The drive to the mansion was silent; Abigail had her arms crossed, looking out of the window. Damon was driving aggressively, pressing the brake out of nowhere and speeding, crossing the red lights without a second thought. He was cursing under his breath, his hands on the leather steering wheel. His angriness was still visible; his whole body tensed up. The lights from the houses were small dots, forming constellations on the horizon. Abigail was half asleep when Damon pressed the brake harshly for one more time, making her body move forward clumsy.

"Hey! Watch out!"

"Don't you ever close your damn mouth? You're still safe with me. Deetra would have killed you by now, though. You're lucky you played with the wrong twin."

His voice cracked while saying the last sentence. Abigail felt guilty even if she shouldn't cause she was only doing her job. She rested her hand on his thigh. He tensed up before pushing it back to her with a groan.

"I am so sorry, Damon... I wish I had met you under different circumstances...."

She looked outside, closing her eyes with a soft sigh. They would arrive at the mansion sooner or later; she couldn't escape. Damon would lock her in a small room until Felix calls and make the exchange. His feelings would turn upside down, and he would be cold towards her after the breakup. Were they even together, in a relationship? She couldn't answer the question. She sighed again, trying to prioritize her job in her mind.

They were almost at the mansion; Abigail gulped, terrified of Damon's future actions. He parked the car and let his hands rest on the steering wheel. He looked in the distance, facing one of his guards. Damon moved his head, signing him as he walked to them at a fast pace.

Damon got out and opened the codriver's door, grabbing Abigail's right arm with force. She let a squeeze as he forced her out of the car and pushed her towards the guard. The guard held her other arm and looked at her, confused.

"Lock her in one of the guest rooms, now. Guard the room with your life."

Damon let Abigail's arm before returning to the living room. He loosened the tie around his neck with a quick movement, ready to announce the news to his twin. Deetra was sitting alone, her bodyguard a few meters away from her. It was the first time in his life seeing her biting her nails that much. Deetra's anxiety was over the roof; James' wasn't answering back here and a few hours. She sighed, pulling her phone down with a low growl. The guard looked at her and then at his boss. He didn't try to stand up this time; he remained down. He opened his mouth to talk, but Damon's glare stopped him in his tracks.

"Could I have some privacy with my sister, Gabriel?"

"Of course, sir."

Gabriel left the room with quick steps, not eyeing Deetra at all. Damon sat beside her. Deetra was holding her phone with her left hand. He held her free hand tightly, giving it a soft kiss before a small sigh escaped his chapped lips. He had her attention in seconds; she was on the edge of tears. His eyes were stuck on the floor; he couldn't look straight at her. He had thrown his best friend - and also his sister's boyfriend - straight into a trap.

"I am sorry, Deetra."

Her crimson lips part apart; her stare was dipped into confusion and terror. Her hand was trembling badly.

"You... You were right. Abigail isn't any good; she's here to hurt us. She wants me dead."

"Oh, who would have known."

She pulled her arm away with a sharp movement, chuckling before biting her tongue. She stood up, walking around the room, her high heels echoing loudly.

"Who cares about Abigail!? James doesn't answer any calls or messages! That's not him! Where the fuck did you send him!?"

"Let's say that Abigail works with... Mason. If they belong to an organization or something, I may have sent James -"

"Right into a god damn trap."

Deetra was losing her temper, and her brother couldn't stop her. She pulled her butterfly knife out, pushing it against Damon's neck along with her knee against his stomach. Damon scoffed, almost scared of his own family. Deetra wasn't playing. She could hurt him badly and not care at all. Tears were streaming down her rosy cheeks; she held herself back from crying and seeming weak. She had to be the tough one between them if she wanted the family business to continue.

She brought her lips to his ear, gulping harshly, the bitter saliva hurting her oesophagus. Damon's amber eyes now were glued on the ceiling, the hair on his arms standing up.

"If anything happens to him, I don't care for any of your little flirts. The next time you'll hold Abigail in your arms will be under the soil, in a fancy black coffin."

"I am so sorry, Deetra -"

"You've run out of "sorries", Hopkins. Find a solution before I grab the control from your hands."

Deetra walked away, rushing to the garden to have some privacy. Damon brought his fingers to his eyes, rubbing them stressed.

"Sir, shall I follow Miss Deetra?"

"No, Gabriel. Let her alone for a bit."

The bodyguard returned to his post without any further orders. Damon cursed under his breath, fixing his tie and going up to Abigail's new room.

Meanwhile, Deetra was with every step closer to the garden. She took her high heels off, feeling the fresh grass between her toes. She closed her eyes, taking a big breath, and opened them again. She moved her fingers close to a bunch of dark red roses. She hissed. Blood was dripping slowly down her thumb.

"Dammit..."

She cursed softly, glaring first at her pricked finger and then at the thorn close to the flower she tried to cut. Deetra rolled her eyes, pressing her finger against her lips, sucking the blood gently, still angry.

"Dammit, Damon... Why you can't be insensitive and not egoistic for once?"

The sun was setting down for the town, and a tangerine colour had taken over the sky and its clouds. The streets' lights turned on as Deetra lay down on the grass. The tall grass felt like a great escape for her at that moment. She was terrified, thinking James was in huge trouble. Abigail and Mason's little friends had probably caught him. Her eyes widened, a blonde man covering her mind out of nowhere.

"Eddy..."

She moved her head, staring at the sky with her arm behind her neck. She chuckled, focusing on the man.

"That man was strange as hell, for sure not Mason's brother. What was his purpose then? Maybe a coworker or... I don't know."

Deetra scoffed, returning to the living room, finding no one. Her eyes fell on the coffee table, a package of cigarettes lying there peacefully. She picked it up, opening it slowly, her eyes scanning the room before grabbing one with careful movements. She let it back down and touched the packets of matches that was beside it. She pushed it quickly in the pocket of her pants, rushing back to the garden.

She sighed, not seeing her brother around. She felt like she's doing something illegal, pushing the cigarette between her lips quickly and lighting a match. She brought the match close, lighting it up before disposing of it.

She inhaled deeply, the smoke filling and burning her lungs, making her cough roughly. She pushed her hand against her lips after taking the cigarette away, still coughing.

"How can my brother smoke these things..."

"Well, you get used to it, to tell the truth."

Deetra jumped in fear, hearing Damon's voice behind her. She turned around, trying to hide the cigarette behind her back, falling in the end. He chuckled, grabbed it from her hand, and pushed it to his lips, scoffing and lighting it up. Deetra crossed her hands, covering her chest with a sigh, and looked away disappointed.

"Did you talk to Abigail?"

"I walked upstairs, straight to her new room, and stood outside the door. I didn't dare to walk in, look her in the eyes, and discuss. I am sorry, sister. I fucked everything up again."

He sighed, puffing the smoke out with a groan before wiping the saliva off his bottom lip with the inside of his free hand.

"Do you think they... hurt him?"

"James? I don't think so. If they want Abigail back safe and sound."

Deetra sighed; Damon pushed the cigarette to his mouth again and dragged her into a tight hug. She couldn't hold back anymore, bursting into tears, sobbing sadly. He held her, closing his eyes with her still crying.

"I don't want to lose him, Damon. I love him."

"I know, sister... I know..."

Deetra pulled away, wiping away her tears with a chuckle. Damon cursed under his breath, hitting his palm against his forehead with force, angry with himself. He was close to tears, too. He only had Deetra, and Deetra had only James. She was madly in love with him, having all these feelings that Damon had never faced before. He had hurt his sister for one more time without genuinely wanting it. He felt like an arsehole, trying to calm her down. Deetra would burn the world if anything happened to James.

Damon's eyes lit up for a mοment, remembering Abigail again. He could get some information from her about her job and what she is. Plus, if she's actually working with Mason, she could probably calm Deetra a bit, tell her that her boyfriend is fine and not bruised and left for dead in an alley.

"Let's talk to Abigail."

"What?"

"If we threaten her, she may open up and tell the truth, for once."

Deetra looked at him, confused and rolled her eyes. She knew Abigail wasn't going to open up so quickly and needed more than a threat.

"Fine, let's do it. But don't say anything stupid."

"I don't promise anything, but I'll try my best, sister."

She growled, rushing upstairs with Damon following her in anxiety. Deetra seemed ready for everything, determined to learn her tricks and secrets. The only thing she was still sure of was that Abigail was a bad omen. She was right, the worst out of all, though.

Deetra sighed, making the guard outside Abigail's room move a bit so they can walk in. She growled, opening the door and walking seriously. Abigail was sitting on the bed, looking outside, leaning on her hand. She turned her head, barely giving any attention to them. Damon looked away, trying to hide the redness on his face. Deetra was also red, but it wasn't blushing. She had her own reasons, different from her brother. She wanted her partner back, preferable breathing and in one piece. She was sick of her brother's games this time.

"Where is he."

"Who?"

"You know who."

Deetra had Abigail's full attention for sure now. She sighed, looking hurt and straight into Deetra's eyes. Deetra seemed dead inside. Her eyes didn't show any emotions at all. Abigail took a sharp breath, standing up with trembling legs. She felt like playing with fire; Deetra didn't seem stable emotionally at all. It wasn't her fault, though. Felix hadn't called Damon yet. Deetra wasn't stupid; she had probably connected the dots in her mind by now.

"Deetra, I don't know. I am sorry -"

"Why are you asking for forgiveness?"

Abigail gasped softly; she was saying sorry to her target. She gulped, shutting her mouth in seconds; Damon had destroyed her.

"All I want to know is if my lover is fine! Your stupid friend hurt him, didn't he? You work with Mason, don't you, you fucking whore!?"

Abigail gulped again; her mouth was too dry. She couldn't speak or show any emotions to them. Damon tried to hold his sister back when suddenly, his phone rang. Abigail's eyes were struck with hope, thinking it was Felix. Damon chuckled, seeing the unsaved phone number. Deetra glared at him, seeing the number. He held the phone against his ear with a frown.

"Yes?"

"Damon Hopkins."

The frown turned into gasping; Deetra could understand Felix's thick British accent anywhere. She grabbed the phone from her twin's hand and held it close to her lips.

"WHERE IS MY JAMES!? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!?"

There wasn't a reply; only a couple of giggles could be heard from the other side of the line.

"He is fine, for now, Deetra. He's enjoying his meal with Mason. Now, I want to talk with your brother, please."

Deetra handed the phone back with an angry growl. Damon picked it carefully, stressed.

"Who am I talking with?"

"My name is Felix, Damon. I have your buddy here with me. I want an exchange."

"What kind of exchange? Money? Drugs?"

"Deetra's lover for my agent."

Felix emphasized the words "lover" and "agent". Damon gulped when he heard the last word, being more stressed than before. She looked first at his sister and then at Abigail. Both seemed worried.

He didn't want to give Abigail away, but he didn't have any other options. James was more critical, both for him and Deetra. Abigail was nothing in front of James, just a chick. Was it just a chick, though? He couldn't understand what he was feeling. He flinched; he looked so betrayed in front of Abigail's sad eyes. Maybe, beneath all those lies and seducing, she truly liked him even a tiny bit. He was hanging off this hope.

"Answer Smiley."

He flinched hearing Felix's voice again, calling him like that. He gulped, remembering his father; he couldn't disappoint Deetra as he did. Deetra was his responsibility, his last real family, his own blood.

He couldn't seem egoistic; he wouldn't seem self-centred. He pressed his tongue against his teeth.

"It's a deal, Felix."

"Good to know. The trade's in two days, any location in mind?"

"I'll send you the coordinates. I don't know who you truly are, but I want just you, Mason, and James there. If I see any stupid agents or shit, the deal's off."

"Oh, I promise you, Damon."

Damon hung up the call, and the room was immersed back in silence.

"Why did you have to hurt me like this, Abigail?"

His voice echoed; there wasn't an answer back.

"So?"

"We'll trade Abigail for James. You were... right. Mason's with Abigail, working for this Felix guy or something."

"God damn it..."

Abigail buried her face in her hands, not wanting to face them anymore. Damon called a guard, telling him to pack Abigail's clothes in a bag before dragging Deetra outside the room, locking it behind.

He hugged her one more time, this time not breaking apart quickly.

"It's two days, sister. I promise I'll fix everything."

A/n: Remember to comment, like and add the book to your libary if you liked it :)