Chapter 27: Ring Again?

When morning came she went straight down stairs. Dressed in her special work out clothes. Making his favorite breakfast with a smile and making coffee. "What are you doing up so early. I would have done this." He told her making her smile. "Never you mid you're already doing so much. Make sure to get the maid staff on most of this. The chef will be in about two hours to make breakfast for everyone else. Now shut up, sit and eat." "As you wish. You know. I think he might have heard something last night." "You think or you know Dalen?" "Know." "Don't you dare Dalen." Tessa warned. "I can't lie to him like this Donna." "You're not lying though Dalen. Are you? Did you in any way betray me?" Tessa asked him flatly. "No. You know I would never mislead you Tess. Thank you for breakfast." Kissing her forehead walking out the door. He held his head down in shame a bit. He hated doing this but there was no other choice.

Walking into the room. "It smells great in here." Gage said as he put his face in her neck again. "The food don't smell bad either." "You dirty man." She told him turning around hugging him close to her kissing him sweetly. Grabbing her by the things wrapping her legs around his waist lifting her quickly to the counter kissing into her neck leaving his marks up and down it. Until they heard someone clear their throat. " Good morning Don Brooks. I'm sorry to interrupt Donna Alderman. The men have come to and their ready." The man said not looking up at them. "Thank you love I'll be right down. Inform others meals will be ready in about an hour and a half. I expect a full shift rotation in three hours you guys need to rest up." "Yes Donna Alderman." He said quickly.

"Well work calls." She said resting her forehead to his. "I hate that." "Well duty is duty." "Not that. I hate you being called Don Alderman. Tessenia you are the very thing that gives my whole life meaning. You are the only thing I have that is worth living for. My life is empty without you. I know how much we've been through and what we have done to ourselves. I know everything I caused and have put you through. I can never apologize enough but we were so close until I fucked it all up and I ill spend the rest of my life trying to make it right. Just please put me out of my misery and say yes… again. I'm going to steal your dads words and beg you to take the only thing I own outright and make it yours." "What's that exactly?" "Besides my heart. My last name. Take em both don't ever give them back." Gage begged her holding her ring up for her to see.

"You're serious right now?" "I did the whole flashy shoe before. Then I ruined it. Now I'm just a desperate man. Hoping to spend the rest of his life waking up to you as his beautiful wife. Please Tessenia. I'm begging you to fully take me back." Gage asked where with his eyes getting a little misty. This was such a gamble not knowing how or where she was with them at the moment and with the everything she had going on in her mind and life already. This might have been the wrong time. Gage was just done and tired of waiting "Baby we have everything we need and want together. If I have everything I need in my life to start my future or family why they hell would we wait?" He made one last attempt to persuade her.

"You're right. We have messed this up a lot along the way. Down the road of us. I do own up to my share of the blame as well. I will be forever sorry for everything we've been through. The damages I caused. I want this. I want us to work Gage I do. I love you and I agree that it's stupid to wait to move forward when we already have everything we need. Yes. Again Yes." He was so happy as he slid the ring on her finger again. "Are you sure about this?" "Too little too late to turn back now Angel don't you think." "Guess you're right." His waist. "Donna Brooks." I love the sound of that. Tessenia Angel Brooks. Yup I love it already." He told her kissing her neck again breathing her in making her laugh.

"Are we working or not?" Hunter asked her loudly as the rest went down the basement. "Yup we are." She hollered to them. "Well celebrate later?" "Yup you and me dinner tonight. I'm off to the office. Call if you need anything. Love you." He kissed her sweetly. "Love you too." Getting her game face on walking down the stairs before she could fully enter the room she was dragged my the waist up close to another man. He took her hand in his. "I KNEW IT!! CONGRADS our little flower." "Jaxon you asshat shh!" She told him. "DAMN IT I LOST BY FUCKING ONE DAY!!" Dre roared. "Yup pay up chump." Hunter told him with a smirk. "We mean that we're happy for you Tess." Dre' said quickly. "Yeah we are." Hunter said as they all came up and kissed her forehead and hugged her.

"Game face on boys. It's time to play." She purred walking into the room. The look on the men faces as they were bound by wrist and ankles in front of her. All chained to the floor as well. "Well well well boys. Today is just not your day. Seems you got yourselves in quite the mess no?" She told them in a teasing mocking tone grabbing a bat and using all her force shattering one of the men's knee caps as he screamed out loud. "Tell me what did you honestly think would happen when you accepted the roles you played in this big tangled web mess? Did you really think I would never catch on? Did you think your Queen was really this stupid?" She asked swinging the bat on another mans ribs cracking two instantly.

"NO Donna Alderman. We didn't think that." One cried out. "Well you must have if you thought breaking the law for what was it now about fourteen months. Doing horrible things to others. Disobeying the rules made by Angelo himself while he reigned now to me you're just insulting the last King and your Queen. Did you really think you wouldn't get caught? Your masters sold you out and left you behind. They knew what would happen to the weak soldiers as you. AND they let this happen to you. I bet you wish you were chose the right leaders now." Swinging the bat against the back of another one breaking two other ribs from the back of him leaving him to scream in pain. Nodding to Dre'.

"Now is there anything you gentlemen would like to share with the class? A story perhaps about what the hell you guys were doing there. Maybe what you hoped to accomplish?" Dre' taunted them. "We were just following orders. The brought us the people. They gave us the stuff. With written instructions how much of what to give to who. We just had to let some of the medical people come in and take notes off them. We just had to get the blood samples ready and stored. You took them all. You have everything. You have their journals. Their notes. Everything we given them You took it all last night. We don't know anything else then that." The other man cried out.

"Aw Ayham, aren't you living up to your name. Brave. Although Ayham I don't believe you are being completely honest. I think you know all the other Dons that are involved and I think you know who is behind it. So does anyone else want to share with the class?" Hunter teased. "No one else besides the Dons were allowed in the room during the meetings. Only them only the six of them one of them was just representing another but the country backed out I don't think any of the Dons who were in line of Sweden knew about this. However the man from Sweden it is rumored he was the representative of the master man the man who no one knows just that his name starts with a D." The other man told them out loud.

"I believe you Pablo. However I do think you know who six was it is behind this. Let me see if I can guess right. We already took down other before you so we already know it was Slovakia and Croatia who were the distraction. Now I'm going to go on a big limb and say the others were. Hmmm Let's think about this shall we. How about Yemen, Bolivia, Libya and Cyprus. What do you say boys am I close?" Tessenia smirked to them as their mouths dropped. "If you already knew why put us through this song and dance?" The one with the busted knee caps said.

"Dali I am surprised at you. You know very well your crimes and this song and dance is just barely beginning my dear. See I just need you to confirm my little hunch and you just did. So I should really thank you. Is there any information any of you have that will actually save you from the hours of play we are about to spend together. Now I know you all have heard hell even seen the types of way I like to play with new friends. However I give my word as your Donna that your treatment will be lessen if you can provide anything useful to me. Going once. Going twice." "We already told you Donna Alderman everything there is nothing else to know." Pablo cried out in gasps. "There is one thing. Donna. If I tell you. You be done with me here and now. You word as Donna." Ayham told her.

"Yes my word. You have been very informative all-night Ayham please do continue." Tessa asked him sweetly running the tip of the knife slowly down his chest. "The Dons of each are here in America and they have a plan. They are meeting together in two weeks and that's all I know. They are hiding not her in town a ways away. That's all there is to know." "Thank you Ayham." Keith if you would please." Keith came up with an injection that went straight into his neck and within one minute Ayham was dead and on the floor. "Get rid of it." Jaxon said plainly. "Well now boys there's five of them and four of us lets not make any of them feel left out shall we." Tessa said as she giggled to the five men who had nothing but fear in their eyes.

They used one man as a human dart board in the front of his body. The back of his body was used as a tic tac toe with knives and branding irons everywhere there was an opening. The arms and legs skin was peeled off. Tess made sure all five skin was peeled off. Hunter knicked every single nerve and artery of one man. Dre' decided to carve on organs little designs without puncturing them to kill them. Jaxon decided to take off every nail and take every limb off his man then his organs and harvest them to the hospitals. Feeling in the recycling mood. Tessenia took every nerve and removed it from the body. Than proceeded to remove every nail and ligament and anything else that could connect to the body away, pulled out. Then she proceeded to remove the rest of the organs from the body and send a little note to each Dons home in their respected Countries. With a note that read. "See you soon."

"There you are. Are you ready?" Gage asked her in his black dress slacks a nice button down and a black blazer. Everything matched her black halter top dress that hugged her curves just right. "Yeah I am are you parents already inside?" "Yup. Wait a minute come here. Let's get a selfie." "Babe." She whined as he teased her. "Quit it. Take a picture with me." He took one where they were both smiling happily. Another where he is kissing her cheek and she is smiling to the point it looked like laughter. "Those are keepers." Putting it as his screen saver. "Such a nerd." She teased playfully pushing him away. "Hey now! I'm your nerd. Come on babe they waiting." Gage said as they walked up to the hostess who instantly lowered her eyes to anywhere but his.

"Is there a problem he asked her after waiting for a second. "You technically own this restaurant now babe. It's let's say in the family owned. Remember." "Oh hell there is so many I forgot. Still what's with the eyes." Gage asked pointing to the hostess. "Well some of the managers believe it is rude and against the rules to look us in the eye directly." "That's horse shit Tess." Gage told her in an annoyed tone. "Well Don Brooks that is your call to make. I don't personally have this rule every Don is different. You better get your point across how you want to be addresses word of mouth is very quick in our world." Tessa told him with a small shrug.

"Hey you! Look at me." The hostess looked up shaking a little as she was now terrified. "What is your name?" "K-K Kelly sir." She gulped and choked out. "Well Kelly first off I want you to breath and calm down before you hurt yourself. Second off you look me in the eyes when you speak to me. I want you to spread that around to. Tell your boss everyone. I don't like it when you don't look someone in the eye when you speak to them. It's bad manners. I understand if you get a little intimidated. If the pressure for you is too much have someone else take you spot while you get a breather. Alright. As long as your doing your job everything is ok. No one will hurt you here. Alright? Now were under the name Brooks can you just point us in the right direction." Gage asked her. As she finally stopped shaking.

"They are right there sir." She told them getting the menus. "You know what Kels we got this thank you." Gage said grabbing the things from her hand and walking forward a bit. Stopping to look back at Tess who was starring down the hostess. "Do you know who I am dear?" "I-I do Donna Alderman." "Which one was making you shake Kelly?" "I am sorry Donna Alderman. "You have accent not from here. Let me make this plain to you Kelly. I don't know what Don or Donna put the fear of God into you. However should you ever feel this way from anyone else you let us know and we will handle it. This is not the way our employees should be treated. Do you understand me Kelly. No one should shake themselves to the point of being immobile out of fear from their boss in their work place. That is not ok. You are doing a great job Kelly. Just remember to breathe. We're not all bad." Tess said sliding her three hundred dollars sleekly on her post. Walking to join Gage.

"You sexy when you go all mother hen." Gage whispered and bit her ear. Making her squeeze her thighs tighter as she walked making Gage chuckle. "There you two are. Was starting to worry now." Maddison got up reach over for a hug and a kiss on the cheek from both of them. Sean followed suit with Tess and hugged his boy. "How are you guys?" Tessa was smiling happily. "We're busy but good. You know coming out of summer into fall is going to be very busy line up. I'd love your input on the color schemes I'm wrestling with a fresh eye could really narrow it down." Maddison told her wit a smile. "Have your secretary talk to Lincoln and I'd be glad to. I don't even look at my schedule anymore this week." Making them all laugh.

"OH MY GOD!!" Maddison all but yelled. "YOU"RE WEARING THE RING! YOU"RE ENGAGED?!!" Sean looked at both of them in shock and a smile. "Yeah Ma we are. That's what we wanted to tell you tonight." Gage told her while leaning Tessa over to him to kiss her hair. "That's wonderful! When's the big day?!" He asked with just as much energy as Maddison. "Well sometime in fall. I would like October." Tessa told them. "That sounds great but I was hoping for winter in the snow. I think we are really just going to have to flip a coin." Gage told her. "Rock, paper, scissors." She asked in a counter offer. "We are not children Tess. A coin will do fine if not the magic eight ball will tell us." Making everyone laugh harder.

The dinner went well. As they made some plans. Stopping on the way home they decided to head to Angelo's first. Walking in the door is when they heard it. Tia Gabby drinking wine watching a movie eating one of the slices of three boxes of pizza. While Tio Eddie and Angelo were fighting as usual. "It does not belong on a pizza and second off it does not make it healthier. Where do you even get this crap from?" Angelo told him. "It's A fruit you twat wit. How is it not healthy. Tomato is a fruit and it's the whole damn sauce you don't bat an eye. But a couple of pineapples go on it and you lose your mind. You think putting your jalapenos is nay damn healthier. We are old now Angelo I only want one part of my body to burn at a time if I got to get heart burn I aint going to down a spicy pepper to burn hell through my lower end." Tio Eddie argued back.

"Hey daddy." Tessa said happily while Gage was trying not to laugh at the two older men. "I tell them all the time they don't need wives they nag each other just fine." Tia Gabby said taking another sip of her wine smiling at them. "Hello my flower. What brings you by so late tonight?" "Well we went to dinner with Gages parents thought we swing by and say goodnight." Tessa said hugging him tight. "Well I'm glad you did." Tio Eddie kissed the top of her head. "Well you know what I am too we are in a debate ourselves. Would you want to get married in the fall with the leaves and the weather change. Or Winter in the snow?" Gage asked them. The men started thinking it over.

"OH MY GOD YOU"RE ENGAGED AGAIN AREN'T YOU?" Tia Gabby jumped up shouting hugging them both. Angelo stopped to look at her hand and there sat the ring again. "Congratulations my flower." Angelo hugged her tight and put his face in her neck. "Are you happy my flower?" "Yes papa I am." "Ok if that ever changes you tell me. I shoot him." "Daddy!" She warned. "I'm kidding." He smiled then shook his head no. Making her laugh even harder with a glare. After talking some things over went home. Of course they sent a mass text out to everyone else. Who were all too happy to revel in their joy with them.

Gage went upstairs to change he was so tired he couldn't keep his eyes open much longer. Tessenia went into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. Listening to the everything around her feeling something off. She heard it a mans voice on the phone. "You heard me I want the meeting in two weeks or you can kiss your sorry asses goodbye now are you going to get them or not? Well maybe I just so happen to tell where the hell you are to." He stopped talking as the other man yelled on the other side. "Glad you finally seeing clearly. Two weeks. Don't make me find you." He hung up the phone feeling like he needed to throw up.

"You alright Dalen you look a little flushed. "OH! Crap Tess you scared the shit out of me." "Yeah I bet I almost did. You look a little pale there Dals. Do I need to remind you the oath you swore to me?" "No Tessa. I know it well by heart. I swear to you I will never let you down." "See that you don't Dalen because I always keep my promises to those who dare be stupid enough to cross me." She walked up the stairs pushing the doubt away. The only thing she needed to do now was cuddle up with her future husband. It's always calm before the storm.