I'm sitting in my balcony, pouting at Oliver and Henry, who were sitting on my sides.

Elonzo has tightened the security since the two pigs left. Can't blame him. Both of them left after giving a threat.

"I'm getting bored." I whined, slumping down in my chair.

"We will live through this, little Romano." Oliver said, trying to hype me up.

"Nooo..." I whined. I want Elonzo. But he's busy keeping an eye on the two pigs and the security in the mansion.

And I can't meet my friends or future husband here because that might put them in danger.

Ugh.

"When will my brothers be home?" I asked, staring into the distance.

"We don't know about the oldest two. But your third eldest brother will be home by evening. The other ones are unpredictable because..."

"Because they're jobless and can come home anytime." I muttered, completing that sentence.

"Exactly." Henry chuckled.

We sat in silence again.

My phone rang. The screen lit up showing the name of the caller.

'Pighead.🐷👸'

Henry cleared his throat and him and Oliver got up and moved to stand inside my room, while still keeping an eye on me through the clear glass doors.

I stifled a laugh and picked up the phone.

I missed my boyfriend.

"Hey, princess." I said, smiling sweetly. "Why are you calling now? I thought you had work."

"Say goodbye to your boyfriend, princess." Someone said. I nearly dropped my phone, recognizing that voice. I took in a sharp breath and held back a gasp, as something heavy and painful settled in my stomach.

I stammered for words, trying to speak something.

I don't get it. He was supposed to come after me! He was supposed to try and hurt me.

"Cat got your tongue?" Salvatore mocked. My mouth went dry. My thoat closed. I couldn't get any words out due to the fear settling in.

No this can't be happening. He can't hurt Zack.

I looked back at Oliver and Henry with teary eyes. The moment we made eye contact, they panicked and ran back to me.

"What happened?" Henry whisper yelled.

My breathing had gone erratic.

Say something. Say something.

He can't hurt him.

"How about I cut his hands and send them to you? As a reminder to not touch you." Salvatore said, in a thoughtful voice.

"Let him go, bitch." I yelled, suddenly getting back the voice I had lost and the anger I had just felt once. When Nathan got hurt.

The intensity of the anger was hard to control, but I had let it overrule the sadness, so I don't break down yet.

Oliver snatched the phone and put it on speaker, before moving it before me.

Salvatore clicked his tongue.
"Why would I, princess?" He mocked, before chuckling like a maniac.

"Because Bastards like you get killed when they step out of line." I gritted, my hands trembling.

"Goodbye, princess. Let's see what you do to save him. Tell your family, they have two days to hand you over to me. Or else Smith gets killed. The choice is yours." He said, before he ended the call.

Just as he ended the call, my phone pinged.

He sent the location. Where he wants me to be 'handed over'.

I stared at the phone, my hands shaking violently. My blood running cold.

I can't lose him.

"Evvie?" Oliver said, bending down to my level.

A tear escaped my eye as I stood there frozen, feeling my hands turn cold. My heart was beating fast as panic rose through me.

I looked up towards Henry as he walked back into my room, calling someone urgently.

"He's going to kill him." I cried out, looking up at Oliver as more tears escaped my eyes.

"We'll do something. Just..." He said, panicking a little himself. "Just calm down. We'll do something."

I shook my head and wiped my tears shakily.

"What will we do?" I asked. "He already got him."

"Come sit here first." He said, leading me back to the armchair. I froze, breathing heavily.

"I want Elonzo." I cried, pathetically.

I don't feel strong. I don't want to be strong right now. I just want to curl up and cry. Nothing is in my hands and I hate it.

"Sit down, Evvie. Henry is calling the boss." Oliver said, softly, maintaining his usual professional distance.

I closed the gap and wrapped my arms around his middle, which shocked him. Well, me too. They try to be as formal as they can, no matter how strong our bond is.

He froze for a minute, before sighing and wrapping his arms around me.

"It's going to be okay. We will bring him back. No one is going to hurt you or him." He said, softly, while I cried into his chest.

"They're on their way." Henry said entering the balcony again. "Don't worry, Evvie. It will be alright."

I just shook my head.

It won't be alright. How will it be? He wants me to marry him and he'll kill anyone who comes in the way.

And that anyone here is Zack.

I need to go. That's what is in my hands.

I pulled away abruptly, shocking Oliver, who removed his arms from me immediately.

"I'm going. Elonzo won't let me go then Salvatore will kill Zack. I need to go." I said, running to the door.

But the door was blocked before I could reach it.

"We can't let you leave your room." Oliver said, frowning.

"Let me go, Oliver." I gritted, clenching my hands into fists. "You are not stopping me from doing this."

"Yes we are." Henry said, showing slight concern but hiding most of it. "We can't let you go. Let us do our job."

I tried to reach the door, but couldn't because they were stopping me and blocking the door.

I need to do something.

I sniffed, before wiping my tears away from my face.

I tried hard to get everything in control and think straight. To come up with something.

All I could do was fall to the floor, when my legs gave out.

I sat with my back to the wall, my knees to my chest and my arm crossed over them. I hid my face in my arms, as the sobs started escaping without my permission.

I actually lost control, instead of gaining it.

"Please let me go." I pleaded, helplessly as pictures revolved in my mind. I can't lose Zack at all. My sobs were the only thing that could be heard throughout the room.

I heard footsteps, two sets of footsteps, appoaching me, but they stopped when the door slammed open and third hurried footsteps were heard.

I was immediately picked up and engulfed in a hug.

"Calm down, baby." Elonzo said, not even trying to hide the worry and panic in his voice.

I sobbed into his chest, clutching his shirt tightly in my fists.
"He will kill him." I said.

He's a monster.

"He won't. I will make sure of it." Elonzo muttered, moving to sit on my bed. He kept me wrapped up in his hug, moving back and forth, cradling me.

I just kept crying, wanting this to be a dream.

I underestimated those pigs. We should've looked after Zack instead of me.

I need to go.

"Her phone." Oliver said, probably handing it to Elonzo. I peeked at him a little, just to see Elonzo putting in the password hurriedly. He listened to the call recording and saw the text.

--------

"Just half of it?" Will asked, pushing the spoon forward.

"I don't want to." I turned my head away, sniffling a bit.

"Don't do this, honey. We're all trying." He pleaded, putting the plate down and taking my hands in his.

I bit my bottom lip to stop it from trembling.

"You need to eat, baby. You being hungry won't help Zack." Elonzo said.

I just sniffled again and shook my head.
"I don't want to." I said. "Just let me go. This day is almost over. We just have tomorrow."

"You're not going anywhere." Elonzo snapped, making me flinch.

I just clenched my jaw and looked out of the balcony.
"Then stop wasting your time on me. Go try to find him." I mumbled.

"Then eat." Elonzo said, simply.

"Zack isn't eating." I snapped. "I'm just making it easier. You can't possibly find him in one and a half day. What's the guarantee that he will make it out alive even if you attacked before the deadline?"

"This is the last time I'm telling you this..." Elonzo said, annoyed. "You're not going anywhere and if you try, trust me you will not like the consequences."

The tone he was using made me want to hide in my blanket and cry. But I did the opposite.

I glared at him.
"You're not letting me do anything. There is one thing in my hands that will get Zack out of danger and you're keeping me from doing it. All I want at the end is Zack being alive. That's all." I said.

"And we're trying. We're working on it." He said. He was about to say more but I cut him off.

"Then put your full efforts while you're at it. You want to handle it your way, go for it. But I don't know what I will do if anything happened to Zack." I gritted. His eyes widened, hearing that tone.

In normal situations, I'll be shocked too, but I can't help it.

It'll just be easier if they hand me over, get Zack out of there and then try to rescue me. It will be difficult to find Zack in such a short time. And Salvatore won't stop even if he kills him.

I don't care how demanding I sound. I just want him to be out of danger and alive at the end.

"Okay. I will get Zack out of it alive. Just don't try anything." Elonzo said, his tone going soft.

I just stared at my hands on my lap, trying to hold the tears back.

"Can I at least help Leo find him?" I mumbled.

"Not before you eat something." Will said, in the same pleading tone. I agreed reluctantly.

------

Leo was busy working. Like busy busy. He wasn't looking away from his computer. He just nodded in acknowledgement, when I entered his room and sat beside him.

I feel miserable inside. It all went down so fast. The security was tightened around the mansion, focussing on me more. We never thought he'd target Zack directly.

Not to mention the headache I have after crying so much.

I looked at Leo working but failing everytime. He couldn't get the location. We sat like that for hours. His system crashed just when he would get close to getting the location. He was tracking the number that sent the location to me.

"Why is this happening?" I muttered, looking at the screen closely.

"I don't get it. This is different." Leo said, about to punch the screen.

I got up.
"Maybe we should try from mine." I said, getting up to go get my stuff.

By the time I returned, Leo had his head on the table, lifting it then putting it back down on it, trying to think of something.

I sighed and shook my head.

There has to be something.

------
Two more.
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