What is Love?

Long Term Plans

NICHOLAS

*RING*RING*RING* I wake up to see my phone ringing, so I answer without really thinking. All I can think about is how I'm going to be a father.

"Hello?" I say whispering. I have no wish to wake up Diana. I still can't believe my father would do such a thing as to threaten me and my family!

"NICK!? Where are you? You were supposed to be at the jet an hour ago!" Crap, Diana distracted me.

"Plans have changed. Meet me in the conference room in 20 minutes with everyone except Diana." There is silence on the phone for a while.

"Even, MJ?"

"Yes, she's a key component to my plan. Make sure she brings her laptop." With that said, I hang up and get dressed, straightening out my suit, so I look more presentable.

I sit down at the edge of the bed and stare at Diana sleeping. She's so beautiful and foolishly brave. I chuckle to myself because when I first saw her walking into that bar, she was scowling in my direction as if to kill me with her glare. I guess now I know the full reason as to why.

I place my hand on her stomach and smile. I hope it's a boy. I don't want to have a girl if it means killing all of her boyfriends along the way. I'd rather have a boy then a girl, that way he can be the one punching any guy that tries to get near her.

I get up and leave the room, quietly closing the door to my chambers. I have to hope she stays asleep until the end of the meeting. I don't want her to know about my plans because she may very well try to stop me.

As I walk into the conference room, I see that everyone is present, along with Diana's adoptive big brother Josh. What is he doing here?

"Jack, why is the pig here? Shouldn't it have stayed outside or with it's friends sniffing around for information?" I say clenching my jaw, ticked off. I've never liked cops, especially ones trying to keep my carrot cake away from me. I love my carrot cake.

"I'm here to see Diana. I frankly don't give a one horses ass on what this meeting is about. And I have no intentions on staying in this house longer than I need to." He says in a confident and calm voice. Too calm, hmm.

"Very well, then you don't mind if my men give you a tour of the house. More specifically, the basement." I wave my hand in his direction and two or three guards drag him out of the room.

I take a glance at everyone's faces and they're all looking down at the table or away from me. This is precisely what they do to my father during a meeting. Do i really act like my father?!

"Why did you want me and my laptop in here? Cause if it has anything to do with the G.I.'s accounts, I'm not helping you." Says Mica defiantly. I really wish she wasn't Diana's sister. I would have been able to kill her pointblank and not lose any sleep over it.

"No, it has nothing to do with that. All I want from you, is help setting up a conference call with your boyfriend, Alexander."

"That's ex boyfriend if I have anything to say about it!" Growls out, Ryder.

"You don't have any say over it! But, yes I guess I could do that for you, for a price." She says looking at her nails, her legs propped up on the table.

"What do you want?" Asks Vanessa.

"I want a new room. One where I don't have to sleep with or get tortured by man whore over here." I smile and realize she wasn't specific enough to say her old room back. Oh, I'll give her a room alright. A room that I was going to give to Diana before I changed my mind.

"Deal, how long will it take to set it up." She starts to type on her computer really fast then presses a button. I can only assume enter. She presses enter like it's the button that sets off a bomb. I guess you could say this is sort of similar to that situation. This call could set off world war III.

The projector screen on the wall turns on to show a blue background and in the middle of the screen is the word "calling" and a "...". I sure as hope this plan works, or there definitely will be a war.

"What the...?! Who are.....honey mustard, is that you?" Asks the man on the screen looking at Mica and totally ignoring the rest of us. I glance over at Ryder to see him angry. If this was a cartoon he would have smoke billowing out of his ears and nostrils.

"Yes, it's me."

"Have they hurt you?" She doesn't answer him immediately and looks at Ryder as if she's scared of what he'll do if she says something out of line. I would actually find this love triangle quite amusing, but given the situation, I don't.

"No, not physically." Well, she's not lying about that.

"As much as I hate to break up this lovers chat, I would like to talk business. Perhaps even give you a chance to have your honey mustard back home."

"I've done enough research to know that the deals your family make, end only in death. So no, I won't listen to any business proposals."

"You're mistaking me for my father. I don't make one sided deals for my own selfish reasons. I make negotiations and mutual agreements that entail proper management. So, please listen to what I have to offer." I pour myself some scotch and sit down leaning back in my chair, facing him.

"I'm listening."

"On behalf of myself and my fiance, I would like to invite you and your boss into my home to discuss details of an alliance or a war, but that's your decision to make." He raises an eyebrow in curiosity then proceeds to light himself a cigar.

"You say this is on behalf of Diana, yet why is she the only one out of everyone in that hell hole, not in the room? Does she not agree with this proposition? If my Queen is not in that room and not apart of this conversation in lets say..." He checks his watch. "...about 10 minutes, I will personally declare this an act of war." I chuckle. I stand up and make my way over to Jaden, stopping behind her and placing my hands on her tense shoulders.

"I'm afraid you misunderstood. I simply wish for you to come as a wedding present for Diana. After all, I have come to the understanding that only you know she is alive. In addition, this alliance that I am proposing does not have anything to do with a marriage contract. No, I wish to make an alliance because we have a common enemy." MJ tries to get out of my grip on her shoulders but my grip tightens.

"What enemy?"

"Who else, but the very man that I call father." He starts to laugh, but stops realizing that I am not joking.

"You must be joking! You expect me to believe you want your own father dead!? Even if you are telling the truth, why would you want him dead? How do I know that after we do kill him, if we succeed, that you won't just kill us afterwards?" He asks in a skeptical manner.

"My personal reasons, are my own. Let's just say he has become a liability that I have no interest on keeping. As for after he's gone, by that time Diana and I will be married. You and your boss will have nothing to worry about as long as you pledge your allegiance and alliances to the both of us. The specifics will be discussed when you visit. Do we have a deal?" I say emphasizing the words "both of us". I let go of Jaden's shoulders and walk back to my seat, taking a huge gulp of my drink.

"What if we refuse?"

"I'm sure Honey mustard here could live without a limb or a few fingers." At the corner of my eye I see Jaden move her hands behind her back. As if that could stop me. As for Ryder and the others, they stay silent. I have no doubt that as soon as the video call ends, I'm going to get an ear full of constant bickering.

"I'll find a way to persuade him. Jaden?"

"Yes, Lex?"

"Make me some of your homemade brownies if we visit?"

"I'd love nothing more." The screen goes black.

"WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING?! ARE YOU INSANE?!" Shouts Alonzo.

"I'll tell you later. Right now I have a future brother in law of mine in the basement waiting for me." With that said, I walk out of the room ignoring their stares.