#they used to live in the same house and had a joint bank account. which could mean nothing ofc.

[nathanielfisher]

the way ben affleck talks about matt damon in interviews. the guy is down bad 😔

[editorialsonlife]

22.08.23

Well well well

I'm 2 weeks into 2.5 weeks of stress leave from the office while I try and get myself together again and man has it been a super needed break from the office and all its toxicity. It's been so good to be able to catch up on sleep and have some slow days and have some super good girlfriend time which has been sorely lacking as of late.

I spent all of Saturday catching up with Freya who is the queen of reinvention and so good to talk to and so reassuring Her and Laurence have lived so many lives and careers paths and its so nice to hear from people who have done it and what's been good and what's been bad and how she's navigated it and for someone who really struggles with being decisive in this kind of stuff it was just great to catch up.

I caught up with Lynaire briefly on Sunday and went and saw an open home as well which was fun. house was terrible but it's nice to be like, poking around the edges and seeing what might be out there for when we move I guess. Still don't know how finances are going to work out for everything but we'll see as time goes on I guess.

I spent this morning in bed brainstorming all the big questions that I have that are just sitting out there and stressing me out and emptied them onto a page. I linked together the common themes ones into to do lists and health and money and tomorrow I need to tackle the work stuff as well and come up with a bit of a plan there about how things are going to change when I go back and where other people need to step in to help and step up and do their jobs so I'm not covering everything while they're being shit.

I came up with a mini to do list under each of the headings so I know what my next little baby steps are and then wrote a list of all the things that are outside of my control as well - what I can't control, what I can influence but not decide and what is just going to have to wait as well so there's that.

I've set up a couple of APs into different bank accounts to save me some money for an emergency fund (somehow I'm 33 and still never had one) and I'll rebuild all my holiday savings budgets and our mortgage account budget and write them down so I can be confident in them and start tracking against them. I know this is probably a double up with YNAB anyway but I'll feel better about it so I'm gunna do it anyway. I need to go to the bank to set up some more accounts in our joint account for stuff as well so I'll get that sorted too. Need to pay the truck registration and get a new headlamp put in it as well (snore). adulthood man.

I've also deleted instagram off my phone to try and curb the time wastage and scrolling. Likely just means I'm gunna read more smutty novels on kindle unlimited but oh well LOOOOOLLLLLL.

I've been seeing a different counsellor as well who I don't love but has been useful. I know I need to work on setting better boundaries in just about every aspect of my life so I need to clock on and do that. Classic me I got a couple of books to read on the topic so we'll see how those go.

One of the really nagging questions that keeps hanging round and I keep circling back to is 'When is it all enough?'. and Enough in everything - when have I earnt enough money, when have I climbed the career ladder enough, when have I delivered enough, when will I ever be enough. So that's one of the things I really need to work my way through. I spent some time this morning writing down all the ways that I have enough already - and it just became a really nice gratitude list so I'm going to keep doing that a bit more often I think. and try and remember to build in some little celebrations at work as well for things that I've covered.

Contemplating quitting the current job to go and be a programme coordinator with my friend Katherine. Would be the same money mostly but way less responsibility and more flexibility. I feel bad ditching work when the boss has been good to me but also, if nothing changes then nothing changes and I'll be back to being a burnt out mess pretty quickly tbh. Unideal. I think we'll just have to see how we go overall once I'm back. September is going to be an interesting month I think.

Ok that's enough of a brain dump for now I think byeeeeeeeeee

[tomorrowusa]

Russia tried to shoot down a UK surveillance aircraft flying over international waters. Fortunately, the pilot was a bad shot and had defective ordnance on his plane.

A Russian pilot tried to shoot down an RAF surveillance plane after believing he had permission to fire, the BBC has learned. The pilot fired two missiles, the first of which missed rather than malfunctioned as claimed at the time. Russia had claimed the incident last September was caused by a "technical malfunction". The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) publicly accepted the Russian explanation. But now three senior Western defence sources with knowledge of the incident have told the BBC that Russian communications intercepted by the RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft give a very different account from the official version. The RAF plane - with a crew of up to 30 - was flying a surveillance mission over the Black Sea in international airspace on 29 September last year when it encountered two Russian SU-27 fighter jets. The intercepted communications show that one of the Russian pilots thought he had been given permission to target the British aircraft, following an ambiguous command from a Russian ground station.

Professionalism is not something which the Russian military is known for.

One Western source told the BBC the words they received were to the effect of "you have the target". This ambiguous language was interpreted by one of the Russian pilots as permission to fire. The loose language appears to have shown a high degree of unprofessionalism by those involved, sources said. In contrast, Nato pilots use very precise language when asking for and receiving permission to fire. The Russian pilot released an air-to-air missile, which successfully launched but failed to lock on to its target, the BBC has been told. It was a miss, not a malfunction. Defence sources have told the BBC that a row then broke out between the two Russian pilots. The pilot of the second SU-27 did not think they had been given permission to fire. He is said to have sworn at his comrade, effectively asking him what he thought he was doing. Yet the first pilot still released another missile. We had been told that the second missile simply fell from the wing - suggesting the weapon either malfunctioned or that the launch was aborted.

Shooting down the RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint could very well have brought NATO directly into the war. NATO's Article 5 stipulates that an attack on one NATO country is the same as an attack on all NATO countries.

In a much more recent incident, debris from a Russian drone fell on NATO member Romania.

Romania calls for calm as debris from possible Russian drone attacks on Ukraine discovered

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, villagers from eight communities near the banks of the Danube River — which forms a border between Romania and Ukraine — received alerts to their mobile phones warning them to keep calm but take shelter, as there was a possibility of objects coming from the sky. Not long after, residents near the small Romanian village of Plauru heard explosions. "We are scared," said Elisabeta Samsanov, one of the few dozen people living in the remote community just 300 metres from the Ukrainian port of Izmail, which has become a frequent target of Russian drones in recent weeks. "One night when they dropped one after another, we came out of the house ... and it felt like an earthquake."

And earlier this year the remains of a Russian Kh-55 missile were found in Poland – another NATO member.

Poland finds Russian missile in forest 500km from Ukrainian border: report

In late April 2023, a civilian reported the presence of a rocket stuck in the ground of a forest in Zamość, close to the city of Bydgoszcz. An investigation was launched by the Polish Air Force Institute of Technology to identify the debris.  According to the local media channel RMF FM, a preliminary inspection found the rocket to be a Kh-55 cruise missile. Citing military sources, the radio station reported that the cruise missile was fired during an air raid on Ukraine carried out in December 2022 by Russian aircraft based in Belarus.  

A reminder that Russia has no fucking business in Ukraine. Russia started the largest war in Europe since 1945 as an imperialistic land grab. Vladimir Putin is directly to blame for all the violence and destruction that's resulted from this conflict.

If Elon Musk is worried about nuclear war then perhaps he should put pressure on his buddies in Moscow instead of sabotaging Ukraine.

[ironmandeficiency]

pedro boys + spending habits

word count: fuck if i know, wrote it thru the app

characters: din, marcus m, dave, pero, marcus p, oberyn, max, frankie, whiskey, maxwell, javier, ezra

a/n: idk what caused this to happen but it works i guess. hope they make sense

✨support my ko-fi✨

trust him with your money, your drink, your social security number, everything:

din. this man is barely scraping by on his own when you first meet him. when he adds the kid to the mix, he gets even more frugal than he already is with an old as sin ship that many people are surprised to see fly. he will have a policy of “you earn it, you choose what to do with it” and since he goes after most of (if not all) the bounties to keep you all alive, he has the final say in how most of the credits are spent. he does want you to have nice things though, so he makes sure to configure the budget to where you don’t have to pour your credits into the group’s survival money very often. it’s the least he can do. he’s very big on taking care of his people and will show that in small ways.

marcus m. he’s a single dad for a significant amount of time, he has no choice but to be responsible with his money. he has to take care of missy, keep them both fed and housed and healthy, and that’s not even touching on how expensive all of high school graduation and college will be once she gets there. he teaches missy very early in life how important money is bc he doesn’t want her to ever know how it feels to not have enough. he makes a considerable amount of money w the heroics tho so he can afford to responsibly splurge on you both, but not constantly. is very cautious abt the splurging becoming a habit

dave. yeah he may be a murderer, but he’s scary great at managing his money (to continue being able to murder). he’s got his ex wife’s alimony (that still pisses him off but that’s another story) and two girls he takes care of, there’s no other choice for him either. there’s never a worry about dave having a midlife crisis and spending money on some stupid dad thing (like a motorcycle or assless chaps or a country club membership) because he murders to keep his mind off that sort of stuff. files his taxes diligently every year the day tax season starts and will pass this wisdom to the girls.

pero. he’s very good at judging if you need something or not. if it can’t feed you, keep you healthy, kill someone, or protect you, you don’t need to buy it. definitely not a man who indulges in trinkets and frivolous things that do nothing but weigh down his horse and his person. will encourage this way of thinking with whoever travels with him to whatever extent he can, but won’t be a dick about it if you have something sentimental on your person. if it’s a necessity, he will splurge on a bed and bath at an inn but not much else for a while. cheap because he has to be

marcus p. i don’t think i have to explain this one so i won’t. no i’m not being lazy who said that?

maybe you’ll be fine if he’s in charge. maybe:

oberyn. being a prince (and himself), there are different ways this could go. he spends his money frivolously at brothels & on his daughters + other loved ones (as well as other luxuries) and doesn’t really seem to be the type to keep tabs on it all as he goes. but... he’s a prince in a prosperous kingdom and so there isn’t really a worry for money. he’s known as the red viper for many reasons, including his clever nature and the ease with which he can get what he wants thru whatever means necessary. if you want for something that he can’t buy, you know he will find a way to get it for you (which can be a problem sometimes).

max. he’s good with money in the sense of perpetuating capitalism — that’s the red flag here. hell, he’s gonna be investing into bitcoin and who knows what stock market bs & bc it’s max, of course you trust him. max can’t control the stock market tho, so sometimes things are a little iffy. it always evens itself out though, and you make sure in the future that he invests his money instead of your joint money. he’s still gonna share anyways, it just helps you have a little more peace of mind.

frankie. he just wants to take care of you, okay? you can’t fault him for that 🥺 he maneuvers his budget around to make sure he can do all these nice things for you while leaving his own needs unchecked, which isn’t okay. he just wants to provide for the ppl he loves the best he can, but the problem begins when he starts to think he isn’t doing enough. his insecurity & lack of self-worth (fueled by his guilt for “not being everything you deserve”) is what makes him agree to the Trip™️ in the first place. once he comes back & sees you frantic, only wanting him home and not giving a flying fuck about the money, does he realize that you’re devoted to him and not what he can do for you.

whiskey. working for statesman made him forget what things really cost bc he suddenly never had to worry again about not having enough money. being with someone that isn’t practically made of money will snap him back into reality. he looks at his bank statements and his balance occasionally, but our big spender cowboy hasn’t really counted money as something he worries about for a while. when he constantly showers you in expensive gifts (only the best for his baby, that’s his motto) and you tell him that he has to not do that bc he’ll go broke, he plays it off because he doesn’t remember having to worry. separate bank accounts are only because you want to make sure your money is being spent smartly (even though jack has offered constantly to pay for literally anything you need).

don’t give him anything you want to see again:

maxwell. as much as i love this dork, he’s absolute shit with money. when his business is falling apart (bc he made the stupid ass decision to buy the oil rigs no one wanted bc they weren’t producing oil), he throws it all into saving face and trying to make investors buy into something that isn’t there. what a smart business man would’ve done was liquidate his assets and possibly try to get into a business that will yield at least some profit. he does learn his lesson tho and eventually can be trusted with money, but even he is hesitant to do anything with the household finances. he’s a dreamer, and dreams and money are the same as oil and water.

javier. i know you’re possibly surprised but hear me out. he’ll go all in to get info, whether he’s spending american taxpayer money or his own money or anyone else’s, if it’s valuable info that can be bought, it’s gonna be bought even if he goes without groceries for the next two weeks. before being with you, it was booze and prostitutes and cigarettes that ate away at his checks outside of buying information. the only thing that really changed once you got together was the prostitutes and slightly less cigarettes and booze. however, when he goes back to laredo permanently, he’s perfectly capable of keeping his shit in line. he’ll balance every checkbook in sight and run a tight af ship.

ezra. this man is a scavenger by necessity, a con man by choice. he has a silver tongue and a roguish charm and pretty questionable morals; he’s not gonna have any issue with getting his hands dirty. he’s probably gonna use your joint money to try and pull a fast one on some unsuspecting stranger (“it’ll double our money,” he says, “it’ll be fine,” he says), but then said stranger will end up turning the tables and leave you both absolutely broke. yeah he will feel guilty, no doubt. the only problem is that he won’t take it as a “hey don’t do it again” lesson, it’ll be a “this is how i can improve for next time.” eventually you have to put your foot down and take control of the money and when he realizes that you’re improving your lives much better than he is, he will thank you for it.

all pedro character taglists: @likeshootingstarsinthenightsky @obirain @leias-left-hair-bun @themarcusmoreno @catsnkooks @captainrexstan @mackstrut @torradoza @simping-for-fives @stardustsunrisekisses @darthadeline @artemis61003 @majorshiraharu @getdookuedon @capricornrabies @max--phillips @darklingveracruz @book-of-anarchy @andysficrecs @purelypascal @whovianwar @lv7867 @hornystarwarsbisexual @kaermorons @princess76179 @pedropasscals @greeneyedblondie44 @seasonschange-butpeopledont @qhbr2013 if you don’t want to be tagged, lemme know!! the link to join is in my bio

[angryhausfrau-writes]

I Travel Troubled Oceans: Chapter 20 - In Which Jack is the Life of the Party and Charles is a Wallflower

Councilor Featherstone comes through with planning permission, his personal interest allowing Max's petition to jump to the front of a very, very long and very, very slowly moving list. Glacial is a good description of that list. Full of icy aristocracy impeding any sort of forward progress. Because they all make money when the price of real estate goes up and up and up via the dearth of available properties.

Should someone sell off a property – or, God forbid, build a new one, particularly one meant for the lower class rabble to actually live in – well, they'd lose out on potential astronomic profits. And losing out on potential profit is as good as being robbed.

Not to mention the cut they make if someone has enough name and capital to approach them about buying a potential property, hoping to bolster their own enormous bank accounts with a “risk free” investment. But there's no such thing as a free lunch, particularly to the sharks that swim in the ocean of Britain's current property market. Everyone gets a cut of the pie.

Finders fees, they're called. As if anyone is finding anything in the morass of red tape and stark type on expensive paper. Not if someone doesn't want it to be found.

Jack has actually been granted a sizable finders fee by Max. All part of the massive, technically-legal tax dodge that allows the wealthy elite to remain the wealthy elite. Max makes an obscene amount of money selling her property off to a developer – while retaining a seat on the board of trustees, of course, and majority interest in the company they've formed to oversee the spa. And then she pays Jack a handsome consulting fee for all of his assistance with the planning permission. Which is a business expense – and therefore, a tax write off. And then Jack uses the money to wine and dine the councilor. Which is also a business expense and so another tax write off. On and on and on. Each just a small step in the endless dance of Legitimate Business.

Incidentally, Max is also paying Jack rather handsomely to consult on the design and interior decorating for the spa.

There are, of course, actual interior designers and professional decorators and florists and lighting and sound specialists in Max's company's employ. But it just wouldn't be nepotism if she hadn't found a job for Jack to make a lot of money at whilst doing absolutely nothing of value. And it just wouldn't be a London planning project without nepotism.

Plus, it gives Jack's not quite fake career as a fashion designer a little boost. Soon every rich socialite in London – and elsewhere, hopefully – will be relaxing in a Jack Rackham original spa robe, lounging on Jack Rackham original cushions on a Jack Rackham original divan reminiscent of a swan's elegantly unfolding wing, but in palest peach to complement the spring pink scrubs worn by spa staff – another Jack Rackham original – and soothing seafoam walls.

And if all that weren't enough to keep him and Christine (mostly Christine, if he's being honest) busy, Jack's also got fashion week to contend with. Oh, his projects are all finished, and he hasn't even worked himself into that much of a tizzy over the whole ordeal. Not with as well prepared as he feels – and as buoyed as he is by the positive attention his press releases and Instagram posts have received. No, he's as prepared as he can be and there's little point in wearing himself ragged worrying over the what ifs and wheretofors.

No, what's wearing on Jack in the small hours of the night is something else entirely.

More than Jack's actual fashion show – where half the designers are showing essentially nude models with various decorous scraps of latex and/or lace as opposed to actual outfits, not that Jack's petty or anything – more than the actual fashion show, Jack is required to make an impression on all the “benefactors” of the event. The rich, vapid men and women who decide whose fashions are to die for – and who's dead in the water.

Jack's not a real fashion designer. Just someone posing as one for the cover it gives a (hopefully) international crime empire. But that only makes this gladhanding and wheeling and dealing all the more imperative.

It's not much of a cover if everyone questions how, exactly, Jack's made it into the international fashion world. Hell, even here at home he's required to make the sort of connections that get him into the posh parties and stately homes of the rich and famous so he can case the joint and report his findings back to Max.

All of which necessitates Jack throwing his own party. A night of debauchery so blatant, so tasteless it wraps right around to tastefulness again. A night where he can show the fashion world, business moguls, and investors that he has the money and connections that make him worth their money and connections. And he's been granted the dubious honor of hosting the night of the newcomers fashion show. His debut on the international stage. Followed swiftly by his debut as an international man of quasi-leisure.

Max is, of course, the one actually throwing the party. The one determining the guest list from the half-dozen file cabinets worth of dirt and gossip and just creepily intimate details about London's upper crust.

Max is the one to hire the DJ – the same poor sap she'd blackmailed into playing Jack's first fashion show slash after party. And she's got Eme lording over the caterers with an iron fist.

And Max is the one to insist that Jack put up her ridiculous painting in pride of place, over the main sitting room fireplace where it can be reflected a hundredfold in the mirrors she'd brought in to line the room – and in the disco ball the DJ brought for the occasion. A thousand tiny paintings cover the floor, the walls, the goddamn ceiling. And sure, it's a nice enough painting – although it makes something spark hot and hungry in Jack's breast when he looks at it too long.

Or maybe that's just because a shirtless, glistening, complaining Charles – who just spent the majority of the morning hauling furniture and sound equipment around and hanging mirrors - is the one who's been roped into hanging it. Standing there, arms straining as Max directs him to position it just so.

Jack lets his gaze trail down Charles's biceps, chest, abs and away. He's got too much to do to be caught lollygagging like this. And Anne's amused and too-knowing look from over her clipboard is rather ruining the mood.

--

Anne watches Jack flounce away through the crowd, the heaving throng of party guests parting around him like water.

Jack's fashion show had gone over well. All the rich fucks without an original fucking thought between the all of them had been impressed with the flash fucking jewels and dripping gold. Entranced by the swirl of velvet skirts and silken shirts baring just slightly too much cleavage Which Anne knows cuz she's the one telling all the makeup artists to put fucking glitter on all their tits, like Max told her to.

And all them rich fucker's'd been entranced by Jack, too. Drawn like moths to the dancing flame of his showmanship. Lured by the siren song of wealth and elegance he'd spun on the catwalk.

And here at the party too.

Though it ain't elegance they're after here. Decadence, just like the fucking fashion show. But this ain't some rich old fuck's sitting room. This is a bacchanal. They're the cult of Dionysus tonight and they've got loyal followers high on poppers and coke and half a dozen other designer party drugs, courtesy of some of Jack's now-infamous street contacts, dolled up nearly as much as the party guests. And the drugs are all set out in little gold-rimmed dishes on antique walnut sideboards. K itchy as all fuck. Like candy someone's Nan might set out. All free for the taking.

Well, the first taste is, anyway. You gotta pay for the next dozen.

And they're willing to pay, the rich fuckers. Money's no object to them. And they've sold their souls long ago. What's a little more blood squeezed outta stone? Why give a fuck about tomorrow when you can constantly live in the happy glimmering now? Consequences can't touch them – these golden fucking chosen people.

And Jack walks among them like a prince. Like a god, and all this worship is simply his due.

Even from her secluded, shadowed corner Anne can see how he draws them in. Snares them with pretty words and pretty clothes and the promise that if they just flock to him, follow him, they too can be as effortlessly beautiful and catty and elegant and perfect.

And then, when they're thoroughly caught in his silken web, he directs them towards Max.

She's standing on the second floor balcony overlooking the party, queen of all she surveys. And even though Jack's throwing this party, she's the real mastermind behind everything. Every sweating, glittering, drug soaked body heaving against each other on the dance floor is there because that's exactly where she wants them. And when she turns her gaze to one or another in particular, it's far, far too late for them to run. Cuz even if they wanted to. Even if they weren't snared so tight they couldn't get out of the trap not even if they chewed their own fucking leg off. Even if they escaped, Anne'd chase them down for her. Hunt them down for her, across oceans and continents until they'd been found and bound and delivered back to her feet. Where they fucking belong, the fucking scum.

--

Charles tucks himself further into the corner he's found on the second floor. It's not quiet – nowhere in the house is quiet, not even the fucking bathroom. And his spot overlooks the dancefloor, bass thrumming up though the floor to rumble against the bottoms of his boots. But at least it's private.

Jack's holding court in the middle of the crowd, shining and happy and basking in being noticed, being revered.

He's always been like that. Flash and brash and attention grabbing. So you don't see the knife Anne's slipping between your ribs from the shadow Jack casts.

But even then. Even when it had been half misdirect and half distraction. Jack'd wanted this. Burned for it so bright and hungry you almost couldn't stand looking at him. But at the same time, you can't stand looking away.

Charles isn't like that.

Not that he lurks in the shadows, like Anne – or Max, even. He's a blunt instrument, and not ashamed of that fact. His strength lies in direct confrontation.

Oh, he can be crafty. Strategic. He can turn everyone's expectations of him against them. Jack's not the only one with a head on his shoulders, oh no. And Charles ran a crew just fine without his wiles.

But Charles doesn't want to live in the spotlight either. Hasn't chased renown, it had just kind of happened to him, whether he wanted it or not. More trouble than it was worth, half the time.

And now, something else – a new kind of notoriety – is happening to him. And it's all Jack's fault.

See, people aren't only fawning over Jack. No, there's those who saw the promotional material with Charles's face on it and decided he was some sort minor celebrity. Some kinda object for them to project all their filthiest desires onto.

He'd been poked and prodded and fondled. Offered modeling contracts. Offered sex. Offered money for sex. Like he'd welcome it – feel honored by it. Like he's some kinda doll, dressed up pretty just for them.

Not real.

Not a person.

Just a fucking pretty picture in a glossy program, there for them to get off to and then throw away.

He's been down that road before, though not with Johns as posh as these. The swells so used to getting what they want the moment they want it there's no real way to say no. Especially not when they – Anne and Max and Mary and Jack and him – have got so much riding on this.

Charles isn't going to be the one to ruin this. This bright shining con. This dream world Jack and Max have spun out of gossamer. So fragile – so easily ruined.

Charles isn't going to be the one to let the crew down.

So he'd flirted. Glib and meaningless and pretty. Dumb and flighty and careless. Caressed everyone who'd fondled him. Stood close and whispered low in their ears. Made them feel special, feel noticed. And then when they'd tired of him, cuz they always fucking do, so bored of life nothing can hold their interest for long, especially when he's not trying to keep it, Charles'd escaped to the second floor balcony overlooking the party and he'd put his back to the wall and watched Jack's glittering, fragile, beautiful dream unfold below him.

--

“Hiding up here all by yourself, Charles?”

Charles grunts in response, but not in a way that makes Jack feel like he's unwelcome. So Jack leans against the banister next to Charles and waits to see if he'll say anything more illuminating.

After a few minutes of silence – or silence from Charles, at least, the music's loud enough to be heard from a block away, never mind just upstairs – it becomes apparent that he won't be any more forthcoming. And if he's to speak, someone will need to coax it out of him.

Fortunately, Jack is nothing if not persistent.

“Got sick of the party, I'd imagine. It's a bit over the top, even for me.”

Charles snorts at that, so they're making progress.

“I know you'd be happier with something a little less glam pop.” Because that's never really been Chaz's scene. He's more of the rocker type, really. Not that Jack's complaining about his penchant for black leather on top of black silk. “But you have to admit, it's a good turnout. Especially for our first real industry bash. And Featherstone certainly seems to be having fun.”

Jack looks down at where the councilor and Idelle are grinding together on the dance floor (eughh) with the mirrored reflection of Max's painting shimmering on Featherstone's sweaty skin and reflecting in Idelle's eyes. Drawing him in almost as much as Idelle having exchanged her ornate velvet gown for a sexy little cocktail number - although she's wearing hardly any less jewelry than she had at the fashion show – and that too reflects a hundred thousand tiny sparkling versions of the painting. Of the taste and class and wealth the painting promises.

She's bathed in it.

She's a goddess. She's regal. Elegant. Glamorous. The kind of woman the kind of man the councilor is could have for more than a fun night in the sack. The kind of woman he could have for forever, if he'd wanted.

If he was lucky enough to catch and keep her attention.

Men and women in the crowd, only some of them planted by Max, ooh and ah over Idelle's elegance and poise. Remark, just loudly enough to be heard by the councilor about how much they wish she would deign to look at them like she looks at him. Ask to cut in, only to be cut down by Idelle, who has danced only with the councilor, attended only to the councilor, all evening.

Made him feel special. Feel desired. Feel like perhaps he could have this every night of his life, if he'd only put a ring on it. Something suitably flash, of course. Idelle deserves only the best.

But he's not thinking about any of that right now, not with the way he's got his gaze fixed firmly on her bosom, which is being shown off to great effect by an enormous diamond pendant that only she and Max know is actually cubic zirconium. Marriage is probably the furthest thought from his mind right now. But in the morning – in the morning, he'll remember this night. This wild bacchanal. The way the painting had whispered promises of finally belonging to the elegant, tasteful, obscenely rich world that Idelle navigates so effortlessly. How maybe she could guide him through troubled waters when he finds himself out of his depth. Idelle and only Idelle.

“Wish there weren't so many fucking people,” Charles grits out, shaking Jack out of his dreams of what ifs and might could bes. Back to the man standing beside him, one of the reason's they've had so much success in this venture. “All pawing at you. Like you owe them something.”

“Oh, darling. I've never minded a little manhandling, you know that.” Jack keeps deliberately glib, because Charles looks like he's liable to rip someone's throat out if Jack even hints at discomfort.

And it's true that he'd been somewhat leery of the attention at one point, after so long hiding in shadows out of necessity, even as he'd yearned to step into the spotlight.

It turns out that actually being in the spotlight isn't quite what Jack had imagined. That sometimes people shine it on you for reasons other than simple recognition.

That night at the strip club comes to mind.

That had felt like being used. Like being back in his childhood, father a subject of ridicule too drunk to understand that the whole village was laughing at him.

But Jack had understood. He'd understood the power of perception. The power other's had over you when they were the ones controlling the narrative. The ones making you an outsider.

But today, Jack's the one controlling how people see him. The one directing – and misdirecting – perceptions.

Because there's power there. Because people only see what they want to see. And you can get a hell of a lot done when people are too stupid to believe you capable of anything.

This being in the spotlight, being loved and adored by a fickle crowd, keeping the eyes of the world on him so that they stay off Max and Anne and Mary as they pick their marks. This is just another kind of power. Just another shield to hide behind while the dirty work gets done.

Jack elbows Charles in a way he hopes is reassuring. “And anyway, Anne's been keeping an eye out for trouble. You know she's been itching to stab someone for weeks now. I'm safe as houses.”

Charles grunts and turns away, back to the shadows he'd been hiding in when Jack came up here to talk to Max briefly, introducing a new mark – one who's in international real estate and interested in investing in Max's little property endeavors. And the glint of Charles's eyes in the gloom, the occasional sparkle of the silver charms in his hair and the earrings in his ears, the rings on his hands and necklaces draped against his bared chest, it had felt like a predator looking at him. Some big jungle cat watching him from the tall grass.

But Jack hadn't felt frightened. Because he's stupid and hopelessly in love. And he knows Charles, better than he knows himself, sometimes.

So he'd gone over to where Charles was standing. And he had stepped out of the shadow and into the glaring light of the party to stand at the balcony railing with Jack. To listen to Jack prattle on about inconsequential things with only fond mock annoyance, the way he'd always done. Even when Jack had been considerably more annoying – and Charles considerably more inclined to gut people who annoyed him.

But if he's hiding again, returning to the shadows, clearly that wasn't the right tack.

Jack comes at it from another angle. “Would it make you feel better if you came and danced with me? Just to remind everyone my big tough boyfriend is looking out for me?”

Because Charles trusts Anne. They all do – and with their very lives. But sometimes Charles is a protective, possessive sonofabitch. And if he's in a mood, Jack wants to make sure they deal with it in a way that doesn't end in homicide.

Charles turns back, eyes gleaming. “Stake a claim, you mean. In front of everyone.”

Prove Jack's his. And fuck. Maybe that is a step too far for their pretend relationship.

He's about to apologize. Walk everything back, make a joke, disassemble.

But then Charles says, “Yeah, all right. You're too much trouble for only one person to keep an eye on.”

--

Charles has Jack in his arms. And Jack'd said it was about Charles staking a claim. Making sure all the rich fucks kept their greedy hands off Jack. Make sure he was being looked after.

But it goes the other way, too.

Charles is out here in the middle of the dancefloor, covered in shiny that Jack'd bought – or stolen – just for him. Jack's arms around him, just like he's got his arms around Jack. Like they're one person, bound together, with no beginning or end.

There for everyone to see. To see that he and Jack are one.

That Jack has a claim on Charles. That all their pawing and fawning and come-ons don't mean shit. Just like all the heaving, sweaty bodies surrounding them don't mean shit. Not when him and Jack are like this. Together.

Everything – everyone – inconsequential compared to the feeling of Jack pressing against Charles's front, grinding against his dick, Charles's hands on his ass. Jack's his, if just for this moment. And he ain't gonna waste it.

Charles cups the back of Jack's head, fingers tangling in that stupid mullet he still insists on wearing. “Mine,” he growls into the breath of space between the two of them.

And Jack must be a great lip-reader. Or he's on the same wavelength as Charles, feels the same way as Charles does about all this. Because he grips Charles at the nape of his neck. Pulls his hair until his head tilts back and Jack's teeth are at his jugular.

And Charles feels the threat and the promise pressed so tenderly against his skin when Jack says “Yours.”

[hollypastl]

the disappearance of [REDACTED] ch.2

miya atsumu/reader

Summary: "MISSING: MIYA Y/N" It reads. Underneath is a picture of yourself. Age, height, weight. Everything important is listed. How embarrassing.

Genre: angst/mystery

Warnings: missing persons, time skip spoilers

Notes: crossposted on ao3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/28726002/chapters/70468146#workskin

chapter two: you will live and die for them because that’s your way

Osamu is still as a statue as he processes what his brother’s just told him.

It doesn’t seem real.

“That doesn’t make any— No. I know you’re you and she’s her, but you two are…” He trails off and starts wiping down the bar again. It’s a nervous habit Osamu picked up sometime when he wasn’t watching. “I mean... last week she didn’t act like anything was—”

Atsumu is busy reeling from his brother almost(?) complimenting his relationship that he almost misses it. “Last week?”

He nods. “Yeah, the stall was packed at the Friday game… She jumped in and manned the register so the rest of us could work on finishing orders.”

“Last week, though? You’re positive?”

He nodded.

“You saw her?”

From your usual court side seats, you could hear shoes squeaking and players panting. The thirty second row just wasn’t the same. At the same time, watching the game from a birds eye view gave you a new perspective and appreciation.

You leaned forward and locked on to Sakusa for the serve that would start the set. Your cheek sunk into your hand as his serve shot almost straight into the floor if not for a quick save by Komori that he bounced with only a single arm.

Someone across the way whooped and your eyes darted side to side as the ball hopped in the air and the setter shot a quick toss through the air. Your eyes landed on the spiker it was hurtling towards. From this far away, it was impossible to see, but you knew Suna well enough. Right now he was probably thinking something like, ‘There’s a three man block in front of me, is there really any use in jumping? I’m not gonna land a point anyway, so I might as well conserve my energy.” Still, he leaped for all he was worth and dinked it with his freakishly long fingers at the last second.

“Woohoo!” You screeched. Ignoring the fans who turned around to frown at you. Understandable. Why were you sitting in the MSBY Black Jackals section and dressed in black and gold merch if you were gonna cheer for the other damn team? You glare right back at them and slurp on your empty drink. The action only reminds you that you’re kind of hungry.

Inunaki bumps it back up all the same. Not surprising considering how slow and weak dinks are, but you gasp and groan aloud with the rest of the fans when Atsumu immediately tries to dump the ball back over the net. The play is messy and his hands are easy to read. Suna springs back up and spikes it down before the two even have a chance to tussle over it.

The buzzer rings and the EJP Raijin are awarded the point.

“Now that’s a failure of a setter dump if I ever saw one. Not what you usually expect from a player like Miya.”

“He does seem to be off his game today— oh, and there it is. Coach Foster is subbing in another player.”

“It’s only the second set, and the Jackals did take the first. There’s plenty of time for him to cool off and get back on the court to show us some of his monster serves.”

The commentators switch to talking about the serving skills of the various players at today’s game, which you don’t bother to stick around for. You did come to see Atsumu, after all. No point in staying if he’s not on the court.

You gather your hair in a low ponytail and tie it back, put your jacket back on, and make sure you have your wallet and phone still. All secure.

The stadium isn’t one you’re used to, so you refer to the map in the concrete hallway. The exit closest to the station is the north one and you’re at the southeast. It’s only when you turn to go that you realize you don’t know whether to go left or right.

“Well, it is just a giant circle,” You mutter. “Doesn’t really matter which way.”

From further inside, you can hear the buzzer go off one, two three times, signaling the end of the set. “That was quick.” The halls flood immediately and you’re forced to slow down and trudge through, rather than hyperwalk like you usually would. This whole trip is turning out to be one inconvenience after another. Atsumu is off his game. You’re hungry. People in this crowd keep bumping into you.

“Hey lady, get in line like the rest of us.” One asshole grunts and you reflexively scowl at him and the five brats he’s with. It drops from your face. If you had to deal with five kids under the age of ten all by yourself, you’d be grumpy too.

“Sorry, m’bad.” Curious, (and still hungry) you check what it is they’re in line for. Immediately, you’re in a better mood. Skirting the line, you hop over the gate and swipe some onigiri right out of the display box.

“Oi! What the hell are you— Oh, [y/n].”

“Hey there, stranger! Fancy meeting you here.” In two massive, disgusting, and arguably impressive bites, you swallow the onigiri (which is in no way, bite sized) and pluck the baseball cap off his head.

“Hiii, welcome to Onigiri Miya, what can I get for you today?” You ask, pulling your ponytail through the hat and bumping your hip with Osamu’s. The old man isn’t all that disturbed by the abrupt change in cashier and prattles on a list of items long enough to feed a battalion. You’re quick to click it into the POS and nod your head to the order printer that’s situated further back in their makeshift workstation. “I’ve got this. Go do your thing.” He rubs his hat hair sheepishly. He wasn’t planning on taking it off today. "Here's your receipt, sir. Please pick up your order at the station to your left. Good afternoon, it’s lovely to have ya here at Onigiri Miya, whatcha cravin’?”

“That’s it? What else did she say? Where’d she go after? When did she leave?” Atsumu’s hands buried themselves in his hair, practically pulling it out by the roots.

“I don’t know! Um… The rush came after the second set, I think? N’she left right after. I assumed she just went back in ta watch the game!”

“But she didn’t say anything weird?”

“No! We were so busy I barely said two words to ‘er!” Osamu had never seen his brother look so frantic.

“I’m going back to the police.” He rasped out.

— — —

At the station, Detective Kano looks over your file.

CASE: Missing Persons

FULL NAME: Miya [y/n]

BIRTHPLACE: Sapporo

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Osaka

Looking at it plainly, the answer is clear. As much as his subordinate and your husband don’t want to believe it, you’ve left. Nobody took you or forced you. The reason could be anything. You got bored or felt stifled in your marriage, (it did say you two had gotten married at twenty. That’s awfully young to make a lifelong commitment) you met another man, (always a possibility) or it could be that you were running for your life from an abusive piece of shit. Your case wouldn’t be the first like that and nor would it be the last. He didn’t care how ‘worried’ your husband appeared to be. For all he knew, the bastard could just be worried about people finding out and it ending his career.

"Oi, Tanigashi.” He barked. The rookie’s head shot up. “We find any bodies in the past couple days?”

“Time frame?” She asked, already typing away.

“Last seen on Tuesday, the fourteenth”

“Male? Female? What else, ya gotta help me out here.”

“Twenty two year old female.”

She hummed. “Tourist?”

He shook his head.

“Is she a short emo meets Harajuku model typa person?” She sighed, turned the monitor in his direction.

He sighed. “Nope. Sorry fer wastin’ your time. Get back to work.”

“Detective?” The office secretary popped his head in the door. “The statements you ordered just came in. Should I print them out for you?”

“Yeah, thanks kid.” Kano heaved himself out of his seat and cracked his bones. Years on the force and keeping up with full contact Karate were starting to get to him. Maybe he should take his daughters advice and take up Tai Chi or Yoga.

He crinkles open a wrapper and pops the gum in his mouth, reading the evidence as it’s freshly warm off the machine.

The bank statements aren’t anything out of the ordinary. You’ve withdrawn everything from your personal account. The joint account has been left alone. He jots down a note. ‘Set financial alert for suspicious activity.’

This way he’ll know if one of you tries to remove the other from the account. Again, he noted that you hadn’t withdrawn anything from the joint. As his spouse, you were legally entitled to it. And with Atsumu’s fat check from three seasons of pro sports under his belt, it wasn’t like he would miss a little bit all that much.

If anything, it told the detective that you didn’t hate him. Had you wanted him to suffer, it would be easy to empty the accounts and leave him broke.

“Rule’s out abuse.” He mumbles. Unless you were afraid of retribution should he find you. Though with how thorough you were being, (phone left behind. bank account empty. social media untouched) something told him you didn’t have any plans to be found.

Kano sighs, flipping through more pages and organizing them as he goes.

“This just gets more and more complicated.” He stops. “Hey, kid. Where’s the health report?”

He paled, worried he had missed something. “Ummmmmmmmm.” His fingers click across his email. “Looks like the hospital needs a formal report before releasing any information. Sorry, I’ll get right on that.”

— — —

Tucked away behind more wealthy and more flashy neighborhoods, hidden and huddled by a ring of trees, the only way you could ever know the Miya household was there was if you had been there before.

Which you had.

Ducked below a hill off the main road, it’s a modest split level house which seemed a lot smaller when you were younger. Then again, it had been inhabited by both the boys, their mom, and all the people they attracted. Which happened to be a lot. Despite being more than a little rude, Atsumu and Osamu were always surrounded by people wanting to be their friend.

You park in the driveway and enter through the back door on the porch, which has been unlocked since you first started visiting when you were fifteen.

“Toyo! It’s [y/n]. You here?” You called, walking through the door. No answer.

You walked through the kitchen and down the six steps to the main level.

“Toyo? You in there?” Politely soft, but loud enough to be heard, you knocked on her door. Still nothing.

You swung the door open.

“To—” Surrounded by tissues, old bowls of food, and shivering, was Miya Toyo in all her glory. “Gosh.” You whispered. “I knew you were sick, but this is ridiculous.”

Quietly, you grabbed the heating pad in her nightstand drawer and plugged it in, setting it next to her on the bed. Then, gently pulling the covers up and smoothing them out. Not that it mattered. The woman slept like a rock. You wondered if she had always dealt with being sick like this: alone, with no one to care for her.

Then you were headed back towards the kitchen. The door to Toyo’s room was carefully shut. You didn’t want your noise to wake her up. On the way back, you shuddered. No wonder she was sick, she kept the house colder than an icebox.

You made a pit stop at the boy’s room, sliding open a closet door, grabbing a hoodie, and smelling it.

“Hmm… Yeah, that’s Atsumu.” You recognized and quickly pulled it on. The man threw a fit anytime you wore Osamu’s clothes, so you had learned to differentiate the two. You chuckled. That was one of the ways you had figured out he had a thing for you.

A second pair of socks was also stolen. Yours were much too thin to keep your toes from falling off. “Hmm hmmm. Hmm hm, hmmm hm.” You hummed absentmindedly as you switched on the kettle and searched through the pantry and fridge for ideas on what to make.

[tabloidtoc]

Globe, May 3

You can buy a brand new copy of this issue without the mailing label for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Prince William and Prince Harry: Showdown at Prince Philip's Funeral

Page 2: Up Front & Personal -- Alec Baldwin, Kathy Ireland, Conan O'Brien grabs lunch in West Hollywood

Page 3: Meg Ryan, Heather Graham, Jon Voight steps out in Beverly Hills

Page 4: Kris Jenner says her role as momager of the Kardashian clan is like being a fireman because she has to put out so many heated squabbles -- satisfying daughters Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner takes skill and Kourtney is often so fed up she fires her three or four times a day, but Kris believes she's done a good job, saying she's totally dedicated to her brood and spends oodles of time and energy going the extra mile for them

* Jailed Ghislaine Maxwell is raising a stink over federal lawmen's claims she's a prison piggy, saying the institution's busted sewer pipes, not her toilet habits, are responsible for the overwhelming stench in her cell -- lawyers for sex perv Jeffrey Epstein's accused madam and sex trafficker leveled the charge to flush out prosecutors' claims the socialite's cage stinks like a hog's pen because she doesn't flush her toilet -- her lawyer Bobbi Sternheim insists there was a pervasive stench of sewage in Ms. Maxwell's unit, necessitating guards to flush pipes by pouring water down open drains in an effort to trap and disperse gaseous emissions and at times the stench in Ms. Maxwell's isolation cell has been overwhelming due to overflowing of toilets in the cell block above -- as for Ghislaine flushing, she does it often, at the guards' bidding even, though she doesn't use the commode in her cell due to lack of privacy

Page 5: Kelly Clarkson's tacky tales of pooping in trash cans and other crude antics are grossing out her alarmed pals, who fear divorce stress is pushing the talk queen over the edge and while Kelly has loved to shock people, her cringeworthy behavior has gotten worse since filing for divorce from music manager Brandon Blackstock, father of her daughter River and son Remington -- now Kelly has many fearing she's finally flipped after recently telling talk show guest Clint Black on-air she destroyed a poor trash can by pooping in it during a quick backstage concert break and she's constantly making potty jokes and seems to get a rise out of shocking people and even by Kelly's standards, this was a step too far and people are urging her to scale back on the belching, farting and gross anecdotes because they're a turnoff and make her look trashy and her grueling workload and prickly divorce has manifested in this gross behavior where she can't seem to hold her tongue and blurts out whatever she's thinking without consideration for other people -- other stars like Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are thinking twice before inviting her to social events and for talk show rivals like Ellen DeGeneres and Drew Barrymore, it's a dream seeing her push the boundaries of taste and Kelly doesn't have a filter and as long as she's got an audience she's just going to keep on doing it

Page 6: Macaulay Culkin is the daddy of a brand-new baby girl named Dakota, who is named after Macaulay's sister who died at 29 in a 2008 car crash, and she was delivered by Macaulay's lover actress Brenda Song

Page 7: Angelina Jolie has become a stressed-out single mom trying to care for her brood of six during the pandemic lockdown, and the strain is is showing on the 98-pound actress, but the 45-year-old, who shuns hiring a full-time nanny, still wants sole custody of her underage kids Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne, and is fighting tooth and nail with ex-husband Brad Pitt to get it; their oldest Maddox Jolie-Pitt is now 19 and considered independent although the university student frequently lives with his mother -- caring for the gang puts a big drain on Angelina's bank account and her custody war with Brad is costing a pretty penny -- Jolie and her children spend most of their time bunkered in a massive 7,500-square-foot Los Feliz mansion that boasts a huge library lined with resource books but the kids need to be separated so they can concentrate on their individual Zoom classes and someone is always hungry or needing help and at the end of the school day, when they are bored, they end up looking for Mom to find them something to do while she is trying to work on her own projects, and like most siblings, the kids fight or argue, and that can test any parent's nerves and Angie is with the kids pretty much 24/7 and it's taking a toll -- there is a glimmer of hope as schools are close to reopening and once the five youngest are back in school for several hours a day it will give Angelina the breaks she needs and hopefully she can hang tight until then

Page 8: Cover Story -- Prince William and Prince Harry bury Prince Philip, but not the ax -- despite their public displays of grief, bitter brothers William and Harry erupted in a raging royal screaming match behind the scenes of their grandfather's Prince Philip's funeral and Princess Diana's sons lashed out, accusing each other of ugly betrayals and destroying the royal family and the princes blamed each other's wives for igniting the family feud and their showdown was explosive and they're refusing to forgive or make peace and any hope Philip's death will end this feud is pie in the sky -- Harry and William were forced to reunite to mark the Duke of Edinburgh's passing and comfort their grandmother Queen Elizabeth, but that doesn't mean they're kissing and making up; far from it because Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have caused so much damage with their TV interview, it will take a lifetime to heal this rift -- sparks began flying almost immediately after Harry landed back in his homeland. He went straight to his former marital home Frogmore Cottage in Windsor to quarantine under COVID rules while William and his wife Duchess Kate Middleton and their three children were holed up at their country home Anmer House in Norfolk, about 100 miles away, but that didn't stop the once-inseparable brothers exploding in fury at each other during a video call finalizing funeral arrangements -- William and Harry knew they'd have to walk together behind the cortege to honor their grandfather, but that was where their reunion ended and while their grieving grandmother and royal relatives mourned the loss of the family patriarch, William and Harry's pent-up anger and frustrations exploded as, on the same side of the Atlantic for the first time in over a year, William blasted Harry and Meghan for bad-mouthing his wife Kate and selfishly trying to destroy the monarchy and he reamed Harry for not visiting their grandfather in his final days and using the funeral as a publicity stunt while Harry retaliated by accusing his brother of throwing him and Meghan under the bus and vowed never to talk to him again -- instead of an expected joint public statement praising their beloved grandfather, they issued separate tributes, which underlined their split as in their statement, William and Kate reminisced about Philip taking their children for horse-drawn carriage rides and they vowed to support the queen in the years ahead and that was a dig at Harry and Meghan, who can't help the queen due to their self-imposed exile to California and it was also a shot because Harry's son Archie has spent no time with his royal relatives since his birth almost two years ago -- Philip's death has only intensified this horrific feud and this war is far from over, and may never be

Page 10: Prince Philip went to his grave regretting he couldn't stop Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle from ripping the royal family in a bombshell TV interview -- The Duke of Edinburgh called the explosive tell-all madness and he had some sympathy for Harry and Meghan's desire to do their own thing, but he thought they were wrong and he hated Harry and Meghan's preoccupation with their own problems and their willingness to talk about them in public; one of his rules was give interviews but don't talk about yourself -- Philip loved Harry and thought him a good man, but he did not believe they were doing the right thing for the country or themselves when they quit royal duties and Philip died worrying the explosive interview permanently damaged the monarchy and he deeply regretted he wasn't able to prevent the scandal

* Outraged Prince Philip shunned his son Prince Andrew's ex-wife Duchess Sarah Ferguson for the last 19 years of his life after she was caught cheating in raunchy photos that went public -- Philip considered Fergie beyond the pale and refused to have anything to do with her and when Sarah was staying at Balmoral Castle with her daughters, her ex-father-in-law would run from a room she'd entered and Fergie said it was ridiculous because as soon as she came through one door, he'd be falling over the corgis to get out of the other and she added it was very funny, except, of course, it wasn't -- the only time they appeared together in public was at Prince Harry's 2018 wedding, 26 years after Fergie was photographed lounging topless while her then lover John Bryan sucked on her toes on the French Riviera; she and Andrew were separated at the time

Page 11: Marie Osmond is getting the last laugh on rival Sharon Osbourne after the big-mouthed Brit, who chased off Marie from The Talk, was booted from the chat show in a racism scandal -- while Marie doesn't wish ill on anyone, she certainly isn't feeling any sympathy for Sharon's plight -- in public, Marie has never said a harsh word about Sharon, and never blamed her co-star with pushing her off The Talk, but behind the scenes, Sharon made mild-mannered Marie's life hell, which chased her away and Marie still cringes from the whole experience of working with the brash former reality diva, more than seven months after leaving the show and Marie doesn't want to stoke the fire, but it's kind of satisfying in a way that Sharon's finally being exposed for what she is: a snippy, smug phony

* Chaka Khan was the first celeb booted on Season 21 of Dancing with the Stars in 2015, and it's no wonder because she was a lousy partner, claims pro hoofer Keo Motsepe -- Keo slammed the singer for demanding they only rehearse around midnight, because that's when the night owl was used to going to the record studio and laying down tracks -- Keo accepted the challenge but now calls Chaka his worst partner ever

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- Jane Lynch eats lunch in West Hollywood (picture), Khloe Kardashian is getting called out for her attempt to erase a bathing suit snap that revealed some very real body dimples and famous for posting airbrushed and filtered photos depicting her as flawless she went berserk over the unedited pic summoning legal eagles to get the image scrubbed off the internet but she drew colossal backlash, Sutton Stracke of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills got promoted to series regular and impressed producers by making ousted castmate Teddi Mellencamp cry by branding her boring, fired New York Housewife Dorinda Medley has lost 14 pounds, Lil Nas X's limited-edition designer Satan Shoes which commanded $1,018 when they hit the market are now deader than a doornail after legal pressure from Nike

Page 13: Dean Cain sports a Superman-style logo on his hoodie as he bums around Malibu (picture), Annabella Sciorra shoots an episode of Blue Bloods in NYC (picture), co-anchor T.J. Holmes shows his tongue on the Good Morning America set (picture), Olympic champ Lindsey Vonn admits skiing was a slippery slope when she started mingling with the beautiful people of Hollywood

Page 14: Brooklyn Decker proves she going gray at just 34 and she's kinda digging it, Kathryn Dennis trying to prove she's comfortable in the natural skin she's in shared pics from her first-ever bikini photo shoot and actually points out imperfections

* Fashion Verdict -- Zoe Saldana 6/10, Kelsea Ballerini 3/10, Jessica Madsen 7/10, Joy Bauer 2/10

Page 17: Eddie Cibrian is incredibly proud of wife LeAnn Rimes for baring the truth about her battle with psoriasis in a naked photo -- Eddie applauds how LeAnn let it all hang out for a photo shoot to show solidarity with other people with the scaly skin disease who are ashamed and want to hide it -- LeAnn has described the horrors of hiding her painful, crusty rashes, saying onstage she'd wear two pairs of pantyhose or jeans, even in 95-degree heat and underneath her shirt, her whole stomach would be covered in thick scales that would hurt and bleed, and the pandemic worsened her condition because stress is a common trigger for psoriasis, and with so much uncertainty happening, her flare-ups came right back

Page 19: 10 Things You Don't Know About Catherine O'Hara

* Sylvester Stallone may have gone his final round as boxing great Rocky Balboa as his reps reveal the actor has thrown in the towel and won't reprise his iconic role in the upcoming Creed III -- in the Creed spinoffs, retired fighter Rocky trained Adonis "Donnie" Creed, the son of his onetime rival

* Dr. Dre hit back against the abuse claims of estranged wife Nicole Young, slamming her allegations as appalling in recently filed court documents in their ugly $1 billion divorce -- in the docs, Dre charges Nicole hurled the accusations only after realizing their prenup may prevent her from getting half his money, but Nicole insists the rapper forced her to ink the agreement, a charge he also denies

Page 23: Caitlyn Jenner is refining her image ahead of her run for governor in California by reducing her massive breasts to look more conservative -- she wants to downgrade her E cups to a more respectable C cup because she's been worried for a while they are way too big within the context of her body and draw unflattering stares and running for the California governor's office is serious and she wants people to listen and look at her face, not her boobs and the truth is, the implants have been weighing her down and giving her back pain too, so this makes sense in more ways than one -- Caitlyn will be slowly abandoning other cosmetic procedures and she would like to wean herself off filters and Botox too, but that'll be a gradual process that she'll do as time goes by and the big thing here is that she wants to look more natural and relatable for voters

* Nearly half of America is ready to vote Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson into the White House -- 46 percent of voters are ready to rock and roll with the 49-year-old former WWE wrestler as their prez -- in his new sitcom Young Rock, Dwayne plays himself as a future candidate for the Oval Office, but in real life he has admitted he is seriously considering a run for the top job

Page 24: New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, now facing two separate investigations into sexual harassment charges made by at least eight female staffers, is accused of cheating on longtime love Sandra Lee -- there's obviously a reason Sandra moved to California; she literally could not have moved farther away from Andrew; she's on the edge of the Pacific

Page 30: Grace Kelly died nearly flat broke -- the Hollywood starlet gave up millions to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco, and when she died at the age of 52, her only assets were a cottage in Ireland, owned by her grandfather, and $10,000 -- in 1956, she married into Monaco's royal family after coughing up a $2 million dowry, which is about $20 million today, and walking away from a glittering career -- according to a new documentary, her Hollywood earnings have disappeared as during her film career, Grace's total earnings could have reached $1.5 million, earnings that appear to be entirely missing from her will, but thanks to Grace, Monaco's royal family has cashed in big-time as her son Prince Albert II has an estimated net worth of $i billion and his wife Charlene Wittstock is rumored to be worth $150 million -- most people think of Grace Kelly's story as a fairy tale, going from Hollywood and suddenly being whisked off to a lot of wealth, but what is so poignant is that she had to pay to become a princess

* LeVar Burton may soon be helming a new enterprise: Jeopardy! -- nearly 200,000 people have signed an online petition supporting LeVar to replace the game show's late host Alex Trebek and LeVar supports the idea himself

Page 32: Kirstie Alley had two husbands and once claimed she was crazy about John Travolta, but for decades she secretly carried a torch for a married man: Patrick Swayze -- Kirstie described Patrick as the one that got away and truly believes they would have been together until his 2009 death at age 57 if things worked out differently and she says her love for Patrick began on the set of the 1985 miniseries North and South where she thought he was the most handsome, sexy, kind person she'd ever met, and each day on the set, she began to fall more and more in love but at the time they were married to other people: Patrick had his wife Lisa Niemi and Kirstie was married to Hardy Boys actor Parker Stevenson, her second husband -- Kirstie and Patrick shared a deep emotional affair and confessed their love, but never actually cheated on their spouses and Kirstie said they had an affair of the heart -- Patrick and Kirstie played lovers on the series and you can see the chemistry and at least once a year Kirstie watches the series and reminisces about the time she spent with him -- she says she cried for months after his death and she and his wife Lisa eventually became friends and even today, Kirstie wonders what would have happened if she and Patrick had not been married to other people

Page 36: Sally Struthers reveals she quit Save the Children charity after she was nearly murdered by a gang of bloodthirsty rebels during a trip to visit African orphans -- Sally was a roving ambassador for the charity for 35 years until a terrifying incident in Uganda where she was filming ads with a boy, who'd come from a remote village, when suddenly a roving band of guerrilla warfare guys came out of the bushes and asked the boy where he was from and he named his village, which was far away, and they decided they had kidnapped him, and they were going to shoot all of them and Sally was terrified and figured she was a goner, but a priest with her group told her to slowly walk off while never turning her back on the terrorists and as she walked, he convinced the gunmen to let them alone and at that point, Sally, who had a daughter Samantha from her six-year marriage to shrink William C. Radar thought she's been on so many little airplanes that could have crashed and in so many horrible situations and she's got a child, a real-life child of her own, and she can't do it anymore

* Usher is being accused of stiffing Las Vegas strippers by tipping them with fake money with his moniker and mug on the bills -- the flap exploded with a Twitter post slamming the singer for handing out Usherbucks in $100, $20 and $1 bills at the club Sapphire Las Vegas but club honcho George M. Wilson denies the charge, saying Usher, who stars at Caesars Palace stating in July, was a true gentleman and great guest and he and his crew converted thousands of real dollars to tip the girls dancing on the stage and left a generous tip for staff and apparently someone in his team left some Usher dollars on the floor to promote his Vegas residency and that is where it seems the confusion came in

Page 40: Val Kilmer is shooting for more than a career comeback after bouncing back from throat cancer; he is also looking for love -- Val admits he doesn't sound like he used to following a tracheotomy, but he insists he feels a lot better than he sounds but his voice is a raspy, grating sound, and he's forced to eat through a feeding tube, but he feels that shouldn't matter with the right woman -- the actor, who is slated to appear in the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, is pumped up about working again, but it's dawned on him that he's missing one other thing, love, and the single star feels more energy now than ever before and there are things he'd like to do with a partner, like travel more -- Val regrets some of the things he did in the past and he was difficult and selfish, but his whole cancer ordeal has made him a better man and more open and giving but it's been a long, long time since he had a girlfriend, let alone even kissed a woman, but with the support and encouragement of his kids and friends, he's ready to put himself out there

* Fans are saying Christopher Meloni has one of the most remarkable rears on TV after a photo surfaced showcasing his awe-inspiring ass-ets -- a shot of the Law & Order: Organized Crime star in skintight jeans sparked a Twitter-storm where fans of his fanny let loose about his sculpted caboose

Page 44: Straight Talk -- Holly Madison is blabbing about her eight years as Hugh Hefner's No. 1 squeeze in the Playboy Mansion, and, if he were still alive, the king of skin mags would hate that he pretty much comes off as a dirty old lech

Page 45: Paula Abdul was a nervous wreck during her American Idol comeback, but she was not so jittery she couldn't brand her former co-judge Simon Cowell an STD -- special guest Randy Jackson and Simon previously teamed with Paula in the 2000s to make the talent show the biggest hit on TV, and Paula temporarily resumed her role after Luke Bryan tested positive for COVID-19, but when Randy told Paula seeing her on set seems like old times, she blurted "We're just missing the STD," and the remark caught host Ryan Seacrest off-guard as he held a computer device linking Paula and Randy, who was not physically present and Ryan exclaimed, "The what?!" and at that point Paula joked she meant it was an abbreviation for Super Talented, Debonair not sexually transmitted disease -- Paula also referred to Simon, who's only three years her senior, as a grandfather and while Paula seemed in the swing of things, joining the current Idol panel of Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, she was reportedly a bundle of nerves backstage before her comeback show and it was like she'd never done it before, and her pals couldn't believe it; they told her she had more experiencing judging than anyone out there

[godsofmonster]

Bangtan MC  ≽ III.

Reader x Bangtan- Motorcycle Club

Word Count- 8.2k

Warnings- sexual content, death, murder, guns, drugs, violence, betrayal,  mentions of suicide, mentions of rape, etc.

For as long as I can remember back, I always wanted to be in a motorcycle club. Since I was six years old, the only thing on my mind was getting my hands on a Harley and a cut. I was a wolf, a wild cur, cut from the pack with bloodstained on my fur. Every wrong has marked a debt because a beaten dog never forgets.

The remainder of my night was spent in a dirty, cheap motel across town. I couldn’t really afford anything better. I even dared to return to my father’s home to pick up some of my old clothes. There wasn’t much leftover either.

I was both, mentally and materially exhausted. Despite this, sleep hadn't seemed like a reasonable option for me. Instead, I laid on the stiff mattress and dreaded the morning light. 

Morning came all the same, through the broken blinds of the room. 

The moments between having my eyes closed, and opening them, were lost time. I had no sense of how long I had been laying there. Hours must have gone by.

That was until my phone rang at 10 am exactly. My limbs felt heavy at the first movement toward the phone. It was the phone call that I was waiting for. The one that would determine my next move. 

"Agent (Y/L/N), did you rest well?" 

I placed my cell on speakerphone and tossed it on the crummy bed. 

"As good as could be expected," I answered, swinging my legs over the bed edge. 

"I'm sorry to hear that," He didn't have to be so polite, I thought. I tested the strength of my legs and stood on them. "Do you need me to fill you in on the Camilo Cartel?" 

"I'm familiar, I helped the administration track their movements into California," I explained my prior knowledge while walking toward the bag I packed.  I scavenged through the outdated clothing I wore in my youth. "I had no idea his men moved so far North already."

"Miguel Camilo is an ambitious man." I settled on an old t-shirt. "He's been flooding his heroin and cocaine into almost all of the California prisons."  

"Except for Pelican Bay which is still controlled by the PB." The Pure Brotherhood was the largest gang of Neo-Nazis on the West coast. They controlled the drug trade until the Camilo Cartel began to expand out of Northern Mexico. "Three of them came to shoot up my father's house. They killed a boy and injured four other people." 

"That was just a warning. They aren't happy that Bangtan is dealing guns to both them and the cartel." 

My father started running guns for his Russian connections early on in the club's life. It was just supposed to be a short favor but the money spoke too loudly. At the time, the PB was heavily trafficking drugs through Blackburn from Pelican Bay. However, they made an agreement, that why would stop dealing in Blackburn, in exchange for Bangtan selling them guns.

"I'm sure you are aware, that since the settlement in 2018, Pelican Bay has become the service network for the drug distribution from California to its surrounding states." 

That was a sick understatement.

"The Pacific Northwest is drowning in methamphetamine because of the PB's connection at Pelican Bay," I responded, rather sorely. It was a combination of anger, knowing that the club had gotten themselves directly involved. Also, a rage drove from personal experience. 

I tossed the clothes I had collected on the bed, alongside my phone. Agent Romero was silent for a time, following the tone of my tongue. 

"I was informed you took part in the one-year investigation that saw the raid of 10 drug dens in Seattle last year." His voice became finer. It was almost as if he was being cautious with his information. "You made the connection between the dealers and the PB." 

 I took a seat on the foot of the bed and remained soundless. I didn't want to take the credit for that.

"Everyone already suspected it led back to them..." I refused to.

"But you knew that the firearms that were confiscated, during the raid, had come from Bangtan." 

I didn't expect him to understand why I wasn't proud of this. How could I be? When I had to see the consequences of the club's activities outside of Blackburn. The DEA confiscated 37 pounds of meth and 27 pounds of heroin that day. We really did only care for our own. The rest of the world could burn.  

"Agent (Y/L/N)?" He called. 

I hummed as a reply. 

"You are our best hope. I need to know that you can go through with this," He said sternly. But I understood, there could be no room for hesitation in an operation like this. "Not only because of your personal involvement with the club but because of your history of drug addiction."  

My life had taken many unexpected turns after I moved to Seattle. I fought against everything I knew and had an extreme appetite for destruction. If you had the money, then Seattle had your disease. Slipping into darkness had never been so easy.  

"I've been clean for five years, agent," I reminded him. 

I had a regularly scheduled drug test every 90 days through a hair sample. It was a rare exception to the DEA, but my personal experience was beneficial to them. "I also haven't been in contact with the club in over seven years." 

I stood back on my feet, taking a hold of the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head. 

"I understand. For now, I need you to stay close to the club." I took the phone in one hand and my clothes in the other. "I'll be flying in from Virginia tomorrow, we will discuss further details, in person."

"Yes, sir."

He hung up the phone after that. I was left to unwind, once again.

This time I stepped toward the bathroom, leaving the stuff in my hands on the countersink. The bathroom was, at the very least, clean compared to the rest of the room. 

I turned on the water to the shower and gave it time to heat up. I continued to undress myself, anticipating the sweet relief of the hot water. With the remainder of my clothing scattered on the floor, I heard my phone vibrate behind me. 

I imagined that it was agent Romero. However, when I looked at the screen I found the message coming from an unsaved number. The same unsaved number that Namjoon called me from two days ago. 

I didn't expect to be starting work this soon. 

-

The second I turned off the engine on my bike, Namjoon was already waiting for me at the doorway of his home. I didn't see any other bikes in the driveway, except for Jaeeun's car. 

I was honestly hoping that she wouldn't be home. 

"You're late." Was the first thing out of his mouth.

"I came from across town- there was traffic," I explained, even though it couldn't have been more than ten minutes past three. 

He moved aside and let me step first into his house. The front door opened to his living room. There I was met with an unfortunate appearance by Jaeeun. There was only an everlasting smirk or frown on this woman's face. When it came to me, a frown was her default. 

"You said this was important?" I turned around to see Namjoon closing the door. 

"Yeah," Namjoon quietly remained, his fingers brushed their way through his hair. There was a stillness in the room that no one seemed to want to face. 

All I could do was stand there and watch as he calmly stepped further into the room. Before I could ask him to elaborate, there was another set of footsteps that came in from the hallway. 

"Ms.(Y/n)," 

I came face to face with my father's attorney. He received me with a friendly smile, extending his hand out to me in the process. 

"Richard," I was startled by his visit. 

"I'm sorry to meet again under these circumstances." His presence was eerily similar to when my mother passed away. Then his appearance began to make sense. 

"My father's will?" 

Richard gently nodded his head, the look of sympathy easily displayed on his features. He slowly gestured both Namjoon and me to join Jaeeun on the couch. 

Namjoon offered himself the seat between his mother and I. While Richard took the single armchair facing our direction. A round coffee table stood between us. Richard drew a leather briefcase from the floor and placed it on the glass surface. 

There was a feeling of dread emitting from my chest, making it feel heavy and stiff. My palms ran over the fabric of my jeans at the sound of the briefcase latches opened. 

He slipped out a single piece of paper, the delicate material folded like a letter. Richard cleared his throat, 

"The purpose of our meeting here today is the reading of the final testament of the deceased. Including, the distributions of assets and beneficiary claims." He took a moment to look at each of us. "With all of your permission, I will begin," 

We all gave our approval for him to begin. 

I didn't know what to expect. 

I, resident of the state of California, county of Blackburn, and being sound of mind and memory; do hereby make, publish, and declare this to be my last will and testament. 

At the time of executing this will, I have widowed and have remarried to Jaeeun Kim. Also at the time of this will, I recognize only two legitimate children. 

(Y/F/N). My biological daughter from my first marriage, now deceased. 

Namjoon Kim. My legal son from my current marriage to Jaeeun Kim. 

For my wife, I leave you with the remaining balance of our joint bank account, as well, as our matrimonial home. All titles and deeds will be changed under your name as the sole owner of the property. 

For my son, after being a long time employee and business partner, I leave you as the owner of The House Of Cards. 

Finally, for my daughter, I leave you with the remaining balance of my separate savings account, as well, as my 2003 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide Sport and my 1990 Harley-Davidson Fatboy. 

When I turned 18, there was nothing more that I wanted than that old Fatboy. I never thought that finally getting it would feel so meaningless. 

-

I didn't plan to be out for long after being at Namjoon's house. We didn't say much to each other after Richard had left, I even left the house without any insults from Jaeeun. However, before leaving, Namjoon asked me to meet him at the bar to take a look at my father's bikes. 

When I arrived in the parking lot of the bar, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook were in mid-conversation around their bikes. I parked my Harley right beside Jimin's. 

"Hey," I called out to them. My fingers clicked off the straps of my helmet and let it hang around the handlebar. 

When I stepped off my bike, I was instantly greeted by Jimin, who unexpectedly pulled me into a hug. I was somewhat taken back, his arm was hooked tightly around my waist. Of course, I returned the embrace, but at the same time, made awkward eye contact with Taehyung. 

"What's going on?" I asked a bit flustered as Jimin began to pull away. 

"Namjoon called us in," Jungkook replied. There was a smirk in his words as if he knew something that I didn't. I glanced at Taehyung, who remained silent by his side. I never did understand Jungkook's sense of humor. I brushed it off nevertheless. 

"He told us to bring your old man's Harley," Jimin also stated. He stepped with me, as I came closer into the semicircle that they were gathered in. I turned my head and looked at him rather confused.

"Bring it from where? The shop?" I questioned. 

I watched Jimin lean against his bike. "I thought it would be at the pound,"

He pushed strands of his hair away from his forehead, taking a moment to look away from me and waited to speak. I could see the gears begin to turn in his head and he glanced at the other boys for guidance. 

No one said anything.

"His Dyna got roughed up a few weeks ago- he left it in the shop for Taehyung and me to fix," He carefully explained. "He was riding his Fatboy the day of the accident." 

My life seemed to be a never-ending joke of irony. The sudden feeling of gloom overcame me prompting me to switch my gaze to the pavement. The bike that I had wanted was the bike that he had left me, but it was also the bike he had died in. I didn't say much after that. 

We stood in silence together for a few more minutes. That was until Taehyung's phone rang and notified us that Namjoon was waiting for us in the garage. 

When we got there, the garage was opened, to a truck parked in reverse. The white truck was branded with the name of Jimin's old man’s auto shop. The sound of the passenger door slamming was followed by Yoenjun coming around the corner. The young prospect moved quickly to unlatch the backdoors of the trailer. 

I advanced toward the truck, somewhat, anticipating to get a look at my father's Dyna. 

Jungkook came up to lend Yoenjun a hand with the ramp. The loud piece of metal came crashing down on the asphalt. If this had been anyone else's bike, Yoenjun would have just ridden it from the shop. But they were being extra cautious out of respect. 

Yoenjun came out of the dingy trailer with his hands guiding the bike down the ramp. The black beauty reflected shapes of the fluorescent lights. I stared at the beautiful wide front of the Dyna that reminded me why I got my Softail. 

"What do you think?" Yeonjun asked while he pushed down the kickstand, allowing the bike to stand on its own. 

"It looks brand new," I said, running my hand over the cold black metal of the fuel tank. "What was wrong with it?"

I asked, peering over to Jimin and Taehyung. 

"The headlight was broken," Jimin revealed. "There were also some scratches and dents." 

I nodded my head. I couldn't see any evidence of scratches, much less dents, that were difficult to get rid of without the right tools. 

"Prospect," Namjoon called from behind me. Yoenjun's eyes shot up in question. "Did you get the Fatboy out of the pound?" 

"Yes, pres," He said, quickly moving his feet back up the ramp. 

My eyes wandered into the darkness of the back of the trailer. I couldn’t see anything but I heard the hunk of metal rattling against the wall. I could see why Namjoon called Jungkook here, he ran up to help the prospect with the weight of the bike. 

I wasn't prepared for what I  was about to witness. 

My heart dropped into my stomach at the sight. The front of the bike was completely smashed inward. Jungkook was supporting it from the front, while Yoenjun steered it from the back. The entire fork and front wheel were crushed to the left. So far deep, that it even rammed into the gas tank. 

"Oh god..." My hands tried to mask the cry that fell from my mouth. The tears fell faster from my eyes than I could acknowledge them. 

"Hey," Jimin came to my aid. He rested his hand on my back and tried to comfort me.  

"I'm honestly not sure how salvageable it is, (Y/n)." Namjoon also walked toward me. I felt him linger over my shoulder, all I could do was merely glance his way as I tried to control my composure. "Maybe Jimin and Taehyung could try to-"

"No," I managed to take in a shaky breath, running my fingers along the wet stains of my cheeks. "I can fix it." 

I said mostly to myself. I had this irrepressible urge in the back of my mind to repair the bike myself. My father had taught me everything I needed to know about motorcycles. This was my chance to prove myself. 

"I might need some help though."

I was well aware that this would at least be a two-person job, the poor thing couldn't even stand on its own. There were also tools that I didn't have at my current disposal. 

"Whatever you need, love," Jimin whispered, his hand slowly slipping off my back. 

I suddenly realized how close Namjoon and Jimin were standing to me. I was feeling a little enclosed between the two of them. So I took a moment to excuse myself from the group. 

My back rested into the warm redbrick of the building. A deep breath of late summer air filled my lungs. I could almost view the sun starting to head toward the horizon. Its surrounding sky was beginning to orange with heat. 

I was standing just outside of the garage. Everyone had gone back into the bar to get a drink. Except, for Yoenjun who the boys had sent back to the auto shop.   

It seemed every day that I spent here was just another miserable recognition of my castaway. I hated feeling this way. I hated feeling like all I could do was complain about my father's abandonment. But goddamn it, he was all that I had. 

I thought I was all he had too. 

I imagined maybe one day he would tell me that he regretted sending me away. But, even in his will, he left me with nothing to stay here for; not his bar, not my mother's house, just some money, and a motorcycle to run away on. 

"You alright?" 

Jimin always seemed to catch me in the middle of a crying session. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, pushing myself off the wall. I forced him a smile and decided to prompt another subject. "I hope you're as good as a mechanic as you say you are."

He returned my smile, a more genuine one, and followed me with his eyes as I moved back into the garage. 

"Me?" He challenged, as we both stepped back toward the damaged bike, circling it. "I've been working in a shop for five years, what have you been doing?" 

I shot him a glare and chuckled at his tease.

"Who do you think has been taking care of my bike all this time? The mechanics in Seattle are a joke." He laughed at my words, not doubting them for a moment. 

I watched him watch me. His round lips held in an endearing smile as his eyes stared into me. I felt, at that moment, the same as he did. It was nice to spend moments like this, after all this time.  

"Besides," I said, feeling bashful in his gaze. "I've worked on this bike a million times." 

We had the Fatboy mounted on a hydraulic stand to get a better look below. Some of the pipes underneath were also severely damaged. But as long as the frame was still intact, I was pretty sure we could pull it off. 

"We should start by removing the fork and wheel," Jimin said, his eyes wandering over the details of the bike. "I think that way we'll have more room to make sure that the frame isn't too damaged."

I agreed. 

This model of Fatboy had a completely different frame than its modern counterpart. Trying to buy a new frame would easily cost over a grand.

"You know," Jimin sounded unsure. "this might cost more to fix than it's worth, (Y/n)."

I was well aware that it was reasonably true. However, my mind was already made up.

"I don't care what it costs."  

Because I had nothing else. Repairing this bike was going to be my only sense of peace for the next couple of weeks. 

-

Jimin stayed and helped me get started. Removing the front of this bike turned out to take a lot longer than expected. Jimin was a great help, and I had to admit, he probably knew a little more than I did. We ran into a lot of difficulties due to the metal that was bent together. We had to remove it without causing more damage to the parts that it was pushed into. Jimin was pleasant company, nonetheless. 

"I can't believe you dated her," I laughed under my breath, trying to keep my hands steady. 

"Okay, 'date' is a strong word," He attempted to justify himself but it was too late in my head. "I was intoxicated 80% of the time I was with her." 

The Allen head screwdriver I was using to loosen the lower triple fasteners almost slipped from my hands. Jimin's hand gripped around the bottom of the right fork, ready for it to come undone.

"That doesn't matter!" I was laughing so hard that my eyes watered. "The damage is done, Jimin. Who knows what kind of crotch-eating virus she gave you."

"Hey, I'll have you know that she got regular check-ups."

I hummed and rolled my eyes. I proceeded to also loosen the fastener on the top of the fork. I looked down at Jimin, to make sure his grip was still tight before freeing the fork. It should have slid right out the moment the screw came out but it didn't. 

"Damn," He said, carefully, removing his hand. 

"It must be jammed." I groaned, stepping back and wiping my forehead of any sweat. Jimin straightened himself out too.

"We can just find a way to remove it tomorrow," I sighed. I was honestly already worn out, and ready to call it quits for the night. However, determined, Jimin took a closer look at the fork. 

I watched as he, without a word, kneeled to dig around the toolbox. He was attentive as he picked out a flat-bladed screwdriver and came back to the bike. Jimin pushed the screwdriver in between the gap of the lower triple.

"Try to pull on it." He muttered, to me as he was using all of his strength to loosen the bent metal. 

I wrapped my hand around the metal rod and tried to tug on it. It made a rasping sound as it was starting to move. Then the entire weight came undone, it almost slipped out of my hand, but Jimin was fast too, also holding on to it. 

"Wow~ Jimin~" I was pleasantly surprised. 

"I know what I'm doing, love," Jimin smirked, proud of himself, he took the heavy rod from my hand. 

A relieved sigh left his nose as he placed the fork next to the previous one we removed. Along with other parts of the bike, like the wheel, that was close to unrecognizable. 

I reached into my pocket and checked the time. 

The effects of not sleeping the night before were starting to come through. It was barely 8 o'clock and I was exhausted. 

"I hope you're hungry because I just ordered some food," Jimin called to me. I looked up from my phone to see him showing me his food delivery app. 

"Oh, Jimin," I grumbled, putting my phone back in my pocket. "I was just about to head out."

He raised his brow at me in questionable doubt.

"You already ate?" He maintained his eyes on me while cleaning his greasy hand on the hem of his white t-shirt. 

"No," My eyes accidentally caught a glimpse of his abdomen, which was shockingly healthy underneath. "But I'm not very hungry." 

Worried that I was staring, I switched my attention to another part of the room. Jimin appeared to move close as a result. 

"Come on, it's Chinese food from that place you like." He insisted. 

I would have continued to refuse him, although my stomach appeared to respond to the contrary. It rumbled at the memory of the Chinese food, causing Jimin to laugh at the sound.

"I guess I can eat," I admitted in defeat. 

Jimin nodded his head and pushed the sleeves of his t-shirt over his shoulder.  It appeared that he was making advances toward the door but I called him. "Do you mind if we eat here though? I don't really want to be around other people." 

I wasn't sure if Namjoon had left with the others, or if he was just on the other side of the door. I was just enjoying Jimin's company without worrying about anything else. 

"Sure, I don't mind." I was comforted to hear him say so. 

Underneath a table, I found a couple of crate boxes. I carefully kicked two of them into the middle of the room. My aching legs relieved to finally sit down after three long hours. Jimin had his back turned to me as he washed his hands in the sink along the wall.

"Are you staying at Namjoon's house?" He suddenly asked, trying to make more conversation. 

"No, thank god." A short chuckle came from my lips. Taking notice of the dirt on my hands, I ran my palms over the fabric of my jeans. "I don't need Jaeeun’s cold glare watching me every minute." 

I could hear Jimin smirk.

"Yeah, she's intimidating as all hell." He stated. Turning back to face my direction, he shook the water off his hands, droplets falling to the cement floor. "You guys still aren't getting along?" 

"You know we've never had," I said a little bitterly. Recalling back to all the time I spent in high school complaining about her to him.

"I know, but I thought that was just like a teenage thing." Jimin eyed the counter to his right, where he had previously left his cut to remain. 

"Definitely not after the conversation we had yesterday." I jeered.  

"She threatened you?" Jimin sounded surprised as he was slipping the leather around his shoulders.

"Let's just say, it was a passionate discussion," I hummed, deciding it wasn’t even worth mentioning and that it was time for me to wash my hands as well.

The plastic sink in the back used to be white, now it was grayed and falling apart. I tried my best not to touch it as I turned on the faucet and rubbed some dish soap in my hand. 

"Is that why you left last night?"

 My hands slowed down at his question. I didn't like the idea of having to lie to Jimin. He was the only person who made me feel like I could depend on him. That meant a great deal to me however, I didn't really have any other alternative. 

"I didn't feel very welcomed once you left," I muttered, just loud enough for him to hear. I continued scrubbing underneath my fingernails. "I also didn't feel like celebrating Namjoon's coronation."

It was a joke but I knew Jimin could hear the slight sourness in my tone. I tried to shake off as much of the water from my hands before turning back to Jimin. "Did Hoseok give you a rough night with his new VP patch?" 

I joked while reaching for a roll of paper towels under the sink. 

"No," He said calmly, "But Taehyung sure did." 

I wasn't quite sure if I had heard him correctly. Looking at his facial expression was meaningless as he remained unbothered.

"Taehyung?" I asked for clarification.

"That's right," He sang as I walked back in his direction, taking the same seat as before. "Namjoon wanted someone different than him, Taehyung is as different as you can get." 

I had never thought to compare the two. I doubt if I even knew enough about Taehyung to relate him to Namjoon. 

"Does it bother you?" I was curious.

"Taehyung being VP? Nah." Jimin answered. "I'm actually pretty relieved,"

Jimin stopped to lick his lip, thinking about what he was about to say. "There is no doubt in my mind that Namjoon will be a good leader. He's smart as hell, but sometimes- I think he can lose sight of things."

I was deeply intrigued by what Jimin thought. His opinion was unbiased, and he only spoke for what was best for the club. "Taehyung has never been afraid to call him out on it. Taehyung and your old man, that is."

The Vice President of a club was the middle ground between the President and the members of the charter. Any questions, comments or concerns from the other members are brought to the VP's attention. It was hard for me to imagine my father ever disagreeing with Namjoon. He never did so in my presence, anyway. I wondered when that all began to change. I wondered if it had anything to do with the drugs.

Jimin noticed that mentioning my father brought me down easily, he saw me lost in my own head, so he changed the subject. 

"You know," Jimin pushed himself off the box seat. "I know why Jaeeun doesn't like you." 

"Oh?" I smiled gently. This ought to be good. "Enlighten me, please."

Even though I could name a few reasons myself, Jimin always had an interesting perspective. 

He returned my smile and decided to let the anticipation linger in the air. I watched him slowly walk toward the refrigerator that sat in the corner of the room. He pulled the door opened and leaned in to retrieve two bottles of beer that rested at the very bottom shelf. He turned around to face me and shut the door with his foot. 

"You two are exactly the same,"

I looked at him unimpressed, with such a simple answer. Also, a little offended by his assumption.

"Hear me out," He requested while holding the bottles between his fingers, using his free hand to dig into his pocket. "Jaeeun is intimidated by your character. She's constantly trying to put you down because she knows you don't let things go- just like she doesn't. " 

"Who says I don't let things go?" Jimin laughed at my question.

"(Y/n), just yesterday you said you've waited seven years to come back home." 

Ouch. 

Jimin pulled a lighter from his jeans. He used the end of it as leverage to snap open one of the bottles. "You only threaten someone that you feel threatened by." 

Jimin offered me the beer, and I took it thankfully. His words sunk in.

"Well, you know what they say," I pushed my lips against the glass, taking a large gulp.

"What?" He asked while sitting back beside me.

"A beaten dog never forgets," I said earnestly.

Jimin stared at me for what seemed like an entire minute, but ultimately, he tipped his bottle toward me. 

"That, we don't." 

He said as I met him halfway. Our bottles clanged together before we took another drink. 

"There is actually something I've been wanting to ask you," He suddenly said after clearing his throat.

"What is it?" 

"Yesterday... You make it sound as if you've wanted to come back this entire time," I was dreading this question. "Why didn't you?"

How could I even begin to explain to him such a story? "I know you had problems with your family and maybe that's why you left, "

He sounded hurt. "But I thought we were close enough for you to have told me. It just seemed so unlike you." 

He knew me better than I gave him credit for.

"I would have told you." I wanted to make that clear to him first. "I didn't want to leave but my father sent me away."

"How come?"

I stared into his eyes and knew that he did not recognize the man I spoke of. But this was the reality. 

"Because," I sighed and felt unworthy of holding his gaze. "I couldn't let things go..." 

-

My entrance to the bar was met by a pleasant absence of people. It was well past 10 o'clock and yet the room was entirely empty. Not only that, but the entire place looked as if a tornado had spit it out. The chairs and tables were knocked down and spread all over the floor. The back doors of the club's conference room were broken in and barely hanging on. Though I couldn't even see down the hall, I could imagine it was a similar story.

 The only soul that remained stood tall behind the bar, wiping down the counters against the wall. 

"What the hell happened here?" Namjoon hadn't heard me come in. He looked over his shoulder and found me walking toward him. 

"Pigs had a day off," He said, setting down the damp rag and turning his body to speak with me. 

He sounded unimpressed, and so was I. Blackburn police were always trying to find dirt on the club. It wasn't the first time they had come in with their warrants; it wouldn't be the last time either. However, the only thing that they left with was their tails tucked between their legs. It's just the way things were. 

"Where is he?" I asked, knowing he knew who I meant. 

I took the leather stool right in front of him. Resting an elbow on the surface of the bar, I reached for an ashtray with my closest hand. 

"My mom's Cadillac broke down again," I hummed, barely surprised. 

I drew a pack of almost empty smoke from my back pocket. Bringing the carton to my mouth, I wrapped my lips around one of the cigarettes which was left exposed by the missing cover. 

"She needs to take that piece of shit to a mechanic," I muttered, fumbling with my jeans, trying to find a lighter. 

"He's going to take a look at it in the garage," He replied, reaching behind him and then placing a cheap lighter in front of me. 

"I mean a real mechanic," I said, taking the dark blue lighter in my hands and using the light to light my addiction. "Once the machine surpasses three wheels, he has no idea what he's doing."

"It's not that much of a difference," 

I scoffed at him.

"How would you know?" I urged, taking a sharp drag of my square, the end of it lighting up like Roudoff's nose. "You don't even know what's wrong with your bike half of the time."

"That's not true," He continued to gather glasses up and down the bar space. 

"My old man and I are the only ones who have ever touched your bike," I told him bitterly, hoping he would recall me having to repair his bike a few weeks ago after he had left the gas sitting in the tank for too long. 

Namjoon chose to ignore my comment. 

"Why don't you pour me a drink instead?" I said after not getting a word from him. "You're good at that." 

"You're 18," He replied as if that meant anything.

"And you're 19 working as a bartender but, here we are." 

Namjoon shot me an annoyed look, and I found it satisfying. A smirk grew on my lips as he placed his current glass in front of me. The impact of crystal glass against the wood seemed to ring on. His eyes never left mine as he reached under the bar for a bottle of Jack. 

"Pour it yourself." He spoke dangerously. My sadistic mind, only finding humor in his tough-guy act. 

"Well then," I grabbed the bottle by its neck and did the work myself. The brown liquor coming smoothly out of the metal pour spout, into the bottom of my glass. "Just because my old man lets you hang around the club, you're too good to pour me a drink now?" 

I said only casually. It was a snide comment to myself, but of course, in the dead of silence, Namjoon caught an ear. 

"What did you say?" 

Based on his expression, I was sure that he heard me clearly. I nonchalantly blew a puff of smoke in his direction, his hard stare threatening to curse me. "You've got a fucking mouth on you,"

He fiercely set everything in his hands down on the counters behind him. I watched him come around the bar and walk past me. I seized my glass in the opposite hand from where my cigarette rested between my digits. Turning in my seat to keep my eyes on him, I had a feeling he had more to get off his chest. 

"If anyone has to check their ego at the door, it's you, sweetheart." I took a sip of my drink as the bitter words left his lips. He began to pick up the chairs of the closest table to the bar. "Your biker princess entitlement is seriously getting under everyone's skin."

"Oh? Who is everyone, Namjoon?" I ridiculed him. Even though, in the tones of my voice, I was stung by his comment. "Your mother? Who has never needed a reason to not like me?"

I took in a breath of nicotine, realizing my voice was beginning to crack under my sentiment. "Or my father? Who's discarded everything I've done since you came in the picture?" 

He appeared to be trying very hard to keep his composure from reaching a violent point. 

"Your daddy issues aren't my problem," Namjoon slammed a chair down, the loud noise echoing off the ceiling of the bar. "I am not your goddamn problem!" 

This has been one of the few times I had ever seen Namjoon be fueled by his anger. But I couldn't find it in me to care. In that instance, I felt completely lethargic about it all. "You aren't a member of this club. You don't know your place and that-!" 

He stopped to breathe, to lower his voice before he did something bad. "That is your fucking problem." 

It was strange that the moment his voice softened, I lost my temper. 

"Son of a bitch," I muttered before rising to my feet. I clutched the drink tightly in my fist, using all of my force to hurl the glass at him. 

Namjoon barely stepped out of the way on time. The shattering glass missed his face by mere inches, the alcohol trailed along the six feet of floor between us. I could feel my body tremble with wrath.

"I'm always wrong, aren't I?" I said, speaking more aggressively than before. "I don't ever listen, right?"

The pit of rage that coursed through me left me feeling lightheaded and with shortness of breath.

"Well guess what, sweetheart," I mocked, regaining dominance over my emotions. "It's in my nature. Just like the rest of you, I have a problem with authority."

I was acting exactly the way that my father raised me. I was a spitting image of everything he believed in. "And I am sick to death- of being crushed under the weight of selfish men who don't believe in anything."

Namjoon hadn't said a single word, he hadn't moved an inch of his cold face. I didn't know what he was thinking. I didn't care if he thought I was crazy or the saddest thing to walk the face of the earth.

It seemed that the more I tried to be who I was, the more I was denied. So, I began to question; why should I be the one to be discarded?

I dropped my cigarette on the floor, stepping on it as I walked in his direction. The room between us smelled of the cigarette I just put out, and the whiskey I didn't drink. I came to stand so close to him, the closest I had ever been. 

He was significantly taller than I was, he towered over me like a mountain. I looked into his obscure eyes and questioned what made him so much better than me?

"My father thinks you're the greatest," My voice was barely a whisper full of venom. Namjoon was stiff in place as my fingers danced their way to the button of his jeans. His strong brows cut into his eyes that began to blacken. "Show me what makes you so goddamn special..." 

He was on me in less than a second. 

His lips pressed against my own with great intensity. His hands stroking their way down to my hips, where he urged them against him. 

I couldn't even find a taunt on my lips as he stuck his tongue between them. It was warm and soft against mine. The taste of him sent shivers across my body. The rage he brought out of me went directly from my chest to the place between my legs. 

My hands felt their way up to his rising torso. I cursed the thin fabric that kept me from scratching his skin. I settled for wrapping my arms around his neck, my hands sinking straight into the locks of his platinum hair. 

He paused for the second I pulled at his roots, letting out a grunt of frustration before moving down to attack my vulnerable neck. His teeth drew moans from my mouth, my eyes fluttering closed at the mixture of kisses and bites. 

He grew irritated by the clothes between us. His hands struggled to push me back, I lightly stumbled on my feet, Namjoon used his black eyes to search my trembling figure. He grabbed the collar of my blouse, ripping open most of the buttons in one yank. The lack of clothes underneath drove him wild.

His hands were on me again after that. He couldn't wait any longer and picked me up by my thighs. My hands impatiently began to push up his black shirt. Namjoon managed to locate the only standing table in the bar and dropped me upon it. His shirt came off the instant I hit the wood, I kept it beside me on the table. 

"You're such a pretty girl," he hissed as I arched my chest toward him. His fingers handled the buckle of my belt before pulling my button undone. "But you’re so very, tough to please," 

I hated how much I loved to hear him talk to me. I pulled back into a heated kiss. My hands finally began to feel his creamlike skin under my fingernails. The feeling sends his skin to tremble under my touch as I kick off my shoes. 

They tumbled to the ground and Namjoon found the waistband of my pants. His lips still pressing bruises against mine, I didn't want him to pull away. He did so to pull my pants down my legs, panties and all, leaving me almost completely bare on the table. 

He leaned his damp forehead against mine. His eyes had a stronghold on my own as his hands rubbed the supple skin of my thighs. 

"Is this what you wanted?" He asked, pulling me closer to the edge of the table. I gulped and took my breath all the same. 

All I could give him was a panting whimper and nodding gesture. 

But that was enough.

Namjoon palmed my heat, leaving my body wanting more, making it long for him. I gripped his broad shoulders, leveraging my hips closer to him. He took the suggestion and pushed his pants down his thighs. I didn't even get a glance at what he had to offer until he was pressing at my opening.

He left me breathless. I was a whining mess under the force of his hips. 

"Shit," Namjoon's voice strained under the pleasure. 

His fingers pressed into the skin of my hips, holding them in place as he pounded into me. I was struggling to keep my eyes open. 

"Oh god..." I wished my voice hadn't trembled. 

I was almost embarrassed at the noise that left my mouth, I begged him to shut me up. His mouth was addicting, each stroke of his tongue was like silk. My bare legs caressed along his, as I held back every urge to lock them around his waist. 

The marks I was leaving along his back must have gotten painful because Namjoon grabbed a hold of my wrists. He pinned my hands flat on either side of me. This gave me enough room to lean back on them, offering him some room to explore. His lips were so full and smooth, I couldn't help but to want them all over me.

In this position, he leaned forward, making his thrust start to move at an angle. My eyes threatened to roll back at the new depth. His eyes relished in the display of my body. My breast stuck to the thin material of my blouse and moved at the pace of his hips. 

"Oh! Namjoon..." Now that my hips were free from his hold, I began to roll them against him, almost uncontrollably.

He drifted forward to capture my lips, pressing a more delicate kiss into them. His hand slipped off my wrists and found their way to caress the skin of my cheek. Suddenly the lustful moans that had been leaving my mouth were replaced by sweeter ones. His touch was gentle, and I couldn't help but admit that his intimacy made me uncomfortable. 

I took his bottom lip into my mouth and grazed it with my teeth. I saw his eyes open as he let out a low growl from the back of his throat. I pried my hand around his neck, my claws digging at the surface of his nape.

He immediately understood what I wanted and was not afraid to give it to me. 

Namjoon hooked his arms around my legs, spreading my legs wider and pushing me further onto the table. I didn't think he could go any faster, but for once, I was happy he proved me wrong.

"Ah! Yes!" I cried.

That place deep inside of me he hit so flawlessly it made my eyes tear with joy. The sounds coming from my mouth were like evidence of that. I wanted to just shut my eyes and let the feeling consume me. However, he was an extraordinary sight before me.

Namjoon's head was slightly tossed back, eyes shut in concentration and bliss. His jaw clenched every time he tried to suppress one of his moans.

I tighten my walls around him, just to watch how his mouth opens with a groan.  

"Fuck! You're so good." He was living a high life.

Our rapid breathing and ecstatic moaning filled the room. At his pace, he could have easily taken me to the top.

It was such a shame our time had to be cut short by a voice that was not our own.

"What the fuck is this!?" That was rage only his mother could spit. 

Namjoon pulled out of me immediately as he heard his mother came in from the garage. I made sure to moan loud for her as he left me feeling empty inside. 

Namjoon's body covered enough of me as I caught Jaeeun's murderous expression in my line of sight. My mind was still clouded by ecstasy but that wasn't the reason my lips wore a smile. 

My father walked in moments later at the sound of Jaeeun's startle. He was just on time to catch Namjoon pulling up his pants, and my lower half covered by his black shirt. 

Their expressions were priceless. 

Namjoon could do no wrong in my father's eyes. He was the son he always wanted. I was hoping this would put a little strain on their relationship.

Masterlist ≽

[comicgeese39]

Writing A Will During Lockdown.

Writing A Will

Content

Provide Our Wills As Well As Probate Solicitors A Phone Call Today.

What Occurs If The Recipient Of The Estate Passes Away Prior To The Testator?

See Why Kwil Is The Most Flexible Method To Compose Your Will.

Frequently Asked Questions: Wills And Inheritance

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Exactly How We Can Aid You With Writing Your Will

You can name as numerous executors as you like in your will, though the optimum number who can look for probate to provide your estate is four. It makes good sense to call at the very least two or 3, in case any one of them pre-decease you or later on choose they do not want to work as an administrator. Typically, your will must be clear on what will happen to a bequest if the beneficiary pre-deceases you. As an example, whether it expires, mosts likely to their children, or goes to another person rather. When you leave a bequest to a class of people, such as 'my grandchildren living at my death', make it clear whether that includes expected children, so maternities are covered. Telling a close friend, loved one or perhaps your solicitor what your objectives are is not nearly enough.

It is more secure, preferably, for you to review your will regularly, as well as absolutely whenever appropriate tax obligation or probate regulations change. Your executor or administrator will be accountable for the repayment of any tax obligation due on your death. This can consist of any kind of outstanding income tax, resources gains tax obligation as well as inheritance tax. You will also need to obtain an evaluation of the home for the purposes of probate.

Your estate will be split and may most likely to individuals you did not choose. Preparing a will offers you manage over who inherits your estate. A basic person will can be composed from as little as ₤ 100, but increase to around ₤ 400 depending on intricacy. Joint wills, which you obtain with each other with a spouse, can cost in between ₤ 200- ₤ 600, as well as a mirror will costs around ₤ 250 for both.

If you have actually not registered the civil collaboration, and have not made a will, your companion will not be automatically qualified to anything. So if you are intending to register a civil partnership, have signed up a civil partnership without thinking about the effect on your will, or have actually not made a will anyway, take advice. Providing that you have actually experienced a legally binding ceremony, your civil companion will have exactly the very same civil liberties as a spouse would certainly. The solution to this question depends partly on the condition of the kids concerned. If your will might no more show your dreams, you require to upgrade it. If you left a will but did not name the executors, or if none of your called executors agrees to act, after that among the recipients under the will can apply for probate as an administrator. If you did not leave a will in all, members of your closest family members will inherit and also can make an application for probate.

Provide Our Wills And Probate Solicitors A Call Today.

Selecting the appropriate legal professional to draft your will is important, and also we understand you'll have concerns. Below are some of our regularly asked concerns as well as articles to aid you learn more. I would like to position on record my grateful thanks to you for all your hard work in the effective completion our Wills and Power of Lawyer, however all the effort has been finished. It has as constantly been a satisfaction to talk and also consult with you and also we are most thankful for your sensible advice and guidance.

Who keeps a will?

When probate is granted, the will is kept by the Probate Service and any member of the public can get a copy. If you want to search for the will of a person who died recently, you can apply to the Probate Service for a standing search to be made.

At https://sonning.directwillstrusts.co.uk/ Creating Lawyers will aid you prepare for the future to the last information. By answering a couple of brief inquiries on our website, you can find the ideal lawyer to prepare your will. A specialist wills solicitor can generally prepare a will in a fairly brief space of time depending upon the complexity.

What Happens If The Recipient Of The Estate Passes Away Before The Testator?

You maintained us notified throughout as well as offered suggestions when needed, which was particularly valuable. I understand I have actually obtained the highest degree of solution as well as exceptional value for money.

We were rather in the dark as to exactly how a lot of this functioned and also you did a truly fantastic task of maintaining us up to speed up! Absolutely if will writing services newbury of our pals require similar transportation services in the future we'll make sure to advise you and also Mogers Drewett. Over the past year I have had reason to make use of the services of Mogers Drewett in regard of the fatality of both of my parents.Whilst my Father's death was prepared for, my Mom's was really unexpected. sign up have no hesitation in advising you.

See Why Kwil Is One Of The Most Adaptable Method To Write Your Will.

In both cases, there are policies laying out the position for who can apply. It makes good sense to select people who are proficient at administration, have a little bit of economic sense, as well as are credible. You might additionally wish to take into consideration calling a professional executor.

A certain threat to watch out for is the 'forced heirship' guidelines that use in some countries. These say that a proportion of your property must pass by law to specific of your beneficiaries (frequently only those in your bloodline - not your spouse's family), whatever your wishes, as well as whatever it claims in your will.

Despite the fact that possessions passed to your spouse are excluded from inheritance tax on your death, you need to consider what will occur when they pass away. Making a will is an important part of your inheritance preparation, assisting to make sure that your properties will be passed on to the appropriate individuals. If you are preparing common-law marriage, marital relationship or a civil partnership, you need to think about prospective legal issues if one of you passes away or you different. Our group of professional legal representatives will minimise the amount of time you need to invest in our office. Your lawyer can give expert legal recommendations with telephone or video clip calls in order to take your instructions. Making a Will ensures that individuals you wish to profit when you die receive your estate. Holmes & Hills are skilled to be able to compose a Will that is dressmaker made to fulfill your particular demands.

What is a living will vs a will?

As you can tell from above, the main difference between living wills and last wills is their function. While a last will directs the distribution of assets after a person's death, a living will gives directions regarding the medical care of someone who is still alive although unable to communicate her wishes herself.

A straightforward will can be drafted as well as signed within 1 to 2 weeks. If your will is likely to be uncomplicated, with really few assets, it is feasible to do it on your own. However lots of worry that they may fill it out improperly, or it won't become legitimately viable when the time involves reference it. Talking with a professional can help you recognize if you need your will to be composed for you. If you pass away without a will, you haveno say in what happens to your money and properties.

Frequently Asked Questions: Wills And Also Inheritance

Make a note of your checking account numbers as well, but for security maintain it separate - provide it to your executor, or at the very least tell them where it is. The Probate Pc registry will take a look at the application from your executors, as well as may ask questions. This can be vowed at the Probate Pc registry or at the office of any type of commissioner of oaths - usually a neighborhood solicitor. You ought to keep the original somewhere safe and off your property - for example, with your bank or your lawyer. Your executors will require the initial when they look for probate, not a copy.

Coronavirus Update - It's company customarily for all of us at Mogers Drewett. Please do contact us if you require any of our solutions we are here to help.

As gone over a couple of weeks back, I will likely be in touch in the following few months when my companion wants to buy into your house to ensure that we can get her name on the deeds. I would certainly wish to take this opportunity to thanks Matt for his work throughout our house acquisition.

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All Wills are produced online in simply 15 mins, the Will is after that inspected by a team of specialists and sent to you for finalizing as well as seeing.

The legislation in England as well as Wales states that the law controling foreign residential property is the law of the country in which the residential or commercial property is situated. Whether you can throw away that building in your UK will, or you need to make a local will, relies on the legislation of the nation in which your residential property is situated. Frequently you will require to make two wills - one in the UK and one abroad - and also both should correspond. Registration of the civil collaboration invalidates any type of existing will, unless the will was formulated in assumption of this registration.

Most of us have a tendency to place points to the back of our mind that doesn't call for instant interest; making a will is a timeless instance. A Will is an effective lawful document allowing you to let those who you love and respect benefit from your estate.

We would never ever consider going to anyone else for our legal needs. We wish to thank you for your specialist handling of the conclusion sale of our residence the other day. Your interactions with us were extremely understandable as well as we have been extremely pleased with the efficient service that we received. Now I am safely inside the new house I would love to thank you for your excellent handling of the conveyancing for the purchase of Pinkwood. I will have no reluctance in suggesting you wholeheartedly to anyone trying to find such a solution in future.

I would certainly have no doubt in recommending your services to others in the future. Determine who receives your properties-- You can make sure that what you have is offered to individuals of your option, such as relative, good friends or even your favourite charity.

[perfecthomethings-blog]

The purchase of homes in Russia is almost inaccessible to many citizens, so maternal capital and the opportunity to use them are important national benefits. They can be used to buy their living space by redirecting missing funds for agreed repayment of some of its amount. This social assistance is provided to young families where a second or more child is born or adopted.

According to the law, this is an established fact, and the improvement of existing living conditions is a preferential use option. In this case, the meaning is as follows:

In the case described above, the unpaid funds of the mortgage can be used in the form of an initial bank split on the finished mortgage, or directly in the form of final repayment. Maternal capital can be used when a bank buys a home without being involved in a purchase and sale agreement.

Who can use it?

If the child is born or adopted, you can do it almost immediately after this event, at least a week later. At the same time, according to the law, not only the mother can issue and use this problem, but also the following measures can be taken:

An important condition for the use of maternal capital funds and for help in the purchase of an apartment is the presence of Russian citizens who received a certificate. In addition, the house purchased must be in the territory of Russia. It should be taken into account that the parent's capital cannot be used if the family had previously enjoyed state benefits.For more information click here.

Known education After receiving the certificate in hand, you can refer to the legal restrictions described below to use the certificate at your convenience. Before that, it is important to note the documents you need to prepare to carry out the procedure for buying an apartment or other house as soon as possible. The collected documents are submitted to the pension fund agency in the registration and residence of the family. Individual cases may also require additional documentation, such as loan agreements, security agreements, title deeds, debt relief certificates, building sharing agreements, building society membership certificates, and pledges to re-register for housing as a joint possession of a spouse and public agency. Children, stuff.

Time and opportunity

By law, the time to use a certificate when buying a residential apartment has two options:

It should be noted that the third child must be three years old. In the first case, the submitted application will be reviewed within one month, and a notification of the decision must be sent to the applicant within five working days after it is taken. When making a positive decision on the right to use maternity capital, the transfer of funds is made immediately without the ability to cash the funds, which is a defense against fraud.

Nuances and Limitations

funds are a form of national benefit to the Russian people, which have certain restrictions on the disposal of accrued funds. It's a good idea to be aware of these limitations in advance to avoid possible problems. For example, you cannot use family social assistance to pay for consumer loans and debt. However, although many citizens clearly understand the difference between consumers spending and improved housing conditions, not everyone knows how important it is to indicate the purpose of the loan in the contract itself, especially when it is not about mortgages.

If you get money to buy an apartment or to build a residential house, you cannot recover the cost through maternal capital without the phrase about improving the living conditions of the documents concluded between the parties. It is almost impossible to check something in the future.

In addition, families who plan to use parent capital are encouraged to avoid contracts with installment plans. Such transactions are not paid by the state at all. Whatever the situation, it is better to spend a few days to ponder the correctness of the decision and to find out whether it is possible to spend the capital of the parent company to purchase the chosen image.

The information in this article is provided for reference. Recommended for lawyers.

One of the important conditions for the cashing of capital is the age of the child. For example, a mortgage can be issued up to three years of the second child. Compensation for the construction of furniture can be issued after three years of execution. Read this material (depending on the age of the young generation) for more information on capital issuance.

How to cash up to 3 years? According to federal law No. 256, birth funds (hereinafter MK) can be used to reach a three-year-old child. However, there are some exceptions to this law.

First, when registering a target loan, mortgage or loan, it can be used immediately after the MC receives the certificate. In other words:

Partial repayment of a valid loan. Use MK in the form of down payment when receiving credit. The Loan may direct the following costs:

Building furniture; Purchase of second property; Participation in joint construction; After receiving the loan, the citizen must apply to the FIU (Pension Fund) to transfer the MK to a bank account.

MC owners should provide the following documents to the FIU.

Loan Debt. Passport details. Birth certificate. Loan agreement. MK Certificate. Checks, receipts confirming that funds were used for construction, reconstruction and other legal orders. Documents confirming registration of rights to real estate. Notary obligations-According to this document, the owner of the MK must share the acquired property between the family (children and parents) The act of family composition. Other documents as requested by FIU staff. The document review period is 30 days. MK will make a deposit to the designated account within two weeks after making a positive decision.

Secondly, the MC spent up to three years for the following needs:

Purchase of goods for children with disabilities to help social adjustment; Receive one-time payments (2017 not offered) Why is it necessary to wait three years? The main reason for this age is fraud. Because you can use MK at any time, the number of MK scams will increase. In addition, when a young child is still small, a young mother is not easy to deal with MK.

Therefore, the legislature decided a period of three years to use MC's funds after the second (or subsequent) child was born (or adopted).

But do not forget that in 2017, MK spent three years on the child (see chapters 1 and 3 of this article).

3 years old when buying a house As mentioned above, most citizens use capital to improve housing conditions. Use of MC is allowed for up to three years when a special purpose loan or mortgage is issued.

[helphat-blog]

Financial Abuse Story - Male 37 Sydney

I thought I’d share my story of the extant of abuse that I have received as an ADHD disability male adult in Sydney.

Up until now being the bottom end of my disastrous story I am at whits end because effectively there is no help for my issue as when you read my story you will understand that I have undergone much fatigue in the process and suffer huge PTSD as a result.

The issue that is most concerning is that all the problems started when I was diagnosed for my ADHD and I underwent mental betterment for my mental health whereby it was basically thrown in my face and I was used and abused for it. It’s a silent form of adult attack that I wouldn’t wish for anyone.

Post rehabilitation in a time where I was unwell and suffering from depression, I had recovered from a banking disaster whereby I had a large amount of money stolen from my account in 2015/16. During my time of self-betterment my mother had taken control of $200,000 of my money whereby I had given faith in her with a joint account to help me save.

During this time 2016, a former girlfriend aware of my self-betterment engaged in coercion to make me bankrupt by defrauding and advantaging from my situation whereby I had been in the U.S.A LA, at a recovery retreat to control my diagnosis of ADHD and undertake treatment, though during this time action was pursued against me by default and when I had returned to an already too late outcome I had been made bankrupt when I was solvent and furthermore when I was unable to fight the claim due to my mother and father using my funds and controlling my funds whilst I was in treatment.

7 days after the bankruptcy had taken place and completely distraught as to what had transpired, I had received a call from the now successful creditor (former girlfriend) asking to meet with me as she was apologetic as to what she had done and I was wanting answers as to why she did what she had done.

On the 19th of June 2017, my former girlfriend now creditor had pre-meditated an assault and attempted murder attack whilst I was ambushed by two men in black attire existing my vehicle with my small pet dog. The ambush resulted in 10 days hospitalisation though the story does not end here. Post this attack that had left me with a collapsed lung broken jaw and over 100 wounds, nerve damage and fearing for my life, my former creditor had fled the scene with two accomplices and later issued a false statement saying that I had attacked her and subsequently two men appeared from thin air to save her.

The evidence was not substantiated by her misleading actions though the concern was not of her lies, though was the police when an ambulance nurse had written my medicinal influence at the time for ADHD as amphetamine. Police due to the fact that there were no witnesses and as she had fled the state of NSW in an effort to deter criminal charges, I was left without any justice as the creditor to whom made me bankrupt not only did so in spite and illegally, I was brutally attacked and almost died that evening and to date have not received any justice. ( The testimony by my former girlfriend was false and at a later date came to fruition when she had been attacked by her current partner to whom had attacked me on this evening and wanted to seek redemption for the pain she caused, out of tiresome and being let down already by police I didn’t bother to show them)

Now bankrupt and recovering from nearly being killed and having to cope with post mental fatigue, further undue influence arose when on the 26th of August 2017 my mother had called the police at home where I was still in recovery, she had refused to provide me with money that had been rightfully mine and denied access to my medication whereby I required to have my medication for ADHD. As a form of control and abuse of power that had been restraint on me by my family, I had completely retaliated whereby destroying personal belongings of mine in anger. The same police that earlier were there when I was nearly dead on the street on the 19th June 2017 were now at my parents’ home. All 9 police officers armed and in force this time to attack and engage me as a “Violent” aggressor.

I was arrested and charged, and that evening made homeless as I was restricted by AVO and was in heavy need of medical attention whereby further refused inside custody by officers. At the time I had made a call to my psychiatrist and also lodged a discrimination case against the police for misleading my mother and father to charge me with fictitious claims and that police had also promised my parents that the charges could be dropped when they wanted to do so, the police insisted to my parents that they thought this would be a good idea to teach me a lesson, though as the records showed at a later date when all charges were dropped that the police engaged in unlawful behaviour as they crossed the lines of the law to satisfy their personal understanding without properly investigating the facts. As a result of this fatigue and anguish leaving me virtually mentally unsound. My parents at the time aware of there wrongs assisted to ensure that no charges were made and that the police acted unlawfully and were simply tying in my previous police incident whereby I was the victim. In a nut shell, they wanted to have me charged as a “Drug” induced aggressor, because that’s the norm, though disregarded all ADHD medication and disability rights.

Determined to seek justice from my assault and discriminative treatment by NSW police and undue hardship having to deal with a bankruptcy made by a former partner and now living under a roof of my grandmothers house without any financial capabilities as my parents continued to use financial restraint over me, following a discussion with my father such comments as “Just move forward and forget the past events and come and work for me” growing up I had never wanted to work for my father’s construction company, I gave in powerless and agreed to commence working for my father on the 20th September 2017 as I was a whits end.

As a bankrupt the creditor whom assaulted and hospitalised me now had right to 50% of wage, and as my father refused to support my wishes in taking this matter to court I was cornered into a powerless position whereby I had agreed for my father to save my wages per week to get on my feet. The deal was that he provided me with $300 in cash and save $1850 into an account set up in his name so that I could one day again start to see my life had taken the turn for the better, boy was I wrong.

Work was great and I was instantly promoted within the 3 months and engaged in turning my fathers’ company around for the better. During my employed time from the 20th of September 2017 to 28th September 2018 I had worked on average 70 hours a week and was undertaking serval if not multiple roles, being my fathers’ company, I took much pride in my work as it was family.

During August 2018, on the instructions of my father and his business partner I was told to check on an existing employee with street gang ties to whom assaulted and intimidated me taking advantage of my disability at the time of employment knowingly. On two occasions I was hospitalised at Randwick hospital for being assaulted by this employee, though out of fear and under duress I had not contacted the police as my father and business partner had laughed off these events as cowardly.

Towards the end of August 2018 when I was heavily over-worked and under stress, I had been physically  abused and then taken advantage of to cover for the same abusive employee whom I had feared whereby a situation that occurred had then fallen onto me as I had been subjected to losing my job of having to support this employee whom to date still currently works for my father, I had been fired unfairly and without justification and blackmailed.

Following the events of ongoing abuse and now unemployed for which I had not had employment agreement, my father refused to pay me my money that had been saved. What was owing was in excess of $100,000. The company vehicle and apartment were stripped away, and I had resorted back to my grandfathers place where I had been stationed previously following my parents AVO and now faced without income or money again. I had not been aware of the time allocation of making a complaint to fair work as I was in a position of moving without assistance or the help of family members. The mental fatigue was ever so climbing and reaching ridiculous levels of instability. Causing issues with sleep, anxiousness, stress and nervousness.

Now left abandoned and taken advantage of again financially by my father and using the abuse of power without any help from extended families wanting to be involved, I no doubt believe that many would have scene this as a issue of problem intense and many simply did not care and stayed away from involving themselves. Luckily, my father’s cousin from Italy arrived, being a doctor he had scene first hand the hardship as I was admitted to mental hospital for nervous breakdown and suicidal thoughts as no luck had seemed to be going my way when my relative from Italy tried to assist and recover my money with the idea of helping in good faith and for the idea of advising my father that he would agree to pay me in excess of $200,000 when I left Australia and I was on the plane to Italy. Again, under duress and financial control and without possible way of escaping the “Hell of earth” situation, I had agreed and on the proviso of my relative from Italy having an undertaking that my father would transfer the money when I was in Italy. Was yet again another blow when promises had again not been met. Furthermore, during the course of this process I had sent four boxes of all my belongings overseas with the intentions of never again coming back. Though I had been over my head with the thought, I was again a victim of abuse by way of control whereby my father had failed in the agreement made prior leaving Australia on the 4th of March 2019 and I had suffered overseas without income and to the behest of power that he continues to have over me. Both family members mother and father had in dishonest power over my life again deceived me.

Now returned to Australia, living out of a suitcase back at my grandfathers place and not knowing what to call home or not knowing who I am or if this is all one big great nightmare and dream that I will wake up from. My grandmother during these incidents maybe out of stress fell and hit her head and ended up with dementia and my grandfather in hospital as I left Australia, died whilst I was overseas. Now, living in a large five bedroom home, neglected, no food, no income, no car, no concept of reality or idea of what to do next and the feeling as though so surreal and foreign that I dare say or request anything from anyone as I am that mortified of being abused and that scared from life itself, I literally am in a frightening position and can see the lights caving in heading straight for a mental breakdown.

I write this story of events to maybe help others that are out there and maybe if there is an angel or someone out there that I can hear say “Hey, I can help you” you don’t have to be afraid anymore, you don’t have to worry because you are normal and you have every reason to fear these people as they are narcissistic and psychopathic hurtful people and this is not the norm out there, there are good people out there. Is this my reality ? is this life worth living? Having understood the array of complete destruction spanning nearly 4 years, one would agree one of the incidents above would be enough for a successful suicide attempt. Though, I am not strong anymore, I cannot take the continual abuse of power and to be treated unfairly due to my disability or be under duress to even dare say that I agree to one more lie that my father and mother or anyone wanting to involve themselves to try and mitigate the situation, because I can longer and will no longer agree to hand over the keys to my sanity away to abusive financial soul sucking gas lighting family. And I will not, I refuse not to give in to the people that say “but this is your family” they love you. This is not love? Whilst my father and mother live the luxury in a waterfront prime house in Sydney and my father drives around in a half a million dollar vehicle, his son whom he has reckoned the life of is rotting away without hope due to the system and violence of silence that goes unnoticed and undetected by anyone.

This is the most lethal course of violence one could be held under because it is not only an attack on my mental status having ADHD and having been subjected to the issues of my disability, the silence of torture by way of stealth is the most gruesome torture of all.

Hope this story can shed some light, and now you can start to see why this country has a high suicide rate. Because I doubt people can live to tell the truth or even live to tell their story of what happened. There is no justice for this. The alarming abuse of power for people such as me with ADHD / Autistic spectrum that are vulnerable to this type of abuse goes vastly unnoticed and undedicated. The real murderers are not jailed, the real attackers are not charged, and the gifted and honest caring souls are wasted and used by the likes of people whom feed of these talents and abilities to satisfy their own ego and power. They are the ones then sighted at the funeral when all goes pear shaped and someone that does suffer to the likes of something similar above takes his or her life. Its sad but true as you are mourned and saddened by those who inflict the pain by hosting a large funeral and church procession for when you are dead, saluted off with flowers and songs and the priests heart felt talk about the deceased and why it’s a lesson to all etc etc, when the deceased was alive no one cared, no one gave a hoots second to understand the victim. Funny how the money comes rolling in when its time to die, but when its time to live no one wants a bar of you and no one is willing to help? Life was never this way…

To all that are suffering, fight and never give up your life.

[awed-frog]

"why are angels in suits and archangels in ratty jeans" do you think maybe archangels have something that resembles free will, something regular angels have to struggle a lot to discover within themselves? (yes I read all your tags)

I’m not sure the two things are linked, though? Or linked in that exact way, ie free will automatically leads to freedom to customize your accessories?

Like, if we’re talking clothes, the most striking examples are Michael and Lucifer and how their fashion sense seems to evolve with their vessel.

There could be many reasons for this. Most likely, it’s just a narrative way of showing a clear difference between Dean (or Sam) and their possessed versions, because the fact is, both Lucifer and AU!Michael used to dress in a very similar way to real!Dean and real!Sam, so without the change in clothes, both actors and viewers would have a much harder time telling them apart.

(The interesting exception, of course, is Cas. See below for more speculation.)

As for in-story logic, there are a couple of fashion-related points we can make.

First of all, both in Supernatural and IRL, suits embody a kind of willing submission to your role in society, and what your superiors think and want. While most lines of work have compulsory or traditional ‘uniforms’, suits are not dictated by practical or safety reasons. They simply signal you don’t work with your hands and you get (or hope to get) something of a decent salary. What’s particularly striking about suits is that, on the whole, they’re not really a good choice as ‘standard wear’ for tertiary jobs? Like - for one, most suits just don’t fit the wearer’s body very well. You walk around and you see a lot of people (basically all the women because boobs and curves, but also many men) who just look awkward and cheap. There’s a reason why ‘getting a bespoke suit’, complete with standing on ridiculous tiny podium with four Italian tailors shaking their hands at you is such a popular movie trope and generally shorthand for ‘you’ve made it’, and it’s because off-the-rack suits tend to suck - they fall weirdly on your body, might pull at your joints, and generally look really bad. If you’re Benedict Cumberbatch, you could probably find someting suitable even in Asda, but then again, if you’re Benedict Cumberbatch you’d look good in a sandwich wrapper, so that’s a moot point. And another thing is that suits are incredibly high-maintenance, even if Supernatural pretends otherwise? 

(And that’s another of those ‘black spaces’ we all watch with such rapt attention, by the way, because the boys wearing suits so often implies someone - *coughs* Dean *coughs* - spends a sizable portion of his time buying and looking after those clothes, and probably has a whole room in the Bunker full of fluffy fabric and costumes.)

Anyway - you need to fold them neatly and iron the shit out of them (and ironing shirts, that’s fun) and depending on the fabric every time you fucking move they fucking crease? And finally (I mean, I could go on because I hate them, but you know), finally they’re generally the reflection of an entitled, arrogant society which doesn’t take into account nature or weather. Like, people in suits may look all cool and unruffled inside their fancy AC-ed banks, but try wearing your bespoke woolen monstrosity on the tube, or outside on a summer afternoon, and you’re not likely to come out alive. So where manual workers are mostly forced to wear the same thing year-round to protect themselves from injury (or because their clothes need to be boiled when washed), and other professionals (like teachers) will adapt their wardrobe to seasons and mood, people who’re forced to wear suits truly represent the end of individuality, personality, and choice. 

(Our national bank and our biggest insurance will police everything down to your bra, nail polish and make-up, so while there are people who genuinely enjoy wearing suits - I guess - I’d say for most it’s not really a choice.)

And the sad thing is, we’ve all accepted this as a good & worthy thing: buying your first suit is a sign you’re all grown up, and even if you’re not a corporate slave, you’ll be expected to wear suits at important meetings, weddings and funerals (hell, I know I’ve got a couple in my closet, so I’m not claiming any moral high ground here). What’s even more perverse, and also chimes in with the Supernatural universe, is that true wealth doesn’t give a rat’s ass about suits. As with other stuff, from dead languages to meditation to how well you treat your inferiors, there’s a wide gap between those who think they’re the upper class and the real upper class. This is a detail that often goes unnoticed, both IRL and in fiction, but a show like Billions, for instance, explored it to perfection: most characters will be in suits all the time, because the background is the financial world, but not Axe, our main character, who’ll choose jeans and leather jackets (which probably cost more than your house, and okay, but still: the key is comfort and non-conformity).

(See also: Chuck in his second-hand jacket vs. his archangels preening up and buying stupid stuff as soon as they fall in line.

Or: Chuck wearing whatever the hell he likes while his theoretically more powerful sister is stuffed into luxurious and revealing clothes, complete with pastel nail polish.)

Coming back to Supernatural, this is something of a pattern: normal angels are (almost) always in suits. Cas has a shabby suit hidden by his trademark trench coat - a fashion choice which has many reasons (chief among them, that John Constatine thing) but ends up representing the character’s dilemma and his push towards free will and a different kind of belonging. Both Michael and Lucifer dress shabbily when they’re not following Heaven’s plan, and suit up as soon as they manage to fulfill their expected roles. Raphael, the only archangel to be 100% loyal to the task he was assigned, is always shown in a suit.

(Gabriel, who never fit in, lived and died (twice) in his own personalized wardrobe.)

Something else that’s a headcanon of mine is that angels, generally speaking, don’t give a damn about human stuff because they’re not equipped to understand it. Like, Crowley is susceptible to the joys of a well-cut suit, and also painfully aware of its meaning (as an illiterate, illegimate child of a socially rejected mother, belonging and riches is what he dreamed about, and it’s not a surprise he chose to be apprenticed to a tailor); then again, he’s a demon, not an angel, which means he’s got a deep layer of tortured humanity informing his thoughts and his decisions. On the other hand, what does a suit mean to someone like Lucifer, who’s older than balls, considers humans to be a mistake and the scum of the Earth and is used to see their fashion sense change dramatically every few seconds (to an immortal, fifty years must look like one or two minutes)? No - to Lucifer, and Michael, and possibly Gabriel, the main problem is that they’re not in their rightful vessels; and, as we’ve seen very clearly in Lucifer’s case, the consequences can be irritating and very, very dramatic. So it makes sense, in a way, that they’d focus on keeping their vessels’ skin in one piece without bothering with anything else? Like, Nick!Lucifer changing into a nice Armani would be like a guy being rushed to the ER for organ failure insisting on silver cufflinks on his hospital gown.

(That’s also why, I think, Lucifer never bothered to change anything about Cas’ appearance when he was possessing Cas? It was a way of 1) cutting down his workload, 2) annoying the hell out of Sam and Dean and tricking them for as long as possible and 3) refusing to claim ownership of a vessel Lucifer probably considered dirty and beneath him.)

As a final thought, I always had a problem with that whole ‘angels have no free will’ thing, because the show & tell on that one never matched all that well. I mean: the only angel whose journey we truly witnessed was Cas, and even with Cas, it’s stated outright he always had plenty of free will and a boatload of feelings and opinions - to the point where he had to be reprogrammed several times. Mostly other low-level angel we’ve seen, though, have displayed a remarkable sense of self and very disinct preferences: from Balthazar who did his own thing to hippy!angels who wanted to camp by a river, to Ishim who went against orders to get laid, to Gadreel who took an awful lot of independent decisions, to his subtextual husband/textual parabatai who’d chosen a suburban human life, all the way to Naomi (the highest in hierarchy) and to that cute angel in glasses (the lowest of the low, and rip). So while the ‘tell’ part of this story was always more or less consistent (‘angels can’t understand emotions, can’t make their own choices, Cas is the lone exception’), the ‘show’ part mostly fell short of that message: with the exception of the suit as shorthand for brainlessness and obedience, angels never acted like the brainwashed robots they were supposed to be. In fact, you could even argue that the only two angels who’re pig-headedly determined to follow the path Chuck traced for them are, ironically enough, Michael and Lucifer.

[queen-scribbles]

Starting Over

For @pillarspromptsweekly 70: Rebuild. Rather than focus on broad strokes of the whole city, my brain decided I needed a new OC and went in to focus on one person. :D

Josetta di Carro was used to starting over.

She’d already done it twice in her four-and-twenty years. Once with what remained of her family after Papa died--along with the business--and Mama decided to move them from the Republics to the Dyrwood. (”New opportunities, principenetta. It will be best for all of us, ac?”) And then again when her dreams for the future proved unsustainable in the small hamlet where they’d settled.

She couldn’t truly say she was surprised when it was required yet again--it fit the pattern of her fortunes--but it was something of a shock to watch Defiance Bay fall. Josetta was in some ways, still the wide-eyed provincial Alyse and Bennet teasingly accused her of being. Two years in the bustling city had not yet disabused her of the notion Defiance Bay was nigh impregnable. And given that it was riots and internal strife that laid the city low, part of her still clung tenaciously to that belief.

In the end, in didn’t really matter, she mused philosophically, staring at the charred shell of her home. Internal or external crisis, this sciòderie had gotten people killed, businesses looted, homes burned. Including hers. Apparently the woman renting the room next to hers had worked at Brackenbury. Animancer or no, it was enough for the ravening mobs to put the humble domicile to the torch. Josetta’s room had been on the ground floor, which meant when the beams gave way and the house curled inward, everything she owned in the world was buried under burning beams and scorching heat.

Josetta was used to starting over. But this time was so reminiscent of the worst elements from the others, it paralyzed her, staring helpless at the ruin of what had genuinely felt like home.

Even a single step on a long road lessens the distance, her father’s voice reminded her. Josetta smiled at the memory of the well-worn encouragement and rest one hand on the door frame. She couldn’t deny the truth of the words, even having heard them enough they were almost more platitude than anything at this point. Things wouldn’t get better, the pieces would remain scattered, if she did nothing.

A voice hailed from the street just as she ducked into the house. “Jos! Josetta!”

She stepped back and turned, nearly falling back against the soot streaked wall as her eyes confirmed what her ears had told her. “Dom?! What are you doing here?”

Her brother wrapped her in a hug, tight enough to steal her breath, and kissed her forehead. “We heard about the riots, and you didn’t write, postenaga, so Mama found someone to cover my work that I might ensure my favorite big sister still numbered among the living, ac?”

“I’m sorry,” Josetta said contritely. “I was running errands for the healers. They set up just down there” --she gestured to the mostly-standing manor house on the corner--”and I was helping keep them in bandages and salves. I should have written.” She smirked slyly at her brother. “I believe Valeria is working there, if you wish to check on her as well.”

“No, best to let her work,” Dom said, shaking his head. To his credit, he kept a straight face, though Josetta was fairly sure she saw extra color in his cheeks. Hylea save her, she wished he would stop pretending he wasn’t sweet on her friend.

But if he wanted her to drop it, she would. “You have excellent timing, Dom. I was just about to steel my soul and see what remains of my belongings. Care to join me? Make sure no floorboards drop on my head?”

He shot her a scolding look for the dark humor. “Josetta.”

“Dominico,” she replied dryly, before returning to her task. She heard him sigh, would lay an oble or two he rolled his eyes, but he did follow her down the charred hallway. “So, how did the rest of the city look on your way in?”

“Damaged, but recovering,” Dom said, coughing as he brushed the wall and raised a cloud of soot. “I heard talk the Watcher out at Caed Nua is sending aid, but it’s not arrived yet if it is indeed coming. That mercenary company, the Dozens? They seem to be running things for now. Jos, are you sure it’s safe in here?”

“They told us we could return to our homes, begin to salvage what remains,” Josetta replied as she hiked up her skirt to step over a fallen beam. Perhaps trousers would have been wiser.... “They said everything should be settled by now. So long as we go slow and watch out for each other, we should be fine, ac?”

“Part of me dislikes that both those sentences involve the word ‘should’,” Dom chuckled. “But I will, as always, trust you, sérre bela.”

Josetta grunted her appreciation of that as she paused outside what had been her door. Now it was fragments of charred black wood edged in the drooping remains of her doorknob. “How are things at home?” she asked, mostly to stall looking at the state of her room.

Dom shrugged, a look in his eyes that said he knew what she was doing. “Same as ever. The business is doing well, Mama misses you but is proud of you for chasing your dreams.” He tipped his head toward the bedroom. “I understand this is hard, Jos, but we only have so many hours with the sun. Even taking your new skylight into account.”

She followed his gesture to the gaping hole in her ceiling where Joram’s room had dropped into hers. “You are right, of course. Come on, then, we should get on with it.”

-o-     <>    -o-

Josetta and Dom worked diligently but with care, moving around what debris they could to see if anything could be salvaged. There was precious little. All of her books and most of her music were reduced to ash. Dom was able to rescue five pages from two different compositions that had largely been protected by the volume of Aedyran history, and even those were singed around the edges. “Sorry, sérre,” he said gently as he handed them over.

Josetta sat on the floor holding the parchments and tried not to cry. Five pages--not even a whole arrangement between them--was all she had to show for weeks, months of work. The rest had turned to soot and ash, likely blown away on one of the breezes that flowed through from the sea. Gone. It’s all gone. She looked at the bits Dom had found, letting the notes play in her head to see what she had.

One small mercy: she still had three pages of her favorite piece she’d composed. It was enough to reconstruct the rest of that, at least. Hopefully. She could at least have her best work when she pulled together enough--

A horrible thought struck her and she scrambled on hands and knees past Dom toward what remained of her bed. Gods have mercy, please have mercy.

“Jos?” Dom frowned as he watched her fish under the broken and burned bedframe. “What’s wrong?”

Her hand touched glass. Unbroken. Josetta breathed a sigh of relief and started carefully working the jar toward her. “Less than could be wrong.” She got it free, the coins inside clinking. “My savings. Towards attending a music school either back in the Republics or in Aedyr.” She winced slightly at the look on his face. “You know this is something I wish to pursue, the music. It can be done much better someplace with more focus on the arts, ac?”

He nodded, taking a breath. The momentary hurt fled his face and he grinned at her. “There are safer places to keep your money, sérre bela. Some call them banks.”

She rolled her eyes as she pushed to her feet and brushed at the charcoal streaks across her dress. “I know that. It... doesn’t feel like enough for a bank yet. I know that sounds silly...”

“Ac, it does,” Dom winked. “That must be, what, several hundred pands? Put it somewhere safe, Jos.”

“I will. Soon as the city is not topsy-turvy anymore.” Josetta set the jar of coins next to the other things they’d salvaged so far--some trinkets, a blanket, the music box Papa had given her for her tenth birthday. It was precious little, but it was better than nothing. She looked at the sheets of music clutched in her hand. All she had to show for months of composing, thanks to one lousy mob and the riots they’d sparked. Damn reactionary Dyrwoodans. “How much longer do you think we’ll have light?”

Dom looked up. “Another hour or two, unless those clouds get worse.”

Josetta followed his gaze and groaned. Nedra had been predicting rain today, on account of her joints aching. “Well, let’s make the most of whatever time we get....” She  sighed and tugged on one of her braids. “I doubt there is much more to save, either way.” She felt bad for Nedra; significant as Josetta’s losses were proving, it was Nedra’s house that had gone up like a tinderbox with the encouragement of a torch or two.

“Still, best to get all we can before looters realize it’s safe and come through,” Dom pointed out. He carefully set his shoulder under the beam blocking her armoire and nudged it enough they could get a door open.

It broke off, the wood around the hinges too charred to hold its weight, when Josetta pulled on it. This tempered her expectations accordingly, so when all her clothes reeked of smoke, and most were at least singed, she was disheartened but not surprised. She didn’t own much jewelry, but what there was had survived. Josetta dropped it all in with her savings before sitting on the floor to sort the clothes that could be salvaged from those that were too far gone.

It turned out to be a much more even split than she expected. Her favorite shirt was burned beyond salvation, but that was the only serious loss. And while it would take forever to wash out even the faint odor or smoke from what could be saved, at least she didn’t have to buy a whole new wardrobe. The sky was starting to darken with clouds as she finished, so Josetta decided it was time to call it a day. They’d found anything of value either practical or sentimental worth salvaging, and she was starting to get hungry. So she and Dom bundled her rescued belongings into the haversacks Josetta had brought for precisely that purpose and started heading for the door.

Just as the skies opened in a drenching downpour.

“Merla,” Dom cursed, belatedly yanking up the hood of his cloak. Josetta couldn’t argue with the sentiment. She’d already been tired and hungry, adding wet was going to make it a truly miserable walk back to her temporary quarters.

So rather than scold her little brother for his language, she simply smiled as she too pulled up her hood and headed toward the street. “Come on. It’s a bit of a walk, but you can stay with me.”

It was tricky making their way out in the rapidly worsening rainstorm. Navigating the fallen debris and trouble spots had been hard enough dry and well-lit. Now just outlines and slick with watered-down soot, it was almost a nightmare. Still, they managed fairly well, and trouble didn’t strike until they were almost out the door.

Josetta’s hand slipped as she leaned against the wall to climb over a beam, and she over-compensated in her efforts to not land face first in the sooty sludge that covered the floor. She fell back against Dom, who in turn  fell back into one of the collapsed beams. Unfortunately, it was not one of the tightly lodged collapsed beams and teetered toward the siblings as they landed on the floor despite Josetta’s best efforts.

Dom spat another curse--”Move, Jos!”--and shoved her out of the way as best he could. The beam still clipped her shoulder, but barely enough to bruise, and from the yelp her brother emitted, not nearly as bad as it hit him.

“Dom?!” she hissed as she got to her hands and knees, not quite panicked but getting close.

“Se futtito,” he growled, resting his weight on his elbows. “My leg is stuck.”

Josetta squinted at where the beam rested atop his shin, hardly able to see in the fading light. I wish I was a wizard; I could make my own light. Fortunately, between what she could see and feeling gingerly with her hands, the full weight of the beam wasn’t resting on Dom’s leg. Something else was sharing the load and--hopefully--keeping the beam from breaking his leg. Another minute or so of fumbling exploration and she found it--a large chunk of masonry from the front wall. 

Thus reassured she wasn’t dealing with something that would crumble away if she moved the beam, Josetta felt along the sturdy length of wood until she found the end. “Alright. Dom?”

He grunted. “Cué?”

“It doesn’t seem to be resting too heavily on you,” she said, wrapping her hands under the end of the beam, “so I’m going to lift it. Soon as you think you can, pull free, ac?”

“Are you... are you sure you can lift it, Jos?” Dom asked--between gritted teeth from the sound of it.

“A little,” Josetta assured him. “And that’s all we need; enough to get you out. Ready?”

“Yes.”

She did a quick three-count and heaved. The beam was heavier than it looked, and her bruised shoulder didn’t help matters, but she did lift it enough for Dom to wriggle free. Once she was sure he was clear, she let go and the beam clattered back down.

“Any other injuries or just the ankle?” Josetta asked as she circled the rubble to help him up.

“Just the ankle,” Dom confirmed, accepting the hand she offered. He hissed when he tried to put weight on the injured leg--which she’d expected--and almost lost his balance again.

Josetta quickly wrapped one arm around his wait and draped his around her shoulders. “Looks like you may get to see Valeria tonight after all,” she teased.

He huffed in irritation and leaned on her heavily. “Yes, because this is how I wanted our first encounter in months to go.”

“Don’t worry,” she laughed, carefully picking a path through the remaining distance to the street. “I’ll be sure to tell her you got hurt protecting me. Perhaps even exaggerate your heroism a bit, ac? She’ll like you for sure after that.”

“Jos, don’t tease,” he grumbled, but she could tell he was smiling even before they passed close enough to a torch for her to see.

Still, he hadn’t just gotten hurt protecting her (from her own carelessness, no less), so Josetta didn’t tease anymore as they made their way slowly down the street. She was not a physically strong woman, and even the short walk began to wear on her, but Josetta gritted her teeth, determined to reach the makeshift hospital. Salvation came in the form of a patrolling Crucible Knight, who insisted on helping Dom. This left just the haversacks of salvaged belongings for Josetta to wrangle, which was much more manageable. Both she and Dom thanked the knight profusely when they reached the converted manor house.

Josetta helped Dom to a chair, then went to stow her things somewhere safe before rejoining him to wait for a healer. With Defiance Bay at large still recovering from the riots, it did take a while before there was a healer free to check on something not immediately life-threatening. But it was worth it when the healer turned out to be Valeria and Josetta--as promised--got to sing her little brother’s praises until both Dom and Valeria were blushing to their roots. (What were big sisters--and best friends, for that matter--for if not to occasionally embarrass you? They were obviously sweet on each other and just both too shy to make the first move, it required a sisterly nudge.)

Much to their joint relief, Dom’s ankle was not broken, just badly sprained. He’d need to keep off his feet for a few days--at least--and couldn’t help if she went back to salvage more, but he’d be alright. That was the important part.

Josetta couldn’t help but give him a motherly kiss on the forehead once they were settled in for the night. “Agricima, Dominico.”

He smiled and squeezed her hand. “Bon piaco, Josetta.”

She curled up on her own bed--cot, really--with a smile on her face. Starting over was indeed hard, but less so when you had help. And between her brother and her friends, she definitely had that.

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

I, of course, designed Josetta in the Deadfire CC, with two different hairstyles because I liked them both. So she has options. :D I love creating characters, it’s fun.

(Dom’s quickly shaping into an actual character, too, not just Jos’ little brother, so he’ll probably be coming soon.)

[whenwomenrefuse]

The Abusive Relationship

I was in a very bad relationship for over five years. I was mentally unwell due to parental issues from my youth and this relationship made me feel so bad I would stay awake until he was asleep so that I could sneak out of our bedroom just to cry into a thick pillow. The pillow crying had started by the year and a half mark, somewhere around the 2 and a half year mark I tried to end things. I was told no, it was all in my head, he made me stop my taking the pill, because he had “done some googling” and the pill can affect your mental health…no s$%t Sherlock but the problem is you. Even off the pill he got angry with me because I made him wear a condom; I went to a new doctors and kept my pill at work anyway. Why was it so bad? from the sixth month point of our relationship if I said no to sex, for any reason, he would firmly squeeze, poke and taunt me (even in public) until I gave up in tears and just lay there like a dead fish. This happened several times a week, if not every day.

By the start of our fourth year together I was contemplating suicide on a regular basis, thankfully a redundancy and six months of being his house pet (and other things) searching for work handed me a job on the other side of the country. I took it and had told him it was over after 2 weeks of knowing what happiness felt like again. He was insistent we could work it out. He was sure I had cheated on him and was feeling guilty (because after years of abuse I totally wanted to throw myself at someone else, wrong). I kept saying no, I told him to get help. He then faked having cancer (I foolishly believed) so I kept talking to him so he would get treatment. Then suddenly he showed up at my office on a Friday and I was pressured into spending the weekend with him. I hopped in the shower of his hotel room only to have him join me…I couldn’t even shower because he had to hug me and cry. Then he did the same thing as I tried to sleep. He gave me a very expensive bracelet (from a brand I had mentioned throughout our relationship as being hideous) and forced me to ware it, told me he had booked this trip as soon as I got the job over here to propose; I checked our joint bank account, the one I didn’t want to get, and he booked it a few days before, I was happy to throw that back at him.

Then at about 2 am on Monday morning I had to accompany him to the airport, he had offered to drive me to my place but I decided on making sure he returned the hire car and checked into his flight, I didn’t watch him board as he made me agree to trying to make things work. I agreed and left because I knew if I said no he wouldn’t get on that flight. I had to put up with around six months of constant stream of emails, texts and phone calls, which were mostly one sided and me just saying the minimal. Then it suddenly stopped, no explanation, he blocked me on Facebook (if I could have afforded fireworks I would have ordered some in celebration). Then the hell of getting my things off of him, including my car, went on for months. He ended up sending me my car and three boxes of some of the things I had asked for but mostly random things…including some of his junk.  Among the things I asked for, my baby photos (because I don’t have parents so I have them) and my books, particularly my copies of a specific book that I collect…not there. I did however receive a Bible. Which was interesting as neither of us was religious and I know we didn’t own a Bible. I opened it to the bookmark to find a section on adultery highlighted. Apparently he had found God and was now trying to show me the error of my supposed ways.

I was initially upset over the Bible incident, because I had not been unfaithful, despite the fact that I could have been….and these days think I should have been. I had to see him at a work thing for a few days just last year, because he followed me into the same profession (that way he could use all my notes and not worry about studying much himself). I played nice, but really I was dying inside. My boss at the time, could tell something was wrong and offered to switch places with me for the few days. I declined and spent a lot of the time smiling and being happy just to spite him. I got a lot of scowls for that. I have not heard from him since, unless you count the regular notifications I get from my professional LinkedIn profile to let me know “insert name of douche bag ex” has viewed your profile. I deal with this by never looking at his profile and hope that it eats him up inside.

My belongings are either somewhere at his house collecting dust or set up as a shrine or have been thrown away. I live with this because, I don’t really need my baby photos and I have started my book collection again. I live my life damaged, I have tried one relationship since and I couldn’t cope because the guy made a few pushy moves (not with sex) and I decided that I didn’t need that and couldn’t cope with it. I have no desire to date again, unless you count marathon sessions of tv shows or movies with my latest actor crush. No, I have a dog who makes me happier than the ex ever did…even with his unwanted face licks after he has been eating who knows what at the park. I can honestly say I am happier now then I have ever been.

I know you might all be thinking this, why did I never go to the police? I didn’t know I could, I was in a relationship with him, we were living together, why would the police do anything? And then there was the fact that I was the female, In my country, despite the first world listing and apparent equal rights. It has never felt like that. I have only ever felt equal to a man if they are from another country, where begin female is as equal to, or as irrelevant as being male. I have some aunts and uncles and cousins, but they do not know the full extent of what went on in that relationship, it is scary but hopefully therapeutic to get it out.

To anyone in a similar circumstance out there, get out, plan your departure in your head. Pack a bag, get on a bus/train/plane and just go. Abusive relationships are never okay.

[parisian-nicole]

Miami Vice Fic: Undercover Blues

Summary: Sonny and Trudy have to go deep undercover to recaptured an escaped Colombia drug lord. They find themselves becoming too comfortable in their undercover roles and blurring lines.

Rating: M

Author's Note: This is my first Miami Vice story. This is what happens when I watched a marathon of Miami Vice on Hulu. I always felt they never gave Trudy much to do except that batshit crazy alien and James Bown episode (and the absolute worst episode ever). Here's a Trudy and Sonny centric fic. Writing this off the top of my head at this point. I hope you read and review.

Chapter one:

They headed to the conference room as they had been instructed. He had reached the entrance first but stalled, stepped back and allowed her to enter first. They had taken their seats across the table from each other before they finally spoke.

"Do you know what this is about, Sonny?" Trudy Joplin questioned as she leaned forward in her seat and spoke in a hushed tone. He removed the shades he still wore having just entered the station from his lunch break. He rested the glasses in his hand atop the table and he tapped one side against the table.

"Ya, got me babe," Sonny Crockett replied as he let his eyes peer through the open door of the conference room, across to Lieutenant Castillo's office. "I'm thinking it must be something bad if we're the only ones invited the party," He added as he watched Castillo speaking on his phone. He wasn't able to gauge what the call might have been about because their lieutenant had such a deadpan, emotionless express that was always impossible to read.

"Well, what did you do Crockett?" She threw out half accusing and half joking as she leaned back more comfortably in her seat, crossed her legs and her arms across her chest. This gained Sonny's complete attention as he focused back onto her with a smile as he too leaned back more comfortably.

"Me? What makes you think this is because I did something, what about you sweetheart?"

"I'm a perfect little angel and you know it," She said batting her eyelashes with a teasing smile as he chuckled a bit at her. Their banter ended as Castillo entered the conference room, closing the door behind him.

"So, what's up Lieutenant, why have we been called to the principal's office?" Sonny joked but as usual, Castillo looked unamused and stoic.

"We've just received some serious intel on Gabriel Torres," Castillo replied and the smiles that had been on both Sonny and Trudy's faces disappeared.

"Colombian drug lord Gabriel Torres?" Sonny questioned.

"I remember that bastard. After he was arrested and set to be prosecuted he had some of his goons kidnap a bus full of children to distract the Colombian authorities while he escaped the country," Trudy stated with a look of disgust on her face. "Then after he got away clear and free he had his people blow up the bus anyway. There were 30 plus kids on that bus," She added and both Castillo and Sonny clinched their jaws in anger as they recalled the story.

"Yes, and the United States and Colombia have joined forces in a joint effort to recapture him and finally bring him to justice, which is why I've called you two here," Castillo began to explain.

"So, what's this intel you've got?" Sonny asked already eager to participate.

"For the past year, a DEA agent has been able to infiltrate one of the biggest and most deadly drug gangs currently in Colombia. He's been able to have some interaction with Torres. It was very brief only on a couple of runs that he went on acting as security. He stated that it was only two times, for less than 2 minutes and always at some remote pier. It seems Torres has been spending his time on boats."

"Which explains why the son-of-a-bitch is so hard to track down," Sonny said and Castillo nodded his head in agreement.

"Now this DEA agent has gotten us an in. He's been talking among the gang members he's been hanging with about a big player that he knows who can help get large amounts of cocaine in and out of the US without detection. Apparently, Torres is hurting for cash because the hype of this big baller has caught his ears. He arranged a meeting with the agent to set up a meeting with this mystery smuggler, which is where you two come in," Both Trudy and Sonny glanced at each other with questioning eyes before looking back at Castillo. "I would like you two to go deep undercover. Sonny, you'll be the smuggler and Trudy you'll be his 'girlfriend' as well as his backup."

"Wait, Sonny is the mystery big ball'n smuggler and I'm what, just his arm candy?" Trudy asked in outrage and she leaned forward again and placed her fists on top of the table, offended by what she was hearing. "Is that how it is when you send Sonny and Rico undercover?"

"C'mon Trudy…" Sonny began to speak but she held up her hand to silence him as her eyes remained lock on the Castillo.

"Don't you dare tell me not to take it personally, like this isn't some backseat position that greatly undermines my abilities as a police officer. I'm a detective same as Sonny and I'm damn good at my job too," She spat out defensive.

"You're right, you are," Castillo agreed as he stood at the head of the table staring down at the top of the table as he shoved his hands into his pants pockets. "That's why I want you on this assignment because I know how good you are and that you'll have Crockett's back."

"Hmp," She huffed out as she leaned back once more and crossed her arms across her chest. "And what else?" She asked as she rested suspicious eyes on Castillo, who in turn lifted his eyes and locked them onto hers as he started to speak again.

"And according to the undercover agent, Torres desires a certain type of woman; voluptuous, beautiful black women."

"Beautiful, black, with a big booty, yep, you're the only woman in this whole damn precinct to fit that bill, Trudy," Sonny spoke out as his face held a wide teasing smile. She pursed her lips as she threw him a side-eyed glare that let him know she was not amused by the compliment.

"He's right, it's one of the main reasons I wanted you on this, but if you don't want to do it I understand and I will find someone else," Castillo replied and she softened a little at his words. She had been griping about her and Gina not having more undercover details, so she didn't want to turn her nose up at the opportunity now. Even if it meant playing second fiddle to the great detective Sonny Crockett, again.

"No, I'll do it, but please don't tell me I have to seduce that pig Torres," She spoke half groaning at the thought of it.

"Officially, no," Castillo responded. "But if you feel that getting close to him will get you some important intel then…It's at your discretion," She nodded her head. She knew he was saying he would like for her to use her wiles to get as much information from Torres. However, after the story Gina had told her a while back about sleeping with Mosca, the bad guy she had been working undercover, Trudy had sworn that she would never allow herself to go there. And she fully intended on keeping that promise. "As I said this will be deep undercover and you'll start immediately. We've already built a rock solid cover story for you both. Your 'alters' have only just arrived in Miami. The packet with your new identities is on my desk. It contains new I.D.s, a couple of limitless credit cards, a bank account with a small fortune in it. Keys to a mansion near the keys and a couple of flashy cars."

"Wow, y'all went all out," Sonny spoke.

"Yes, and there are no restrictions," Castillo added. "Torres will expect you to be a big baller, so we expect you both to play the part well. Money is no objects and receipts won't need to be kept," Trudy nodded her head to this as she began to see the importance of this case and her role in it. "Once you walk out of my office with that packet you will immediately leave here and enter your new lives, I think you both know what that means."

"No goodbyes and no contact with the outside world unless during specific times outlined in said packet," Sonny announced and Castillo only nodded in reply. "Well, darlin what do ya say we get this show on the road," He added as he looked at Trudy and stood from the table.

"Let's do it," She answered as she nodded and then stood from her seat.

Chapter Two:

Sonny whistled as they pulled up the long driveway that had a large mansion-like house at its end. "Man, they went all out for this."

"No kidding," Trudy agreed from her spot in the passenger side seat.

He stopped the car, put it in park, shut off the engine and then turned to face her. "You sure yer up to this?" He questioned her as his face took on a very serious look.

"Sonny, look, I've already told you and the Lieutenant that I know how to do my goddamn job, ok? So, you don't have to worry about me."

"I ain't questioning your abilities Trudy, we've worked together long enough for me to know how dedicated and good you are at the job, but darling this is different. This is 'deep' undercover. It ain't a few hours walkin the strip posing as a hooker and then you get to go home and sleep in your nice warm bed." He responded in a calm voice knowing how sensitive she was about any questioning her skills as a cop. "This could take days, weeks, hell, this DEA agent we're meeting today has been in it for over a year now." His words caused a little fear to creep into Trudy's mind but she wouldn't allow him to get the satisfaction of seeing it, and so she lifted her head a bit more defiantly. "Now, I ain't claiming that I'm a better cop than you but I am more experienced in undercover work. I know there are things that we have to do, have to say some things that will go against everything we've been taught as cops, but it's still all a part of the job, all a part of keeping your cover. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She did so she simply nodded her head and remained silent as she looked at him dead on. "Good, because when we enter that house we're no longer Sonny Crocket and Trudy Joplin co-workers and cops, we're Sonny Marcos and Trudy Richardson, the smugglers."

"I understand Sonny, and you don't need to worry about me. I'll play my part no matter what and I'll have your back," She affirmed. "I know you probably would prefer Rico here with you but I promise you 'I have your back', always," He nodded at her words.

"Good, and I have yours," He then opened the door and exited the car, walked around to the passenger side, opened Trudy's door, and held out his hand to help her from the car. Trudy took a deep cleansing sigh, plastered on a smile and took Sonny's offered hand. He helped her from the car and with the wide smile still on her face she leaned over and gently kissed his lips, wanting to make sure she put on a good show for whoever might be watching them. Sonny smiled pleasantly when she pulled back and he licked his lips a little as he watched the sway of her hips as she made her way to the front door. He had to admit he had wanted Rico as his partner for this assignment but he was starting to think this arrangement wasn't going to be as hard as he had initially thought.

Sometime Later

Sonny opened the door and greeted the man standing across the threshold with a wide smile and a handshake. "Luis Alvez, my man," He exclaimed as if greeting an old friend. The man smiled back as equally bright as he shook Sonny's hand.

"Sonny, it's been a long time."

"Yeah, too long, c'mon inside," Sonny replied as he ushered the young man inside and closed the door behind them. Once behind the closed door, the smile fell from their faces.

"Are we secure here?" Alvez questioned in a hushed tone as his eyes landed on Trudy as she descended the stairs.

"Yeah, inside these walls it's like Fort Knox, but outside, we've already spotted a couple of goons."

"Yeah, they're most likely Torres's men. I've had a tail since he came to me asking about the smuggler friend I've been talking so much about."

"Yeah, we thought as much too," Sonny said as Trudy stepped up beside him. "This is my partner in this, Trudy," He introduced and Alves quickly grasped Trudy's hand and instead of shaking it as she had expected he raised it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss across her knuckles.

"Excellent, Torres is going to really like seeing you, Miss Trudy."

"So I've heard," Trudy responded with a slight eye roll as Alvez released her hand.

"Did your Lieutenant give you the details about everything?" Alvez continued as they all made their way into the living room where Sonny and Trudy sat side by side on the couch and Alvez took the chair closest to them.

"Yeah, well everything you've reported so far we've been able to study," Trudy replied and Alvez nodded.

"Good," He said. "And I hope your cover is clad tight because Torres is a very paranoid and suspicious S-O-B. The guy tossed his own wife, the mother of his 2 sons, into shark infested waters when he thought she had cheated on him with one of his bodyguards. I won't even tell you what he did to the bodyguard. Turned out the bodyguards was gay and only felt comfortable discussing it with the Mrs. Torres. When Torres realized he had made a mistake he only said, 'The bitch probably would have done it eventually anyway'."

"I don't know why we are even trying to bring this dirt bag in," Sonny said as he looked from Alvez to Trudy. "Let's just put a bullet in him and toss him overboard," He added as he leaned back and swiped his hand over his 5 o'clock shadow.

"I'm down with that," Trudy agreed as she too leaned back more comfortably on the couch as she crossed her legs.

"Personally, I think that's probably how it's going to go down anyway because I don't think we'll be taking him alive," Alvez stated. "Word is he's very claustrophobic and so he'd rather die than to spend one night in jail."

"I'd be happy to oblige him," Sonny mumbled out. "So, what's the plan here, when do we get a meet and greet?"

"Right," Alvez leaned forward and rest his elbows atop his knees and lower his voice as he spoke. "I've arranged a meeting with Torres tomorrow, in fact, that's why he thinks I'm here now, setting things up," He explained as Sonny nodded his head while he listened intensely. "I'll be bringing him myself around noon, is that good for you?" He looked from Sonny and then to Trudy.

"Sounds all right to me, how 'bout you, Trudy?" Sonny inquired which she really appreciated because she was sure that he would try to exclude her as much as possible since technically she was just supposed to be his arm candy and a backup if necessary.

"Sounds good," She agreed with a nod. At that moment a knock came to the door.

"Who's that?" Alvez asked as he eyed the door nervously readying to stand and go on the defensive.

"Probably the maid the Lieutenant said they were sending over, it's supposed to make it look better to have one with such a big place. But she's not a cop she's from an actual local agency so we have to keep up the act at all times around her. No talking shop around her ever, she has to think we are who we claim to be," Trudy stated as she stood and made her way to the door. She threw the door open with a smile on her face. "Well, hey there sugar," She greeted bubbly. "You must be from the cleaning agency?" She said the younger Hispanic woman who appeared to be in her late teens, early twenties. The tiny framed girl with huge brown doe eyes simply nodded her head and she looked from Trudy to let her eyes roam over to the two men still sitting in the living room and then about the massive looking entrance way. "Well, c'mon in sweetie. My name is Trudy," Trudy invited as she stepped to the side to allow the girl entrance. "And what's your name?"

"Anna…Anna Gomez," She answered lowly and shyly as she crossed the threshold while gripping the handle of the small luggage she carried, tightly.

"Nice to meet you, Miss. Anna Gomez, just follow me and I'll show you to your room and go over your duties. Sonny, baby, this is our new maid Anna," Trudy introduced. Sonny turned and regarded the girl for a second.

"Whatever, just make sure that she knows where she ain't allowed to be and what she ain't allowed to touch," He tossed out nonchalantly and then turned back to Alvez. Trudy made a show of rolling her eyes at him and then she led them away towards the back of the house.

"Don't let him scare you hun, but do make sure that you keep out of his way as much as possible. There's already a list of the chores you're expected to do; some very light cooking because I'll do most of the cooking since Sonny likes it that way. So, you'll mainly be doing the cleaning, but our bedroom is off limits. It's very important that you heed that rule. Here you go, this is your room and you're welcome to anything in the kitchen, just please keep it stocked up," Trudy instructed as she ushered the girl in the large bedroom that was on the back side of the house behind the stairs and closest to the kitchen. "On the dresser, there's the list I told you about and there's a credit card, there's plenty on there for you to keep the house fully stocked and to cover your weekly pay. If you need to get something extra for yourself, maybe something that your pay won't cover, that's fine too. Just nothing outrageous that Sonny might notice, so keep your extra spending under $500 a week, ok?" The girl looked dumbstruck at what she was being told that she could have a $500 weekly allowance on top of her regular weekly pay, but she silently nodded her understanding. "Cool, well anyway get comfortable, make yourself at home. You don't need to worry about doing anything right now. Sonny and I plan to go out tonight so there's nothing we'll need you for tonight, so you can just rest up. Again, my name is Trudy. If you have questions or need anything just let me know," She said with a smile as she left the bedroom closing it behind her. She made her way back out to Sonny and Alvez. "I got Anna all settle for the night. I let her know we'll be going out tonight so she can just rest," Trudy spoke out boisterously as she made her way back to the couch settling on the arm where Sonny's arm had been resting. He moved his arm back a bit as she sat and then casually wrapped it around her small waist.

"Yeah, Luis just offered to show us a night on the town, darlin," Sonny spoke around a smile as he tugged Trudy closer to him as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned against him.

"Ohh, sounds like fun," Trudy cooed. "This is my first time in Miami but I've heard its crazy fun when the sun goes down."

"You have no idea, I'm going to show you the time of your life," Alvez stated with a smile. "So, I'll I swing by to pick up you guys up around 9?"

"Sounds like a plan," Sonny agreed as he removed his arm from around Trudy and stood along with Alvez, shaking his hand and then walking him to the door. "It's really good to see you again man, and I really appreciate you bringing what I hope will be very lucrative business my way," Sonny added in case their new maid might be a spy for Torres.

"Yeah, lucrative for you and me both," Alvez replied as Sonny open the door and he exited the house. "I'll see you later tonight."

"Looking forward to it," Sonny said with a nod as he stood in the doorway and watched Alvez head to his car. He then closed the door and moved back to where Trudy stood by the couch pouting at him. He threw her a questioning frown and she quickly darted her eyes to her left towards the massive staircase and then back to him. Someone else might have missed the eye movement but Sonny caught it and he also knew that she was telling him that their new maid was there hiding about watching and listening to them. "Uh-oh," He spoke in a teasing voice as he moved to her and pulled her into his arms. "What's wrong baby? I thought you wanted to go out tonight," He said and then buried his face in the nook of her neck placing soft kisses there as she sighed a bit and lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck.

"Oh I do but I haven't got a thing to wear," She replied as she jutted her lips out further. Sonny chuckled against her neck, placed a final kiss upon her flesh and then pulled back a bit to stare down at her.

"Really, all those clothes you have taking up most of the closet space, and there's nothing that you can wear tonight?"

"But none of them says 'Miami' and I saw a couple of really cute boutique shops on the way here," Trudy said as she dropped her own lips to his neck and she kissed and nibbled at his skin with blunt teeth. For a second Sonny allowed the pleasurable sensations she was invoking to wash over him.

"All right, if my woman wants to go shopping I'll take her shopping, and she can have anything her little heart desires."

"Eeee," She squealed excitedly as she lifted her head from his neck and placed a kiss upon his lips. "Thank you, baby, let's go now before all the shops close," She said and then pulled from his arms, grasped his hand and tugged him towards the door. "Anna, we're heading out for a bit," She called out as she reached the door and threw it open and led the way out to the black Benz that was parked in the driveway.

"Yes ma'am," Anna called out as she walked out from the corner where she had been hidden, or so she had thought.

"I'd say the new maid is definitely working for Torres," Trudy announced once they were settled in the car and driving down the driveway. Sonny nodded in agreement.

"So we'll probably need to stay on our toes and in our game face at all times because we don't know who Torres has watching us," She concurred with a nod.

Chapter Three:

From the second they had stepped from their new home they knew they were being watched, and the dark SUV that kept 2 cars behind them as they made their way to the nightclub told them that they were also being followed.

All 3 of the undercover cops felt on edge but knew they have to keep their cool and play their parts. So as soon as they were taken to their table inside the club, Sonny ordered them drinks and Trudy was ready to hit the dance floor.

"You wanna dance baby?" She asked Sonny as she stood from the booth, leaned over him and began swaying her hips to the seductive yet upbeat music that the DJ was playing.

"Now babe, you know I'm more of a watcher," He replied as he let the hand that had been resting on her lower back slide down to her juicy backside. This was one of the better parts of this assignment finally getting the touch Trudy's backside, which was something he had often fantasized about doing but he knew would have earned him a smack to the face and probably a sexual harassment charge in their real-life. "But you go and enjoy yourself," He said gently smacking her backside.

"Suit yourself," She replied in a sing-song voice as she swooped in and quickly kissed his lips. She then danced her way to the dance floor, where she was immediately swarmed by thrusting pelvises and groping hands, to which she would dance away from or swat away from her body. But it was when she painfully gripped a handful of one guy who wouldn't take no for an answer, leaving him on the floor crawling away, the rest seemed to step back and she had her space to dance freely. During the altercation Alvez watched intensely, ready to jump in and defend Trudy. Whereas Sonny sat back comfortably watching as if it were entertainment while sipping at his drink. He wasn't a bit concerned for he knew Trudy could and would take care of herself. As everything appeared to calm down again Alvez and Sonny relaxed, drank their drinks and admired the sea of beautiful women swaying and gyrating about them, though one Nubian beauty seemed to hold their attention the most.

She had felt their eyes on her and at first, she had assumed it was out of concern after she had to take down the big Italian Stallion who had gotten too frisky. Now, she could tell it wasn't concern that made the two men seated at the table to stare at her. It was a heated lustful look plain and simple. She wouldn't lie to herself and say she didn't like the attention, especially from Sonny. The man was good looking and sexy as hell and she had always thought so from the second she had walked into the precinct to start her first shift and had laid eyes on him. In their assignment, they were supposed to be lovers so she figured why not play the part well and enjoy herself in the process. Seeing Sonny's eyes roam up and down her body as he subconsciously licked his dry lips made her shake her ass and swerve her hips a bit more slowly. And when his eyes finally made their way up to hers she threw him a knowing smirk and he couldn't help but smile back at her knowing he had been busted having very carnal thoughts about her. He lifted his glass a bit, winked at her and then finished off the liquor in the glass.

"Man, that is one hell of a woman," Alvez stated as he too raked his eyes over at Trudy, his body swayed as if to match the moves her body was making. "Sonny, my friend, you are one lucky man," He added as he smacked Sonny's shoulders. His words were partially meant to keep up appearances in case they were being watched and listened to, but he had also meant them. He secretly wished he could have traded places with Sonny on this assignment. Sonny just chuckled at Alvez's words and continued to watch Trudy dance as he lifted a fresh drink to his lips. "What the fuck is he doing here?" Alvez cursed in a hushed tone and Sonny darted his eyes to where Alvez was looking while remaining in a relaxed stance. His eyes landed on none other than Gabriel Torres flanked by several larger men who were obviously his bodyguards. Torres was a short man no more than 5'5" and he was a balding man too with a thick overgrown mustache that Sonny figured was to compensate for the hair loss on top. Torres and his goons made their way to where Alvez and Sonny sat. He instantly caught Trudy's eyes as he passed and she instantly looked to Sonny who had his eyes on her as well. He slightly shook his head to let her know to stay where she was, and to keep doing what she was doing. It irked her somewhat to be told to stay on the sidelines like a good little girl while the big boys played. Yet she knew Sonny's earlier statement had been true, he did have more experience undercover than she had. Also, her role in this was as back up but mostly to be eye candy that Torres might want to try and taste, which could get them closer to his inner circle. So, she kept her cool, closed her eyes and continued to sway provocatively to the sexy music that filled the club. "Torres," Alvez greeted the man as he stood from the table and extended his hand to the shorter man now standing before him. For his part Sonny kept his eyes straight ahead, locked onto Trudy as he lounged in the booth, one arm thrown back across the seat and the other lifting his drink to his lips. "I thought we were going to meet tomorrow."

"Yes, it's still a date," Torres proclaimed as he spoke to Alvez. "I'm just here to have a good time, same as you. No business tonight," He added shaking Alvez's offered hand as he locked his eyes onto the white man seated on the other side of the table, who he felt was blatantly ignoring him. Then he allowed his eyes to follow to where the white man's eyes seemed to be locked and upon seeing Trudy on the dance floor he truly couldn't fault the man before him for where his attention lied.

"Well, since we're all here allow me to make the introductions," Alvez spoke out as he interrupted Torres's impure thoughts about Trudy making the shorter man turn to him. "Mr. Torres this is my 'friend'. The one I was telling you about, Mr. Sonny Marcos," At hearing his alter name, Sonny slowly turned his gaze to the men standing at their table with a smile. "Sonny this is Mr. Gabriel Torres the business man I told you about, who is looking for some assistance in a new business venture," Sonny then nodded his head at Torres not bothering to stand or shake the man's hand.

"Yeah, and 'tomorrow' we can discuss this business venture to see if it's something I'd want to get invested in," Sonny stated with a smile still on his face as both Alvez and Torres looked down at him in surprise at his dismissive demeanor. "But as you said no business tonight," He added as he waved Trudy over. She had been watching them even as she pretended not to be. Upon seeing Sonny slight wave to her she plastered a saucy smile on her lips and made her way to him. She could feel the eyes of the other men around the table upon her but she made it a point to keep her eyes locked to Sonny. When she reached him he reached out and pulled her down and she settled upon his lap. "I promised my lady a fun night on the town, with no talking business," He proclaimed as he smiled up at her and then he grasped the back of her neck and pulled her down into a deep and sensual kiss. For a moment they seemed to forget themselves, where they were, and their mission. In the moment they were lost in their most primal needs, just a man, and woman enjoying the feel and taste of the other. When they finally pulled apart they were both breathless and wanting more. "You having fun darlin?" Sonny asked quickly jumping back into character. For her part, Trudy still couldn't quite find her voice.

"Mmhh," She confirmed as she nodded her head. "I'd have more fun if you'd come and slow dance with me," She spoke in a teasing voice fully expecting him to find a way to back out. There was one thing she had come to learn about Sonny Crockett over the years and that is the man seemed to think he was too cool to dance.

"Sure sweetheart," He replied and Trudy tried her damnedest to hide the surprise on her face as Sonny helped her up from his lap and then stood up after her. "Excuse me gentlemen gotta take my lady for a spin on the dance floor," He tossed out as he readied to follow Trudy who stood a few feet away from him out onto the dance floor.

"Hey, you uppity bitch!" A heavily accented voice roared and Trudy, Sonny and everyone closest to them turned to see the man Trudy had humiliated earlier standing there pointing a gun at her. Trudy stood frozen. She had nowhere to run and no way to defend herself because she had opted to not carry her gun, mainly because there had been no way for the tiny, tight black dress she wore to hide it. She closed her eyes a split second before a shot rang out and then chaos broke out in the nightclub as everyone clamored to the exits.

"Trudy," She snapped her eyes opened to stare into Sonny's concerned ones. "Are you all right?" He asked as he gripped her around her arms with his large hands. She blinked several times her mind had not yet caught up with what had happened. Sonny pulled her into an embrace genuinely relieved that she was ok. Her eyes then landed on the dead man that lay on the floor nearby. "We need to leave now, c'mon," He said as he pulled back and wrapped a protective arm around her waist as he moved them towards the back. He paused at the table where Alvez and Torres and his entourage still stood.

"Go, I'll check in with you later," Alvez said. "Go, man, the cops will be here any minute." Sonny gave a nod and then rushed out the back with a very quiet Trudy in tow.

She had been quiet the entire car ride home. She had barely listened when Sonny had ditched their tail and finally stopped off to call the Lieutenant to report what had happened. Once they were parked in the driveway she finally spoke even though she found it hard to meet his eyes.

"I'm sorry Sonny," She finally said as she bowed her head a bit. He turned to look at her with bafflement on his face.

"Sorry? Sorry for what darlin?" He asked.

"For probably blowing our cover back there," She replied.

"Hey, none of that was your fault," He assured her as he reached over and placed his hand atop her hands which were fisted in her lap. "That was some jerk-off who didn't understand that no means no and couldn't take being put in his place by a woman. Now he's dead because of it, plain and simple," He stated. "And as for our cover, judging by the look on Torres' face I think me shooting that guy helped boost our credibility, and the truth is I was only acting on instinct," This made her turn to face him.

"You really think it didn't scare Torres off?" She asked hopefully.

"Naw, that fucker actually looked impressed and pleased by what he saw. Trust me he'll be here for that meeting tomorrow," She breathed a sigh of relief and she nodded her head a bit. "C'mon let's get you inside, I'll run you a nice hot bath before bed," He offered and Trudy couldn't help but giggle at the gesture, and she fully planned to hold him to it.

"Thanks, Sonny," She said with a kind smile, one he matched and then Sonny exited the car, made his way around to her to open the door. After he helped her from Alvez's car they made their way inside. Trudy was looking forward to the hot bath, and she was already praying that it would help fend off the nightmares she was sure she was going to have tonight.

Chapter Four:

Sonny had spent the day alone at the mansion going over things with Alvez before their meeting with Torres. He had purposely sent the maid out for most of the day so they wouldn't have to worry about prying eyes and ears. Trudy kept up appearances as the girlfriend who loved spending her rich boyfriend's money, so she went on a shopping spree and then met up to have lunch with an old friend 'Gina'. It was a great front that allowed Trudy to get updates back to Castillo without suspicion.

By the time Trudy had arrived back at the mansion Sonny, Alvez, Torres and his men were just about to head out.

"Hey baby, where are you going?" She questioned as she sat her many bags on the couch and move to the large French doors that led out to the beautifully manicured backyard that held a beautiful view of the lake on the property that merged with the ocean, as well as a huge dock with a mini yacht attached.

"Hey darlin, I wasn't expecting you back so soon," Sonny greeted as he reached for her and he kissed her cheek when she stepped up to him. Secretly he had hoped her lunch with Gina would run long, and so he had Alvez push the meeting up a bit. Sonny could tell by the slight stiffness in Trudy's shoulder she was now well aware of his deceptive plan.

"I missed you, so I hurried back," She stated. "And looks like I'm just in time, so where are 'we' going?"

"Oh, us boys were going to take a little boat ride on the yacht," Sonny said as he rubbed his hand across the small of her back. "Why don't you stay here and put away all the pretty things you bought. We'll be back soon," Before Trudy could open her mouth to protest Torres spoke out.

"I was actually hoping you would make it back in time to join us. C'mon Sonny, bring your lady along, I'm having a little party so there are plenty of other lovely ladies she can talk to, while we handle our business," Torres stated as he raked his eyes appreciatively over Trudy's curvaceous body that was being hugged by a turquoise colored spandex mini dress accented with hot pink pumps and matching earrings. "I even have a couple of casinos on my yacht, so there are plenty of things to keep her entertained," He added and made Sonny turn surprised eyes to Alvez and then quickly to Torres.

"Sorry, but I thought we were taking a spin on 'my' boat," Sonny said as he gave the smaller man his full attention.

"Well, mine is bigger," Torres said as he pushed the sunglasses he had been holding in his hand back onto his face. "And as I just said I'm having a party. Just some close acquaintances and business partners and some of their friends. So, I thought since we're going to be doing business together now that I should invite you and your beautiful lady to meet everyone involved in my organization," He added as he nodded at Trudy with a smile and even though he made her skin crawl she put on a convincing show of being flattered by his words. "I promise she'll have plenty to keep her occupied while we finish working out the arrangements of our new partnership.

"These casinos of yours are they just for fun?" Trudy questioned and Torres quickly answered hoping to entice her.

"I assure you all bets are real and big and I'll even give you $50,000 to start you off with. My way of welcoming you two into the family, so to speak," Torres said this directly to Sonny. Sonny didn't like the idea of both he and Trudy being taken off unexpectedly to Torres' boat, in his territory, but he knew Trudy had no intentions of staying behind and leaving him without back up. Alvez was going too but she didn't think he'd have Sonny's back like she would. Also, Sonny knew this was probably the best chance they'd ever have to get Torres and maybe some other smaller fish that may be at Torres' party.

"All right," Sonny conceded as he playfully smacked Trudy's plump backside.

"Great, let me just go grab a bathing suit," She said as she quickly turned and moved towards the stairs. Her true intent had been to grab one of the tracking devices they had been given for just such an occasion in case Sonny wasn't prepared with one.

"There's no need," Torres called out to her. "And no time. Besides we have plenty of suits for you to choose from on my Yacht. Now, we really must be going," He then turned and led the way out the back. Alvez followed him out, Sonny with Trudy on his arm followed Alvez while Torres' guards brought up the rear. They all made their way down to the dock where the mid-sized yacht that came with the house was already anchored and on the other side a speedboat that was nearly as big. The speedboat had a couple more armed men on it, one of which helped Torres board. When Alvez stepped up the guard stopped him. "Sorry, my friend but there's just not enough room for you now that Miss Trudy will be joining us. You already know the plan anyway, so I'll just go over everything with Sonny, myself." Torres said as he reached out for Trudy's hand and helped her into the boat. "You don't mind, right?"

"Not at all," Alvez spoke around a forced smile while he watched Sonny and the remaining guards board the boat. He decided to play it cool since he had already invested so much time and energy into this case. He was determined to see it through to the end. "I'll see you two when you get back, call me and we'll have a late dinner," He added as he waved them off and the boat began to pull away from the dock.

"You know I feel kind of bad leaving Alvez out of the loop. He was the one that brought me in on this," Sonny spoke a few minutes late as they sped out into the ocean. Suddenly a loud explosion could be heard. Sonny and Trudy were the only ones that ducked down with Sonny instinctively shielding Trudy in his arms. When they rose back up and turned to where they had heard the noise they could still see the outline of their mansion as well as the plume of smoke that filled the sky around it.

"Now you don't have to worry about Alvez," Torres announced and both Trudy and Sonny turned to him with stunned eyes that quickly hardened in anger, though it was hidden behind the shades he wore. "Sorry I know that he was a friend of yours but look at it this way, now we only have to split the profits 50/50," He smiled and then settled back more comfortably in his seat and let his head fall back against the genuine leather seat.

"But did you have to blow up the car?" Trudy asked and Sonny shot his scowling eyes to her. "That was a '67 Shelby Mustang, it was a thing of beauty," She huffed out as she put on a great show of being disappointed by crossing her arms across her chest and plopping down in a nearby seat. Sonny quickly composed himself and played along as so to not blow their cover and possibly get them both killed. He plastered a huge smile on his face. "Don't worry baby with all the dough we'll be getting now I'll buy you your very own '67 Shelby Mustang," He said as he took a seat beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"I'll buy you one as well, and then you'll have two," Torres tossed out as he let his eyes hone in onto her toned legs, which both Trudy and Sonny took notice of. Sonny placed a hand on her thigh in a vain attempt to cover her, but also to let Torres know she was his, even though it was quite obvious that Torres wouldn't respect that claim.

"I only need the one," Trudy replied as she briefly regarded the man seated across from them, whose heated eyes she could feel on her even though she couldn't see them through his sunglasses. She then grasped Sonny's face in her hand and turned him to face her. "Thank you, baby," She cooed out and then pulled him into a kiss. The kissed was intense, slow and very sensual. She had hoped it would get the message to Torres that she was Sonny's girl. She hadn't expected her stomach to get butterflies or for her body to start tingling all over from just being so close and intimate with Sonny. For his part, Sonny gripped her at the nape of her neck pulling her closer and holding her to him as his mind and body reacted instinctively. He deepened the kiss, momentarily forgetting who they really were, where they were and the company they were in. He thought Trudy tasted incredible and he knew that if they didn't stop it would become a taste that would quickly become addictive. They both pulled back and released each other at the same time, and Trudy quickly lowered her head and rested it against Sonny's shoulder in the hopes to hide her face before it told him just how much their kiss had affected her. Sonny held her more tightly in his arms and pressed his lips against her forehead as he looked out at the ocean over her head.

They had been on the water for well over an hour before a large yacht finally came into view, "Nice boat," Sonny said casually as they got closer.

"It's my home so I spared no expense," Torres replied as he beamed proudly at his yacht. "I'll give you the information of the dealer so you can get one of your own. With all the money we stand to make you can afford it." He added as the speedboat began to dock alongside the massive yacht. When they all boarded the yacht, it was very apparent that Torres had not been lying about his party. There was music blaring and partygoers seemingly on every deck talking, dancing and making out. Torres would stop occasionally as he led Sonny and Trudy down into the lower decks of the yacht, making brief introductions with people he thought Sonny should get to know. There were several criminals both Trudy and Sonny were familiar with either having read a file on them or hearing of their reputation. They arrived on a secluded deck that was guarded and no partygoers were allowed in. The guard stepped aside and allowed Torres, Sonny, and Trudy to pass. There was only one door at the end of a short corridor when Torres opened it and they all entered it displayed a huge living quarter. The entire deck at been converted into a home with a living room, kitchen, a main bathroom, 2 bedrooms one with an ensuite bathroom.

"Wow," Trudy said and then whistled. "Man, you weren't kidding when you said this was your home. This is amazing," She said genuinely as she walked further into the living room to then plop down onto the huge cream-colored leather couch.

"I'm glad you like it, it's all yours," Torres replied causing both Sonny and Trudy to turn and regard him curiously. "It'll be your home away from home for the next few days."

"Excuse me, wait a minute we were just supposed to be coming out here to discuss business," Sonny chimed in as removed his shades and hooked them in the collar of the light blue short-sleeved tee his wore under his white jacket.

"And we shall," Torres assured. "I assume that Alvez told you about this business transaction that I need?"

"Yeah, you need to get some drugs smuggled into Miami and he thought I might be able to help you do that since it's something that I do for myself," Sonny answered.

"Right, he tells me that you have connections at all the surrounding docks, that you pay a lot of money to get the dock workers to look the other way when you bring in certain shipments," Torres spoke and Sonny simply nodded at his words. "Well, if you can get in just a couple of shipments for me we both could retire."

"Really, just a couple of shipments and just how big are these shipments?" Sonny asked as he tucked his hands into his pant pockets while he stood in the middle of the room facing off with Torres.

"A thousand kilos of heroin in 2 shipments, a thousand in 'each' shipment to be more precise," Torres answered and Trudy's eyes bulged a bit at his words but she quickly adjusted them. Sonny kept his emotions cool and under control not reacting at all except to chuckle as he bowed and shook his head a bit.

"You've got to be kidding me," Sonny finally said as he looked back at the smaller man standing before him. "Just how do you suppose I smuggle a thousand kilos of heroin into Dade County, where the DEA practically has its headquarters? Hell, a hundred is pushing it! I'm beginning to think this has been a big waste of time for us both, c'mon Trudy, let's go," He held out his hand towards where Trudy sat and she quickly rose from the couch as Torres turned and moved to the nearby bar where he began making a drink.

"But don't you even want to hear my plan first?" Torres asked as he smiled at them and calmly sipped at the bourbon he just poured himself.

"No, not really. Unless you're going to tell me that you have a Wizard somewhere on this boat who can cast a spell to hide a thousand kilos of heroin because my usual way of hiding drugs in a hollowed-out compartment in my boat is not going to work. Never mind that a thousand kilos would never fit, there's no way in hell we could cover the smell of that much of it from the drug dogs they have all along the docks," Sonny stated as he grasped Trudy's hand once she stepped up alongside him.

"C'mon baby we're already here, let's just hear his plan," Trudy cut in making Sonny turn to glare at her, while Torres looked pleased that she seemed to be siding with him. "I mean, we're talking about a lot of money here. Just 2 trips and you never have to do it ever again. We could go live on some tropical island, somewhere."

"Your lady is not just very beautiful, she's also smart," Torres said as he raised his glass slightly in a toast, but Sonny just kept his eyes on Trudy hoping to relay to her that they really needed to leave. He knew there was no way that the DEA would allow them to go through with a plan to smuggle in that amount of drugs for fear of something going wrong and any of that heroin getting out on the streets.

"We may never get another opportunity like this again Sonny," She continued as she reached up and rested her hand against his chest. Sonny understood the true meaning of her words. This was not only a great chance to capture Torres but also a chance to get a lot of drugs before they get out into the population.

"All right," Sonny replied as he stared at Trudy a moment more before then turning to face Torres again. "Exactly what did you have in mind?"

"It's simple really," Torres began. "You just bring your boat," He waved his hands in the air to indicate he meant his yacht. "Into Miami's docks to drop off your party guest, that's it," Sonny's brow bunched up in confusion at the man's words until the revelation of the plan finally hit him.

"So, the guests just walk off the boat with the drugs, that's your plan?" Sonny asked as he chuckled a bit. "Bub, they won't get five feet out on those docks before they're sniffed out."

"Look, Sonny, all you have to do is pay your usual guys to run some interference and look the other way. Tell them you'll double what you usually pay them, I'll front that share. You just need to use your connections to get this boat docked and have the guests be allowed to leave. I promise you no dogs will sniff out anything, they'll find nothing," Torres announced confidently leaving both Sonny and Trudy to wonder about how he planned to hide so much heroin on the partygoers.

"Okay, say we get the boat in and everyone leaves, are you sure one of your 'guests' won't blow this plan of yours sky high? There are a lot of people out there," Sonny questioned as he jutted his thumb towards the closed door.

"Oh, I can guarantee they won't do or say anything to cause suspicion because they won't even know that they're mules. See, they'll each be given a gift basket to take with them when they leave. In that basket will contain a box of Cuban cigars which we all know is not allowed in these great United States. So, the Customs officers that I have planted already will confiscate each and every one of those cigar boxes and take them...someplace safe," He ended with a smile.

"That's a very creative way to smuggle, I'll give you that," Sonny admitted his true thoughts aloud and again Torres raised his glass in a toast and then took a swig of his drink. "Except the dogs they have patrolling those docks will sniff out the drugs even if it is stuffed in with some fancy tobacco, which is why I always arrange to have my boat waved through without actually docking and moving anything on the actual docks, which ain't gonna work with this size boat and with all the people you have on here."

"Sonny, trust me, my friend, I have it covered," Torres spoke and Sonny snorted out his next words.

"Oh, we're friends now?" Sonny asked with an unamused smile.

"If you do this for me we'd stand to profit $300 million, that's $150 million each. So, if all goes as I plan, then yes, I proclaim you to be my very best friend and god father to all of my future children," Torres joked promisingly. Again, Sonny chuckled as he smirked at the little man and then he turned his eyes back onto Trudy.

"What do you think darlin?"

"I think that's a lot of money," Trudy said with a playful smile. "And it sounds like Mr. Torres has it all planned out so that if anything does go wrong it's no skin off our backs. I mean we don't have to be on the boat when it docks, right?"

"Not at all, we'll take the small yacht back to your place and wait," Torres chimed back in. "Like I said, I only need you to make sure your contacts on the docks look the other way when the yacht docks, and allow my guys on the dock to take care of our 'guests'. Do you think you can arrange that?" Sonny nodded his head as he spoke.

"Yeah, I'll make the calls when we get back. It's definitely gonna cost double maybe even triple what I usually pay," Sonny stated.

"Which I will happily cover," Torres reassured.

"All right, we'll see how it goes but if anything in this brilliant plan of yours falls through, I don't know you and you don't know me."

"Understood," Torres agreed. "Now, it'll be approximately 3 or 4 days before the shipment is delivered to me here, I'll take you back home then, so you can make the arrangements," Both Sonny and Trudy were set on edge by the knowledge that Torres planned to keep them over the next few days, but both tried to hide their concerns. "Today is Sunday and this has to happen Friday night, so I'll take you back home Wednesday to give you plenty of time to set things up with your contacts on the docks. In the meantime, I want you two to relax and enjoy yourselves like everyone else. Think of this as a mini vacation, on me."

"Well, can't we at least make a quick stop back home so I can pack a few things I'm going to need?" Trudy asked looking for any excuse to get them back on land so that they can get word to Castillo about where they were now that Alvez would be no help to them.

"No need, I asked your lovely maid to pack a few things for you both," Torres replied. "You'll find your bags in the bedroom, just through there," He pointed to the large closed double door across the room.

"So, our maid was working for you?" Sonny asked although they had known it from the day she had arrived.

"Yes, I needed to make sure you could be trusted, I've learned from experience that one can never be too sure about the company one keeps."

"Well, did we pass inspection?" Trudy asked as she made her way to the adjoining bedroom doors.

"So far you both check out," He answered as he openly gawked at her ample backside and the sway of her hips, not caring if Sonny saw him. "But I also brought you here so we can spend some time 'alone' and we can get to know each other better on a more personal level," He added his eyes still locked onto Trudy's frame as she disappeared through the open doors.

"That's fine, just don't try to get too personal," Sonny stated making Torres focus back onto him and cast out a knowing smile, just as Trudy re-entered the room.

"Come, Sonny, I want to discuss some further business with you," Torres stated as he moved from the bar towards the door, where he paused and turned back to the couple in the room who were eying one another. "Sorry, but this meeting is just for us boys. Trudy, you can find the casinos down on the lower decks, Miguel will take you," Torres then waved towards the large guard who stood by the front door. "I have already made sure that you have all the funds you'll need to play with. So, please go and enjoy yourself," Trudy had already made her way back to where Sonny stood her attention completely on him. To any onlookers, it would appear as if she was awaiting her man's consent but the truth was, she wanted reassurance that Sonny would be ok alone with Torres. Sonny nodded and then spoke.

"Go on darlin, go have yourself some fun. I'll find you later," He said as he gently smacked her backside. For her part, Trudy, plastered on a huge fake smile, giggled and acted as if she was excited to go gambling. Sonny kissed her lips before he headed out with Torres. Once the two men were outside Torres turned to Sonny and spoke.

"You do not seem concerned about sending your lady love off alone. I mean, you two seem so inseparable."

"Yeah, we're pretty tight, but she knows how to take care of herself," Sonny agreed as they walked through the corridors in a section of the ship that seemed purposely private from the rest. "Besides you've just given her permission to spend as much of 'your' money as she wants, and I'm not about to protest when me and my bank account get a day off, which we greatly appreciate," Sonny chuckled out as Torres laughed along.

"Why are all the most beautiful ones so hard on our pockets?" Torres asked as he opened the large door at the end of the corridor they had ventured down. "I guess it's our own fault, we tend to spoil them in order to keep them."

"Yeah, but Trudy makes up for it in other ways," Sonny added as Torres turned and graced him with a huge knowing smile while he led the way into the room. Upon entering the humongous room Sonny was stunned to find that Torres had set up an impressive surveillance station with what looked to be two dozen people, who sat watching nearly twice as many TVs with videos of every inch of the yacht. "Man, you really don't trust anybody do you?" Sonny questioned aloud as his eyes roamed across the many screens, taking in the scenes.

"Like I said before I have learned to be very careful in this business," Torres answered. "And the best way to learn of someone's true intentions is to watch them closely."

"So, you just spy on your business associates and listen in on their private conversations?" Sonny inquired further as he turned to face Torres.

"I watch only," Torres corrected. "You see," He then pointed to one of the screens that showed a couple of men in a room with what Sonny could tell were equipment for tracing bugging devices. "I am not the only one who is cautious about whom they do business with. I can't bug the rooms because most of my associates have their people search for that kind of activity. So, instead I have cameras everywhere and lip readers to try and find out what they are discussing," It was then that Sonny noticed the people studying the screens and writing things down on notepads. "But really, it's what they do, but more importantly what they 'don't' do that interests me because it truly speaks to who they are. Now, come let us work out all the details of our business transaction. If all goes according to plan you and I both can finally retire from this game."

Sometime later

After nearly an hour, searching the many casino rooms throughout the lower decks of the yacht, Sonny finally found Trudy at one of the crap tables looking to be genuinely having a great time, and racking up a lot of chips.

"Having fun darling?" He greeted as he moved up beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist. Trudy turned with a wide smile.

"Yep, and look at all the money I've won," She half squealed out as she bounced on her heels while the other patrons around the table watched and cheered her on.

"Well, it's time to cash in, it's getting late and I'm hungry," Sonny said and Trudy immediately agreed.

"Can you cash me out?" She asked the dealer as some of the patrons groaned out their displeasure at losing their entertainment.

"Yes ma'am, we will have the cash placed on your account with us and you can pick it up before you leave the boat." The dealer replied.

"Thank you," She tossed out with a super sweet smile and a wink to the younger man, who bowed his head a bit as he blushed and smiled back. Trudy then allowed Sonny to escort her away from the table. She pulled her arm from his slightly painful grasp and casually draped it across his shoulders and neck. "What's wrong, baby, did your meeting with Torres go bad?" She asked lowly but still asking in a way that even if they were overheard it wouldn't raise suspicions.

"We have a problem," Sonny mumbled out to her as he leaned in and kissed her earlobe. "First let's go out on the deck before we talk," Trudy's curiosity was peaked but she said nothing else somehow knowing that it was important that she not say anything more. They silently walked until they made their way up to a relatively deserted deck where a few lovers were about making out. So, they both decided to play along. Sonny tugged Trudy to the railing that allowed the guest to look out at the expanse of the ocean without fear of falling into it. Trudy had her backside against the railing as Sonny moved right up against her. His hands pulled and groped at her body while his mouth kissed her lips and then moved to her neck. "Don't speak just play along and listen," Sonny whispered in between his kisses. For her part, Trudy closed her eyes in seeming ecstasy and tilted her head to the side to give him better access to her neck and ear. "Torres is watching our every move, he's got cameras everywhere. But not bugs thankfully. Though he has his people everywhere listening, so never let your guard down." Sonny continued. "We need to pull out of this now, find a way to get off this boat tonight. Otherwise, our cover will be blown," He said and his words caused Trudy to push him back from her neck. She then pulled him into a deep kiss as she maneuvered them to where Sonny was now with his back against the railing and she faced the ocean. She then mimicked his actions and dove in to kiss at his chest and then up to his neck.

"Why," She huffed out around kissing and nibbling at his neck and earlobe. "How will our cover be blown? Torres already said we checked out. Sonny, we need to see this thing through, we'll never have another opportunity like this. We'll never get this close again, and you know it." She replied and he wrapped her more tightly in his arms as he once again buried his mouth against her neck, he was glad she had worn her hair down because it partially hid his face.

"He thinks we're lovers, Trudy, and he's got cameras 'everywhere'," Sonny said plainly and the weight of what he was telling her crashed down upon her and made her pause for a split second. Her thought drifted back to an earlier promise she made about not getting in so deep that she would literally sleep with the enemy. But Sonny wasn't the enemy he was her partner in this. He had her back and she had his. She pulled from their make-out session and placed both of her hands on the sides of Sonny's face gaining his undivided attention.

"Sonny, we're in this together remember, baby?" Trudy made sure to use specific words that would keep them in character but still let Sonny know that she was speaking to him cop to cop, partner to partner. "I've got your back and I'll do whatever I need to do to help you with this deal, okay?" She said as she arched her brows at him and Sonny nodded his head a bit. They stared into each other's eyes for a couple of quiet minutes. Relaying with their eyes their respective gratitude and apologies for what they knew they would have to do to, hopefully, get them both out alive and with Torres in cuffs. "Now, let's go to bed," She added and Sonny grasped her hand, lifted it to his lips, kissed her knuckles softly and then led a slow trek back to their cabin.

Chapter Five:

When they approached the door of their cabin they found a new guard was standing outside. They bid him a goodnight before entering and locking the door behind them. Trudy walked further into the room to the stereo on the large shelving near the bedroom door, while Sonny made sure the 3 locks on the door was secure. She quickly found her favorite R&B/Jazz station and a soft enchanting melody of a bluesy song filled the entire suite. When Sonny finally turned to where Trudy was she had already kicked off her heels and stood with her back to him, her hands holding up her thick shoulder-length hair.

"Will you unzip me, baby?" She asked making sure to stay in character as Sonny had told her about the lip readers Torres had while on their trek to their cabin. Sonny forced his mind to relax and tried to block out that voice that nagged at him about what they were about to do, and how it could compromise their working relationship as well as their friendship. He hesitated only for what would have seemed like a millisecond to someone watching them, but to him, he felt much longer. He walked over to Trudy and slowly pulled down the zipper at the back of the dress. He then rubbed his hand across her bare back, causing Trudy eyes to roll closed in pleasure as she bit down on her bottom lip to hold in a moan. It had been a long while since she had felt the touch of a man. She was not the kind to have sex without love and so she tended to bury herself in her work, which only made it harder to find that perfect love. So, it had been a very long dry spell for her. As for Sonny, he found ways to relieve his sexual frustrations. He had a female acquaintance that was ok with his no strings attached lifestyle because she wasn't looking for anything serious either. She was a clerk that he met one day in the D.A.'s office, and after one date they both decided a romantic relationship wasn't in the cards for them. But whenever either needed that itch scratched they'd call up the other, but otherwise they never saw each other and rarely spoke when they crossed paths in their everyday lives.

[Verse 1] When I find myself watching the time I never think about all the funny things you said I feel like it's dead Where is it leading me now

[Verse 2] I turn around in the still of the room Knowing this is when I'm gonna make my move Can't wait any longer And I'm feeling stronger but oh

Trudy's body hummed in anticipation of what they had planned to do. Also, there was a nervous feeling within her, one she hadn't felt since the night she had lost her virginity. She'd be lying if she told herself that she hadn't ever thought about what it would feel like to have sex with Sonny. Gina had given him the highest praises in that regard when she and Sonny had had their brief relationship. The way Gina had described Sonny's technique had been enough to peak Trudy's curiosity. Now here she was about to experience it firsthand.

[Hook] Just as I walk through the door (Just a little more time) I can feel your emotion (Can't you feel your emotion) It's pullin' me back (Just a little more time) Back to love you

Sonny too felt a touch of nervousness fill him. He also had wondered but unlike Trudy, he had sometimes been vocal about his interest in taking her to bed. Granted he had played it all off in jest but he was in part serious and would have jumped at the opportunity. Though not in a situation like their current one, where he felt they were being forced somehow. Trudy's hand grasping his as she tugged him towards the bedroom pulled Sonny from his thoughts. When they entered the bedroom, she turned to face him and yanked at his hand which forced him up against her. She then placed his hand on her backside as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned in and kissed his neck and continued up to his ear.

[Bridge] I know I'm caught up in the middle I cry just a little When I think of letting go Oh no, gave up on the riddle I cry just a little When he plays piano in the dark

"It's OK Sonny," She whispered in his ear around nibbles. She made sure to make it impossible for Torres' people to interpret anything she said. "I'm OK with this. I've sometimes wondered what this would be like, you know, being with you," She went on in between kisses on his neck and nibbles to his earlobe. "Haven't you ever wondered that about me?" She released his earlobe and leaned back a bit into his embrace so that she could see his face. He nodded as he reached his hand up and gripped it around the back of her neck.

"Yeah, I have," Sonny admitted with a slight nod of his head as he let his eyes fall from her eyes down to her lips, and then he pulled her to him and captured her lips with his own. Trudy melted against him as a half sigh; half moan fell from her lips. With every taste of one another their pleasure increased, tentative touches became frantic grabbing. Trudy hurriedly pushed the jacket Sonny wore off his shoulders and down his arms. He released her only long enough to pull it off completely and haphazardly toss it behind him. For his part, Sonny wrapped both of his hands around Trudy's shoulders and let his fingers pulled down the dress covering her. When it slipped from her frame Sonny's eyes immediately fell to her beautiful cocoa colored skin that was fully exposed save for the black satin panties, which were all she wore. Any remaining doubts or concerns about what they were getting themselves into instantly left his mind as he stood and drank in the sight of her. As he looked at her, Sonny knew there would be no going back now. He wouldn't be able to stop things even if he had wanted to, and he didn't.

[Verse 3] He holds me close like a thief of the heart (...thief of the heart) He plays a melody Born to tear me all apart The silence is broken And no words are spoken but oh

[Hook] Just as I walk through the door (Just a little more time) I can feel your emotion, yeah, yeah (Can't you feel your emotion) It's pullin' me back (Just a little more time) Back to love you

Trudy suddenly felt empowered and more sensual than she'd ever felt in her life, just from the way she held Sonny as her captive audience. She took slow steps back and Sonny honed in onto her every move. She didn't stop until the back of her thighs hit the bed. She sat down on the bed and slid back a bit. She then stilled as she rested back on her elbows and watched Sonny swiftly tug the light blue t-shirt over his head and then just as quickly freed himself of his shoes, pants, and underwear. She couldn't stop her eyes from locking onto Sonny's impressive package. Sonny absentmindedly stroked his cock as he watched her lie upon the bed as if she were displayed on a silver platter just for him. Sonny stepped to the bed and Trudy instinctively parted her legs allowing him to easily settle in between them. He lifted his right leg and rested his knee on the bed, in between her thighs. He wasted no time as he leaned over her and captured her left nipple in his mouth.

"Suuusss," Trudy hissed out in pleasure as she closed her eyes, threw her head back as she arched her back up from the bed. Her fingers gripped at the bedding beneath her. Hearing her sexy moans and the way she sensually gyrated against him made Sonny harden even more, painfully so. He released her nipple as his hand gripped her flimsy panties, yanked and tore them from her body.

"Damn, you're beautiful," Sonny declared as he stared down at Trudy, who in reply reached down and grasped his manhood. His eyes closed shut and he groaned in agreement when she pulled him closer until the head of his cock rubbed into the heat and wetness of her center. Needing no further invitations Sonny surged forward and his cock kissed and then pushed past the folds of her nether lips until he was seated completely within her core.

"AHH…MMHMM!" Trudy screamed out against the slight discomfort and pain, but then just as quickly mewled ecstatically to the sudden bliss that overtook her. She wrapped her legs around Sonny's waist which allowed him to sink into her a little further. "Yesssss," She gasped out closing her eyes to free tears that had emerged from the joy that was filling her. She snaked her arms under his and clutched at his back and her nails dug indentations into his smooth skin. He settled his weight upon her letting the brunt of it rest on his elbows rooted on either side of her shoulders. Then their bodies began to move against the other's but in unison. Their bodies moved back and forth, from side to side, swirled all in an attempt to find the most pleasurable position. Every movement, touch, tastes from their kisses only heightened the experience for them both. So they settled on a slow and steady, in and out pace, which they both hoped would make it last forever.

[Chorus] I know I'm caught up in the middle I cry just a little When I think of letting go Oh no, gave up on the riddle I cry just a little When he plays piano in the dark

[Bridge] Oh, The silence is broken And no words are spoken but oh

As the familiar pressure built up inside of him, Sonny increased the pace. He held a death grip on Trudy's hair as animalistic growls and roars fell from his lips while he pounded mercilessly down into her body. Trudy held onto him more tightly as she gritted through and sometimes cried out from the twinge of pain that came from his welcomed assault on her body. She found herself moving against him just as frantically as they both raced toward the promise of the completion of an ecstasy they both were sure neither had ever known before this moment.

[Hook] Just as I walk through the door (Just a little more time) I can feel your emotion (Can't you feel your emotion) Oh baby, pullin' me back (Just a little more time) Back to love you

[Chorus] I know I'm caught up in the middle I cry just a little When I think of letting go Oh no, gave up on the riddle I cry just a little Oh..I cry, I cry...

Without warning, Sonny pulled himself free from Trudy's limbs and her warmth causing her to moan in protest. Before she could question his action he had flipped her onto her stomach, up into the missionary position, and had begun to plow into her from behind.

"Oh God…Uhnnnn," Trudy gasped out as she bounced under Sonny's ministrations. "Harder, Sonny," She practically hummed out. "Please fuck me harder…Yes!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as her orgasm overcame her. Her pulsating walls siphoned Sonny's own climax, he pulled at her shoulders, pulled her up until her back was pressed against his chest. He held her tightly against him while he pounded into her until he reached his satisfaction.

"FUUUUCK!" Sonny roared out as he climaxed and collapsed forward with Trudy, toppling on the bed behind her as he kept a firm hold on her. He nestled her to him and curled into her as they both panted trying to catch their breaths and calm their racing hearts.

[Chorus] I know I'm caught up in the middle I cry just a little When I think of letting go Oh no, gave up on the riddle I cry just a little When he plays piano in the dark…In the dark

He stared at the screen with envious and excited eyes. "Eh, cabrona!" Torres yelled suddenly to the woman seated before him as he gripped her hair and yanked her head back so she was staring up at him. "Watch your teeth before I pull them all out," He threatened the already scared girl who didn't look to be more than 17 years old.

"Te juro que no lo volveré a hacer," The girl's meek voice whispered out to him as she also pleaded with her eyes. He glared at her a moment more before he pushed her face back down to his erect cock, which she enveloped once more into her mouth and then carefully sucked him off. Torres let his head fall back, and his eyes closed as he pretended that a certain Nubian woman was the one kneeling before him with her hot mouth upon him.

Song: Piano in the Dark by Brenda Russell

Cabrona – bitch

Te juro que no lo volveré a hacer - I swear I'll never do it again

Chapter Six:

Their first coupling had been quick, frantic and mind-blowing, with both of them internally proclaiming that it had been a part that they had to play and that their lives had depended on it. However, the two times afterward had been longer, slower, much more tender and somehow the intensity of it all had increased tenfold. Neither had allowed their minds to give any reason for it, to over-rationalize it, other than it had felt amazing and they hadn't wanted it to end yet.

They had spent nearly 3 hours straight making love over and over until they were both too tired to do anything except finally fall asleep from exhaustion. Sonny hadn't slept long, purposely awakening after a couple of hours. Due to years of undercover work his body had become accustomed to working on little sleep, that way he stayed alert at a time when people tended to be most vulnerable, during their sleep. He remained in bed, resting on his back. He had his left hand behind his head and his right arm was wrapped about Trudy, who was sound asleep and snug against his side. Her head rested on his chest, and her right arm and leg were across his torso and legs. He gently and absentmindedly rubbed his hand up and down the warm silky skin on her back. His mind was reeling over what they had done and how he would be able to look her in the eyes after the night they had had. He wasn't nervous but he was sure that it would be difficult at this point to not blur the lines between their real-life and pretend personas. He knew he would want to continue having a sexual relationship with Trudy, but he wasn't sure she would feel the same. Also, he had known firsthand from his relationship with Gina that it was not a good idea to have a romantic relationship with someone you had to work with. Granted, the issue with Gina had been that he had never had any real connection with Gina, not like what he was already feeling for Trudy after just under a week of pretending to be lovers.

Sonny had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed that Trudy was awake and watching him. When she placed a soft kiss on his chest he flinched a bit in surprise and then tilted his head to look down at her.

"Good morning," Trudy spoke in a soft whisper still mindful that they were being watched and their lips were being read.

"It's been a great morning, darlin," Sonny teased in reply as she chuckled and his words made her smile sweetly at him.

"Yeah, it has," She agreed as she bowed her head a bit now avoiding his gaze as she scraped her nails across his chest, a move that instantly aroused him once more. Sonny quickly grasped her hand and brought it to his lips.

"That tickles," He said answering her questioning eyes that stared up at him. "In a good way," He added as he nodded his head and cast his eyes down his body. When Trudy let her eyes follow his and they landed on his very erect dick she giggled a little as she buried her face against his chest. "Now, don't get me wrong I am very willing and as you can see, I'm also able, but I don't want to assume that you are."

"Oh, I am," She hurriedly replied stunning Sonny a bit with her bold response.

"Oh yeah?" He said as he tugged her tighter against him and rolled them until she was on her back and he was nestled atop her, in between her legs. He knew that things between them had shifted in such a way that would forever change their working dynamics, and he knew it should be a cause for concern. But he had decided he'd worry about those things later when they were safe back in the real world. As for now, he would simply enjoy all the pleasures their current situation was gifting him.

"Mhmm," Trudy responded with a nod as she reached her hand up and stroked at his stubble covered face. A voice in the dark recesses of her mind screamed at her to not let this fantasy with Sonny go too far. She was well aware that she could easily fall under Sonny's spell, just as she had stood and witnessed Gina do once upon a time. Back then she had laughed to herself at how foolish Gina had been to let Sonny charm her right out of her panties. When she had asked her why Gina had told her that there was something about Sonny that pulled her in and now Trudy fully understood what Gina had meant. There was something about the way Sonny looked at you, spoke, and his overall swagger that sucked you in. Now, that she had felt his touch and tasted him her mind kept saying one mantra over and over 'don't fall for Sonny' and she was determined to commit to that. That didn't mean she wouldn't enjoy their time together while they were undercover, she'd just chalk it up later as just a part of the job. "Anytime and anyplace," She added as she coaxed his face down to her and captured his mouth in a kiss. Just as their kissed deepened and Sonny was nudging the head of his cock against Trudy's hot folds a knock came at the door of their cabin. Sonny growled as he parted from their kiss and reluctantly pulled himself from her warm inviting body. He jumped from the bed, quickly threw on his trousers and left the bedroom, making sure to close the bedroom door behind him. He rushed to the cabin door and flung it open not bothering to hide his irritation as he answered.

"This better be good," Sonny barked out before actually noticing who was standing on the other side of the door.

"I am sorry, did I come at a bad time, my friend?" Torres asked as he stood on across the threshold with his two usual bodyguards.

"Well," Sonny began to reply as he stood back from the entrance allowing the men to enter the luxurious cabin. "It is a little early for business, don't ya think?"

"Early?" Torres replied as he looked at his Rolex for effect as he already knew the time. "Sonny, my friend, it's nearly noon," Sonny was genuinely surprised as he checked his own watch. He hadn't realized that he and Trudy had lost so much time getting lost in each other. He frowned up a bit angry at letting himself get that distracted and he cast his hard eyes upon Trudy when she exited the bedroom as if he believed it had been entirely her fault.

"Good morning," She greeted as she moved to the bar to find something to drink. Sonny swept his eyes over her frame and noticed that she seemed to only be wearing a satin white robe that fell just above her knee. He then quickly shot his eyes to where Torres stood openly watching Trudy like a predator that had just found its prey. Something within Sonny stirred and an unexplained anger filled him. He didn't like the way Torres stared at Trudy and he was mad that she was parading around in next to nothing. "How did this get here?" Trudy questioned as she lifted the pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice that had been next to the silver platter filled with croissants, muffins and other pastries. Sonny bunched his brow his irritation growing at the knowledge that someone had been in their cabin and he had not even been aware.

"Oh, I had one of the maids bring that for you this morning," Torres answered. "I'm sure she knocked but you were asleep or busy maybe and didn't hear her. Anyway, the maids are allowed to let themselves in to serve the guests."

"Well, I would appreciate it if your maids didn't come into our room without us letting them in first," Sonny stated as he scowled at Torres.

"As you wish," Torres agreed as he raised his hands as if in surrender. "But I assure you're perfectly safe here. It is only to make my guests more comfortable and to ensure their every need is met."

"Thank you," Trudy chimed in as she could sense that Sonny was not happy at that moment and she didn't want him to lose his cool. "I'm famished," She added as she pulled apart one of the sticky pastries and popped the piece into her mouth. Her eyes closed involuntarily in absolute pleasure to the sweet, buttery tastes that filled her mouth. "Mmm," She moaned out as she then sucked upon her sticky digits and held every man in the room captivated.

"Trudy," Sonny's voice seemed to boom within the room and caused her to snap her eyes onto him with her nerves now at high alert. The tone in his voice was one of warning, but once she opened her eyes she saw no danger. "Why don't you go get dress darlin, while Mr. Torres and I talk a little business," Sonny said purposefully in a dismissive tone that he knew Trudy wouldn't appreciate, but he wanted to piss her off though he knew he had no real reason too. The deadly look she was sending him spoke to her displeasure at his words and sudden cold behavior, given the night and morning they had just shared.

"No need to make the lady leave," Torres responded as he let his eyes rake over her body. "I just came to tell you that there's been a slight change in plans," He said as he turned to focus on Sonny who looked back at him in confusion.

"Excuse me," Trudy spoke out recapturing both men's attention as she walked by Torres, purposely making sure to brush against him as she did, and all while staring directly into Sonny scowling face. "I think I will go get dress, while you have your talk," She then rolled her eyes from Sonny to Torres. "Thank you for your kind hospitality, Mr. Torres," She threw out as she handed him the glass of orange juice she had poured for herself but hadn't drunk from. Torres took the glass with a wide smile, quite pleased to have felt her warmth against his body.

"Please call me Gabriel," Torres said as his eyes scanned her face as he silently praised her beauty and vowed to find a way to have her for himself.

"Gabriel," She repeated with a charming smile and then she continued past him swaying her hips more than needed all while making it a point to not acknowledge Sonny at all as she walked back into the bedroom and closed the door behind her.

"Would you give her to me for 20 million of my share?" Torres suddenly asked aloud and Sonny, who had been angrily watching Trudy, quickly turned his angered glare on to Torres.

"What?" Sonny snapped back at him a little taken aback at the smaller man's bold question. At seeing the dangerous look on Sonny's face Torres again raised his hands in surrender.

"It is just a business proposition, my friend, I meant no offense."

"Well, I think Trudy might be a little offended that you're offering to buy her," Sonny cast out.

"Maybe I should make the offer directly to her then?"

"It's a free country, Bub, and I don't own her," Sonny replied, his rage was reaching a boiling point but he knew he had to stay in character, and his character was as a drug runner who was in love with money only and Trudy was just supposed to be an arm piece and something pretty to entice Torres. Sonny mentally noted that Trudy was doing a better job than he at the moment. "Now, back to this business you came to discuss."

"Ah, yes," Torres spoke as he settled the glass of orange juice atop a nearby table and then turned to give Sonny his full attention. "Back to business, well, the shipment has arrived and we need to do this tonight."

"Tonight? Wait I thought you said the shipment wouldn't be arriving for a few days," Sonny stated as he bunched his brow a bit in confusion.

"I lied," Torres announced casually. "I just wanted to get you here, on my turf, so to speak. That was the best way for me to really watch you and to see what you are all about. You checked out but I still needed to make sure."

"Make sure of what exactly?" Sonny questioned.

"That you and your lovely companion weren't cops," Torres said and Sonny played it really cool as he smiled and chuckled, which Torres also did as well.

"You thought I was the fuzz?" Sonny asked as he continued to laugh. "Well, I've been called a lot of things, but never that."

"No, not really, you two certainly don't act like cops. At least not the cops here in the states where there are so many rules of ethics. I mean cops here don't tend to just blast guys in nightclubs and then run from the scene and the way you and Ms. Trudy spent all night and most of this morning, sure is not something I would think cops do here either," Torres said with a knowing smile as Sonny's smile faltered a bit. Although he already knew that he and Trudy were being watched, he didn't think it would have been so scrutinized, by Torres himself. "Sorry, my friend I had to be sure, as I've told you before, one can never be too sure in our line of business. You can still call your contacts and make the arrangements, even on such short notice, right?"

"Yeah," Sonny said through a sigh as he raked his fingers through his hair. "I just need to get back to shore and make some calls, give a lot of payouts, which you're footing the bill for. As I said before it'll probably have to be 3 times what I normally pay."

"And as I said before, I will happily pay it. Carlos here will take you to the casino and take whatever funds you may need from the vault there," Torres said and one of the guards near the door stepped closer. "We're now just a couple of miles from the coast, so you can take the smaller boat to shore to make the arrangements needed."

"All right, let me just get dressed and let Trudy know," Sonny said just as Trudy exited from the bedroom fully dressed in a red Hervé Léger bandage style dress.

"Let me know what?" Trudy asked and then waited for a reply from one of the men who all stared at her for a moment and looked as if entranced. Trudy inwardly smiled and high-fived herself for her dress choice, she had intended for it to get a rise out of Sonny only, but she was pleased it was a winner with all the other men, including the guards.

"Uhm…" Sonny started to speak but couldn't seem to form the right words as he stared at her. He stood there and pondered why she looked so irresistible to him now. He had always thought Trudy very beautiful and attractive, but this morning something about her seemed to draw him in more.

"I was just informing Sonny that our business plans have been pushed up and will be happening tonight," Torres spoke out.

"Yeah, so we'll be heading back home to make the arrangements on our end," Sonny finally spoke as he moved to the bedroom door with the intention to get dressed.

"You will go and make the arrangements, Sonny, while Trudy stays here," Torres proclaimed and Sonny stopped in his tracks and turned a scowl at the smaller man behind him. "Do not worry, I shall be a most gracious host," He added as a goading smile played on his lips.

"I thought you just said you trusted us," Sonny replied.

"This has nothing to do with my trusting you, I do, but I would also like to get to know Trudy a little better, and she'll be like an insurance policy to ensure that you do not double cross me. With her here with me I know I need not worry, because in the short time that I've observed you, there is one thing that is very evident to me and that you care a great deal for her. Am I wrong?" Sonny looked from Torres over to Trudy. He locked his eyes to hers as he shook his head to tell Torres that he was not wrong in his assessment. Trudy swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat at learning this. Her earlier frustration over Sonny's treatment of her dissipated "Good, then it's settled, you will leave to go make the arrangements and Trudy will stay here to keep me company. "I hope you do not mind," Torres finally acknowledged Trudy.

"Will my gracious host still front me down in the casino?" Trudy asked trying to portray a nonchalant attitude when inside she was screaming and slightly filled with fear over the thought of Sonny leaving her in a den with deadly predators surrounding her.

"But of course," Torres genuinely smiled at her as he bowed a little.

"Then I don't mind at all," She said plastering on the sweetest smile she could muster. "Honey, you go back to shore and make the necessary arrangements and I'll stay here and partake in one of my favorite pastimes, gambling on someone else's dime," She giggled and Torres laughed along amused and enchanted by her.

"Fine, let's get this over with," Sonny huffed out as he continued to scowl as he stalked into the bedroom to get ready.

Later up on deck

"You are sure that you have taken enough funds with you to assure that we will have the cooperation needed from your cohorts on the docks?" Torres questions from his position on the deck leaning on the railing as he looked to Sonny who stood at the ladder that would take him down to the smaller boat that would take him back to shore.

"More than enough," Sonny replied with a nod all while his eyes were locked on to Trudy. During their trek from their room to the upper deck, he and Trudy had held hands and walked close together. They had remained silent but kept casting each other glances to offer encouragement and ease fears they both were feeling. "Besides, if they want anything more than what I'm offering I'd call the whole thing off. I never trust anyone that seems too greedy," He continued as he glanced over to Torres, who smiled and nodded his understanding. "C'mere and give me a kiss," Sonny commanded as he was now focused back onto Trudy, who quickly stepped from when had been standing at Torres' side over to where Sonny stood. She wrapped both of her arms around his neck and he snaked his left arm around her while steadying his right hand on the railing of the ladder. He tugged her into a deep sensual kiss that he hoped relayed to her that she needed to keep cool, do her job and most importantly that he would be back for her. When they finally parted she gifted him with a gentle smile as she cupped his face with one of her hands, and he knew she had fully understood his unspoken words to her. She then stepped back to where Torres stood and after looking at her for a few seconds more, Sonny began making his way down the ladder.

"Oh, baby," Trudy called down to him and he stopped and looked up at her. "Please bring me my pink makeup case, that's on the floor beside my vanity." Sonny stared up at her a bit perplexed as Torres also looked at her with a slight grin on his face. "What?" She questioned their stares. "There is nothing wrong with a lady wanting to look her best, no matter the situation. And I didn't see any boutiques stores on your lovely yacht, so I need my makeup."

"I think you had better do as the lady says, my friend. I know from personal experience that women tend to take always looking beautiful very seriously," Torres said and Sonny simply nodded at Trudy and then continued down to the boat. "Although, I do not see much makeup on your face now and you are absolutely stunning still Ms. Trudy," He added and Trudy tossed him a faux smile and then settled her eyes onto the boat that was speeding Sonny away. A dread filled her every second that boat got further and further away. "Before we head down to the casino I thought that we would have some lunch in my cabin," Torres spoke out again as he placed his left hand on the small of Trudy's back, and she had to force herself to not flinch from his touch. Again, she plastered on a kind smile as she regarded him.

"Well, I did miss breakfast so I am quite hungry," She said.

"And you shall have anything your little heart desires," He assured as he held out his arm to her, which she looped with hers and allowed him the lead the way. She took one last quick glance over her shoulder to where she last saw the boat, which was now just a speck in the far off distance.

Chapter Seven:

"Man, that's a lot of weight," Tubbs stated from his seat on the plush sofa in the mansion Sonny and Trudy had been using as a front. Sonny had headed straight there knowing that Torres probably still had people watching him. They had always intended to have Tubbs step in as Sonny's connection to the docks. What hadn't been planned was that Lt. Castillo would also now be involved as another visual connection. He had made arrangements with the DEA and the local docks to set everything up to get Torres' boat and product into the docks without any incidents.

"It's all taken care of," Castillo spoke out as he stood with hands in his pockets by the wall of floor to ceiling glass sliding doors that faced out to the beach and ocean. "There will be no interference once Torres' boat docks," He added.

"Yeah, but we don't want to make it seems too easy either, Torres is no dummy," Tubbs tossed in and Castillo nodded as he turned to regard the young man.

"There will be all the usual checks with the guards and dogs, but most of the guards will be undercover DEA agents and their trained dogs," He confirmed and then focused onto Sonny who was seated in the chair nearby, leaned back with his leg crossed, arms resting on the armrests, with his right hand settled across his mouth. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. "How do you plan to handle things on your end?" Sonny briefly raised his eyes to his boss before settling them back onto the floor where they had been previously.

"I head back to let Torres know that everything is in place for tonight," Sonny finally spoke as he moved forward in his seat and rested both of his elbows on to his knees. "I'm sure his cronies who followed me here have already informed him of this meeting. Although, he may be suspicious about the fact that the cops aren't swarming this place after Alvez's murder."

"Well, that didn't happen here, Alvez drove off before we got him out and ignited the explosion. So, no ties to you or your place here whatsoever," Tubbs replied and Sonny cast his shocked eyes over to where his partner sat smirking back at him. "No, Alvez wasn't actually in the car when it blew."

"That's right," Alvez spoke out as he entered from the kitchen area. "Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated, but necessary to let Torres think he was still in control."

"How?" Sonny questioned.

"Honestly, I'm just a lucky S.O.B," Alvez continued. "I noticed someone messing around my car the night before. I arrested him on the spot and immediately let my supervisor know and within 10 minutes of the call she had the bomb squad out to check my car," Alvez began to explain. "Sure enough they found the bomb and discovered it was attached to a remote detonator that the bomber had in his pocket. We figured that Torres would wait until I was able to secure the deal with you and then make the call to the bomber to set the explosion. So, he'd double-cross me by blowing me up, thus taking me and my cut out of the equation. We had the bomber, his phone, and the detonator, all we had to do is just wait for the call from Torres, which I figured would happen not too long after you guys left, so I quickly drove off a ways, made sure there were no civilians around and that I was at least far enough away from the mansion as to not raise any suspicion here, then we blew the car."

"Yeah, it was quite a show even miles out on Torres's boat," Sonny proclaimed as he recalled the explosion. "And I'm glad it was all just a show," Sonny added as the two men gave a nod to the other. "What happened to the maid?"

"She left in haste soon after the explosion," Castillo answered. "We snatched her up as she tried to leave. We had to take her into custody to ensure that she didn't somehow blow yours and Trudy's cover. You say that Torres didn't seem to suspect anything?"

"No," Sonny replied as he shook his head, quickly stood from his seat, raked his hand through his hair and then pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "The fucker watches us closely, he has cameras everywhere on his yacht he even has lip readers watching all the video."

"Why?" Tubbs asked curiously as he frowned up in confusion.

"Because he's got some notorious criminals on that boat right now, so this is going to be a major bust for the DEA. Those special guests of Torres are even more paranoid than he is, they all brought folks with equipment to check their rooms for bugs," Sonny stated.

"So, he didn't put in any bugs but hired people to read his guests lips instead," Tubbs concluded as Sonny nodded in reply. "That's kind of brilliant."

"Yeah, he's a real diabolical genius," Sonny tossed out sarcastically. "Are we done here so I can head back?"

"Well, we've got a good 5-6 hours still before this is all set to take place, right?" Tubbs said. "Maybe we should run through it all again from the top, you know, just to make sure we've got it."

"We all know our parts, besides, I've already been here for nearly 3 hours, and that's more than enough time to make the necessary arrangements. Also, I don't want to leave Trudy alone with that sadistic fucker for too long," Sonny said with a slight sneer o his lips. "Your plan to use her to entice Torres worked better than you know," He said as he regarded Castillo, "He's already offered me 20 million of his share for her." Tubbs whistled at hearing this.

"Trudy can handle herself, which is another reason I chose her for this assignment," Castillo stated. "But go, we'll have everything in place when Torres's boat docks." Sonny headed to the door and snatched up Trudy's pink makeup case which he had retrieved from the bedroom earlier. "Sonny, there is one more thing," Castillo called out and Sonny stopped just at the door where he had his hand already been turning the knob. "You and Trudy need to make sure that Torres is on the boat once it's docked."

"I already told you that he plans for us to take the smaller boat and come back here to wait while this all goes down," Sonny responded.

"I know but the DEA doesn't want to risk him getting away, everything that they're setting up is contingent on Torres being on that boat when they make the bust, so make sure he is," Castillo commanded and then turned his back to them and once again faced the wall of the glass doors. Sonny remained still at the door as he frowned at Castillo's back and then shot his eyes to Tubbs, who could only offer a shrug as he had no idea about how to help his partner and friend. Sonny then left out with a curse under his breath as he headed back down to the tiny dock where Torres's boat with the driver still waited for him.

Sometime Later

Trudy had agreed to go to Torres's cabin for lunch although the thought of being in such a confined space with him had unnerved her a bit. She had been pleasantly surprised to see that their lunch had been set up out on a large patio attached to the living room of his cabin. Their conversation had also been surprisingly nice. Trudy found Torres to be a very well educated, versed, and cultured man. She became quite engrossed in some of their topics that she lost track of time.

"I am very pleased to learn that you are not just drop dead gorgeous, Trudy, but you are also very intelligent. One doesn't find such a combination in women that are in this business," Torres complimented as he sat across from Trudy at the small patio glass table. "With a mind like yours, how did you ever get into this kind of business, anyway?"

"For the same reason I am so intelligent," Trudy said as she sipped at her red wine. "I love money. I don't care much about where it comes from, because I've learned and now expertly know how to make it squeaky clean. I've found that most people in this kind of business, shares my love of money and they don't care where it comes from. But they don't usually know how to get the money clean, and so I offer my services."

"And is that how you and Sonny began your relationship?" Torres asked.

"More or less," She said not intending to offer much more on the details of her supposed relationship with the drug smugglers Sonny Marcos because she and Sonny hadn't really sat down and created specifics about it. Sonny was the big time smuggler and she handled the money side of things and kept Sonny's bed warm. Although she still inwardly gagged at the misogynistic undertone to her role, she was still happy that she didn't have to play an airhead whorish type of a woman. At least she had a purpose in her undercover role.

"I don't mean to be nosey," Torres assured as he cut into the large T-bone steak he had ordered for himself. "I am just curious about your relationship if it's a committed one," He said as he looked directly into her eyes while he slowly and almost sensually placed the meat into his mouth.

"I see, well Sonny and my relationship is business first and foremost, and it has been a very profitable relationship," Trudy answered knowing it wasn't the answer he was looking for.

"And personally?"

"Sonny doesn't own me if that is what you're asking Mr. Torres."

"Gabriel, please, and Sonny stated something similar earlier when we had a small discussion about you," He chuckled as she raised one of her perfectly sculpted brows to his words. "It was nothing salacious I promise, but if I may be frank?" He posed this as a question and Trudy simply nodded in reply letting him know he could continue. "I think you are the most beautiful and incredibly fascinating woman I have ever met, and I want you."

Before Trudy could respond a knock came to the door capturing Torres's attention. She breathed a sigh of relief for she had no idea how she would have replied. The man before her repulsed her and just knowing that he wanted her made her want to take a bath and scrub her skin until it was raw.

"Come," Torres called out and the door opened and two of his guards ushered Sonny into the room. When Sonny's eyes landed on Trudy he had been a little surprised to find her in Torres's personal cabin and to be looking so relaxed. His eyes hardened and his demeanor stiffened, which both Torres and Trudy took notice of as they both stood from the table and made their way back into the main room. "Sonny, my friend," Torres greeted but Sonny remained silent and hadn't even seemed to have heard the short man before him, his eyes locked onto the woman in the room with them.

"Welcome back baby," Trudy finally greeted as she stepped up next to Sonny who stood stiffly. "Thank you for remembering my makeup case," She said as she grasped the case from his hand and placed a kiss on his cheek. Torres nodded to his guard who then quickly stepped to an unexpecting Trudy and pulled the case from her grasp. "Hey," She called out in protest and Sonny took a protective step in between her and the guard.

"My apologies, but all luggage brought aboard must be checked," Torres explained and then smiled when the guard gave him a nod and then handed the case back to Trudy.

"Well, next time all you have to do is ask, no need to be sneaky and snatchy about it," Trudy said and Torres conceded by giving her a bow. "If you gentlemen will excuse me I am going to go freshen up. I feel so naked without my makeup," She stated as she brushed past Sonny to leave, knowing that he would find a way to fill her in on the details he had arranged later when they were alone.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed your company this evening Trudy," Torres called out to her stopping her just at the door, and she turned back and graced him with a sweetly smile. "I hope we will have the opportunity to do it again sometime."

"Doubtful, since we will be concluding our business in a few short hours," Sonny cut in, Trudy slightly shrugged and then left the men alone.

"Wow, are you in such a hurry to be done with me, Sonny, my friend?" Torres asked. "I hope you are not upset that I had Trudy here with me. It was just a friendly lunch. I promise you I was not trying to steal your lady."

"Don't take it personally, with this kind of deal once it's done I want to get as far away from here and you as quickly as possible. As for Trudy, as I told you before I don't own her but I'm also not worried about you stealing her from me either," Sonny added this with a dismissive attitude and chuckle which he could tell had riled Torres a bit, as the smile on his face had quickly faded. "Now, let's talk business. Everything is all set, as I suspected I had to use every last dime of the money you gave me to get it all done, but there's one catch," Sonny said.

"Oh, and what might that be?"

"You have to bring the boat in yourself," Sonny replied.

"Not possible," Torres said. "I thought we agreed that we would wait back at your place."

"Hey, I don't like it any more than you do, but in order for this to work smoothly, the owner of this monstrosity must be aboard. Otherwise, it will raise suspicion. I mean, some rich guy throwing a big party on his boat but then disappears before the boat docks. Never mind the red tape they'd have to cut through if a boat is trying to dock without the owner on board, we don't want that kind of attention. I assume your name is listed as the owner?"

"Yes, one of my aliases," Torres confirmed as he stood thinking on what Sonny had said, and Sonny could tell his words had been convincing. "Fine, but you will remain on board as well."

"Yeah, I figured as much," Sonny said with a nod. "Besides, I don't plan on letting you out of my sight until I get my cut. Now, if you'll excuse me I think I'll go take a nap. I didn't get much sleep last night, thanks to Trudy," Sonny tossed out with a gloating smirk as he turned and left the cabin, leaving Torres to sneer at his back. Torres had been more pissed by Sonny's taunting him about being with Trudy than by the change in their plans.

"Hector," Torres spoke out and one of his guards near the door stepped down close to him. "Tonight right before we pull into the docks I want you to make sure that Trudy is brought here and secured in my cabin. Do not harm her in any way," Torres commanded as he gave the man a threatening glare.

"Sure, Boss, and what about Sonny, do you want me to dispose of him?"

"No, I don't want him harmed either. He is my business partner and I shall honor the business deal we have in place. I just want his woman for myself. Besides, if this goes off without a hitch it would be good to have such a 'friend' in case we need to move more products." Hector nodded as he moved back to his position by the door, while Torres hurried to the door that housed his surveillance room.

Elsewhere

With every step, he took closer to his and Trudy's room Sonny's anger flared. He knew it was irrational and that he had no right to be mad about finding Trudy alone with Torres, in fact, that was part of the reason she had been assigned to the case, to get in where Sonny couldn't. This knowledge had not dispelled his growing anger. By the time he had entered the room and slammed the door behind him, Sonny was so worked up his breaths came out in pants. When he found the living room area empty he stalked to the bedroom, which was also empty but he could hear the shower running in the bathroom.

She had just stepped into the shower and wet herself and stood facing the wall under the shower head which poured a stream of water down over the top of her head. Her straightened hair instantly transformed into wet spiral curls about her shoulder and down her back. Since her flat iron and hair products were also in her makeup case she had decided to wash her hair. She turned around with her eyes still closed and threw her head back to let the warm water to splash over her face as she raised her arms and combed her fingers through her loosened coils. She sensed another's presence and quickly dropped her hands to cover her body as her eyes snapped onto Sonny, who stood fully clothed in the doorway at the end of the oversized shower.

"Shit, Sonny, you scared me," She proclaimed frowning a bit at him but then noticed the hard look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"You tell me," Sonny replied and Trudy bunched her brows to his words, truly confused. "What are you doing, washing Torres off of you?" He spat out and Trudy wasn't sure what upset her more his accusation or the disgusted look on his face as he said it.

"No, I'm actually washing 'you' off of me," She spat back at him and it was as if her words had slapped some sense into Sonny. His shoulders slumped a bit and the fire was doused from his eyes. "I would hate for Gabriel to smell you on me when we have dinner later," She added the lie hoping to get under Sonny's skin and she could see the anger immediately flare back up in his eyes. "Now, please get out so I can finish my bath."

"So, what, you plan to fuck him too?" Sonny asked angrily as he stepped into the shower and close to her not seeming to care that his clothes were now getting wet. Trudy had to force herself to not cower back at his threatening approach, although his behavior was scaring her a bit. Was he actually jealous or was this just an act for Torres, she pondered? "Please, wait, and let me see if I can still get that 20 million he offered me earlier for you, first," He tossed in and a loud smack filled the shower stall, as Trudy's wet hand connected to Sonny's now wet left cheek.

This time Trudy did take a step back as Sonny's enlarged, wild, and dangerous eyes burned into hers. He looked like he wanted to strike her. She cried out slightly as Sonny reached up, tightly gripped her arms, and then pushed her back into the tiled wall beneath the showerhead. Her fright quickly melted into ecstasy when Sonny swooped in and captured her mouth into a deep kiss, which left her breathless and needy all at once. He pressed his body flush against hers, grinding the outline of his swollen dick into her belly. Both of them began to pull and pushed at his soaked clothes to free them from his body until he was as naked as she was, and they were touching flesh on flesh.

Sonny moved his hands down to her ass as she settled her hands on his shoulders. He gripped her ass in his hands and lifted her body upward, her back slid along the tiled wall. She wrapped her arms securely around his neck and her legs around his waist, opening herself to him. He pressed up into her and caused her to cry out as she tossed her head back and arched at the sensation of him filling her so completely. Coupling with him held a feeling of pleasure she had never experienced with any man before Sonny and was sure she would never feel with any man after. Sonny was having a similar revelation as he buried himself deep within Trudy. The emotions that washed over him nearly buckled his knees and made him leaning into her a bit and rest his head against her chest as he tried to compose himself.

Once they had both composed themselves a bit they began a frantic dance with Sonny pounding mercilessly up into her, and Trudy bouncing half-crazed down upon him. Neither cared about the show they knew they were putting on for Torres and his goonies. After they were both sated they returned to bed for a nap to replenish their energy for the night ahead.

Chapter Eight:

Trudy awoke with a huge smile on her face. She lay in the bed with her eyes closed as she smiled and thought about the ways Sonny had made her scream, laugh and cry with pleasure. This time there was no doubt in her mind that once this assignment was over both parties would have difficulties letting go of this newfound desire between them. She knew that she wanted to continue their sexual relationship but also knew that she would eventually want more from it, a part of her already did. In time she would want love from Sonny and a commitment. She just wasn't sure that was something that Sonny wanted as well. Sex, yes, he had made it quite clear that he wanted that and would continue to want it. So, if he ever came knocking Trudy wasn't sure she'd have the strength to turn him away, even at the detriment to her own wants and needs. She sighed contently as she internally decided to pack those thoughts away until after they finished their undercover assignment. She moved her right arm that had been nestled at her side and rubbed it across the bed over to where Sonny had been resting but found only chilled sheets. She lifted her head and snapped her eyes open to where she last saw Sonny. The bed was empty.

"Sonny?" Trudy called out as she sat up in the bed a little and clutched the sheet to her naked body. She waited a second for a reply but none came. "That sneaky son-of-a…" She cursed under her breath as she hurried from the bed to shower and dress. She couldn't believe that after everything they had already been through that Sonny was still treating her like some rookie who didn't know how to do the job.

Elsewhere

"We will be docking in about 20 minutes, my friend, are you sure everything will be in place?" Torres had asked Sonny for the umpteenth time as they stood above deck staring out at the docks they were fast approaching. The party that had seemed to be ongoing for the time that Sonny and Trudy had arrived was still raging throughout the yacht, the perfect cover for Torres's plan.

"Look, bub, I keep telling you my end of things is fully covered. I trust my people we've been running this game for years. Granted the product we're moving this time is a whole lot more weight than my usual run, but you've paid enough hush money that it shouldn't be a problem," Sonny said but could tell by the way Torres was pacing and raking his hands through his hair he was jumpy. "If you want to call this off, now's the time but I can't get you a refund on what you've already paid my guys and I also expect some compensation for my time, then we can all just walk away. It's no skin off my back, but tell me now," He added trying to sound as nonchalant as possible while he leaned on the railing and hoped Torres wouldn't actually call off anything.

"No, no," Torres replied. "We'll continue as planned.

"Good," Sonny said with a smile cast to Torres. "Because I was actually looking forward to that retirement fund you offered."

"Yeah, me too," A female voice spoke out and both men turned surprised eyes onto Trudy who was heading across the deck to where the two men stood alone. Torres's guard had let her through, knowing that she was a part of the dealing between their boss and Sonny, and also knowing that their boss had taken a fondness to the woman like no other woman that he had acquaintances with before. "We're splitting that money 50/50, right baby?" She added as she sashayed to where Sonny stood as he now rested his back against the railing. He watched her approach. He had left her asleep but had also set the alarm to awaken her just about that time so she would be up and ready to make the bust. He knew that she might think he was cutting her out, and he wasn't entirely sure she would be wrong in that thought, because he had a surface of a need to protect her in case things went south. Sonny knew Trudy was a damn good officer but he couldn't stop the chauvinistic caveman feelings he now felt towards her, which he knew would cause serious problems between them if he didn't get it in check.

As Sonny watched her move he felt his dick begin to swell, which he didn't think possible given the way they had made love just a couple of hours ago. He drank in the sight of her from the natural pin curls that she had opted to not straighten out but pinned up, to the strapless sundress that hugged her chest and bellowed out around her hips stopping just above her knees, down to what he thought were the most beautifully shaped toes with pink polish which peeked out from the sandal flats she wore. Sonny wanted to take her again right there, up against the railing, and a part of him chastised his impure thoughts because their time together undercover was nearly over. Once they were back, in reality, they had to go back to the professional only relationship they had before. But Sonny knew it would be a difficult transition for him, more difficult than any other times he had to decompress after an undercover assignment and assimilate back into the real world. The task might not be so hard if he never had to see Trudy again, but knowing that he would be within arm's reach of her day in and day out, he was sure he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to corner her in some broom closet at the OCB to ravage her.

"50/50," Sonny replied to Trudy's question. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she finally settled against his side and then placed a sweet kiss on her lips, while Torres looked on enviously. "And it won't be much longer now. We'll be docking in about 10 minutes," He added. "The revised plan is we'll be walking off the yacht as guests with gifts too," Sonny said and Trudy nodded her understanding to this arrangement which Sonny had disclosed to her as they had lain in bed together earlier. "You've made sure that those gifts are packaged right?"

"Of course, my people are very good at what they do, but there are some last-minute things I do need to check on," Torres stated. "Hector here has the special baskets for both of you he will take Trudy to fetch those, while you stay up here and make sure that there are no issues when we dock. I will meet you back here once we've docked," Torres then gave a nod to Hector and walked off.

"This way," Hector spoke out to Trudy and Sonny.

"Give me just one moment with my man please," Trudy replied as she leaned in and nibbled at Sonny's neck and Hector walked off some and turned his back to them to give them some privacy. "We're about to be millionaires baby," She spoke as she turned to face him pressing her body flush against his. She reached down and grasped Sonny's right hand and placed it on her bare left leg. Sonny gave her a curious look but didn't protest when she slid his hand between her thighs and up under the skirt of her dress. "Once we have all that money we're gonna retire to some tropical island like you're always promising, right?" Sonny's eyes widen a bit as a smile tugged at the corner of his lips upon feeling the gun that Trudy had strapped to her left inner thigh. Sonny hesitated to take the gun and had to bite back his question about how she had even gotten it on the boat. "Don't worry he has a sister," Trudy whispered to him as she leaned in and gave him a sound kiss on his mouth. As they kissed Sonny pulled the small gun from Trudy's body and discreetly slipping into the back waistband of his pants. Trudy then pulled from the kiss and from Sonny's embrace as she moved to where Hector still stood with his back to them.

"Hey," Sonny called out to Trudy and she turned her head to glance at him over her shoulder. "I'll see you shortly," He said and she nodded, understanding that this was Sonny's way of telling her to be careful.

"See you soon," She replied returning the gesture. She then moved to Hector and looped her arm into his. The tall guard smiled down at her. "You don't mind if we stop by my cabin first, do you sugah? There's something I need to get first," She spoke to the guard who nodded, completely enthralled by her beauty and charms.

A few minutes later

Trudy had gotten into her cabin and retrieved the other gun that she had asked Switek to install in a false bottom of the pink makeup case that Sonny had gotten for her earlier. It had been for another case that she and Gina had worked previously, but they had never had cause to use them. She knew it was a risk which is why she had not told Sonny about them. She figured if he didn't know and one of Torres's guards found them she could easily explain them away and Sonny's genuine shock would show Torres it wasn't some planned plot he had been in on.

With the gun now in the same spot that she had held the gun given to Sonny, Trudy followed Hector down to Torres's cabin.

"Why are we coming here?" She questioned but got no reply from Hector. Once they arrived at the door of the cabin Hector knocked and Torres invited them to enter. Hector the opened the door and then stood aside to allow Trudy to enter first and she was sure he was positioning himself so that he could grab her if she tried to leave. Trudy's emotions were on high alert now and it grew tenfold since when she finally crossed the threshold to find Torres standing out on the balcony connected to his cabin with a couple of his guards and they were tossing a pile of large black duffle bags over the side.

"Ah, Trudy, welcome back to my humble abode," Torres greeted her as he stepped back into the main room and let his guards finish the task.

"Gabriel," Trudy spoke softly. She used his first name and tried to act as if she was not bothered by what she was seeing, which was Torres's obvious planned getaway. "What's going on?"

"I know how this must look, but I assure you that I have no intention to double cross Sonny or you for that matter," Torres proclaimed as he stood before the taller woman as he reached out and grasped her hand into his. "But given that I am a wanted man in my country as well as this one, I cannot risk walking onto those docks. The risk to me being found out is just too great. Sonny says that the owner of this boat must be present when it docks and he shall," Torres waved a hand over to where Hector stood near the door. "I have transferred full rights for this yacht to my most trusted guard, Hector. Everything is now legally registered to him. So, if Sonny has held up his part of the deal this thing should go off without a hitch."

"Yeah, except you're running off," Trudy stated. "So, how exactly are we supposed to get our money from you once the deal is done and the product has moved through the docks?" She asked.

"Hector and most of my crew here will remain with the boat until everything has gone through. Sonny will remain with Hector until the deal is done. Hector handles all of these kinds of affairs for me, and he will ensure that Sonny gets his fair share once all the product has been distributed to the buyers I have already set up here in Miami."

"Okay, I guess I can assure Sonny that you're not reneging on the deal, but he's not gonna like this sudden change of plans, or should I say not being given full disclosure of your plan," Trudy said.

"So long as he gets his share, that is all he need be concerned with," Torres countered. "As for you," He tightened his grip on her hand slightly. "I want you to come away with me, Trudy. Please, hear me out," He quickly added before a shocked Trudy could even respond. "I know we've only just met and this all seems quite cliché, but I have fallen head over heels for you and I want you for myself. I can and will show you the world and I can and will give you the world too," He said and then tugged her hand and moved them closer to the patio doors. "In those bags is enough cash to cover your share from this deal, and it's all yours and then some, guaranteed. So, you need not worry about Sonny not sharing with you."

"I was never worried about that to begin with, Sonny and I have an arrangement that has worked for years and we've never cheated one another," She stated her well-rehearsed part. "Because of that, I trust Sonny implicitly."

"And you can trust me the same," Torres said as he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss across her knuckles. She had to fight the nearly overwhelming urge to snatch her hand back and wipe away his kiss.

"I'm very flattered, Gabriel," Trudy spoke as she pulled her hand from his grasp. "But I will have to decline the offer. I like my current situation."

"So, you love Sonny?" Torres questioned and Trudy could see the envy in the smaller man's eyes.

"Yes," She answered without hesitation.

"Well, I think that in time you will learn to love me as well," He then turned from her and focused on the guards loading his bags of cash down to the waiting boat. "Vamonos," He called out as he recaptured Trudy's hand, this time with a firm grip on her wrist. He yanked her out with him onto the balcony. Trudy knew that she wouldn't stand a chance if she pulled out her gun while alone in a room with Torres and 5 guards, but a part of her screamed for her to do something, anything except allow Torres to get her onto the boat waiting in the waters below his balcony. Some rational part of her mind spoke calmly to her and told her that Sonny would come looking for her and he would save her. Just as quickly another voice cursed at her and told her she didn't need Sonny or any man for that matter to save her, she was well trained to handle herself in such situations, and she just needed to do her fucking job.

Back on deck

The boat had been docked and Sonny quickly spotted Tubbs who was dressed like all the other port officers that checked the big boats, passengers and their baggage through the docks. Tubbs followed 5 other officers up to the loading deck of the boat, some stopping to instruct the exiting passengers on where they needed to go.

"Sir," Tubbs spoke directly to Sonny who seemed preoccupied as he stared across the deck to where Trudy has gone several minutes before. "Do you have any items that you will be taking from the boat if so you will need to proceed onto the dock and to that station there," Tubbs pointed to a building on the docks.

"I don't know where Trudy is," Sonny spoke lowly as he looked to where Tubbs was pointing while he nodded. "Yeah, my lady and I have some luggage and a couple of gift baskets. My lady just went to grab our things, I guess I should go help her," Sonny said loudly as some of Torres's guards walked by also posing as regular guests.

"Certainly sir, before you go could you point me in the direction of the owner of the boat?" Tubbs asked as he had not spotted Torres yet.

"Sure, I'll take you to him," Sonny said as he walked off, following the same trek Trudy had taken.

"Ah, Sonny my friend," Hector called out to Sonny as he stepped up to him and smacked him firmly across his shoulder. Sonny's brow bunched a bit as he regarded the man who was Torres's main guy. "Why are you still on the boat, I thought you would have left by now. Remember we are meeting up at your place later to continue our little party. This guy here is a major party animal," Hector said directly to Tubbs as he laughed a little and again smacked Sonny's shoulder. Tubbs chuckled as well as he played along.

"Your friend was just taking me to find the owner of this yacht so we can debrief him and make sure everything checks out," Tubbs said.

"Then look no further, I am the owner," Hector announced and the scowl on Sonny's face deepened and realization struck that Torres had planned to escape from the boat before it fully docked.

"Where's Trudy?" Sonny barked out.

"I'm not sure, last I saw her she was bringing your things back up on deck. She has probably already left the boat," Hector offered with a lie.

"I would have seen her," Sonny countered as he moved to step pass Hector with the intention of going to the cabin he and Trudy had shared. "Somethings wrong, Torres ain't on this boat anymore and I bet he took Trudy with him," Sonny said this directly to Tubbs, no longer caring to stay undercover in front of Hector.

"I don't know what you-" Hector started to speak but his words quickly ended when Sonny pulled out the Glock 27 he had gotten from Trudy early and stuck it right into Hector's gut, stunning both Hector and Tubbs with the knowledge that he had a weapon on board.

"You can cut the act, we're Miami Vice and you're busted asshole, now you better start talking and fast. Where's Torres and Trudy?" Sonny asked as he pulled the slide back to cock the gun. Hector's eyes widened as he raised his hands slightly. "Keep your arms down motherfucker and smile," Sonny instructed as he too plastered a smile on his face in case any other of Torres's goons were lurking about. "Now, answer my question before I shoot you and toss you overboard."

"You see that tiny flicker of lights way out there," Hector replied as he pointed out towards the ocean. Both Sonny and Tubbs turned their gaze to where Hector was pointing and if they focused and looked really hard they could just make out a speckle of light, that was just a tiny glimmer against the darkness of the night's sky and water. They could determine that Torres had gotten a good head start on them.

"Damn it," Sonny cursed and then turned his hard, furious eyes back to where Hector stood before him. He then shoved the larger man who cried out as he fell backward over the railing and down into the dark, cold water.

"Man, what did you do that for?" Tubbs asked to Sonny's retreating back as he leaned over the railing and looked down at Hector who he could see flinging his arms about wildly as he struggled to stay above the water.

"To prevent that asshole from warning Torres or any of Torres's other guards about the bust," Sonny replied as he stopped briefly and turned back to Tubbs. "Have one of the Coast Guard boats that are standing by pick him up and detain him. Then, let Castillo know that Torres took Trudy and that I need back up because I'm going after them," With that said Sonny rushed off towards where the small boat that had taken him ashore earlier that day was tied to the yacht.

"Sonny, wait!" Tubbs called after him with the intent of convincing his partner to wait for backup to go with him, but Sonny never stopped to acknowledge him and disappeared around a corner.

Trudy had sat as calmly as she could even though inside she was readying to jump off the boat at the first opportunity. She was a little more at ease after she had boarded with Torres because he had only allowed 2 of his guards to join them. She mentally calculated that if she could find the right moment to take out at least one of the guards she might be able to gain control of the situation.

"I understand that you may be upset right now," Torres spoke to her as he sat down next to her and handed her a flute glass filled with champagne, which she accepted but never raised to her lips. She wouldn't risk being drugged and rendered helpless.

"Why would I be mad, you're just kidnapping me," She replied coolly with a slight smile.

"And I am truly sorry that things have turned out as they have," He went on. "But you are now a very rich woman. Here," He then reached over to the side of where he was seated and pulled up one of the very heavy black duffle bags and plopped it down onto the table in front of her. "That's 25 million and there are 2 other bags just like it all for you, Trudy."

"And all I have to do is what, become your whore?" She asked and for the first time since she had met him, she could see that she had angered him.

"Don't say that," He snapped as he raised his voice and balled up his fist. Trudy knew without a doubt that had she been any other woman, a woman he was not trying to seduce he probably would have struck her in the face. "I don't want you as my whore, I have whores around the world. Anywhere I go I can find the best whore they have. You I want as my equal. I want you to love me as I will love and cherish you," Torres said his demeanor switching from irritated to endearing in an instant.

"I've already told you that I love Sonny and I want to be with Sonny," Trudy stated. "So, will you let me leave with 'my' money now?" Torres chuckled a bit as he shook his head.

"No, my love, that will never happen."

"Boss," One of the guards called out to Torres gaining his attention. "Luces!" At those words, Torres jumped from his seat and stared out into the darkness behind them and saw the lights his guard spoke of and that the lights were fast approaching them. "Es un bote," The guard added as the sound of the other boat became louder.

"¡Más rápido!" Torres commanded to the guard that was at the helm of the boat. He then moved to Trudy and reached down for her arm. "I think we should head downstairs," He spoke as he grasped her arm and pulled her up from her seat. At that moment a shot rang out and soon after came the cries of the guard who was steering the boat. The other guard rushed over to assist the man who was bleeding from his shoulder. Torres turned from Trudy to assess the situation and when he turned back she was seated back down with a gun raised and pointed directly at him.

"Don't move," She commanded to Torres's shocked face. Torres stopped and instinctively raised his hands up slightly showing his surrender as his eyes locked onto the gun. "Now, tell your guard to stop this boat, because I think my ride is here," Trudy said sure that the boat that was now just behind them had Sonny on it, even those she didn't dare take her eyes off of Torres to look. Torres remained motionless. "If you think I won't shoot you where you stand, think again," She added.

"Detener el bote!" Torres called out his unharmed guard who quickly complied upon seeing that his beloved boss was being held at gunpoint.

"And take the keys out and toss them overboard," Trudy instructed to the guard who hesitated as he looked from Trudy to his boss. "Do it before I lose my patience and start pulling the trigger," She threatened. She felt a bit braver as she heard the motor of the other boat slow down so it could pull up alongside them. A small part of her panicked a bit thinking that maybe that boat wasn't Sonny but more of Torres's guard, but still she held her ground. She figured the worst case scenario she'd just have to jump into the water and take her chances with the sharks. The guard did as she told him, pulling the keys out and then throwing them out into the water.

"Ah, Sonny my friend," Torres spoke out as he turned his head slightly to face the armed man who had just boarded the boat with his own gun aimed. "How did things go at the docks, smooth I hope," He said as if nothing at all was out of the ordinary.

"You all right Darlin?" Sonny spoke directly to Trudy who was so filled with relief to have backup her legs shook slightly.

"Yeah and I'm very happy to see you," She answered.

"I should've known you'd try to double cross me," Sonny finally spoke to Torres.

"No, no there has been no double cross," Torres protested all while keeping his arms raised. "Your share of the profits from our deal will all be yours, I give you my word. I left you on the docks to ensure that everything went as planned, which is why you should be there now and not here."

"So, you just thought I would be ok with you taking my partner?" Sonny questioned.

"Well, I certainly didn't think you'd risk losing 150 million for her, no, I must say I am quite surprised. Also, you yourself stated that she doesn't belong to you," Torres countered as he shrugged his shoulder. "Apparently, I was wrong, please accept my apology. I have half of your money here with me now, just take it and Ms. Trudy and once the deal on the docks is done you will get the rest of your money. No hard feelings."

At that moment a bright light from the sky locked onto them. Torres and his guards shielded their eyes as they tried to gauge where the light was coming from. Both Sonny and Trudy kept their eyes and guns trained on the three men on the boat with them. They already knew that the Calvary had arrived and that the light was coming from the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk stealth helicopter used by the Coast Guard on such missions.

"No, Torres, no hard feelings," Sonny said. "Miami Vice motherfucker and you're under arrest."

Torres bunched his eyes in confusion as he stared at Sonny and then moved his eyes to Trudy, then suddenly tossed his head back and let out a boisterous laugh. Both Trudy and Sonny and even his guards all stared at the tiny man as if he had lost his mind.

"Wow, is this what cops in this country do to get the bad guys?" He asked. "Go undercover, no holds barred to get their man? Tell me, Ms. Trudy, if that is your real name, would you have fucked me too if that was what it took?" Trudy flinched a bit at his words.

"Shut your mouth," Sonny barked out as he moved to Torres and kicked him in his legs which caused Torres to fall to the deck. Trudy moved her gun from Torres over to the two guards to ensure they were no threat, while Sonny moved to cuff Torres. "Gabriel Torres, you're under arrest." He said as he raised the smaller man back up to his feet.

"Whatever you think you got on me will never stick," Torres said in a mocking tone. "All the drugs on that yacht you helped dock, I don't own that. Nothing is in 'my' name," He threw in along with a gloating smile. Sonny smiled back at him just as a couple of DEA agents boarded from the Coast Guard boat that had arrived.

"That's okay," Sonny stated as Torres gave him a baffled look. "We're not busting for the drug deal you tried to do, we're helping them," Sonny then pointed to the DEA agents and the 2 Columbian police officers who accompanied them. The color instantly drained from Torres's face as Sonny patted the fright-filled man on his back in an almost consoling way.

"I request asylum," Torres declared.

"Request denied," Sonny replied as he shoved Torres and made him stumble into the hands of the awaiting agents and police. "Get that piece of garbage out of here," He then watched as the agents also arrested the 2 guards as well. As the 3 men were ushered off of the semi yacht Castillo climbed aboard. "Lieutenant," Sonny greeted their commander.

"You okay," Castillo asked as he seemed to completely ignore Sonny and looked to where Trudy stood and rubbed her left hand down her right arm that rested at her side still gripping her gun.

"Yeah, I'm good. The plan didn't go off without a hitch but we still got Torres," She replied as she nodded towards one of the two Coast Guard boats that was speeding away with Torres aboard.

"They'll be taking Torres back to Columbia immediately," Castillo said while he turned to put his back to both Sonny and Trudy as he buried both his hands in his pant pockets and stared at a pitch black section of the ocean. "They're afraid that some of the contacts he has here stateside might try to plan an escape if they wait a day or two. They'll want to debrief you but I told them it can keep until tomorrow. After that I want you both to take some time off, 2 weeks minimum." Neither protested the idea they both had already planned to make a similar request for time off work to decompress from their short time undercover.

"Thanks," Trudy spoke out and Sonny just nodded in agreement.

"The Coast Guards will tow Torres's boats back," Castillo said and caused Sonny to speak up.

"We'll bring the boat I took back in, bring it in at another dock just to ensure that none of Torres guards or connections here sees us rolling up with cops," Sonny offered and Castillo simply nodded at his request and then left the boat. "You ready?" He focused on Trudy who lifted her eyes and locked on to his.

"Yeah."

"Then let's get out of here," Sonny said as he moved to her and wrapped his right arm around her shoulder and tugged her close to him as he walked them to where he had docked the boat he had brought out. By the time they had boarded and started up the boat all of the other boats and the helicopter were heading back to shore. Sonny stood at the wheel of the boat using his left hand to steer as his right arm was still wrapped around Trudy who seemed to want to stay glued to his side for a while longer. She rested against his body and rested her head in the crook of his shoulder and neck. Both of them silently shared a feeling of bereavement to the realization that their mission of working undercover together was over and that this might be the last time they would be able to share such close moments. Sonny sighed heavily at the thought and then leaned down and pressed a kiss against Trudy's forehead as they both looked at the lights of the city which was still off in the distance. Both felt an apprehension about how things would be once they were back at work as just co-workers and friends.

Chapter Nine:

She had planned to take a true vacation to Jamaica. It had been 5 years since her last one. 1 day into her 2-week vacation and after she had looked through pamphlets she had gotten from a local travel agency, she couldn't commit to doing anything. Her mind continued to drift away and she found herself thinking about Sonny. She wondered what he was doing at that moment and if he was thinking about her too.

Trudy knew that she needed to clear her head and find a way to get Sonny off her mind and definitely keep him from creeping into her heart, well, more than he already had. She decided to take a drive up the coast and rent a beach house for a couple of days. It wasn't the same as flying off to Jamaica but it would have to do. She had called ahead and reserved the house, packed a few things and then hopped in her car. She turned on the radio and drop the top on her convertible and let her hair just blow wild with the wind as she listened to the song blaring through the speakers.

[Verse 1]

I need a love that grows

I don't want it unless I know

That each passing hour

Someone, somehow

Will be there ready to share...

I need a love that's strong

I'm so tired of being alone

But will my lonely heart play the part

Of the fool again

Before I begin...

[Chorus]

Foolish heart, hear me calling

Stop before you start falling

Foolish heart, heed my warning

You've been wrong before

Don't be wrong anymore

Trudy groaned a bit as she listened to the words of the song and let her mind recall her time with Sonny undercover when they had allowed themselves to forget the job and enjoy the hospitality and amenities that Torres had given them. They had figured doing so would show Torres that they were who they said they were. So, Trudy and Sonny had danced a bit down in the little disco on the yacht, they had gambled in the casino, and laughed and made out in one of the large Jacuzzis. Their time as 'pretend' lovers had only been for a couple of days but it had seemingly branded her because she couldn't stop thinking about how happy she had been spending time with Sonny and sharing his bed, even given the dangerous situation they were in.

[Verse 2]

Feeling that feeling again

I'm playing a game I can't win

Love's knocking on the door

Of my heart once more

Think I'll let her in

Before I begin...

[Chorsus]

Foolish heart, hear me calling

Stop before you start falling

Foolish heart, heed my warning

You've been wrong before

Don't be wrong-

Trudy reached out and quickly switched off the radio. It was just hitting too close to home for her right at that moment. She told herself that she just needed time away to get Sonny out of her system, but she wasn't so sure how to actually make that happen.

Elsewhere

"Thanks, Al, for looking after Elvis for me," Sonny stated for the second time, genuinely happy that his friend and neighbor at the marina where he kept his houseboat was doing him this favor. For some reason, Al was the only other person that Elvis seemed to be relaxed with and allowed to get close enough for feedings.

"It's no problem, Sonny," The 60 something ex-marine said as he looked over to where Elvis was slowly trekking about the deck of his boat, which was twice the size of the one Sonny lived on. "Elvis and I are old friends and he can stay as long as you like."

"Well, I only plan to be away for a week, two at the most," Sonny stated. "I just have some things on my mind that I need to deal with, and I think I need some time away to clear my head, maybe even do some fishing. So, I'm just going to take the boat up the coast," He added with a smile and Al chuckled as he nodded his head.

"Wow, she must be something really special or really bad," Al offered as he arched his brow at Sonny, who looked to be thoroughly surprised that the older man had easily picked up on his dilemma, he simply chuckled a bit and nodded at the man and then turned from where he had stood on the docks and moved back to his own boat, a St, Vitus Dance, where he jumped aboard and started it up.

Sonny threw Al and Elvis a farewell wave as he pulled out of the marina. He reached over and turned up the volume of the small radio that he had tied nearby.

[Verse 1]

I've been trying oh so long to let you know

Let you know how I feel

And if I stumble, if I fall, just help me back

So, I can make you see...

[Chorus]

Please give me one more night

Give me one more night

One more night 'cause I can't wait forever

Give me just one more night, oh just one more night

Oh, one more night 'cause I can't wait forever

Sonny sighed heavily as he closed his eyes and let his head fall back so the sun could warm his face. Memories of his time with Trudy on Torres's boat flooded his head. Suddenly, Trudy's smiling face flashed behind his eyes while she twirled on the dance floor as he sat watching her. Then in the next instance, that image was quickly replaced with her face holding a look of ecstasy as he lay between her thighs and slowly plunged in and out of her.

[Verse 2]

I've been sitting here so long

Wasting time, just staring at the phone

And I was wondering should I call you

Then I thought, maybe you're not alone...

[Chorus]

Please give me one more night, give me just one more night

Oh, one more night, 'cause I can't wait forever

Please give me one more night, oh just one more night

Oh, just one more night, 'cause I can't wait forever…

The Next Day

She had spent most of the day out exploring the beach. It had been packed and so she wondered and wondered until she had found a spot that was secluded with only a few tourists and she chose there to lay out her beach towel and enjoy the sun for a bit. It was there that her eyes scanned the waters and noticed a familiar boat docked at the nearby pier. At first, she thought her mind had been playing tricks on her. She lifted her head above her eyes to shield them from the sun in the hopes she would get a better look at the boat. She was almost positive she knew who it belonged to. She rose from her towel and then headed to the pier. As she approached the boat a part of her became filled with excitement and anticipation at the thought of seeing Sonny. Another part felt apprehensive and reminded Trudy that this vacation was about trying to get Sonny off her mind. But when she saw Sonny's bare muscular back while he kneeled on the deck of his boat working on fishing poles and tackle, any apprehension Trudy may have felt all vanished.

"Permission to come aboard," She called out and her smile broaden as Sonny quickly turned his head to face her and cast surprised eyes on her.

"Trudy," Sonny said as if he were speaking a whispered prayer. He stood and looked down at her, his eyes fully taking in her frame which was housed in a skimpy two-piece white bikini.

"If you're busy," She spoke again suddenly feeling as if she were unwelcome due to the way he remained silently watching her. "I can come back some other time."

"Naw, Darlin," Sonny finally snapped out of his shocked stupor and moved to the side of the boat and left down the ladder so she could climb up. "You know you're always welcome, anytime," He added as he reached down his hand which she grasped and he helped her aboard. "I'm just surprised to see you here."

"Yeah, I was just thinking the same about you," She replied.

"Thought Gina said something about you going to Jamaica," He continued and Trudy arched a brow to this and pondered why Sonny would have such a conversation about her with Gina. Had he asked about her she wondered.

"That was my initial plan, but I changed my mind last minute and decided I'd have just as much beach fun and save some money if I just drove a few miles up the coast and rented a beach house."

"Well, I can't afford a trip anywhere so I decided to come up here and do some fishing and clear my head," Sonny stated and Trudy nodded as she thought about what Sonny might need to clear from his head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you I just thought this boat looked very familiar and I couldn't resist coming to investigate," She giggled out. "I guess we both needed some time to shake off everything dealing with our time undercover.

"Not everything," Sonny quickly added as he allowed his eyes to slowly scan over her body. "All of it wasn't bad."

"No, it wasn't," Trudy agreed clearly understanding that he was referring to the intimate relationship that they had started. "But even 'those times' should probably be … forgotten, so that we can really get back to reality," She tossed in and Sonny's reaction was as if he had been doused with cold water. He quickly averted his eyes as he nodded his head and then turned back to the line and tackle he had been working on when she came up. "That's what this time off is supposed to do, right."

"Whatever you say, Darlin," He responded blatantly giving her the cold shoulder and she could definitely feel the chill and reached her hands up and rubbed them up and down her arms before she wrapped her arms around herself.

"What, you don't think that's a good idea?" She asked genuinely interested in hearing his thoughts on the subject of them and their new relationship. "What happened between us … I mean it was nice, very nice but it wasn't real, Sonny," She jumped a little at the way he twirled back and stepped right up into her face.

"Wasn't real huh?" He questioned as he bunched his brow a bit at her. "You really believe that what happened between us wasn't real?"

"We did what we had to do while we were undercover," She argued. "But out here, back in reality things are different, we're not lovers Sonny," She stated and Sonny nodded his head to her assessment.

"No, we're not, but that's an easy fix," Sonny mumbled out as he shot his hand out, grasped the back of Trudy's head and yanked her face to his own and then captured her mouth in a heady kiss. Trudy moaned a little and melted into the kiss and into his body as Sonny wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. She in turned wrapped her arms around his neck as the kissed deepened. Sonny slowly pulled from the kiss. He fused his forehead against Trudy's and then locked his eyes to her parted wet lips while she kept her eyes closed. "You say what happened between us wasn't real, but this is real Trudy. Don't you feel it too?" He asked but she remained silent. He reached his right hand up and brushed his knuckles across her cheek before he again settled his hand against the back of her neck. "I haven't been able to think about anything but you, us, since we got off Torres's boat. I told myself I just needed to get away for a while, shake you from my head but still here you are," He said as he chuckled a bit and moved his head back to stared directly into her eyes which snapped open and locked on to his. "We both tried to leave town, to forget about what happened between us and we end up in the same place at the same exact time."

"So, what, you think it's fate, that we're destined to be together?" Trudy asked with a smile as Sonny chuckled a bit at her words.

"Well, five minutes ago, I would have said hell no," He said with a smirk and then his smile faded and his face held a stern and serious look on it. "All I know is something has happened between us and I don't think I will be able to just forget it. I don't want to forget it. Do you?" He questioned her and she quickly shook her head no to which Sonny closed his eyes for a second and inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, I don't want to forget. If I'm completely honest I just want to be in bed right now wrapped up in your arms…" She stated and Sonny cut off her words as he stepped back from her, grasped her hand and tugged at her as he nodded toward the door leading to the lower deck.

"There's a really comfortable one down below," He said.

"…But," She continued as she gently pulled her hand from his grip. "When it's all said and done we'd be right back where we are right now, trying to forget it all and to get a grip on reality. A reality where we're just friends and we work together. A job where we're not allowed to have a romantic relationship."

"We ain't gotta shout it from the rooftop of the OCB. When we're at work we can be professional, Gina and I made it work," Sonny argued and Trudy snorted at the idea that he actually thought he and Gina were discreet and no one at the Organized Crime Bureau was aware that they were hooking up.

"Sonny everyone knew about you and Gina, but it didn't interfere with your jobs so I guess Lou didn't much care. Lieutenant Rodriguez was just so laid back anyway, but it's against policy for any of us to be hooking up like that. And do you honestly think Castillo would be ok with us having a romantic relationship while working together?"

"I don't give a fuck about what Castillo is or isn't ok with."

"No from the day he walked in I got that impression and I think the feeling is mutual, but I do care. Sonny, I love my job and I love being at OCB, and if it came down to it who do you think would get transferred out of there if it's discovered that we're together?" She asked and judging by the way Sonny averted his eyes and dropped his head a bit he too knew it would be her. "Would you be willing to give up your position at OCB for me?" His silence spoke volumes and she wasn't surprised by the knowledge that he wouldn't but it still stung a bit. "I didn't think so," She added and when she could see he was about to protest in some way, she continued. "It's ok Sonny, I understand because I wouldn't be willing to volunteer my position for you either if it came down to it. So, you see it's best that we just leave things as they are. Try to forget what happened between us."

"Just try and pretend it never happened?" Sonny asked his irritation showing as he raked his hands through his locks and then settled them on his hips.

"Try to live with it and move past it," She offered and Sonny glared at her as he clenched his jaws. "I should probably go, it's getting dark and I'm not sure I would be able to find my way back up the beach to where I came from in the dark," Trudy said as she then turned to leave and Sonny rushed forward, reached out and captured her hand in his.

"Stay," Sonny requested his tone softened and she stopped and turned back to face him. "I caught some fish earlier for dinner. There's plenty for the both of us. Let's have a nice dinner and then I'll give you a ride back up the beach," He offered with a charming smile. Trudy smiled back sweetly at him as she shook her head.

"I can't stay, Sonny. We both know that we'll end up in that comfortable bed down below if I stay. I don't want to make things harder than they already are, ok?" She quickly leaned in and kissed his lips and moved back before he could try to deepen the kiss. "Goodbye, Sonny." Trudy then quickly climbed from the boat and rushed back up the pier. Sonny stood watching her as she walked away and continued walking until she was so far away that he could only barely make out her white bikini and then watched some more until she disappeared behind a large sand dune. In his head, Sonny knew that Trudy's reasoning for not getting more involved romantically was justified and that there was a real risk for one or both of them losing their jobs at the OCB. Even still his heart just couldn't shake the feeling that had stirred within him that had begun the moment he had tasted her skin, felt her flesh in his hands, lived for a time within her sugar walls. He hadn't felt this way about any woman since Caitlin, he had actually thought he never would again, and Sonny was not sure that he would be able to just let it go and move on.

**Songs:

Foolish Heart by Steve Perry

One More Night by Phil Collins

Chapter Ten:

Sonny had only taken 1 week off before heading back down to Miami and back to work. After running into Trudy on the beach he had spent the remaining week walking the beach looking for her. He had even checked with a local broker renting out some of the beach houses, flashed his badge and demanded info about Trudy, all hoping he would locate the house she was renting. Nothing had come of it and he suspected that she had left the area and so after a week of trying he had licked his wounds and headed home. He walked into work and asked Castillo to let him cut his vacation time short as he felt ready to get back into it. There was a big case that Tubbs was already involved in that needed a second player, Castillo had planned to pull Switek in on it, but he knew Sonny would be a better choice. So, Castillo didn't protest the request and Sonny jumped in head first hoping that by burying himself in this new case he'd not think so much about a certain woman who seemed to stay on his mind lately. The new perp was named Ricky Johnson who had been in Miami all his life and had been in and out of jail since the age of 11, just small-time stuff. Over the years he had gotten more involved in the drug trade and quickly moved up the ranks and was now a big-time pusher in the area. The crank Ricky was selling was being diluted with detergents and the result was a lot of dead people and this made him public enemy number one at the OCB.

Most of the victims of Ricky's piss poor meth had been kids some as young as 8 and this had made Sonny angry and determined to bring Ricky down. This motivation held his complete focus. With he and Tubbs deep undercover while they worked the Johnson case, Trudy had barely crossed Sonny's mind. At least not until she had walked into the OCB a week after Sonny's return back.

"Trudy, looking good Mami!" Tubbs exclaimed upon seeing the black beauty walk into the station wearing a skin-tight dress that was black at the bottom and turquoise colored around the bust area with off the shoulders cuffed sleeves, along with some black stilettos. He had stood and greeted her with a hug. Sonny shot his eyes up from the file he had been reading over from his desk. He didn't stand and make his way to her as several of the others had but he did silently drink her in. The sight of her after even as short a time as a week made him harden and he cursed himself a bit for being so weak. He had never ever had any woman have this kind of effect on him.

"Welcome back, Trudy," Gina was the last to greet her and give her a tight hug. Trudy smiled warmly at her friends all while watching Sonny's reaction from her peripheral vision. She was a bit saddened that he had no reaction to her return, she had hoped he would be as happy and excited about seeing her as she was at the thought of seeing him.

"Thanks, it's good to be back," Trudy said.

"Welcome home Darlin, how was the vacation?" Sonny called out to her and she locked her eyes onto him. He hadn't bothered to stand and offer her a hug and she was thankful because she wasn't sure she wouldn't have given away something about what had transpired between them, had he touched her. She suspected that that also was the reason Sonny had made no attempt to hug her.

"It was relaxing for the most part," Trudy answered. "I just drove up the coast, rented a beach house but then got restless after just one night and so I hopped back in my car and just kept driving," She stated and her words solved Sonny's contemplation about what had happened to her after their encounter on the beach and why he couldn't find her afterwards.

"So, you just drove around for 2 weeks and you call that relaxing?" Gina asked with a chuckle.

"Yeah, it really was and we should go together sometime, have a real girl's trip," Trudy offered as she made her way to her desk to settle in, but before she could get situated Castillo appeared at his office door grabbing all of their attention. He said nothing as he made his way into their meeting room. They all knew the routine and Sonny, Tubbs, Trudy, Gina and Switek all rose from their desks and followed his trek into the meeting room.

"Welcome back," Castillo tossed to Trudy who simply nodded in reply. "Bring me up to speed on the Johnson case," He continued on with business as he stood with his back to them and he stared out the window.

"Well, we've still haven't had an official meet and greet with the main man, we're still dealing with his 'soldiers' as he calls them," Sonny began.

"Right, but we've worked our way up the food chain," Tubbs chimed in. "Our last meeting was with Charles Jones and our intel tells us he is the right-hand man," He added and Sonny nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, he said that Ricky was impressed with how fast we moved the last batch of the product he gave us and he wanted to meet up to discuss broadening our deal and push more crank out into the streets. So, tomorrow night we get a face to face with Ricky Johnson himself. I can't wait to bust that asshole."

"Wait, Ricky Johnson?" Trudy chimed in as her mind tried to process that name and where she had heard it before.

"Yeah, you know him?" Tubbs questioned as all eyes locked on to her including Castillo's, who had turned his head only and was gazing at her.

Yeah, I do," She replied as she snapped her finger and then turned to Gina. "It was about a month ago when we were working Biscayne Blvd. There had been a lot of well known local prostitutes that were just up and disappearing and the local guys thought it was some kind of human trafficking. Some young prostitute reported that she had been approached about doing some legit work, you know to help get her off the street. Turns out it was a scam to get her pulled into some elite prostitution ring. Well while we were out that last night I was approached by some guy. He gave me a card, it was the same spiel, he'd help me find some legit work with his employer Ricky Johnson."

"Rings true," Switek replied. "Ricky has got his hands in just about everything, drugs, prostitution, racketeering."

"I still have the card in my desk somewhere, I can call him up, see if this is the same Ricky Johnson, work a way in from another angle," Trudy suggested and Sonny quickly objected.

"Thanks, but we've already got a sure way in, no need to throw more chum in the water for the sharks," He stated and caused Trudy to frown up a bit at him. "We don't want to spook this guy when we're so close."

"So close?" Trudy responded. "You just said you haven't even met Ricky yet so you can't be all that close. And I see nothing wrong with working the same case from different angles. I think 2 ways in increases our chances to bring the guy down," She argued.

"I agree," Castillo interjected cutting off the words that Sonny had already fixed his mouth to say. "Trudy, call the number on the card, try to set up a meet. Take Gina with you as backup, tell them you two are a package deal. If they don't agree to that arrangement then you just walk away," He commanded and Trudy simply nodded in agreement as Sonny remained silent as his face scowl to the plan. "Dismissed."

They all stood and made their way back out to their desks, except Sonny who had stayed back a moment to say something to Castillo. Trudy watched through the window from her desk and she couldn't make out what was being said but she was positive that Sonny was again trying to shoot down her idea of going undercover into Ricky's prostitution ring. She couldn't see Castillo's lips because per usual he wasn't facing Sonny when he spoke, he remained facing the window to the outside, but judging by the angered look on Sonny's face he hadn't gotten what he had wanted and so he stalked from the meeting room. Sonny didn't move back to his desk but kept stalking past and made his way into the back where their lockers were kept near a couple of rooms that housed bunks for those very late nights when one of them just slept in the station.

Trudy quickly stood from her desk her nostrils flared a bit in anger as she followed Sonny's trek. The others eyed her silently and they knew that Trudy was about to lay into Sonny as she always did whenever he tried to shoot down some idea she had regarding a case. It didn't matter if Castillo agreed with her idea or not, Trudy didn't like what she referred to as some bullshit misogynistic behavior from Sonny, and it always resulted in them bickering, which turned into her calling him a macho asshole who couldn't deal with the fact that she, a woman, was just as good at the job as he was, and usually ended with an apology and flowers from Sonny.

She found him in the locker room, at his locker which was open where he stood changing out the white tee shirt he was wearing that looked to be soaked about the armpits and neck. Most likely from his heated disposition at not getting his way in the meeting.

"Sonny," She called out to him as she made her way from the door into the locker room, shutting the door behind her. "What the hell was that all about?" Trudy began to tear into him. "How many times do we have to have this conversation? Please stop with your macho bullshit, I've worked here in this division a long time now, 2 years longer than you, in fact. I know how to do the job and I am damn good at it. So, why don't you just do what you've been assigned to do and I'll do what I've been assigned to do."

"Just 'cause you've been here longer don't mean shit," Sonny spat out not looking directly at her which angered her more as she knew he was being dismissive to her protests and presence. "And exactly how many undercover operations have you headed up again?" He asked this time looking right at her with a gloating and smug look on his face and she really wanted to smack him. "Right, I've had way more experience undercover than you and it would do you some good to take my advice sometimes."

"I respect you Sonny and I value any and all advice you have to offer 'if' it makes sense, but not when you pull some caveman, 'I am a man and you're just a meek little woman,' crap, and that's all this is," She hissed out as she crossed her arms at her chest. "My idea in that meeting was a sound one, and you know it. I just think you don't like the idea of someone else coming in and possibly getting the bust. Are you afraid that Gina and I might have a better chance at bringing Ricky Johnson down through his prostitution ring?"

"Hardly," He said around a chuckle and Trudy dropped her arms to her side and balled her fist as she fought hard with herself to not give him a good punch to the nose. "Darlin, we both know that busting him for some little prostitution ring will not get him any hard time, hell, the D.A. will probably just toss that shit out of court. They want to get this guy's deadly drugs off the street. There have been 4 kids who've od'd on drugs tied to that piece of shit, just this week. So, am I concerned that bringing you and Gina in on this might compromise the whole operation, you bet I am sweetheart. Besides, shaking your ass at this guy ain't gonna cause the downfall of his multimillion-dollar drug organization. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice piece of ass," He said this with a smirk as he raked a very predatory gaze up and down her body. "But this guy doesn't come across to me as some chump who would easily fall for a nice ass and a pretty face. Only some of us are that stupid," Sonny stated and Trudy visibly flinched at his last statement which she knew he was referring to them personally. Sonny swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat at seeing hurt behind Trudy's eyes, a hurt that he had purposely caused and now regretted.

"Fuck you, Detective Crockett," Trudy growled out and then turned to leave. Sonny quickly reached for her and grasped her arm and turned her back to him. "Don't touch me," She exclaimed but not loud enough to cause a scene for anyone who might be happening by outside the room. Sonny didn't relent he moved right up on her and grasped the sides of her head in both his hands and pressed their foreheads together.

"I'm sorry Trudy," He apologized as she continued to struggle and push against him to get him away. "I'm sorry baby," He said again this time as he stared sincerely into her eyes and made her stop her struggling. They stood in this position for a few seconds, with his hands gripping her head, her hands gripping his arms and their forehead pressed together while silently staring into one another's eyes. Neither of them would ever be able to say who made the first move but they were soon kissing each other desperately. It was the feel of Sonny's hand creeping up under her skirt that had brought Trudy back to her senses and made her pull from the kiss.

"No, Sonny," She panted out as she shoved him away and stepped back from him wanting to put some space between them. "God, what are we doing, what if someone had walked in on us?"

"No one did, we're safe," Sonny assured her as he darted his eyes to the closed door of the locker room.

"That can never, ever happen again. Not here, not ever again," Trudy whispered out vehemently and it sounded like she was instructing herself instead of making some general statement.

"I'll try…" Sonny started to speak but she cut him off.

"You'll try?" She repeated in disbelief. "No, see this is what I was afraid would happen if we start any kind of relationship other than a professional one. We cannot blur the lines, not at work Sonny."

"Like I said, I'll try, but I've been wanting to kiss you and touch you since you left my boat. You've gotten under my skin Darlin," He proclaimed. "So, I can only promise to try, okay? I'll try not to touch you or kiss you even though I want to every single time I look at you now. I'll try not to be a jealous asshole about this assignment because I can't handle the idea of you going undercover as some hooker knowing that some creep will probably touch you in some inappropriate way. And I'll try not to always be so overprotective or try to keep you from doing your job because I'm afraid you might get hurt out there," Sonny declared as he stood with his balled fists buried in his pants pockets while he stared down at the checker patterned linoleum floor. Trudy's heart rate increased at hearing Sonny professing endearing words to her. He hadn't outright said he loved her or had fallen in love with her but his words were damn close enough and she allowed herself to admit that she had those same feelings of jealousy and protectiveness towards him now as well, when she never had before.

"Sonny," She called out to him softly and took a step closer when suddenly the locker room door swung open.

"Hey, Trudy!" Gina's voice filled the suddenly quiet room. Gina's eyes then locked onto where Trudy stood. She let her eyes move back and forth between Trudy and Sonny as they both stood looking uncomfortable. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt but Castillo was asking about whether you were able to find that card, if not he'd like us to hit the boulevard again tonight to see if the same guy is out there still looking for fresh meat for his ring."

"Yeah, I found it in my desk, but I haven't made the call yet," Trudy said and then turned to move over to the exit.

"I'm sorry about how I acted Trudy," Sonny called after her and she stopped and turned her head to regard him as Gina too looked over at him with a smirk on her face, assuming that Trudy had told him off again. She too felt that Sonny was sometimes a chauvinistic pig but she never really had the nerve to tell him, so she always silently cheered on Trudy who would brazenly give Sonny a piece of her mind when she felt he had done wrong. "And I do promise to 'try' to do better," He added and she simply gave him a nod and a small smile before exiting the room with Gina.

An hour later

"Hey Trudy," George Jenkins, a semi-retired, 50 something desk officer from downstairs walked into their division. Trudy looked up from her desk at hearing her name and found the older man heading to her desk holding a crystal vase containing what looked to be 2 dozen beautiful long-stemmed roses, which he sat on her desk. "These just came for you."

"Thanks, George, for bringing them up," She said while her eyes glanced over the stunning flowers as her face held a bubbly smile.

No problem honey, coming up here is the only real exercise I get any more," He said and then gave a tiny salute and headed back out the way he had come.

"Wow," Gina said as she moved over and leaned against Trudy's desk to admire the flowers. "You must have really torn Sonny a new asshole, those look expensive," She stated and Trudy agreed if those flowers were in fact from Sonny, who would typically toss a single flower of no specific genus upon her desk as a form of apology. These were in fact very expensive judging by the name of the flower shop which was engraved in gold leaf on the card stuck in the flowers. Trudy pulled the card, opened it, and read it before Gina could snatch it up, in case there was something too personal written in it. "Well, what did he have to say?" Gina asked curiously to which Trudy turned the card around so she could read the single word, 'SORRY', which made both women giggle a bit. Gina then trekked back to her own desk and Trudy shot her eyes over to Sonny's empty desk as a smile remained on her lips.

The meeting with Ricky Johnson had been arranged at one of the two nightclubs he ran in Miami called La Mirage. Sonny and Tubbs had arrived an hour before the meeting just to gauge the atmosphere and to make sure they had a mental floorplan to know where all the exits were. Switek was also posing as a patron and working as covert surveillance.

"Ricky sure has a swanky little club," Tubbs stated as he bounced a little in his seat to the upbeat music while appreciating the beautiful women that danced about him.

"With all the drug money he's raking in he can afford it," Sonny countered as he lit a cigarette, lifted his right leg and rested the ankle across his left thigh, as he leaned back more comfortably in the booth seat that they were in. They had strategically taken a booth that faced the entrance.

"Well, looks like Trudy and Gina got into Ricky's little ring," Tubbs said and Sonny shot him a look at hearing Trudy's name. Tubbs simply nodded his head toward one of the back corners where the restrooms were and some employee's only door, which was where they had emerged from. Sonny frowned up a little as he let his eyes rake across Trudy's body. She wore a red halter top that clung to her bust like a second skin, and a pair of tight satin looking black Capri pants, with 6-inch heels, gold hoop earrings, and bangle bracelets to complete the look. Sonny felt his dick stir and so he dropped his leg and leaned forward in his seat to hide the bulge growing. He didn't fully understand how just the sight of Trudy could anger and arouse him like she had. "And look who's joined them. Now, isn't that Ricky?" Tubbs questioned and Sonny frowned up a bit as he watched the tall, slender black man who wrapped his arm around Trudy and Gina's shoulders. His frown deepened when Ricky leaned closer to Trudy and whispered something into her ears, and rage arose in him as he watched the way she giggled at the man.

"Yeah, that looks like the same asshole in the surveillance pictures Switek took," Sonny replied snidely, not happy with how familiar Ricky was making himself with Trudy specifically. At that moment one of the 4 other men that were surrounding Ricky spotted them. It was their go-between Charles Jones and he raised his hand and gave them a wave. Tubbs raised his glass a bit in a reply and then took a sip of the drink. Ricky and his entourage made their way over to their table. Both Tubbs and Sonny stood from their seats as their table became crowded.

"Ricky, these are the dudes I've been telling you about. Man, they have brought in a lot of dough and need more product," Charles made the introductions. Ricky didn't acknowledge them immediately instead he leaned into Trudy's ear and whispered something and she giggled and the sound made Sonny clinch his jaws to bite back the vicious words that wanted out.

"What I am interested in is how they are able to move the product so quickly," Ricky finally spoke as he looked from Tubbs and then over to Sonny. "I've got people all over this city and all the cities surrounding Miami and none of them have moved the weight you two have in under a week. Please enlighten me, gentlemen. What are they doing wrong?"

"Well, we don't sell to fiends in the back alleyways for one thing," Tubbs replied and Ricky rolled his eyes, which had been locked onto Sonny, the only white face among them, and stared at Tubbs. "We sell to a more sophisticated class who have a larger appetite and wallet."

"Really, like who exactly, I sometimes mingle with a sophisticated class myself," Ricky continued and finally invoked Sonny to speak up.

"Is he for real?" He directed to Charles as he thumbed at Ricky. "I thought you said your boss might be interested in doing bigger business with us, but it sounds like he's just wasting our time here."

"His boss doesn't just do business with any ole white boy who comes asking, white boy," Ricky stated as he glared back at Sonny.

"Well, this white boy is the one giving the 50 grand, so if you don't want my business I can take it elsewhere, let's go," Sonny commanded and Tubbs gave a slight shrug to show he wasn't at all bothered either way, he threw back the rest of his drink and moved to follow Sonny who had already started to move from the table.

"Hey, hey! C'mon, no need to be so sensitive," Ricky called after them not wanting to alienate anyone who may bring him big business. "Let's talk some business," He added and both Sonny and Tubbs stopped and turned back to regard him. "Please, be my special guests tonight, anything you want, drinks, drugs, girls," He said that part as he grabbed two hands full of Gina and Trudy's asses. "Indulge in whatever, all on me," He offered and Sonny stood as if he was considering the offer as Tubbs waited and watched Sonny to follow his lead. Sonny stepped back to the table, right up to where Ricky stood. He grasped Trudy's hand.

"And what's your name, darlin?" He asked Trudy who gave him a sweet smile as she allowed Sonny to move her back to the booth, where he retook a seat and tugged her down beside him.

"Cookie," She answered.

"Cookie?" Sonny repeated as his smile widened while he looked from Trudy up to Ricky, who laughed seemingly happy that he hadn't lost potential big baller clients. "Are you as sweet as you look Cookie?"

"Even sweeter," Ricky proclaimed as if speaking from true knowledge, and although Sonny knew he had never had the pleasure he still couldn't quell the pang of jealousy that hit him. "These lovelies, Miss Cookie and Miss Caramel, are my latest 'hostesses', and at your disposal," He said and Gina took that as an invitation to leave Ricky's grasp and she quickly moved to Tubbs who had retaken his seat next to Sonny. She clung to his side as she rubbed her hand across his chest. Tubbs grasped her hand, lifted it to his lips and placed a soft kiss across her knuckles.

"Aww, are you a gentleman?" Gina cooed as she got into her role.

"Always, for a beautiful woman, and you are a very, very beautiful woman, Miss Caramel," Tubbs played along.

"Why don't you ladies show my new friends here a good time," Ricky suggested as he waved over a couple more ladies who quickly took up the spaces Gina and Trudy had occupied at his side. Ricky then turned to leave to make his way up to his personal spot in the VIP section.

"Wait, I thought we were going to talk some business," Tubbs interjected.

"And we shall after we have a little fun," Ricky replied. "Ladies, why don't you take the gentlemen in the back for some private entertainment?"

"Sure," Trudy spoke out as she rose from her seat and grasped Sonny's hand. "C'mon, baby," She coaxed and hearing the endearing term from her lips made Sonny rise from his seat without any protest.

"I guess we can relax a bit before we get down to business," Sonny agreed as he let his eyes hungrily rake down Trudy's frame. His true appraisal helped for believability to Ricky and his entourage. Ricky chuckled a bit as he nodded his head.

"Ladies, please escort my guests up to my personal booth once they've finished having their fun."

"Yes, sir," Gina replied as she stood and grasped Tubbs' hand. "C'mon sugar let's take this party someplace a little more private." Tubbs arched his brow as he smiled a little and played along while he allowed her to pull him along behind Trudy and Sonny who had already headed to the back corner and to the door marked 'Employees Only'.

Trudy led Sonny to one of the first private rooms on the right once they walked through the door, while Gina took Tubbs to one on the left. Sonny followed her into the room shutting the door behind them. It was a small room, but big enough to have a comfortable sofa and a dancer's pole in the corner so the ladies working in the club could put on a personal performance for the men.

When she turned to face him, Trudy was swiftly pinned against the nearby wall and her mouth covered with his. She immediately welcomed the contact as she gripped him closer and deepened the kiss, while she moaned out her delight. Her mind excused their actions as just playing the part to keep their cover, though her heart knew otherwise.

"God, you taste so fucking good," Sonny panted out as he pulled from their kiss only to quickly swoop back in for another kiss. He moved from her lips to her cheek and then down to her collarbone and then locked on to suckle her neck.

"Whoa, honey, slow down," Trudy spoke out as she pushed at him a bit, wanting to stop things before she allowed her personal needs to cloud her judgment and make her slip up and say something out of character. She was sure the roomed was bugged in some way.

"It's okay," Sonny said. "Switek's already done a sweep of all the rooms and no bugs just one camera," Sonny mumbled in her ear before continuing his assault on her neck. His left hand raced up her right thigh and didn't stop until it was nestled in her hot center. Trudy's hands reached down and clutched at his hand to stop him. "The camera is behind me, they can't see what I'm doing," He continued as he rubbed his fingers against her folds and let his thumb caress her already swollen clit. Despite her mind's protest that they could not be doing this while on the job, not anymore, Trudy let her legs part a little further to give him more access as she rested both hands against the wall behind her so she could steady herself. "I have missed touching you like this," Sonny whispered out his confession and his fingers dug deep which caused her to gasp out, her mouth to fall open, and her body to shiver a little to the volt of pleasure that struck her core. "Have you missed it, missed me touching you like this?" He asked as he stared at her intensely while her eyes locked to his.

"Yes," She hissed out her mind losing focus as an orgasm tickled at her toes, starting its trek up her body. She then closed her eyes and shook her head a bit before reopening her eyes to look directly into his. "But Sonny, please stop. Let's keep things professional this time," She begged in a hushed tone and it hadn't been her words, nor her firm hand on his that had stopped him. It had been the look in her eyes, a look that spoke clearly to her desires and fears. She certainly wanted him but she was afraid of the kinds of ramifications that could cause to her life. Sonny understood this because he had that very same dilemma himself, so he removed his hands from her center, placed a soft kiss upon her lips once more and then casually stepped back. Something inside both of them screamed in protest at the loss of his touch upon her body. Remembering that they were being watched Sonny took out his wallet, pulled a couple of hundred-dollar bills from it and then placed the money in the tip jar on the nearby table.

"Dance for me darlin," He instructed as he took the seat in the corner just under the cameras, to which he covertly pointed up to as a way of reminding Trudy. She smiled seductively at him as she got back into character ready to perform her role as the seductress. She made her way to the pole, grasped it and used it as support while she slowly and sensuously began to dance and twirl around it to the music that was already booming inside the room.

Sonny and Trudy had remained in their room for nearly an hour, with Trudy dancing and putting on quite the show for Sonny, who felt tormented having to watch but not being able to touch. When they left the room, they moved to where Gina and Tubbs were, putting on pretty much the same show. Sonny knocked at the door. Gina answered and then stepped back so that Sonny could address Tubbs directly.

"You ready to go take care of some business," Sonny said and Tubbs nodded as he stood from his seat and he and Gina exited the room. They all made their way back out into the main club and up to Ricky's private booth.

Later that night

After escorting Sonny and Tubbs to the VIP section Trudy and Gina had been shut out so the 'men could talk business', as they had been told. It had irked them both to no end. Both had often complained to each other privately about how the police dept was still such a boy's club, although there were now many women in the field. The men always got most of the undercover work and big busts, while the women usually had to pretend to be a prostitute for the smaller busts. This was no different it seemed. They had spent the rest of the evening serving drinks and giving private dances to different guys. At the end of the night, they had helped to clean up and went to collect their earnings at the bar.

"Miss Cookie and Miss Caramel," Ricky called out to them as he approached the bar. Both Trudy and Gina turned a bit surprised. "May I chat with you ladies a moment before you leave for the night?"

"Sure, boss. What's up?" It had been Gina who had replied and she leaned against the bar, while Trudy put on a show of counting her earnings.

"Cookie, my guy watching the room mentioned that you didn't seem to get along too well with my guest tonight," He stated and Trudy silently cursed mad at the thought that somehow Sonny's action and her moment of weakness might have compromised her job.

"Naw, he was just a little too enthusiastic and I like to set the pace, get a feel for the guy before I decide if I want him touching me or not," Trudy replied coolly. "I hope that's not going to be a problem."

"Not at all," Ricky said as he raised his hands a bit and shook his head. "Hey, I hired you ladies to be my hostesses. You serve drinks to the customers and give some private dances to earn some tips. It's all legit work, on the up and up and taxable," He continued. "Now, whatever arrangements you and a customer work out amongst yourselves is your business and I really don't want to know about it, and any money you might make from those said arrangements is all yours to keep," Ricky continued. "But I noticed that he took a real liking to you and I think that could be a win-win situation for all of us."

"How so?" Trudy asked as she folded her arms across her chest and leaned back more comfortably against the bar beside Gina who stood there listening intently.

"Well, he's invited me to his yacht tomorrow night so we can conclude some business, and I was hoping you ladies would join me. Kind of added incentive. As I said he really did like him some brown sugar. I will pay you double your regular pay and whatever extra you might make, you keep."

Gina arched her brows as she looked over at Trudy who in turn looked to her, both hoping to show their interest to Ricky.

"A yacht you say?" Trudy asked.

"Yes ma'am, these are some big ballers, they've got a lot of money and they're looking to spend it. Like I said this could be a win-win situation for us both."

Gina nodded her head and then shrugged," I'm game," She agreed. "Last week I was walking the strip looking for a John to earn a little cash, now you're bringing them straight to me," She joked with a smile and Ricky chuckled at her words and also smiled, very pleased that she was willing. He then looked to Trudy.

"Yeah, I'll go too. The guy was very easy on the eyes and if he's got the kind of bank you're saying, it might be worth my while," Trudy spoke with a cunning smile.

"All right, meet me here tomorrow night 7 sharp," Ricky said as he smacked his hands together and then turned and headed back to his office.

"Where are we at with the Ricky Johnson case?" Castillo asked as he sat at the head of the table in the conference room with Gina seated to his right, Tubbs to her right and Switek next to him, while Trudy sat to his left with Sonny seated next to her.

"Well, as much as I hate to admit it, Sonny was right about his prostitution ring not being a way in to get a bust," Trudy spoke up.

"Why?" Castillo questioned as he raised his eyes from the file he had been reading over to look directly at her.

"Because there is no prostitution ring," Gina chimed in and all the men in the room threw out slightly confused looks.

"Yeah, Ricky, might be a dirtbag drug dealer but he's no pimp," Trudy continued. "He is actually helping all those girls find legitimate, safe work. What he is running is a legal escort service. Seriously, we had to put in a quick request for fake IDs and credentials because he made us fill out W2 forms."

"Right, but that's not to say the girls aren't still whoring, but they're doing it on their own with the customers that come into the club and doing it at their own risk, and they get to keep all the profits from it," Gina said.

"Yeah, Ricky told me as much last night when he invited us to the private party you two are throwing tonight on your lovely yacht," Trudy added with a smile as she looked over at Tubbs and then glanced at Sonny, who perked up his brows and smiled a little. "Ricky, wants me to entertain you some more, butter you up to help him close the deal you are setting up," She directed to Sonny who in turned chuckled a bit and swallowed down the comment full of sexual innuendo that was on the tip of his tongue. "He thinks you really liked Miss Cookie," She threw in as she batted her lashes at him playfully.

"Oh, I did," He replied with a charming smile. "She was quite nice," He replied as he casually raked his eyes over her body which was covered with another halter top, black this time and a tight miniskirt, as she and Gina had planned to head to Ricky's club and back undercover as soon as they were finished debriefing Castillo. "How about you Tubbs, how did you like Miss Caramel?" Sonny quickly asked in an attempt to not make his real appraisal and feelings about Trudy so obvious. Also, to put Trudy at ease because she was looking at him with eyes that spoke to her disapproval of his words, which were hitting too close to home.

"Muy Bonita," Tubbs replied as he reached over, grasped Gina's hand playfully, and kissed it, to which she laughed, rolled her eyes and swatted at his arm as she pulled her hand from his.

"Ricky didn't out and out tell me to sleep with Sonny, but he made it known that he wanted me to and to do whatever you wanted," Trudy continued.

"How did he put it," Gina chimed in. "It would be a win-win situation if it happened tonight, he'd likely close his deal with you guys and we could make a little extra cash in the process."

"Good," Castillo spoke out and Trudy quirked her brow at the older man for his callous comment. "Then it looks like you two being undercover could still be a way in, at least to gather more intel and possible evidence to his drug operations. He's bringing you in on this drug deal with Tubbs and Sonny, he might pull you in on other deals as well with his other clients," Sonny shifted a bit in his seat as his jaws clenched to the idea of Trudy in that kind of position. He had promised her he would try not to be bothered by her doing her job but that was easier said than done. "Continue to work that angle. I'm hoping we can wrap this up soon, the D.A. is anxious to get something in the next couple of weeks otherwise they will have to close the book on Ricky Johnson for now."

"What?" Sonny spoke up as he frowned and leaned up closer to the table from the comfortable leaning he had been doing in his seat. "That guy is dirty as hell. That shit he's putting out in the streets are killing kids. His smack is causing an epidemic here."

"Then I suggest you do the deal, make it iron clad so we can make a bust that will hold up in court. Dismissed," Castillo said and they all made their exit and left him to finish reading over the files he had.

"Hey we need to get going to the club," Gina said to Trudy as they made their way to their desks and Trudy nodded her head as she pulled her purse from her desk drawer.

"See, you girls tonight, for our 'date'," Sonny called out in a teasing manner to them as he waggled his brows at them. Gina giggled as she waved him off with an eye roll while Trudy flipped him the bird over her shoulder as she followed her partner out. Both Tubbs and Sonny chuckled. "Hey, Switek," Sonny spoke out to the heavy-set detective as the man passed by heading out to make final surveillance preparations for the meeting tonight. Switek stopped in his tracks just at the exit and turned to regard Sonny who had stood from his desk and was moving to him. "Would you mind going over the set up for me, show me where all the cameras are?" Sonny asked as he reached up and patted Switek's back.

"Sure, Sonny," Switek replied a bit baffled as Sonny had never been interested in how he set up the intel before. "I was just heading over to Torres's yacht that the DEA has so kindly lent us for this deal. Care to join me and I'll walk you through everything?"

"Let's do it," Sonny said as they headed out.

Later:

"Welcome gentlemen and ladies," Sonny greeted Ricky Johnson, his two-armed guards a lady he had brought for himself along with Gina and Trudy as he reached his hand out to Trudy help her board. Ricky smiled as he pushed her a bit and she grasped Sonny's hand with a smile and allowed him to help her step up onto the yacht. Tubbs then stepped up and did the same for Gina, while Ricky, his lady, and his men followed behind. "Mi casa es su casa," Sonny added as he led them into a large lounge area. Ricky whistled as he looked around the boat, very impressed with what he was seeing. He was ecstatic over the idea that these guys really did appear to have the money his brother Charles had been telling him about.

Tubbs smirked as he looked from Ricky's awestruck face over to Sonny because he knew that this faux display of wealth had reeled Ricky in. "What's your poison, Ricky?" Tubbs asked.

"Scotch on the rocks, please," Ricky replied as he took a seat on the large cream-colored leather sectional in the room and rubbed his hands across it to feel the texture.

"Ladies," Tubbs directed to Gina who was seated on the same sofa as Ricky but the far end and to Trudy who was in a different sofa right across the way snuggled up with Sonny, who whispered salacious things in her ears that was genuinely having an effect on her.

"I'll have a martini please," Gina answered.

'Me too," The beautiful black girl nestled up against Ricky chimed in, although she didn't look old enough to legally be drinking yet.

"None for me thank," Trudy said. "I like to keep a clear head on dates."

"Date?" Sonny repeated as he raised his eyebrows as he stared at her. "Darlin, this is no date," He added and Trudy's face froze and the smile that had been on Ricky's face faltered a bit as he watched and listened. "When I take you on a real 'date', which I would really love to do, I'd probably fly you to the Caribbean for a weekend of fun in the sun. How does that sound?" He asked and this time Trudy perked up her eyebrows while Ricky's smile broadened once more, as it seemed his plan of enticement using the ladies hadn't failed.

"That sounds like an amazing date," She replied.

"Just tell me when you want to go, sweetheart," Sonny replied as he lifted the arm that was draped behind her on the sofa and twirled his finger around a thick loc of her hair. He stared so intensely at Trudy that she found herself getting so lost in his eyes that she was losing her focus on the job at hand.

"I'll have to check my schedule and get back to you," She said as she moved her eyes from his and roamed them around the room as if it were the first time she had ever been there.

"You do that."

"So, is this really your boat or just some rental?" Trudy asked changing the subject.

"Oh, it's all mine, darlin, bought and paid for with cash," Sonny said with a chuckle as he shot his eyes over to Ricky whose greed shone through brightly. "C'mon let me give you a private tour," He offered as he quickly stood from his seat, reached down, grasped Trudy's hand, and then tugged her up before she could protest. "You don't mind do you, Ricky? I know you like to have a little fun before talking business, so relax and enjoy yourself for a bit," Sonny said as he threw out a wink.

"I will, and naw, I don't mind at all, you two have 'fun', I'll be here," Ricky stated as he raised the glass of Scotch Tubbs had given him.

"Great, hey Phil, my man," Sonny called out to Tubbs using his alias name. "Why don't you go ahead and fill Ricky in on what we'll need for our little party next week. We'll be right back … in a little while," Sonny added as he smiled an wiggled his brows a bit and then pulled Trudy closer and wrapped his arms around her shoulder. "Let me show you my personal cabin first," He spoke loudly so the others, Ricky in particular, could hear.

Trudy waited until they were a ways off from the main room where the others remained before she spoke out. "Sonny, what are you doing?" She asked in a hushed tone as she tried to pull from his grasp but Sonny held firm to his grip and kept moving them forward until they were outside of the very cabin they had stayed in when they were investigating Torres.

"Trying to make Ricky think that you're succeeding in the job he's tasked you to do," Sonny answered as he opened the door and ushered her inside.

"Okay, but why here?" She asked as she looked around the room that she often thought of the place that brought the greatest pleasure she had ever experienced as well as the biggest complication in her life. "Why this cabin?"

"Because," Sonny began to reply as he reached out and grasped her hand and pulled her back to where he stood. "I know that Switek didn't put any surveillance in this cabin," He answered honestly and then yanked her into a kiss that quickly became desperate and bruising. Trudy indulged in the feel of Sonny's hard body up against hers and the taste of him in her mouth. She moaned out mournfully as she pulled back from the kiss and braced her arm against his chest.

"We cannot do this. Sonny, I told you that this cannot ever happen while we're on the job."

"Not even if the job calls for it to happen?" He countered and she threw him a confused look. "In this case, Ricky is fully expecting … No, he's out there hoping and praying that you're in here making love to me right now, and betting it will get him some kind of favors when we do our deal."

"So, you think that makes it ok to break police procedure and protocols on our case?"

"We did before, in this very room in fact," Sonny said as he reached up and lovingly stroked at Trudy's left cheek, to which she involuntarily closed her eyes to the sensation.

"I thought we agreed that was something that we had to do because our very lives depended on it," She said with her tone lower as the arm she had been using to keep him at a distance now rest across his shoulder. "This is not the same situation or danger."

"No, but it is an opportunity for me to ravage you like I've been fantasizing about for nearly two weeks now," Sonny admitted and his words stunned her silent as she looked at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. "I want you so bad Trudy I sometimes physically ache for you," He admitted and her resolve broke a little more.

"Me too," She confessed in a whisper and then accepted the kiss he quickly pressed upon her. This time she didn't protest when he backed her against the nearby wall and hiked up her short skirt. She didn't push his hands away when they slid inside her already damp panties and a couple of his digits buried themselves inside her tight, hot pussy. She wasn't snapped back from the realm of euphoria she was living in when she heard Sonny unzipping his pants. The only sounds that escaped her lips were her screams of elation and encouragement when Sonny began to push his engorged dick in and out of her.

Their lovemaking had been quick but it still allowed them both to find the release they have been dying for and after they had cleaned themselves up and made themselves look presentable they made their way back to the others. They walked in to find smirky faces looking back at them.

"Welcome back," Ricky was the first to greet them. "It 'sounded' like you two had fun on your tour," He tossed in as he chuckled out and then took a sip from his drink. It took everything in Trudy to keep the smile on her face as she darted her eyes to Gina who simply smiled back at her. For his part Sonny seemed to remain cool as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it to move to the bar where Tubbs stood, to make him and Trudy a drink. Trudy moved to where Gina now sat alone on the sofa she and Sonny had occupied before.

"That sounded very convincing, Ricky was practically doing a dance along, so sure you were screwing Sonny to get him a good deal," Gina leaned over and whispered to her and Trudy gave her a smile and felt relief now knowing that Gina had thought it was just an act. She was still quite embarrassed and felt exposed knowing that they had heard her and Sonny making love.

"So," Sonny spoke out as he moved to where Trudy had seated herself, handed her the glass of juice and then took up the empty space beside her. "Did Phil go over the details of the weight we need?"

"Yes, he did," Ricky confirmed. "And it is definitely doable 'if' the price is right."

"And what is the price?" Tubbs asked.

"That depends, how soon do you need it?" Ricky questioned back.

"By Friday," Sonny answer while he sipped at the bourbon as he leaned back comfortably in the sofa with Trudy snuggled against him. His right arm was across her shoulder and he absentmindedly rubbed his right hand up and down her right arm.

"That amount of blow that soon, it's gonna cost you double the normal rate, 100 Gs," Ricky proclaimed.

"A hundred thousand, man you must be taking your own stuff," Tubbs stated. They all knew that price was outrageous and that Ricky was just being greedy and Tubbs also didn't want to make them seem too eager and just accept the offer outright. "Man, we can get twice the weight from the Jamaicans for what he's asking," Tubbs directed to Sonny. Ricky's eyes doubled in size and he began to panic thinking he might have allowed his greed to cost him a lucrative deal.

"Okay, look, man, how about this," Ricky leaned forward in his seat, sat his half-empty glass of Scotch on the glass table in front of him and looked straight at Sonny, as he had assumed Sonny was the main man in charge and who had the money. "How about I put a rush on things, cut the price down to 70 thousand and you allow me to use this boat to throw a party Wednesday night? Just a few potential business partners I've been haggling with, I think if they see that I have friends with an exquisite taste like yours, they will be more willing to do business with me. This would be a win-win for the both of us," He added and Trudy and Gina smirked at each other upon hearing the term he had used with them earlier.

"I'm not seeing how that's a win for us," Sonny replied with a chuckle. "You're still trying to give us a jacked-up price and also asking us to risk ourselves by allowing you to use my boat so you can throw a party to impress your drug dealing friends. 50 Gs and that's me being generous in the hopes that we can continue having a lucrative relationship. Take it or leave it," Sonny then went back to sipping his drink as he watched Ricky thinking it over.

"And I can use your boat for my party?" Ricky asked.

"Sure, so long as you have it thoroughly cleaned afterward," Sonny answered. "Hell, we can even do the deal the night of your party, the party would make for a good cover. You never know who might be watching."

"Yeah," Ricky nodded his head to this idea. "Yeah, that's not a bad idea. So, it's a deal, this Wednesday night?" Sonny looked from Ricky over to Tubbs who nodded his approval and then looked back to Ricky.

"It's a deal," Sonny confirmed and then focused onto Trudy. "And make sure you come too, sweetheart."

"Oh, the ladies will be here, I'll bring them personally," Ricky assured his excitement for the new business prospect evident on his face.

The rest of the evening had been filled with a great dinner of lobster with delicious side dishes and wine, which Tubbs had ordered through a nearby 5-star restaurant. After a couple of hours, Ricky had stated that it was time for he and the ladies to go so he could start making the arrangements for their deal. As Ricky's guards were helping Ricky and the ladies off the boat, Sonny gripped Trudy's arm and pulled her in close and leaned in and whispered in her ear.

"Come to my boathouse later," He said and when he pulled back to stare at her face it held a sweet smile as she gave him a nod. He wasn't sure if she was affirming that she would come or just staying in character. He then watched as she was helped from the boat and walked off the dock with Ricky and his entourage.

She had sat in her car at the pier where Sonny housed his boat for nearly 30 minutes before she had mustered up the nerve to actually get out and approach his boat. Even then she strolled along the docks casually to bide her time, since she was still undecided if she would go knock on Sonny's door. When she had finally made up her mind that this was a bad idea and that she had to stop sending mixed signals about how they needed to just remain professional and not pursue anything more personal than they already had, she had turned to leave she but had not expected to see Sonny approaching her from behind.

"Hey, darlin, I'm glad I didn't miss you," He greeted as he walked up beside her with a huge grin on his face and a paper bag of groceries in his arm. "When I got home I realized I didn't have must in the fridge for entertaining so I rushed over the bodega just up the way. Come on up," He said as he hurried past her and to his boat docked just to the right of where they stood. Trudy did as she was instructed and she made her way up the steps onto his boat.

"Hey Elvis," She called out to the gator who was chained to the deck and he hissed back as if replying. She remained on the outside of the door and leaned on the doorframe as she watched Sonny move around to put his groceries away. When he noticed she had entered yet he stalled in his movements and turned to regard her.

"What are you still standing out there for, c'mon in," He invited but she didn't move.

"I'm sorry Sonny, I think this was a mistake," Trudy sighed out as she dropped her eyes from his eyes the moment she saw the disappointment fill them. "And I know I'm probably sending you mixed signals-"

"That's the understatement of the century Trudy," He replied cutting her off and she looked back at him when he slammed the wine he had been holding atop the counter he stood in front of and then rested both his hands against the counter and leaned his weight on them.

"I don't mean to, I'm just so confused."

"About what?" He questioned. "I want you, I think I've made that pretty clear to you, right?" She only nodded in reply. "And you want me too, don't you?" He asked and held his breath a bit as he stared at her awaiting her answer.

"Yes, but-" She started but he again cut her off.

"See, there's your problem, you keep adding in the 'buts'," Sonny said with a small smile and she couldn't stop the smile that came to her face as well. "Don't over think things, Hon. Life is so much simpler when you just live in the moment."

"You really believe that?" Trudy huffed out as she stepped down into the living quarters closer to where he stood. "So, I should just do anything I want if it feels good and to hell, with the consequences it might bring later?"

"What fucking consequences are we talking about?" He asked his voice raised a bit and showed his growing irritation. "We are two consenting adults and if we want to spend time together we're allowed. Oh, and before you bring up no dating co-workers, I actually checked into that and the rule strictly prohibits us from dating our supervisors. I may outrank you by a grade, but it's only good on paper I can't command you on the job. And unless you're planning on hooking up with Castillo," He added and she frowned up a bit at the thought of it, which made him chuckle a bit. "Yeah, me neither. So, us working together and being together is no conflict of interest and our jobs won't be in jeopardy."

"Sonny, ever since we first slept together on Torres's boat, a situation that we both agreed was necessary to protect our cover and our lives, we have been inappropriate on the job several times already. There was the time in the locker room, and twice now while undercover on the Ricky Johnson case. If we had been discovered it would have put our jobs in jeopardy."

"But we didn't get caught," Sonny argued back.

"No, but the point is we shouldn't be doing those things while on the job, Sonny."

"Then you shouldn't be so fucking beautiful and sexy," He stated as he took a step closer to her. Again, she couldn't stop the smile that crept upon her as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Sonny," She bowed her head and whispered out in a lower voice as he was now right up on her.

"It's your own fault I can't keep my hands off of you," He continued as he was now close enough to her that he reached his hands out and placed them on her hips as he leaned down a bit to look her in the eyes. "What if I promised that from now on I will keep things strictly professional when we're on the job?" He asked and she threw him a skeptical look. "No, I mean it, scouts honor," He added as he maneuvered her closer and wrapped his arms more securely around her small waist.

"Were you ever even in the Boy Scouts?" She teased.

"Nope," He chuckled in reply as she giggled. "But I still promise and I never break my promises."

"Not a promise to 'try' but a promise to do?" Trudy clarified.

"I promise I will not behave inappropriately on the job 'unless' the case calls for us to act in such a manner, like this Ricky Johnson case."

"And I am sure you're going to milk the situation," She said as she shook her head a bit and lifted her arms to rest them across his shoulder.

"Yep, until I'm squeezing out dust," He concurred and they both laughed at his joke. "I'm going to kiss and touch you every chance I get, but only to keep up appearances to make Ricky believe that I've fallen for you."

"But no more sex on the job, okay?" Trudy said and Sonny looked like he was about to protest and she dropped her arms and placed them as a barrier between them. "I mean it Sonny, if you even try I'm calling this whole thing off and we'll go back to being just co-workers and hopefully still friends."

"All right, darlin, I won't cross that boundary again on the job, I promise … Unless you initiate-"

"I won't," She interjected, this time cutting him off.

"So, is this a done deal?"

"I could answer that more definitively if I knew exactly what the deal was. I mean, what exactly are we doing here Sonny?"

"We're getting to know each other on a more personal level," He replied.

"We've just been fucking," She corrected. "I don't know anything more personal about you than I did before. And, no, my knowledge of the mole on your inner right thigh and the way your dick curves to the left does not count."

"What, you want me to wine and dine you and ask you your sign?" He chuckled out in a teasing manner and she recoiled a bit in his embrace.

"Why is that idea so funny? That is how people in a personal relationship get to know each other better. Or by 'personal' did you just mean meeting up and fucking each other's brains out?"

"Trudy, we've worked together for nearly a decade, I think we know each other pretty well, but if you want some wining and dining we can do that too," Sonny said as he tried to soothe her.

"What's my favorite color?" She asked and he stood staring at her silently as he had no answer. "What's my favorite food? What do I like to do on my days off? Sonny, do you even know where I live?" He bunched his brow a bit as he realized that he actually didn't know where she lived. He knew where Tubbs lived because they were partners and he often picked Tubbs up for work. He knew where Gina lived due to their past relationship. He even knew where Switek lived due to the sports and poker parties he had attended there. Yet, he had no idea where Trudy lived and he had honestly never cared before. "I don't want to be the girl you call up when you're horny Sonny. I'm sure you've already got a couple of those kinds of girls on speed dial."

"I don't want that either," He responded as his face contorted into a frown at the idea that she thought that's how he saw her. "Trudy, I don't see you as some piece of ass. You're right, I have girls I know who would gladly accommodate me if I wanted that," She shoved back from him at those words, but he tugged her closer again. "But I don't want that, I don't want any of them. I just want you," She let her reservations melt a little at those words. "You're someone I can talk to about the job who will listen and really understand what I'm talking about and what I'm going through. Someone who isn't scared of the kind of work I do and won't constantly ask me to quit, because you do the same job and love it just as much as I do. Yeah, I do want to make love to you, nice and slowly, Trudy, but I also want to wake up wrapped around you afterward," He stated as he reached up and stroke at her silky tresses, which she wore straight and down across her shoulders. "Most importantly, I want exclusivity. Just you Trudy, no one else. Okay?" He finished and Trudy had to force back the tears that wanted to escape her eyes, invoked by the endearments from Sonny's lips. She'd chalk it up as one of the personal things she had learned about Sonny, he sure had a way with words.

"Okay," She agreed and then she surprised them both when she leaned in and captured his mouth in a kiss. It had been the first time either had recalled her initiating such an intimate act since the Torres case had ended. It was a brief kiss that she pulled back from only a few seconds later, but it has still been very sweet for them both.

"Good, now c'mon," He directed as he grasped the keys to his car from the counter and move them to the exit.

"Where are we going?" She questioned as she allowed him to push her back up on the deck.

"To your place," He answered as he turned to his door to lock up and she smiled as she waited for him.

Sonny had spent the night at Trudy's after they had stayed up most of the night talking about each other's childhoods and favorite music, which lead to them dancing for a little while before collapsing in bed. Trudy had been pleasantly surprised when Sonny hadn't made any attempt to make love to her. A part of her had also been a little bit disappointed as well. They had lain in her bed whispering to each other about anything that popped into their heads, until sleep finally came, snaring Sonny first. He had set an alarm to awaken early so he could leave before Gina arrived to pick Trudy up for work, which was their usual routine.

"Morning, Gina," Switek greeted first as his desk was closest to the entrance. Sonny lifted his head up from the report he had been typing up expecting to see Trudy but she wasn't behind Gina.

"Morning," Gina greeted back as she moved to her desk.

"Where's Trudy?" Switek continued and Sonny was glad someone else had asked the question he was dying to know the answer to.

"Oh, she'll be in later," Gina replied as she settled in at her desk. "She got a little sick on the way here, so we had to go back to her place. She told me not to wait and that she'd call a cab since she said her car was in the shop."

"Sick?" Tubbs repeated. "I hope it's not some bug going around because after this case I plan to take my vacation to someplace tropical."

"Naw, it came on too suddenly, she was fine yesterday," Gina waved off the idea. "It was probably all that lobster from last night. Seafood has never agreed with her, but she still eats it anyway and always regrets it later." At that moment Gina's phone rang. "Detective Calabrese," She answered as she picked up the phone and held it to her ear. "Hey, feeling better? Did you need me to swing back by to pick you up?" She spoke out and Sonny knew she had been talking to Trudy and listened intensely. "Oh, then you should definitely just stay home, I'll let Castillo know and come up with something when I go to work the shift undercover at Ricky's. We're not expected to do anything special on that end anyway until the party he's throwing on Wednesday. Feel better." She then hung up the phone.

"That sounds like a bug to me," Tubbs stated.

"Or morning sickness," Switek threw in jokingly.

"It's not a bug and definitely not morning sickness," Gina said. "If she were seeing some guy I would know about it." Sonny froze up a bit as he thought on the suggestion that Trudy might be pregnant.

"Hey partner, you ok?" Tubbs asked Sonny upon seeing the look on his face. "You're looking a little pale and clammy over there," He added. "You're not coming down with something too I hope."

"No," Sonny replied as he shook his head a bit and focused on his partner. "I just remembered that Caroline asked me to pick up Billy and drive him out to some Summer camp he's spending a couple of weeks at," He lied.

"Not again Sonny. That's the 3rd time this month you've forgotten something pertaining to your son," Gina chastised and Sonny had to stop himself from arguing that actually, it wasn't, it had just been an excuse from some time off of work like in that moment. "What time were you supposed to be there to pick him up?" She asked and Sonny looked at his watch and quickly stood up and yanked up his coat from the back of his chair.

"If I go now I'll only be a few minutes later and I can blame that on traffic," He said as he pulled on his coat and moved to Gina's desk. "Be a sweetheart and let Castillo know when he comes in. I'll probably be gone for the rest of the day, taking Billy there and staying for a while to get him settled in."

"Sure, I'm the Queen of excuses today anyway," Gina said and Sonny leaned over her desk and placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Thanks, you're a doll! I'll check in with you later Partner," He spoke to Tubbs on his way out who simply saluted not even looking up from the paper he had been reading.

Sometime Later

She groaned as she stumbled over her feet trying to get to the door, just to end the incessant ringing of the doorbell.

"I'm coming, hold your horses, geez," She grumbled as she finally grasped the doorknob and yanked the door open. She stood with her mouth slightly opened as she stared deadpan at the man standing on her doorstep. He smiled sweetly at her as he looked back at her thinking she looked especially adorable without any makeup on and her thick hair piled high atop her head in a ponytail. "Sonny, what are you doing here?" Trudy asked as she self-consciously brushed a stray loc from her face as she realized she probably didn't look her best.

"I heard you weren't feeling too good this morning, I certainly hope it wasn't because of the company you kept last night," He replied with a smile as she stepped back and allowed him to enter and then closed the door shut behind him.

"No, it's probably the seafood from last night," She offered as she remained at the door fidgeting with her ponytail and looking as if she was waiting for him to leave.

"Yeah, Gina thought so too," Sonny said with a nod as he leaned his back against the nearby wall. "Switek, on the other hand, thought it might be something more serious, so I thought I'd pick you up this," He then lifted the small paper bag that Trudy hadn't noticed in his hand before. She smiled a little as she stepped forward and took the bag from his hand, thinking it sweet that he might have gotten her something to help her feel better. The smile instantly disappeared when she opened the bag and saw its contents. She balled the bag closed once more and held it back out to Sonny to take back.

"I don't need that, so you should take it back and get a refund," She said as she waited for him to take the bag back but he didn't make any move to do so.

"You sure about that, Hon?" He asked as he pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips and then patted his pockets for some matches.

"Well, if I weren't it would be no thanks to you. It's not like you did much in the way of prevention. I guess you just figured I had that covered right?" She said and he shrugged a bit which made her roll her eyes at him as she stepped to him and yanked the cigarette from his lips. "Typical man and no smoking," She commanded as she placed the cigarette and the bag on the table next to the door.

"Sorry, I shouldn't smoke around you while you're…" He waved his hand at her but couldn't make himself actually finish the sentence.

"The word you're looking for is 'pregnant', Sonny, and don't worry I'm not bringing any little Crockett's into the world," She spoke as she moved past him and into her beautifully decorated living room.

"You seem sure? And, hey, this world would be a better place with more little Crockett's in it, sweetheart," He teased and got the result intended when she giggled a little at him.

"Yeah, I am sure because I have been on birth control to help regulate my periods since I was 15 years old," She answered. "And I've already taken a test, the rabbit didn't die. Thank God," She mumbled out.

"Shit, don't be so broken up about it, darlin," Sonny huffed out indignantly.

"Why aren't you relieved?" She was actually curious as to why he was acting disappointed. "Neither one of us are in a position to care for a baby. You live on a boat for Christ's sake."

"These are some pretty nice digs you've got here, Trudy, plenty of room for a kid," He replied and could tell by the way her head snapped around to him and the way her eyes suddenly bulged from her head he had probably said the wrong thing.

"Oh, so you just assume that it would all fall on me or that I would even want to have 'your' kid. Sonny, if I were to have a baby with you are you planning to take time off from work to care for it? I am not ready to retire or quit being a cop, you know I love the job, but that would be what's expected right? The mom stays home with the baby while daddy keeps working. No, sorry, that doesn't work for me. So, it's a good thing that I am not pregnant and having to worry about dealing with an abortion," She said and he snapped angry eyes to her at that word. "Don't look at me like that or give me some old-fashioned bullshit about how abortion is wrong. We're fast approaching the 90s and us feeble, simple-minded women have choices now when it comes to our own bodies."

"You'd really kill your own baby?" He questioned as he studied her face and she broke eye contact with him as she bowed her head a bit feeling slight shame.

"I don't know, Sonny, and I don't want to find out," She answered honestly. "So, from now on you are going to have to be more proactive too in providing protection when we make love." He silently nodded at her as he pushed his hands inside his pockets and looked down to the floor. After a moment's pause, Trudy spoke again in a softer tone. "Thank you for coming to check that I was ok and for not freaking out over the thought of me being pregnant."

"You're welcome, but I ain't gonna lie the thought of you being pregnant scared the hell out of me at first," Sonny confessed. "But on the way over here I started thinking it wouldn't be so bad if you were pregnant and we had a little girl that looked just like me," He stated and laughter bubbled from Trudy.

"Look like you, wouldn't you want our daughter to look like me?" She pondered.

"Hell no," He chuckled out. "If she looked like you I'd have to quit the job to take up guarding her with my shotgun 24/7 and beating off all the men coming at her. I'm getting exhausted just thinking about it," Trudy simply shook her head at him as she continued to laugh. "So, you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, I think I've gotten it all out of my system for the most part. Why?" She said as she eyed him suspiciously.

"I was thinking I'd take you out to lunch if you can stomach it," Sonny answered.

"That sounds nice but I was just going to make myself some soup and I think staying home might be safer. I'd hate to throw up in your car," She replied and Sonny's face held a sour look at the thought. "Besides, don't you have to go back to work?"

"Naw, nothing to do in the Ricky Johnson case until we meet up with him in a couple of days to make the transaction and hopefully bust him. I'm playing hooky today, can I hang with you?"

"Sure," Trudy agreed with a smile. "How exactly did you get out of work? She asked as she turned from him and made her way to the kitchen where she planned to make herself some soup. Sonny pushed from the wall and followed close behind her.

"I said I had forgotten something with Billy and it was going to take all day."

"Wow, you've used a similar lie twice already this month, probably to go fishing, and Castillo hasn't caught onto you yet?" She tossed out around a chuckle as she opened her pantry and pulled out a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup, and then pull the can opener and spoon from another drawer. She placed the items on the counter just as Sonny stepped up to her.

"I got it, where's your pots?" He asked as he began opening the can of soup. Trudy regarded him kindly as she reached over him and retrieved a small pot from an upper cabinet and sat it atop the stove. Sonny emptied the can of soup into the pot and topped it off with a can of water. He then turned on the gas stove and adjusted the flame to get the desired temperature. "And how the hell did you figure out I had been lying all those times?" He finally turned and asked her.

"Because I'm a great detective for one and for two, one thing you are not Sonny Crockett is a deadbeat dad," She stated as she leaned her backside against the countertop across from where Sonny stood at the stove stirring the soup. "Anytime Caroline calls you about Billy you drop everything right then and there to be there for your son."

"Yeah, see, I am great daddy material, aren't I?" He said and then turned and shot her a playful wink over his shoulder as he kept stirring the soup that was now bubbling. "Grab a couple of bowls for me, babe," He instructed and she happily complied as butterflies filled her belly at watching him cook for her and while using such an intimate term of endearment. He poured the soup in equal amounts into the two bowls she had sat near the stove. Trudy grabbed the box of Saltine crackers from the pantry and a couple of can sodas from the fridge. They took their small feast to the dining table and began eating. Sonny noticed that Trudy was doing more stirring than eating. "What's the matter, you feeling sick again?" He questioned.

"No, it's just not satisfying me," Trudy replied with a sigh as she let the spoon settle against the side of the bowl.

"Well, what are you craving, I'll go get it for you," He offered.

"Anything I'm craving?" She asked as she bit at her bottom lip and looked as if she were giving it some thought.

"Yes ma'am," He concurred.

"I want to be in my bed making love to you right now," She finally proclaimed and a huge smile spread across Sonny's face as his brows rose high. He dropped his spoon into his bowl of soup, wiped his mouth with the napkin that had already been on the table, pushed his seat back, and finally stood from the table.

"Anything my lady wants," He said as he held out his hand to her. With a big grin, she took his hand and allowed him to pull her from her seat. He lifted her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss upon it and then led the way to her bedroom where they spent the rest of the day and most of the night enjoying one another's company.

***

Continue reading here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12521937/14/Undercover-Blues

[newstfionline]

‘We Are All Accumulating Mountains of Things’

By Alana Semuels, The Atlantic, Aug. 21, 2018

It’s easier than ever to buy things online. It’s so easy that Ryan Cassata sometimes does it in his sleep. Cassata, a 24-year-old singer/songwriter and actor from Los Angeles, recently got a notification from Amazon that a package had been shipped to his apartment, but he didn’t remember buying anything. When he logged onto his account and saw that a fanny pack and some socks were on the way, he remembered: A few nights back, he had woken up in the middle of the night to browse--and apparently shop on--Amazon.

He shops when he’s awake, too, buying little gadgets like an onion chopper, discounted staples like a 240-pack of gum, and decorations like a Himalayan salt lamp. The other day, he almost bought a pizza pool float, until he remembered that he doesn’t have a pool. “I don’t really need most of the stuff,” he tells me.

Thanks to a perfect storm of factors, Americans are amassing a lot of stuff. Before the advent of the internet, we had to set aside time to go browse the aisles of a physical store, which was only open a certain number of hours a day. Now, we can shop from anywhere, anytime--while we’re at work, or exercising, or even sleeping. We can tell Alexa we need new underwear, and in a few days, it will arrive on our doorstep. And because of the globalization of manufacturing, that underwear is cheaper than ever before--so cheap that we add it to our online shopping carts without a second thought. “There’s no reason not to shop--because clothing is so cheap, you feel like, ‘why not?’ There’s nothing lost in terms of the hit on your bank account,” Elizabeth Cline, the author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, told me.

Shopping online also feels good. Humans get a dopamine hit from buying stuff, according to research by Ann-Christine Duhaime, a professor of neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School. “As a general rule, your brain tweaks you to want more, more, more--indeed, more than those around you--both of ‘stuff’ and of stimulation and novelty,” Duhaime wrote in a Harvard Business Review essay last year. Online shopping allows us to get that dopamine hit, and then also experience delayed gratification when the order arrives a few days later, which may make it more physiologically rewarding than shopping in stores.

Sites like Amazon have made it especially easy to shop. In 1999, the Seattle retailer patented a one-click buying process, which allows customers to purchase something without entering their shipping address or credit card info. It launched its Prime program in 2005, and now more than 100 million people have signed on to pay $119 a year for “free” two-day shipping. As a result, most other major retailers offer free shipping too. Returning stuff is a little more difficult--shoppers usually have to print a label and then go to the post office or a UPS or FedEx site to return packages. Many wait too long, or decide the hassle isn’t worth it because the stuff was cheap anyway. A recent NPR/Marist poll found that nine in 10 consumers rarely or never return stuff they’ve bought online.

Justine Montoya, a caregiver in Los Angeles, buys all sorts of stuff online--baby formula, clothes, household goods. She estimates that she shops online twice a week. “It’s just so easy--you click a button, and it’s on its way,” she told me.

In the last few months alone, I bought an $18 smart watch from Wish.com that I will probably never use, a second Kindle because it was on sale and I am worried my first Kindle is going to die soon, an electric space heater I no longer need, and a pair of wireless earbuds that I had hoped would allow me to charge my iPhone and listen to music at the same time, but that instead just fall out of my ears whenever I put them on. I also bought, on Amazon, a (used) book about hiking in the Sierras for $1.99, only to find the exact same book in a box of my stuff in my parents’ basement. I didn’t return any of it.

In 2017, Americans spent $240 billion--twice as much as they’d spent in 2002--on goods like jewelry, watches, books, luggage, and telephones and related communication equipment, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which adjusted those numbers for inflation. Over that time, the population grew just 13 percent. Spending on personal care products also doubled over that time period. Americans spent, on average, $971.87 on clothes last year, buying nearly 66 garments, according to the American Apparel and Footwear Association. That’s 20 percent more money than they spent in 2000. The average American bought 7.4 pairs of shoes last year, up from 6.6 pairs in 2000.

All told, “we are all accumulating mountains of things,” said Mark A. Cohen, the director of retail studies at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business. He sometimes asks his students to count the number of things they have on them in class, and once they start counting up gadgets and cords and accessories, they end up near 50. “Americans have become a society of hoarders,” Cohen said. Montoya said she has more stuff now that she has started shopping online: “It’s easier to accumulate more, and it’s easier to spend more.”

At the same time we are amassing all this stuff, Americans are taking up more space. Last year, the average size of a single-family house in America was 2,426 square feet, a 23 percent increase in size from two decades ago, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. The number of self-storage units is rapidly increasing too: There are around 52,000 such facilities nationally; two decades ago, there were half that number.

Of course, not everyone is a part of this hoarding revolution. There are people who can’t or don’t shop online, because they don’t have credit cards or because they are barely making ends meet. Only about 29 percent of households with incomes under $25,000 are members of Amazon Prime, according to Kantar Consulting. Some people are embracing the zero waste movement, or have followed the example of the author Ann Patchett, who published a widely-circulated op-ed in The New York Times about how she resolved to stop shopping for a year. When she ceased buying things like lip gloss and lotion and hair products, she started finding half-used versions of them under the sink, and realized she hadn’t needed new things after all. “The things we buy and buy and buy are like a thick coat of Vaseline smeared on glass,” she wrote. “We can see some shapes out there, light and dark, but in our constant craving for what we may still want, we miss life’s details.”

But most Americans are not curtailing their shopping habits. And as consumers demand cheaper clothing, electronics, and other goods, manufacturers are spending less to make them, which sometimes means they fall apart more quickly. The share of large household appliances that had to be replaced within five years grew to 13 percent in 2013, up from seven percent in 2004. Cheap clothes might lose their shape after a wash or two, or get holes after a few tumbles in the dryer; electronics become obsolete quickly and need to be replaced. While some of this stuff can be recycled or resold, often, it ends up in landfills. In 2015, the most recent year for which data is available, Americans put 16 million tons of textiles in the municipal waste stream, a 68 percent increased from 2000. We tossed 34.5 million tons of plastics, a 35 percent increase from 2000, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency. Over that same time period, the population grew just 14 percent.

“Sometimes, people sit down and cry when they see the amount of garbage we produce in a day,” said Robert Reed, a spokesman for Recology, which handles recycling for West Coast cities like San Francisco. Centered in America’s tech capital, Recology has seen an increase in discarded electronics, including products with lithium batteries, Reed told me. In 2016, a lithium battery fire burnt down a waste management facility in San Mateo.

The 16,000 students who live in dorms at Michigan State University left behind 147,946 pounds of goods like clothing, towels, and appliances when they moved out this year, a 40 percent increase from 2016, according to Kat Cooper, a spokeswoman. The university packs up these goods and donates to them to its surplus store, so that incoming students can buy used, rather than new, stuff. In recent years, dorm cleaners have been finding so many packages of unopened food and toiletries that the university started a program to get students to donate leftover food and toiletries to local organizations like food banks when they move out. This year, it collected 900 pounds of personal care items and 4,000 pounds of nonperishable food items to donate. Pomona College has seen the volume of packages delivered grow by 325 percent in the last 12 years, according to Patricia Vest, a spokeswoman; it, too, asks students to donate unused goods to a resale program. This year, it diverted 42 tons of clothes, furniture, and office supplies.

The Internet has also made it easier to recycle some of the stuff Americans buy and no longer want. Online consignment shops like thredUP and Poshmark help people buy and sell clothes from their closets. Secondhand stores like Goodwill have moved online, too, selling the growing pile of goods they get on the Internet.

But the ability to easily get rid of stuff may be making people feel a little better about buying things they don’t need, and motivating them to buy even more. On a recent weekday, I stopped by the massive warehouse where workers from Goodwill of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin sort donations to Bay Area stores. Some of the stuff that’s been donated has never been used. Near the front of the warehouse stands a rack of clothes with their original tags on--a $245 blue Nicole Miller cocktail dress, $88 Kit and Ace pants, a pale green J. Jill blouse. “We are seeing items that have been barely used or not used, because when people shop online, it’s a lot of work to return it,” William Rogers, the president of the Goodwill, told me. Rogers himself is guilty--when we met at the warehouse, he dropped off four wall sconces he’d bought a year ago on Amazon. He had tried to put them up, decided they didn’t look good, and brought them to donate.

Secondhand shops can’t resell all of the donations they get. Cline estimates that 85 percent of the clothing that is donated to secondhand stores ends up in landfills every year. Just nine percent of plastic that ends up in the municipal waste stream gets recycled, according to the EPA, and only 15 percent of textiles get recycled. It can be difficult to take apart clothes and re-use the fabrics, Cline said, so lots of clothing in the waste stream gets sent to the developing world, used for rags, or sent to a landfill.

Fifty years ago, the science fiction writer Philip K. Dick coined a phrase for these “useless objects” that accumulate in a house: “kipple.” In Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, which served as the basis for the movie Blade Runner, he theorized that “the entire universe is moving toward a state of total, absolute kippleization.” Kipple reproduced, Dick wrote, when nobody was around. The ubiquity of mobile devices and the ease of online shopping have made Dick’s prediction come true, with one small tweak: Our kipple does not just multiply on its own, every time we turn away. We grow it ourselves, buying more and more of it, because we can.