We had only been back at Zander's estate for a total of ten minutes before Aidan decided that it I should go to him.

"Vienna," Aidan spoke that dreaded name, beckoning me over towards where he was currently sitting on the large, sectional couch. There were a ton of places to sit with multiple big cushions to separate everybody up to at least a good six feet.

Of course he want me close to him...

I stood, hesitantly, near a far away armchair just on the outskirts of the living room itself. My fingers dug into the soft fabric of the chair, and I grounded myself forcefully while doing so. My eyes quickly flickered over to Zander, who cemented his elbows on the top cushion he was standing in front of. I watched as he meticulously began to strum his fingers against the back of it – unlike my nervous hold...his was of anticipation.

"Sit here," Aidan patted his lap nonchalantly with his hand, while I remained rooted in place where I was.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds, mentally debating my options. I could obey Aidan and not choose to deal with any berating or mental abuse on his end...or I could defend myself and prompt Zander to initiate his plan to stop Aidan and rescue the students.

Decisions...

"I'm good with standing," I replied, silently hoping that he wouldn't start this unneeded drama.

"Vienna," Aidan warned, sitting up straight. I could tell that he was no longer going to be nice – as if he was ever nice before or to begin with. "I did not ask you a question," he reprimanded. I opened my eyes, sending a slight glare over towards him. "Do I need to repeat myself?" He threatened.

He didn't like repeating himself –

There would be consequences if I didn't listen to him.

I shook my head – already my body was beginning to tremble. I didn't know if he was going to threaten Jonah's life next if I didn't comply with his demands. To my knowledge, he hadn't known about Brendon and Esther, yet, or if he did then he hadn't hung them over my head.

I wasn't going to give him a reason to, either --

It was only temporary --

It was temporary to obey Aidan at the moment and then Zander will begin his plan to help me...

I hope.

I really really hope that it would be soon.

I forced myself to not look the older brother in the eye – I hadn't wanted my thoughts or intentions to be obvious. I was already regretting what I was about to do in order for Aidan to at least somewhat lower his guard.

I had seen Zander lower his guard when he looked at Mila...though I didn't think Aidan would ever do so with me --

Maybe I should give it a try...?

I breathed in slowly, composing my frayed nerves and frivolous thoughts while walking slowly over towards Aidan. I was in no desire to quicken my pace to get to the psychopath and so I took my time as needed. As soon as I crossed the official threshold of the living room and managed to pass Zander, a stern hand gripped my wrist.

It pulled me onto the couch, where I looked around completely flustered; I couldn't help it when I was in a dazed and confused state. I didn't know what had grabbed me so quickly, and for a second I believed that it was Aidan, even though the last time I had seen him he was on the opposite end of the couch.

Blinking my eyes, I looked to see Zander hovering over me with a playful smile on his face. It was hard to not see that similar face and hair that represented Aidan – however, once again I was reminded that this person truly didn't mean me any harm.

I would rather deal with the electric Mathis soul than Aidan's darkened one.

"Arianna was going to sit by me..." Zander stressed my name before glancing over at Aidan, his playful grin staying on his face. I stayed as still as humanly possible, unsure if any slight twitch would fully set Aidan off and initiate an attack from him. "Is that alright with you, Aidan-?"

"No," Aidan spoke bluntly, standing up. "She doesn't belong over there with you."

I was beginning to feel uncomfortable as the atmosphere between the two brothers shifted. Zander stood up fully so they were now standing in front of the couch. I remained sitting where I was, although the urge to crawl away and get out of their way was hard to ignore –

Anything to get out of the line of fire.

"Well..." Zander placed his hands on his waist. "That's too bad. Unlike you, I didn't have my house seized by the United States government..." He then let out a small scoff, barely exhaling briefly through his nose pompously. He even dared to jab a thumb into his chest. "My house – my rules."

Zander – what the hell are you doing-??

My eyes widened, and I shifted my body to the other end of the couch. Aidan's hand reached behind him. I already knew that when he did that particular action...it was to reach for his gun. This time, I highly doubted was any different than the others.

"Aidan, don't-!" I yelled, lifting my hand in the air. I let it freeze there, as though I would be able to do something to stop him. "Don't shoot him!" I pleaded, while Zander only sent me a grin for a split second. I noticed how it had quickly vanished as his face morphed into a pout.

Zander then ran a hand through his naturally curly hair – a nearly identical style to Aidan's. "Aww," Zander drawled out. "Are you going to shoot me, Aidan?" He mocked, instigating his younger brother to shoot him...

Like a mad man-!

"Zander-!" I tried to be the mediator between the two Mathis brothers but it seems like Zander and Aidan were just waiting for a chance to start a fight with each other, just like back at the beach not even a few hours ago.

I had a sinking feeling that their fights didn't involve fists, either.

Aidan froze in his action, his hand still about to reach for his gun that was hidden away.

"Why are you trying pathetically hard to agitate me, Zander?" Aidan asked, tilting his head to the side. There was mild curiosity in his tone, and I looked between Aidan and Zander, wondering why Zander was trying to get himself shot.

Zander's grin left his face.

"Why is it that your girl doesn't even want to stay with you, Aidan?" Zander mocked. I stilled once again, looking down at the ground. I knew the answer to that question – though I wasn't about to answer since I would never admit out loud that I would ever be 'Aidan's girl'.

Aidan took a couple of steps towards his older brother, and I stood up shakily to my feet.

It looks like the Mathis family can't even watch television without getting into an altercation with one another – I just wanted to calm down for five fucking seconds and think about my next move. All I really wanted was some time to organize my thoughts and catch my fucking breath-!

My eyes wandered to Zander's broad back that I was currently hiding behind – what is he planning?

Is...Is he even planning anything-?

Should-?

Should I start a plan...?

"Go ahead," Zander taunted, drawing my thoughts back over to him.

I stared between the two brothers again, wondering who was going to make the first move.

"Shoot me," Zander brought his arms up to his sides, giving Aidan a clear shot to his chest. "It's what you really want to do, right?" He laughed humorlessly. "Prove just what a prodigal son you are to father and...." Zander took a step closer. "Take," he purposefully spoke slowly. "The," he smirked, now up close to Aidan's face. "Shot."

Aidan stared at him for a few seconds before his eyes narrowed – he was looking at Zander like he had just solved a riddle that was in front of him. On the other hand...I was completely confused as to what was happening.

"You wish to engage Mathis law?" Aidan asked sarcastically, not at all bothered by his brother being directly in his face.

Aidan chuckled at what he said, bringing his hand away from his back. It felt like I could finally breathe now that Zander wasn't a movement away from getting shot.

"You would risk it all to protect....who exactly?" Aidan commented lightly, looking over to me, who had taken cover by the end of the couch. I had managed to take a couple of steps away to no longer hide behind Zander. I thought that Aidan hadn't been keeping tabs on my exact position in the room, but I should have known better.

He kept staring at me, tilting his head to the side when he saw me noticeably flinch under his unwavering gaze.

"Not Vienna...although," he smirked slowly, bringing his eyes back to his brother. "You might want to help her. However, by doing that..." Aidan continued. I hadn't missed how his eyes had darkened significantly during the conversation. "You would be publicly outed as a Mathis to the United Stated government."

Zander smirked back at his younger brother.

I was impressed that he wasn't giving anything away with his facial expressions. Aidan was quickly figuring everything out – he was wrong on the motive behind Zander's decision...he wasn't doing it for me...he was doing it to absolve his family connections in order to be with Mila.

"You're stretching, Aidan," Zander spoke as he still continued to smirk.

Looking again between the two Mathis brothers...

It was terrifying how their smirks looked almost identical.

Zander took a step back, no longer being directly in Aidan's face.

"Well," Zander let out a small, flippant shrug as he spoke. "If I can't get you to shoot me..." He turned around, locking eyes with me. He darted his eyes across the room, silently indicating that's where he wanted me to go.

I nodded once and began to sneak over towards the spot to the best of my abilities.

"I suppose I'll just have to shoot you..." Zander turned around and snapped his fingers. Guns popped out from every corner of the room, and I managed to hide next to a bookcase that was next to the extravagant television on the other side of the room.

Aidan spotted my hiding spot, tilting his head slightly towards where I currently was, not letting any emotion breach across his face. Then, he looked at Zander who never looked away from his younger brother.

"What is this?" Aidan called, his voice bearing no emotion. "Family-man Zander no longer wants to support his family...?" Aidan remarked. "All for someone that isn't even your business..." He trailed darkly.

Aidan took a step towards Zander, who seemed to waver slightly. I wished that Zander would be able to remain strong and follow this through – it must have been tearing him up on the inside to go against his family like this. Even someone as mentally strong as Zander having a hard time when Aidan talked down to him.

"This isn't you, Zander," Aidan continued. "You've not once strayed from our family nor their family code," he raised an eyebrow.

They stared at each other, both brother's unblinking and waiting for the other to react first. I clenched my fingers tightly on the bookcase I was hiding behind, wondering when everything would inevitably go to shit.

"This isn't only about helping out Vienna..." Aidan took a step back, not making any movements towards his older brother. I kept a careful eye on him, in case he was going to come any closer to me. I didn't have anywhere to run to if he did. "This is about finally getting Mila back, isn't it?" Aidan smirked at seeing Zander's eyebrows raise. "Ah, so..." Aidan chuckled darkly. "You really think you can get her back if you leave the family behind...?"

Aidan walked closer to Zander, who stilled, having been caught and found out.

"You didn't hold your woman tight enough..." Aidan announced. He leaned in closer to his older brother, who was beginning to take a step away from him. The demented look on Aidan's face was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

He eyed me as he turned his head to mutter his next words into his brother's ear.

"I won't repeat your mistake with mine."

I flinched at hearing those words leaving his mouth –

He had become worse –

Aidan had truly evolved into a monster-!

"Suéltame! Hijo de puta-!" Came a high pitched voice which caused my eyes to widen from surprise.

It was a female voice.

I turned my head to look at where it had come from, eager to look away from Aidan for the time being. His gaze was too intense for me to even look at – and the words he was spouting off was enough for me to lose control on my breathing.

Zander's mouth fell open, and to our left a woman in a white dress was pushed roughly into the living room. A group of Aidan's men were the culprits as to why she was suddenly here in the room with the three of us. They had let her go, and she stumbled forward a bit, managing to collect herself after a few seconds.

She opened her mouth to say something else, but was prevented when her eyes made eye contact with a shocked Zander.

"Z-Zhander...?" She looked at him with big eyes, her Spanish accent was strong and hard to miss.

I knew who she was before she was even introduced.

"M-Mila..." Zander responded, looking over at Aidan who had now drawn his gun. He pointed it at the Latina woman dressed in white, not even turning to look at the woman that he was threatening with the weapon. "A-Aidan, don't..." Zander stepped into the projected line of fire of the gun.

I slowly stood up and had my hands raised in the air –

I had seen enough to know that it was time to surrender.

My plan, or rather -- Zander's strange plan...hadn't worked.

There was no way that Mila was going to be added to my death board...not when Zander had been so ready to help me. Mila was an innocent bystander in all of this that just so happened to be caught up in the Mathis bullshit – the same that I was.

It wasn't putting my trust in Zander that caused everything to fall apart, it was thinking that we would be able to pull a fast one over on Aidan that was the reason. I didn't know if even pushing the medallion around my neck would have been able to save me here –

There were too many people he could use as potential leverage.

"Aidan," I announced, clearing my throat. Aidan peeled his eyes off his brother and instead looked over at me. "I'll leave with you," I said, somehow without stuttering.

It was the last thing that I had wanted to do, especially when I had thought freedom was just within my grasp.

"I'll leave with you right now," I said causing Aidan to grow his signature triumphant smirk that I had seen one too many times. "Just..." I took a cautious, hesitant step, "-- let Mila go," I glanced at the woman donned in all white.

Mila looked over at me with her dark brown eyes, probably wondering just who the hell I was, and how exactly I tied in to all of this. I knew that I needed to defend this woman and save at least someone with my sacrifice that I was making to Aidan --

I was offering myself up on a golden platter for him to take.

I swallowed, gathering the strength to speak my next words: "She has nothing to do with-!"

"She has everything to do with this," Aidan rebutted, not allowing me to finish my sentence. I whipped my head back to look at him, wondering if he was going to explain what he had meant. Instead, he waved his hand over to me, motioning me towards him.

He steadily flexed his fingers, not once had they faltered or moved from their position. Aidan had ever the steady hand while threatening another person's life. It seemed like it brought him some satisfaction in dangling a life in front of another...and he had all the power to snip that life to nothing.

That was Aidan, even now as she stood in front of him...he didn't see Mila as a person.

Of course he didn't.

He most likely saw her as an obstacle – as someone standing in the way between him and me. I didn't need to wait around and find out how he would get rid of someone that he had thought would be getting in his way --

It wouldn't end well.

"Let's go, Vienna."

"Aidan-!" Zander pressed in a low tone, causing Aidan to glance at him. "Let Mila go -- now!" He all but growled out inhumanly at his younger brother.

I eyed them both, once again unsure of what to do. I knew that if I went over to Aidan, my freedom was all but lost once again. However...Mila would be saved, and hopefully so would Zander. I didn't know how Zander would be able to turn this all around in our favor. I was beginning to think the worst case scenario, which involved going to Aidan and letting him finally win.

I tightly clenched my hands in nervous trepidation, waiting to see what was going to happen.

"You need to realize that..." Zander trailed before losing all worry and concern in his tone. It was as though he had become an entirely different person, he stood up straight, and his posture was relaxed.

My eyes locked onto Zander, noticing the shift and finding it oddly suspicious.

I slowly raised a curious eyebrow at what he was doing.

His expression grew serious. Zander lowered his arms back down to his side, casually – he wasn't at all frazzled as he had been merely seconds ago. "I'm really not fucking around, you know," Zander said, making me narrow my eyes at him.

Mila took out her own handgun from underneath her dress and held it sternly in her hands. It was trained on Aidan, and he tilted his head lightly in response. Aidan was silently watching all the events unfold, not opening up his mouth once to say a single thing.

"You learn new things with Mathis family," Mila spoke, looking at me.

I glanced behind her to find that the two men, that once had held Mila hostage, had their weapons trained on Aidan. It looked like it was a double cross that I didn't even see happen – were they trying to trick Aidan into a false sense of security-?

Mila's eyes were locked onto Aidan, and instead of looking away for even a moment, she instead motioned me over towards Zander and her with a free hand.

I didn't need to be silently told twice, and walked slowly over to where the two of them were.

"Bonnie and Clyde roles..." Aidan spoke for the first time in the last couple of tense minutes. "They don't suit the two of you," Aidan added, placing his gun at his side. I was able to finally let out a small breath of relief that Aidan no longer was thinking about shooting his brother or Mila. "Since when did you two reconnect...?" Aidan glanced at Mila, who didn't even flinch under his cold gaze, and then to his older brother.

Zander shrugged.

"We still...aren't -- exactly on speaking terms..." Zander struggled to say as he let out a sigh. "I told her that I would require her assistance to free some Americans in my estate," Zander glanced at Mila, if only briefly. "She would never pass on the opportunity to hurt the family business."

Mila smiled tensely, it seemed like she was forcing