Dirty Collar

She sighed, "Mostly is."

Jjk

She wouldnt answer him. Colin stood up angrily.

"Alex! Why wont you answer?"

"Spend less time with men like David Keller and maybe it won't be." He said pointedly.

Julianna rolled her eyes, "A cons a con. It's not like I'm going to date a suit." She chuckled a little.


***

"I said I'm having a baby. Alone." She repeated.

Tom laughed, "Honey, he aint gotta be a suit to be a better choice."

Kjk

"So it is mine?" She looked at him stoically so he raised his voice slightly, "answer me now, woman!"

"Or what Colin? Yes it is your fucking child!!" She yelled angrily.

"You lot are all the same." Julianna laughed. She didn't trust anyone, except maybe Alex.

***

Colin calmed, "Then there's no need to be raising a baby alone."

Tom smirked, "not true."

Kjk

Alex laughed, "i have enough enemies. Add yours to the list and the kid is screwed."

Julianna smiled at him. He was charming as hell, just the kind of man she avoided. "You know we can fence this piece for 10 million." She was referring to the art they wanted to steal while taking Keller down.

***

Colin sighed, "We can leave. Anything. I'm not that man. I won't desert my child."

Tom nodded happily, "oh and it will be so rewarding."

Kjk

Alex nodded, "Maybe...i dont know."

Shortly after dinner Tom was exhausted. He thanked her for the meal and told her he'd call the next day. Tom glanced around before leaving but didn't see David. As David watched Tom leave his girlfriend's brownstone he grew angry. After Tom was long gone he let himself into Julianna's.

"What the fuck was Hardy doing here?" David snapped when he found her in the living room.

"He had an art question." She was trying to lie quickly.

***

Colin sighed, "Please."

He didnt believe her, "stop your fucking lying."

Jjk

Alex sighed, "im tired, col. Of everything. Please just go to bed with me."

"He was probably trying to dig for tips to better his forgeries." Julianna said as she stood.

David rolled his eyes, "No woman of mine has men at her house alone at night, understand?" He hissed.

"Excuse me?" She raised an eyebrow, trying to stay calm, "I do not take kindly to orders."

***

Colin nodded and out an arm around her, "Lets rest."

David scoffed and slapped her. He shoved her against the wall and held her throat tightly, "Never fucking again. Do. You. Understand?"

)()

Colin held her tightly. He felt like he was where he belonged.

"Yes." She choked.

He let her go, "Good. Now lets go to bed. I'm tired." Julianna took a few deep breaths as they went to bed. She hadn't exactly expected this. Luckily David had a meeting early that morning and left a little after dawn. She tried to cover the bruise on her cheek and marks on her neck but failed miserably.

"Fuck." Julianna said as she arrived to meet Alex, the same time as Tom. She quickly knocked on the door as he approached and pulled her large sunglasses closer to her face, which did nothing.

"Why are you bruised?" Tom asked immediately as he reached the door.

"It's nothing." She said quickly, knocking again. Waking Colin and Alex this time.

Alex jumped up and ran a brush through her hair. She jumped into a pair of sweats and a tshirt thst read FBI. Colin looked at her sleepily, "i will get the door."

Colin let them in quickly, "Bloody hell. What happened to you?" He asked as they came in.

"Did Keller do this?" Tom asked immediately following.

Julianna nodded as she said, "Guys I'm fine." At this point Alex walked into the room as well.

"What happened?" Alex asked.

"David saw Tom leaving my apartment last night. I told him Tom just had an art question but I guess David is more controlling than I realized and he got mad I had a man over alone at night." Julianna explained.

"So he beat you?" Tom asked disgusted, "I oughta just fucking kill him now."

"No. He slapped me." She corrected, "He pushed me against the wall, holding my throat. He was just trying to assert his dominance. Really I'm fine." Then she turned to Alex, "Don't worry. We didn't break up. He spent the night. I can still get you everything you need."

Alex nodded agreement.

"No fucking way!" Both men began voicing their protests. The were criminals but woman beating was punishable by death in their eyes.

"She needs to stay with him in order for all this to work." Alex said slowly.

"No." Tom argued, "It's Keller. He'll do this again!"

Alex rolled her eyed, "he isnt going hurt her for a while again. He will be kissing ass."

Colin glared at her, "We shouldn't risk it."

"I can take care of myself!" Julianna finally spoke up.

Tom snapped, "Not if your main goal is not causing a break up!"

Julianna rolled her eyes, "i will do what i have to to help alex."

"Thank you." Alex nodded.

"This is fucked up.." Tom grumbled.

Colin nodded, "i completely agree with tom."

"Good fucking thing that your opinion does not matter." Alex snapped.

"She doesn't NEED to be helping you." Tom growled.

"Yet I am." Julianna sighed, she wanted to put David in jail for the rest of his life. His illegal weapons dealings caused harm to many people, "I'm also twenty five damned years old and a grown woman so if you both would RELAX!" The last bit was directed at Tom and Colin.

Alex rubbed her temple. She was getting a headache and feeling slihhtly nauseous.