her, he did pick her up the other night…” The phone line goes dead, and I look at Jack who shakes his head.

“Has to be some sort of app or prepaid cell. What did he say?”

“You don’t want to know…”

“Did he threaten you?”

“No…but, Jack. I need you to look out for Jillian. I think this guy is following her.”

“What makes you say that, Mrs. Marks?”

“He mentioned something about Vince picking her up last night, which he did…to take her to her boyfriend’s house.” Jack’s expression changes.

“This guy knows where she lives?”

“I’m assuming so.”

“Okay, so this is what I’m gonna do. I’ll put Portuga on her. Do you want me to tell her?”

“I think she needs to know, so that she can be alert.” Jack nods.

“I’ll go talk to her.”

“Thank you, Jack. I know you’ll take care of her.”

“Of course I will.”

Later that evening, I prepare to face my husband with even bigger news. Once the twins are sleeping, I prepare a big glass of whiskey and set it on the kitchen table.

“What are you up to, Mrs. Marks?” He says as he sits down.

“I have news.” I smile.

“Oh yeah?”

“We’ll be having our third next fall.” Vince almost chokes on his whiskey.

“Say what?”

“Baby number three…” He stares at me for a second before grabbing me in his arms.

“Really?” I laugh breathlessly.

“Really.” He gazes into my eyes.

“Does it get any better than this?” He asks. I smile.

“I can’t imagine that it will.” He pulls me onto his lap, kissing me repeatedly.

“You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.” I caress his face.

“The feeling is mutual, Baby…” I kiss him again, lingering in the moment.

Chapter 5

Jack comes into my office and closes the door hastily.

“Jack? What’s wrong?” His look is solemn and that worries me. He rarely shows emotion.

“Jillian…this guy…do you really know him?”

“He was my partner, Jack. Of course I know him.”

“Jillian…” he sighs heavily.

“What, Jack?”

“He’s following you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mrs. Marks just got a phone call from him. He knew that Mr. Marks picked you up. Jillian, you know I leave you to your own devices because you are fully trained, but for once, I want you to let me handle this.”

“Don’t be silly! I’m fine!”

“Jillian, please. I’ve never begged you for anything since we’ve been working together.” I throw my head back in frustration.

“Okay, Jack.”

“I’m gonna have Danny watching you just to be safe.”

“Fine” I whisper. He moves next to me.

“I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t have a gut feeling that this guy is up to no damn good.” I nod, not wanting to say anything.

“You won’t even know he’s there.”

“I know.”

That evening, I muse over what to pack for another weekend at Zack’s when my doorbell rings which is strange because I usually never have unannounced company, and given the situation with Tony, I can’t help but to be a little on edge. I cautiously look out of the peephole to see three familiar faces on my porch. I almost can’t believe it and quickly open the door.

“Hey, bitch!” My three best friends yell in unison, pulling me into a tight group hug. I can’t contain my shock as I look into the faces of Felicia, Mary, and Tina. All of us graduated the police academy together and have been friends ever since.

“Oh my God! Why are you guys here?!”

“Get your clothes on, Diva, we’re going out!” Felicia exclaims as they pile into the house with their luggage.

After they have convinced me to cancel plans with Zack and picked out my outfit, the girls take me to a lounge a few miles from my house. After we sit down with our drinks, the chatter begins.

“Atlanta looks good on you, girl!” Tina says.

“I’m sure having a honey contributed to some of that, huh?” Felicia hints.

“Oh, you guys…” I admonish.

“It’s all in love, honey! We’ve missed you!” Mary explains.

“I was planning on taking a trip to New York soon…”

“Girl, you were taking too long! We figured your bossman wouldn’t mind if we stole you for a weekend!” Tina raises her cosmopolitan.

“Well, it’s boss woman now.” I smile.

“Oh? You quit working for the Marks’ guy? You didn’t tell us that!” Felicia looks at me.

“Well, it was more of a transfer. His wife took over the company, you guys knew that.”” They all dismiss the update and gaze at me seriously.

“So, can we meet your boy?” I laugh at Mary’s question.

“My boy? Is that what we’re calling it?”

“Fine, your maaaan, then.”

“Why don’t you tell me what you know? I’m sure you all did your research.” I look at Felicia who works in cybersecurity. She chuckles.

“Only that he’s the richest software engineer ever, and we always use his shit to catch hackers. His family is pretty loaded too.”

“Jackpot, girl! No more work for you!” Mary grins.

“I’m not married to the guy” I argue.

“Shiiiit…” Felecia scoffs and Tina gazes at me with a smile.

“I mean, you guys have been together for what, three years?” I take a hasty sip of my old fashioned, not wanting to tell them my secret…not yet at least.

“Oh, honey, don’t avoid it. Didn’t you say he was the whole package?” Tina asks. The whole package didn’t describe him enough. He was handsome, tall enough to tower over my 5’10 height and a maniac in the bedroom.

“He is, and when the time is right, I’m sure he’ll ask. Until then, we’re just a happy couple.” My friends all smile at me.

“That’s what I was looking for!” Felecia exclaims before immediately downing her drink.

“Hey, slow down! We don’t need you to be fall down drunk tonight, chica!” Tina warns.

“Shut-up…” Felecia answers.

After we’re all pretty tipsy, we call a rideshare service to take us back to my house. You would think after a night out we would go to bed, but that’s not how we roll. We usually drink more and talk shit until we get tired.

Mary finds a bottle of wine in my pantry and immediately opens it, pouring us each a healthy serving.

“So…I’ve got to tell you guys something” I start, slowly.

“What, chica?” Tina looks at me.

“Tony is here in Atlanta.”

“Tony?!” They exclaim, almost in unison.

“What is he doing here? Have you seen him?” Mary asks.

“We had lunch a week ago…and went out for drinks Thursday.” I hesitate to tell them about the incident between us as that will set all of them off.

“No, no, no, hell no! Jilly!” Felecia responds.

“Like I told my sister, I don’t have those feelings for him anymore.” Tina shakes her head.

“What?!” I ask, a little angry that they weren’t taking my side on this.

“It’s just…it took you a long time to recover from that night at the hotel. He was married and you almost went through with it. You still haven’t forgiven yourself for that.”

“How do you know I haven’t?” I demand.

“Why would you feel obligated to see him if you haven’t? You don’t owe him shit, and he’s a fuck boy for even entertaining the thought of sleeping with you back then.”

“Oh my God, we were partners! No one can get over that one little thing…”

“Including you” Felecia interrupts. I sigh heavily, obviously losing this battle quickly.

“If things are really serious enough between you and Zack, I think it’s time to let him go” Mary suggests.

“I have!”

“He’s a part of the past you don’t need to revisit. It’s time to move on. Honestly, I think it’s a little suspicious that he came down here.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Why Atlanta? Why now?”

“Because he’s getting a divorce?” Tina gapes at me.

“What now?!” I start to grow exasperated at their telling facial expressions.

“Honey, he’s been divorced. His wife caught him cheating” she says.

“How do you know that?!”

“Jillian…you mean to tell me that you haven’t kept up with any of the office gossip?”

“I don’t talk with anyone from the force but you. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t think it was relevant!” I huff. So, he lied to me.

“What else do you need to tell me?” I look at her.

“He was forced to retire because he was sleeping with a rookie on the force.”

“God!” I lean my head back in frustration.

“You can’t tell me that you shared a squad car and never figured out the man was an asshole.” My heart thumps in my chest as I stare at the three concerned faces. I had always forgiven his transgressions, but I knew this time I couldn’t.

“It was pretty serious Thursday night. My boyfriend almost killed him.”

“I wish he had” Felicia says with hostility.

“Look, Jilly. You were upset about seeing that child get killed in front of you so much that you quit the force. He took advantage of your fragile state by pretending he was concerned about you. That’s what really happened whether you think so or not. He came to Atlanta to try it again. We’re not doing this to scold you for what happened or judge you. We’re doing this so you can take the step you need to move on with your life and be goddamned happy for once.  We want you to be happy. He wants you for a cheap thrill, and that’s not worth a shit” Tina says gently. Angry and frustrated tears roll down my face.

“Listen, I think you need to tell him off and let him go” Felecia murmurs.

“She shouldn’t see him at all” Tina argues.

“Yes, she should” Mary agrees.

“I don’t know if I can even face him…not after everything…”

“You don’t have to! Just do what you need to do to move on.” Tina all but shouts.

The next morning, I feel a weight on my side of the bed and wake up suddenly, scared that Tony has made his way inside the house. Instead, I see Danny looking down at me.

“What are you doing here?” I groan, looking at the clock on my nightstand.

“Exactly what I was hired to do. We caught that bastard outside of your house last night. You don’t have to worry about him again.”

“What?” In my sleepy haze, I almost can’t comprehend his statement.

“I’m giving you permission to live your fucking life without that asshole.”

“What did you do to him?” I ask worriedly.

“You don’t need to worry. He’s taken care of.” I cover my face as the tears spill out of my eyes. I didn’t want it to end like this. I just wanted to be left alone.

“He’s not dead, don’t worry. Just know that he will never bother you again. You can live your life…the one you’re meant to live.”

“Oh, Danny!” I sob. He puts a hand on my shoulder.

“I told you I’ll always look out for you. No questions asked. Go live your fucking life.” I nod, still sobbing because a demon that’s been on my back for so long has finally left.

Later that night, my friends take me to a place that they say they want to explore while they’re in the city. Who am I to say no? I follow them into the nice lounge where I am shocked to see plenty of familiar faces.  

“Is this a surprise party or something?” I ask Felecia as she grabs my arm with a distinct look of happiness on her face and total silence.

“Jilly…” I hear that familiar voice say as he approaches me.

“Zack?” I see him move towards me with a smile before he drops on one knee.

“Jillian Moreno…I love you, I loved you from the first time I saw you. Nothing would make me happier than you agreeing to be my wife.” He opens the ring box in his hand which boasts a bigger, shinier diamond than the one I found in his drawer. I look around the crowd and see my sister front and center. I give her a frightened, nervous look.

“Bre…” I mouth, shaking my head in disbelief.

“Say yes…” She mouths back. I look into Zack’s beautiful eyes and know that I have an answer to his request.

“Yes, Zack. Yes, yes, yes!” I cry.

“I fucking love you!” He jumps up, squeezing me tightly before kissing me with deep passion. The whole room erupts into applause and as I look around the room, I almost think I see Shane breathe a sigh of relief as he hugs Maggie who is also overcome with emotion.   

The DJ begins playing soft, romantic music and I finally have a chance to gaze at everyone. The ones in my life who were always on my side when I thought I only had myself to depend on: the Marks, Shane and Maggie, Bre and Aaliyah, my friends from the force, Danny and Jack. I was a hell of a lucky woman. Why did I never realize it?

“Dance with me?” Zack holds out his hand and I willingly take it as we dance to the seductive tune. Tears begin to well up in my eyes.

“Zack…” I whisper in his ear.

“What, Jilly?”

“I can’t wait to be your wife.” I smile at him tenderly.

“I can’t wait to be your husband.” He chuckles, pulling me closer to him.