Zach and I are sitting on the sofa with a full stomach and empty pizza boxes in front of us. After everything what happened today, we both were pretty hungry, so we quickly ordered some pizza and hungrily dug in the food.

None of us addresses the little intimate talk we just had, but every time our eyes meet, we smile at each other, both not sure how to act now that we revealed our feelings. It's kind of weird. Like neither Zach nor I know how to deal with that new situation.

I lean back and place my hands on my full stomach, closing my eyes.

Zach shoves his body closer to mine and I feel his fingers stroking over my hands.

I open my eyes and find Zach's gaze on me. He lifts his free hand and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. I smile as he leaves his hand on my cheeks and gently caresses my skin with his thumb.

His touches send light electric shivers through my body and I resist the urge to gasp for breath.

My gaze wanders to Zach's lips and back up to his eyes again. Without realizing, I move my face closer to his with my lips slightly parted.

Zach comes my way and gently presses his lips against mine. His kiss is full of tender desire. I breathe in his masculine scent as his fingers slide over my ear to my hair and start playing with it fondly.

A soft and desperate moan escapes the depth of my throat and lets me pull back in surprise.

Zach faces me with a questioning look.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

Good question!

I shake my head and grab his neck, pulling him into another kiss. A more passionate and eager one. I hold my breath at the intensity Zach kisses me back immediately.

Suddenly I feel the urge to feel him closer. As close as possible. I lightly push him back to straddle him. Within a second my lips find its way back to his and they start to move in sync again.

Zach leans back his head and wraps his protective arms around my body. I shove my tongue into his hot awaiting mouth and tug slightly at his hair. Our breathing becomes more labored and all the tension from today's happening seems to flow into our kiss.

Locked up in his tight embrace, I press my chest against his, eager to feel every inch of his firm body.

Zach hisses and gives a wince of pain. He breaks away and grimaces, one hand pressed against his stomach.

Shit! In the heat of our kiss, I forgot to be careful with his bruised abdomen.

"Sorry," I whisper breathlessly and slide off his body.

"I got carried away..."

"It's okay," Zach states and smirks at me.

"Fucking bruises...," he curses and leans back his head again.

I rest my head on his shoulder and Zach wraps his arm around me.

We sit like this for a while before I lift my head and face Zach with a worried expression.

"What will you do about Terrence?" I ask him, frowning.

Zach examines me for a moment, obviously pondering, and then huffs.

"T... such a pain in the ass," he curses quietly.

"Do you think he was serious about Monday?" I question him.

Zach lifts his head and shrugs.

"He seems so eager to hurt you. Do you think..." I pause and swallow before adding with a whisper, "Do you think he would actually kill me?"

My voice is barely audible, yet Zach looks at me as if I'd just screamed into his face. My words seem to put him into shock.

He sits up and draws back his hand. I expectantly look at him.

Zach runs his hands through his hair and turns towards me.

"No, because if he does, he ruins the only leverage he has against me," he says and exhales tensely.

I tilt my head and frown.

"But what if he doesn't think it through properly and just acts on impulse. He doesn't seem like the brightest bulb," I retort, shaking my head.

Zach soothingly squeezes my thigh and says with a steady voice, "Liv, he won't get a chance to hurt you! Just trust me!"

"It's hard to trust you when I'm in danger to get killed, Zach!" I blink nervously.

He frowns and closes his eyes.

"I know," he whispers, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. Then he gets up and walks to the hallway. Just seconds later he returns. With a gun in his hand. I gasp.

What the hell?!

"What's this?" I ask him with a shocked face.

"It's a gun," Zach retorts with a shrug and smirks at me in amusement.

"I know what a gun is, Zach. Why do you have one?" I roll my eyes.

Zach sinks down on the sofa again and looks at me with raised eyebrows.

"You watched me getting shot by my stepbrother, you followed me to my stepfather's apartment where T almost killed us both, you saw me after he mauled me and today you witnessed his temper on your own, and yet you ask me why I own a gun?" He faces me in disbelief while listing all these happenings with his fingers.

"Okay, okay, I get it! But when did you bring it here?" I ask insistently.

"I once hid it in my stepfather's apartment. A few days ago, I picked it up while you were at work," Zach replies, shrugging.

Huh?

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you go there without telling me, Zach?!" I ask him slightly angry.

"What if T had been there?"

Zach huffs and rolls his eyes.

"Do you really think I would've taken you there once again?! Are you kidding me?" he snaps at me.

I look at him blankly, being speechless since I really don't get why he's acting so dismissive out of nowhere.

Shaking my head, I look down and start fumbling with my fingers.

Zach sighs and says with a low voice, "I'm sorry, Liv."

"I just didn't want to worry you! If I told you, you would've insisted on coming with me, and I don't want to drag you into this even more!" he adds feebly, and I look up.

His eyes are fixed on me.

Well, this is getting us nowhere!

"Alright then, what's the plan? Or are you just going to sit here and wait for Terrence's next move?" I ask him with a frown.

"Liv, I don't know what to do, okay?! I don't have a plan. And that's exactly why I fetched my gun. In this way I can at least defeat him, if he gets any ideas," he blurts out and buries his face in his hands.

Great!

I start to be seriously worried about my life. About both our lives. I happen to be caught in this shitty situation which obviously got out of control, and I have absolutely no idea how to handle it.

"Why don't you just give him that money? I don't think he'll ever stop bugging you with that," I suggest tentatively.

I know Zach doesn't want to hear that, but if this is going to save his life, maybe he should just give in. What's the point in having a pile of money when it's bound up with living in fear and danger of getting killed?

"I can't do that," Zach retorts and turns towards me again.

I wait for him to speak on, facing him with a questioning look.

"I have debts to pay off, Olivia!" Zach sighs deeply.

"My mother used to bear the costs for my stepdad's gambling addiction. She had a debt of more than one million dollars when she died. When my stepdad finally managed to leave the casino, he started this drug business to pay off the debts my mother left me. He felt guilty for loading it onto me, and worked very hard to make as much money as possible, so I wouldn't have to deal with it..."

Zach pauses for a moment, closing his eyes, and then speaks on with a quiet voice.

"...which made him careless and eventually cost him his life."

I look at Zach's face which is full of pain and desperation. He opens his eyes again, and I spot tears gleaming in them.

I can't think of anything to say which seems appropriate right now, so I just look at him with an empathetic smile.

Zach shakes his head with a frown and quickly wipes away his tears.

"Anyway, I need that money to pay off the debts which are still left," he states, trying to cover his vulnerability.

"How much is still left?" I ask.

"Five hundred thousand," Zach replies scarcely audible.

Oh!

I rub my eyes since my head starts aching from all the serious talking.

"I planned on bringing the money to the bank as soon as possible, but then T sent me to that deal and from that moment on I was fucked!" Zach explains.

"Wait, when did your stepdad get shot?" I look up and face him with a frown.

"Last month..." Zach looks down into his lap.

OH!

"Shit! I thought it was much longer ago!" I say and instantly regret my words.

Can't I just be quiet for once?!

"I'm sorry, Zach!" I whisper sheepishly.

Zach turns his head and smiles at me with a weary smile.

"Don't be, it's okay," he says and takes my hand in his, gently interlocking our fingers.

He sighs deeply.

"Come on, Liv. Let's enjoy only that one evening. Tomorrow we can think of how to resolve that shit. I'm tired and my head's spinning," Zach suggests and rubs his eyes with his index and thumb.

I stifle a yawn and nod.

"Yeah. Sounds like a plan," I say and lean back, closing my eyes.

What a strange day.

***

I groan as my alarm gets off. Zach's strong arm is wrapped around my body and his soft snores tickle my neck. I watch him sleep for a moment before carefully lifting up his arm and putting it aside. With a good yawn I get up and walk into the bathroom.

It's Monday morning and I have to get ready for work.

I turn on the tap and splash some cold water into my face. While combing through my tousled hair, Terrence's words return to my mind.

I'll be back on Monday. If you don't give me my fucking cash then, she'll die.

Zach and I couldn't come up with anything as we thought about a solution yesterday. We just agreed in being very careful.

To be honest, I'm quite worried what the day might bring. Also knowing about Zach's gun is not reassuring at all.

Nonetheless, I have to show up for my shift punctually, therefore I continue with my morning routine and hit the road.

~

My day at work was quite uneventful, and shortly after 4pm, as my shift ends, I leave the shabby Diner.

A sudden nervousness washes over me, and I look both ways, expecting something suspicious, but everything seems to be just as always. People are rushing by with overworked faces, and cars speed through the streets like they always do.

I set off for home at a rapid pace, and pull out my phone, dialing Zach's number. In an instant, he picks up.

"Hey, are you okay?" Zach asks me, his voice sounds like he's on the alert as well.

"I'm good. I just left the Diner and wanted to ask you... uh..." I hesitate as I'm feeling silly asking him that, but the fear inside me keeps me going and I add quietly, "Would you mind coming towards me?"

"Hold tight, I'm on my way!" I hear Zach's voice followed by beeping. He already hung up.

I raise my eyebrows in surprise, still holding my phone up to my ear.

Okay then!

I continue my way, turning around every few seconds to make sure no one follows me.

When I turn the next corner, I freeze as a tall beefy man steps out of the shadow. I gasp and start to hyperventilate.

I instantly recognize him as the guy who accompanied Terrence two days ago. What was his name? Caleb?!

Fuck!

I turn around and try to run off, but Caleb already grabs my waist and presses me against his firm chest.

"NO!" I try to scream, but once again his sweaty hand finds its way to my mouth, turning my screams into muffled whining. With my feet I try to kick Caleb, but his grasp is too tight, and I hardly manage to move any part of my body.

The next moment I feel a piece of cloth being pressed against my mouth. It smells strongly chemical, and I immediately feel sick as my sight starts to get blurry.

Caleb drags me to a black van, opens the door and throws me onto the backseat. I try to sit up as best I can, just to watch the door getting slammed into my face. I panicky try to open it again, but it's locked.

My head starts spinning and my eyelids get heavy.

Do not fall asleep!

I feel hot tears welling up as Caleb gets in the driver's seat, starting the engine. My hope slowly fades and dies when he steps on the gas and speeds up the car.

That's it. I'm dead!

I look outside of the window, my eyes only half-opened, and one last thing plops up in my head before darkness surrounds me completely.

Zach!