Gianna was shaking under her stepbrother's arm, clutching onto the forearm curled around her throat. Tears were streaming down her face and her breath was coming in short gasps. Nate held the gun to her head with a grin.

"Nathan," Dimitri said quietly. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

Nate barked out a laugh. "Oh, Dad...I am really amazed. I mean, I really only expected to get Justin here. But when Gianna was here snooping the other day, I really scored. I got two for the price of one."

"What do you mean two for the price of one?" I asked, glancing at Gianna.

He shrugged. "You're smart, Bieber. Figure it out."

"Put the gun down, Nathan." Dimitri said in a voice that should have terrified Nate. But instead his grin widened as he pressed the barrel of the gun harder into Gianna's head. She whimpered again.

"Daddy," She cried, shutting her eyes.

"You really are a stupid little girl, Gi." Nate let out hysterical laugh. "This isn't your fucking daddy. Yours is dead, remember? This is just a man who spends all the money in the world to keep your mouth shut. He doesn't love you or me, or any of us. He just wants his secrets to be kept." Nate spit with hatred.

"That's not true." Dimitri replied quietly. "You know it's not."

Nate laughed again. "You know, Dad, you're right. I know you love Gianna and I know you love Ella. It's just me you can't stand."

Dimitri didn't say anything. He didn't even deny his son's accusation. "Whatever issues you have with me, they're between us. Put the gun down and let Gianna go. Let both girls go."

"I've always just been the bastard child to you. You hated that you had to take me in when my mother died. You hated it even more that you couldn't morph me into the son you dreamed of."

"I'm not going to tell you again," Dimitri said quietly, producing his own gun, trying to scare Nate into submission. "Put it down. Stop this nonsense, Nathan."

"I thought you said no bloodshed?" I whispered.

"I often say things I don't mean."

I pressed my lips tight together. I didn't want Nate knowing I had a weapon on me as well. We were getting Gianna out of here unharmed and I needed to make sure the same happened with Ana.

"And don't get me started on you." Nate moved his glared over to me. "I knew my father's obsession with you since day one. He was ecstatic when Richard died because he was the only one standing between Dimitri and what he really wanted. A perfect son like you. He lost his chance at the perfect family when your mom died."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped. "My mom died almost ten years ago."

Nate shook his head. "Why don't you tell him Dimitri? About your obsession with Pattie Mallette all those years ago? How it burned you to the core that one of the men you trusted most had the worst intentions with the girl you loved and got a son out of it? Something you dreamed of."

I took a step to the side, looking dead at Dimitri. "How did you even meet her?"

"Richard introduced us. I was...infatuated right away. We'd met a few times after but my feelings weren't reciprocated. She was so young. I couldn't force her into anything she didn't want. And when I found out what Richard was doing I-"

"Allowed it to happen. Allowed him to hurt her and manipulate her and you didn't say a word. You have all this power and you did nothing." I spit, angry tears clouding my vision.

Dimitri shook his head, reaching up to wipe the sweat on his forehead. "When I was informed that she was pregnant, I was enraged. She had been seeing someone at the time and everyone assumed it was his, but I knew the truth. I gave Richard an ultimatum; either I told his secret and ruined his life or he was indebted to me for the rest of his life. He would only answer to me and to my demands.

"But most of all, I wished it was me. Pattie was sweet and beautiful and pure. I wanted nothing but to have you and her by my side. It killed me."

"This wouldn't have been a life for her. For neither of us."

Dimitri nodded, "I know."

Nate cut in, "My mother on the other hand, wasn't enough. Just a one off for Dimitri, never to be seen again. He never even showed up to the hospital when I was born. To him, I was just a bump in the road that he was quick to write off. I've never heard the words 'I love you' leave this man's mouth."

"Why Ana?" I asked. This was still the missing piece to this seriously fucked up puzzle. I couldn't see the point to any of this. I doubted Nate could either. This was all just a cry for attention.

He shook his head. "I liked Ana from the day I met her. And there was a point where I thought she liked me too. I could see a future with this girl. But then, as usual, Justin Bieber swoops down and manages to take yet another person in my life. How does it feel, Bieber? How does it feel to have everything taken from you? To have the floor ripped out from right under you?"

"It feels awful," I replied. "You're right. It doesn't feel good at all. I'm sorry you've had to feel this way. But this isn't Gianna's fault. This isn't Ana's fault. You can't just hurt people because you feel hurt. It never ends well."

"I want to hurt the people who've hurt me. They deserve it." Nate said, eyebrows furrowing. He looked and sounded like a child.

I took a step forward, lifting my arm to keep Dimitri from following me. "Believe it or not, I know exactly how you feel."

Nate snorted, "Like hell you do."

"I have Borderline Personality Disorder, did you know that?"

"I really don't give a fuck."

"Just hear me out, alright?" I said. "I'm doing better now but I can't say the same thing about a year ago. I was angry and I always took it out on people who didn't deserve it. I threatened the one person I loved the most and ended up being hospitalized for a few months. I was miserable and I hated myself during that time. But I got back up. You have to get up, dust yourself off, and prove them wrong."

I could see Nate loosen his grip around Gianna slightly. "I manage a fucking store." He said quietly. "I have nothing. I'm not living a life worth anything."

I shook my head. "That's not true. You manage a store? So kick ass at that. Don't worry about making anyone else proud. You gotta make you proud. I know for a fact, Gianna loves you. She looks up to you. And look at the position you have her in."

Nate glanced down at his terrified stepsister. Then he looked up at me, then at Dimitri. "This is between me and you, Nathan. Just us. Let. Her Go."

"I'm sorry, Gi." Nate whispered. "I'm so, so sorry." He let her go with shaking arms. The second she was out of his grip, Gianna sprinted into my arms. I wrapped them around her, caressing her head. "It's okay, you're okay." I said soothingly.

"She's in the garage, Justin. You have to go to her."

I nodded, letting Gianna go. Before following her, I glanced at Nate and Dimitri. They were facing each other, not saying a word. Gianna led me down the hall, holding open one of the glass doors.

"I'll wait out here. She needs medical attention, Justin."

I nodded, "Thank you, Gianna. I'm going to make sure you both get out of it, okay?" I leaned over, pressing a kiss to her forehead before shoving my way into the double garage.

I almost fell to my knees when I saw Ana sprawled out in the middle of the cement floor. To anyone, it could have looked like she was dead. But her groans sounded when she heard my footsteps come closer.

"Ana," I whispered, finally crawling to my knees when I got close enough. I ran a hand through her matted hair, running my thumb up her cheek softly.

"Justin?" She muttered sluggishly. Her eyes opened a crack. "Is this a dream?" She slurred, her words ending in a dry cough.

"No, baby, this isn't a dream. I'm here and you're coming home today baby. This'll all be over soon."

"It's Nate. He's the one who took me."

"I know, we're taking care of it."

"We? I'm tired." She whispered, shutting her eyes again. "Hey Justin?"

"Yeah baby?" I laid my hand on the top of her head, leaning closer to catch her words.

"Thank you for saving me."

"Oh Ana," I choked out, leaning forward so my face was hidden in her neck. "I love you so much. I would do anything for you, always."

Ana took in a breath, lifting her hand to lay it on my shoulder. Then, she weakly slapped it. "I'm still mad at you."

I laughed a little. "I know you are."

We stayed lying in silence for a few minutes. It seemed unreal that we were together again. It had only been three days, but it had been the worst three days of my life. I needed Ana safe, I needed her here with me, right where she belonged-

My head shot up when I heard Dimitri yell Nate's name. Seconds later, there was a gunshot and Gianna's ear piercing scream. I was immediately on my feet, reaching behind me to draw my gun.

"Justin?" Ana said in alarm but I ignored her, moving quickly to the door.

When I entered the living room and headed back to the living room, I was not expecting to find Dimitri and Gianna kneeling on the floor. Anthony and Henry had burst in when the gun went off.

My hand went straight to my mouth and I took a step back. Dimitri and Gianna kneeled in front of Nate, his gun in his hand and all life drained from his eyes.

Gianna was sobbing, covering her face, while Dimitri just stared down at his son with void eyes. Those same eyes met mine and for the first time in a long time, I couldn't think of a single word to say.

"We need to move quickly." He said, standing up. "The longer we wait, the harder it'll be."

"The harder...what?" I asked, stepping forward. I placed my hands on Gianna's shoulders in comfort but she barely noticed. "Dimitri, do you need a minute to like...?"

He ignored me, turning to Henry. "Take Gianna and Justin back home. I'll handle everything here."

I raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, I'm not leaving Ana here. Either she comes, or I stay."

"And how do you plan on explaining where you found her?" Dimitri snapped. "You're going to go home and wait for her family to call you. Until then, you have to let me fix this."

Gianna was standing now, grasping my arm to stay balanced. "He's right, Justin. You did nothing wrong but the police may not see it that way."

Anthony spoke up. "No more harm will come to her. You have my word."

I glanced around the room. "Alright. I'm trusting you with this." I said. "This plan of yours better work. Don't let me down."

I followed Henry and Gianna out to my truck. I helped Gianna into the backseat, where she sprawled out, sobs wracking her body. I handed her my phone. "Call your mom, okay? She's worried sick."

Stepping in to the passenger seat, I took one last glance at the house. Ana was safe. She was coming home. But in the back of my mind, I still didn't know where we stood.

--