The next morning, we were summoned into Lachlan's office. He was sitting in his chair the same way he was yesterday.

"It's the big day boys." He told Tristan and Braedon, "I need you to spend the day training." Then he looked over to Tristan, "without any distractions."

I didn't feel it until I was trapped in it. The cold temperature of the metal made me gasp as Nolan locked a pair of handcuffs on my wrist to the side of a radiator.

Tristan stepped forward in my direction only to be stopped by Braedon who held him in place.

"Be smart about this Tristan." Lachlan said, "You do what I say, and she won't get hurt."

"If I'm going to be out there training, I need her to stay somewhere I can see her."

"You're not really in a position to be making any demands though, are you?" Nolan said.

He threw Braedon's hand off his arm and moved to step forward again.

And then a short cry of pain escaped my lips as I felt a tight grip pull me by my hair, forcing my head back and exposing my neck to more cold metal. This time it was a pocket knife.

"Nah man, continue. What was it you were planning to do exactly?" Nolan asked as he held me in place.

"Enough Nolan, I'm sure he gets the point." Braedon spoke out.

"I'll decide when he's got the point." Lachlan said.

"I get the fucking point, you can tell your dog to back down now," Tristan said carefully. He responded to Lachlan but his glare stayed sharp on Nolan. I had never seen his eyes look so cold as they were now.

Lachlan gave Nolan a simple nod and he released his grip from me and pulled the knife away from my throat.

He was also the first one out of the room. Braedon followed him right after.

Tristan didn't move from his spot until Lachlan rose from his chair to leave as well.

"Let's get this started then." Lachlan said and walked out of the door.

Tristan gave me one last regretful look before he closed the door behind himself and I was alone.

——————————

I had spent the next half hour at least, trying to work my way out of my cuffs, but the more I struggled the tighter they became.

And then I was distracted because the door slowly creaked open. I thought maybe Tristan got a small break already. But it wasn't Tristan, because his hair wasn't as dark, and his eyes were green instead of the blue that I knew so well.

It was just Nolan again, and my stomach dropped to my toes when he closed the door behind him.

"What do you want?" I asked him as he watched me. He looked at the red ring that was forming on my wrist from the cuffs.

"I can loosen those for you." He suggested, but there was something underlying in his tone.

"But you want something in return, right?" He smirked at my question.

"I'll loosen those for you, if you give me a kiss."

"I'd rather lose the circulation in my hand, but thanks."

He moved closer to me then, slowly, but each step sent a shiver of dread through me as the distance between us became shorter.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pair of keys, "Come on, let me help you." But the way he said the word 'help' sounded anything but helpful.

I nodded my head slowly and he had a light smirk on his face as he moved to put the keys into the lock. They clicked and the pressure immediately loosened.

Dumbass.

As he was still crouched over from helping me, I threw my leg out in front of me and kicked him hard in the chest. He fell over and I made a run for it.

I only made It about three steps forward until I felt a grip around my ankle, and I was pulled down to the ground. I tried to kick my way out of his grip, but it didn't seem to faze him at all.

He managed to flip me onto my backside and he pinned me down with his weight, "I helped you and now you owe me."

And then he forced his lips onto mine. I tried to move my head away from his but he just followed in my direction, so instead I opened my mouth and bit down hard on his lip until I tasted metal.

He cursed as he pulled away from me and I only had a moment to be grateful until he shot his hand out and struck me across the face.

The force of the impact threw my face to the side and I saw stars for a moment. He gripped my jaw and forced me to face him again and I had to blink a few times to focus on his face. It took me a second to process that his other hand was slowly trailing up my thigh.

"Stop it. Nolan, stop."

"Bet you don't think that was such a good idea now, do you?" He said, completely ignoring my plea and the hopelessness finally set in.

"I think that's enough from you Nolan. I did make an agreement with the boy after all." Lachlan suddenly spoke from the doorframe and I was never so relieved to hear his voice.

Nolan didn't even look up at him, he just kept his eyes on me. Then what felt like ages after, he slowly lifted himself off of me.

I sat myself up and scoot back up against the wall, wrapping my arms around my legs in the only form of security I could give myself.

Nolan finally walked out, not looking happy about it. Lachlan smiled unemotionally at me, showed me a key he pulled from his pocket, and shut the door behind him. This time I heard the sound of a key turning, followed by a click.

And I was left alone once again.

—————————

I could feel a bruise forming on my jawline from where Nolan hit me. I don't know how much time had passed in the day when I heard the sound of the lock click once again. I braced myself for the worst.

I heard Braedon's voice saying, "he won't be gone for long. I'm only giving you a minute and then you're out of here."

And then Carson walked through the door. The brother that I was close with, that I loved, and I knew I could trust because he would never keep me in a place like this.

I threw myself into his arms as too many questions flooded my mind, "what are you doing here Carson? How'd you know I was here?"

"I was looking for you all morning when I realized your bed was empty. Tate called me, said he came around here early in the morning and he saw where they had you."

He pulled back from me and his face shifted into an unfamiliar expression, "what happened to your face Ada?" and his tone told me that It wasn't an unfamiliar expression, it was anger. It was just unfamiliar to see it on him.

"I'm fine Carson."

He tilted my face to get a better look at it and then turned his anger to Braedon behind him, "you call this safe? Look at her face Braedon."

I don't think he expected to see anything, because when he did, his body tensed. The look in his eyes slightly mirrored something like dismay...like regret. It was the first I had seen of it since he brought me here. I hated seeing it. He was the reason I was here too. I didn't need his pity now.

"Look, Lachlan said we just needed her to push Tristan into one more fight," He said, tightening his jaw. "She wasn't supposed to get hurt, I didn't know that was going to happen."

"Bullshit you didn't know, what did you fucking expect bringing her to a place like this?" Carson shot back.

"Whatever man," he said, his voice rising and getting thick with defense. "She's only here till the end of the day, alright?"

Carson moved quicker than I had ever seen him. He threw Braedon against the wall and I flinched as he gripped his shirt from the front and yelled in his face, "she's your little sister you piece of shit, our little sister. We're supposed to protect her, not drag her into mess like this. And you're doing this for what? A paycheck that'll last you a couple weeks?"

Braedon didn't move. From what I've heard he could have knocked Carson on his ass in the blink of an eye, but he didn't. He just shoved him back a little and told him, "I think it's time for you to go now."

Carson stayed glued to his spot. I felt something wet move down my cheeks and I realized I was crying now. He was the goofy one who always made stupid jokes. Even when I didn't like to admit it, he always made me laugh. I had never seen him like this, and I didn't like it one bit.

"Carson, he's right. You can't be here when Lachlan gets back. Please." I let out from my tight throat.

He looked back at me, at my bruise, at the tears on my cheek. He took a deep breath, calming himself down before he walked back over to me and held me in a gentle embrace.

"Hang tight. Tate and I have a plan." He whispered so low I barely heard it myself.

When he left the room Braedon held back for just a moment, "I am sorry Adelaide. I really am."

And then for the third time that day, I was left behind to the sound a lock click.

✨authors note✨

LONG CHAPTER OOPS!!!!

But I am very proud of Carson here, thank you very much.