Carson paced back and forth in his brothers office not sure what to do, he had been replaying the events back and forth in his head and was confused on how the situation escalated.This is what he gets for trying to derive more information about Tony's betrayal instead of just whacking him, like his father and brother told ordered him to do.Carson always had a problem with his mouth, he just talked too much.

"What are we going to do?" Carson panicked to his brother as soon as Levi stepped into his office.

Levi with a blank face, said nothing, he sat in his all leather black chair and leaned back loosening his tie and rolling up the sleeves of his buttoned up black shirt.He looked down opening his draw and pulling out a carton of cigarettes, taking one out and lighting one before looking at his brother Carson.

"We? This is your mistake.You know exactly what you have to do and I don't get why you had to bring her all the way to my house to do it.It would of been better to kill her in the alley way while she was passed out, now she'll be awake."

"K-Kill her?"

"Y-Yes" Levi mocked before taking another drag of his cigarette,he scratched his eyebrow and continued to look at Carson who was a panicking mess and Levi didn't understand why.Carson by the age of sixteen had already killed two people and now he's nineteen with way more people under his belt and struggling to off one women?

Levi never even understood why Carson wanted to be in the business anyway.Carson had something that most of the people in the family didn't.

A genuine care for the innocent slash bystanders.

Levi didn't go out of his way to hurt innocent people, but if they got in the way, then blame fate.He was always going to do what he had to do in order to survive and keep himself out of prison and police off his families trail.

"She didn't do anything though Levi! She's an innocent women! And she's really nice, she was trying to help Tony and she got caught up in our shit.She doesn't know my name and I don't think she saw my face.We can hurry up and just drop her-"

"Too risky.If Dad was to ever find out? Especially that i knew? If you can't kill her then I guess I will."

"Levi!Isn't there anything? Anything at all?" Levi shrugged and put out his cigarette in his ashtray.

"First, let me ask you something."

"What?"

"If she was a man instead of a women, would you feel so strongly?"

"Yes but no."

"Yes or no?"

Carson huffed throwing his hands up.

"I don't know, maybe not.The fact is she is a women and even if she wasn't?You know i never killed anybody that didn't deserve it-"

"I can kill her-"

"I just told you she doesn't deserve to die for my fuck up, it isn't right."

"Killing in general isn't right,but we do it don't we? Innocent or guilty.We make those decisions.We decided who is innocent and guilty.Now is not the time to grow a conscious."

"You sound like dad." Levi sighed running his hands over his face as he took another cigarette.

"This was my one day off and you singlehandedly ruined it.We have other family members and other siblings, why come to me?"

"Our other siblings are dad minions, as soon as I called them they would of called dad.Some of our other siblings aren't even in the business, you know that."

"I would call dad just the same but I am not in the mood to hear him yell and this will give him an excuse to call me back in.Did i remind you it's my only day off?"

"Yes you did but-"

"Help!Help! Somebody help! Help!"

"Why didn't you tape her mouth shut?" Levi said quickly getting up and hurrying towards his basement as Carson followed him.

"I didn't want her to like lose oxygen and like die."

My brother is an idiot, Levi thought as he bust through the basement door to see Yvette yelling her lungs out trying to move from the bed as her arms and legs were bounded by tape.

"Why am i tied up?! Let me go!!"

"You took off her blindfold?" Levi snapped at Carson as Carson sighed.

"I thought she would be less-"

"Look my eyes are closed now! I barely even saw a glimpse of y'all face! Y'all can let me go.I don't know anything or care to know anything and this is a big misunderstanding.Just take this off and I'll get out of y'all hair." Yvette rambled quickly shutting her eyes as fast as fast as she could.

"Kill her." Levi said coldly.

He looked her dead in her eyes, she saw him and his brother.There's no way she could walk out of here alive, it just could not happen now.

"But-"

"First-" Levi pointed at Carson.

"You let her live when she already saw what you did.Then, you bring her to my house?You forget to gag her? And you didn't keep her blindfolded? Kill.Her." Yvette hearing those words immediately started to cry, Levi looked at Yvette then looked at Carson and walked out of the basement.

It was his day off and he didn't have time to deal with whatever mess his brother made this time.

"I'm sorry." Carson started as he pulled up a chair and sat down as he looked at her.Her makeup had messed up, her hair was a mess and she looked tired.Although when Carson first laid eyes on her, she was beautiful, on the heavier side but still beautiful in his eyes.

"Y-You don't wanna kill me right? You aren't like your brother? You don't have to listen to him okay?And I promise you don't even have to kill me.I don't even know your name."

"It's Carson-Oh shit i just told you didn't I?" Yvette started to cry again as Carson rubbed his eyebrow and took a deep breathe.He felt horrible, he really didn't care what his brother said, he couldn't kill her.

And he wasn't about to let Levi kill her either.

But he also couldn't just let her walk away, what could he do?

"I'm not going to kill you so can you stop crying? I can't focus." Yvette tried to stop but she couldn't.She was scared and confused on who these people were and what they wanted.

First, she had a meltdown at her birthday party.Then, almost got her throat cut by some guy and that same guy died in front of her and she passed out and is now locked up with two nut jobs.

"Are you thirsty?" Carson asked, Yvette finally got her crying under control and sniffed shaking her head no.

She didn't want to drink anything from them, they could poison her or put something in it to make her fall asleep and then kill her or worse.

"Hungry? I know how to cook." Yvette shook her head harder, Carson leaned in the chair and crossed his arms looking up at the ceiling and letting out a long hard sigh.

"I know you think I'm a bad person but I promise you i'm not.Even calling you a bitch? I just did that so he would let you go.I don't want to hurt you but If you keep acting this way then my brother is going to think that as soon as you leave you'll tell.Just work with me and we can convince him you'll leave and forget this even happened okay? Help me , help you."

"He seems hell bent on killing me."

"I'll butter him up.You just keep quiet and no more crying or yelling okay?Deal?"

"Deal." Yvette mumbled, her throat was dry and the side of her head hurt.She didn't trust the young one not even a little bit he seemed to be the one thing keeping her alive so for now she would just have to listen.All she could think about is the people she left behind.she ran out and disappeared.

What if she couldn't say goodbye? Porsche would be devastated.

They only have each other.

They always have.

Yvette looked around the basement trying to see if there was a possibility of getting out but there wasn't.Only a big black door, a couple of weights and a treadmill and a bunch of boxes.Nothing to get her out of here.

Yvette eyes continued to search her surroundings until her eyes landed on a knife in plain site, although her legs and wrist were bonded she could hop and grab it.Getting her hands free first then her feet and maybe fighting her way out? Or tricking them just until she can make a break for it.

Was it worth the risk? What if Carson was telling the truth and really would let her go? But how can she trust a stranger? She's a stranger herself and they're siblings, she doubted her life really mattered to him.

Carson meanwhile in the other room stared at his brother, who was smoking his third cigarette with his eyes shut listening to silence.

"I didn't hear the sound of a gun, did you suffocate her?"

"No."

Levi frowned and stood up.

"Wait! I don't think we have to kill her.She promised me she will keep quiet and she will not say anything.I think we can trust her."

"We can not let her go based on the assumptions that she might not tell.We aren't guaranteed her loyalty therefore death is the only option."

"It has to be something other then death." Levi leaned on his desk puffing out smoke.

"Do you want to be married at nineteen?"

"Huh?"

"Dad had a step brother, who had a cousin who witnessed him murder someone.Dad always told the story that his cousin wasn't built for this life and could never hurt someone innocent so what else could he do? He married her into the family therefore she wouldn't be able to testify against him.She became apart of the family."

"Did they live happily ever after?"

"No.She cheated on him and he ended up whacking her anyway but, that isn't the point." Carson sighed.

"Marry her? No offense but I am young, she seems old"

"She's probably my age."

"You are equally old."

Levi frowned.

"Also who says she wants to marry me? I won't make her marry me against her will."

"It's either that or death."

"But we would have to tell Dad and what if he doesn't agree and just wants to kill her anyway?"

"There's a chance she will decline and have to be killed anyway.This is her only shot at survival because she isn't walking out of here alive.Maybe you could if you would of kept her in your car or something but you brought her in my home and I'm not always on par with dad methods but this? We probably have the same thoughts."

Carson chewed on his bottom lip, he might as well go break the news to her now.

But him? Married at nineteen? He fucked up her life and his own.More guilt rushed over him. Carson walked into the room and was met by a knife in his face as he immediately put his hands up.

"Woah..Calm down." Yvette angrily eyed him and put the knife right in his face.

"Look.I do not want to hurt you but I also do not want to die.All y'all have to do is just let me leave, peacefully."

"Look I have a plan, you can marry me and-"

"Marry you? Your young self? You must be outta' yo rabbit ass mind!"

"I'm trying to save your life here! And I am very handsome.My mommy tells me every morning" Carson shot back offended by Yvette comment.

"What is all that-" Levi came down the stairs and stopped himself as he saw Yvette pointing one of his sharpest knives at Carson throat.

Levi stared at Yvette with a blank face, unbothered.He walked up to her as Yvette quickly backed up now pointing the knife at Carson and Levi.

"Put my knife down." Levi said in a bored tone waving her off, what did she even think she was going to do with that?

"Let me go."

"Put.It.Down or else."

Yvette kept the knife in his face as Levi turned to stare at Yvette intense eyes as he grabbed her free wrist with a hard grip, Yvette quickly swung her other arm with the knife cutting across Levi face.

Carson gasped and Yvette tried to keep on a stone cold face but felt guilt and fear rush over her, she didn't mean to hurt him.She just wanted to scare them into letting her go.

Carson didn't know the last time his brother was injured by somebody.

Levi calm demeanor turned into an angry one as he quickly looked up ignoring the cut on his cheek that was now bleeding down his face as he stared at Yvette who immediately regretted her decision.Levi grabbed her arm with the knife bending it all the way back as he pushed her into the wall and placed the knife ,still in her hand, at her own neck.

"Give me a reason why I shouldn't make you slit your own throat ." Levi said calmly staring into her dark brown eyes as she stared into his gray ones, scared shitless.

"Maybe because you don't know me?! I didn't ask for this.I don't know you and I won't tell.I-I just wanna go and I wanna live.I'm sorry i cut you, it was an accident but y'all are discussing on whether to kill me or not! I'm just trying to get back to my life!Please!" Yvette begged.

Levi started at her long and hard before letting her go and snatching the knife wiping his cheek, Yvette stayed on the wall still very scared.

"If you try that again, Even God won't be able to save you.Carson move her to my guest room, the one without any windows."

"I'm not an idiot."

Levi frowned side eyeing Carson and Yvette both as he shook his head and walked upstairs.This was definitely a problem that he had to tell his father about.If this marriage proposal was going to work then there father had to know, and his blessing was needed.

Fuck this is a whole mess Levi thought running his fingers through his hair before picking up his phone and calling his father.

As soon as he did, his father went on a rant.

"Are you coming back in?Because I have things I need you to do.Why did i get a text that you left for time off? I don't even see why you even need a day off when you don't have anything at home.You have no wife, no kids, not even a girlfriend or friends and Carson does not count, he's family.All you do is smoke and drink and waste time when you could be helping me."

Levi slightly rolled his eyes, everyday his dad would remind him on his loneliness and he didn't see the problem.He dedicated his life to his family and the business but ever so often, he wants to dedicate time to himself.His home is his sanctuary and he plans to keep it that way until he dies.He wants no one in his space and in his house, touching things, changing things and interrupting his silence and isolation which he takes seriously.

He doesn't see the need for a women in his life and never did, since he was a child.

And he hates kids.

And every "friend" he ever had, end up betraying the family, meaning betraying him, meaning death.

So he decided being associates with everyone served in his best interest.

"Dad please for once let's keep my social life out of our conversations? I need time to myself whether I am married or not.That isn't what I even called you to talk about."

"Then what is it?"

"Carson had a problem, and he made it my problem.We need to talk to you face to face to discuss."

"Is this problem a thing or person?"

"A person."

"Women or man?"

"Women."

"Did Carson get someone pregnant! I swear I will-"

"No! It isn't that."

"Then what?"

"Dad, this is something we have to discuss in person."

"Me and Francesca won't be flying back in to North Carolina until tomorrow morning, whatever you have to discuss has to be now over the phone or-"

"Okay, tomorrow it is."

"This must be really important, is this going to upset me?"

"Yes." Levi father let out a big sigh.

"Put your brother on the phone."

"Why?"

"Levi, I don't like that you think you have the authority or right to question your own father.Ever since you turned twenty-seven suddenly you have so many questions.I ask something of you, then you simply do it.Are we understood?!"

"I don't mean to disrespect you.I just don't want you to yell at Carson or threaten him, he isn't like me dad.He is sensitive and he feels bad enough."

"So you'll assume responsibility for the mistake he has made?"

"Yes."

"So be it, I'll be there and whatever I decide to dish out, I guess that'll be your punishment instead of Carson's"

"Ok.See you then." His father hanged up as Levi sighed running his fingers through his hair once again.

He needed a cigarette.

Levi grabbed the carton and grabbed one just as Carson came inside the office.

"Isn't that your fourth cigarette?"

"I called Dad.I have not told him the full situation but I have told enough." Levi said ignoring what he said and putting the cigarette in his mouth, picking up his lighter.

"Is he mad at me? Did he wanna speak to me?"

Levi lit the cigarette looking at Carson,who's face was already filled with worried.

"No he isn't mad at you, he knows your young and that you have a good heart,you didn't mean to do it.We'll explain everything and it'll be fine."

"Really?"

"Yeah.How is the women doing?"

"She is extremely quiet.Hope she doesn't pass out again." Levi slightly nodded and tapped his foot.

"We have to get this problem solved soon.She has family somewhere, they probably already want to contact the police.It has to be a full twenty four hours so we are in the clear for now but sooner or later she is going to have to let someone know she is okay."

"Yeah, I just hope Dad listens to our plan."

"Even if he does, that women is anything but stupid and only a stupid women would agree to marry a total stranger especially a nineteen year old one who kidnapped her."

"I didn't kidnap her! I just took her..without her consent...or permission and-Maybe i did! I am a great catch though and very handsome m-"

"Yes, I know, Francesca tells you every morning." Levi mumbled making Carson laugh.

Although Levi and Carson were half brothers, they were the only siblings that actually grew up together excluding Levi's full sister, Pamela.The rest of Levi 7 siblings had different moms and different house holds.

Levi and Carson were rare and the only close and stable sibling relationship out of all 9 kids.

Carson mistakes always became Levi mistakes.

And this one? Was a huge mistake.

-

"She left her cellphone and purse! I'm telling you she didn't go home! Something happened to her and I need to find her! I'm all she's got! Put out an amber alert or something! Get a fucking swat team! She is missing!" Porsche yelled at the police officer, the man slightly rolled his eyes and continued sipping his coffee.

"Like I told you before, it hadn't been a full twenty-four hours.There's nothing I or this police station can do.You wanna do something? Keep better track of your friends."

"Excuse me?! Listen here you wide nosed ass dunkin donut smelling piece of shit! Y'all up in here better get somebody who actually gives a fuck or I'll be the one to go to jail!"

"You got one more time to get loud in here and you'll get thrown in a cell."