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POV: Cameron

Monica came walking in with a face full of self-righteous glory. She acted as if she had won a prize for being the biggest bitch on the planet. This attitude of hers was the biggest problem in our relationship.

She wanted to get her way in any situation. Not to mention how high maintenance she was. Whoever her parents were should be ashamed of the woman they raised.

Scanning the room for Leah, I didn’t move from the couch. Adrian was on high alert and tensed. He was aiming to kill, and I wasn’t going to get in his way.

I thought my mom said she was with Graham, but I didn’t take him as her type. My assumptions were wrong because the look in his eye gave away everything. They had been together and that pissed me the fuck off.

As soon as I realized he put his hands on her, I couldn’t sit any longer. Ready for Adrian to give the signal and I was sure that the three of us would beat the shit out of him. The thought of sharing her with Adrian and Jared didn’t bother me, but I wasn’t willing to let another man in.

I knew Adrian would always keep her safe and Jared would help her hold down a little normalcy in life. It helped that I planned on taking her away from them. They had nothing on me because I was the romantic on who loved to travel.

With them here, I would be able to get Leah back and keep my money. That would be enough to convince Leah to run away with me. First, we had to get her help; then I would ask her.

There was no way she could turn me down…

**********

POV: Jared

Pacing back and forth, I started to get worried when they were late. I could tell that something wasn’t right, it was written all over Adrian’s face. That man was scary when he was angry.

I doubt he would let anyone put their hands on Leah when she got here, but all three of us had staked claim. These last three weeks made me realize how much I needed her in my life. She needed to get away from these other two guys because they brought trouble into her life.

The sound of a car pulled up and Cameron just sat there, unbothered. Adrian bowed up and clinched his fists. He was ready to fight whoever came through that door.

It was a beautiful blonde woman who radiated suspicion. Her eyes scanning the room, crossed arms to signal her annoyance, and thin pressed lips. That must be Monica, but she wasn’t as intimidating as the others had let on.

Behind her came a rather large man holding Leah in his arms. She didn’t’ look well at all, she seemed fragile and sick. What had they done to her?!

My blood boiled and I was ready to take on the man, even if it meant getting my ass beat. No one was going to hurt Leah if I were around. I wouldn’t let her adopted parents do it and I won’t let some thug either.

Adrian beat me to her, but I made sure to be there next. He brought her over to the couch and ordered us to prop her up. Cameron held her head, while I held her legs.

Something wasn’t right…

**********

POV: Adrian

I was pissed when I saw her in his arms. Possession took over me and my only mission at that moment was taking her. Fuck Monica, this job, and this life that was full of lies.

He is lucky that she was sick, or I would have broken every bone in his body. Her body was weak and trembling. It didn’t look as if they had starved her, but the clothes she was wearing were not hers. She smelt freshly showered and her visible skin was free of wounds.

Her cheek was a little read and I could faintly see an outline of a small and delicate hand. Monica had hit her and was going to pay for that. The only thing on my mind right now was getting her to an emergency room.

She was drifting in and out of consciousness. At this point I started barking orders and if they knew what was good for them, they would follow. Monica smarted off, the only thing saving her was the fact she was carrying my child.

The ambulance came and took Leah to the emergency room. I wanted to go with her, but Jared made a good point that only he had known her medical history. He assured me that he wouldn’t leave her side and that he would let me know a room number as soon as they admitted her.

It was hard for me to relinquish control, but my time would be better spent dealing with the shit storm here.

“Let me know as soon as you do.”, I ordered Jared.

“Will do, promise.”, he looked at me and I felt that I could trust him.

“And keep your mouth shut about what you learned.”, glaring at him.

“I will.”, he gulped out of fear of what I would do if he spoke.

I closed the doors to the ambulance and watch as it traveled out of sight. Then I turned around and headed inside to find Monica. We had unfinished business to attend to.

Walking back in the living room, I looked to Cameron. He nodded to the kitchen where Monica and her brother had wondered off too. We had to keep our eyes on her because she was a snake.

Motioning for him to take the left, I flanked to the right. After what these two did to Leah, I had no doubt that he would help me take them down. We had a common goal… protect Leah.

I wasn’t a man who was willing to share my woman, but I wouldn’t mind sharing the responsibility of keeping her safe. With my line of work there would be times that I couldn’t be there for her. Cameron took a bullet for her and for that I give him my respect.

He was still just some kid though. And his entire life had been a lie. I honestly felt bad for him, but it wasn’t my place to tell him.

“Well well well. I see the trash took itself out.”, she was smug.

“Shut your fucking mouth!”, Cameron shouted before I could.

“Sis, watch it.”, Graham even cut in.

“Looks like you’re out numbered Monica.”, I smirked.

“Listen, I just want my money and then I’ll leave.”, she looked at Cameron.

“You have no leverage.”, she cut her eyes at me.

“We had a deal. Leah for the money.”, she scoffed.

“Well, I don’t see Leah, so no money.”, my words pissed her off.

“Don’t be cute, I will have her taken again and you know it.”, she looked at Graham.

“You interested in abducting her?”, I looked at him.

“Sis, you’re on your own here. This was your mess, I am out.”, his words turned her face red.

She didn’t like his response and let us all know. I might not hit him after all. He seemed to be invested in Leah, but I would make sure he never laid another hand on her.

Three men could be pretty convincing, and I doubt the others would disagree. She walked over to Graham and smacked him in the face, he didn’t flinch. Then she walked over to me, but before she could contact my face, I grabbed her hand.

“That’s not going to work on me.”, I glared down at her.

With the grip I had on her, I pulled her over the couch. Her belly had gotten a lot bigger in the last month. I needed her to be comfortable for the sake of my child, but I needed her to understand I wasn’t here to play her game.

“Stay put.”, I ordered as I walked toward the office.

Hendrix was in the office with my mother. They were working on finding Cooper’s records in hopes to close my case. Over the years he had divulged a lot of information to my mother.

Unsure if he loved her or knew she wouldn’t talk because he saved her. He was useless to us in his state right now. Monica had hit him hard enough that they had to remove a piece of his skull in order to accommodate the swelling.

He was on full bedrest, so I knew he hadn’t been up to any criminal activity. As for Valerie, she had been funneling money into offshore accounts to set herself up an exit. She wasn’t just an innocent victim anymore, but her crimes would be pardoned for her testimony.

Once back in the living room, I tossed a lab report on the table in front of her. Cameron and Graham had taken a seat on the opposite couch. I wanted to gauge their body language to see if they had any part in it.

“What’s that?”, she crossed her arms.

“I found evidence in Cooper’s office of a struggle. Someone had cleaned up, but didn’t do a thorough job.”, I paused.

“Okay, so what does it have to do with me?”, she retorted.

“I know what happened.”, it was time to reveal a few cards.

She laughed.

"The day you drugged me. Does that ring a bell?", I pointed at her belly, and she knew what I was insinuating.

She gasped, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”.

Her body language told a different story.

"We have been having consensual sex for years. I was bound to end up pregnant and you know it.", she whined.

"Open the folder and take a look.", I pushed it toward her.

She opened the folder which contained a DNA test from the blood collected under Cooper's desk. Flipping through the papers she came across an autosomal DNA test which explained that Donald VanCooper was Monica's biological father. Valerie's testimony would place Monica at the crime scene, so I had Monica cornered.

Snakes get defensive when cornered, but I was prepared for her strike.

What puzzled me was how could I work for the Daybreak Corporation for this long and not know that Monica was Cooper’s Daughter. And how could a daughter intentionally try to kill her father. I didn't plan on letting her leave this room without the answers, so she better start talking.

-To be continued-