14 Months 05: New Year

For the men of the Alliance brotherhoods, New Year's Eve was a time of reflection. While most of the western world celebrated, the brothers took time to remember mistakes made and vow never to make them again.

"It's time," Zander lifted his head, indicating the large clock above the mantle which showed one o'clock. "I've given it some thought this week and..." Zander said once he and his brothers were finally alone in the unoccupied seventh house in their gated community that they used as neutral ground for meeting guests and each other in a group like this.

"I don't think I have heard him utter as many words in the last year as he has this week," Connor said interrupting the usually silent and brooding Zander.

"Then let him speak," Jayce retorted and leaned back in his chair swirling an ice cube around in the amber liquid of the one-hundred-year-old scotch they had opened for their group reflection.

"Yeah well, better listen up because I've got more to say, and it's important," Zander looked at them all in turn and finally let his eyes come to rest on Darius. "We may not be the oldest and wisest of the brotherhoods, but we are neither the youngest and dumbest. We are, however, the strongest of them all. We earned that right because no matter how much we may hate one another at any given time when the shit hits the fan, we all stand together. No one brother would take the fall alone even if it were his fuck up. Agreed?"

"Agreed," the five other men toasted his words.

"Then, it's time to talk about the biggest fuck up of the year and how we are going to manage it, don't you think?" Zander transferred his gaze back to Darius. "First, though, I'll confess my big fuck up, and you can all add your own to the heap so you can see the monumental fuck up that happened when we weren't watching and questioning carefully enough?"

"What are you talking about?" Darius leant forward in his chair wondering if Zander had betrayed his confidence about Sophie and feeling his temper rise.

"Sometimes, coincidences are more than mere happenstance. Sometimes, coincidences are caused by outside factors that we don't see influencing us. I have a feeling we've all been manipulated, so let's compare some basic details to start with, and everything will become clear. I got the lead on Mimi's whereabouts and background from Henry, Darius?"

"I intercepted a call meant for Byron, and he encouraged me to look into it," Darius admitted.

"Michael introduced me to a man who used Stella's services occasionally," David offered.

"Daniel," Connor acknowledged that he too had found his girl through one of their mentors.

"Coincidence or manipulation? If Manipulation, for what reason? Why these girls?" Zander asked needing to drop the big bomb he had discovered on his brothers. "Moreover, why didn't one of us think that the girl's links, no matter how tenuous, to the criminal underbelly and one family in particular, important enough to discuss with each other. Could it be that we were cautioned somewhere along the line to hide this fact?" He let the questions hang in the air for each of his brothers to consider. He knew Henry had guided him pretty hard in his pursuit of Mimi.

"Alright, I'll take the bait and admit something smells fishy about this. So I'll talk," Connor said and took a sip of his drink. "I took Layla from a family-owned club. She was used as currency to appease her father's debt when he died. The father had many addictions, the debt was insurmountable for anyone, drugs, gambling," he spread his arms. "The family used him as a runner until a deal went bad and when Layla went to the police about his disappearance, she was taken by the family and told her father made her collateral for his debt, and she had to work for them until she repaid that debt. I believe she fought what was happening to her, and they broke her spirit along with her body in the club where I found her."

"Similar story to Stella's," David agreed. "Except that Stella accepted her fate rather than have them break her the way they probably did Layla. Stella is a survivor, and she works with what she has to make her place in the world one she can live in as comfortably as possible. She's adaptable and seems to be enjoying the game so far. She signed the contract without hesitation once she knew she would be safe with us. She's taken a real liking to Sophie, and they jog together in the mornings," David said as if he had no concerns about Stella or her spurious links to the underworld family.

"Mimi is a family princess. Her branch of the family tree, which was tenuous at best was annexed after a leadership coup about five years ago. You all remember when that went down. It was a busy time for the Alliance when we scrambled to make sense of who was left standing. She was the proverbial bird in a gilded cage, placed in a private club used by high ranking members and immediate family only. She also used her looks and sex appeal to get what she wanted from her favoured clientele." Zander explained. "She is used to being spoilt and getting her own way even when in captivity."

"Same for the little witch?" David asked Darius, who shook his head slowly.

"No. The links to the family are there, but they are so obscured and buried so deeply that you would only find them if you were digging further than deep into her past," Darius admitted. "On the surface, it looks like she had a normal childhood, the oldest of three daughters to two loving parents in a small country town. When she was twelve, she went to the coast with family friends and their children, but when she returned, her family was dead, a house fire that no one escaped. It was deemed suspicious and remained an unsolved case. There was some confusion at the time because all three girls were assumed to have died, and it appears the official documentation around her death wasn't changed when she appeared after her holiday. She was put into the foster care system and forgotten. That was a fairly horrific five years for her, and while she mightn't be broken as such, she has triggers, and panic attacks when restrained or caged in any way. She lived on the streets after her foster father raped and beat her so badly that she was hospitalised and ran away. I believe it had been going on for some time before she left. Michelle Lowry found her in a homeless refuge and recruited her to her strip club then she called Byron hoping to sell the little orphan to us for the game."

"And the link?" Asher asked surprising everyone by how seriously he was taking this information.

"Her birth certificate had no father named, so I delved into the history of her mother, Isabell White," Darius explained. "The problem is my digging sent up several red flags to the family when I looked into some declassified files that the name came up in, witness protection files." Darius let the words hang in the air.

"Wait, how old is she?" Asher asked.

"Twenty," Darius said, knowing what they were all thinking. "Isabella White was Frankie Calabrese which given the timing of events and the lack of her father's name on her birth certificate means that Sophie is..." he left it hanging for them to fill in the gaps.

"Fucking royalty in the underworld. That's what she is," Asher swore. "Okay, the red flags, what does that mean exactly?"

"It means alarms went off to anyone watching those files when they were declassified after Frankie's death," Darius said. "The night I took her, someone had already been there and tried to take her but didn't get past the club security. I don't think it was planned, but more of a fishing trip that surprised the fisherman and he panicked and tried to grab her on the spot. We erased her presence from the club and covered our tracks. Even if someone else had managed to find her, they have lost her again."

"What the real issue is," Asher leaned forward to pour himself another drink, "Is that no one knew Angelo Calabrese had a possible legitimate heir until now."

"That's not the real issue," Zander corrected him. "The real issue is why each of us was directed to a girl who has suffered under the new family regime and has blood ties to the original families. Is the Alliance trying to direct a new coup from the originals?"

"Either way, I think we all need to look at our girl's family trees a little deeper," Connor spoke for the first time since telling his story. He'd only done the research necessary to make Layla eligible. He hadn't dug anywhere near the depth of his brothers, though.

"You still have Mimi?" Asher asked. Zander hadn't mentioned the girl since she was taken into rehabilitation by the council.

"She was going to be given a second chance as some of you know. However, her rehabilitation did not go well, and she is now in the care of Aaron Parker in his facility, I believe the diagnosis will be schizophrenia or bipolar at the very least," Zander explained. "That's not to say she is out exactly; the council are still deliberating and waiting for Aaron's diagnosis and treatment plan. Either way, she will remain within the alliance as I imagine all the girls will now no matter what we set up for them at the end of the year."

"Do you think Rob is being played, too?" David asked. He was placed with us at the Jazz club and had no brothers in the game this year."

"I guess we'll find out," Zander said. "The point is Sophie could be being targeted by the new family. Regime. The other girls were just being held as collateral, or they would have married them off to a lesser member in the family to keep the bloodlines for themselves. Or maybe they didn't know about the bloodlines; we can't be sure. Still, it's Sophie we need to protect, from within and without. She's the one no one knew existed until Darius unearthed her secrets. Unless," He looked at his brothers, "We are all being manipulated by people who know exactly who she and the other girls are. We know our mentors well enough not to put it past them to be playing a dangerous game of their own."

"Well, shit!" Asher laughed. "Who knew Zander was genius at intrigue and secrets. Happy fucking New Year! This year is going to be a shit show with us as the stars!"

"Not necessarily," Jayce spoke for the first time, not being in the game himself, he had held back listening, and when he finally spoke, his voice was quiet and thoughtful. "Angelo started the last family war that changed the playing field dramatically and dragged on with skirmishes and battles over the last twenty years. Frankie disappeared in the middle of all the mayhem of that first year of the war but never showed again, just disappeared into the ether so to speak," he was stating facts as if trying to tease out something they were all missing. "If it was witness protection who did she testify against and why wasn't there some sort of accident or murder that would explain her disappearance like everyone else who takes on a new life in the program. It doesn't make sense. Just disappearing like that meant that the whole freaking country was looking for her."

"You think the file is bogus?" Darius asked.

"At this point, I don't know what to think, but I do know that something is off about this whole thing. The girl's, the way you were directed to them, Connors late inclusion even though he didn't make the first thirteen and Mimi being kept within the Alliance rather than being kicked out for an assault on another contestant. Girls have been kicked to the curb for less in previous years," Jayce pointed out. "I think we need to be very careful about what we do from this point on. It would be an easy bet to make that each of you with a girl is being monitored pretty closely."

"Probably worth looking into who I replaced and why," Connor frowned. "If I weren't in the game, they wouldn't be able to monitor Layla so easily."

"Also a good idea to have a look at why Rob was put at our table rather than Connor and Layla at the Jazz Club. His girl may have links too, and they are trying to force us together," Jayce said still appearing to think through all the angles. "With Asher and me being out of the game this year, if there were more girls with family links being collected it would stand to reason that Rob's brotherhood would pick up the slack, they are closer to our brotherhood than most."

"He's the only one of his brothers to be in the game this year, and it's better to have at least one ally. The game is hard going in alone because of the group challenges. That in itself is unusual, especially when we have all four of us in," David said. "I'll reach out to Rob. We have a decent friendship and level of trust happening."

"I'd rather we kept this information between our brotherhood for now. You could maybe feel out how Rob found his girl or if she had links to the family, but don't give away any of our suspicions," Jayce said taking the lead as he always had since they were boys. He had been singled out that first day at the Academy as being the oldest by their mentors, and he had taken on the leadership role from that point on. Not that it was ever discussed or agreed upon, nor had he ever demanded the role of leader, it had happened organically, as if it was meant to be. Strong, dependable and willing to back any of them up even if he knew they were wrong, he led by example, and they all respected his decisions not that he forced his will on them very often.

"Thanks, Zan," Darius kicked out, nudging his brother's foot as he relaxed back into the chair. He knew he didn't have to say why but the fact that Zander had taken the heat off him by pointing out that they had all withheld the information that their girls had ties to the family made him feel grateful. It was a small thing that could have been overlooked if not for the fact that he knew someone else had tried to take Sophie once he had accessed her mother's police files.

"As you said, she's different to most of the women who enter the challenge," Zander murmured. "But I have a good idea of how you can repay me for helping you disclose your monumental fuck up, so you weren't alone in admitting you'd been played," he chuckled.

"I just bet you do," Darius groaned. "Let me guess; it has something to do with a sexy little Jazz singer returning to the club to prove a point and win an argument."

"It wasn't an argument per se. Besides, they were all there for the first performance of the substitute song they should be there to hear the original and then we can take a vote as to which was the better choice. Majority rules and I won't even argue the outcome," Zander gave one of his rare smiles as the others began asking questions and Darius knew he would have to convince Sophie to perform again as he groaned in defeat.

*****

Darius made his way to the bedroom he shared with Sophie as the sun rose. The reflection time with his brothers had given him more questions than answers about the gorgeous girl who he cared for deeply. It was surprising how in just two months, she had become even more of an obsession to him. He had hoped his initial attraction and obsession with the girl would have cooled once he had her, but instead, he only craved more. The information and links between the girls that Zander had uncovered were not just surprising but intriguing, and he knew he would have to step up security around his girl until they knew exactly what they were dealing with this year.

He needed a shower and sleep but having Sophie front and centre in his mind all night gave him other idea's, and he went into the bathroom to fill up the large tub and ensured the spa jets arranged around the circumference of it were working, then he undressed and went to wake her with an eagerness that belied the fact that he had been awake for thirty-six hours. He bent his head to kiss his sleeping Angel awake, starting gentle and slow but deepening the kiss as she came awake until she moaned deliciously into his mouth and his cock was rock hard.

Darius picked her up and walked through to the sumptuous bathroom. With a flick of a switch, the jets in the tub burst into life again, spurting forth bubbles and the floral smell of his Angel. Turning to face her, he slowly peeled Sophie's clothing from her body, revealing all of her delicious curves until they were standing naked before each other. Darius took her gently by the hand and manoeuvred her into the warm, frothy water. He stepped in after her and pulled Sophie down towards him.

"Sit astride me, Angel. Facing me," Darius instructed and was pleased when Sophie did as she was asked, opening her legs wide, to sit on his lap. Utterly lost in her newly awakened and aroused state, she gazed deeply into his eyes, unable to ignore the rapid waters, speeding across her most intimate area which was now fully open to the flow of the water and the heat of his body.

"Fuck, you are so delicious in the mornings," he growled his need for her, dropping his lips to Sophie's, kissing her hard and possessively. As their kiss became less and less controlled, Darius pulled her body close against his and began to slide her body along the length of his cock. As Sophie's clit was nudged and stroked along his swollen length, she gasped in surprise.

"The first time I slide my cock into you, this year," Darius murmured, kissing along her neck and whispering into her ear. "I will let you decide just this once. Tell me how you want me. Decide quickly, or I will choose for you."

"I don't know," Sophie whispered back. "I'm not sure I care at this point. I just know I want you."

"My choice then. I want to watch your face as you take me deep inside that delectable body of yours," Darius breathed the words, his hot breath crawling over her ear and throat. "I want to watch your expression as I slide myself into you. I want to see the shock registering when you realise yet again that your tight little pussy is stretched to capacity and yet there is still more to come to take all of me. I want to see your beautiful face when I drive you through that first orgasm of the New Year."

"Oh, fuck, yes!" Sophie whimpered at his words, knowing they were all true and all for her. "Please, Darius. Fuck me."

"I intend to do just that my demanding, little Angel," smiled Darius, tracing his fingers down her spine and along the cleft of her ass. "Eventually," he grinned, opening his legs slightly, Sophie's legs were opened wider with his movement, her pussy effectively suspended in the swirling waters. Placing his hand beneath her, he ran his fingers across her body, delicately touching and tickling her sensitive asshole, swollen lips and eventually her throbbing clit.

Gasping at the intense feelings, she clenched her internal muscles, desperate to be gripping Darius's cock. She moved her hips to increase the pressure and ride his fingers into the orgasm she felt building inside her, but he pulled back slightly unwilling to cede control to her even though he had asked how she wanted him only moments ago. Regret at her uncaring words tinged her disappointment as he teased her body with such sweet sensations without taking her over the edge.

"We have so much to do today but this morning, is all about you and me and this," he said in a low husky voice as he pulled her back and forth along the length of his cock again. Then he picked up a washcloth, and they spent the next few minutes teasing and touching as they washed each other thoroughly. When unable to take much more and knowing by the exquisite little sounds she made that Sophie was on edge yet again, Darius stood from the bath and pulled Sophie to her feet.

Darius dropped his head to her lips and drew Sophie into the most sensual kiss pulling her body close to meld with his as rivulets of water dropped to the ground. Feeling her shaking with desire against him, he didn't bother with towels choosing to pick her up and take her to the bedroom, falling into the centre of the enormous bed with her still wrapped in his arms. He continued to kiss her very thoroughly, their lips and tongues fucking when their bodies weren't. Yet.