Matt’s POV

“Shads will you please relax and stop tapping the table!” Dan scolded as we sat in the back of the surveillance van, staring at the empty beach on the screen.

I had been anxiously drumming for the past twenty minutes, waiting for the two Pagano guards to show up. I still didn’t trust them, and at the moment, I didn’t really trust Gates either. He was a loose cannon without Emery by his side and I was afraid that he would do something reckless. The last thing we needed right now was an emotional decision, especially when all of fucking Orange County was looking for us. We were wanted men so if he wanted to get Emery out of Pagano’s mansion alive, he needed to keep a level head.

Though in all honesty, if I were in his shoes, I would have gone back to get her already. Not that I would have left Jo in the hellhole in the first place. No, I would have dragged her ass out the window with me, not giving her the option. It would have been both of us escaped, or she escaped, no if, ands, or buts. I would fucking die for her, which I had proven to both my men and myself time and time again. She was my other half and I loved her more than anything. And once this mess was finally cleared up and we had Emery back with us, we were leaving this fucking city. Jolie deserved the best, and after everything she’d been through, damn it, I was going to give it to her.

“This whole shit show just needs to be done and over with,” I hissed. The guards were supposed to be there five minutes ago but there was still no sign of them. Had they backed out?

“You worry too much. The guards will show and Gates wont do anything stupid.” Dan continued, voicing my inner most concerns. “Besides the Rev is with him and the there are no signs of Pagano’s men anywhere on this beach! We’ve got eyes everywhere.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back in the chair, carefully watching the screen. “I still don’t think this is a good idea. Why would those fuckers want to help us now? It’s either a trap or some fucking game. I’m tired of wasting our time here when we could be doing something else to help Emery.”

Was Emery my favorite person? Hell no. But I knew that if we didn’t save her, Jolie would never be able to move away from this city. Emery was Jolie’s whole life and just seeing her so upset the past few days was heartbreaking. I couldn’t bear to see her like that, so I would do whatever it took to make this right. I would rescue the little blonde over and over again, if it would bring a smile to Jo’s face, and that was all that mattered.

Dan shrugged and looked at me with a raised brow. “Do you have a better plan? Because the last time we checked, everything else was basically a suicide mission.”

“Like this is any better. We’ve never trusted Pagano before so I don’t know why we are starting now.” I grunted, shaking my head. The only peace of mind I had today was knowing that Jolie was safely back at the compound with Vengeance. There was no way in hell I was going to allow her to get mixed up in this bullshit. No, Gates and the Rev could talk to the guards on their own, without Jolie.

“That’s exactly it. They’re not Pagano. They are employee’s who have worked with the girls most of their lives. Don’t you think they might have something that could be useful for us?” Dan asked and I shrugged. “Like maybe they realized Pagano is off his fucking rocker and they want to help?”

“Seems like a suspicious time to fucking help,” I snapped, my eyes darting toward my muscular friend. “You think they would have realized how fucked up their boss was once he tired to sell the girls? Or had their virtue checked every year? Or kept them locked in their rooms away from society? Not right after one of them escaped with a bunch of what Pagano considers ‘convicts!’” Oh, just thinking about the man made my blood boil and I was starting to see red. I mean, how the fuck could these asshole guards just sit by and let all this shit happen? “It’s all a little too suspicious for me.”

“Alright, so it’s a little fucked up they didn’t try to help before, but maybe something is wrong at the mansion?” There he goes again, trying to stand up for the men that worked for the devil himself.

I scoffed and shook my head, watching as Gates and the Rev slowly got out of the black van on the perimeter. “Oh, there’s a lot wrong in that mansion and his name is Daniel Pagano…but why are the moving? I don’t see—”

“We’ve got movement on the left end of the beach,” Johnny’s voice came through the speaker. “Two civilian males on foot in pedestrian clothing.”

“It’s our guys,” Gates replied into his lapel mic. I watched on the screen as he walked toward the edge of beach with his hands deep in his pockets. Even from this angle his face was pale and you could see the dark circles under his eyes. Damn, Gates needed to get a grip on himself before he became a liability to Emery’s rescue instead of an asset.

“Don’t go to far from the van,” I instructed before Gates and Jimmy both nodded.

It was hard for me not to be in charge of this exchange, but I knew Jolie was right. Gates needed to talk to the guards to get a peace of mind about the whole thing, and then maybe he could pull his head out of his ass and get his butt in gear.

“Targets are about 100 meters away. No signs of back up, surrounding vehicles, or spotters,” Johnny reported and I let out a small sigh of relief. Good at least we were safe for now. “Proceed with the exchange.”

Through the static connection caused by the wind and their movement, I heard Brian mutter something and just hoped he wasn’t planning anything reckless. “Don’t do anything stupid, Gates. Stick to the plan. Get facts and see what they want, that’s it.”

“I’m not a fucking idiot,” he snapped back and I rolled my eyes. I could feel my temper starting to rise again in combination with anxiety. I quickly closed my eyes and pictured Jolie’s beautiful face. I couldn’t wait to go back to her after this and share our information, even though she was probably sitting right besides Christ in the office, watching the whole thing. Damn I loved that girl.

As the guards slowly approached Gates and the Rev, Body and I instinctively leaned toward the tv screen, watching their every move. In an instant we would be ready to jump into action if need be. I just hoped this wasn’t some kind of trap, for both Jo and Gates’ sakes.

“’Bout time you showed up,” Gates snapped when the guards finally stopped a few feet away from them.

“Sorry, it was a little bit harder to leave than we anticipated,” the dark haired one replied. If I remembered correctly, he was Emery’s guard, Christopher? “But don’t worry, we were not followed.”

“For your sake, you better hope so. Now what is it that you wanted to meet about.” There was Gates with his brash nature again, diving head first into the situation.

We watched as the guards looked at each other before the blonde one spoke up. “Before we discuss anything we need to make sure Jolie is safe. Where is she?”

“She is fine and very well taken care of,” Jimmy replied, earning an agreeing nod from Gates. “And that is a promise.”

“No, you see your word means shit to us,” Jo’s guard said, stepping forward towards Gates. “You know are deal. If you want information, we need to talk with Jo, otherwise we are done here.” The two guards looked at each other again before turning back toward the edge of the beach. Fuck, looks like this meeting was about to be over before it even started because there was no way they could talk to Jo. She was safe at the compound and there was no way in hell I would let her anywhere near them.

Gates let out a growl and anxiously ran his fingers though his hair. “Wait,” he said, looking back toward the van and then back at the guards. “How do we know we can trust you not to try and take her? Because mark my words, one wrong move and you two wont leave this beach alive.”

What the fuck was he talking about? My heart instantly started to race in my chest as I turned to look at Body. He wouldn’t fucking dare go against my orders and bring Jolie here, would he?

I watched at both guards lifted their shirts, showing no signs of weapons. “Check us if you want to. We are unarmed,” the dark haired guard insisted. With that, Jimmy completed a quick pat down of both men. “See, we have nothing to hide. We want to help you and Emery, but we wanted to make sure Jolie is safe first.”

I held my breath, watching Gates as he nodded and looked back toward the van. I swear to fucking god, if Jolie stepped foot on the beach, I would personally go down there and knock Gates flat on his ass. Endangering Jolie was not part of the plan I would not just sit idly by and let that happen. No fucking way!

My eyes darted to the other screen only to see Vengeance step out of the vehicle closely followed by Jolie. “I’m going to fucking kill him!” I ragged, reaching for the door handle, only to be stopped by body. “You better let go. Now.”

“Wait!” he insisted, his eyes pleading. “Three of your best men are standing on that beach in front of her. They wont let anything happen. Let’s just give it a minute and see where it goes. This might be the break we are looking for!”

“No fucking way am I letting them use my girlfriend as fucking bait for the enemy!” I hissed, trying to pull away from Dan’s iron clad grip.

“Shads, listen to yourself! They are unarmed and they said they want to help! They may be our only way in! Sit your ass down and watch! If they try anything, I’ll fucking open the door for you so you can go guns blazing down to rescue her. But for now, trust your men and give them a chance to save a life here!”

I let out a growl as I plopped back down in my seat. As much as I hated to admit it, Dan was right. It was the only viable option we had to get back into the mansion. I just hoped it would all be worth it in the end.

“Jo!” the light haired guard said, trying to step toward her. Thankfully Vengeance, Gates, and Rev got in his path. “Thank god you are in one piece!”

“Hands to yourself,” Vengeance snapped and the guard reluctantly took a step back with his hands up.

“Hi Jer. Hi Chris,” Jo said, looking between them, with a small smile. “I was so relieved when I heard you wanted to help.”

“We would do anaything to help you, Jo. We wanted to make sure you were okay before we did anything. You girls are our main priority,” Jeremy nodded.

“I’m fine, great actually. But we need your help,” Jo started gently pushing past Gates. “We need to get Emery out of there before my father does something crazy. She’s not safe in that house.”

“That’s why we’re here…”

Emery’s POV

“Em…Em…thank god I found you…” Brian’s voice murmured in mya ear. I was so tired I could barely open my eyes, but that didn’t stop him from pulling me into his side and placing a trail of kisses down my neck.

“Mmm…” I moaned lightly, curling into his warmth.

“So beautiful….so lovely,” he continued to mutter as consciousness started to drift away from me again. “I couldn’t get you out of my head…I couldn’t stop thinking about you, Em. I had to get back to you…had to see you…had to save you,” his deep voice purred, though through my drowsiness it was hard to understand anything he was saying. “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted and now I finally have you… I’m not leaving you again.”

“Mmmhmmm…” I muttered in my sleep, cuddling even closer to him. Brian was just so warm and comfortable and I was so tired that nothing else mattered. I wanted to stay like this forever.

“I missed you, Em… I’m sorry I couldn’t take you with me the first time…” Brian said, his voice even harder to understand and sounding farther and farther away. “I never wanted to go…I wanted to stay with you…my beautiful girl…all I could think about…always…” was the last thing I heard before a loud bang awoke me from my dream.

My eye burst open as my body suddenly hit the cold concrete floor, my face, hands, and knees roughly scuffing the floor. My head snapped up as I looked around in panic, my heart practically exploding in my chest. What the hell was going on? Why was I suddenly on the floor? Though I didn’t have much time to think about it because before I could even get a good look at my surrounding, someone grabbed a handful of my hair and forced me to my knees, craning my head up in the most painful way possible.

“You little shit,” my father hissed as I looked up into his red eyes. He had completely lost his mask and for the first time, the devil himself was staring back at me without his camouflage. By the deranged look in his eyes, he had lost his mind and every ounce of humanity he had left. I was being held captive by a monster.

I hissed as he tightened his grip on my hair. “I don’t know how you and Avenged managed to get copies of your sealed fucking medical reports, but it is going to cost me everything!” My father growled, pulling me up even more. I let out a light whimper and he laughed. “Oh you think that hurts my precious daughter? Well it’ll be nothing compared to what you’re about to receive.”

“But-but—I didn’t—” I stammered, not having the slightest clue as to what he was talking about. Medical reports? Avenged? None of it made any sense to me! I had been locked in this cell all day long without so much as a visit from the guards. Not that I would have talked to them anyway. Chris made his choice not to help me before pretty damn clear, so fuck him.

“But. But. But. Just stop your fucking whining! You’re worthless to me now that McGinley and the whole fucking world know that Avenged destroyed you! Oh, but you will pay for this Emery… you will fucking pay!” My father’s face was about as red as a tomato as he gritted his teeth at me. What had I done to deserve any of this from him? I was his own daughter for crying out loud and he tried to sell my hand in marriage. Shouldn’t I be the one who was upset here? I mean, the man had taken everything from me that I cared about, literally everything!

“Oh and Avenged will pay too and you will sit and watch as your precious Gates and his little friends die a slow and painful death at the mercy of my hand… oh and your sister…” He harshly shoved me to concrete floor, my body scrapping across the rough surface.

“No…” I whimpered, shaking my head as I tried to sit up. He couldn’t hurt them. I wouldn’t let him. I would rather die than watch them suffer…

I may have been trapped in a cell, but I wasn’t going to let him take the one shred of hope I had left: the hope that the guys and my sister had gone far away from my father’s forsaken city. I hoped they had found someplace where my father and his guards couldn’t find them and would never look back. And as much as the thought of never seeing them again killed me inside, I knew I could never live with myself if they got hurt or killed trying to get me out of here. They were the only people I had ever loved in my entire life. I would give my life for them time and time again as long as they remained safe. It was the only thing that mattered.

“Oh your sister will have the worst fate of all, the little fucking traitor!” He cried now pacing wildly in front of me, his hands twisting maniacally in front of him as he thought through his sick and twisted plan. He let out a dark laugh before his crazed eyes turned on me again, a wicked grin adorning his features.

“You wont fucking touch her!” I hissed, feeling all my anger and hatred for the man rising in my chest. But to my surprise, my father threw his head back with a dark laugh, one that killed me to the bone.

“Oh dear, sweat, naïve little Emery…” he chuckled, his eyes narrowing on me with a wicked smirk. “I wont be the one harming your sister. You will.”

I shook my head as I stumbled to my feet, backing up against the wall as my father approached me again. If possible, he looked even more crazed than when he entered the cell. “I will NOT harm a hair on her beautiful head!” I growled, even though my body was shaking with fear. I had no idea what my father was going to do to me now that he had lost his mind completely. “You can’t make me!”

Suddenly his hand reached out and grabbed my face, pinching it between his thick fingers. “You will do what I say, Emery. Sooner or later you will learn, even if I have to knock all the fight out of you, one blow at a time,” he snarled. My father’s grip was so tight on my face, I thought my jaw was about to pop out of place, and it took every ounce of my being not to let out a cry of pain. I wasn’t going to give into his sick and twisted ways. I just had to remain strong. That was the only way to get out of this!

“I will never hurt her!” I snapped only to feel a sharp blow to the face. The sting of the back of my father’s hand in combination with his large gold ring hitting my face made cry out in pain as I hit the floor again.

“You will do as you’re told,” he said before pulling his hand back again. I could taste the metallic bitterness in my mouth as I swallowed thickly. I knew I was trapped and didn’t have anywhere to go, but it was all worth it, knowing that my friend were safe. He could kill me for all I cared, put me out of my misery. I just had to wait for him to make the next move.

My father grabbed me by the hair again and yanked me to my feet, preparing me for the next blow. He wanted to break me but no matter how many time he hit me, I would never change my mind. I knew the truth now and I would stand up for those I loved time and time again. Nothing he could do would change my mind. He would have to kill me first! “You fucking owe me everything.”

Everything seemed to move in slow motions as my father pulled his fist back, his face twisting in deranged way. I pinched my eyes shut and braced for impact just as the basement door burst open, hitting the stone wall, someone calling my father’s name.

“Mr. Pagano?” I recognized the sound my guard’s voice.

“Not now, Brown. My daughter needs to be taught a lesson,” my father growled, raising his hand again.

“It’s urgent, Sir. The security team has a report that they want to share with you. They think they have a lead on the new Sevenfold compound.” Christopher’s words hit me harder than any one of my father’s blows to the face. They found the compound? No… no… that wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to be far away from here and safe, not being hunted down by my father’s men!

I shook my head as my father turned around, grinning like an idiot. I could feel the tears burning in my eyes at the thought of them being caught. No, it couldn’t be. They had to be smarter than that! I refused to believe it!

“About time someone finally did their fucking jobs!” My father said before he hurried out of the cell, leaving me alone with Chris. “I’ll be back! This is not over!” My father warned, but I didn’t care. I was too worried about the news I just heard.

I slowly shook my head in disbelief as slide down the cold metal wall by the dingy cot, pulling my knees to my chest. My heat was beating a mile a minute as I willed myself not to vomit from the anxiety and pain that was coursing through my body. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything but gasp for air. It felt like someone had taken a hammer and hit me as hard as they could in the chest. It was the devastating blow of losing everything all at once. I completely broke down.

“Em?” I heard a voice say, but it sounded so far away that it didn’t even seem real. “Emery? What happened? What the hell did he do to you?” His tone sounded genuinely concerned as strong arms wrapped around me. I was in complete and total shock, and devastation didn’t even begin to describe the feeling brewing inside my chest.

My breath hitched at the sound and I suddenly felt like was drowning. It was weird how I could feel all warm and fuzzy and completely crushed at the same time. The sensation was one of the most painful things I had ever experience in my life. There were supposed to get away. They were supposed to be living happy lives far away from here! That’s why I sacrificed myself! God Damn it! I couldn’t live with the idea of them being caught, or worse having to personally deliver their punishment or watch them die. I couldn’t do it! I wouldn’t! I refused!

“Em please talk to me? I want to help you. I hate seeing you like this!” he said again but all I could do was cry into Chris’ warm chest and pray that they got away before it was too late. It was the only I had to left to wish for.

Notes

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