FRANKIE I screamed as I felt my vision blur and a thick cloth cover my face

I struggled to breathe as I hear laughing.

Wait a minute. Is that?

I angrily snatch the cloth from my face to see him laughing.

"Screw you, Leo! I yell while trying to hide my laugh.

"Oh come on, I know you missed me," he smiles while opening his arms.

I roll my eyes as I embrace him.

"I thought I was being kidnapped," I say.

"Yeah, you are dumb enough to get yourself kidnapped," he snorts.

"Sure whatever." I smile.

"Could you imagine your life without me? I mean seriously, think about it, how miserable would you be?" He smiles feeling proud of himself.

"Honestly, I think I'd be happier," I nod my head.

"Oh please just admit it," he wraps one arm around my shoulder.

"I definitely add the much-needed spice into your life," he chuckles.

We continue to walk through the hotel's resort.

"Spice? What spice could you possibly add to my life? As far as I'm concerned you've made my life a living hell," I clarify.

"Whoa whoa whoa would you say protecting you on a daily basis is hell?" He questions. "Yes," I answer.

"Oh shut up." He rolls his eyes.

"Like Anyway what time is our flight back to Los Angeles? I ask.

"Dumbass, you don't know your own flight? He asks.

"To be honest, I never do until the day of," I say.

He rolls his eyes and sighs.

"God you're so useless," he says.

"Yeah, whatever." I dismiss him.

We continue walking through the resort taking in the beautiful sight before us.

"I love Washington. I'd stay here forever if I could." I sigh.

"Please shut up. It was so peaceful before you decided to open your mouth," he rubs his chin.

I scoff and playfully shove him.

"So how was the banquet or meeting or whatever," he asks.

I shrug my shoulders.

"Pretty much the same. Nothing good really happened," I say.

He nods his head in understanding.

"What are your plans for today?" He asks.

"Don't really have any," I shrug.

He glances at me suspiciously.

"Alright, Frankie what's wrong?" He asks.

I look up to meet his glance.

"Nothings wrong. I'm just tired," I fake stretch a bit.

He stares at me for a bit.

"Come on Frankie we both know somethings up," he says more seriously this time.

"Nothings up. I'm fine," I answer.

He stares at me for a bit longer before nodding his head.

"Okay. If you say so then I believe you," He says.

I give him a closed-mouth smile.

We sit through a moment of silence before his cellphone rings.

He picks it up and engages in a brief conversation before hanging up.

"We have to meet the others in the suite," he says.

I let out a loud sigh.

"I don't want to go anywhere I want to stay here," I complain.

"Stop being lazy and let's go," he rolls his eyes.

__________

LEO

When we arrive at the suite to see everyone already there.

By everyone, I meant Marco, Felix, Sophia Alice, and Claude.

I make eye contact with Claude and with his eyes, he points to the next room.

I follow him to the next room and shut the door silently.

"She's definitely acting weird. She denied everything though," I tell him.

He sighs and rubs his forehead.

"Are you sure it was Aruba she was talking to?" I ask him.

He nods his head.

"I know his voice. I'm sure it was him she was talking to," he says.

I let out a sigh.

"Do you think he's threatening her?" I ask.

He shrugs his shoulders.

"To be honest..." he drags off for a bit.

"I don't think he'd ever hurt her," he finishes.

Despite my disagreement, I hold my comments back.

We had no idea what Benjamin wanted this time and what he was capable of.

It's been 5 years since we've last encountered Benjamin. By his killings, he's obviously not the same Benjamin from 5 years ago; we had no idea what his intentions with Frankie were. I most definitely wasn't going to wait to find out.

"You need to talk to her about it. Try to get her to tell you the truth," I tell him. "She's obviously not going to tell me. If she wanted to, she would've by now," he says.

"Then we have to tell her brothers," I say.

He shakes his head.

"I know they're your bosses but I have to talk to Frankie first. Somethings up if she's refusing to tell anybody about it," he says.

"I'm giving you until we get back to California. Then I'll tell them," I say placing my hand on the doorknob.

"This time I won't let any of them even get the opportunity to touch these girls. Not this time around," I say leaving the room.

_________

FRANKIE

I watch as Marco and Felix engage in a game of Call Of Duty.

Felix was evidently losing by his frustrated facial expression.

"Dude stop cheating!" Felix exclaims.

"How am I cheating?" Marco questions.

"You're looking at my screen I can see you," Felix says.

"You have to be looking at my screen in order to know that," Marco retorts.

I chuckle at their exchange and began to stand up from the bed.

"I'm going to get a quick snack to eat downstairs," I say.

"Alright, let's go," Leo says getting up from his seat.

I turn and face him.

"Leo I'm just going downstairs. I don't need you to come with me," I say.

"I don't care what you want Frankie. I'm coming with you," he insists.

I cross my arms over my chest.

"Leo. I'm fine I can go downstairs alone," I state.

He laughs humorlessly.

"I'm sorry I made it seem like you had a choice or something. It's my job," Leo says.

"Frankie I don't know who you think you are but you're definitely not going downstairs alone," Felix says.

"Are you hearing yourselves? Since when?" I questions.

"Are you dumb or what Frankie? You're not going downstairs alone and that's final," Felix says.

I sigh in defeat and roll my eyes as I turn around and open the door to the suite with Leo's footsteps following me.

I click the button for downstairs and seconds after, the door swings open and we step inside.

The elevator ride down was silent and 30 seconds later we step out into the restaurant and bar area of the hotel.

We approach the restaurant and I head to the front desk to check out the menu. My eyes skim over the menu.

I wasn't really looking for anything on this menu.

I watch as at least 3 server ladies pass every 20 seconds.

I turn around to see Leo's back facing me.

Swiftly, I grab two shot glasses off of the ladies' plate and quickly swallow them. When the cashier comes to take my order I simply pretend to still be thinking. When they walk away, I again glance to make sure that Leo isn't looking in order to sneak more drinks.

I've always been a lightweight so it didn't take much for me to start feeling the alcohol.

"They don't have anything good," I say while walking past Leo.

He, of course, follows me.

The elevator ride back up is once again awkward and I couldn't wait to get out of that tiny box.

Everyone's head turns to the door when we walk back inside.

"No food? Sophia asks in disappointment.

"Sorry to disappoint but nothing on the menu was appealing," I shrug and throw myself on the bed.

"You probably just couldn't make up your mind," Marco says.

"That too," I agree.

I feel the edge of the bed dip as someone sits on it.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a sec? Claude asks.

I sigh lowly, stand up and follow Claude into the next room where he closes the door behind me.

He sighs deeply and puts his hands into his pocket.

"Look Frankie I have no idea how to even begin this conversation so I'm just going to say it," He begins.

"What is it? I ask.

"The other night when I was waiting for you downstairs you called me. You hung up quickly but I heard him," he says.

My heart skips a beat but I keep my composure.

"Heard who? I ask.

He scoffs.

"Come on Frankie don't play this with me. We both know who I'm talking about," he says. I shake my head.

"I'm sorry Claude but I don't know what you're talking about," I keep my lie up.

"God Frankie, are you actually going to stand here and lie to my face?" He asks.

"God Claude, are you actually going to stand here and press me about an issue I know nothing about?" I retort.

He laughs humorlessly.

"I can't believe you right now." He says.

"Same here," I say.

He sighs and folds his arms across his chest.

"Look, Frankie. I'm not mad and I'm not here to yell or whatever. I just need to make sure you're okay and that you're not in danger. Let us help you," he says.

"Claude, even though I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm fine. I can handle myself," I reassure him.

He scoffs and shakes his head.

"I don't know why you're still protecting him. I just hope you can hide this from your brothers better than you can hide the obvious alcohol on your tongue," he says walking out the door.

I cross my hands over my chest and shake my head.

I know I could always tell Claude anything but that small encounter with Benjamin was just that. A small encounter.

I made it perfectly clear that I wasn't interested in him at all.

I leave the room after him and throw myself on the bed.

Well, that went great.

I sit up to see Marco staring at me.

"What?' I ask.

"Be honest, were you guys making out in there? He asks.