It was 10 minutes into class when a student had knocked with a message for me, I had stepped outside the class not thinking anything of it, until he had grinned, his gaze passing me and someone had stepped up and as I tried to turn, a hand complete with the requisite kidnappers cloth had covered my mouth and I had passed out, thoughts of the Steele boys the last thing I thought.

I start to come to in the back of a car, the muffled voices and laughter making me realise I was in the trunk of the car, I opened my eyes to pitch black, my hand going to my pocket to look for Ravens phone but it was gone.

Feeling around the space, it was empty, then my finger caught on the edge of the lining carpet, I silently wriggled back and pulled up, the car had a tool and spare wheel compartment under the carpet and whilst the spare was missing the tools were not... bingo. I pulled the tyre iron free and let the carpet drop back into place, moving myself towards the back of the space, I held the iron ready to strike when someone opened the trunk.

Again the muffled laughter filtered through and I realised it sounded like students, was this the sigma lot that the boys had been so worried about? I hoped it was and that I got a couple of hits in first before Leo and Dom arrived. I knew without a doubt they would already be aware and tracking me.

The car turned onto a rougher road and bounced a little, making me bite my lip to stop from crying out as I bounced around, my head hitting the bulkhead with a bang. That had brought a second of silence before loud laughter and raised voices commenting that I would be all banged up before I was awake to know it. God they thought I was still passed out.

The car slowed and stopped and I braced myself, listening to them moving about, fours doors opened and slammed and I listened as they joked about and the hiss of cans opening as they toasted each other. I kept a mental note of their names Kyle, Brant, Drew and Caesar... I almost laughed at that one, Caesar was their leader and from the sound of it really thought he was something. Drew was probably the most uncomfortable with whatever they were planning, his constant reminders to the others they needed to be careful. I grinned to myself, the longer they talked themselves up, it was giving my cousins time to get to me.

"Lets do this" I heard a voice say and the boot was opened...

I came out swinging, squinting at the bright sunshine, I didn't let it stop me, I had th element of surprise and I was going to use it.

"Fuck, grab her" one of them shouted as another screamed in pain as the iron connected with a thwack. I swung back, making contact again from the relative safety of the trunk, then bang... they had forced the door shut of me.

I moved back, taking deep breaths and listening to them argue outside, each blaming the other, as one cried he needed a hospital. I grinned, I wasn't done yet...

The sound of a helicopter growing louder overhead made me sigh, I could hear the confusion outside as to what was happening but I knew, my family had arrived.

"Go, lets go" one of them shouted but it was too late, heavy vehicles were approaching they had no way out.

"Get down on the ground, hands up" came a magnified voice, with repeated "On the ground" around the car. I heard a voice ask "Where is the girl?" then a thud as no one replied.

Another thud and a voice shouted. "In the trunk"

There was a light knock before the trunk opened once again "Viridian, you okay?"

I grinned up at Uncle Luca , "Hey" I greet as he helps me out of the car, keeping me upright until I find my balance, his grin showing as he see's the tyre iron in my hand still, both our gazes moving towards the four men kneeling on the ground with there hands cuffed behind them.

One has blood trickling down his arm and a gash across his shoulder, another has a ripped shirt with an angry red mark showing and I can't help but smile, I did that. I could see the panic on their faces they were trying to hide behind a show of bravado, but they were surrounded by black clad armed men, at least half of them points guns at them.

I looked towards the helicopter and saw Dad watching, his phone held facing us, was he videoing?, he sent me a quick wave, I knew he would have wanted to be at my side but this was Luca's speciality.

"Boys, boys, boys, do you have any idea of just how much trouble you are in?" he asks looking at them, a dark smile on his face.

"Do you know who I am, you can't do this to us, my father..." I recognised the voice as Caesar and Luca's laugh cut him off.

"I know who each of you are, I know who your parents are, I know everything, right down to " he paused and clicked on something on his phone "right down to that clinic visit last week, nasty"

"Look man, it was just a joke, come on, it was a laugh, no harm done" one of the others butted in wildly.

"Kidnapping, false imprisonment, you will all see a jail cell for that alone, factor in who you took and that's where your troubles really start, I'd rather just put a bullet in you, much easier all round"

"My father can pay, we can work this out" Caesar rushes out and Luca laughs again.

"With what, if your family chooses to try to protect you... again." Caesar turns white "Then, by the end of the day, your family will have nothing. Do you think they would choose you over their wealth, their lifestyle, their reputation"

"What were you planning to do with her?" he asks them.

Caesar stays silent, one of the others replies "We were going to leave her up here and split"

"That's all?" Luca asks and three of the them nod.

"No, it's not" again I recognise the voice Drew as the others all hiss at him to shut up.

I step up to Luca's side "Drew what were you all planning to do to me?" he looks shocked that I know his name.

I lifted the tyre iron and pointed it at Caesar as it started to speak "Shut up Caesar" I keep my face passive as he too looks shocked that I know his name.

"They... We were going to strip you and put you in compromising positions, take pictures and send them to the Steeles and all over the campus" he stutters out looking sick.

"Sexual positions?' I ask and he nods, keeping his eyes on mine as the others shuffle beside him.

"Were you going to rape me?" I question and he rears back, denial clear on his face but....

"No!" he wouldn't but I can see the doubt in his eyes as he glances at his companions, he thinks one or more of them capable. Would he have stood by, watched, stopped them?

The roar of more vehicles approaching makes Luca laugh as the boys eyes widen further. Grant Steele, the Dean and the State Governor all alight, security close behind them.

My gaze returns to the helicopter and I grin as I see Dad's mouth moving, he must have everyone on video call and be keeping them up to date on what's happening, that's why neither Dom or Leo or any of the Steele's are here.

"Luca" Grant steps up and shakes his hand before turning to me "Viri, are you alright?"

"I am fine" I tell him, listening as Uncle Luca fills in what has happened to the Dean and Governor.

Grant steps forward "And having Jett arrested?" he questions them and I see the smirk on Caesars face.

"We needed him out of the way, we paid Brants sister to say Jett attacked her at a party" Drew answers, again causing the three others to hiss at him.

"You boys even screwed that up, the night she said Jett attacked her, he was home with witnesses, Brandy is currently being picked up by campus police" Grant tells them.

"Viridian, how do you want to handle this?" the Governor asks me and Caesar splutters in rage.

"What is it with you, you sleeping with them too you whore!" he shouts and Luca swings, his fist breaking Caesars nose and spraying blood as he goes down.

"Watch your tongue, our niece deserves respect" he spits at them.

"By the book, throw everything at those three, Drew is going to tell us everything we need to know, about today and about that frat" I tell them before looking Drew in the eye, "You will help us or join them, I heard you in the car, I don't think you were happy with what was happening, this is your chance to make amends" he doesn't look at the others as he nods.

Luca laughs again and comes to my side "I'll take Viri back to the house, can you send someone to take her statement there?" he asks and Uncle Chester nods, before turning back into Governor mode and issuing orders to his men. I can hear Caesar shouting as he is led away, as Uncle Luca guides me towards the helicopter. Dad sliding out and pulling me into a hug when we get there before pulling back to point the phone at me "See she is okay and we are on our way back" he says before hanging up and hugging me again.

"Come on, lets get you back before they riot and come looking for you" he laughs, helping me aboard, Uncle Luca hopping in at our sides, passing me headphones before putting his on, Dad holding my hand in his and I can feel the tension leave him as we lift off.

"Are they okay?" I ask "Where are they?"

Dad and Luca laugh, "They are all at their home, with Dom and Leo and some guards, they would have killed those idiots back there and then we would have had a bigger mess to sort out" Luca explained.

"And what about Jett, is he okay?"

"He is more worried about you, I think this will make them even crazier and both Dom and Leo are threatening to enrol. I hate to say it but your cover is partly blown, we may need to consider how you want to manage this" Dad tells me and I groan.

"How about we just claim I'm Uncle Chesters niece and just not mention the rest of the family. Aunty has a huge family, they will think i'm from that lot"

"It could work, if Chester was to agree and those boys stay silent"Luca muses.

I look out the window as the helicopter starts to descend, noticing how large the garden is at the rear of the Steele home.

"Brace yourself" Dad warns as I see them rushing down towards us.

Grey opens the door and Jet reaches in to lift me out, I can feel him shaking and seeing the guilt on his face, I wrap my arms around him, "Its not your fault" I whisper into his ear as his arms tighten.

"Share" Ash mutters and with a sigh Jett relaxes his hold, making eye contact before passing me across with a soft smile.

"You worried us, disappearing like that, never again, one of us will always be with you" he promises as he hugs me, again I feel his tension and smile as I feel it ease slightly as he holds me.

"My turn" I hear Grey mumble as Ash passes me to him and he leans in our foreheads touching, his gaze holding mine, I lift a hand and hold it against his cheek, he leans into it and I feel my heart patter.

"I'm okay" I promise him, feeling the unspoken words.

"You'd better be or their world would burn" he whispers back and I can feel the heat of his words.

I feel a hand on my back and know its the last brother. I could feel his raw angry energy surrounding me before I felt his touch and my body had already been turning towards him. Grey smiled at me "He's wound up, you ready?" I nodded and he released me into Ravens arms.

"Baby" he growls his head coming down as he nuzzles into the crook of my neck, his warm breath ghosting over my neck and sending shivers of awareness down my spine.

"Raven" I stroke my hand over his hair, the feel of it through my fingers making me release the tension I hadn't realised I was holding.

He pulls back a little "You came back. Did they hurt you?" I feel his eyes running over me, cataloguing everything. His gaze catching on the small red bump where I had made contact with the inside of the truck on the bumpy road.

"I am fine, they didn't hurt me" I soothe, pulling his head back down and resting it against mine "I am fine" I repeat to him.

A throat clearing pulls us apart again. "Come on, let's get inside and comfortable then we can catch everyone up to speed" Dad says watching me in Raven's arms with a small smile before he catches my eye and winks as I blush and Raven follows him and uncle Luca up towards the house and my watching cousins, the others surrounding us, each within touching distance and I know that gives them as much comfort as it does me.