Secrets Chapter 9

Amber kissed Eric on the top of his head while he put together a Sesame Street Cookie Monster puzzle. She was relieved that he was feeling better and was no longer running a temperature. She had taken him to the doctor earlier that day and had him checked out. The doctor had given her a prescription for his ear infections and she’d get it filled as soon as Nadia came to baby-sit. Truthfully, the doctor had said that if the infections didn’t stop that Eric would have to get tubes in his ears. She hoped that it wouldn’t come to that, not only would an operations be expensive, it also meant that there would be a chance that Rick would find her. Eric picked up a puzzle piece that he had dropped and gave it to Amber.

" You want me to help you?" Amber smiled.

" Yes…" Eric clapped his hands while Amber helped Eric to find the correct place for the puzzle piece. Amber handed Eric his cup full of apple juice and he took a drink.

" Ahh sweetie. Mommy is going to make sure that everything is all right. I’m going to get your medicine and soon you’ll be all better." There was a knock on the door. Amber let Nadia in. " Thanks so much for looking after him. Deacon should be back soon."

"Where is he?"

"He’s talking to Tony. He is really looking into seeing if he can become a partner in his club."

" It’s a nice club but it isn’t like the one Deacon had in LA. If I were him, I wouldn’t have been so egger to give it up."

Amber frowned, Nadia could be a pain at times. She didn’t understand why Deacon would be willing leave a thriving club in LA instead of starting over again in New York.

Amber picked up a chip and ate it. " Yeah, well with the ideas that Deacon has, Tony’s club would do even better." Amber dipped another tortia chip into the salsa. " You should have seen him late last night, he was full of ideas."

Nadia knew exactly what kind of man Deacon was, she knew real well.

" Girl, I bet that he was full of something." She bit a chip. " A man like that…"

"That isn’t what I meant, although Deacon is unlike any man that I’ve ever met. You know, when we met, I thought that he was nothing but trash. I thought that he was brassy and full of his self. He used to drive me crazy with his arrogance."

Nadia raised her perfectly arched eyebrow at Amber. " Well you must have gotten over it."

" Yeah…he grew on me. When I saw how much Eric meant him, it made a difference." Amber suddenly sounded sad. " I tried to fight my feelings for him. I just thought that it was lust and that I didn’t need him, but somewhere I fell in love with him. I really hurt Rick… I didn’t mean too."

" Rick, that was your husband right?"

Amber nodded. " Yeah…he was my husband."

" You never talk about him, what was he like? I mean with him coming from that famous family and all. Plus him being rich?"

" Rick was more than a rich guy, he was really nice. Real sweet. Having a family was important to him, real important. You see, his mother divorced his father when he was young and he always missed having a father. That was why Eric was so important to him, he wanted him to have a family that he never had. Eric and I were the most important thing to him. He stood up to his mother and some of his family members for me. He had never looked down on me. That was until he found out about me and Deacon." Amber stopped eating. "After he found out, he wasn’t the same. It was like Rick was a different person….he just changed." Amber looked out into the air as if she were seeing something in the back of her mind or her memory. "It doesn’t matter now, my life with Rick and the Forresters are over. Anyway, I’ve got to go. I shouldn’t be gone more than an hour or so."

"Don’t worry; you know how much I love this little fellow. Get going." Amber kissed Eric was off. Nadia wondered what Amber had meant when she said that Rick Forrester had changed. Nadia picked up a magazine that had a photo of the Forresters including Rick. She touched his face on the photo. "Just why type of man were you Rick Forrester? Why in the hell would Amber leave the cushy life in Beverly Hills to move here with Deacon?"

Deacon sat at the table in Foxy’s, one of the hottest clubs in New York. During the day, it was closed, people brining in liquor, cleaning the club, and checking the inventory. Deacon lit his cigarette and took a drag; he needed the nicotine to ease his nerves. Tony wanted him as a partner to this place and it would be a fantastic investment, with his ideas they would make a hell of a lot of money. Running Inferno in L.A had been a breeze and truthfully it was going to be harder in New York. Although there were bars and clubs in L.A, they weren’t like the ones in New York. Plus New York itself had competition with some of the clubs in D.C. Inferno had been perfect, not too much compensation and people didn’t expect much more than decent food and good liquor, but here in New York, that was the norm. Deacon blew a way of smoke out of his mouth. People were also willing to pay a higher price to get into the clubs in L.A than in New York. At least he didn’t have to pay for an apartment in LA, but in New York, the cost of living was a great deal more. Either way he looked at it, moving to New York was costing him more money than he had. Truthfully, he didn’t mind because he had Amber and his son, but it still stung a little that he was losing money.

" Money, hell that is the one thing that I’m running out of." If only he could close his deal and sell his part of Inferno back in LA then things would be a hellva a lot better. Deacon would contact his old partner and find out how it was coming. He knew that he was upset that he’s left him in a lurch, but he hadn’t had a choice. Amber had come to him with Little D and he had no choice but to make a break for it. Deacon taped his matchbook on table. Money wasn’t his only problem, Bridget was. " She should know about now."

" Who should know what?" Tony sat down across from Deacon.

" Nobody."

" All, I get the feeling that this SHE isn’t Amber? So, you already got someone on the side huh?" Deacon took a sip of the bottle of beer in front of him.

" No. I don’t have anyone on the side. I’ve quit all of that now that I’m with Amber."

"That doesn’t mean that you are dead. It isn’t like the chicken head it your wife."

Deacon gave Tony a dangerous look. Although Tony was twice his size and looked like he spent his free time working out, Deacon was more than willing to take him on about Amber. " Watch what you are saying. I happen to love her, I don’t remarks about her lightly at all."

Tony shook his head. He didn’t understand what in the world Deacon saw in that skinny pale looking girl with a big mouth. As far as he was concerned, she wasn’t worth the hassle. And boy was she a hassle. Deacon had a good thing going in L.A and was a partner in a fantastic club but he had given it up and most likely was going to take a loss on some of his money because of her. It just didn’t make any sense, the Deacon he had known hadn’t given a damn about anyone but this new Deacon crazy about Amber and his kid. Tony shook his head. He was never going to fall in love, to give a woman that much power over him was crazy. Just plain crazy. " All, right no more remarks about Amber okay. So, what are you going to do? I need a new partner Deacon to offset the new cost of expansions. Are you in or out."

Deacon leaned forward. " I’m in okay. Just give me a little bit of time to get the money."

" Look D, we are friend and all, but this is business."

"Look, I said that I’ll have the money and I’ll get it okay?"

"You’ve got a couple days and then after that, I’m going to have to go to someone else."

" You’ll have your money, don’t worry. I want this as much as you do." Deacon crushed his cigarette. He had a few days to get the money.

Brooke finished lighting the last candle on the beautifully set dinning table on the back of her personal deck. With the moon shinning through the dark night, it was a perfect setting. She had to admit that the hotel had set everything up to her exact wishes. Dinner had been prepared perfectly, just like she asked. Brooke heard the door to the hotel suite open and her husband calling for her. " I’m out here Thorne." Thorne came to the deck and smiled.

" What is all of this?" Thorne looked at the set dinning table to Brooke who looked luscious in a zebra print string bikini that left little to his imagination. She was adorable with her hair up in a ponytail and sex as well in the bikini. Brooke sashayed toward her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck.

" This my love is dinner with your adoring wife." Brooke kissed Thorne gently on his mouth. She pulled away and led Thorne to the table. " As you can see, I have some of your favorites here." Brooke picked up a seasoned grill shrimp and fed it to her husband. Thorne nibbled on the succulent shrimp and then leaned forward to nipple Brooke’s neck. Brooke giggled. " And after we eat will…."

"I can imagine what we will be doing."

Brooke leaned out of Thorne’s arms. " No, sit down. We aren’t going to be doing what you are thinking mister. We are going swimming."

" Swimming?"

" Yes swimming in the beautiful ocean. Come on, it will be fun." Thorne sat on the love seat that was replaced the normal chairs on the deck. Thorne smiled and sat down. Brooke sat next to her husband uncovered the steamy food. Brooke dipped a hot roll into the creamy Alfredo sauce and then took a bite, she softly chewed and then dipped it again and this time fed it to her husband. " Well, what do you think?"

" I think that I have the most wonderful wife in world."

" That is true." Brooke watched as her husband fixed her plate and his plate with a variety of food. " How was your boy’s night?"

" It was great, he doing fine. It was great seeing him again. He wants to take us to this party that he is giving on his yacht the day after tomorrow."

" That sounds fantastic." Thorne dove into his delicious food while Brooke poured him a glass of wine. " Lets make a toast."

" Okay. How about to you, me and the baby?"

" That sounds perfect. Everything is so perfect between you and me. I just want to stay this way forever."

" It will only get better, you’ll see." Thorne kissed Brooke. Brooke leaned into the passionate kiss, and thoughts of everything else escaped her. Her thoughts were totally centered on her husband.

 

Bridget checked the register at Insomnia, things looked like they were going well. At least that things were going well there. Bridget thought about her father, she had really hurt him by not telling him the name of the father of her baby. Telling her father about Deacon could only make matters worse and it would only make her father more determined to find him. Bringing Deacon back would do no good, she never wanted to see that lying bastard again. He had hurt her with his lies and run off with Amber. As long as she carried this baby, her father would demand to know who the father was. Marine, a waitress, snapped her fingers. " Bridget, are you all right? You don’t look too good."

" Yeah… I’m just a little preoccupied."

Marine put two blueberries scones on her tray. " You’ve been acting funny the that last two hours. Plus you’ve checked the register three times." Bridget closed the register.

" I guess that I haven’t paid attention to what is going on today. Sorry."

" Hey, its okay. We all have those moments. Marine took her tray and served her table. Susan, came over toward Bridget. " Bridget, we have a problem with a customer at the back table."

" What’s the problem?"

"He had his laptop on the table and was working on something and I accidentally stumbled and the coffee that I was holding spilled on it."

" Oh god…"

" I know and he’s really pissed." Bridget followed Susan toward the back section of the Insomnia. There was some fussing going on. A Hispanic male in his twenties 20 years was speaking rapidly in Spanish. Bridget walked over to him.

" Excuse me, what seems to be the problem."

The man looked turned and looked at Bridget and dismissed her. " I want to talk to the manger not another air-head waitress."

" Air-head waitress. For your information, none of the members on my staff are airheads. The man looked toward Susan and snorted. Bridget stepped in front of Susan and put her hands on her hips. " I will not allow you to malign any of my staff." Bridget used an authoritative tone. " You asked to see the manager and now you are."

"You? You are the manager?"

" Yes. What? You don’t think that women can be the manager or something?"

He gave Bridget an annoyed look. " No, I didn’t say that."

" So what seems to be the problem?"

"I was sitting here minding my own business when your waitress there spill that damn coffee on my computer. I was in a middle of working on something important."

Bridget moved toward the computer. " Let me take a look, I’ll see what I can do." The man moved his computer out of the way.

" Are you fu(king crazy. I’m not letting you touch my computer."

" Hey! Watch your mouth! Now if you’d just calm down…maybe I could help you."

" You can’t help me! You don’t know what type of system this….believe me I know what I’m doing and that coffee has ruined this machine."

Bridget sighed. " Look … I know that you are upset. And I’m willing to take responsibility for this. But it was an accident. It was just a computer, not a life. Now if you’d be willing to come into my office…"

The man put the damaged computer into his computer bag. " I don’t think so.."

" Well, if you leave your number, I’m sure we can reimburse you only lost."

" Look here little girl.."

" Little girl. Just who in the hell do you think you are speaking to?"

"You. I can’t believe that the owner of this joint but some kid in charge."

" Kid?"

" Yeah, you can’t be more than what 17 or 18."

" I’m 19 and I’m grown enough to run this place. Now why don’t you act like the mature adult that you think are instead of acting like my three year old nieces who hasn’t had their naps."

" Are you implying that I’m acting like a child?"

Bridget smiled. " Well, it seems that you aren’t totally dense." The man uttered that she was an idiot in Spanish. Bridget countered that he should not assume that she didn’t understand him, in Spanish also. The man stopped, gave her a heated look.

" Don’t worry, I’m going to send you the bill and we’ll see how smug you are. This system cost more than you make here in a year, senorita manager." And with that, he walked out the door with total arrogance.

Bridget frowned. " That bastard, who does his think that he is speaking to me like that."

Lauren another waitress who had been watching the whole interesting argument. " Yeah, but he was one sexy looking bastard."

" What?"

"Come on Bridget, how could you not have noticed? He is totally hot. That perfect skin, those caramel colored eyes and the sight accent when he is angry. Don’t forget that body, I bet that he’d look great naked."

" Have you lost your mind? He was an total ass. He was rude and belligerent. I hope never to see his face again." Bridget stormed away. She had a hell of a day and had a lot on her mind and she didn’t need a confrontation with an annoying asshole.

 

Taylor walked into the meeting, three other therapist were already at the conference table.

"I’m sorry that I’m late. I had another meeting and then there was traffic." Truthfully, Taylor had gotten turned around again. She was worried to death but hopefully after the test tomorrow, she’d know what in the world was wrong with her. Dr. Nunez held up his hand. " Don’t worry Taylor. Dr. Quinn’s plane was late getting in and she just got here herself. ." Dr. Nunez motioned toward a beautifully pregnant black doctor wearing a beautiful black silk long sleeved wrap-around dress, her hair was upswept in twist, diamond earrings graced her earlobes that matched the diamond cross she wore. Her brown eyes sparkled, her face was flawless and makeup perfect to complement her skin. Jasmine stood and shook Taylor’s hand.

" I’m Dr. Jasmine Quinn. It’s nice to meet you Dr. Forrester."

Taylor smiled. " You can call me Taylor." Taylor and Jasmine both sat down.

"Well then, you can call me Jasmine. I think that since we will be working with one another, first names are acceptable." Jasmine sat back down in her seat as well as Taylor.

"Jasmine, I read a few articles that you’ve written in the Huntley’s Journal. Your reputation also has preceded you. I know like the others here, we are happy that you willing to consult for us while Seth is out of the country. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule especially during the later stage of your pregnancy shows your dedication."

Jasmine nodded. " Thank you Taylor. And although you are right, I am dedicated to my field, I’ll have to admit that I’m really doing this for Seth."

" Well thank god. To tell you the truth, we were in a quandary about what we should do. Seth input was important to us, but we understood the importance of his overseas trip." Said Dr. Nunez." He was kind enough to give your name as a person we can have for consultation matters."

"He was the one who suggested me for the wellness center. And although I miss D.C, I feel that I can be a better help here with my new practice."

Taylor looked at her folder. " From what we have read, it seems that your practice is thriving."

" I blessing and a curse." Jasmine sighed. " Helping people deal with their own terminal illness or the illness of a love one can be tricky. That is why I commend you both for what you are doing."

" We know the importance of offering our patients the best, so we need some help in this particular area. Have you input the next couple of weeks will help us a great deal?"

" Well I aim to please." Jasmine looked at each of the doctors. " Now if you open the red booklet and turn to page one, you see the first list of suggestions for your patient Harry Barnes."

Amber tapped on the counter while the pharmacist finished filling her prescription for Eric. She looked at amount of money that it was going to cost for Eric’s ear medication. Without health insurance, his antibiotic and his other medication was going to cost 150 dollars. Amber frowned, she was couldn’t write checks so that meant that she had to give them cash. More and more it seemed that money was becoming an issue. If for some reason, Eric had to get the tubes in his ear she wondered how in the world she was going to be able to pay for an overnight stay at the hospital and all that it meant. Amber hoped that with this medicine, that it would mean the last of the ear aches.

Brooke smiled suggestively at her husband. Thorne leaned over and kissed his wife.

" And just what are you smiling at Mrs. Forrester?"

" I’m smiling at my handsome husband." Brooke caressed Thorne’s face. Thorne reached over across the loveseat and pulled his wife into his lap. Thorne’s mouth caught Brooke’s in a passionate kiss while his hand moved down her back toward her buttocks. He squeezed them gently groaned when she came in contact with his aching member. Brooke pulled her head away from his mouth and she gently traced his lips. She seared him with a passionate look. " You do know what happens next, don’t you?" Thorne raised both of his eyebrows playfully.

" I certainly hope so?"

Brooke shook her head. " No…not that." Brooke pulled out of Thorne’s arms. " We are going swimming."

" Swimming. Honey, there are other things that I’d rather be doing than swimming." When Thorne reached out to pull Brooke toward him, she evaded him by going toward the other side of the table.

" Down boy….believe me we will play later. But right now I want to go swimming with my husband, in the moonlight when no one else is around." Brooke’s hands went to the ties of the top of her bikini. She untied the strings and the top puddle at her feet. Thorne sat up, his heart pounded. He studied his wife’s naked breast, they had already become a little fuller because of her pregnancy and he loved it. He watched with great interest as she looped her fingers on her bottoms, soon they made a puddle as her feet s well. Brooke smiled sinfully and untied her hair so that it fell across her shoulders.

" Well?" Brooke put her hands on her hips. She smiled. " What do you think?"

" I think that I have the sexiest wife in the world."

" I’m talking about going swimming…in the buff."

Thorne smiled. " Skinny dipping?

"You aren’t chicken are you? I mean, after all you are an old married man and a soon to be father…skinny dipping may not be your cup of tea."

Thorne stood . God, he loved this woman. " Oh, I’m up for it alright." Thorne took off his shirt; his shoes and socks. He unbuckled his pants, dropped them onto the floor as well as his underwear. Brooke noticed her husband’s erection and smiled.

"I guess that you aren’t chicken…oh save that for later." Brooke started running toward the dark beach. "Last one in is a rotten egg." Thorne chased after his wife.

" That’s not fair, you had a head start." Thorne splashed into the cool water after his wife. Brooke ducked under the water and then popped up to splash her husband. " Oh, you are going to get it."

Brooke splashed more water at Thorne. " You have to catch me first." Brooke playfully swam away.

Deacon walked into his hotel room where he found Nadia smoking a cigarette. " What are you doing here?

"Well, that is a nice hello ain’t it?" Deacon grabbed her by her arm.

" I’m don’t want to hear any of your smart ass mouth Nadia. Now answer me."

She blew smoke in his face. " Don’t talk to me like I’m one of your little whores Deacon. And get your fu(king hands off of me."

Deacon sighed. He was tense and it wasn’t Nadia’s fought. He let her go. " Look I’m sorry…I had a rough day."

Nadia looked at him with her mouth open. " I’d never thought that I’d see the say that Deacon would apologies for anything. Amber must really have changed you."

" I love her."

" Like I said, she’d really changed you." Nadia hopped off the stool. " For your information, I was baby-sitting."

" You? Since when do you like kids?"

" Yours is different."

Deacon grinned. " Yeah, little D is something ain’t he? Where is my boy?"

"Asleep, now shut up before you wake him up. It took him a while to get to sleep." Deacon noticed the food service cart. " Made yourself home and got some room service?"

" It’s on your tab, not mine." Deacon moved to the cart and cursed.

"Lobster?"

" Come on Deacon, you are acting like you have money woes." Deacon dropped the plate. And lit a cigarette. Nadia looked at the expression on Deacon’s face.

" You are, aren’t you? Deacon if you are having money problems how are you going to pay for part of Tony’s club."

" Just shut the fu(k up Nadia."

" Yelling at me ain’t going to solve your problems." Nadia sipped her glass of wine. "What about your half of the Lair, didn’t you see it?"

"I’m waiting for my partner to let me know what is going on. He’s hasn’t contacted me."

" You don’t trust him?"

"I don’t trust anyone…expect Amber." Deacon sat on the sofa and sighed. " If I could go to L.A and see the little bastard myself then maybe he’d work faster."

" So go to LA."

" If it was that easy I’d go. But I can’t."

" Because of the Forresters…right?"

Deacon blew smoke into the air. " Yeah, the Forresters."

Nadia sat down next to Deacon. " What are they like?"

"Who?"

"That Forresters. What are they like?"

Deacon rolled his eyes. " Don’t tell me that you are getting caught up in the Forrester image."

" You know me better than that. I just want to know what they are like." Nadia curled her feet under her.

" They are rich. They stink of money and they think that they can buy anything. Even buy my kid."

"Obviously, you don’t like them."

" No, I don’t like any of them. This family is a real trip. You should see them with their fancy parties and their snooty attitudes." Deacon snorted. " The only one that I could stand some of the time was Stephanie. She was alright."

" Stephanie…she was the one who supported Amber right?"

"Yeah, Amber really loved her."

" Is she Rick’s mother?"

" No. Rick’s mom is Brooke."

" The Bedroom lady…right? What is she like?"

"Brooke really interesting. Actually, she doesn’t play by the rules." Deacon’s eyes sparkled. "I kinda liked that about her. She used to make Amber scream. Amber thought that if she tried that to be nice to Brooke, she’d accept her."

" She didn’t?"

"No. Tell you the truth; it was a good thing that Stephanie liked Amber. Brooke is a force, especially when she’s mad. The only one who can handle her is Stephanie and just barely."

"So, if you have Stephanie in your corner, you are all right with the family."

" Basically. That’s how stupid that family is. Brooke had more balls than the men. And Ricky boy…that is what is he. Just a boy." Deacon laughed. "Rick is a boy. He couldn’t handle a woman like Amber. Though he tried. Hell, the only snatch he’s had is Amber and she pu$$y whipped him."

Nadia smiled. " So ahhh….he isn’t too experienced in the girl department?"

"No. That’s why Brooke was having a fit. Her precious baby boy wanting a girl like Amber. Rick wanted to take a walk on the wild side….he probably still does. A girl like Amber was so different than those country club girls that he couldn’t help himself."

"What about the sister."

Deacon’s eyes jumped. " What?"

"You told me about Rick Forrester tell me about Bridget."

" Why so many questions about the Forresters, Nadia?"

" I’m just curious…"

" Why?"

"Because I am. How come you don’t want to talk about the sister?"

" Don’t get offensive. I’m only asking a question, but I’m willing to let it side at the moment because there is something more pressing that I want to talk to you about." Nadia leaned forward and smiled. " I think that it is going to be an offer that you aren’t going to refuse."

Zen walked into the hotel room that he was using. He was mad as hell. It would take him hours to try to repair the mess that the waitress had made of his computer. Then there was that manager, she made his blood boil. He hoped to hell that he’d never see her again.

Thorne chased after Brooke as she ran out of the water back to their deck. Brooke quickly wrapped a towel around her body as Thorne wrapped one around his body. They went inside closing the French Doors laughing at their antics in the water. Brooke laughed as Thorne pulled her onto the sofa, they were both still wet but they didn’t care. Thorne caressed Brooke’s wet hair.

" Remember the first time that we did that?"

"Uh Huh…" Brooke’s fingers trained down Thorne’s chest. " It was the first night that we kissed. Brooke slid her body on top of Thorne’s. " That night was magical. I had come over to talk and you were in such a state because of Macy. We were trying to cheer each other up." Brooke laughed. " You suggested that we skinny dip."

" I wanted to do something adventurous." Thorne cupped his wife’s face. " You want to know a secret?"

Brooke lowered her head closer toward his lips. " What?"

"I peeked. I took a peek at you naked that night."

" You naughty boy.." Thorne’s lips cut off Brooke’s words. Thorne pulled Brooke upright against him while he devoured her with his kisses. His hands found the tie of her towel and he unwrapped it from her body. He lifted her briefly and got rid of his towel while pulling his wife back on top of him. Brooke’s mouth found and she whispered her wants against his mouth.

" I want you.. I want you NOW!" Her body was hot and slippery when he slid inside of her. Brooke moaned in response. " Yes..That is what I want." Thorne gripped her waist and he pulled her down hard onto his hard shaft. His back rested against the back of the sofa while Brooke body moved over top of his.

" Jesus…." Thorne’s eyes closed.

" Oh…" Brooke moved up and then achingly down. She saw the look of rapture on her husband’s face. " This is exactly what I wanted that night…" Brooke’s thigh tightened against Thorne’s. He moved expertly in and out of his wife body, her hardened nipples were bathed with his searing mouth. His hands gripped her waist to ensure her position on top of him when he thrust hard inside of her. Brooke smiled and pulled Thorne’s head from her breast and caught his mouth in a kiss. Thorne groaned while he moved giving his wife deep, hard, thrust. Brooke languished in the exquisite pleasure when the earth began to shatter and she climaxed. Thorne felt the pulsating of his wife’s orgasm when he exploded. Brooke’s body fell against his, wet with water and perspiration. Thorne held her against him. His lips kissed the top of her damp head.

"I love you."

Brooke smiled softly. " I love you too." They stayed like that for a while. He was resting inside of her; they were joined together with their bodies as well as their souls. Brooke’s eyes slowly drifted closed. When Thorne heard the gentle breathing of his wife, he pulled the blanket from the sofa overtop of her.

Wolfe opened the door to his hotel room gently to be greeted by Mark. He allowed him in and said nothing as Mark looked around his room. " Wolfe, I think that you got the raw end of the deal, our room is much better." Wolfe said nothing; he looked at the video monitor of Sonny who was pacing back and forth. Mark nodded to the screen.

" It looks like we have better videos too. The Forrester couple, man they are something. The wife, Brooke, she is a knockout. I guess that if I were married to a woman like her, I’d be****ing her noon and night. That is what her husband is doing. Not that I get to see it. Alex cut off the monitor when they start at it."

" What?" Finally, Mark thought a response from Wolfe. Wolfe’s normally impassive face frowned. " Why would you turn off the monitor? It is our job to know what is exactly going on with this people."

" Alex felt that since they are innocent that we should respect their privacy as much as we can. We know that Sonny is making a move toward them at the moment because he is here. So, we turn off the monitor."

" Their privacy isn’t important when it comes to a matter like Sonny. I don’t care if they are having an orgy, for their protection and the protection of this country…we have to know everything that is going on. Alex knows that."

Mark said nothing..It wasn’t like Wolfe to speak that much. He knew that Wolfe was right, it didn’t matter what the Forrester were doing, and it was their responsibility to know everything. Wolfe picked up his jacket as well as his gun. He had waited all day but nothing, he had planned to wait all night, but now Mark was here. He could rest for an hour or so. He had no intentions of allowing Sonny out of his sight. Sonny would lead him to Victor and then he’d finally have him----then he’d finally have peace in his life.

Jasmine walked into Mannequins with Taylor. She noted that the place was jumping and the music was playing. " Nice place."

"Ridge and I come here from time to time to eat lunch and sometimes dinner.". A man showed them to a table and gave them their menus." They have some great drinks here although I figure that you won’t be trying any of them today."

Jasmine rubbed her stomach slightly. "You are right about that. But I think that I’m going to have a virgin Strawberry Daiquiri and I’m really going to be bad and have a hot juicy burger."

" You know what, that sounds good. I’m going to have the same."

"No alcohol for you?"

Taylor thought about her test for the next day. " No… I think that I’ll pass."

Jasmine nodded but she saw something in Taylor’s face. She didn’t know the doctor well so she said nothing.

" Well Jasmine, I have to say that your suggestions today were so helpful. Are you sure that you don’t want to move here?"

"Thanks, but I like San Francisco. Besides I don’t think that Allen would want to make another move."

" Allen? He’s your husband?"

"Yes. He’s been really great about the move, although he should be. But still I know that it can be hard. Most people think nothing of a woman moving to accommodate her husband’s career goals but when it’s the other way around it becomes strange."

" You know….I never thought about that. Did you husband have a problem with moving?"

"No and it surprised me a bit. Don’t get me wrong; it was very hard for him to leave his family as well as me. I mean, we moved across the country. But I thought that I was going to have to really lay down the law and deal with a sullen attitude when I told him about the possibility of moving. But he really surprised me and he said that he knew that I was one of the best at my job and it was my time to shine." Jasmine shook her head.

" Now you have to understand Allen, he is wonderful but stubborn and inflexible about some things, although I have my ways of changing his mind to concur with mine. But I was naturally surprised by his attitude." The waiter came with their drinks and Jasmine sipped hers. " I was also scared. Leaving the comfort and security of a family during a time in which I need them the most, all for a practice. I thought that I must be crazy, but it was worth a try."

" Well you still have your husband."

Jasmine’s face didn’t betray her thoughts. She could never discuss her husbands’ job and that was difficult at times. How could she tell this doctor that she didn’t have Allen at the moment? He was always there spiritually but not physically. He was off in some remote part of the world most likely doing his best to keep people safe. She didn’t know where he was or when he was to come back. However she did know that she’d hear from him that was their deal unless it was too dangerous. Still, it was hard on her especially with the baby so close to her due date. But, she had known what she was doing when she married him after all they had lived together. There was no way she would marry Allen and not know if she could deal with the separation. She would never ask him to give up his job because he loved it and it was a part of him. The good thing about his job was that now that he had been working for some time, he wasn’t out of the country as much. Most marriages of operatives like Allen didn’t work out because of the secrets but she and Allen had found a common ground. He told her about his missions once he was finished with them. Although there were some things that she knew he couldn’t do because of the lie detector test, and although he left out details, she got the general jist of things. He would come home and he’d be like a sponge wringing out all the sad, happy and unpleasant things that occurred. Sometimes he cried, sometimes he was full of anger and other times he was glad to be alive. She deal with it, made him talk about his feelings. She found that it was what he needed…he needed a true partner. It was important for the both of them that they have open communication. Marriages need love, trust and communication to work. Thank god Allen understood that and she understood Allen. "Quinn", as they called her husband was one hell of a man. She also like the team that Allen worked with, she trusted Alex, Mark and Wolfe to keep her husband safe. At first, she had been a little wary of Wolfe because of his anti-social behaviors and her inability to read him, but she learned to deal with that. Wolfe was always kind and courteous to her and she trusted him to have her husband’s back. Besides, there was something in those eyes that she trusted.

" Oh. I do have my husband, but he was sometimes away with business."

Taylor patted Taylor’s hand. " That has to be hard. Sometimes Ridge had to go away for business and the children and I miss him to death."

" Believe me, its hard but I know that Allen is doing his best to secure a good future and myself and our little girl." Jasmine caressed her stomach.

Taylor smiled. " A girl. You know the sex of your baby. That is wonderful."

"Yes it is. We are still creating a list for girl names. We have a large list and once he gets back we are going to narrow them down. We are very excited about this little one."

 

Quinn took out a photo of his wife Jasmine. In the photo, she sitting on swing that they had in their backyard. He took it before he left. He always did that when he had to leave. He took a picture of his wife. He also took a picture of himself and wrote her a letter for her to find after he was gone. He’d hid it in a different place so it would be like a little game for her to find it. He never forgot anything important like birthdays or the anniversary of their first kiss, he’d always make sure that he bought those things ahead of time and have it sent to her. Jasmine was an extraordinary woman; god blessed him the day he found her. He kissed the picture and put it back in his wallet when Alex came into the room. Alex would have smiled if she were in a good mood because Quinn was so endearing when it came to Jasmine, they all knew about his photo. Alex turned the monitor back on; thank god Brooke and Thorne were in their bedroom lying in each other’s arm.

" I got a call from Wolfe, he thinks that no matter what, we should keep the monitor on even if they are getting it on."

Quinn sighed. " He’s right. We can’t take any chances."

"We keep the monitor on but we don’t have to watch it. I think that they deserve that much. Do what you can to get Mark to follow our lead. He isn’t big on the tack department."

Quinn laughed. " Hey, he isn’t MY BOYFRIEND."

" Very funny."

" Is there any word?"

"Nothing at the moment. Sonny hadn’t heard a thing. He does however know where the Forresters are so we have got to keep a eye on them."

Nadia finished her drink at bar when she heard her flight being called over the speakers. She paid for her drink and headed for the gate 403. " Los Angeles California, here I come."

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