14 Months 11: March

"I think I have heard of strategies like that for children with dyslexia. Are you dyslexic? Sorry I didn't catch your name when you sat down. I'm Maeve," the woman said kindly.

"I'm Sophie, and no, I was never diagnosed. I grew up in a little country town, and services like speech pathologists and other therapist were non-existent for us for the most part. Heading to the city once a week for therapy wasn't really in our budget either so, I got by," she said honestly. "I wish I had have done better at school, but I can read and write enough to get by."

"If you were in a position to make a change for country kids like you were, what would you do?" Maeve asked.

"Gosh, that's a big question. Maybe set up a district centre for therapists of all kinds that could be accessed by all the schools in a given area. Maybe give them a bus for visits to schools so they could make suggestions for the classroom environment. I would have been much happier if they would have just turned off the overhead fluorescent lights, you know?"

"Yes, we know those lights, and the schools still have them everywhere," a large lady chortled. "I'm Lainie by the way. Keep going, imagine that the sky is the limit, and that budget is no option."

"Wow, well, in that case, why not kill two birds with one stone and look after the students and the elderly with alternative therapists, like music therapists or art therapists or even pet therapy. I suppose that's where we country kids have it over the city kids. We always got our unconditional love from lots of animals who just loved the attention and didn't care who they got it from. There was this one boy whose pet pig followed him to school every day. We called him Mary even though he was a boy and he had a pig, not a lamb, but it was still funny," she giggled.

"It sounds like you enjoyed your time at school even though you struggled so much with the basics," the third woman added and tilted her head looking at Sophie curiously. For such a young girl with learning difficulties, she was well-spoken and at ease in this type of social gathering.

"There was always something fun to do in the day even if it was only lunch or our play break," she laughed. "There was one year where we got a new teacher who hated those plastic recorders, everyone, since Noah and his ark had to learn to play and she did some fundraising to purchase a class set of ukuleles instead. Gosh, I loved those lessons the most, I think."

"Even I learned to play a recorder, and I am almost as old as Noah," Maeve laughed with her.

"Excuse me for interrupting ladies," Darius apologised as he approached the table. "Sophie, I was looking for you, and you virtually disappeared, like a magicians assistant. That's a bad habit you have," Darius said with a teasing smile for the ladies she was with.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You just seemed so engrossed in a conversation that was way over my head, and the ladies here looked like they were having fun, so I came to join them. You don't mind, do you?" she asked.

"Not at all, I just worry when I can't find you," he said, bending down to kiss the top of her head.

"Mr Blackstone, won't you join us?" Maeve asked, indicating the seat beside Sophie's. "Mingling at these things can get so tedious, and we have been having such fun with Sophie."

"Please, call me Darius, Mrs Teasdale," he said, taking the indicated chair.

"And you must call me Maeve. I expect you know Lainie and Carol," she introduced her friends.

"Of course, it is lovely as always to see you ladies," Darius gave a dazzling smile.

"Sophie was just putting forth a charitable idea for helping children in isolated country schools that sounds quite remarkable," Lainie offered.

"Oh no, I wasn't doing that! I have no plan here I was just talking about school for me because... gosh, I don't even remember how we got onto the subject of country schools now," she laughed. "You better run away now, Darius, these women have the power to drag out all your childhood secrets," she laughed again as the ladies joined her.

"We were talking about the movie sweet charity, do you know it, Darius?" Maeve asked, her eyes dancing as recognition of the subject matter came to his eyes. "The music is lively, unlike this dreary place. Much like Sophie, she is a pure delight to talk to," she added.

"I do. I caught a performance by a local performing arts group last year," Darius said. "It was an interesting interpretation of the musical. Can't say I like the ending much, but perhaps that's just me."

"Not every story makes it to the happily ever after," Lainie nodded. "But as they say, she lived hopefully ever after. I always like to imagine she got her man in the end."

"Well, Ladies, I hate to cut this short, but I must visit the lady's room if I can find my friend, Tina," she said, smiling widely. "You know we can never do these things alone," she laughed and rose to her feet. "I won't be long Darius," she touched his shoulder gently and looked up to where she had spotted Zander approaching and looked around quickly for Tina. "There she is," she said as if spotting an old friend and pointed before she began to walk away, trying not to look as hurried as she felt.

"Tina, I don't want to talk to Zander while he is with his date, help me, please. I need the bathroom," she said desperately. Tina only looked around and nodded, guiding her in the other direction in a roundabout way to the bathrooms.

"I'll talk to him if he comes our way again. Can't say I am a fan of the decoy idea either," Tina commiserated with Sophie when they entered the ladies bathroom, Sophie gave her a lop-sided smile and rushed into a stall.

"No fucking way!" Tina spat as the decoy walked in a minute later and opened her mouth to call Sophie's name, or at least she thought that's what the decoy was going to say. Instead, she found herself with Tina's hand over her mouth and being bustled out of the door to a waiting Zander. "I get that you're handicapped by testosterone when it comes to reading how others feel, but I never pegged you as being purposefully cruel. Stay away from Sophie, let her get through this night without having to watch your date practically dry hump you every chance she gets. Put yourself in Sophie's shoes and walk the fuck away, right now and take that with you." She turned and went back into the bathroom, not waiting for his reply.

Zander hadn't seen where Sophie had last disappeared to and was surprised to see Tina bustling Anissa back out of the door toward him. He grimaced as he realised what must have happened and was about to scold his date when Stella walked up and pushed a pointed finger into his chest.

"Decoy is one thing but whatever this is," Stella said, "It's not right for any of us." She too went into the bathroom, and Layla followed behind saying nothing but shaking her head. They had all been watching Sophie's game of hide and seek since the dinner finished.

"Do they think I am enjoying this?" Zander asked David and Connor.

"Sure, looks like you are," David shrugged. "You haven't exactly done anything to dissuade the public displays of affection. Sophie's not like that in public and let's face it your decoy girl there isn't shy about showing how she thinks this night is going to end."

"It's a decoy, it's supposed to look real," Zander growled.

"Just saying, you and Sophie don't act like that, so I doubt anyone would believe that is our innocent little angel," Connor chuckled. "I don't know what the deal is with the three of you, but I doubt you'll be getting anywhere near Sophie to have a public display of affection for a while after this. I feel for you bro, but I had to sit at that table and watch as Sophie barely ate and looked sick most of the way through the dinner. Then she hid for most of the night behind Darius, the last half an hour or more she hid in a corner with the old crones of the CWA."

"Do her a favour and walk away like Tina asked you to," David suggested. "Stay out of her line of sight, too if you can. The plan was a good one but the choice of decoy, and how your acting with her is scoring you no points with any of the girls right now. Especially Sophie."

"Fuck," Zander growled and stalked away, the decoy trailing after him trying to add a soothing hand to his arm which he shrugged off.

Sophie emerged from the stall to find her friends all looking at her expectantly. She didn't know what to say, so she just went to the basin and washed her hands. She knew she had no right to be jealous. This was a game. She was contracted to play the part of a girlfriend, and tonight she was Darius's girlfriend. Zander could do what he liked with who he wanted to a point. Their contract stipulated exclusivity after all. She understood he was playing a role and being a decoy for anyone who might mean her or the other girls harm, but she didn't have to like it or have him flaunt it in front of her, did she?

"I'm fine," she said finally when no one spoke. "I get it. It's a decoy. Zander has to make it look real, and I am here with Darius. It's no big deal. I just don't want to have to talk to them while they put on an act. That's okay, isn't it?" she asked uncertainly.

"That's more than okay. I'm not sure I'd be so noble if it were Connor out there with some other chick, but you have always been better at this than me," Layla said and impulsively hugged Sophie.

"What she said," Stella added. "We'll stick close if you need us to run interference from now on." With that, she left the bathroom. Layla squeezed her hand for reassurance and followed Stella.

"Ready," Tina asked.

"Just give me one more minute," Sophie sighed and took her lipstick from her clutch, smoothing it on carefully before smacking her lips together and channelled the eternally optimistic Sweet Charity. Then with a smile on her face, she turned and left the bathroom with Tina and made her way to where she had left Darius.

"Ah, there you are. I thought I was going to have to come and find you again. This night seems to have been one big game of hide and seek for us," he chuckled.

"I enjoyed our chat earlier Sophie. Perhaps we could do it again sometime?" Maeve asked as Darius got to his feet beside her.

"I'd like that. Maybe I'll even bring my ukulele and entertain you," Sophie laughed and bid the three ladies goodbye with a small wave as she took Darius's hand with her other.

They mingled for a while longer, and Sophie was grateful that Zander had given up trying to speak to her. When they were getting ready to leave, she squealed as hands from behind her lifted her from Darius's side, and she was walked into the back of the cloakroom.

"None of what you saw tonight was real. None of it! Do you understand me? Most of the night, I was fighting her off, not encouraging her. This is real. What we have is real," Zander said with conviction and crashed his mouth against hers. Kissing her deeply and holding her tightly against his body. "You understand me? None of what you saw was real or wanted," he said breathlessly, as he let her go.

All Sophie could do was nod too stunned to formulate words. He looked desperate and heartbroken as he gazed at her for a minute longer before stalking out of the room, leaving her standing there staring after him.

"Everything okay?" Darius asked as he came to find her a minute later.

Again, Sophie nodded still stunned by the pleading tone and look in Zanders's eyes. She let Darius lead her out and help her with her coat before leaving to fly home again.

*****

"You're so pussy whipped," Anissa, the decoy, sneered when Zander returned to her wiping traces of Sophie's lipstick from his mouth.

"Probably," he shrugged, not denying the accusation. "Let's find the others and leave too. The party is almost over except for a few drunks and their husbands."

"Fine, I'm just going to visit the bathroom now that I'm allowed," Anissa said haughtily and took off in the direction of the bathrooms while Zander located Kai and Nick.

Anissa delayed as long as she could after closing herself in a stall and sending off the messages to the men who owned her. After this deal, though, her debt would be paid, and she would be free. Not that she necessarily believed the agreement they had made her, but it was at least a sliver of hope in her bleak existence. Being a decoy wasn't the fun night she had expected when told she would be accompanying Zander Blackwater; instead, Anissa felt the danger she was in both from the man and the situation she had agreed too. "Shit," she cursed under her breath and pushed open the door to go and find the man and seal her fate one way or the other.

The party left quickly moving through the exit saying nothing as they approached the car Roo drove for them. They drove for a while in silence when Nick spoke, looking at the girl he had taken as his date.

"You seem nervous," Nick commented, eyeing the woman cautiously. Sure, she could pass for the shy and quiet Layla, but she was harder and more worldly. She lacked the vulnerability and fear Layla showed in her demeanour.

"What would I have to be nervous about?" The girl sneered and rolled her eyes. "My job here is done. Home James," she ordered imperiously. "You know you could still change your mind about staying the night with me," she coaxed Nick reaching out to trail her fingers along the side of his neck making him jerk away as she gave another laugh. "Who would have ever believed it. I guess you are just as happy to go down with a sinking ship as your brothers. When they realise they've been duped they won't let her live, you know," she cackled now her anxiety about where and when the attack would occur driving her verbal diarrhoea. She doubted she would live if she were honest with herself.

"They who?" Zander pounced on her words.

"The bad guys. There are always bad guys if you need a decoy as bad as her," she pointed at Anissa. "Let's see who wants her the most and who would be happiest to see her dead rather than alive," she asked cryptically. "Eenie, meanie, my-nee, mo, which family decided she had to go," she chorused mockingly. The longer she was trapped in this car, the more strung out she had become. She wished she could have called to warn them somehow, but she had no means of communicating with them once this charade had begun.

"Who?" Zander demanded, leaning over Nick to take the woman by the arms and shaking her, but it was too late. The truck came out of nowhere, T-barring their car and pushing them through the barrier and off the road to tumble down a steep embankment. The vehicle rolled several times before slamming into a large tree and stopping with a jolt.

"Kai! Zander! Roo" Nick groaned not getting an answer from anyone else in the car as he struggled to release his seatbelt and topple to the ground from his upside-down position. He could hear shoes crunching and sliding on gravel and knew whoever had run them off the road was coming to finish the job. Most of his brothers would be on an aeroplane by now. His only hope was Jack so he fished his phone out of his pocket gingerly praying that it hadn't sustained damage wedged as it was between his butt and the seat and swiped the screen navigating as quickly as he could to Jacks number and dialling.

"Crash. Bad. Help." He whispered and put the phone back in his pants still connected as the crunching of gravel got closer, and he closed his eyes feigning unconsciousness like everyone else in the car.

*****

Jack swore and hit record on his phone as he listened intently for any other sounds. He had made all the arrangements for a chartered plane to meet Darius, Connor, David and the girls at a private airfield for the trip home while Nick, Zander and Kai took the company jet back. He'd just gotten confirmation the first group had made it to the chartered plane without incident and were taking off when Nick's call had come in. Opening the laptop, he had with him in the car, he tracked Nick's phone and alerted emergency services as he strained to hear the muffled conversation taking place near his injured brothers in the other vehicle.

"Fucking dumb cunt! You were supposed to incapacitate them not kill them," the first man said.

"How was I supposed to know the barrier wouldn't hold. It should have pinned them in," the second man complained.

"Fucking witness would have already called it in, let's just get this done and get out of here," he grumbled. "Looks like they're all dead anyway now. Check the girl is gone for sure, she can identify us."

The faint wail of a siren could be heard getting louder as there was grunting and groaning around the car as if the two thugs were trying to force the doors open.

"Waste of fucking time, they're all goners," the first man said. "Let's get out of here."

"You're explaining it to the boss if she survives," the second man warned.

"If she does, it won't be for long," the first man replied, and Jack heard the talking move away from the car with the crunch of gravel under their feet.

Jack strained, trying to hear for the emergency services as the sirens got louder. He got out and went to the boot of the car, grabbing a bag he had bought with emergency supplies.

It was another ten minutes before he could hear the emergency services calling out procedures and checking the people in the car for signs of life. Nick hadn't spoken to him again after those first three words, but he listened intently for anything that would tell him his brothers were alive. In the meantime, he shot off texts about the accident to anyone he thought would be close enough to help and relay back any information. He felt useless, but he was where he needed to be when Sophie landed to make sure she got home safely.

He needed someone on the inside, and he needed them now. He needed answers before Darius and Sophie landed. He didn't know how any of his brothers would take the news that the other team had been targeted, as they had suspected they would be, but the damage to Sophie and in turn Darius could be irreparable. If she blamed herself for this and the injuries to three of their brothers as well as the girls accompanying them, she might never recover. He worked feverishly at all of the phones he had on the go while still listening to the muffled sounds from Nick's phone as the emergency workers tried to save them all.

*****

Sophie curled into her seat, still wearing her belt after the plane took off. She was tired and confused, and she just needed space and time to think. The desperation in Zander's voice and eyes that she understood what he was doing and that it meant nothing to him, played over and over in her mind.

"You can't sleep there," Darius said softly undoing her belt and picking her up. He took her to one of the couches and let her curl up with her head in his lap as he stroked her hair.

"Tonight, seemed to go well all things considered," David said quietly taking up another couch with Stella tucked under his arm, her head on his chest as he slumped to accommodate her. "I heard old lady Teasdale was there, but I didn't see her mingling with the rest of the ladies."

"She was hiding in a corner. She looks different. I think she may have had one facelift too many," Darius chuckled. "I didn't recognise her until I was face to face with her. Sophie was hiding out from Zander and found the corner where Teasdale and her cronies were gossiping. She had no idea who she was talking to, I'm sure. When I got there, they were talking about their old school days."

"Impressive," David nodded. "That Teasdale ever admitted to going to school," he chuckled.

"She didn't admit it to me. She told me they were discussing the movie Sweet Charity," Darius smirked.

"That sounds more like the bitchy old girl I know," David grinned. "I bet it went entirely over Sophie's head and she just chatted about loving old movies because of that neighbour. The one who taught her that song from the Jazz club."