Never My Love

"And so it should," he approvingly replied, "It just so happens that I want to finish up that one this morning, because I want to hear it playing on the radio by this time tomorrow..."

~~~~~~

We worked as hard as we always do, and when it came time for Camryn to lay down the lead vocal track for the song that she and I wrote together, "All That I Am"; and when it was finally mixed and mastered, it sounded like heaven itself had opened up and Angels had descended down upon the earth to hold us in their arms...

~~~~~~

After we'd completed the whole album, Ahmet got us back together in the main conference room for what he called a post recording meeting.

"Your first album is finally finished," he knowingly smiled, "And I think it's going to take the industry by storm the moment it's released. However, we still have to start working on your live show, and that involves many long hours of rehearsal so; be ready, okay?"

~~~~~~

We took the rest of the day off, and went back to the hotel to rest. Ahmet still hadn't let us know when we were going to play again, and needless to say, everyone in the band, me included, were all starting to get a little antsy. But I figured that he knew what he was doing so; I decided to wait until after the release party we were attending that night was over before I began asking any more questions...

~~~~~~

THAT NIGHT

"Let me be the first person to say that Covenant's debut album is going to blow the competition totally away," Ahmet proudly announced to the press that were in attendance at our release party. It was being held at the offices of Atlantic Records and everyone in the music business that you could think of were all there.

Per our request, Lindsay was there to make any of the decisions that concerned not only booking, but also payment. I was very surprised to see Herb Albert and Jerry Moss in attendance, but what really surprised me the most was the fact that Bill Sanders' slimy ass was there as well. And I was going to find out exactly what the hell he was doing at our release party. I know that I sure as hell didn't invite the sonofabitch.

"What are you doing here, Sanders?" I brusquely inquired, "I know that I certainly didn't invite you."

"It's not up to you, asshole," he drunkenly sneered, "You're extremely lucky to have gotten a record deal to begin with you little motherfucker and..." all of a sudden I took a swing at Sanders and connected, knocking him right onto his ass.

"Get the fuck outta here now," I quietly hissed, both Herb Albert and Jerry Moss making their way to where we were standing, "The next time I see you, I'm going to put you in the hospital. Do you understand me, you son of a bitch?"

"You're going to regret the day you ever met me," he loudly threatened, being helped up and off the floor by Jerry Moss, "I'm gonna burn your ass, you little sonofabitch," and then being halfway led/halfway dragged away...

~~~~~~

"What's the matter with you, Jake?" Moss asked, "Have you lost your mind?"

"You don't belong here either, asshole," I told the both of them, "So, I suggest you both get the hell out of here and that includes Mister Albert, your partner in crime, Mister Moss," glaring at him.

"You've got it all wrong, Jake," Herb quietly told me, "Please, give us a chance to explain everything."

But before I had the chance to tell him to "Fuck Off", I was suddenly surrounded by the press, all wanting to know what happened. And because I was so angry at the time; I held nothing back when I told them about Albert and Moss's threats to blackball us as a band, not to mention that slime ball, Bill Sanders, including the unwanted advances he'd made on Ashlyn, who I quickly let everyone in the press know that she was my wife. I also told them about the public threat that the supposed front runner in the Texas state gubernatorial race, Bill Sanders, had made just before they arrived, not excluding the fact that Herb Albert and Jerry Moss were associated with him as well.

I figured that my actions were probably going to cost us all our record deal, but surprisingly, Ahmet told me that I was totally in the right to have reacted to Sanders the way that I did, and he also praised me for exposing Albert's and Moss's involvement with Bill Sanders, not to mention the mere threat they'd made of blackballing Covenant in the music industry.

"Sanders is going to retaliate," I told my band mates, "I'm sorry I've placed you all in this position."

"Horseshit, Jake," Rob announced, "We'll beat the shit outta his drunken ass the minute he shows his face."

"Hell yeah," Randy and Keith simultaneously replied.

"He's too chickenshit to come back and face us," I venomously told them, holding Ashlyn's hand, "But he'll send someone else to do his dirty work, you wait and see."

"Please be careful, you guys," Ashlyn fearfully pleaded, tightly gripping my arm, "Bill Sanders is a very dangerous man..."

~~~~~~

Lindsay had requested that we all come to her hotel because she'd told us that there were a few things that she needed to discuss with us privately. So; about an hour later, we were all gathered in the main room of her suite, curious as to what it was she wanted to talk with us about.

"I know that you already told me that you guys wanted me to represent you as a band, Jake," Lindsay gently smiled, as she opened her briefcase and reached into it and retrieved a small stack of documents, "And while I absolutely adore each and everyone of you, we're going to have to draw a contract together before I can legally represent/manage you, as well as your finances."

"I took two years of finance while I was in pre-med," Ashlyn sweetly interjected, "I'd be more than happy to help you, Lindsay."

"And I'd love to have you helping out ," Lindsay grinned, "But it's not up to me...it's up to the band as to whether or not they'll pay me enough to hire you....basically, it's up to your husband," as she began to laugh.

"You guys don't have to pay me," Ashlyn grinned, "It'll give me something to do while my husband woos all the girls in the tight jeans he'll be wearing on stage," and then she sharply smacked me on the butt, making me loudly grunt, as every female in the room fell into fits of girlish laughter.

"You shouldn't work, Ash," I told her, gently pulling her into my arms, "You're pregnant, remember?"

"Oh, my God," Lindsay happily gasped, rising to her feet from where she'd been sitting down on the couch and throwing her arm around Ashlyn, "Congratulations, Ash! When is the baby due?"

"In a little less than eight months," I proudly smiled, "I thought that you knew about this, I'm sorry, Lindsay."

"No shit, Sherlock," she teased, and then turned back to Ashlyn "But now that I'm your manager, I agree with Jake, Ashlyn."

"Don't take this the wrong way, baby," Ashlyn told me, a knowing grin on her face, "I love watching you perform, I really do," and then she paused for effect, "But I like it even better when those same girls I was talking about earlier drool all over themselves every time you come from behind the piano to play your guitar and they get a look at your hot little ass. It's so funny...but it gets boring after the first few times. Besides, I want to do something to help you guys, please, baby?"

"Aw, hell," I relented, my wife quietly squealing beside me, because she knew I'd given in to her, as always, "Alright, but the minute it begins to become too big a burden for you, I want you to promise me that you'll stop, okay?"

"You have my word, my love," my beautiful wife tenderly replied, gently kissing my lips, "And the good part about it is that you don't have to pay me."

"Hmph," Lindsay playfully snorted, "Not if I have a say in it..."

~~~~~~

LATER THAT NIGHT

Ashlyn and I were lying in bed talking before we went to sleep for the night when Ashlyn looked at me and asked, "Do you really think Bill Sanders is going to follow through with the threats he was making earlier tonight?"

"I wouldn't worry about him, if I were you," I reassured her, "Now that he's publicly threatened us, the police are going to be closely monitoring his every move, I promise you, my love."

"I'm unquestionably relieved to hear that," she softly replied, laying her head on my shoulder so that she could curl her body snugly against mine, placing our faces within mere inches of one another's, "Besides, I've got you to protect me, Jake...and I'm not worried about anything."

"Is that right?" I teased, gently kissing her on the tip of her pretty little nose, "I'm happy that you have such faith in my abilities."

"I've never felt afraid when I'm with you, baby," Ashlyn let me know in no uncertain terms, "I know that you'd give your life to protect me, Jake, and I just want you to know that I feel the same way about you."

"And I love you for it, "I told her, "Let us hope that it never comes to that though..."

~~~~~~

I had a hard time falling asleep that night, and once I finally did, I slept fitfully at best, waking up the next morning feeling like I'd never slept at all. I was only thankful that we were only going to be laying instrumental tracks that day.

Still though, I had the distinct feeling that something was going to happen that day; and what really sucked was that I didn't know whether it was going to be was bad or good. I figured time would eventually tell so; I got dressed and got ready to head to the studio, making certain that Ashlyn stayed by me side the entire time I was there...

~~~~~~

Ashlyn could tell that I had something on my mind, as she looked at me while we rode in the limo, and asked, "I can tell something's wrong, Jake; what is it, baby?"

"Probably nothing," I said, however, I was interrupted when, as the limo driver stopped to let us out in front of the studio, I was met by my father, Ashlyn and I standing together on the sidewalk.

"Oh, my goodness, hi, Jack," Ashlyn happily grinned, throwing her arms around Dad's neck, giving him a hug, "It's good to see you."

"You, too, baby girl," Dad sweetly replied, "Is Jake taking good care of you, Ash?"

"Yes, sir," she softly smiled, kissing Dad on the cheek, eliciting a bright red color that covered his face, "He's like his father that way."

"Hey, Dad," I grinned, hugging his neck with one arm as we shook hands with the other, "Not that it isn't good to see you, but what're you doing here?"

Dad suddenly pulled an earphone from beneath the right lapel of his jacket, placing it into his right ear, as he brought the left sleeve of his jacket to his mouth, and then his left hand pressed a small box together that had been strategically placed within it, and said, "Come on in."

Within a time span of no more than ten seconds at very most, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by twenty-five U.S. Marshalls, each one of them dressed in plain clothes, and each one of them heavily armed..."

~~~~~~

"What the hell is going on, Dad," I asked, becoming alarmed, "And what are all of these men doing here?"

"You were publicly threatened by a very high profiled individual, whom, it seems, has very heavy connections, as well as close-kept secret ties to the Bonanno Crime Family," Dad plainly told us, "Not to mention that a major portion of his campaign contributions secretly came from the Genovese Family."

"Is that right," I laughed, "I guess that takes him out of the gubernatorial race in Texas, huh?"

"This isn't funny, Jake," Dad sternly said, trying to make a point, "His whereabouts are still unknown at this time, and because of the evidence that was uncovered when the F.B.I. raided and searched his campaign headquarters, it seems that he's traveling in the company of at least five heavily armed men."

"What does that mean, Jack," Ashlyn quietly asked, "Are we in danger?"

"No," he quickly replied, "Not in immediate danger, but I asking you...no, I'm, telling you for your own safety, that you'd better get used to every single member of the band having at least two officers covering each of them day and night; and because you're carrying my grandchild, young lady," Dad winked at Ashlyn, eliciting a soft giggle from her, "I still have two more officers that are not only available, but are going to be covering you."

"Do you really believe that Bill Sanders actually has the balls to come looking for us?" I asked, "That's plain crazy, Dad."

"He's not just coming after you, Jake," Dad quietly warned us, "Pardon my language here, but he's also got a major hard-on for your wife."

"Bullshit," I defensively growled, a sudden feeling of anger building up within me, the likes of which I'd never felt before, "I'll kill that piece of shit with my bare hands if he comes anywhere near her."

Dad looked straight into my eyes for a moment, and when he realized that the fire now burning there was born of the combination of rage and anger, each in their purest forms, he gently took me by the shoulders and quietly told me, "Easy, Jake; calm down, son...Now is not the time, but I promise you that you'll know when to let it out."

Of course Ashlyn had no idea what Dad was talking about, but I did. You see, when I was a junior in high school, and my twin sisters were both freshmen, there was this one kid named Larry Reece who, not only was he a senior, as well as a creep, but he also developed a sick assed crush over Laura,, it was more like an obsession to me, and for well over half of her first year in high school; Reece more or less stalked my little sister.

After a very stern, as well as strong-handed shove, which knocked him from where he stood at his locker, through the air and all the way across the hall, bouncing off of the opposite lockers, I knew he got the message, as he wasn't ever seen anywhere near Laura again.

However, Leah and I were waiting for her to meet us in the parking so that I could take them home, when all of a sudden, we heard a very familiar female voice screaming, "NOOOO, GET OFF OF ME, LARRY REECE, YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH, NOOOO, LET GO OF MEEEE...NOOOO" and it was coming from the side of the gym that was opposite from where we were standing.

It only took a moment before I arrived on the scene to find Larry Reece sitting on Laura's chest, with both of her arms pinned beneath his legs, while he faced away from her, and holding her left leg with his left arm, while he was reaching beneath her skirt with his right hand, her right leg being pined against her because of the type of hold he'd employed upon her. I was so shocked by what I was witnessing that it wasn't until I heard Laura scream as her panties were being ripped from her body that I reacted.

How I'd managed to get in as close I was without Reece detecting my presence was a miracle it itself. I guess it was because he was single minded at getting inside Laura's panties that he must've developed a form of tunnel vision that didn't allow him to see my boot coming. I kicked him in the face so hard that it not only knocked him off of and away from Laura, but he was also unconscious for a good twenty minutes before the ambulance arrived...

~~~~~~

The paramedics woke him up with an ammonia inhaler, and then after examining him thoroughly, determined that he was fit to go to jail, and that the broken nose he'd received, or should I say earned, was reset on the spot by the senior of the two paramedics for him, therefore concluding that Reece's injuries weren't severe enough to require a trip to the hospital.

"I'll get you for this, Jake Benson," Reece weakly threatened me, shaking his hand-cuffed fists at me, as the police led him away while Laura stood safely between Lean and me, "I'll get you for this if it's the last thing I do, you motherfucker..."

~~~~~~

"Damn, Jake," Ashlyn said, "Do you go looking for trouble; is that it?"

"No," I chuckled, "It's been my experience that it pretty knows exactly where I am at all the time."

"You shouldn't make light of this stuff, honey," Ash began to sniffle, "This is some serious shit that about to go down with Bill Sanders, not to mention, extremely dangerous."

"No shit, Dick Tracy," I barked at her, not really meaning to, "And now that I'm married to you, I've got a family to protect so; don't think for a minute that I'm not taking any of this shit seriously."

"You don't have to be so mean to me about it," she angrily sniffled, tears beginning to fill her beautiful blue eyes, "You hateful fucker," and then she put her hands over her face as she began to softly weep.

"Aw, Ashlyn, I'm sorry, baby," I quickly replied, pulling her into my arms, "I wouldn't hurt you for anything in the world, and I apologize from the bottom of my heart for biting your head off just now. None of this is your fault, my love, and I have no right to take it out on you. Can you ever forgive me for being such an asshole?"

"You're forgiven, my love,' she softly replied, kissing my lips, "But you're right about you're being an asshole sometimes," and then she started girlishly giggling after leaning up and kissing me again...

~~~~~~

For the next two weeks everything was normal. We went to the studio and worked on getting our first album recorded, also enjoying eating dinner together and talking about all that was happening around us, as well as within our own individual lives. Of course whatever was happening in my life was also happening in Ashlyn's life, but that particular night we found out that something wonderful had happened the night before after everyone had gone back to their hotel rooms.

"Uh, excuse me, everyone," Randy said, standing up among us after rehearsal that night, "I wanted you all to know that I've asked Joanie to marry me, and she's accepted."

Needless to say, not only Ashlyn, but the rest of the females in the band all squealed as they rushed up to Joanie to either hug her neck and/or kiss her on the cheek. While the girls were all conveying their congratulations to Joanie, as well as after Keith and Rob had both shaken his hand, "I also shook his head and told him, "Congratulations, Randy, I just wanted to tell you that marrying Ashlyn was the best thing I ever did, and I think the same thing about you and Joanie."

"Thanks, Jake," he graciously smiled, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and hugging me from the side, "I can't begin to tell you how much it means to me to have you tell me the things you just said."

"Thanks, brother," I smiled, "But seriously, you and Joanie are not only good together as musicians, but I can tell how much you care for each other by just being around you."

"Thank you for such a nice compliment, Jake," Joanie smiled, coming from behind me and surprising me when she hugged me, "But Randy and I had your's and Ashlyn's example to follow when it came to being able to see how much two people love one another."

"Oh, how sweet," Ashlyn smiled, throwing her arms around Joanie's waist as she kissed her on the cheek, "What a nice thing to say; thank you, Joanie sweetie."

"You're more than welcome, Ash," Joanie sweetly replied, "But I'm just telling the truth, honey, that's all."

"Thank you, "Ash sweetly smiled, But I know that..."

All of a sudden her words were interrupted by the report of gunfire just outside od the building, and in the next few moments, the lights in the whole building went black...

~~~~~~

Chapter Thirty Eight

"HIT THE GROUND," I yelled, just before the windows exploded, and the next thing I knew four hooded men dressed in black tactical clothing came slithering into the office from the hallway.

Granted, I wasn't a fighter by any means, but my father had taught me more than enough to be able to handle at least two of them. I only hoped that I could distract them long enough for everyone to get out of there.

Because of the fact that I used to keep watch at night in order to keep my little sisters from sneaking out of the house and getting into trouble, I'd developed a type of night vision over the years, not too dissimilar from the type that the members of the Navy SEALs and Special Forces in the military develop.