Andy looked at him from across the living room. She had finally seen him for what he was. After all these years and she never knew, she just didn't understand how she never knew. Her father was on the phone and she could hear that Carlos would survive.
"Alright call me with anything else."
He hung up the phone and looked back at his daughter who hadn't moved from her spot since Carlos was taken to the hospital.
"Who taught you to shoot?"
Andy looked away with a shrug.
"Well whomever did didn't teach you how to kill."
"I never stayed long enough to learn."
"Then I guess I'll have to teach you."
Andy looked up at her father then.
"I'm not staying here."
"Of course you are. You are my daughter..."
Andy shook her head, getting up.
"I'm not your daughter; I lost my father five years ago with my mother. The only person I have is Leo."
"Leo isn't family."
Andy glared at him.
"He's the only one who's cared, the one trying to save me from YOUR plans to sell me off as a prize for a favor. I lived my life for four years working my ass off to prove to you that I was sorry for what happened only to realize I was the idiot who fell for your lies so you could just what, live the perfect life? Well then you live it, but you keep me out of it."
"And where do you think you'll go? Back to Austin?"
"Believe it or not, there's someone more important than any man in this world and if it wasn't for them I would have pulled that trigger on myself."
"You're not going anywhere and that's final."
"Then that makes you no better than Carlos and just so you know, I hate you."
That had hurt him more than he expected and he had the urge to explain everything to her, but she was already upstairs. Instead he pulled out his phone and dialed someone who owed him a favor.
Christmas came and went. New Years, Valentine's day and at the point everyone was living their lives as they should, except Austin. At the beginning of the year everyone was convinced that Andy had died in the explosion due to the fact that they had found her things and DNA. Austin was devastated, locking himself with his daughter for days at a time until everyone gathered together convincing him that it wasn't healthy for Mady to see her father this way. It was eventually his daughter that had brought him out of his depression and he was soon back to normal.
Andy was growing angrier with her father, with herself, with everyone. She was convinced that no one cared for her, that she was stupid to think that anyone really wanted her back. What hurt her the most was that her daughter was with them and not with her, but then again what life would this be for her? By mother's day she had promised herself that she would see her again and the only way to do that was to do as her father told her to do.
Her father was dangerous, powerful and demanding, forcing her to learn to defend herself and spend time with him at his place of business so she could learn the business and eventually bring her in. Knowing that this was the only way to get him to trust her, she did as he asked and ten times better than his current children.
So Andy spent her mornings training with a "trainer" and her afternoons with her father. Andy wasn't surprised that he had a legit business and yet not so legal. Her father owned half of the city of Atlanta and yet no one could touch him because too many people knew what he would do to them and their families. This included Carlos. Carlos was released just before the New Year, but was soon back in after the lesson her father ordered to be done. For every rape, hit and miscarriage Carlos was responsible for he received the same and that's one reason why she had agreed to do as her "father" asked. She still had yet to call him as such, but she could respect him for trying to make a point that he was there to protect her.
"You're still refusing the card I see."
"I told you that I would rather work for it then handed to me, you taught me that remember?"
Anderson had to give it to her, she was right, but he wasn't going to let her get away with it too easily.
"You said you worked very hard while I was gone, what has happened to that money?"
"It's still there and I have money from other things as well."
"Like?"
"I sang for a film while I was in California and I received an advance for an album I was supposed to record, but I'm returning the money."
"You were singing?"
"As a side job, I was a registered neonatal nurse by trade."
"I didn't know..."
"There are a lot of things not a lot of people know, but I tried to make a life for myself without the help of others, you also taught me that which surprises me why your children are such spoiled brats."
"Kyle and Kylie are graduating college this upcoming semester in business and Kyle has been working with me the last year or so."
"Yet you give them everything they want without any real hard work. I remember having to clean, do laundry and learn to cook just to be able to leave the house, yet I wasn't allowed to drive. In fact I had to teach myself, take classes at the age of twenty so that I could be prepared when I saved enough money for a car."
Anderson frowned.
"What do you mean save up, there was an entire trust fund in your name."
"Well Leo said that he had control of all the money as he was the oldest and because he was in military school I wasn't receiving anything. The house was paid, I made enough to pay bills and food, I didn't need much."
"What about your school?"
"Work study."
Anderson nodded then suddenly slammed his hands on the desk.
"Son of a Bitch she took it all."
Andy frowned.
"Who is she?"
"Your mother! I knew I should have never trusted her and that bastard of her son."
"My mother is alive?"
He shook his head.
"No, she did die that night, but not before steeling all the money I had placed in a trust fund in your name!"
"So who got the money?"
"I'm guessing Leo."
"But Leo had to marry into money in order to get money for the farm. If he had it then he wouldn't have had to do that."
"What farm?"
Andy sighed, looking away.
"Austin is Leo's best friend and they went into business together. Apparently they invested all they had and well in order for Austin to get funds from the trust fund he had in his name he first had to be married so Leo brought me to Texas to marry Austin, little did they know was that Austin was already married."
"He was trying to sell you off, typical Leo."
"Well it's not like you did anything different. At least Austin was nice to me, never physically hurt me and courted me until I fell in love with him. When we still thought that he wasn't married, we did get married in Texas, then that was never legal. That was the start of everything."
"I'll find you a good man, one that will take care of you."
Andy shook her head as she felt the lump in her throat.
"I don't need a man to take care of me. I don't want to go through getting tossed around like a rag doll because they can't make up their minds or because I won't settle for less. Life has given me some pretty darn good lessons and I've learned them the hard way."
"It's those things that make us stronger and the person we were supposed to be. All of this is to grow you into the person you're meant to be and so far you've made a strong woman out of yourself. Many would not be able to survive what you've been through."
Andy shrugged; she didn't see herself that way. Most of the time she thought of herself as weak and insignificant because as a mother she would be with her daughter and as a woman someone would have tried to look for her, yet neither one is where she is at now.
"Take the card Andy and that's final."
He handed it back to her and she took it.
"Now go, we have a flight to catch in an hour."
"Yes Sir."
She excused herself and walked out to see Kylie coming down with her bathing suit on.
"Ugh I was hoping you were gone already."
"Trust me I want to be here just as much as you want me gone little girl."
"I'm not little!"
Of course she proves Andy right by stomping her foot on the ground.
"Really?"
Andy only has to look her from head to toe and smile for Kylie to realize what she had done.
"If you say so little girl."
The Caribbean was beautiful this time of the year and with the waters as clear as the sky, she hoped her father would allow her some freedom.
"Andrea."
"I hate when you call me that."
"It's your name."
"I like Andy."
"Andy is when we're home, Andrea is when we're out, now let's go."
"Yes Sir."
Following her father through the hotel lobby she wasn't expecting to see so many men in one room. As soon as they walked in all eyes were on her.
This was it; Andy was about to be introduced to what her father called the organization and all those years of her mother being so hard on her were finally going to be put to use.
"Take a deep breath and remember what she taught you."
"Are they all married?"
Andrew smirked at her.
"Don't worry they touch you, they're dead."
"Good to know."
As they walked in further she was introduced to man after man after man and each of them were introducing themselves and their sons. Andy soon realized what was going on, but didn't say anything of it until they were heading up to their rooms.
"You really think I wouldn't notice, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Their sons, really?"
"These are the sons that will be taking over their father's business when they retire; it's only natural that you meet them all."
"I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. You know that I can't give any of them an heir, so there's no point in you trying to match me up."
"That's not what it looks like and even if it was what you think it was, there are doctors that can help you."
The elevator door opened and a penthouse came into view.
"Upstairs to the right."
She didn't say another word and went to the room indicated. As soon as she went in she went to the sealing to floor windows looking over the ocean. Her mind went to her daughter and wondering what she was doing for the summer, she was soon to be one and she was going to miss it. She would have to figure out a way for her to get a gift somehow to let her know that she still thought of her regardless if she wasn't there with her. She said a small prayer to her and quickly wiped her tears before unpacking and getting ready for dinner.
At dinner, her father and she went down to the private room she had requested and was very pleased with the result. Everyone was already gathered around, this time with their wives in hand.
"Nice save."
Andrew smirked at his daughter and pulled out her chair before sitting down himself. Andy gave the indication and dinner was served. Everything was going just perfect until one woman smiled at her.
"Do you speak Andrea?"
Andy smiled.
"I do, but the gentlemen are speaking and I'm just trying to understand and learn."
Andrew smiled through his conversation of what had to be done the next week that they were there for and was proud at how his daughter was handling everything.
"Looks like you're really trying to learn."
"I am."
"We all thought that Kyle would be taking over."
Andy looked at her father then.
"Well we don't all have strong women in our family and for those of us that do, well we give them opportunities they can't get anywhere else."
Andy was surprised at her father's response and a little proud of him.
"Excuse me, I have to go to the ladies room."
"Take a guard with you."
Andy nodded her head once and was helped out of her chair by the gentleman next to her.
She smiled up at him, recognizing him. Angelo the third, son of Angelo the second, one of her father's business men from the European Region and the man that had greeted her first when she walked in.
"Thank you Angelo, very kind of you."
She made her point to walk away a certain way as her mother taught her and headed for the ladies room. After all she was wearing a very tight backless black dress that came to mid-thigh of her long lean legs, her hair was curled down her bare back and she was wearing a pair of red bottoms Louis Vuitton's. Every man had their eye on her as she walked away and she knew it.
Once she was in the restroom on her own she let out a breath and relaxed, looking at herself in the mirror. She took in her appearance, focusing on her face and really noticing the difference her makeup had made her look. She had never really cared for it, but she remembered her mother telling her how the woman dressed and acted. Given that times changed she observed Melissa and Kylie now and again combining the two and coming up with a look of her own. Her eyes landed on her shoulder where she was shot not too long ago and then her mind went back to her daughter and Austin, wondering what they were doing at that very moment.
"Are you sure this is what you want to do?"
Austin was sick of everyone asking him the same question since they arrived.
"Yes, now stop asking me. I've made up my mind and I'm going to marry her and that's it."
Vivian sighed and nodded.
"Okay, I just wanted to make sure."
"Well stop, now can we get back to dinner?"
"Well you don't have to be such an ass to me."
"Then stop asking me and just support me on this."
"Fine."
Vivian walked out first and headed for the table that had Shiloh's closest relatives and friends and their own that had joined them for the week long wedding celebration.
Shiloh looked up at her husband to be and smiled up at him as he made his way beside him.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah."
Austin took his daughter from Shiloh's arms and gave her a kiss before sitting down and putting her to sleep. Shiloh looked at him and wondered what had gotten into him since they arrived, but she kept it to herself hoping that it was just because he's been working really hard lately. With having to go from Texas to New York, it was having its toll on him and it didn't help that Carlos had disappeared from the face of the earth. It also didn't help that Maddy was looking more and more like her mother and her birthday was just around the corner. Her first birthday and her mother wouldn't be there to see it. Her first steps were hard, especially for Austin as he filmed her, some time she thought that Andy would come back and want to see it all, but we all knew that, that would never or could happen, Andy was gone.
"Come on Andrea let's go have some fun."
Andy smiled, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry gentlemen, but I don't party, never have, never will, but you all enjoy your time."
"Oh come on, you're not boss yet."
"No, but what kind of future boss would I be if you found out what my weaknesses were?"
Andrew laughed beside his daughter.
"Forgive my daughter she was never the partying type, but I'm sure you all could teach her to let loose."
Andy turned to her father.
"You're really going to allow five men to take me, your daughter out?"
"Six very respectful and knowledgeable that if they touch you in any way to make you upset they will have to deal not only with their father's but with me as well. Understood."
All six nodded. Angelo stepped up.
"Come on Andrea, I give you my word that nothing will happen to you unless you say so."
She really didn't want to but from the look around the table she knew she would have to especially if one particular man was looking at her like she couldn't hang long enough.
"Fine."
All five out of the six rang out in applause while her father handed her a cellphone.
"Use this; my number is already on it and that of your security guard, incase anything happens."
Andy took it and placed it in her purse.
"Oh and I'll understand if you don't come back to the room."
He winked and pushed her towards them.
"Take care of my little girl!"
Andy rolled her eyes and got into the limo where she was surrounded by men, all looking at her like she was some little girl, except Angelo.
"Come on relax, we all know the rules and know what we can and cannot do."
"Easy for you to say, you're not the lamb surrounded by wolves."
Everyone rang out in laughs as they started handing out champagne glasses.
"Cheers to the future!"
Andy cheered and drank her fluke in one gulp, asking for another.
"Slow down there, we don't want to get wasted before we get there."
Andy turned to one of the others, Yang, he was Yogi's first and only son, from their Asian district.
"How much do you want to bet that I can out due you before the end of the night?"
Blaine looked around the limo and he smiles.
"Alright boys, let's make a bet then, who's willing to bet against her?"
Yang was the first to bet. Andy looked at the dark hair, grey eye man who was build more for the ring than the organization taking bets. On the other end of the limo Angelo could see Blaine put in his bet and he knew that Andy was being bet against so with the odds against the woman that had everything to prove and nothing to lose but respect, he placed his own. Although he didn't think she could do it, he bet against his friends.
Andy was smarter than these guys and when she had a talk with the manager, she was sure she would be walking straight all night.
Blaine on the other hand had seen what she had done.
"Clever."
Andy gave him a smile.
"Are you going to be a snitch now?"
"Absolutely not. I want to see them all eat their words and besides I bet twice as much as they did."
"Funny I thought you bet against me since it seems all through dinner all you've been doing is giving me dirty looks."
"The organization isn't a place for women."
"My father doesn't think so."
"Your father also said he didn't have any other children."
"We all have our reasons not to tell the entire truth I guess."
With a smile she takes her new bottle and walks away, but he had other plans. Wrapping his arms around her she felt that familiar skip in her heart, making her gasp.
"What are you doing?"
"Let's dance."
Andy turns herself around and looks up at him. For some reason Austin's face is in front of her and all she could do is look up at him.
"Don't look at me like that or I'll be forced to kiss you."
Andy then snaps out of it and shakes her head.
"What?"
Blaine didn't know what had gone over him when he said that to her. He had just met her for god sakes.
"Nothing, let's win me some money."