The Bait (Tessa)

It had taken two weeks for Damien to reach out, and in those two weeks Tessa and Jackson had been going on as normal. Tessa went to work to keep up appearances while Jackson worked form his room, attending to what he could and delegating what he could not. Victoria had been put in charge of picking up Sasha and showing her into Jackson's home. The wizard had just about managed to send her a quick welcome message before returning to the task at hand.

The message came in the form of an anonymous text with nothing but a time and a location. Not wanting to bother Tessa, Jackson had shown up alone and unarmed. He wasn't expecting to meet Damien on the first try, no, the man probably wanted to see if Jackson came alone or with a bunch of cops. He must have been satisfied though because an hour later, Jackson received a second text saying he could leave.

Once again, Jackson did not share the information with Tessa over dinner because she didn't need to worry until they had something to worry about. Two days later, a different anonymous number send a time and location, and on cue, Jackson showed up. Once again, he waited an hour before he was told to leave. Damien was vetting him thoroughly it appeared.

When a third message appeared the next day, instead of following suit, Jackson texted back immediately. "Stop fucking around, Dam, I'm here for ya." His phone went quiet for a few minutes before the same anonymous number texted back. "Fine".

Now was the time to begin coordination, starting with Tessa. Using the special phone he had been given by the police to ensure secure communication, Jackson called the new CEO of Fox.

"Hey T, he's on the move, can you come home please? Jim, Chief Broady and the rest are meeting us here in half an hour."

Tessa was now the CEO of Fox network. She was glad that her father in law came to his sense once he learned that Damien was stealing from him. This was a victory for her and she was going to take what she could get. This was way of Damien to pay for everything that he done to her. And she knew that his mistress would live him when he didn’t have anymore money. And she wouldn’t take Damien back after this. But she wasn’t going to think about that now. Now she had to think about how she was going to make him pay. Being named CEO was just the tip of the iceburg.

Jackson had called her as she was getting ready to leave the office. She then answered her cell phone. “ Hey Jackson I was actually just getting ready to leave the office.” Tessa made sure to keep everything short and sweet. Once she was was finished talking to him she then got her driver. Soon Tessa was on her way to Greene Mansion.

When Tessa sued him she was on ehr way home, Jackson set about calling and texting everyone else who was involved. This would be a true operation on their part, getting Damien to confess and putting him away for a long, long time. By the time Tessa reached home, the drawing room was once again arranged (with the help of Randi) to accommodate multiple people.

The CEO's car was the first to pull into the driveway and Jackson was glad for that, he would now have time to tell her everything before the authorities got here too. The politician greeted Tessa jovially when she entered going to give her a warm hug before drawing away from her,

"I think we're nearly there," he informed her, leading her by the hand to the living room. "Damien's been calling me this last week, trying to suss me out. And I think he's finally ready to talk."

Tessa was suing Damien for everything that he was worth. And that still wouldn't pay for everything that he did. Her driver was pulling up into the driveway. She was ready for whatever Jackson had plan. As she knew that he had been working on this. Once she was there she got out of the car. Tessa smiled as she walked over to Jackson. She then gave him a hug as she heard they were almost there.

“ I will be glad when this is all over and can put it behind.” Jackson then was leading her into the living room. “ I just want to see his face when this all goes done.” Tessa knew that would be the cherry on top. But she wanted him to go through as much pain as she was in. Soon it was going to be over and she could get on with her life. And she knew that it was going to be amazing. Tessa then was waiting to see what she had to do. As Damien had no idea that she was here.

"Well T, that's the beauty of it, you might be able to see his face when he realizes he's been duped after all," Jackson revealed with a grin, setting her down on the couch as he explained the rest of the plan.

"See, Damien thinks he's so smart. He thinks he can survale us and make it look shady but what he doesn't know is that I would never turn on you. He's meeting me tonight and I'm going to be wearing several wires giving you and our police friends audio and video feeds of our conversation. Everything he says to me in private will go on record." And Jackson had a feeling Damien had a lot to say.

"However, I was going to suggest we bring in your father in law too, as additional proof. Just to ensure Old Man Greene's heart doesn't melt in future. How do you feel about him listening in as well as you and the police?"

Tessa was grinning when Jackson said that she might get to see Damien’s face. “ Oh, this is going to be a glorious thing to see.” She then listened to the rest of this plan.

“ I will be glad when this is all over and can put it behind.” Jackson then was leading her into the living room. “ I just want to see his face when this all goes done.” Tessa knew that would be the cherry on top. But she wanted him to go through as much pain as she was in. Soon it was going to be over and she could get on with her life. And she knew that it was going to be amazing. Tessa then was waiting to see what she had to do. As Damien had no idea that she was here.

Tessa then listened as Jackson suggested that she brings her father in law in this. It would make sense as this could help them out. And Tessa knew she would love the shocked look on Damien's face. “ I am all for it Jackson.”

"Alright, our friends at the LAPD are on their way," Jackson moved on once the witch agreed to call in her father in law as reassurance that they would only have to go through all this once. Undercover work really wasn't for him, the politician reflected as he heard cars moving into the Greene's driveway, no sirens as discussed. Anyone watching them would just assume Tessa was having a party.

"Okay babe, game face on," Jackson directed, dipping his head low for a second and grazing her cheeks with his lips, a final kiss before the showdown. "The men are going to set up shop hear, rig their machines and suit me up. While they do that, you go call your boss and father in law. Let's put this all to bed."

And he meant it, after today, Tessa would never have to worry about Damien Greene ever again, and neither would anyone else. The doorbell chimed just as he finished speaking, and Jackson could hear Randi going to open the door for their guests.

It was showtime.

Tessa nodded her head as Jackson said that LAPD was on there way. She was trying to show that she wasn’t a bit nervous. Tessa was scared because she knew that there was a lot riding on this plan. They have come too far to turn back. And she would have to play her part. Oh, how Damien was stupid. And to think he was the one that cheated on her. If he was smart he would have kept it in his pants. Everything that was going to happen was going to be his fault. And she didn’t feel sorry for one bit.

She laughed a little when Jackson said that it was time for their game face. This was a serious matter and Tessa was going to do her best to look serious. “ Let’s hope that this goes smoothly.” Tessa really didn't expect Jackson to give her a kiss on the check. But she wasn’t going to lie and say that she didn’t like it. He was going to be a married man to Sasha. And he was her ex-husband now ex-friend. Tessa then listened as Jackson told her what to do. “ Ok, I am going to go call him from another room.” She didn’t want Damien to know that she was there.

“ Good luck Jackson I know you are going to make sure that this goes smooth.” She gave him a confident smile before she left the room to make a phone call to her father in law.

As soon as Tessa left to call ehr father in law, the police was shown into the house. A general round of greeting commenced as was normal. Jim had traveled all the way from Milwoukee despite Jackson's assurance that he didn't have to. The man had simply stated that Preethi could use a few days in the sun, and she had come along in hopes of seeing the politician's lawyer.

Once Tessa returned tot eh living room, Jackson introduced ehr to everyone. "Tessa, police chief Broady, Milwaukee Wizards-No Mag Relations Head Jim Sarbh, Detective Marcus Bell on loan from the NYPD Major Cases Division and Mr. Alex Quinn, he consults in finance forensics. He's the reason we were able to find Damien was siphoning money from the company. I met him and his lovely partner at an art gallery opening some years back, she is quite gifted."

Consultant Quinn raised a point of conjecture but before they could, Jackson's phone rang again, steeping the room into silence.

Once Chief Broady had given the all clear signal, Jackson picked up the call.

"Did I forget your birthday, Blake?" Damien did not sound as confrontational as he had down previously, they had caught him in a good mood. through the machine, Damien's voice rang around the whole room. "Or do you just hate me?"

Jackson let out as natural a laugh as he could. "Shouldda known you were spying on your old home, you bastard," the man replied good naturally before adding "Nah, your wife has some of her kitty party people over. Seriously, what the fuck is a kitty party man?"

"Just another reason for these cunts to get together and bitch about their husbands," Damien replied casually. "Good for nothing bitches, no good in the kitchen, no good in the sack. Heard you're getting married too, watch out she doesn't become like Tessa."

"But you didn't call me to tell me just that, did you Dam?"

"Nah, I was wondering if you could skip the pussy fest and meet me behind Dawners, like old times?"

"Sure, I can be there in fifteen."

"See ya." the entire room heard the call go dead. Jackson waited once again until the chief's signal before putting down his own phone. His eyes swiveled instantly to Tessa's, making sure she was okay.

Tessa was seeing red. As she couldn’t believe that Damien had the nerve to say what he did about her. Oh, how he was ready to make him pay and end his words. The only thing that she could do what stand there and say nothing. All she wanted to do at this point was the cry. As if Damien didn’t do enough to hurt her. That cut her deep like their marriage meant nothing to him. But he proved that when he started to see his mistress. She knew that she had to keep quiet or the cover could have been blown.

Sometimes she wished that Damien was gone. She wouldn’t actually kill him because it would be too messy and too many questions. And she didn’t feel like spending the rest of her life in prison. So this was the only way to get even with him. Jackson then looked at her when he had got the signal it was ok. But she really had no idea. Because that was no way to ever talk to a woman. She didn’t even care that Damien did. Tessa was hurt and you could tell it by the look on her face.

“ Did you get everything?” All she wanted to do was run and hide.