As Will let the last words of the phrase linger teasingly in the air, Sarah realized that her mouth had gone dry. It would seem that her eager little smile that formed as he reclined across her lap had slacked so that her lips were just slightly parted as he read. Without realizing it, Sarah clung to the sound of each word he intoned like a parched woman to a stream of clear, cool water. He was absolutely right; Whitman's verse begged to be read in comfort- sat on a pillow of fallen leaves by a pond, or better yet, surrounded by the tense, sweet air of attraction between two youthful bodies. 

At some point during the recitation, she'd allowed her hands to come to rest on his legs, and in the lingering silence between them, she felt the last pesky strings of her inhibitions fall away. 

"You read Whitman as he meant his words to be read."

Her voice was slightly hushed, and the fingers of her right hand played along the length of his lower leg. She wanted more from his lips, but not words. Her heart was beating hard in her chest as she gazed into his eyes. 

The car went dark as the train began to pass through a tunnel. The sudden loss of light startled Sarah just a bit. 

In a moment of objectivity, removed from the sound of his blood in his ears and the sight of hunger in his eyes, Will Byrne would have loudly and repeatedly stated that he never kissed any girl; instead, he always waited for them to kiss him.

But he kissed Sarah Winters. And he blamed Whitman.

He leaned forward, sitting up and swinging his legs off Sarah's lap so he could slide closer to her. It was torturous to break contact and lose the way that she was running her hand along his lower leg, but it had to be done. As the car went dark and the train hit the tunnel, the last thing he saw was Sarah's shining green eyes; they seemed to be begging him.

So he kissed her, lightly at first. His tongue moved rhythmically, with soft, gentle explorations that failed to convey the passion stirring within him. He felt his arms naturally encircle her, resting on his lips, and he acted on instinct as he fell backwards, wanting to feel her weight on top of him in the darkness, inviting her to fall with him. 

A startle, then delight. Sarah's eyes fluttered closed as Will pressed his lips against hers. Had his arms not been holding her, she likely would have melted where she sat. A sweet little sound escaped her as his tongue parted her lips and gently danced with hers. 

In the next moment, shadowed by the darkness of the tunnel, Sarah was lying on top of him, enthralled by their passionate kiss. Her fingers traced the line of his face and then gently raked through his raven hair. 

She drew her lips away only for a moment, whispering into the darkness

"Whoever you are holding me now in hand...here to put your lips upon mine...I permit you."

Again, her lips touched his, with all the desire that crackled through her body. 

As he kissed her, Will's hands explored Sarah's body feverishly, like they could be stopped at any moment.

And they were.

As the train gently rocked through the tunnel, Will had one hand firmly attached to Sarah's ass and another halfway up her shirt when he heard his father intentionally clear his throat. Both Will and Sarah froze and Will slowly, unwillingly, detached his hands from Sarah.

Gavin's voice sounded amused as it floated out toward them in the darkness.

"It seems far, far too quiet in here, Raini- wouldn't you say so?"

There was an audible chuckle from the middle-aged Jamaican woman.

Will sighed as Sarah pulled away from him, and he shifted his pants uncomfortably. Better not to say anything... but it'd be worse to admit that they'd been caught. No, time to play innocent.

Will's lips brushed against Sarah's ear, and his whisper was barely audible.

"Pretend we fell asleep. We'll pick this up later."

Gavin wouldn't believe it, of course. But it was more about... plausible deniability. And not letting his father feel like he had something on him. Will silently shifted himself on the couch, relaxing in a position where it looks like he could have fallen asleep- Sarah could either rest her head on his shoulder and chest or she could lean in the opposite direction against the other arm of the couch.

The blush on Sarah's skin could have lit the entire tunnel, but there was no part of her that wanted to stop touching Will Byrne. A familiar smirk crossed her face - one more reminiscent of the old, mischievous Sarah that didn't really care so much about being caught. 

Hearing Will's suggestion, she shifted herself slightly and laid back against his chest. Her smirk only grew as she became aware of the reason behind his quick change in position. Later couldn't come soon enough. 

Between the buzz from the scotch and the car more intense buzz from his kiss, Sarah realized that she may not need to pretend to fall asleep. In fact, for the first time in recent memory, Sarah had forgotten about all the heat following her. 

Yawning quietly, she slipped her hand into Will's and closed her eyes. 

Will Byrne felt tortured, being so close to Sarah and unable to do anything. As they lay there, he rested a hand on her hip... but it could never quite stay still, and so with a quiet frustrated sigh he moved both hands behind his head.

Laying there, forced into action, his mind kicked back into gear. It was nice to have Sarah leaning against his chest, and he enjoyed the weight of her head and the smell of her hair. As the train left the tunnel and gently rocked them to sleep, Will found the lust and desire ebbing away from him. He felt Sarah hold onto his hand- and then he drifted comfortably away.

The next thing Will noticed was his father gently shaking his shoulder. Sarah was still leaning on him, and she and Will quickly sat up when they heard the train pulling into the station. Gavin seemed more amused than anything as he stood over the teenagers.

"Well, the two of you have certainly become fast friends. I'm glad to hear it."

The older man moved, organizing their bags as he continued speaking.

"We'll be at the hotel soon, and I was planning on having Raini and I take one room, while you two share the other."

Will was still 80% asleep as he replied, surprised.

"Really?"

Gavin sighed.

"No."

***

An hour later, they had checked into the hotel: two adjoining rooms, with a door on the inside of each connecting to a shared bathroom. Gavin and Will had one set of twin beds, while Raini and Sarah had the other. They were all still dressed, having just arrived, and Gavin and Will were standing in Raini and Sarah's room. Gavin spoke clearly, expecting his instructions to be followed.

"We'll get a good night's sleep tonight, and we'll check out Sarah's house in the morning. We should have plenty of time before the poker tournament in the evening. For tonight, no one answers the door other than me. Raini, if anyone knocks on your door, come get me. I'll do the same for you. I'm not expecting any trouble, especially since Sarah kept her hair covered up on the way here, but it's better to be cautious. Get some rest. Big day tomorrow."

Gavin left the room, and Will found himself lingering for a moment, looking at Sarah before grinning and saying goodnight. As Gavin closed the door of their room behind his son, he looked at the younger man with a mixture of amusement and gravity.

"William, if I hear anyone sneaking around this room tonight... trying to get in or out... I'm going to shoot first and ask questions later. And you know I have excellent hearing."

Will sighed, but he couldn't keep a grin from breaking out on his face as Gavin continued talking.

"Test me on this and I'll handcuff you to the bed."

Will's eyes lit up, but Gavin cut him off.

"And you say you'd rather have Sarah handcuff you to the bed I'm going to shoot you for that too."

Will sighed as he got into bed.

"I like her."

Gavin was quiet for a while, deep in thought. Kizzy. Stella. Madeline. The hundreds of one night stands in his own life. Bella's heartache with Elias, her drama with Will. Aurora and Billy... there was so much to risk, reaching out and making a connection.

How many people ended up like Gavin and Bella?

The older man sighed for a very different reason than his son as they both shedded excess clothing and climbed into their beds.

"I know you do, son. I know you do."

Sarah stood looking at the closed door for a few moments, feeling a funny little ache that there was now something more than thin air between her and Will. Still, when she turned to actually take a look at the hotel room, a girlish smile sat immovably on her face. 

Raini chuckled with a knowing smile of her own. 

"That's a very different smile you got than the one you wore onto the train. I never seen William light up like that in all his life."

"Really?" 

The young woman found herself gazing into the mirror, touching her hair and wondering if the image she saw was the same way Will had seen her. Raini settled into a chair beside a small table and simply nodded. 

"Alright girl, you need to sleep. There's heavy work tomorrow. You'll see that prince again. Now go on and wash up. I'll wait for you."

Still grinning, Sarah complied and shuffled into the bathroom. She got out of her clothes, tied back her hair, and stepped into the shower. Before long, she found herself doing something she hadn't done in ages. Though softly, she was singing.

Morning came almost as quickly as Sarah had closed her eyes. A knock came in the door between their rooms. Raini opened it, and from her seat on the bed where she was braiding back her hair, Sarah looked up quickly with bright eyes, craning her neck slightly to peek around Raini. 

Breakfast was quick; no more than pastries and coffee or tea before they got into a taxi and headed east. 

New York City was as bustling and exciting as ever. Sarah felt like she'd been away for a life time, but not much had changed. He eyes hardly drifted from the sights that became more and more familiar as they came closer to the old neighborhood. At the same time, an uneasy feeling was beginning to grow in the pit of her stomach. What would it look like? Had the vultures already looted the place? Her father owned the whole row of houses, but who had been managing everything if the crew had imploded? She had so many questions, and nerves that were more raw than she wished they were. She touched the strap of the holster that hugged her shoulders. 

As the taxi turned onto her street, Sarah bristled. Immediately, a hand lay on top of hers. Looking over, she saw Will beside her, giving her that brilliant smile. It helped; she wasn't alone. 

Sarah gave the small ring of keys to Gavin, who insisted on entering first with Raini. The lock turned easily, and Sarah held her breath. One of two long minutes passed as Gavin and Raini did a quick walk through while Sarah waited on the porch with Will. He hair was again covered with a scarf. 

To the immediate left of the front door was a living room with a green couch, two off white upholstered chairs, and an upright piano against a wall filled with framed family photos. A staircase led upstairs. To the right of the entry, there was a coat closet and a small table. A short hallway led to the kitchen, and across from that, a dim study with several book shelves and a cluttered desk. 

The second level held two bedrooms of identical size, and a simple bathroom between them. Danny Winters bedroom was in the left, and Sarah's lay to the right. The most eerie thing about the house was that it seemingly hadn't been touched at all.  A set of car and house keys lay on the entry table with a wallet beside it. Sarah's bicycle leaned against the wall on the porch. 

Gavin was up at dawn, pacing, planning, and drinking coffee. Will was snoring, no doubt chasing redheads in his sleep. Gavin couldn't muster up any real frustration at his son; twenty-five years ago he would have been doing the same thing. Although he would have managed a meet up last night. Will at eighteen had mastered skills that Gavin had never even heard of... but he lacked a penchant for direction action.

No, he couldn't be mad at will. Sarah was beautiful- but she had substance. It was why Gavin hadn't been opposed to throwing them together in the first place. He suspected Sarah would never know how important that discussion on the bench was with Gavin; she'd revealed a maturity and depth of character there, and Gavin prided himself on being a good judge of people.

Still, even Gavin never expected to have to get them off of each other two hours after introducing them. 

It was a good thing that Bella wasn't here...

Grinning to himself in the mirror, Gavin sighed and began the arduous process of waking his son.

__________________________________________________________________________

The ride over was uneventful. Gavin wasn't unfamiliar with New York, and he felt a shadow of a heartache as he always did entering the city, remembering someone he'd cared for- possibly the person he'd hurt the most in his life. Her death decades before had never really softened the blow; if anything, it made it worse. He forced himself back to the present, flicking his eyes into the mirror and seeing Will and Sarah making eyes at each other. He'd sit Raini in between them on the way back- just for the comedy. 

Nothing appeared untoward as they approached the brownstone; Gavin was ready to pick the lock when Sarah handed him a ring of keys. Shrugging, Gavin led the group inside. They were in quickly, which would hopefully give them time to look without being interrupted. He kept Will and Sarah in the hallway as he and Raini did a quick survey of the place.

"No lights. No loud noises. Nothing that would suggest to anyone outside that someone has returned. Sarah, I strongly recommend you do not go into the kitchen; there's no body, but there's blood on the walls. I'd spare yourself- and I also want to make sure the two of you don't mess up the scene. Particularly, Sarah, I don't want you in there in case they try to pin this death on you. It's what I'd do in this scenario..."

 He saw Will reach out and take Sarah's hand. 

"Let's begin upstairs. Do you know the combination to the safe, Sarah?"

The smell was the same. The furniture was in the same spots, and the evening newspaper was laying over the arm of the old green couch with the sports section on the seat full of red marks from where he'd been betting on horses. An arrangement of Nocturne sat on the piano, still in place from Sarah's last lesson. It was as if nothing had changed at all. If her father walked through the door...but he wouldn't. Sarah felt a tightening in her chest and a lump form in her throat. That was when she felt Will's hand grasp hers, and when she realized Gavin was speaking to her. 

"The combination...oh, yes. It's 2-14-17. It's my birthday."

Raini touched her shoulder softly and offered to go with her and Will upstairs while Gavin headed to the study. Not letting go of his hand, Sarah led them up the stairs and into her bedroom. Once again, everything was exactly as she left it. Her bed was unmade, her makeup still sat on the vanity. Sarah felt like she'd been transported back six months. 

Will only let go of her hand when she stepped to the dresser where her jewelry box sat. She ran her hand over the smooth wood and finely carved Celtic knot on the lid. Opening it, she found nothing missing. How would she ever fit everything precious to her into one small bag? Then, she remembered her father's duffel bag in her closet. Her mind kicked into gear and she began moving quickly around the room. The longer they were there, the more danger they were all in. She sat the jewelry box in the bottom of the bag, then added a few clothing items, and a stack of assorted journals from the night stand. 

Crossing the hallway, she froze at the door of her father's room. She knew it would be just the same. With the partially filled duffel bag in hand, she took a deep breath to steel herself, and walked inside. All she could do was try to operate as if she wore binders. Go to the top drawer of the dresser, get the gun. Bottom drawer, Mom's wedding rings. Closet, shoe box, cash. Don't look at the watch on the dresser. Don't notice the undone laundry or the half-full glass of water on the stand. 

But she noticed. With every movement, she saw the last day of his life frozen in time. Sarah continued, but the tears came anyway. One tear drop on her birth certificate. Another on her passport. She swiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, trying desperately to appear stronger than she was; not wanting Will to see her shattering inside. 

Finally, she pulled the zipper closed and looked to Will. 

"I think that's all I need up here. We should..."

Behind Will, on the wall, there was a framed portrait of herself, her mom, and her dad. She couldn't unsee it, and the dam burst.

Gavin nodded as he made his way toward the study. He put in the combination quickly, cognizant of the fact that if they'd been spotted going in, the sooner they left the better. Opening the safe, he took out a folder of important looking papers and at least ten thousand dollars in cash in a small black bag. Gavin emptied the safe, tucking the folder of documents under his arm and the other small valuables in the bag with the cash.

Listening to the sounds from upstairs, Will and Sarah were still searching. Gavin glanced quickly around the study. It was possible that Winters was an important enough man to feel secure that no one would try to rob him... but if it were Gavin, he'd have a special hiding spot for the really important stuff... the sort of things that could incriminate himself... or perhaps a powerful Federal Agent, who could easily get a warrant to search his safe.

Where would I... after a quick check of the floorboards, Gavin focused on the paintings on the wall. He checked the frames, but struck on a few before he hit the jackpot. Behind a painting of a small village- an Irish one?- there was a hidden safe. Gavin tried the same combination and it failed to open, but switching around the numbers worked on the third attempt. Inside this small safe was another folder of documents, pictures, letters, and financial statements. Smirking, Gavin added them to the other papers and tucked them under his arm.

Walking briskly, he made his way to the stairs.

"Time to go!"

______________

Will wasn't shocked when Sarah broke down; he could only imagine how difficult this was for her. He instinctively went to her and she buried her face in his shoulder; with his arms around her, Will was trying to figure out the best phrasing to get her moving again when he heard his father's voice. He spoke reassuringly to Sarah.

"We need to leave. I'll help carry anything you need... but for now, try to focus."

The tears had come against her will, but they had also been a long time coming. Her mind was a mess of questions and regrets, suddenly calmed by the arms around her. With a deep breath, Sarah began to try to pull herself together as Gavin's voice came up the stairs. Before she stepped away, she placed a gentle, grateful kiss on Will's cheek. 

The night stand was her last stop. Will took the duffel bag and started downstairs, and Sarah pulled the drawer off the night stand all the way out and reached far into the empty space. After a few seconds, she retrieved a sealed envelope with a wax stamp on the back. Standing, she tucked it into her jacket and followed Will down to meet Gavin and Raini. 

"I think I got everything. Everything I can think of, anyway."

Sarah noticed the stack of documents Gavin had secured under his arm and nodded. Following the Byrne men, Sarah slipped on her sunglasses and hurried out of the house to the waiting taxi. Just before she climbed in, she noticed a little boy standing a few feet away on the sidewalk watching them. He couldn't have been more than eight or nine. Sarah didn't recognize him, but smiled politely and got into the car behind Raini. 

Gavin flipped through the documents. There were some that seemed to be focused on business- he saw a few mentions of the foreign affair that started this mess for Sarah- but he mostly skipped anything that wasn't due to their immediate concern. Flipping through old letters and family pictures, Gavin found what looked to be a will. It left everything, of course, to Sarah. Gavin handed it over to Sarah.

"This seems to be what you're looking for; let's stop by this lawyer's office on our way back to the hotel and we'll get this process completed for you. While you're receiving your assets from the executor of the will- this attorney here- I'll dig through the rest of this information hunting for Burke. When we're done at the lawyer's, we'll proceed back to the hotel and get ready for the tournament this evening."

Gavin smirked as he fixed the sleeve of his jacket.

"Ideally, I'll have time to meet with Mr. Burke before the tournament begins."

The taxi stopped in front of the law offices of Simon J. Wells; the attorney named as executor of Danny Winters Last Will and Testament. Will got out first, followed by Raini and then Sarah. Gavin would return to the hotel, and they would all meet up again before the tournament. 

Will reached for the door, but Sarah grabbed his hand first. 

"I just wanted to say thank you...for being here for all this. I know your Dad kind of roped you into it, but I'm really glad you're here."

Inside the upscale office, Sarah approached the receptionist. 

"Hello. My name is Sarah Winters. I'm here to see Mr. Wells about my father's will."

It was no more than five minutes later that Sarah and Will were escorted to a private conference room, with Raini close behind. Three junior attornies were sent in to verify the validity of her documents. When they were satisfied, they assured Sarah that she'd be taken care of right away. Surely enough, Simon Wells entered the conference room with a wide smile. 

"Miss Winters, it's a pleasure to meet you, and see you alive and well. Please accept my condolences in the passing of your father. He was a good friend."

Cautiously at first, Sarah listened as the attorney explained the details of the estate. He divulged that several women had come in, claiming to be Sarah Winters, but none had the proper proof. Sarah had more than enough. Simon seemed to be very concerned that everything was handled quickky and discreetly; agreeing with Gavin's suggestion that an account be set up for her. Everything was handled right there. Sarah spent a good chunk of time signing a mountain of paper work, and Simon stayed with them to explain everything so she knew exactly what was happening. The house would be sold, and after taxes and the attorney fees, Sarah would leave New York about $715 million richer than she'd arrived. 

Two hours later, everyone stood from the table. Simon shook Sarah's hand. 

"Again, Sarah, I'm very sorry for your loss. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for you. Ah, and before I forget, this was dropped off for you a few days ago. We were instructed not to give it to you until we were sure it was you. I'll give you the room. Take all the time you need."

Sarah took the small envelope and stood close to Will as she opened it. 

Sarah, 

Nice move getting the Wolf in your corner. I'm proud of you. I'm sorry about disappearing the way I did. Burke got me cornered at the motel in Jersey and the only way I could keep you safe was to get him off your tail. He got into the wind again, but I've tracked him here. You are NOT safe until he's gone. He's the force behind all of this. If you're reading this letter, you've beat him on the financial game, but there are documents you now possess that incriminate him for high treason against the US, and he'll stop at nothing to get that. Use Byrne's resources. I can't help because he's trying to kill me, too. Thing is, I know where he is. There's a cigar factory uptown where he's based his operations. He's largely alone now, as most of his paid henchmen realize he's a loose canon and want nothing to do with him. He's also nearly out of money. The cigar factory is mostly abandoned, and it shouldn't be hard for some well trained men to sneak up on him. Just. Be. Careful. If you get to him before I do, and a message to Gianelli's Catering Service on Long Island. Order a dozen cream horns with  raspberry glaze and lemon slices. I'll find you. 

Mr. Riddle 

"He's alive! Mike! He knows where Burke is! Everything is right here! We have to get to your Dad."

Feeling 30 pounds lighter, Sarah threw her arms and Will and hugged him tightly. 

Will grinned at Sarah.

"Happy to be here. I thought when my dad told me I was coming along on some business that it would wind up being boring. Very happy to be wrong there."

Later, when Sarah threw her arms around Will, he was half way to kissing her before realizing that a lawyer's office building wasn't exactly the ideal place. He hugged her back, trying to think pure thoughts and simply being happy for Sarah that someone she cared about was alive. 

A few minutes later, the foursome was reunited around a conference table. Gavin listened carefully to Sarah's update from Mike. 

"That information seems to be verified by the other things I was looking through. We're lucky we're not fighting Burke at the peak of his power; this would have been much more difficult if he had more resources and a higher standing with the government. As it stands, he's nearly bankrupt and he's under investigation. He's bleeding money and men fast... we just need to finish him off. And by we... I mean me."

Gavin, remembering he was wearing a watch, checked it quickly.

"I want the two of you to go get ready for the tournament. Minimal shopping, if you need to, but stay in public- and you're both always to stay within sight of Raini. We still have several hours... and I plan on wrapping up this business for you, Miss Winters, before the tournament happens. Waiting would give Burke a chance to act first- or to vanish. Both put you in much more danger. This, Will, is the part of the trip you can't accompany me on. But I'm trusting you to take good care of Miss Winters."

He smirked.

"Raini... keep an eye on them and make sure they're ready for tonight. Stay on high alert until you hear from me; I'll most likely have to meet you on the boat."

Maybe it was the relief that her friend was alive, or the peace in knowing her father's estate was secure; but Sarah couldn't help hugging Gavin as well, a bright smile matching a new lightness in her green eyes. 

When Gavin was out the door, Raini, Sarah, and Will stood in the room. With several hours before the tournament and a bit of weight off her mind, there was only one thing Sarah had on her mind. She looked at Will with an eyebrow raised mischievously, then turned and sweetly spoke to Raini. 

"Would it be ok if we stayed here for a little bit? I knew I need to find something more appropriate for tonight, but it's been a really emotional day. Can we go a little later?" 

The guard studied the two standing together carefully, then chuckled a bit. 

​​​​​​"Alright, I wasn't born yesterday. But you stay here, and leave the door between the rooms open."

Sarah nodded, grinning, and watched as Raini made her way into their room. Turning back to Will, she looked up into his eyes and lowered her voice. 

"You haven't kissed me since the train. What if I'm missing it?" 

She ran a hand up and down his arm. 

"I... think that is an excellent idea."

Glancing at the open door, Will moved slowly to Sarah and raised a hand to her cheek. He kissed her about ten times more gently than he wanted to; after a while, he traced a line of kisses down her neck as he raised his hands to her hips. As he reached behind her, he could feel Sarah reach out and undo her top button.

Again, Will felt his heart beating with excitement as he moved toward her. Quickly losing the ability to think rationally, he glanced back toward the open door- then to the bed.

_____

The taste of his lips sent her heart into a mad flutter of excitement, and as he gently gripped her hips, Sarah felt her whole body melt in his hands. Her fingers fiddled with the buttons of her blouse as the skin of her neck tingled with delight from the attentions of Will's kisses. She simply couldn't get the shirt away fast enough. 

She laid both of her arms around his shoulders as he pressed himself closer to her. In only a matter of seconds, she'd forgotten all care about their watchful chaperone. All she could think about was him, and the way her body reacted to his touch left nothing to wonder. 

As his lips traced her skin, she could smell his hair and feel his breath on her. Never in her young life had she felt such an overwhelming sensation; a sheer force of electricity that arced between them. Sarah knew she was falling. Fast, and hard. 

_____

Will Byrne almost always got what he wanted, and as Sarah removed her shirt and kissed him he realized he'd really wanted anything as much as he wanted Sarah. He continued to kiss her neck, moving lower toward her chest, his hands gently running over every part of her. When Will felt one of Sarah's hands run across the front of his pants he felt like he was going to pass out. Catching his breath, he forced himself to stop- to step back.

Sarah's smile was intoxicating. Her body. Her eyes. The way she was biting her lower lip. The mirrored need. 

Will almost jumped as he heard a sound from the girl's room: the shower. Will stared for a moment at the door as Sarah hooked a thumb on his belt and pulled him closer toward the bed. It was the hardest thing he'd ever done, but Will held up a single finger and stepped back. He listened for about thirty seconds, hearing the bathroom door close in the girl's room. Deciding to risk it, Will kicked off his shoes and moved toward the door. He moved silently, and the door didn't make a single sound as he closed and locked it.

As he glanced back toward the bed, he saw Sarah smile and lean back on the bed. Will walked over, shedding his shirt and relishing the feeling of his skin touching Sarah's. He wasn't particular muscular, but he was lean and hungry as he kissed Sarah. He was breathing heavily with desire as they rolled together and Sarah ran her hand through her hair, looking down at him.

"You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful..."

Will's sentence was interrupting by the door exploding inward, kicked through the doorjamb by a glaring Raini as the young man and woman scrambled for their clothes. 

_____

Gavin rubbed his jaw as he glanced at the factory. There were only two exits, and from his place on the rooftop he could see both of them. Using a pair of binoculars, Gavin had been able to scout out the facility. Eight guards on duty, usually patrolling the perimeter... Burke in a second floor office inside the factory. Gavin had confirmed the details and made a single phone call. The results of that phone call had just pulled up on the street underneath him. Climbing down the fire escape, Gavin nodded at John Barnes.

Barnes was ex-military, currently making a small fortune as a mercenary. He tended to work Boston, Philly, New York, Baltimore, and D.C., usually guarding someone or something, but occasionally aiding in a takedown. In this case, the squad of former soldiers had been on retainer in New York.

Twenty years ago, Gavin would have waited until dark and, alone, removed the guards silently before confronting Burke. Now? Maybe Gavin could still do it, but there was no need to risk it. He spoke quickly as John's men, masked, readied their weapons. Someone would call the cops soon- they'd have to hurry.

"3 in the left, 3 in the front. 8 guards patrolling- 4 of them are closer to the factory, 2 at each entrance. I'll head right for the factory."

Barnes nodded and his two squads moved out. Soon, gunshots rang out. Gavin had his M1911 ready, and as the exterior guards dropped he closed his left eye and aimed at the interior four. He hit at least two of them from a distance before ducking behind the wall and reloading. The other two returned fire, and Gavin noticed one of Barnes' men drop before the remaining guards were killed. 

Gavin quickly moved behind a large shipping container as the door to the factory opened. Barnes and his four remaining men leveled their guns, but didn't fire. Burke had his hands up and no gun.

"Don't shoot. If you do. You're losing the biggest opportunity you've ever had in your life, and you'd be putting yourself in deep shit. I represent the United States government and I..."

Gavin emerged, brow furrowed in curiosity.

"Burke?"

"Yes, that's-"

Gavin shot him twice in the chest, dropping him. He put two rounds in his forehead, to be sure. 

Gavin nodded at Barnes, then glanced at the body of the mercenary.

"Sorry you lost someone. We'll cover expenses, something for the family. Get him out, then get out of dodge. I'll check in in a couple days."

Barnes shook Gavin's hand before leading his team out.

Gavin glanced back at Burke a single time before jogging away from the factory, slowing to a walk when he was on the sidewalk so as not to stand out. The job was done, and he'd just made 35 million dollars for Bella. Not a bad day- hopefully the poker table was as kind.

With their stolen moments of lust once again foiled, Sarah sheepishly followed Raini to their room and finished putting her blouse back in place. Three hours remained until they needed to leave for the docks, so the guard insisted that they hurry on to get what Sarah needed. Will opted to stay behind at the hotel, but didn't let Sarah go without a deep kiss, defiantly planted on her lips right in front of Raini. Sarah giggled at his boldness, and Raini just rolled her eyes, suppressing a little smirk of her own. 

_

Raini knocked on the door of Will and Gavin's room from the hallway. 

"Let's go, lover boy! Your father is gonna be waiting for us!" 

Sarah emerged from the room, pulling the door closed behind her. A form-fitting black gown with an elegant dropped shoulder neckline floated just above her feet as she walked. She wore a simple diamond solitaire pendant around her neck, and her red hair was curled and pinned in an eye-popping updo. 

Will grinned at "lover boy" as he emerged from his room. No use denying it. He raised an eyebrow as Sarah emerged, mouthing "wow" at her when he thought Raini wasn't looking. Getting onto the elevator, he reached out and took Sarah's hand behind Raini's back, and they talked quietly in the taxi as they made their way to the poker tournament.

It was being hosted by Tommy DeVito, a retired former capo who'd originally come up through Boston but now spent most of his time in New York. A cruise ship had been rented and was going to be cruising the New York city shore as gamblers, gangsters, and businessmen faced each other in an exclusive tournament. The buy in was $750,000, and with a couple dozen of people playing the winner was guaranteed to get a nice pile of money. 

Not that Gavin played for purely financial motivations; after all, he'd already made 35 million dollars from Sarah that day.

The "kids" walked on the pier, enjoying the sunset under Raini's watchful eye as they all waited for Gavin, who arrived ten minutes or so before the ship was scheduled to leave the pier. With a grin, he apologized for being late as he led them on the ship.

"Sarah, I believe our business is concluded. I'll have proof for you later if you need to see it, but I can positively confirm for you that the individual you were concerned about has been permanently retired. Thank you for indulging us in this diversion tonight. Will, we'll almost certainly be seated at different tables to begin. Not only are there dozens of people here, but they try to keep people who know each other spread out for reasons of propriety. Still, as more and more people get eliminated, we have an increasing chance of winding up at the same time. I was hoping for some more father/son bonding time on this particular adventure, so use what I taught you and, with any luck, we'll see each other at the final table. Sarah, we can always check about your entering, if you'd like. I'd ask myself, but people don't tend to let me get away with much at these sorts of things; I've won too much money for them. I had to call in a few favors just to get Will in. However... Mr. DeVito has been known to be... chivalrous is too strong a word... well, let's just say that he has a habit of bending over backwards for beautiful women, without requiring them to do any bending from him."

He smirked as Will rolled his eyes. Perhaps a little strong, but it'd been an exciting day. Besides, he wanted Sarah to know the score; this was someone she could potentially get her way with without any undue expectations.

"If you want to get in, you can try it. If not, you're of course welcome in the visitor's gallery. My only condition on your attendance this evening is that you stay where Raini can keep an eye on both you and Will. And for you to not distract my son so much that the money I put up for him to play with gets wasted."

With a final grin, he led them through the ship to the large poker room, complete with multiple bars, poker tables in the recessed center, and a visitor's gallery that stretched around the tables in a long oval.

"Oh, no, I'll be fine in the gallery. My skill isn't worth the entrance fee. I'd much rather watch you two gentlemen."

Sarah cleared her throat softly and looked at Gavin. 

"Thank you for all you've done. Your help has been absolutely invaluable. If I gave you every five it wouldn't be enough to thank you for...everything."

With an impish little smile, Sarah squeezed Will's hand and looked at him.

"I'll have myself a few drinks and enjoy the scenery, but first...."

She stretched her neck up just a bit and gave Will a sweet kiss on the cheek.

"For luck."

With that, Sarah touched his cheek and gave him one last smile. She turned and started for the gallery, Raini close behind. 

Will could still feel the kiss on his cheek as he took his seat at the table. A larger man, seemingly a Texan based on the size and style of his hat, looked at him with curiosity.

"You're the Byrne kid, right? Shit, your father has taken more money off me than all my ex-wives put together. Hope you're not as good as him."

"Oh, I'm not."

The Texan seemed to relax, chuckling.

"I'm better."

But Will shrugged; he still hadn't taken his eyes off Sarah. Some things were... well, his father would understand. As the first round was dealt, Will pushed his chips into the center.

"All in."

The dealers and the other players just stared at him; one kindly looking man finally spoke it.

"Son, you haven't even looked at your cards..."

"I know. I've got a date."

A couple of them seemed to follow Will's gaze toward Sarah, where they nodded understanding. What was $750,000 to a young, hungry teenager? Someone called Will, of course, and the younger Byrne stood and started to exit before the dealer stopped him.

"Uh... you've won, sir."

Will froze, before grinning and shrugging, pushing his chips in again.

"All in."

This time, two people called him... and Will's 4-7 wound up drawing a straight. Amidst a string of loud curses, Will collected his chips. In two hands, he'd quadrupled his money and held 3 million dollars in chips, knocking out three players in the first five minutes.

He stared at Sarah for a moment before mouthing "sorry" and returning his seat. He pointed at his pile of chips as if to explain... and then he removed his tie, undoing his top button and smirking.

"Well... alright then. I guess we're playing poker tonight."

Over the next hour or so, most of the other players were eliminated. High rising blinds gave those with more chips an even more pronounced advantage, and Will found himself doing quite well. Gavin was around the middle of the pack, but steadily climbing. When, after another half hour or so, they'd narrowed the field down to ten players, their host announced a thirty minute break to organize the chips and set up more viewing space for the final table .

Will sauntered up to Sarah, looking both pleased and apologetic.

"I tried, you know. Guess you just gave me too much luck. Maybe I could use some more. Want to take a walk on the deck?"