Sophia

My phone light up and there was the text.

Waiting for you at -

Maxwell Tyres. Wilson Street No. 3. NYC.

See you in 24hours. Can't wait. I am sure I will be on your mind till then.

24 hours! 24 hours is what I am left with.

Its been 24 hours I met with the most cruel degrading soul I could have ever imagined and I have 24 hours more to meet him again. I just have 24hours to deliver what he wants and save my brother. In my thoughts I opened the refrigerator taking the water.

My phone rang breaking my train of thoughts. I looked at the screen that said 'Private Number'. I gulped and my hands were shivering as I answered the call, looking around making sure no one is listening. "He-hello" I stuttered. "Hello Donna " he said from the other side. "Just wanted to remind you that the clock is ticking. tick tok tick tok" he said with self pleasing maniac laughter as he disconnected the phone. I was breathing too fast. I was about to pick the water jug but my hands were shivering "Ahhh!" I screamed as I felt a hand on my shoulder, but relived to see it was just Alysia and not that maniac psycho.

"Donna are you okay?" She asked all worried. "Yeah-yeah, I am fine of course." I said faking a smile. "But you don't look fine. You forehead is all sweaty and you were literally shivering" she said brushing my arms sensing my fear. "No-no I am fine" I said and left the kitchen. "Doll what's wrong?" Don asked me as I stepped outside the kitchen. My eyes went wide on seeing him "Wha-You came early? I blurted out. "I-I mean wh-when did you come. I thought you will be out for the night." I said covering up my evident shock with a smile. "Yeah, yeah I did come back early. Is it a problem?" he said with a light chuckle. "Of course not Don. Why will it be a problem?" I said tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Are you okay?" he asked holding me. No I am not. I am scared and I want you is what I wanted to say. I was staring at him. "Doll?" he asked after a minute of silence and I came our of my trance. "Yes. Yes I am okay. I-I am not feeling well. Just a bit uneasy due to changing weather." I said brushing my hand on my forehead wiping the sweat nervously. "I-I will just go and rest in the room for a bit." I said trying to leave his presence as soon as possible. He nodded and I went to my room and locked myself in. I moved towards the bed and sat on the floor with my knees up to my chest and arms around my knees. Alysia was right I was shivering but not due to cold. Due to fear. So much fear that crept up in me when I witnessed the most deranged man just 24 hours ago.

I was waiting for Chuck like Enzo told that he will come since I couldn't go for his birthday. I cooked all his favorite dishes I even asked Damon to stay home that night to meet him. They are finally at a good place and I want them to be so, that's why I try to find excuses for them to spend time with each other.

Here I was playing darts with Enzo and waiting for Chuck after I set up the table for dinner. God I suck at this game, and Enzo's every throw was a bull's eye. "How are you even doing it?" I said irritated. "Well babe if I couldn't throw the dart right your husband should start worrying" he said smirking implying that its is his job to shoot the target. "Why can't I get bull's eye" I said as I lost another round. "Of course you can" I heard and found myself wrapped in a strong hold. "Don" I said blushing lightly. "See" he said as his hand lowered from my arm to my palm and took the dart from my hand. He made me hold it and pulled my hand up in the position. He pushed my knee a bit making me take the stance. He was so close and I was getting weaker in the knees. I was not able to breathe. My breathing literally stopped. "Breathe Doll" he whispered in my ear sensing the shiver he is causing to my body. My face turned red. "Keep your eye on the target." I turned by face towards the dart board hanging around 4 feet from me on the tree in the garden. "loosen up your arm and squint your one eye" he said and I followed his instructions. His fingers reached mine tightening my grip on the dart. He pulled my hands a bit from the wrist and "throw with the force" he said and I did and the dart banged the center of the board giving me the first and perfect bull's eye. I jumped in happiness "Hey I got it" I jumped and hugged him tightly. I blushed suddenly and he laughed at me. That's when my phone went off.

I reached to check the text. It was the message from Chuck "Can't come Sophie, have plans with few buddies" "Uh-oh" I said reading it feeling all disappointed. "What happened Doll? Don asked me. "Chuck, he is not coming. Made some plans with his friends" I shrugged. "Oh babe come here" he said and hugged me feeling my disappointment. "Chill, teenagers are like this only, what can we do?" he said and I nodded. "Well I guess I get to eat all this awesome food you prepared and I am going to dig in" Enzo said and ran inside making me laugh. Even though Chuck didn't come but I did have a nice time. After long Don was there for the whole day. It was good to have a family again. Everyone was there Ric, Caprice, Alysia, Don, Enzo except Chuck. I missed him but still we had a day well spent

It was around midnight and I was going to my room after doing the dishes with Alysia. Though they always frown when I do it but it just help me keep busy. I kind of liked doing kitchen work.

I was taking the stairs when I received Chuck's message saying he is outside in the backyard and I should go there. "Why are you there? Come inside." I wrote back to him and went back downstairs. "No Sophie just came here, want to show you something. Come towards the end at the beginning of woods." Strange I felt. What he wanted me to see? What new trouble has he caused now, thinking I went there. He was there in the woods. His back was towards me. He was wearing a black hoodie. "Chuck what's up? Why are you here? Why didn't you come inside" I said turning towards the home when I felt a strong pair of hands covering my mouth. I tried to scream but they were only muffled noise. I felt a harsh blow at my head that knocked me out.

I opened my eyes and I was sitting in the woods leaning on a tree and he was sitting across me leaning on another tree. "Finally, I thought you died" a harsh voice said to me. It wasn't Chuck's voice. Who is he? I cannot see his face. His face was covered with the hood. my phone? where is my phone? I need to call Don. "Looking for this?" he said waving my phone I tried to take it from him but he raised his hand out of my reach. "You think I am stupid?" he said in utter arrogance "Who are you? Where is my brother?" I asked all scared. How the hell does this man has Chuck's phone? "Your brother is breathing, yet" he said in his poisonous tone "What do you mean? Where is he? What have you done to him? Who are you?" I said screaming. "Shhh...relax. Stop shouting woman" he said with the fake gesture of covering his ears. "You want to see your brother? Here have a look" he said tossing a phone towards me. I looked at him and picked up the phone. There was a video on it. I played it and a scream left my mouth "Chuck!" I screamed as I see two bulky men beating the hell out of him. He was tied up on a chair and they were relentlessly punching. "Stop it! Why are they beating him. Who the fuck are you?" I screamed getting up. "tsk tsk tsk Such language from the Queen , doesn't suits you Donna." he said obviously mocking the word Donna "I can see why he is all smitten by you. You have a thousand year beauty" he said licking his lips and getting up strolling towards me. He was taller than me and his built was quiet muscular like Marc "Who are you?" I asked again without stepping back, though he is trying to intimidate me but I held my ground. He stepped even closer to me "I am your worst nightmare. Worse than the one you are living with." He winked at me. He came closer "And you know why, because I am his nightmare too" he said in a whisper bending to my ear level and than started laughing. He was laughing hard that his hood fell from his head and I could see his face. He has short dark hair and dark eyes, almost black. He is prominent jaw line and is quiet good looking. His accent is different. Like the one on which women drool on TV shows. But this laughter.

I know this laughter. "I heard it before" I said almost to myself "You heard what before?" he stopped laughing and turned towards me. "This laugh. This accent. You-I heard you before, where? I know you but how? Who are you? Where have I heard this laughter?" I stepped backwards towards the tree contemplating my thoughts trying to remember. My eyes went wide as realization dawn upon me I looked at him with fear in my eyes "R-Ru-Russo" I stuttered and my hands flew to my mouth. Now I was scared. Why is Don's nemesis here? Why does he has Chuck? What is up to? The thing that was scaring me most was that he is here. Right here. In our home. Right under Don's nose talking to me of all the people. His courage was scaring me.

"Don!!!" I screamed but he pressed his hand over my mouth so soon and pushed me behind till the tree was pressed hard against my back. "Shut the fuck up bitch. You speak one more word and I will kill your brother. You think I am stupid that you will call your husband and I will let you." I didn't realize he had a cloth in his hand. I was struggling in hold try to free myself up and soon that cloth replaced his hand. He gaged me with that cloth and kicked me hard in the abdomen that I fell on the ground. He pulled my hair and I screamed muffled voices. "Listen Donna your brother's life is in your hands. Keep your mouth shut and give me what I want and your brother will see another day or you can dig the whole United States to find his body parts." My eyes widen at his warning. "W-WH-WHAT D-O YOU WA-WANT?" I asked, my words being muffled due to cloth. "Straight to business. You are lot like him. He too use to come straight to business. Have no small talk tact whatsoever." "whaat y-you ww-aant?" I asked again. My anger was rising, my fear was rising. I was crying hard. I want to run to Don's arm and feel safe again. I want him to save my brother. "Fair enough." he said "I want his strength". he sneered. What the hell does that supposed to mean? "Your husband, that bloody bastard took everything from me. He fucking burned my family and sat on my throne. MY THRONE." he screamed so close to my face. "I am the Don. I.AM.THE.FUCKING.DON" he said each word with so much venom. "And I want it back." he said getting up, turning towards the woods he said "I want to be Don again. I am done running. I will shatter him now like he did and you" he turned towards me "You Donna will help me in this" "Wh-how, why will I help you?" I asked behind the cloth "The fact that you asked How before Why answered itself that you are going to help me finish him" he said with an evil smirk. No, I will never betray Damon. Never. Even if he kills me. "Never. You have to kill me before making me betray him" I said to him with utmost disgust. I got up holding my abdomen where he kicked me with the support of the tree and I punched his face. He laughed, he fucking laughed holding his chin. "Oh Sophia I don't have to kill you" he said circling me "I will kill your brother" he said winking at me. My face fell on being so helpless. "Now shall we discuss on how?" he ask tilting his head. I dragged that disgusting cloth out of my mouth, thankfully he didn't tie my hands "You bloody maniac. How could be anyone that deranged" I said and raised my hand to hit him again but he hold it mid way and twist it behind me. He turned me pinned me to the tree. The rough bark was cutting through my dress and digging into my chest. "I am not your pussy husband that you will run over. You raise your hand one more time and I will break it." He said twisting my hand harder. "The fact that you recognized me by my voice me means you heard that tape. You must know what I am capable of. Now you have two options." He turned me facing him. He grabbed my throat with another hand. "Either you help me and save your brother and who knows after I kill your husband I will keep you for me. You can be the Donna always" he said as his hand trailed Damon's initials marked on me. He smirked "Wow he marked you. Don't worry I can take care of this." He said as pinched me lightly there and licked my neck and I hated it. I tried to free my hand but his hold was too strong. His legs were parting mine and I couldn't bring them up to kick him. "Or I will cut your brother into pieces and we can replay what I did with his sister. I bet his wife will taste even better than his sister." "You fucking mo-" I tried to scream but he cut me off "Enough, I am not here to discuss weather with you. You listen to me. I will take everything from him like he took from me. I will weaken him first and then I will kill him" he said twisting my hand even more. "I want Enzo" he said with a smirk and my eyes went wide. "What do you mean?" I asked him and his hold loosen up a bit and he stepped passed me smirking.

"Lorenzo D'Amelio is his partner in crime. I know he is his right hand. His second in command. Enzo is his biggest strength. I know that. He needs him and worse he loves him" He said with a mocking laughter. "He is nothing without him. So we will start with him" he said motioning between him and I like we are partners. What does he mean start with him? He replied reading my mind. "Well if we need to finish him we can't stop at one, right? First Enzo then his brother the junior Caprio." He said feeling proud on himself. "Fuck, I know his life is in his brother. Then you being with me will be the last strand. Pulling the trigger will just be a formality then" he said laughing loud. "You are delusional if you think I will ever help you." I said with much hatred "Oh you will. You don't want to loose your brother whom you got together with after so long and that too for whom. For a criminal who took you from a whore auction and kept you." I slapped him and slapped him hard. "Don't you dare say a word against Don". He gripped my throat and pushed me back "You are lucky Princess that I do not want to leave a scar right now or you would have lost your hand. Do not tempt me." He said with gritted teeth. "I guess he didn't tame you well. But I can." He said and pressed some numbers on his phone. "Yeah, I need live feed." And he turned the phone towards me. It was a video call. "Ch-chuck" I was barely able to speak his name with his hand around my throat. I saw him tied down in that same chair. Those same men were beating him again. I shook my head to stop. I saw him falling with the chair and him still beating him. "Stop, Stop, Stoppp!!!" I said rapidly. " Stop" he said and they stopped. He cut the call off. "Wh-what do you want from me?" I stuttered and he left my throat with malicious grin "that's my girl". My eyes widen at his comment that's my girl I remember Damon calling me that and I cried sliding down the tree. With my face in my hands I cried. I needed him so much. Please save me Damon. Help me.

"Oh oh don't cry Princess" he said crouching down. He parted my hands from my face. "Now I want you to concentrate" he said wiping my tears and I slapped his hand away. "Suit yourself" he said annoyed and got up. " I really don't understand your hostility though. I am not taking anything from you. I will let your brother live. I am letting you keep the honor of being the Donna too. Just as you are warming his bed you will warm mine. Trust me you won't regret it" he said winking at me. I as looking at him with disgust. "What do you want from me? Just say and get the fuck out to here. Thank your stars that you still standing on your feet. Let Don see and you will be turned to ashes in a blink of an eye". I said with my smirk on because I know Damon will crush him. "Yeahhh he likes playing with fire I know it well. But he will not harm me because he will not know about me. Because you will keep your lips sealed." he sneered at me. "Now coming to what I want from you. Like I said I want Enzo. And you will kill him for me." He said