"Oh try this on", Mrs. Gunner hands Elisha a short dress as Stephanie goes through the clothes she currently has in her hand.

"I'm not even going to buy half the things I tried on", Elisha sighs.

"Oh stop and just try it on, it'll be the last one I promise", she adds.

Elisha went to the dressing home for the billionth time and try on the short cocktail red dress. It hugs her curvy figure and brings out her pink lips, she opens the dressing room door.

Stephanie and Mrs. Gunner gasp,"if you refuse to buy it, I'll buy it and make sure you wear it", Mrs. Gunner declares.

"I actually like this one", Elisha does a little twirl.

"Good because I don't know about you guys, but I'm hungry", Stephanie says.

"Where do you want to eat girls?" Mrs. Gunner asks.

"At a Italian restaurant, I miss their food", Stephanie answers.

"I'll wait in my car while going down on a burger and a large drink", Zane adds.

The girls arrive at the restaurant a few minutes later and the host guide them to a table.

"Who is your fiancé Stephanie?" Elisha asks.

"You remember my tutor I had for Calculus during sophomore year?" She grins.

"No way? Him?" Elisha gasps,"he moved back to Chicago?"

"We met during a party then reconnect, but he didn't ask me out till we bumped into each other at a Halloween party", she explains,"he proposed to me last Halloween on our third year anniversary", she adds.

"That's so cute", Mrs. Gunner coos,"when's the wedding?"

"End of next month and of course you're invited, because I know you got great fashion taste so I need help finding the perfect dress and the dresses for my bridesmaids since my mother is no help", she says.

"No problem dear, just tell me when you want to start looking", Mrs. Gunner states just as Elisha's phone rings.

"I'll be right back", she gets up and head to where the bathroom is then answer,"hello?"

"Elisha you haven't contacted me all week, are we even friends?"

"Tony stop being dramatic, we are still friends. I just been busy and so have you", she rolls her eyes.

"You sneaky little cheating wh*re, you been hooking up with that friend you are staying with, weren't you?" He fake accuses her.

She fake gasps,"how dare you assure me of such thing? I would never cheat on you Tony, you are the only one for me."

"Son who's cheating on you? Don't tell me you're dating a skank", Elisha hears Tony's mother in the background.

"Mom I was just joking I'm not dating anyone", he laughs.

"Hope so."

"I know I'm the only one for you Elisha", he teases,"it better stay that way."

"It will later, love you", she laughs.

"Love you too, you sneaky little b*tch."

"Later manwhore."

Tony laughs and she hangs up.

"Are you dating someone? Why didn't you tell me?" Stephanie gasps behind her.

"I'm not dating anyone, he's just my friend and we occasionally insult each other so our conversation will sound like we are", she explains.

"So there's a chance for Brendan and you?" Stephanie grins.

"We are only friends, how many times do I have to tell you that?" Elisha sighs.

"Till you admit that Brendan and you make a great couple", she winks,"now let's go eat, my honey boo is missing me already."

***

"I got this cover guys", Stephanie takes out her credit card.

"No I refuse you pay for me, let's split the check", Mrs. Gunner shakes her head.

"I insist, you already repay me by coming dress shopping with me and attending my wedding", she swipes her card and type in her number then the waiter leaves with the small machine and check.

They leave the restaurant and Stephanie says goodbye then goes to her BMW as Zane comes.

"I'll drop you off at your house Mrs. Gunner first", he states when Elisha shuts the back door of the car.

Zane arrives at the house about thirty minutes later," bye Elisha, we'll have lunch or dinner here soon", she kisses Elisha's forehead and gets out the car.

"Brendan has something important to talk to you about", Zane says as he begins to drive again and she nods.

Brendan is waiting in the living room as he looks at the document on the table in front of him.

He hears Zane's car pull up in the driveway and one door shuts close then a few seconds later the front door opens. Elisha walks in with four shopping bags in her hand, she sends Brendan a warm smile before waving at Zane and closing the door.

"You can put them on the couch, come sit next to me", Brendan points to the couch opposite of him, she does as she is told and then sits next to him.

"What do you want to talk about?" She faces him.

"I found this document this morning, well my gang members did", he opens the folder which had information about Elisha from where she was born to the last high school she attended.

"W- where did they find this?"

"That's not all, you had a stalker in Georgia", he opens the small envelope which had pictures of Elisha at different places with her friends.

Elisha gasps when she sees a picture of herself in a bikini next to a pool during the spring break of senior year. She was at her friend's cabin which her parents rented for them, who could of been stalking her?

"I'll ask again, where did they find this?" She demands.

"Your old house, we suspect whoever been stalking you is staying there. They even probably working for someone and planning to continue to stalk you here", Brendan says.

"Do you know who is stalking me?"

"No when my men got to your old house, no one was there it seems to be abandon for the pass few days", he shakes his head,"don't worry, I ordered my men to keep watch over the house for the next few days."

"But why didn't my stalker followed be to college? If he or she been following me for almost two years when I moved to Georgia, I'm sure they would have seen me purchase my ticket and leaving the house with my luggage", Elisha frowns.

"Your guess is as good as mine, anyway what do you want to do for the rest of the evening?" Brendan ask.

"Talk, why did your longest relationship ended?"

He sighs,"she cheated, well I hope she did, last year she told me she was pregnant for someone else."

"How is she so sure?" Elisha raises an eyebrow.

"Because we were always careful and used protection all the time, she was even on pills", he shrugs.

"Have you contacted her after she gave birth?"

"Nope, she disappeared to somewhere after our break up. Maybe move with her unborn child's father, who know plus she changed her number", he closes the folder.

"And you haven't seen her since?"

"Nope", he shakes his head

"Does she happen to be Layla, our high school wannabe queen  bee and Stephanie's shadow?" Elisha asks with a frown.

"How did you know?" His eyes widen.

"Your mom mention her name, but not the reason why you broke up", she explains,"do you miss her?"

"Miss , Layla? I'm happy she's out my life, the first few months in our relationship was great then the spark was sort of gone, my mom really liked her so I didn't want to dump her without a proper reason since I did a lot of that in the past,

"About six months before our breakup, Layla been sort of distance with me and a few times for the week she'll text and call since she went to the University of Chicago which I can understand. Every time I made plans for us to meet up and hang out, she was either busy with class stuff or going out with her 'friends', I'll go with the latter,

"Any way one day I showed up at her dorm unannounced and saw her and one of her friends laughing and sitting really close to each other on her bed watching a movie. She gasps when she sees me, but quickly hid her surprised face and introduced me to her friend who I had no doubt looked anything, but pissed at me. I think he was jealous, but covered it with a smile and shook my hand."

"Did you stay or leave?" Elisha asks with interest.

"I told Layla I was just checking up on her and if we can go out for lunch, you know the b*tch had the nerves to invite her friend along who called his other friend with his girlfriend, so it was five of us when we left one hour later", Brendan sighs.

Elisha laughs,"I would have ditched her so badly."

"That was my first thought, then I saw Layla looking at me with those hazel eyes which I couldn't denied", he admits.

"Do you think she was pregnant for-"

"That was first suspect, but then I know even if he was into her, he wouldn't have swooped so low to get her plus I sort of gave him a bad vibe when I am near", Brendan chuckles," so that's about it, plus even he didn't know where Layla went after our breakup. "

"Interesting story, my own is plain. The guy wanted s*x, I didn't so he broke up with me, isn't that just for high school? I thought crap like that doesn't happen in college", Elisha scoffs, "cheating looks like the trend in today's university society."

"Well I never had first hand experience to college life so I don't know, online was so much better", Brendan retorts.

Brendan's phone rings,"yes Draven?"

"Elisha's old house is on fire, I just got a report from one of our men", Draven informs him.

"What?!" Brendan yells startling Elisha.

"Yeah, the fire truck is already there and a police car. We don't know how the fire started but none of our men saw anyone entered the house or leave", he explains.

"Where are you? Meet me there in thirty minutes", he hangs up.

"Is everything okay?" Elisha asks with concern.

"Nothing to worry about, just gang business", he kisses her forehead and takes up the folder with the photos.

"I'm going out for a while, don't answer the door if anyone knocks okay? Unless you want someone to come stay with you?" He asks.

"I'm 22 years old Brendan, I think I'm capable enough to take care of myself", Elisha laughs.

"If you think you're in trouble just tap the distress call button which is located in your room under the night stand and hide in my closest. Police will be here in a matter of minuets", Brendan adds.

"I doubt I'll need those unnecessary safety measures", she shakes her head.

"Better safe than sorry Lisha, I got to go and keep all widows and doors lock", he leaves with the folder. He gets his car keys and place the folder in the backseat, no way he'll risk leaving it at the house.

When he drives out his driveway and unto the stress he gets his phone and calls a number,"hey man, what can I do for you?" The guy asks.

"Keep an eye on my house and if  you see anyone looking suspicious get ten feet within any of my windows or doors, you shoot them not to  kill them maybe sleeping drugs or something and move them out of sight", he orders.

"No problem sir."

He hangs up as he turns unto the main road heading north.

*****

"I set the house on fire, now the evidence will be burn to ashes", one of Jett's men reports to him over a phone call.

"Are you sure the evidence was there? I don't even know why Damon left evidence like that at his old house", he sighs.

"The house was being watched sir, so I just started the fire and bolt out quickly", the man replies.

Brendan's men were watching the house, but why?

No one except his men entered and left there occasionally for the passed three years after he bought it from the family who moved there when Damon left.

"Sir I just got a message that Brendan's car has just been spotted turning into the street to the house", his man snaps him out of thought.

"Is he alone in the car?"

"Appears so sir, his men are standing opposite the burnt house watching as the police questions a few witnesses."

Jett smirks, then Elisha is alone at his house.

"Is his right hand man there as well?" He asks.

"Yes and his other two close friends."

"Good send about two of my men to Brendan's house, the girl is there alone", he orders.

"Are you sure that's a goo-"

"Do as I say or I wouldn't hesitate to kill you. I want the girl in our old warehouse approximately two hours from now ", he snaps and hangs up.

Elisha you'll be back with your family in about forty eight hours time, our arranged engagement will happen in about a week and our wedding by mid August.

Jett calls Damon,"this better be important, I'm sort of business", he snaps when he answers.

"Baby come off the phone and join me", Jett hears a female voice in the background.

"You have a loyal wife, I thought you don't do mistresses", he chuckles.

"Mind your business, she's in New York for the weekend. What she doesn't know wouldn't hurt her, now tell me why you call", Damon snaps

"I think you'll be seeing your daughter by Monday, I have a plan on getting her back", Jett says this got Damon's attention.

"You leave!" He snaps at the woman.

"But why bab-"

"Leave before I kill you!" He threatens and she gasps leaving quickly.

"These wh*res annoying, no wonder I have no mistresses. My wife isn't whiny like half of them and know how to keep me please", Damon states,"anyway back to my long lost daughter."

"Brendan is out", Jett starts no way he's telling Damon about his old house being burnt down at least he doesn't have to worry about the important evidence he left behind about his gang illegal doing and information about Elisha.

"Elisha is alone at his house, so my men will get her for me and Monday morning she'll be facing you in your lovely luxury mansion, I expect us to be engage by next Friday and wedding by mid August", Jett adds.

"When she is in front of me then we'll discuss your other expectations", Damon says.

"Honey I'm back, New York was so boring and Ace wouldn't stop bring different girls each night to his hotel room", Mrs. Black's voice enters the room.

"Didn't you go there to shop? Why worried about how much girls Ace hooks up with? We should worry about how much of them will end up pregnant", Damon says,"we'll talk more tomorrow Jett", he hangs up.

Jett phone rings again an hour later,"um sir, we got a problem."

_______________

What do you think of this long chapter?

Who do you think is Brendan's mysterious ex was pregnant for?