"You found him?" She frowned, still not understanding the severity of my confession. "What do you mean you found him. I didn't know you were looking for him."

"I didn't want to tell you and then disappoint you if I didn't. But I'd spent the last two week focusing everything on that and I finally got it." I explained. She'd been disappointed all her life, I didn't want to add to her sorrows.

She looked at me, quizzically.

"So what now?" She asked as if not understanding the severity of my information. I reached out, placed my palm on her heart. She didn't even flinch. Her heart was racing like she just ran a marathon.

"Whatever you want to do?" I ran my hand down her arm, not wanting to break the skin to skin contact. She huffed out a nervous laugh, more like a self-deprecating one.

"You think after all these years, the detective is going to do anything? I mean who's going to care?" She stood up, paced the length of the kitchen. "I can't believe this. I thought... I thought that part of my life was done Tiago. I mean, I was doing my make today and watching videos and looking at blogs thinking, hmm, why don't I start my lifestyle blog or a makeup blog or something. I have all the time in the world now to do... whatever I wanted and not hide away my life." She looked at me. "Now you come and tell me you found the guy who killed my family. What do you want me to do?"

I stood up because she was panicking. I did this to her. I was supposed to take care of her in every way and even if it meant making decisions so life didn't overwhelm her.

"Listen." I grabbed her shoulder to steady her. "I'll give you two options." It grounded her, calming ever so slightly, she looked up at me. "We can sit down and eat." She shook her head. "No, you will eat. I'm not having you go hungry under my roof and while we do that I'll tell you about what I found. Then I'll give you two options, we can proceed with one or both or none. Okay?"

It took her a minute to process things but her heart rate decreased. I was getting fairly used to putting my hand on her heart to detect her emotions. Sometimes, I wrapped my hand around her neck to feel the pulse but that was usually around sex, this was much more serious.

We sat back down and I waited for her to start eating. After a couple of bites, I started.

"I have a couple of cops in my payroll. I asked one of them to check into the cold case of your parents. Turns out, there were no investigation done. None. No security cameras checked, no witness were found. Literally, nothing was done." I explained.

"So detective Khalelo Barnabas was lying." She was a quick study and knew exactly where I was going with this.

"He's living rather lavishly for someone who's a detective still." She nodded at my agreement.

"Do you know who paid him off?" She asked, she was holding her knife like she was about to stab someone. Hopefully not me.

"It was a Judge. Judge McCain. His son was the one who was driving. Scott McCain." I cut to the chase. She sucked in a sharp breath, finally hearing the name of the killer was a big blow but it had to be done. I needed to know how she wanted to proceed with this investigation.

"How do you know?"

"The cop I told you about, he's also a detective in a different precinct, he dug up where the money into Barnabas's account was coming from. It was through a shell company that's linked to Scott McCain. In a way if something happens and they find out, Judge McCain claim plausible deniability as he has no direct link to it. Therefore, he believes Scott was driving the car and Barnabas was paid to cover it up." I explained.

Giving her sometime to think it over, I cleared up the dinner knowing there's no way she could eat more. I could have but not when she was just staring into space, clearly hurting. Putting everything in the fridge, I took her to the bedroom and used the small remote to draw all the blinds.

"What's your options?" She asked finally when I got her into bed, wrapped her around with the blanket.

"I get my men to kill him or I can pressure the commissioner to re-open the case." When she looked at me confused, I explain. "I'm one of his donors for his first election coming up for Mayoral Candidate."

"He's not going to confess and if you kill him then a lot of questions will be asked and a man hunt will be launched. We can't do either." I wanted to smile. Even through the pain, she still had the ability to think rationally. I was proud of her. Keeping calm under pressure.

"What would be the best possible way get justice?" Mariana asked.

It hurt me to tell her the truth. "There will be no justice or jury. Just plain revenge. I wish it was this easy with the men who killed my family but they are heavily protected. I have built this empire from nothing just to go up against them but being rash and brazen wouldn't get me anything. I need to fight smarter." I confessed sadly.

"How did you hold on for this long without running in there like a mad man?" She stood up, leaned into me to comfort me. The generosity of her affection and kindness settled a burning rage inside me.

"Sometimes, I feel that way. Especially before I met you but if I die and he lives, my family has no justice." I pulled her closer, loving the way her skin felt against mine.

"So what do we do about mine?" She asked.

"Ruin their career. We leak a rumoured story with evidence to the media. Watch the house of corruption they built fall. When the judge has no more power, we can sure get your case re-opened and get you the justice you need."

"There weren't any evidence collected your detective had said. It was all destroyed." She thought out loud.

"Then we fabricate one that will impact only the son. That way the judge comes into question. Say, he texts his dad saying he doesn't want to ruin his father's career. Maybe, he runs away and there won't be a man hunt for him." I think it through. It make sense, if a grown man voluntarily leaves, then there's no way the police will investigate. "Yeah, that's it. We should do that. Because if we want the police out, he has to go voluntarily."

"How do we make him go voluntarily. Wait, what scandal are we going to make up." She asked. An idea flittered across my mind and an evil smirk formed on my lips.

"We're gon'na need Miss Caroline's help."

I couldn't actually believe that Miss Caroline had agreed to the plan that Santiago had concocted. It was quite a good plan but I wonder how much damage that would do. However, I trusted Santiago completely. He made me feel so cherished and protected that it made thinking about my family's death a lot easier. I had someone else to share the burden with. It was a privilege to feel such content in this cruel world, yet that's exactly what I felt while talking to Miss Caroline with Tiago.

When it was time for us to leave, I asked Tiago to wait for me so I could speak to Miss Caroline privately. Her long blonde hair was pulled to one side. I doubt I'd ever seen her look anything less than immaculate. We were sitting on her burgundy sofa set that was opposite her desk against the windows.

"I wanted to thank you, for allowing me to have a choice when I first came to you. I can never thank you enough for what you did for me." I moved around the table to join her on the sofa she was on, right opposite us. "You saved me."

I took her perfectly manicured hand in mine and held them, gratitude overflowing my body.

"Sweetheart, sometimes, we have it all planned and then life catches us by surprise and then we fall through the cracks. I'm just someone who's trying to give women a ground to stand on that's been taken away from most of these women. After they find they have enough, they can go do whatever it is they want to." She smiled bright, her royal blue eyes against her red lips look ones gaze away from the fine wrinkle that was forming around her eyes and neck. She was right. Many of the girl here start, then earn enough money to either go to college and become whoever they want to be or stay in this line of work by their choice.

"You gave me that ground. Thank you." My eyes suddenly fogged over and she knew what I was going to say. I could tell by her sad smile. Sad because I wasn't going to see her that often in the house not because I was taking away her revenue of money. She had her own little fortune from her day business as a Psychiatrist.

"He takes care of you?" She tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. My throat clogged and I couldn't even form words. The sudden emotional surge wasn't something I expected but I had been putting off coming here, speaking to her about quitting.

I nodded.

"Oh! My sweet girl, I can see it in the way he looks at you. I've studied everything there is about human behaviour and that boy, thinks the world of you." She cupped my cheek.

"He does." I knew that. He was risking his life by doing this for me. His career, the empire he built to take down the people who killed his family. His whole life has revolved around revenge, until me. "But he's still married." I confessed.

"You know, you might be the one in a billion where the man leaves his wife for you." Her prediction startled me. "Oh come on honey, anyone with eyes can see him and his wife has nothing going on. Everyone in our little corrupt world knows why he married her."

The affirmation from her solidified a lot of feelings I felt for him. I wasn't afraid anymore.

"I'm sorry, Miss Caroline, I'm not coming back." I blurted out. My subconscious had already made that decision before my conscious part of my brain was still processing the sudden changes.

"I took you out of the my list the minute you went home with him. I knew it wasn't a short time thing." She smiled, there were stars in her pretty eyes that were framed by brown smudged eyeliner to give her that sultry smoky eyes effect. "And stop calling me Miss Caroline. We're friends now." She gave me a kiss on my cheek before guiding me out of the beautiful mansion that used to be safe space for me.

Where I learned about the world and learned how to take back control. The comforting taupe walls with green vines snaking across of it held so many fond memories of me spending time with the girls. The parties had occurred here with people who'd never admit it.

"You ready?" I turned to find Tiago holding the door open for me.

"Yes." Stepping inside, I looked at Caroline, standing beneath the front shed with vines dangling from it. She waved goodbye which I reciprocated. As we drove out of her drive way, I looked at him. Muscles bunched as he drove. Put my hand on his thigh, not in a sexual manner but with a touch of possessiveness.

I sighed out loud, feeling a weight being lifted off my shoulder after I had finally acknowledged my permanent relationship with him. I turned, found his hand intertwined with mine like it belonged there on his lap. As if we've been doing that for years. I was completely his now.

When I was saying yes to him, little did he know, I was saying yes to a life with him.

3 weeks later

"We begin today with breaking news from the ongoing investigation of Judge McCain. A week ago, every news outlet to gossip blogs received intimate images of Judge McCain's son partying with multiple woman and him in compromising bondage positions that he was clearly enjoying as we all saw in the video. The faces of the women were blurred therefore we haven't been able to figure out who they are but the matter of fact is, it's a Judge's son who was caught in that situation. A Judge who was on his way to running for the Mayoral position against the current commissioner.

"We will have a panel here who will discuss the chances of how this will affect an honourable judge's position in the race with alleged bribery accusations. For more, here's our correspondence Mara Smith for more form outside of the Judges house."

"Hi, Rayes, as you can see behind me hundreds of protesters have gathered here demanding an investigation to be opened up on the judge. Records shows that he as a history of being unfair with sentencings when it comes to people of colour. He's specially tough on people who are African American and Latino."

The lady moved to stand next to a women who was holding up a sign that said, FREE MARCUS.

"Many people are speak to us, all the correspondents here trying to get their unfair stories out there. I have here Mrs. Willis who says her 14 year old son unfairly jailed for 5 years and he was charged as an adult. A 14 year old charged as an adult. Mrs. Lee, tell us what happened."

She aimed the microphone towards the distressed women. Santiago wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

"My baby boy was arrested with his friends on the way home. He had a blunt on him A think small one and I don't condone weed but he did, so did his friends and they all had one each. Not enough to sell but the police charged him with position and intent to sell. The judge separated the boys cases and changed 3 of the boys with 5 years in prison and the other one, he got community service. COMMUNITY SERVICE, while the two black and one Latin boy serve jail time as adults for the same crime as the white boy serves community service. How is that fair?" The poor woman was crying.

"Bastard." Santiago cursed.

"It is not fair at all and I'm guessing all of these people who are here are in similar situation as you."

The reporter was comforting the shattered women. She was chubby with hair tied behind his head, her red blouse looked crumpled. She looked distraught.

"We should do something Tiago." I turned to him, my eyes pleading.

"I already spoke to the Commissioner. He's sending detectives to the court house to get his files. They are public files so it's not under investigation yet so if there's a correlation. Then he will have to go to a federal judge to get a warrant and open a full on investigation." He explained.

"Good. I didn't know this. Bastard deserves to rot in hell." Venom just poured out of me.

We watched the news until another breaking news popped up.

"This just in, a federal judge has signed a warrant when the evidence of unfair conviction was clear. This is being classed as a hate crime because of the amount of African American and Latinos were incarcerated under his verdict even without priors whereas, Caucasians usually, got off with probation, house arrest or community service even when there were violent crimes."

"Wow. I didn't realise it was going to be this easy." Santiago marvelled. He took out his phone and speed dialled 2. After two rings, he spoke. "Yeah, it's time. Pick up the package then sign for the delivery."

That was code for kidnap Scott McCain and send a text to Judge McCain.

I looked at him when he put the phone down.

"This is it baby." He smile was sinister.

"You love this don't you?" My question took him aback slightly. Getting serious, he turned the volume of the T.V. down.

"Is that going to be-"

"NO!" I exclaimed. "I don't mind at all." I propped my leg up, put my hand on his heart. "Baby, I know what you do. Come on, I've always known. I have no issue with that, all I'm saying you actually enjoy this. There's no judgement in that."

He shrugged. "I grew up doing this. It's all I know and revenge is always fun." I nodded, a bitter hatred washed over me.

"Thank you." I moved forward to kiss him.

"For what?"

"For so long I've been alone, carrying the burden of injustice on my shoulders You made it lighter. Thanks for doing all the things you promised." I moved over him. I wearing a thong and an off the shoulder loose summer dress. "You divorced your wife, got the contractor come and start the changes you were talking about. Sometimes I feel like this is a dream." I unbuttoned and unzipped his shorts before pulling down his boxers, freeing his thick cock. My mouth watered.

"U-huh!" He watched me, hands on my hips, holding me up.

"You are a dream to me Tiago." My eyes finally got his attention. His expression turned serious, eyes hooded, nostril flared. I stroked him until he was hard and then moved my thong to the side before sinking down on him. "Ahh!" I felt it in my soul, my head lolled back.

"Baby." He moaned, hands rode up my sides beneath the dress and found my breasts.

"Sometimes, I turn around in the middle of the night and find you there, an absent touch or a my leg on yours, I feel like it's home." I slowly rode him. Not doing much but enjoying being joined together. "The world doesn't seem so scary anymore." My eyes glazed over.

"No, it isn't so scary anymore." It was as if he was having self-revelations. "It's bearable now." He rubbed his thumb over my nipple, making me clench around him. He heaved out.

We sat there for a long time, him inside of me as we enjoyed each other's body. I told him that I didn't hate the silence anymore and he told me how he doesn't think about the death of family when he's with me and neither did I.

I was surprised when he came home 2 weeks ago and told me that he spoke to Oliver to get Gina to sign the papers and it worked. Oliver didn't cared about the marriage, all he cared about was the money. They both did. It felt amazing to realise he wasn't just talking the talk, he was walking the walk. Miss Caroline was right.

He might have been the only man who actually left a wife of the other woman. We were moving forward with our future and I couldn't wait to see what it held.