A Shepherd Afield Pt. 01

Before they'd begun working Dominic reviewed the design with Ben and thought it was a little over engineered. He teased Ben about that but he agreed it would be plenty strong.

The extra rigidity was required as off the two large bedrooms on the south facing, second floor would be cantilevered balconies with privacy screening on their sides. They would be wonderful for catching some rays and relaxing with a good book. The view of the woods would be awesome. They would also provide a little shade and rain protection for the huge deck he planned on building off the main floor at the back of the house. That was a project for next spring. Dominic's team was just here to build the house. Ben would do the finishing work. Now it looked like he'd be doing that work... later.

"How did it go?" Dominic asked him as he approached. Ben held up his hand and showed them the splint. Jayden finished up so he walked over to see Ben. His eyebrows went up as he took in the shiny metal wrapped over Ben's finger. Then his face froze as he saw a long black muscle car turn into their street.

Ben caught the change in his expression and glanced over his shoulder. He looked back at Jayden. "Are these the guys you need to avoid?"

Jayden nodded nervously. Ben looked at Dominic who nodded at Hector. Hector whistled loudly and the four men turned to face the street as the black convertible GTO cruised around the circle to pull up to the sidewalk. Four young men stared back at them from the car. The driver grinned at Jayden and Ben caught the gleam of gold caps over most of his teeth. There was a lot of gold jewellery on display.

"JD, cum yah," the driver called out.

Jayden glanced at Ben who stepped forward instead. He stopped next to the car and looked down on the smirking man.

"Jayden no longer has any business with you. Is that understood?" Ben said calmly.

"Mi enant talking to yuh. Guh wey," he sneered, looking at Ben from the corner of his eye.

Ben struggled to understand what he was saying. The accent was strong and the junk he had on his teeth seemed to be garbling his speech as well.

"Jayden is no longer part of your crew. He's upgraded. Leave now and don't come back. Last chance," Ben scowled, his facial scar very apparent.

Jayden's nerves were screaming at him to warn Ben these guys were violent and carrying weapons. The one Ben was talking to, Ki, was the most violently dangerous of all. Ki was insane! Jayden couldn't move or speak as he was frozen in fear.

The gold encased sneer slipped away and Ki suddenly saw Ben as a threat. He began to pull his gun but Ben's left fist hit him over his left eye and his head snapped back. He sagged in his seat.

The car was suddenly surrounded by big, dangerous looking men holding a variety of deadly looking weapons. Everything from pistols, to shotguns and machine guns. Hector's crew had arrived. The three remaining men in the car immediately froze, seeing their imminent death.

Ben leaned over the door and picked up the gun the unconscious driver dropped in his lap. Ben collected the weapons from the other men as well and handed them back to Dominic who was standing at his elbow.

"Ben, why don't you take a walk and talk with Jayden while I have a talk with our guests here," he said with a smile. Ben nodded and walked back to Jayden who was looking like a strong wind might blow him away. Ben put his arm over the young man's shoulder and walked him back to his house. They went inside and Jayden looked up at Ben.

"He would have killed you. You know that, right?" He was looking at Ben with wide eyes and he was trembling in reaction. Ben had put his life on the line to protect him. He couldn't get past that.

"Yeah, I think he tried but I don't think we're going to have any more trouble with him. Listen, you can't say anything to anyone about how Dominic's guys stepped up out there. Is that understood?" Ben said calmly and Jayden heard the same serious tone Ben used on Ki. He looked into the big man's eyes and there was no anger, fear, or worry. Just calm. He nodded.

"I need to hear you say it."

"Yes, I won't tell anyone what happened."

Ben smiled and nodded. "It's almost five so we'll call it a day, ok? Relax and unwind a little." He turned to go.

Jayden suddenly reached out and touched his arm. Ben looked back.

"I- I just wanted to say thanks!"

"See you tomorrow," Ben said with a smile and left.

When he got back to the build site there was no sign of the car or the thugs in it. Hector was hosing something off the road.

Dominic walked up to him. "How did it go?" he asked Ben.

"Jayden's pretty shook up but he's appreciative so he won't say anything. Construction can be a dangerous business it seems," Ben said with a smile for his friend.

"Usually it isn't quite this bad but it doesn't hurt to take precautions," Dominic said.

Ben nodded in the direction of Hector's activity and Dominic snorted. "The guy you hit lost his lunch when he came to. Puked all down the side of his ride. Probably a concussion. Let's see your left hand."

Dominic looked at Ben's left hand and the knuckles were a little red but otherwise showed no damage. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"Hey! Look what I found!" Hector called out as he picked up two shiny objects from the road. They glittered in the afternoon sun.

"Is that-" Ben began.

"Yup. The punk's grill. Your punch must have knocked them loose. They fell out when he tossed his cookies. They're heavy!" Hector said. "You want them?"

Ben scowled and shook his head.

"Suit yourself. I'll melt them down and make them into some nice rings for my lady. These small stones may actually be diamonds," he exclaimed with a grin.

"What if he comes back for them?"

"Don't worry about that. We talked. His 'crew' isn't happy about his leadership and will make sure that doesn't happen," Dominic said quietly and Ben dropped it. He didn't need to know.

"Listen, I've been ordered to stay away from the worksite until my finger heals a little. I'm going to see about getting out of town for about a week. I'll have my phone so if you have any questions you can call or send me an email," Ben explained.

"That's a good idea," Dominic said.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Thanks for everything."

The contractor just smiled and nodded to Ben who headed for home. He had some travel arrangements to make.

When Ben left Rochelle at Trish's place she walked up the drive and rang the doorbell. Trish answered the door shortly and grinned at her friend.

"Rochelle! What's up?" Trish stood back and gestured for her to enter.

"I have a question for you."

Trish nodded.

"Would you be able to take some time off next week?" Rochelle asked.

Trish pulled her phone from her pocket and opened her calendar app. "Which days?"

"Sorry, I should have been clearer. I meant would you be able to take the entire week off next week? From this Saturday to the following Saturday?"

Trish looked at Rochelle with wide eyes. "What's going on?"

Rochelle squirmed and looked at her neighbor. "Ben has been ordered to not use his right hand until the dislocated finger heals. He has to avoid the renovation work so I've managed to convince him to take a vacation somewhere hot and sunny but he wants me to come along. I said yes."

"So... you want me to keep an eye on Jayden?" Trish asked.

"No! I want you to come with us!" Rochelle blurted.

Trish looked at Rochelle in shock. "Ben asked you to join him at a tropical paradise for a week and you want me to come along? Are you feverish? Have you lost your mind? A week alone with the sexiest man I know and you want a chaperone?"

"I know it sounds crazy but I'm not sure how I'll be with Ben all to myself. I'm not ready to be alone with him for that long," Rochelle said.

Trish scowled at Rochelle. She shook her head and looked at her calendar again. She had a print piece due for a customer on the following Tuesday but she could finish it up by Friday and queue it for delivery the following week. She also had two website promotion pieces she could probably complete this week. She'd have to take her laptop along to finish up the work on the marketing campaign for Hanna's hospital but that was fine as it wouldn't take much time since she had the preliminary work completed.

Trish could ask Hanna to take care of Mason so that wouldn't be a problem.

"Well my calendar looks fine but there's also the issue of cost. I haven't had many high paying jobs recently," Trish complained.

"Ben is paying for the trip," Rochelle said with a pleading expression.

"Oh! Well... I guess I'm in," Trish smiled.

Rochelle pulled her into a hug. When they parted Trish looked her friend in the eye.

"You know, Ben isn't difficult to get along with. He's such a tender heart."

Rochelle looked away. "I know. It's his tender heart that I'm afraid of. I still don't know how to relate to men... emotionally."

"Then use this time to learn. Ben deserves it," Trish growled protectively.

"This from the woman who admitted to using him for sex," Rochelle shot back.

Trish had the good grace to blush and nod. "It's true. I did but I finally let him into my heart. I haven't regretted that decision one bit."

Rochelle nodded.

"Hey! You haven't seen the renovations Ben did in my kitchen!" Trish gushed and tugged on her friend's arm.

Rochelle had a relieved smile on her face as she followed.

Chapter 5

Ben disconnected from his video call with Margaux and smiled as he shut the tablet down. They tried to keep in touch by calling once a week at least. The Spanish beauty was every bit as gorgeous as she'd been when they'd been together in Cannes. Maybe even more so. She seemed calmer, happier.

She'd seen the video clip of him beating the man unconscious and he showed her the splint he had to wear because of that encounter. She frowned at him and asked him to be careful as she wanted him in one piece when she visited in a couple of weeks. He was really looking forward to her visit.

Margaux let him know that her head office was proceeding with the plan to have her open the new branch in Australia. He'd asked her to keep him informed of the date she'd be there.

Ben was in his basement office as he'd just finished his morning workout when he heard her incoming call. He took the call in his office to give her some privacy. Margaux was delighted to see him bare chested and glistening with sweat. Fuel for her fantasies she'd said and they'd both grinned at the memory of their night in Cannes.

He went upstairs to get cleaned up and have breakfast. Once he'd showered and dressed he met Tina and Karen in the kitchen, Christopher was in his highchair at the table munching and playing with some dry cereal. Ben gave the ladies a kiss and hug and pretended to eat Christopher's ear sending him into peals of laughter. Ben settled himself into a chair at the table as Karen said she was making breakfast for everyone.

Tina watched and offered instructions when it was required and Karen buzzed around the kitchen happily.

Lucy entered and got her kiss from Ben. "You came to bed late last night. Did you get your research done?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have a couple of options for next week. One's an all-inclusive resort and the other is a condo rental. Both have merits but I think I'll leave the decision up to Rochelle as the tropical holiday is more her thing. I'll have my tablet with me so you should be able to reach me on it or my phone." He scowled at his finger which had begun to throb again. His morning workout had probably been a bad idea though he'd done his best to avoid straining his right hand.

"Is it hurting?" Lucy asked.

He nodded and she looked to Tina.

"In the freezer on the lowest shelf at the back," the Korean beauty said. How she knew where everything was in the house never ceased to amaze Ben.

Lucy scurried away and returned with the cold compress. He removed the splint and she wrapped his hand with the cold.

Ben immediately began to feel better. He thanked Tina and Lucy.

Penny shuffled into the kitchen and kissed Ben on the cheek. Everyone sat down for breakfast and once they were done the usual morning scramble began as the three women got ready to go to school. Ben did the dishes and loaded the dishwasher as Tina watched with a frown.

Once he was done and he'd seen the ladies out the door Ben sat beside Tina. She put his splint back on his finger and taped it in place but she still had a frown on her pretty face. Ben took her hands in his. Christopher chattered happily.

"What's wrong?" Ben asked.

"It is nothing," Tina said with her eyes downcast.

"No. Tina. Tell me what's wrong," he said firmly.

Her eyes snapped up to his and she saw he was completely focused on her.

"I- I feel useless! You do not need me."

Ben looked at Tina in surprise. "I'm sorry if I've made you feel that way. I need you very much! Have I made you feel unloved?" He suppressed outward signs of the shiver that ran down his spine.

"NO! No, I know you love me and I love you. I just don't seem to be able to do anything for you."

"Tina! You run my household! You maintain the order and serenity of my home and make sure the people who live here are happy, comfortable, and relaxed. Even with a broken leg you've managed to help Karen find a direction for her life when she was beginning to despair. I'm going to be away next week and I couldn't do that without knowing you were here to make sure the girls were ok. When I get back I'm going to... I'm restarting my sessions with... Dr. Granger." Ben sagged after he made that promise. "I'm going to need you even more during that."

He carefully lifted Tina onto his lap and rested his hands on her belly as she leaned back against his chest and snuggled in his arms. "You have to take care of yourself as well."

"DayDay!" Christopher squealed. "Daddy DayDay!"

Ben grinned and hugged Tina. "I think our boy is trying to tell us he'd like to go see his friends."

Tina loved it when Ben spoke possessively about Christopher. It gave her such a sense of comfort and security. She tilted her face up to him and he tenderly kissed her lips.

"DayDay!"

They both broke the kiss to chuckle. Ben gently lifted Tina back to her chair and kissed her forehead.

"I'll be right back."

He scooped up Christopher and pulled his sweater on. He walked to the front door where he found his jacket and shoes as well as Christopher's shoes. Once prepared, he carried the boy over to Daphne's and once more there were several cars out front. More parents. He sighed.

Ben walked in the front door carrying the wiggling child who was so excited to be with his friends.

A woman was exiting and he stood aside with a smile as she passed. There was also a slightly heavyset man in a dark suit dropping off his daughter. Ben didn't recognize him but he tried to avoid the parents so he assumed he'd never met the man before. The man signed in and Daphne took the happy little girl's hand to lead her into the playroom. "I'll be right with you Ben," she called out as she walked into the next room.

The man suddenly spun to face Ben with a snarl on his lips.

"BEN!?! Are you Ben?" the man barked at him.

This was no place to have a confrontation, not while he was carrying Christopher, but just in case he switched the young boy to his right hip to free up his uninjured hand. This also put him between the child and the hostility.

"Yes, I'm Ben Shepherd. Who are you?" he asked calmly.

"Mike Liston. Dawn Liston is my wife," the man said like that should mean something to him but Ben just looked blankly back at him.

Mike was getting angrier. Ben had to defuse this before it got out of hand.

"Stay away from my wife!" Mike yelled in his face.

Ben scowled at him. "First, keep your voice down. This is a daycare and there are children present. Second, Dawn? I haven't said more than two words to her! I think I've only met her twice and that was here when I picked up Christopher."

"BULLSHIT!" Mike yelled loudly. Daphne appeared and her expression was swinging between worried and angry.

"Mr. Liston! Take that foul mouth of yours outside or find another daycare!" she hissed.

Mike stormed out the front door with an angry glare back at Ben.

"What was that all about?" Daphne asked Ben.

"I have no idea! He seemed to be accusing me of being with his wife Dawn," Ben replied.

Daphne scowled as she looked out the door. "The man's nuts! I'll speak with Dawn when she picks up Lindsey."

Ben kissed Christopher's cheek and again pretended to chew on his ear which sent the child into a fit of giggles. He handed the happy boy over to Daphne who had a big grin of her own now.

He said his goodbyes and stepped outside. Mike was waiting for him on the sidewalk with a tire iron in his hand. He shook the metal rod at Ben.

"You are going to stay away from my wife! If I catch you with her I'll crack that melon of yours wide op- URK!"

Ben lunged forward, yanked the tire iron from his hand to fling it aside and grabbed the man's tie. He lifted Mike up to his tip toes. The struggling man had to grab Ben's arm to keep from choking.

"Don't EVER threaten me again! I don't know what your problem is. I haven't been with Dawn. I have no idea how you got that stupid idea in your head."

"She- she told me!" Mike gasped.

"She told you we're having an affair?" Ben asked, incredulous.

Mike's eyes were evasive and Ben pulled him closer even though his left arm was getting really tired.

"OK, she was- she talked in her sleep!" Ben let Mike's feet touch down as he glared at the man. "But she was really specific! She was calling your name and she talked about your scars and- and your... thing!"

"Oh for FUCK'S SAKE! She probably saw a picture of the damn statue and had a stupid dream." Ben pushed Mike back, releasing his tie.

"Statue? What are you talking about?" Mike said loosening his tie.

"Look it up. The Bronze Man. It wasn't my idea and I wish I'd never posed for the bloody thing. It's brought me nothing but grief and embarrassment. I'm not having an affair with anyone. Talk to your wife!" Ben caught Mike's eyes one last time. "Don't ever do that again."

Mike nodded nervously, hustled back to his car, and drove away.

Ben spotted the tire iron on the lawn where he'd dropped it and sighed. He picked it up and carried it into the daycare. Daphne returned to see who it was and looked at him in surprise when she saw what he was carrying.

"Can you give this to Dawn tonight? It belongs to her husband. I had to disarm him when he started making threats."

"Oh my god! Did he hit you?" Daphne gasped.

"No, he wasn't really serious but he wanted me to think he was."

"What got into him?" she exclaimed.

Ben grimaced then answered. "Apparently, Dawn talks in her sleep and may have had a fantasy dream... about me."

Daphne covered her mouth to contain a sudden burst of laughter. Her eyes began to water as she struggled to suppress it.

Ben handed her the tire iron and left, followed by the sound of her snorts and giggles.

He stood on the sidewalk soaking in the morning sun and thinking about the mess his life was becoming due to that stupid statue. His loss of privacy was especially painful for him. Now he was being confronted by angry husbands because their wives were saying his name in their sleep? Geezus. Maybe it was a good thing he was getting away for a week.

He saw the team was beginning their day on his house so he wandered over to see how things were going. Maybe there was something light he could do to help.

Jayden stepped forward and held up his hands to block Ben who stopped with a surprised look.

"Mom gave me explicit instructions to tell you to go home if you tried to do any renovations," the young man said with a grin.