Aaron is getting worried. Julie was supposed to be back from shopping hours ago and still isn't here. He has tickets to a play she's been wanting to see and if she doesn't get here soon they'll miss it.

Julie is never out shopping late unless Aiden is forcing her to go with him. They all learned early on to not take Julie shopping. Aiden is the only one that can get her to buy more than just jeans and nice tops. Sometimes. If she is in a good mood when they leave to go shopping. Or Aiden has something to bribe her with.

Julie having a good mood when shopping is more rare than a blue moon. More like having a celestial alignment of the planets kind of rare.

But finding things to bribe Julie with is getting harder and harder.

Julie did take Liam as well as her guards. But now he can't get through to Julie by mind link or by phone. Nor can he get a hold of Liam or the guards or even Aiden.

"Adam, we have a problem." Aaron finally decides that things have waited long enough. This is too unlike Julie.

Adam sighs. Aaron doesn't bother him at work over simple things. "What's the problem now?" It's been a long day and he is or rather was looking forward to going home and relaxing with the kids. For the most part they aren't differentiated by father. The kids all know who their biological father is, that hasn't been kept from them, but all of the Demarco boys treat all the kids as if they are their own.

It's confusing to those that meet them for the first time, when their children go up to one of their uncles and call him dad.

"Julie is overdue from shopping by more than two hours. I can't get a hold of her, Liam or her guards or Aiden."

"Shit!" Adam knows that Aaron has already tried the link. He wouldn't have called if he hadn't. "How long over due is she exactly?"

"She said that she would be back no later than four." Adam looks at the clock, it is now six thirty.

"I'll send out the guards. Have someone look over the security footage of where Julie was expected to go. See if we can't at least get an idea of where to start."

Adam is back at the house as soon as he's able to get his orders out and order his secretary to cancel the rest of his meetings for the rest of the week.

When the phone rings he answers immediately.

Everyone is watching Adam carefully. Word had gotten round that Julie is missing and no one wants to draw Adam's attention to them self.

"What did you find?" Adam demands foregoing pleasantries.

Adam listens intently. Suddenly he yells out, "Shit!" and throws down his phone. Everyone watches as the phone dents the stone flooring before being smashed into bits.

"Better get that repaired before Julie gets home, she likes the marble tile." Alex says softly, but in the astounded silence following Adam's shout, his words ring like bells, loud and clear.

Aaron gives Alex a dark look before turning to Adam, "What did they say?"

"It was the guards. They found Julie's car. The door was open and Liam was killed. They found her other body guards hidden in the stairwell of the parking garage where they found the car. There is no sign of Julie. The camera's in the parking garage were disabled shortly after Julie and Liam and Aiden were spotted returning to the car."

"So we don't know who did this?" By now all the brothers are angry and their wives hold onto them with worried and fearful looks in their eyes.

"No and there's no sign of Aiden either."

"Well at least he isn't dead like the others," Alex murmurs.

"But then why aren't there more bodies?" This time it's Michelle that dares to speak. Aiden might not have the same vicious reputation that the older Demarco's have, but he is a nasty and deadly fighter. People tend to forget that when it comes to him because of the light hearted image he projects.

"That's a good question, Michelle. One I would very much like to know myself." Adam says before he starts pacing around the hall. This goes on for what seems like eternity, but most likely is only about twenty minutes or so.

Suddenly Adam stops pacing and looks off into space.

After staring off into space for some time Adam relaxes. "I just talked to Aiden. They knocked him out when they attacked. But they are only human and don't know that they need more to keep us down. He said that they were able to kill Liam only due to the shock of the surprise attack. He figures that the guards were likely shot although he's not sure since he was out at the time.

"He woke up after they left but not before they were out of sight. Because of traffic he was easily able to keep up with the vehicle. He gave me an address and said to hurry. He's not sure if they used drugs on Julie or not. If they did they might have used the same shit that she's allergic to." They all blanch at that. Julie almost died from that.

The boys' didn't waste any more time and immediately follow Adam out of the house and off to where Julie is being held.

The remaining wives go up to the nursery to tell the children what happened and to wait there for further news. All they can do is hope that the idiots didn't use the drug that Julie is allergic to and they all make it home safe.

The kids don't take long to get over the shock of the news and go back to their school work or playing. They have their step mothers help them out and that helps them take their minds off what is happening to Julie.

Amy, Arthur's daughter goes over to Michelle and wipes her tears away. "Don't worry mom, dad will get mommy back." This might sound strange to an outsider but like with the brothers, Michelle and Sarah are considered mother's. Aiden's wife is as well to an extent, but she doesn't have much of a bond with the children, preferring adults to converse with.

Michelle gathers Amy into her arms and holds her. She can't help the tears that fall even as she says reassuring words back. "I know, baby, but I miss your mother. We've been friends for so long. She's the reason I met your daddy."

"Really?" Amy's eyes brighten. She's never heard how her father met Michelle.

"Really." Michelle places Amy more comfortably on her lap. "Would you like to hear the story?"

"Yes, please."

Michelle starts the story on how Julie first then Michelle came into contact with the Demarco boys. Soon all the kids are gathered round her as they listen to how their father's met their mother and they are enthralled by the story.