Brian’s POV

I couldn’t believe they played with us, they fucking played us and good. And we were so dumb to run into their fucked up trap.

Not only that god knows what could have happened to us, if they really wanted to, but no they didn’t want that, they wanted to play us and they wanted to show us something. Something important for them, for us… In different meanings!

They wanted us to find this envelope this god forsaken envelope. I could already guess what was in it. I didn’t want to open it, but knew what I would find anyway and I was so close to losing my shit.

Just when I tried to stay calm and knew I had to have a level head, because damn it, Zack was right, we had to stay focused, Shads and I couldn’t go completely crazy in this situation, but when I would open this envelope and look inside, I knew I couldn’t deal with it.

It was my fault, it was our fault the girls were gone and now this, now the reality of it became more and more clear, because now we had proof of what the girls were going through.

Now we had proof of what was happening to them, and the GV didn’t have their name for nothing.
They were ruthless motherfuckers with no heart and no common sense, they would rape within a blink of an eye, kill without mercy and we all knew it.

I had moved faster than Shads around the van and had seen the envelop lying there on the seat. God, I still couldn’t believe how stupid I was. Thinking they would give us a lead on the girls… well they did, but not the way we wanted it.

I knew Shads was working on the door to open the van, but nothing would stop me now.
I looked around and held my gun in my hand, then smashed my arm with gun held in it with enough force into the driver’s window, the glass breaking and shattering, shards of glass raining over my hand and arm, scrabbling new wounds open, opening old ones back up, blood beginning to run down my hand and slowly pooling beside the car and over the broken window.

I looked at it for a second, not feeling any pain, then grabbed the envelope and opened it up.

“Gates?” Matt hissed, he probably heard my little incident with the window, but I didn’t care. No one was here, but us, this was a fucking set up. “What the hell?”

My heart was pounding so fast, blood rushing in my ears, it drowned everything else out. Matt must be talking to me but I couldn’t hear him. I only saw the pictures in my hand with the little note. “What did you find?” Matt asked beside me. Those pictures now permanently edged into my brain, into my memory.

I clenched my bleeding hand together, holding the note and pictures in the other. The words taunting me in my head Good try Avenged…. But you’ve got to be better than that

More blood dripped from the cuts in my hand, and I let it run down, it didn’t hurt… what hurt was seeing my girl, my princess bloody and beaten, tears streaks on her cheeks, barely visible with the bruises forming on her face.

Lying in blood and dirt…
I swallowed thickly, my heart was beating so fast, thinking this might be close to going into a shock, my heart giving out on me, until rage consumed me with all its might.

I would find them, I would find these assholes and rip limb from limb, would break every bone, make them pay for what they did to Emery and her sister. Jolie didn’t look much better terrified and beaten as well, but conscious, was that a good or bad sign? I was afraid to think about it more…

“Gates?” I pinched my eyes tightly shut, and tried to calm my erratic breathing pattern.

“Gates?!” I shortly met Matt’s eyes, he must get my feelings, because I couldn’t stand here a second longer. I pushed the envelope and pictures into his chest and left him standing there.

I knew Matt wouldn’t take this any better than me, probably even worse, and I should probably be the one to try and calm the bosses temper, but honestly, I couldn’t do it. What I wanted to do now, was kick in every goddamn door in this city to bring my girl back home.

I leaned against the car pulling my cigarettes out and trying to calm my nerves with nicotine, knowing this would do not a fucking thing today, but I couldn’t help it.

I watched how Zack tried to calm Matt down with his good meaning words and calling on our patience, but honestly my patience was running thin.

“We will find them.” Zack looked from Matt to me and I closed my eyes again before taking the last drag of my cigarette and throwing the stump onto the road.

I wasn’t in the mood for any pep talk, I wanted to go back to our compound and find a fucking way to get the girls back. They weren’t part of the fights we had with the Gold Vipers, the girls shouldn’t pay for our differences.

If they wanted to let it all out, I would fucking present myself to them and they could let it all out on me. I didn’t give a shit, but seeing Em’s beautiful face so broken, god… I couldn’t deal with that. I never cared about anybody beside myself and my boys.

I never planned on caring for a woman longer than a couple of hours, but somehow it still happened. I had tried to ignore it, tried to push it away, pushed her away, and now realized what a fool I was. If I had fucking come clean with Shads and the rest, this wouldn’t have happened, maybe we would have acted all different?

I wouldn’t know… and Em still didn’t know that I was in love with her, there I said it. I loved the woman, and she had no clue. She must be disappointed and probably didn’t believe in me, I clenched my fist hard, more blood dripping onto the sidewalk.

“Gates?! Stop standing there, we gotta move” Zack hissed and held the door open from the inside for me to jump in. Zack was driving now, he probably didn’t think Shads and I were in the shape to be able to drive us home properly without hitting some tree on the way home.

“I’m going to kill them… kill them all” I heard Matt mutter under his breath and I nodded. That’s exactly what I was thinking too.

“What if we set up a deal, they hand over the girls and get me?” I voiced my earlier thoughts when Zack pulled out on the street again.

“How are we supposed to let them know that? And why would they exchange the Pagano girls for just one of us?” Zack questioned. “I would go” Matt said his voice steely.

I rolled my eyes but he couldn’t see it from the backseat. “They wouldn’t treat the Pagano girls and that’s not going to happen. Even if it’s the boss of us, they will get way more from selling away the girls. I mean… You think how they treat the girls and I know the pictures look disgusting and that they will pay for that, one by fucking one, I am by your side, really. But they still want to get the money from Pagano, right?” Zack asked looking at me from the side then back on the road.

“I guess” I nodded and he continued “Well, then they will need to hand them over in good conditions. I mean… you know what Pagano would do with the kidnapper even if the girls were unharmed, and now like this… they will pay double” Zack said and sounded confident, but I shook my head “You saw, the pictures, Vee. They don’t look in good condition to me! Didn’t you see the bruises, the blood dripping from Jo’s mouth? The unconscious Emery-” I almost yelled when Matt slammed his fist against my chair “Shut up! Fucking hell, we all saw it.”

“What? You don’t wanna hear? Because that is a fucking fact. We fucked up, we are supposed to be looking out for them, and now they are a bloody pulp on some basements floor.” I shot Matt an angry look and he replied with a murderous one “Don’t you fucking think, I know that?” His voice was so deep I knew I was damn close to crossing another line, but I couldn’t help it. I felt so helpless and useless, we had to do something or I was losing my mind.

“We are here; stop glaring at each other like you want to rip your friends throat out... again! We were past that, remember?” Zack opened his door and Matt and I nodded “Right” We both said at the same time.

“Where are the pictures and the note?” Zack asked and looked into the backseat of the car, where I didn’t see the pictures anymore.

“I need them” Matt said and looked at Zack with confusion. “No, give them to me.” Zack held his hand open and Matt frowned “Why?”

“I will give them to Johnny, try and see if he can come up with any information on the surrounding of the pictures” He said and took the envelope out of Matt’s hand and walked off letting me and Matt stand-alone next to the car.

Damn, Zack was the level head in all this, Matt and I really seemed to be useless at this point.
“I’m in my office” Matt marched off and he had this determined look on his face that was telling me he wasn’t up to any good.

I followed behind but he slammed the door to his office shut before my face and well… I got the hint this time. I went to the fridge grabbing some water and sighed. I looked down to my hand and saw Jimmy come flying from the other room “Oh shit, what happened?” He knelt down beside me looking at my fresh cuts but I pulled my arm away from him. I didn’t deserve any pity or treatment, Em didn’t get any for herself, so why should I?!

“It’s nothing, just some cuts.” I shrugged it off “Where is Shads?”
“In his office” I said and Jimmy got up “I’ll have a look if he needs anything.” Jimmy got up and I followed him, I didn’t have a good feeling, Shads looked like his temper was running thin again, and him holding on to the envelope and all…

When we opened the office door Matt was dialing on his phone, looking up to us with a glare “Get the fuck out, I need to make a call.”

“Who are you calling?” I pushed past Jimmy into the room, seeing the number and picture of Pagano on his phone.
“You were fucking calling Pagano?!” I took the phone and quickly hung up before it could dial.

“What the fuck, Haner?! Get out and take Rev with you. I’m the boss and I think it’s time we talk to Pagano and tell him that his girls are with the Gold Vipers, maybe he has a way to get to them.” Matt hissed and tried to wrestle the phone from me.

“You will not get their father in on this. You know what will happen, even if they were found by him, how he would treat them, if at all! You will not send them from one prison into another! Now get the fuck off me!” Matt had his arms around me, squeezing and trying to make me let go of his phone.

“But he could get them out of there, we need him on our side now” Matt pushed me against the wall head first, kicking my knee so it gave in, but I slammed my arm into his ribs to let go of me.

“Fucking hell! CHRIST! VEE! I NEED YOUR HELP!” Jimmy tried to squeeze between us and got a hold of the phone and quickly running off, followed by Matt and me.
I tried to tackle Matt to the ground but he quickly got up again, for such a muscle man, he was still pretty quick on his feet.

“What’s going on?!” Zack came running with Johnny on his heels.
“Matt wants to call Pagano and tell him where the girls are” I panted out while hanging on Matt’s back.

“Fuck, we need to do something! Maybe he can help and find the girls sooner! We will get them back from him then, we just need all the help we can, even if it’s the evil himself.” Matt tried to justify but we all shook our heads.

“Shads, no way” Zack took the phone from Jimmy when it suddenly started ringing. “Shit… You will fucking stay quiet. Gates, take the call. You are Matt’s first in command.” I frowned taking the phone from Zack and seeing that it was Pagano himself calling now.

I narrowed my eyes at Matt who looked about ready to burst “Gates” I took the call and heard some rustling. I put him on loudspeaker so everyone could hear what he had to say “Where is Shadows? I want the boss” Pagano said and I rolled my eyes “When he is not around, I’m the boss, so talk or leave it”

“Fine, Gatesss.” He hissed and I had to control my voice from shaking from anger and hate for this man, I didn’t know how Matt could deal with all this scumbags and keep it on a business level, at least most of the time.

“I just wanted to make it clear, that you show up tomorrow at the ball I had talked to Shadows about. With or without my girls, you will show up and give me updates and have a look around for any clues or suspicious behavior. Be here at 6, you get instructions and the ball starts an hour later.” Before I could reply the line went dead and I sighed.

“Maybe that is a good thing” Zack said looking at each one of us “Should we come along, I mean all of us?” He looked at Shads this time who shook his head “Gates and me. That was the deal with Pagano. We will be there and have a look around, maybe that is the real chance where we can find something out, maybe even some of the GV are there.”

A small discussion broke out until we agreed that Matt and I would be headed to Pagano tomorrow, and the rest would be trying to find out more about the note and pictures.

I took a shower and headed back to my room afterwards, grabbing some new clothes and looking at my bed again, wishing so bad that Em would be here, sharing it with me. I sighed and saw it was almost morning, but I knew I wouldn’t be finding any sleep, not like this.

I walked back out into the living room finding a small light on near the couch. I walked further finding Matt sitting there in just his sweatpants on the couch, his head held in his hands and I plopped down beside him.

He lifted his head to look at me from the side “Hey man.”He said and looked me up and down.

“Can’t sleep either?” I asked and he nodded, leaning back looking up at the ceiling. I pushed my still damp hair back from my face and sighed.

“No, I can’t stand to be in Jo and my room. I looked at all her little things lying around and fuck this guilt and rage it consumes me, and I think if I would stay there just a second longer it will bring me to a level where I don’t think I can come back from.” Matt admitted his eyes closed and I nodded.

“I know what you mean. Just seeing the bed where Em had been lying with me, where we-” I stopped before I said too much, even though I knew it wasn’t probably a secret anymore, still I couldn’t say it out loud, not before I told Em.
But Matt didn’t really seem to register my words, he nodded with his eyes still closed, they snapped open after a while and met mine.

“I see her face, when I close my eyes. It’s the face of the beautiful smiling Jo, and then it turns into the beaten face from the picture. I hear her voice, I know it’s not real but I hear her pleading for help… And I am here, stuck without a clue. I should know what to do, how to find her, but I don’t… I fucking don’t.” I patted Matt’s shoulder and nodded.

“I know… I want Emery back just as much” I admitted “I couldn’t forgive me if anything happens, if I wouldn’t be able to see her again. She didn’t deserve it… We were supposed to give them something better, and we lead him to an even worse fate.” I swallowed thickly, my voice gruff “I want her to be happy, I want to be happy…”

“Tomorrow at Pagano’s we will find a hint. We have to, Brian” Matt’s eyes met mine again, and I wasn’t too sure in the dark but I could swear his eyes were glazed over, I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded “We will”

Jo’s POV

I had been holding Emery’s head safely cradled the entire night. She had woken up once or twice, but wasn’t really conscious, she was mumbling but not reacting to my words and quickly fell back to sleep.

I was worried about her, she had a bleeding wound on her temple and I had absolutely nothing to clean it or take care of it in any way.

She looked bad, really bad. I had seen Emery before with a bleeding lip or red cheek, when she had tested our farther or disobeyed him. I hated to see her hurt, and like this it was breaking my heart.

I was really worried that they did more damage to her and she wouldn’t wake up, what if it was way more critical than I thought?

I was beginning to panic again and let my fingers run over Em’s cheek. “Em? Emery?” I whispered.
“Hey, little sis, wake up”

Tears began running down my cheeks and I tried to hide the sobs from breaking free, but failed miserably.

“Jo?” Em’s voice sounded softly and she began to move. Her hand went up to her head and she touched her temple “Ouch…” She slowly sat up and I looked at her “Oh god, Em! I’m so glad you woke up. Are you feeling okay?”I rushed out and wanted to help her sit up.

“My head hurts, but.. I guess I’m okay” She sat up straight and looked around a little light was coming through the slits in the door and cracks in the shutters. “How long was I out?” She asked and her wide eyes met mine.

“I guess since they brought you back. They… god Em, I was so afraid that you wouldn’t wake up… I-I” More sobs came out and more tears swam in my eyes, I couldn’t even form the words.

“Jo, I’m okay… but look at you, what the hell did they do to you?” Em grabbed my face in her hands and looked at me closely. I guess she couldn’t see that she must be looking way worse than me. She was the one unconscious not me.

“He hit me, but… I’m fine.” I said slowly not wanting to upset Emery even more, but that didn’t seem to work out that well because Em’s eyes felt with tears anyway. “But you don’t look fine… God, Jo… We need to get out of here…” A tear ran down Em’s cheek and I whisked it away. “We will… We just need to figure out a plan. We need to keep our eyes and ears open!” I quickly said and Em nodded, even though she looked away from me.

“Do you think….” Em trailed off “I mean…” She stopped again and then she looked at me, more tears running down her cheek. “What is it Em?” I let my hands run over her hair, softly combing it with my fingers.

“Do you think the guys are searching for us?” She asked her voice so low I almost didn’t hear her. I wanted to answer her positively but in all honesty I couldn’t. I had the same question in my head all night. Wondering if Matt was coming for me? If he realized we were being kidnapped, if he was already making plans on getting us. If he was even able to find us?!

“Of course, they are. They must be…” I finally answered and Em nodded “I hope they will find us soon. I don’t think I am able to go through this for long, Jo. I mean… If they come and get you-” She started and that was when the door was thrown open.

“Hello Hello, look at you two. With the bruises and the dried blood, had someone told you how good you look as the damsel in distress?” The boss grinned from ear to ear looking me and Em up and down, making my stomach turn.

“So one of you going willingly with me, or do we have to start the fun part right away?” He chuckled looking at me with a wink, while both Em and I shrank back from him.

“Ah, I hoped you would act that way.” He walked forward, two more of his men coming in behind him.

“I want the brunette” He pointed at me and one of the guys grabbed my feet, hauling me off the mattress so the back of my head hit the cold basement floor with a loud bang, rattling my brain, almost making me nausea.

“OH god!” Em sobbed springing up and was suddenly swaying on her feet, but the boss just chuckled and pushed her away, making her tumble and fall back down on the mattress.

“She stays here. Stay close to the door. I don’t want her to try anything stupid” He ordered the other guy before following me and the guy holding my neck out of the room. He dragged me along the floor and then shoved me into the same room from yesterday.

“So Jolie… It is so good to see you again. Did you have some time to relax and get to know your surroundings, feeling like home already, right?” He grinned and I looked away.

“Oh come on, doll. You already helped us, by telling us your name. You have nothing to be afraid about…” He pushed me down on a chair in the middle of a room and then grabbed my hair pulling painfully.

“So, we did some digging on you and your sister.” He started making me look into his eyes “And guess what we found out?!” He asked but I closed my eyes, not wanting to give him anything.

Another slap cracked the air and my cheek stung and burned. My left eye was already swollen from yesterday, now I tasted blood in my mouth, trickling down my lip.

“Ah baby, you think you have might over me? By staying silent? But you should know better than that. Now answer me, what do you think we found out?” He grabbed my hair tighter and I opened my eyes, meeting his grinning face.

“Nothing” I said and licked over the blood from my lip “And that is right, not a fucking word about Avenged Sevenfolds secret girlfriends? Fuck buddies? Nothing” He said “And that made me think about your name… and guess what I found then?!” He continued in a happy voice.

“I-I don’t know” I answered trying to look away from him, making him probably rip some of my hair out, because my scalp was burning.

“You are no fun to talk to… but let me help you” He suddenly let go and I almost fell of the chair with the force he pushed me away.

“Give it to me” He held his hand open to the other guy and then came walking back to me, shoving me the display of a phone into my face. “Read”

I licked my lips, my throat so dry, I didn’t know if I could get a word out “I-I” I started coughing.
“Oh for fucks sake, read or you will regret it!” He leaned down, his face so close to mine “I mean it”

“A rare sighting of the beautiful daughters of the most influential man of the city”I read and my heart began pounding hard against my ribcage. Oh shit, he knew… It was my fault that he knew. I gave away my name, and now he knew who we really are.

“Are you already putting two and two together?” He laughed loudly and I shrank back. “Let me show you the picture” He scrolled down and there was a picture of me and Emery. It was true though, our dad was normally making sure that no pictures were leaked, this wasn’t a good shot, but you could still make out both mine and Emery’s figure and features.

“Read what is underneath the picture, read it” He clapped his hands and I looked beneath the picture “Emery and Jolie Pagano, a rare picture about a year old and again we ask us, how can a man so ruthless be part of something so breathtaking?!”

“Ding ding ding! Ladies and Gentleman, we have the jackpot. Not only did we take you from our hated enemies Sevenfold, we now have Pagano’s precious girls in our humble home. And you girls have no idea, how bad your father has fucked us over time and time again, and now you can guess who will pay for this…” He let his finger run over my cheek, I tried to turn away, but he would follow me.

“He killed my man, he robbed my money, he took my land… And now, I have his precious girls, and they will be doing about everything I tell them to, and if not… well I will blame Sevenfold for their death, isn’t that a perfect plan?” His lips were so close to my face, I could smell his foul breathe.

He pecked my cheek and I moved further away, falling off the chair, trying to catch my fall with my hands, but he kicked my stomach making me curl into a ball, trying to get air. “Good, so we settled this. Take her back to their room, there she can have a final talk to her sister” With that he dismissed me, I was hauled back to my feet and shoved back towards the room where Emery was waiting.

And I realized just now, that I had to tell Emery that it was my fault that they knew who we really were, it was all my fault… and wait, what did he mean with final talk?!

Notes

Do the guys have a plan? Will they finally find the girls?!
What do u think?!

Will the girls be able to stay strong?!
Commentsss!