Alexis and Viola left with Greg following close behind after receiving the orders from Ric on keeping a watchful on his family. Greg, one of Ric's men who had been with him the longest, he felt comfortable in leaving his family in Greg's care. He knew Greg would lay down his life for Alexis and the children, just as he would for Ric.

Alexis had been only gone a few minutes before Marcus announced to Ric that Sonny had arrived. Sonny stepped into the foyer of the penthouse and Ric greeted him. Sonny laid his overcoat across the back of the sofa with Ric leading the way into the living room.

"So what can you tell me about last night?" Ric asked as he offered his brother a seat on the couch.

"Other than there's a new threat in town .... apparently a Miami family is looking to gain our territory."

"I gathered that much from what I read in the newspaper. Any idea who the family is?"

"I'm expecting a report shortly." Sonny replied checking his cell phone.

"Yeah so am I." Ric went to the door and asked Marcus to come inside.

"You told the men I wanted to see them, right?" Ric asked of Marcus.

"I did sir, they should all be here shortly." Marcus replied just as they heard some men in the hallway.

"Show them in Marcus." Ric ordered and Sonny stood up from his seat.

Marcus invited into the penthouse 6 of Ric's men, Thomas, Davis, Frank, Mario, Tony, Leo and Ian. The six men stood before their boss, who was not looking at all happy, and they knew a reprimand from him was coming for all of them.

"It has come to my attention that there is a dangerous threat coming after mine and Sonny's territory and I called all of you here to make sure the orders I give are carried out. There is no room for mistakes .... mistakes right now could and will put my family in more danger."

"Yes sir..." the six men answered in unison

"I need a detail on the vehicles, as well as at the warehouse, Alexis's office and here at the penthouse. I want the tightest security until further notice. Got that?!"

"Yes sir.." they replied.

"Good .... now .... Thomas and Frank, I need you at the warehouse with Johnny taking care of the shipments. Davis and Mario, I need you with Alexis around the clock, I want the two of you to become her shadow, do not let her out of your sight. Tony and Leo will be on vehicle detail along with Derek. Ian and Greg will be with me and Marcus will keep the penthouse secure. I want up to date reports from all of you every hour."

"Yes sir ..." the men acknowledged their orders

"Davis and Mario stay here, the rest of you can leave." Ric ordered and the men left, leaving Davis and Mario with Ric and Sonny.

Davis and Mario stood in front of Ric waiting for orders from him.

"I asked the two of you to stay because Alexis and the children are a top priority. There is no room for mistakes or miscalculations. They are my family and the two of you need to know just how important of a job this is."

"Yes sir, we understand." Davis replied as Marcus opened the door and Alexis with Viola and the children came back from their walk.

"Good, you're back." Ric replied as he went and greeted his wife with a kiss.

"You said we should give you a little private time with the men. I didn't want to stay away too much longer, Emma should be laid down soon for her nap." Alexis replied and she acknowledged Mario and Davis.

"Daddy ..." Kristina said as she clung onto Ric's pant leg.

"Hi sweetheart." Ric said as he picked her up and into his arms.

"Mario and Davis are going to be with you, Alexis. I do hope you won't be giving them any grief."

"Are they for me too, Daddy?"

"Yes sweetheart, they are." Ric replied and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"You do know this is no way to raise the children, right?" Alexis upset took Kristina from Ric's arms after passing Emma to Viola. "Bodyguards on us all the time...."

"Alexis, please ... can we not get into this now? You know Mario and Davis are here to keep you safe."

"I'm in danger in my home, is what you're telling me?!" Alexis getting more upset at the thought of having two guards inside their home.

"Look, Marcus will be outside the door ... Mario and Davis are for the times you need to go out. Let's not make this any more difficult."

"Yeah, okay." Alexis stormed up the stairs with Kristina, and Viola following behind her.

Ric counted to himself ... "1 .... 2 ... 3 ...." and then heard the bedroom door slam upstairs and he jerked at the sound.

"Is she always like this?" Sonny asked.

"Not usually."

"I'll wait for you in your office." Sonny said as he nudged Ric to go after Alexis and talk to her.

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Alexis sat on the bed and frustrated with the situation began to cry. Kristina crawled up on the bed with her and gave her a hug. "Don't cry, Mommy." the child said as Alexis held her tight in her arms.

"Listen, don't you worry about Mommy, okay? Maybe you want to show Viola what Daddy bought you yesterday?"

Kristina looked at her confused. "You know the new game Daddy brought home for you?" Alexis replied and gave a wink to Viola.

"Come on sweetie, show me the new game you got..." Viola said as she reached for Kristina's hand.

Alexis wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at Kristina as Viola led her out the door. She heard Ric coming up the steps as she took a tissue from the box on the nightstand and dabbed her eyes. Ric walked in and closed the door behind him. Alexis reached for the tissue box and threw it in his direction. He ducked as it whizzed by his head and hit the door. It fell to the floor at his feet and he picked it up.

"I guess I should feel lucky this wasn't the lamp, huh?" he joked.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Ric!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. Can we at least talk about this?" he replied as he set the box of kleenex back on the nightstand.

"You want to talk .... I don't know if I'm in the right mind to talk about this, Ric!" she pushed herself away from him and walked to the other side of the room as he reached for her.

"Now don't be like this, Alexis."

"Don't be like what? Upset? Worried? Oh, that's rich."

"Look, I know this situation upsets you, it does me too. I don't like keeping guards on my family 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But I have to, to keep you safe." Ric replied trying to make her understand.

He tried to wrap his arms around her to comfort her but she wiggled away from him, wiping the tears from her eyes with the tissue she held in her hand.

"This happens every time there's a threat in town, and I am about tired of it, Ric! I'm just sick and tired of all of it!"

"What would you like me to do about it?! I'm doing all I can right now to protect you and the children!"

"What I would like for you to do, is the impossible."

"You mean get out of the business?"

"Yes that's what I mean!"

"You know as well as I do that won't happen. I can't leave, Alexis! The best I can do is do what I can to keep the family safe from the danger, and that means body guards on you and the children constantly."

"Do you even know the threat this time?!"

"No, which makes this all the more dangerous for you and the children."

Alexis seemed to be calming down a bit and Ric went to embrace her. She accepted his arms around her and held on to him tightly. "I'm sorry sweetheart, what about you and children going to one of the safe houses for a while, at least till all this is done?"

She pulled back from him and sniffled back the tears. "What about you?" she asked with concern.

"I have to stay here and figure out who is after the territory. You, Viola and the children should go to the cabin, it's only an hour from here. I can send Mario and Davis with you and I'll be sure to see you every night." he offered to her an alternative.

"Can't Sonny handle this without you? I want to know your safe from all this?"

"I know you do, but Sonny and I need to handle this situation together. It's our territory that is threatened not just mine. Look, you can slip out of town this afternoon. The cabin is stocked with a few months worth of food, and I'll bring some things later tonight, okay?"

Alexis thought about her husband's offer and decided it would be best for her and the children to get out of town and away from the danger that threatened them. She nodded her head in agreement and a crooked smile came across Ric's face. He breathed a sigh of relief that his family would be safe from harm ..... this time. He gave her a kiss and left her alone in the bedroom while he went to give instructions to Mario and Davis who were still waiting in the living room.

Alexis went down the hallway to Kristina's room to find Viola and Kristina playing a game on the floor. "Viola, we're going to have to pack some things for the children. Could you go and pack a bag for Emma, please?"

"Sure, Alexis ...." Viola replied as she got up off the floor and handed Emma to Alexis.

"Where we goin' Mommy?" Kristina asked as Alexis went for her daughter's suit case that was in the closet.

"We're going on a little trip." Alexis replied as she opened up the empty case on the bed.

"Daddy coming with us, too?" the child asked as she watched her Mommy fill the case with clothes.

"No sorry, sweetie. This trip is just for you, Emma, Viola and Mommy."

"No Daddy? Not at all?" Kristina replied ready to cry.

"Daddy will be coming to see us tonight, but we need to leave soon. Can you get some of your toys to take with us?"

"Are we goin' for a long time, Mommy?"

"No not too long .... I hope."

"Where are we goin'?"

"We're going to someplace safe."

"Isn't here with Daddy a safe place?" Kristina asking her usually 20 questions.

"Sweetheart can we just get ready to go, Mommy will explain later, okay?"

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Ric headed down stairs to give instructions to Mario and Davis who stood waiting for him in the living room. Sonny emerged from the office and met up with Ric before the guards were dismissed.

"Alexis and the children with Viola are going to be staying at the cabin. I need the two of you to keep watch on them for the duration. I will join them when I can, hopefully later tonight."

"Yes sir."

"Now, I'll have Derek drive all of you there and the two of you do not leave the cabin till I get there."

"Yes sir."

"Who's idea was this?" Sonny asked as Mario and Davis left the penthouse with their orders.

"Mine. Alexis and the children will be safer at the cabin then here at the penthouse. I'll be with her later, she'll be fine till I get there."

Sonny agreed with Ric on the plans for his family. The two of them headed back to the office to discuss strategy against this unknown enemy that now threatened them, their families, and their territory.