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"Boss, why are we here again?"

"Oh for Gods sake Simeon. I want to talk with Keiran. How many times do I have to explain this shit to you?"

Simeon started to chuckle. Lucas has been worse than a bear who lost its honey for the past three months. Riling him up had become of Simeon's favourite pastimes.

"Do you really think he'll start talking now?"

Lucas ran a weary hand through his hair.

"I have no idea Simeon. He's the closest thing I have to finding her. I have to keep trying."

Simeon nodded.

"I still don't understand how the hell she's under the radar boss. It's like she vanished."

"We have to keep looking"  he laughed a dark laugh"with all my fucking resources you'd think it'd be easy. Fuck I can find men who kill one of ours but I can't find my wife?"

Shaking his head in disbelief he stopped and stood up straight when he realised the teens were starting to walk out of school.

One by one and in various groups the teens walked past him and Simeon. Maybe Keiran didn't come to school today?

"Hey their sexy arse."

And there he is.

"Keiran" Lucas and Simeon both nodded "Jace".

"You know, this is becoming a habit with you Lucas. It's just as well my Jace isn't the jealous type."

Lucas' mouth dropped open as Simeon started to howl with unbridled laughter. Slapping Lucas on the back he laughed at Lucas' discomfort while everyone knew that Keiran was simply winding him up.

What the?

Keiran sighed all of a sudden.

"She doesn't want to see you Lucas."

"Come on Keiran. Where is she?" he pleaded.

"We could go all over this just like we have the last dozen times or you can accept what I'm saying. Tara doesn't want to see you, hear from you or know you. Please Lucas, just drop it. Let her be happy for the first time in her life."

"I can't do that Keiran. I can't just let

her go She's my wife..."

"She's a wife you never really wanted. You broke her Lucas. More than anyone else you broke her apart."

Lucas looked at Keiran as Jace got his attention.

"Keep going babe. Tara doesn't need any more of this guys shit. He's obviously too thick to understand exactly what he did so lay it out for him."

Simeon stepped forward.

"Maybe this isn't the best place to talk about this..."

Lucas nodded.

"Keiran I just want to make things better. Could we go somewhere and talk?"

Keiran looked from Lucas to Simeon and back to Jace again.

"We should do it Ke. It's time he understood."

"Tara still doesn't want to see him babe."

"No but he might leave her alone once he understands her reasons for why she doesn't want to see him."

Lucas froze.

"I'm not going to lie to either of you guys. I have no intention of ever giving up on Tara."

Keiran shook his head sadly.

"If only you thought like that six months ago."

"What do you mean?"

Keiran sighed.

"Look, just meet us at the cafe by the wharf in half an hour."

"Why don't you message me the details..."

Keiran started to laugh.

"And give you my phone number? I have a prepaid number for a reason. So it's not likely... unless..." he waggled his eyebrows and once again Lucas looked horrified.

"God you're easy to tease!" Jace laughed at Lucas as Keiran and Simeon joined in.

Lucas nodded with a small smile on his bright red face and together with Simeon he turned and walked back to his car.

Keiran and Jace stood watching the car drive away and once the tail lights were finally out of sight Keiran turned to look back into the school.

A young male walked out of the front doors. With a blue checkered shirt, dark denim jeans, scuffed joggers and a baseball cap the boy made his way over to Keiran and Jace. He was engulfed by a hug from them both.

The trio jostled, shoved and dodged before making their way to Jace's car. Jace was of course in the drivers seat while Keiran rode shotgun. The third boy took his time to get in after dropping his bag into the boot and closing it.

He turned around and couldn't help but shudder at the burning feeling he got that he was being watched. In his haste he got into the car and knocked off the baseball cap which he quickly bent down to retrieve before they left.

Placing the camera down on the seat beside him Jones started to laugh as he reached for the keys in the ignition.

Lucas was such a dick. She was right under his nose the whole time and the idiot didn't notice.

The smile fell from his face as he remembered the conversation he'd had with Keiran just days after Tara had left with him. He remembered how much he'd begged and pleaded for Keiran to go along with his plan. It was the eventual acceptance that Tara was the wife of a very powerful man with enemies that led him to where he was now. Following, protecting and ready to do whatever was necessary to keep Tara safe. A plan that only he, Adam and Maggie knew about. Between them they made sure that her life went as smoothly as it could.

His phone pinged as he received a message that had him taking a quick glance to see that it was from Keiran.

Damn laws that prevented him from using his phone while driving had him actually itching for the next red light.

Taking her home before meeting Lucas.

*************