It was after her last class that Grant called, he told her he had located Jay Tannen and she would not believe where. It turned out the Jay Tannen she had known in California had been living in Houston for the last two years attending the same University she was. If she had ever needed any proof fate had sent her here, this was it. Grant told her that he had a class not far from where she currently was right now and if she waited around, she might see him.
Angel sat on top of one of the picnic tables and waited, her brothers and their guards looked concerned, but they sat silently as she waited and watched. She smirked the minute she recognized him; he had changed some but not a lot he still looked like the Jay she knew. When he, would have walked right past, she said loud enough he could hear “I’d have never believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, Jay Tannen, in Houston.” She was not sure if it was her voice or the use of his name that drew his attention. His eyes zeroed in on her and then widened considerably as he said, “I’ve only ever known one girl with hair that color.” The smile on his face was genuine, now the look on the girl’s faces with him would have curdled milk. But he walked over and scooped her up giving her a hug as he said “Red, what the hell are you doing in Houston?” It was Jackson breaking in saying “Red?” That broke them apart, Angel turned to Jay and said “It’s a long story, we need to catch up. The voyeurs over there are my little brothers and their bodyguards.” This had Jay’s eyes narrowing sharply as he turned to look at her and asked, “Since when do you have brothers, and why do you need a bodyguard?” Angel replied “Remember, long story.
I tell you what, you come for dinner tonight and I’ll tell you everything.” Jay seemed to debate as if mentally checking his schedule before he said, “Okay sure, give me the address and I’ll be there.” Angel asked curiously “You got a car, or you are taking a cab?” Jay laughed and said, “I’ve got a ride, what do you live in the boondocks, Houston isn’t that big.” Angel replied honestly “I don’t live in Houston; I live in a gated estate outside Houston.”
Kaleb had risen from his seat by now and said “Why doesn’t he just follow us home now. My classes are done for the day.” Jackson nodded and Angel arched her brow at Jay silently asking if that was okay with him. When he nodded, they walked toward the student lot after he excused himself from his friends. When they neared her and her brother’s vehicles, she asked “Where are you parked Jay?” he said honestly “I don’t drive to school, I take the shuttle since it’s not that far.” Angel nodded then turned to Devon and said, “Take the boys home, tell Grant I’ll be behind directly, and no that does not mean track my GPS.” Devon’s eyes narrowed and he looked at Jay closely before saying “Get her home in one piece, we clear” at Jay’s nod Devon followed the boys to their cars.
She clicks on the door unlock button on her key chain and told Jay “Get in.” He took a confused look at her truck before doing as she said. When they were on the highway, she said simply “Key in your address to the GPS.” When he had it in, she followed the turn-by-turn directions until they reached his apartment building. She watched as he climbed into his car, she watched carefully to make sure she did not lose him on the way to her place, when they arrived, she opened the gate and drove in enough to let him in too before closing the gate and waving to Jared who was on duty. When they pulled up to the house, she was greeted by Grant who did not look too thrilled. When she and Jay climbed from their vehicles, Grant said “Your father’s here, so is Garrett and some guy named Ethan.” Angel sighed heavily and asked, “Are they in the office?” Grant shook his head and said, “They’re at the bar out back by the pool talking, and Cody is looking for you too.” He paused then said, “Louisa came by earlier, she wanted to show you her report card.” Angel nodded and asked “Can you have Cody come up to the house please? And tell Louisa to give me an hour and then come to the house and I would be honored to see her report card.” A very curious Jay was looking on as if lost during the conversation.
When they entered the house, Angel found Marie in the kitchen cooking up a storm, she said “I brought home a guest for dinner Marie I hope that’s okay?” Marie smiled sweetly and said, “Of course it is Miss. McDaniel’s, welcome to our home Sir.” Jay who was thoroughly charmed just smiled at Marie. She said “You have yourself a seat right here sir, while our little miss goes out and talks to all those grumpy businessmen. Trust me missing out on that conversation will be a blessing.” When Angel joined them, her father said “its official Ethan has taken over Kingsley International, it has made a few waves, but it will level out. We stopped by to see if you wanted to get dinner, but the boys said you were bringing a friend home for dinner?” Angel nodded and said, “An old friend dad, from before.” Hunter was stunned, he asked “Grant checked them out?” at her nod, he said “I’d like to meet this friend.” He turned to Garrett and Ethan and said, “We’ll have to reschedule for another night.” She watched as her father walked them out then she returned to the kitchen, when she entered, she said “Marie, father’s staying too.” She nodded and replied, “I always make enough for everyone.”
When Hunter entered the room, the man sitting on the stool did a double take then began to look from Angel to Hunter and then said, “Could someone tell me what the hell is going on around here?” Which was what her father proceeded to do, when Hunter was finished Jay looked at Angel and said, “All that time, through everything you had a family here in Houston who would have walked through the fires of hell for you.” She could tell he was angry, not at her or her family but at Stacia and Serena because both had caused irreparable damage to her life. Jay motioned with his fingers “So all of this is yours?” at her nod he continued asking “And the twins, they are your brothers through your father?” Angel shook her head slowly and said “No, my mother did it to them too. We found them shortly after I came here. I am their guardian.”
Jay shook his head slowly and said “Jesus’ kid, your lives did a complete 180 here. The culture shock alone must have been astounding. So, fill me in tell me what you’ve been doing.” By this point her brothers had joined them and her father and brothers began to do just that, at which point Cody came in and when he heard the conversation told his version as well. Cody turned to Angel and said “I wanted you to know Storm’s doing much better they will be bringing him home tomorrow. Also, Henry called they delivered his cattle today, and he wanted to thank you personally.
Dean called and said that those vehicles were back on the Newton place again he wasn’t sure why.” Angel sighed and said “Tell Dean I’ll ride out to the Newton place tomorrow it’s an off day for me from classes. I will call Henry and Karla later and talk to them. You didn’t see Louisa out, there did you?” at which point Louisa walked into the kitchen, seeing the crowd gathered she said “Oh, I’m sorry didn’t mean to interrupt” and Kaleb said, “Your cool kid, this is a friend of Angel’s from when she lived in California.” Louisa smiled and said, “It’s nice to meet you.” Then handed Angel her report card. Which Angel then passed to her father and him to the boys? Everyone congratulated Louisa for making the Dean’s list and straight A’s. Angel said, “Enrique must be so thrilled.” Louisa looked sheepish as she said, “I haven’t told him yet, I wanted to show you first.” Angel smiled and said, “Go celebrate with your brother; he’s going to be so happy with you.” When she was gone Angel turned to her brothers and said, “We go shopping tomorrow to get her something special.” Jay smiled and said, “You’re taking care of all the people here.”
Jackson cut in saying “She does back in California too; the guy who helped her so much, she helps with his outreach now.” Jay looked stunned and said “You made his program legit, didn’t you? You fixed it so he can help more kids.” At her nod he said, “I always knew you’d do big things just never knew how big.” Angel asked, “What are you doing in Houston?” Jay replied “When I got out of the Marines, well technically you’re always a Marine but when I didn’t re-enlist, I got a job with a security firm here in Houston. I attend classes every year to stay on top of the new software and hardware that is developed.” Angel asked, “How do you like it?” Jay laughed and said, “Security work is good, I’m trained for it and it pays the bills.” They were catching up laughing and talking when Grant walked in. He glanced between her and Jay and then walked forward and said “Cody told me about what Dean said.
I can have some of the men go over there tonight if you want check and make sure it’s not just kids.” Angel considered this and then said “Don’t send them unarmed and send more than two. Seth was a sneaky little jerk; there is no telling what all he was into. If it all checks out, I will go over to Dean’s tomorrow. In the meantime, we need to have the property blocked off somehow so people can’t come and go as they please.” At which point Jay asked what was going on. When Grant filled him in on everything including Seth conspiring to kill her the laughing, smiling Jay was gone in seconds.
He turned to her and said, “That’s why you need bodyguards, because people either want your money or to hurt you.” Angel did not back down she simply acknowledged that he was right. Jay glanced at Grant and said, “And your men are the ones who caught this man and his fiancé?” Grant nodded and said “I was hired within days of Angel arriving in the city. Me and my team secure the property and act as individual bodyguards for the members of this family. Even Louisa has her own bodyguard.” Jay nodded and said, “Because Louisa could be used to hurt Angel.” When Grant nodded, he turned to her and said, “You were going to go over to that land alone weren’t you?” Angel replied evenly “Most likely I would have taken Grant, he generally goes with me everywhere I go. He doesn’t to school because Devon and Trey are there, and he knows I can handle any typical college male on my own.”
Jay looked at Grant and asked, “She trains?” Grant replied “She works out harder than any ten men I know. She’s tough and she’s fast.” Jay nodded but said evenly “I got friends; they’d be more than happy to check out the property. We have access to equipment that allows us to see heat signatures and so forth.” Grant smiled and replied “You don’t have access to anything that we don’t. We are well funded; we even have satellite access when needed.” Jay swore loudly and said, “Angel you run a security agency from your home, basically.” Angel shrugged and replied “Grant does whatever he believes is best for me and my brothers and I trust him implicitly. Whatever he needs he receives access to. If I cannot make that happen my father or family do. Grant started here with six other men, a job which has now grown to twenty so that someone is always on duty. But yes, if Grant ever decides to expand his security interest outside of this ranch, I’d fund that endeavor completely for him.”
She paused then turned to Grant and said, “That’s actually not a bad idea.” At his confused look she said “Hiring more men to station on the Newton Ranch. I could hire a caretaker and hire men to keep the property secure.” Grant considered this briefly before saying “We’d have to do a lot of work to make the property more secure. Why not just lease it to someone until you decide what you want to do with it?” Angel sighed and said “The problem is in whom to lease it to Grant. Because it cannot be anyone who will interfere in Henry or Dean’s properties or cause issues. Their good men and they’ve had enough hell from Seth.”
Grant sighed as he contemplated what to do, it was actually Kaleb who came up with the idea as he said “Why not set it up as a training facility. Grant and his men could provide security and use it to train with any new or existing security members they hire. It could also be used as a halfway house of sorts. The men could stay there when not assigned somewhere else. I mean Dean and Henry couldn’t be safer with armed security members living next door.” Jay stared at her brother shocked before saying “That is one smart kid you got their Angel.” Angel nodded and said “Kaleb and Jackson have as high an IQ as I do. Plus, they have as much invested in the success of this as I do. Their friends with the people involved as well.”
Grant said “I can go through Justin to hire more people. He knows a lot of retired military who are looking for jobs.” Jay did a double take as he asked, “Justin who?” Grant replied “Justin Morgan, he runs security for Angel’s grandfather Harrison Denae.” Jay’s eyes closed tightly, and he said, “Justin is how I got my job.” At their look he said “Justin’s family owns the security company I work for. I was in the Marine’s with his brother Dash.”
Grant snapped open his phone and called Justin. When he answered he asked, “So you know a guy named Jay Tannen.” He listened as Justin spoke then said “Turns out he knows our girl from when she was a kid. He’s here at the house now.” Jay watched as the conversation went on and then Grant hung up. When he turned toward them, he said “Justin and Dash are heading this direction.” Jay nodded and said “I met Dash in the Marine’s he had grown up in the same neighborhood we did. We ended up good friends. He’s the reason I took the job in Houston.” They had just finished dinner when Justin and Dash came in the doors.
Justin looked at Jay and asked, “How is it you had no clue the Angel we just found was the Angel you knew as a kid?” Jay shrugged and replied “I’d mentioned her before to Dash back when we first met. I’d tell him about her, but over time we drifted apart stopped talking.”
Justin nodded and said “It’s simply hard to adjust to the fact she was that dang close all this time and we never knew it. The things she had to go through, and if we’d just known earlier.” Angel walked over to Justin and said “My life is in no way your fault Justin, I survived it all, that was my battle, I won it. There is no guilt for you to feel in that.”
Dash the easy-going guy he was smiled and said “So my best friend turns out to be your best friend Angel. Doesn’t that beat all?” Angel laughed and replied, “I’d say the odds were astronomical.” It was as if fate had planned her life to this very moment in time. Grant explained Kaleb’s idea and about the property having unknown vehicles on it. Justin seemed lost in thought for a bit before saying “I agree with Kaleb it’s the most logical step, Grant can train men there, that’s for sure.
It would be an ideal location outside of town for the men to recoup after long assignments. Shoot personally we would be interested in using the property as well. If it’s setup properly and things are done correctly, it’d be the perfect place to recruit and for training.” Grant had to agree which left them with the problem of leasing the land, when he mentioned it to Angel, she shook her head and said “It’s my land, and you don’t have to pay for it. Use it as long as you want.” Justin laughed and said, “I think we can work something out that all parties will agree to.” Angel narrowed her eyes and said “It’s my property, and I can decide who can or cannot lease it. I will let you use it however long you need.” Her father laughed and said “Angel it’s a matter of business, let them lease the property together. No one said you had to charge them a large fee.” Angel considered this and said “I think I can come up with something.
Now as for funding this operation. What is your plan, Grant?” Grant arched his brow and said “Angel I don’t do this job because I get paid too. I do it because I am good at it. I come from a wealthy family. I have my own money.” Angel seemed to ponder everything they had said then she glanced at Jay. That is when the idea began to form in her mind. She looked at Justin, Dash, and Grant and said, “Can I speak to the three of you outside?” they eyed her curiously and nodded slowly.
Once they were out on the terrace, she turned to them and said, “You’re talking about this being a joint venture between the three of you, correct?” at their slight nods she said point blank “What about this… How about you make it a joint venture with four of you?” at their narrow eyed looks she filled them in saying “You three pick the amount of startup capital needed for the investment into the company, and I’ll back Jay as a full partner.” Dash gave her a look and said, “You don’t know Jay as well as you think if you think he’d accept money from you.” Angel smiled as if she had a secret none of them knew. She said evenly “If I can get him to agree, do we have a deal?” the three seemed to contemplate it for a minute, but being as Justin and Dash had such respect for Jay, Grant agreed with the men that, yes if she could get him to agree Jay could be a full partner. She told them she would not broach the subject until later.
It was after ten when her father left, and her brothers went to bed. She walked out with Jay who was staring out over her place and said, “Your place is amazing.”
Angel asked curiously “How’s your family?” Jay shook his head absently as he said “Gary got involved with the wrong crowd as you know, and he ended up in prison for life. Nothing I can do about that; he was headed down that path long before I ever left. And Jeanine well you know how she was, our mutual father was never much of a role model. I tried to stay in touch with them even after we were separated but with the foster system the way it is, we all lost touch. I could not find them again until I was with Justin’s team, by then it was too late. Gary was in prison and Jeanine had turned the wrong trick and ended up dead.” Angel felt sorry for him; his family had been split after their alcoholic father had been sent to prison. When their father had died inside the prison they had never been together again. Sometimes she thought that was why Jay had latched on to her back then because she was that surrogate sister to replace the one, he had lost.
They had made a vow a solemn oath to one another, what most would describe as a blood promise back in those days. That promise had been that they would always take care of one another. Stubbornness could never enter the equation or pride. If one could help the other, the other was obligated to accept with no arguments. Angel turned to him and said, “Remember this?” and showed him her palm, there in the dim light the white scar showed brightly. Jay smiled as he said “Yea, I remember when we made that promise. I was about to leave, and you were worried we would never see one another again. So, we made a blood oath that no matter where we were, we’d always take care of one another.” Angel nodded but said “It was a bit more detailed than that.” Jay laughed and said, “Yea for an eleven-year-old you could write a contract most lawyers would have loved.”
Angel nodded and paused before saying “That’s why I am going to back you financially, as a full partner in the business the men are planning on building at the Newton Ranch.” Jay stiffened and shook his head, but she pointed at her palm and said, “You remember that oath, no arguments, correct?” Jay swore out loud as he realized he had just been bested by his best friend. He said “I can’t believe you’d do this. Do you know what people will think about me if I accept this money?” Angel sighed and replied “Yes, they will think you’re important enough to me that I am personally invested in your future.” Jay sighed heavily; it was not every day you were bested by your best friend in such a manner. He really could not say no, she had him over a barrel if he said no, he would be breaking an oath that he had vowed he would never break, and he had never let her down like that.
The next month flew by, to everyone’s shock Jay had grudgingly give in to her financing his buying into the training center. Turned out the visitors that kept visiting the Newton ranch was someone who had loaned Seth money. After the guards set them straight, there had not been another peep from the people involved.
Things had died down a bit at school, there were not as many stares as before since people realized school was not just a popularity contest for her or her brothers. Things were finally looking up for them, there was no creepy, crazy neighbors to deal with. She and the boys had settled into a rhythm with school and home. Her business interest was being handled and she no longer felt as if she were taking advantage of her aunts by monopolizing their time. The center was working perfectly it had reached its max occupancy rate. There was no shortage of volunteers and the press had stopped hounding her and her brothers every chance they got.
It seemed as if life were finally, finally going in a direction that meant progress. One month turned into two, two into three, and before she knew it her birthday was on the horizon. She had honestly never expected to make it past eighteen not where she had been in life. Knowing she had somehow gained all of this and was so close to twenty she was astounded.
The ranch was doing well, they had acquired a few more promising prospects, Jada was working out perfectly. Even Damon’s grandfather had visited and been impressed with their operation. He would be flying in with three of his mares in the coming weeks for their breeding. Things had even been a bit better with her grandmother Marigold, the ‘Ice Queen’ had thawed a little. Angel was still concerned about her state of mind, but she would let her grandfather handle his wife.
School was going wonderfully, they had entered another term at school, and she was in an advanced computer programming class, as well as advanced computer engineering. She had been part of two different study groups for class projects and both had received high marks, not that she had ever doubted herself. Every few weeks they had begun new classes. She and her brothers had made the Dean’s List every term. Their academic abilities had been tested, and they had all been surprised when their schedules had been changes to reflect the advanced courses. Their degrees had been accelerated as wellbeing as they had passed out of several classes, they had taken the test for, without taking the classes. It was no longer looking like December when she would graduate and more like the summer. Her brothers were still on track for the end of the year as they had been behind her in beginning school.
She had found she had more time with her brothers now, they were building an even more solid foundation. She spent most of her time with them or her father. She wanted that close relationship with him, and he did not seem to care if the boys tagged along, he encouraged it. She had never been prouder to be part of her family than the day she had realized they accepted her brothers as if they were blood.
Things were calm enough now that Grant did not hound her as much about leaving the house with her brothers alone at night. In fact, tonight had been the first night he had let them go to the campus alone. But he had been okay with it because Jay was taking night classes himself. He had promised he would walk them to their vehicles. She was in the quad with other classmates waiting on her brothers, when she saw them, she immediately jumped up leaving the conversation she had been having hanging and heading toward them. She looked around for Jay but did not see him, she had reached the point she felt as if all the protection was over kill no one had tried to hurt them in forever.
Decision made she said, “Let’s just go.” The boys looked concerned, but she blew it off, she knew it was just her feeling smothered and claustrophobic that was causing her feelings of angst. But it was also this unshakeable feeling that they needed to go, needed to leave right now. The parking lot was darker than normal, she took it all in in an instance, three of the lights had been knocked out, she did not think that was a coincidence. Her unease began to mount, maybe coming out here had not been her smartest idea yet.
She tried to rush her brothers to the truck, but she caught movement from the corner of her eye. At first, she could not process or believe it, but some figure dressed in all black was standing there with a gun, pointed right at the center of her brother’s chest. She did not think, she reacted.
She shoved them both behind her and covered them with her body. She felt the searing pain almost as soon as she heard the sound. The impact knocked her to the ground on top of her brothers.
She was having trouble catching her breath, but she could clearly see the assailant had tossed the gun and run away into the darkness. She felt herself being moved; she felt this numbness spreading throughout her body. She did not really feel any pain anymore.
She could hear voices screaming and she strained to hear and understand them. She knew her brothers were yelling her name, and Jay had reached them and had his hands pressed against her chest. She just did not feel anything. Her last thought as she faded into blissful darkness was, she was happy her brothers were okay.