Prison Bound

Prologue

Ten years earlier...

POV: Grace

"Mikhael don't go.!" I begged running down the steps of our country estate. It was 3:00 in the morning, the night should have been peaceful with the sounds of the crickets and occasional sound of the owl. The fireflies were out, the stars were shining, everything was implying all was well. But my family was falling apart and I didn't know how to stop it. "Please!" I gasped out of breath reaching for his arm only for him to jerk away. "Don't Grace." He paused holding me by the shoulders. "Don't, It's to late, too late for apologizes, to late to go back." He smiled softly but with sorrow. "No its not." I cried. "Don't say that!" I couldn't look at him, I was starting to cry. I hated to cry, it was one of the few trait's that I despised about myself and I refused to let myself give into the tears no matter how much my heart was breaking. "It doesn't matter, people fight sometimes, its what families do." Shaking my head trying to make sense of everything that was happening. "Sis, its not your job to fix everything, you can stop being my big sister, I'm not little anymore remember?" He smiled. "Your the one on the smaller side." He said trying to lighten the mood. I knew what he was doing and I also knew that he was going to leave no matter what I said. Father had always been stern with us kids but he always seemed to be especially hard on Mikhael. And tonight was no exception. When Mikhaels ex-girlfriend had shown up declaring to be carrying his child. Mikhael denied it and said she was lying. The girl went into hysterics crying and begging Mikhael to take her back. When it didn't work she turned and pleaded with my Father to make him. And when she realized Mikhael wouldn't do it. "What if I am telling the truth?" She taunted. "What will it look like to your Fathers political career to have this kind of skeleton in his family closet." She smiled cruelly. "You stupid..." My Mother cut my brother off with a calm hand. "My dear." Mother said calmly walking towards the girl. "You and I both know the child's not my sons." The girl tried interrupting my Mother but calm as always Mother silenced her again with another graceful hand. "Now I know your young and your probably scared, you have your whole life ahead of you. And quiet frankly dear, I don't believe you know what to do. So I am going to assist and help you to make sure nothing detrimental happens. Alright?" Mother finished softly looking down at the girl who taken a seat in one of the white gold trimmed chairs. The young girl refused to make eye contact with anyone in the room. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights and didn't know where to go. I knew the child wasn't my brothers, he had broken up with Crystal 3 months ago and he hadn't been with her in at least 5 months. Mikhael had been with our Father on one of his trips learning the Family business months ago and didn't make it back until two weeks ago. The girl simply wasn't smart, she was known around town as the local girl who was loose and always looking for one of the young rich boys to show her a good time for her favors. "Crystal?" Mother said softly. "There's a wonderful place down south I think you should go." Mother stated. "Grace, go get Peters." Levi Peters was our Chauffeur/Bodyguard. He went with us kids everywhere, we were hardly out of sight. He was like a third parent. I don't remember a moment in my life when he wasn't there. One day my brother had came back from school with a black eye when he was twelve, complements of the school bully. That's when Peters caught us in the back garden, I was trying to cheer Mikhael up by trying  to teach him how to fight but I was failing dreadfully. I didn't know a thing other then to aim for the nose or boyhood. Mikhael had just hit me in the stomach missing my imaginary boyhood entirely. And from the willow tree we heard Peters laugh as he came our way. "So you two want to learn to fight or defend yourselves?" He asked. "Both!" Mikhael and I answered with enthusiasm. "Alright, first off. You need to know that your opponent will never show mercy, he's not fighting for play, he wants to end you." Peters swung at Mikhael barely missing his head as Mikhael ducked. "Hey!" Mikhael shouted. "What was that!?" Peters smiled. "Lesson one, stay on your toes." Peters swung backward with his right foot and knocked my feet out from underneath me landing me on my backside. "And lesson two, suspect everyone, every move, glance and never underestimate your opponent. Everyone is capable and has the ability of a dark side, the question is, can you see theirs?" And is there a lesson three?" I asked dusting off my backside. Peter looked between us both seriously. "Lesson three is one in the same, yet different between you. Mikhael." He paused. "Never underestimate the power of a woman. With a woman you must keep your mind sharp, you cannot battle her with fists but with this." He said tapping his head. "And Grace, you will always be weaker than your brother. You must learn to move faster and smarter, this will enable you in having to fight less and give you the upper hand in defeating your opponent. And always if you two can avoid the fight do it. But if you can't, make sure and end them. Show no mercy, absolutely none. For if you do, it will be your end." Peters stated firmly. And that was the beginning of our lessons, from hand to hand combat, martial arts and weaponry. We learned the difference between a 1911 and Glock, along with multiple knifing techniques. He was like a live in James Bond. I always felt safe wherever we went. As I got older and went to my friends parties, I would look at some of their bodyguards and realized they were nothing like Peters. Peters was 6'1 and stocky framed. He was silent most of the time but when he spoke it was with a gruffness that frightened most people. There was an air about him that warned others to stay away and the few that didn't regretted it instantly. I didn't know how Peters came to be with us and I didn't care, he had grown to apart of our family. Peter saw the little things that others overlooked or just simply didn't pick up on. His observation skills were amazing. And as time went on in our training he shared them with Mikhael and myself. I knew he had a past, of what I didn't know. It didn't matter, Peters was our friend and my knight in armor whenever some rich snob bothered me. He was our third parent...  When I finally made it back to the house with Peters my brother was storming out and passing me on the steps with a bag and Father was yelling after him to not come back when he couldn't make it on his own. "Go!" Peters whispered. " I'll take care of this. Go after your brother." Peters said before climbing the rest of the steps and disappearing into the house.  "Mikhael you'll always be my little brother. No matter what you are my baby brother." I looked up at him. "Hey sis don't cry." He said wiping a tear. "We'll stay in touch, nothings going to change. Give Mom a kiss for me." And with a hug and goodbye my brother was gone, he turned and walked into the night. I believed what he said but I had a deep doubt and weight in my heart that told me it would be years before I would see him again. And, oh how I prayed to the Father that I was wrong... "I'll make this better Mikhael, I promise." I just didn't know it would be many years later before I would be able to fulfill that promise...