The Legacy series: The Love series, the Wrapped series, and the Burning Souls series.

by Mj Fields

  Tessa heard a noise in the background a knock on a door and a voice she assumed was Jessie.

  ���Lucas you���re asking me to do something I can���t do. You���re asking me to do this with her there. I don���t have it in me anymore to make this alright or easy for you. I know it���s not my responsibility and you know it���s wrong for you to ask it of me. You have a woman there who walked away from a very long relationship to be with you. She is who you chose to get you through this,��� Tessa tried to explain.

  ���You left!��� he snapped.

  ���Lucas come on, you know better than that. I was living with you and I wasn���t enough. You have to figure this out for you. Figure you out, Lucas. That���s the only way you���re going to be better. Why don���t you go visit your sisters? You���re happier than when you���re with them. Take a break from whatever is going on in your dirty little mind, and listen to your heart Lucas,��� Tessa said softly.

  ���You���re my God Damn heart, Tessa!��� he yelled.

  ���No, I���m not and as soon as you figure that out you���ll see what I saw for all those years. You���re a great man Lucas Links the only thing standing between your hurt and happiness is you. So fix you. We are done, but it will never mean I don���t care and it���ll never mean I don���t want you to find happiness. Please��� want that for me too,��� Tessa wiped tears off her face.

  ���Don���t cry, Baby,��� Lucas said sadly.

  ���I���m sad for you, you don���t want me to cry. I don���t want that for you either,��� Tessa laughed, ���And seriously Links stop calling me baby it pisses me off!���

  ���Sorry. Are you sleeping with that guy?��� Lucas asked.

  ���Lucas?��� Tessa gasped.

  ���Just tell me I need to know,��� he pleaded softly.

  ���I haven���t had sex in months. Are you all better now?��� Tessa snapped.

  ���Oddly,��� he laughed, ���I am.���

  ���Well, great I���m happy to have done that for you,��� Tessa said sarcastically.

  ���I think I���ll go to Jersey. You should come down Tessa, we could take a drive and go to that little spot in the woods,��� Lucas chuckled.

  ���No, I���m good,��� Tessa laughed.

  ���I know, I love you Tessa Ross,��� Lucas sounded better.

  ���Take care Lucas,��� Tessa said with a smile.

  ���No, love TT?��� Lucas chuckled.

  ���Sure Lucas, love for my friend okay?��� Tessa said softly.

  ���Thanks, baby,��� he said sincerely.

  ���Lucas call me that again, and I���ll seriously kick your ass next time I see you.���

  ���Well then I have to say it now. If that���s how I will be guaranteed to see you again,��� Lucas laughed.

  ���I���m hanging up, go to Jersey!��� Tessa laughed and hung up.

  Collin was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. Tessa let out a deep breath. She was overwhelmed and wished she had not answered Lucas���s call. She looked up at him again his hand was over his heart. He clenched his jaw as he looked at the ground and walked away.

  ���Collin,��� Tessa said softly.

  ���Give me a few minutes, I need to speak to Tomas,��� he called over his shoulder gruffly.

  Tessa responded to Jade���s text.

  ��� can���t talk right now but guess what, I heard the three sweetest words from the most beautiful man I have ever met, inside and out. He amazes me every day, been busy I���ll call you soon.

  She could feel his breath on her neck, she jumped and turned around.

  ���You sure that���s how you feel?���

  ���Are you spying on me?��� her face turned bright red.

  ���I guess I am,��� he said smiling that sexy smile.

  ���I���m not hiding anything from you, I never will. He called. I���m just used to talking him down, helping him get through it, over me,��� she laughed, ���I want him to be alright Collin. I���ll never go back, I don���t love him that way.���

  ���But you said������Collin began.

  ���As a friend, someone I grew up with, not in love and need or want to hold my heart or me,��� Tessa said softly.

  ���Okay, new to me��� but okay,��� Collin said. ���Did you need to talk to him because you doubt who I am? Because of what you have just learned and are knee deep in my situation?���

  ���No! Not at all. I���m upset about the situation, but only upset because I really want to kick a woman���s ass that I have never met for hurting you. And a little because I want to be there with the kids tonight, I have grown attached to a few of them. That reminds me, I need to call Pastor Lou.���

  ���I already did Tessa, they canceled tonight,��� he said looking at the ground.

  ���Why?��� He didn���t look at her, ���Collin why?���

  ���There was a threatening note left in the sanctuary.���

  ���Collin, what did it say��� she saw him look down, ���Truth, full disclosure.���

  ���The authorities have it to build their case Tessa, but it was bad, we���re going to catch her, things will be ok.���

  ���Collin tell me, please,��� she said with pleading eyes.

  He took a deep breath and said ���The whore with the voice is next.���

  Tessa���s eyes widened, ���Oh.���

  She sat looking at the floor, ���Are you okay Tessa? I���m so sorry I got you into this.���

  ���I���m fine,��� she said as she cleared her throat and gave a forced smile ���So does that mean she likes my voice?���

  ���Tessa,��� he said, ���It���s alright to be upset.���

  ���It���s easier this way.���

  He sat behind her and wrapped his long strong arms around her waist. ���When this is over I can promise you, you���ll never have to worry about her again.���

  Tessa knew he was serious, and for reasons she did not understand she completely believed him.

  ���I would really like to do something to take your mind of this,��� he had a smile in his voice.

  She leaned into him and tilted her head up, ���What did you have in mind?���

  He kissed her and her body melted into him. She turned around and sat on his lap and grabbed his hair in her hands, gently, softly, deeply, he kissed her, and she kissed him. He kissed her neck and her ears and gently tugged at them. She took his hand and kissed it, and put it behind her back, and brought it so it sat on the small of her back. She kissed him again. He tasted sweet, hot, and wet. Her body ached with desire as her hips began slowly moving into the pressure she felt below. She took his other hand and brought it to her mouth, she kissed his hand gently, first the palms, and then she kissed each finger from left to right staring at him. She reached his middle finger and lightly bit the tip, and then she licked it in a circular motion, sucking in an up and down motion. He closed his eyes, and she bit down.

  ���Don���t close your eyes,��� she said as licked his finger from top to bottom.

  He opened his eyes and watched her as she sucked and licked and bit over and over again.

  ���Tessa,��� he groaned.

  ���Excuse me Collin,��� Tomas stopped and walked back towards the kitchen, ���Sir when you���re free we need to ta
lk,��� there was a sense of urgency in his voice.

  ���Be right there,��� he took a deep breath and stood and bent over pushing on his knees and breathing hard.

  He looked at Tessa, and she was smiling.

  ���One of these day���s Tessa, you���ll be finishing what you just started,��� he reached in his pants and adjusted himself as he walked away.

  Tomas and Collin stayed away for a while; she was getting concerned when she heard his voice rise.

  ���And how the fuck did that happen Tomas? Who the fuck are the guys you hired a bunch of fucking idiots. You���d better get some more people on this! I want this to end tonight. If you can���t make it happen, I fucking will! I want updates every 15 minutes,��� he yelled.

  ���Yes sir,��� Tomas said.

  Collin walked in the kitchen and punched the wall, he walked in circles for a few minutes, and he came into the living room and looked at her with sadness and rage in his eyes.

  Tessa looked at him, ���You alright?��� She stood and started to walk towards him.

  ���Tessa one of the men took Leia to the emergency veterinarians. They think she was poisoned.���

  The look of terror flooded her eyes, and he tried to grab her hand she pulled away.

  ���Are my tires fixed?���

  ���Yes, but you���re not going anywhere,��� he said sternly.

  ���She���ll be scared Collin! You���re the only other person besides family she���s ever allowed near her. I���m going, and there isn���t a thing you���re going to do about it,��� she started towards the door.

  He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him, ���No Tessa, you���re not.���

  She pulled away from him.

  ���You can���t keep me here against my will! I need to be with her.��� She cried ���Don���t you understand, she needs me, she needs me!���

  Tessa sat on the floor and sobbed her knees to her chest; she wrapped her arms around them and slowly rocked herself back and forth as she cried.

  Yes, I understand Tessa, I do. He sat on the floor behind her and pulled her into his arms. He ran his fingers through her hair as he felt her body stiffen and pull slightly away from him. He did not let go.

  He kissed her head, ���I love you Tessa, I���m sorry.���

  They sat there for what felt like hours and she finally got up and walked to the bathroom, she heard Tomas and Collin talking outside.

  ���Sir the vet called. They���re pretty sure that it was antifreeze that was put in her water dish,��� Tomas said.

  ���How is she?���

  ���It���s been touch and go sir, they have an IV hooked up pumping fluids into her and a catheter so that they can see how much fluid she is putting out. They have her sedated so that she doesn���t get agitated. She is comfortable and it���s touchy, but she���s still alive and they say that���s a good sign.���

  ���Nothing better happen to her Tomas or heads will roll, she���s a good dog, and she���s Tessa���s, she better be alright. Now what else is going on?���

  ���My contacts have talked to the local drug dealers, her picture has been shown around, they all know about the reward, and we���ll hear something soon I���m sure.���

  ���How many had already been in contact with Catherine?���

  ���Apparently two, she came in last night looking for a drug, bath salts. She didn���t pay him with money sir, the other was at noon today, and same exchange was made between the two. She should be trying to get more within the hour, wears off pretty fast,��� Tomas reported.

  ���Has a report been filed for each law broken and violation since she has been in town?���

  ���Yes sir.���

  ���Thank you, Tomas. Tessa has already said she was going to leave once, please make the men aware that she is to go nowhere, understand?��� Collin said.

  Tomas looked towards the bathroom, where she stood listening; Collin turned and saw her, Shit!

  ���Yes Sir.���

  Tessa scowled and walked passed him, into the living room. She stood and looked out the window. She looked angry and scared and very pale. She wasn���t mad at him this wasn���t his fault, and she knew he must think she was being such a bitch. She could not believe what was going on, nothing like this had ever happened in her life and Collin had lived through a hell that she had never even heard on the evening news.

  Tessa walked into the kitchen and got a glass of water.

  Collin walked out of his office and looked at her and smiled a boyish grin. ���Tessa would you please come with me,��� he grabbed her hand and pulling her behind him.

  They walked into his office; he sat her in a chair and turned on the monitor of his computer. He watched her face light up.

  Leia was lying in a cage she could see her breathing as she slept.

  ���Now this is Skype, we had a 42 inch monitor set up right in front of the cage. When she wakes up, you can push this button and she will be able to see and hear you Tessa. She has an IV giving her fluids and is being given a sedative every few hours to keep her sedated,��� he kissed her head and walked out.

  Collin warmed up some fettuccini Alfredo and grabbed her a glass of milk, brought it in and stopped as he watched her from behind as she caressed the screen. He watched her and felt her pain. He was angry that he had brought this to her.

  She could feel him and turned and looked at him ���Collin, thank you.���

  ���You���re welcome, Tessa.���

  Collin sat the food on the desk and pulled a chair next to her, ���You need to eat.���

  She looked at him and shook her head no,

  ���It���s not up for discussion.���

  He fed her several bites, and she drank the glass of milk.

  He offered her another bite, ���I���m full, thank you.���

  She sat back and watched her dog lay sleeping.

  ���Sir could I speak to you?��� Tomas called from the doorway.

  He walked out of the office into the kitchen.

  ���One of our men just radioed in. She has been in contact with one of the dealers down by the wharf. She had a man with her and a gun, they took everything the dealer had. She was last spotted on foot coming into an area just a mile north of here. Sir, I think you should take Miss Tessa downstairs.���

  Collin ran his fingers through his hair ���Ok good job Tomas, please make sure the room is set up and hook up a live feed from the Vet���s office so she has access to it.���

  ���Yes sir,��� Tomas said.

  He turned, and she stood in the doorway, ���Did you catch all that Tessa?���

  ���Yes,��� she quickly followed him down the stairs.

  ���This isn���t a room that is often used, I hope it doesn���t intimidate you,��� he opened the door, and her eyes widened.

  The large room was all concrete with no windows. The floor was tiled. In one corner was a large bed with a wooden canopy, it looked like something you���d find in an old English castle. A large armoire stood in the corner. There were red velvet curtains that could be pulled to separate the area making it private from the rest of the space if necessary. A desk sat on the opposite side of the room. It housed computer equipment and monitors. Tessa counted ten twenty inch screens. There was a wall with storage that had wine, water, paper products and canned goods stocked from floor to ceiling. Beside it a door that led to a bathroom which was all tile and concrete, very utilitarian. She watched him as he switched on one of the monitors, it was Leia. He switched on the res
t of the monitors showing every room in the house all the outdoor entrances, including one to the room they were in and the deck. He punched in a code, and she could hear the locks on the door latch.

  ���It���s a bit much, but we���ll put it to good use tonight,��� he smiled wearily.

  He watched her waiting for a reaction; she just looked around and took it all in. She sat in a chair and curled into a ball and watched Leia.

  ���Go ahead Tomas, okay, yes, what time was she spotted? Are all entrances covered? Is someone on bird watch? Have you taken all safety precautions I don���t want anyone hurt? Night goggles? Vests? Okay man, be safe,��� He looked at Tessa who was staring at him terrified, ���Full disclosure?���

  Tessa shook her head yes.

  ���She���s close; they haven���t seen her in 15 minutes. She is armed and has another armed perp with her. They are extremely high and very dangerous, and you Tessa are safe, do you understand?��� she shook her head in response. ���Do you have any questions?���

  She shook her head and asked ���What is this room for?���

  ���It���s for exactly this, Tessa,��� he said. ���And it will be over soon can I get you anything?���

  ���Collin, I���m sorry I have been so awful to you today, I���ve acted horribly. I���m scared and have only been involved in this for a day; you my God��� how are you ok? How have you come through this so well?��� She asked through tears.

  He took her hand and then held his other against the ear piece he was communicating with Tomas through.

  ���Go ahead Tomas, alright one down, is he hurt? Where do you have him? Great job. Let me know when you have her. I wish I could be out there with you Tomas, thank you.���

  He watched the camera���s and tried to answer her questions.

  ���I���m fine Tessa. This will be a huge relief when she has been caught. You���re scared and I���m not upset with you at all, I get it. I���m sorry for having put you through all of this,��� he looked at her.

  ���Collin, is that her?��� she asked pointing to the monitor.