-Zach's POV-

I jolted awake at the sound of an ear-piercing scream, shuddering as shivers ran down my spine at the shrill tone. My eyes scanned the pitch-black room until they landed on two dark silhouettes.

"L-Luke, l-let m-me go" the familiar voice stammered out before a menacing cackle boomed through the somewhat compact space.

"Why should I? So you could run back to that pathetic boyfriend of yours?" They cackled out, crouching down to the trembling figure that sat on the ground.

"At least he's more of a gentleman than you'll ever be" She spat out before my jaw clenched at the harsh slap she had received from his grimy hands.

"I'd watch that pretty mouth of yours before I do something myself" He tauntingly muttered out.

"Why? Because you just can't handle the ugly truth?" She confidently said but a gasp elicited passed her lips as he gripped her jaw forcefully.

"No because your mouth can do wonders baby girl" he muttered out. I grimaced, watching as his fingers danced around her shaking frame, "The way your lips feel against-" He moaned out.

I took a step forward and stared at Talia's petrified expression, her face pale as a ghost. "Y-You're monstrous" She muttered, whimpering moments later.

"Monstrous? I am no such thing, I'm just claiming what's mine" He nonchalantly answered before standing tall.

"I'm not a property to claim Luke! I am a human being, a human being that has feelings!" She yelled as he strolled to the opposite side of the room. "Something you're not!".

A scream echoed throughout the compact space, Luke's face scrunched up in anger with his jaw clenched. "You're really testing my patience Talia! That knife could've gone through your throat but I figured I'd be generous for a change" He replied.

I crossed my fingers behind my back, "Baby please" I repeated continuously but my prayers weren't answered.

"So you do have a heart under all that bitterness" She sarcastically said which provoked Luke even more.

"You're walking on thin ice baby" Luke growled out, snatching an object off of the wooden table, his jaw clenched. "One more word and this goes into your heart" He tauntingly said, slapping the item onto his palm every second.

She scoffed, "Your bluffing" She answered but her eyes widened, the familiar black object pointed in her direction.

"Am I?" He asked, an eyebrow raised as my heart raced. A click was heard, indicating that the gun was fully loaded, "Choose your next words carefully lovely" He snickered out.

"Oh my god" I choked out, feeling my throat close as I intently stared at the scene ahead of me. My palms were pressed against the wall but I groaned when I found myself sprawled on the ground, no feeling in my legs. "No! NO! NO!" I yelled, tears prickling the corner of my eyes,

"I love you Zach" She choked out and a loud bang was heard and I screamed.

My eyes shot open and I gasped as I observed my surrounding, my breaths coming out in ragged breaths. I snapped my gaze to the seat beside mine and my heart raced when the seat was empty with no Talia in sight. My hands began to shake, "Zach?" a soft yet tired voice rang through my ears and I snapped my head in their direction and sighed in relief.

"Never do that again" I whispered pulling Talia onto my lap and burying my head into the crook of her neck. "Never" I murmured under my breath.

"What happened?" She questioned, confusion laced in her tone as se slid off of my lap and onto the seat beside me.

I sighed and shook my head, "it's nothing you should worry about" I murmured before laying my head on her shoulder. "The only thing that matters right now is you and I" I say before pressing our lips against one another.

"What was that kiss for?" She asked, confusion laced in her tone once we've pulled away. I chuckled and interlaced our fingers together, laying my head on her shoulder.

"Can't I kiss my girlfriend without a reason?" I question, my eyes fluttered close.

"I'm not complaining that you did but it just took me by surprise" she murmured.

"I'm full of surprises" I mumble out before dozing off.
~
"Babe, I really need to go" Talia whined, squirming in my arms as I held her closer to my chest. I shook my head vigorously, "Zach! I'm not going to repeat myself, let me go" She exclaimed.

A groan slipped passed my lips as I reluctantly pulled my arms from around her waist, "Come right back here" I tell her as she furrowed her eyebrows in my direction.

"Where else am I supposed to go?" She questioned before bolting towards the bathroom, disappearing into the ladies washroom. I sighed and ran my fingers through my dark brown locks anxiously.

"Are you alright Zach?" A soft voice asked and I averted my gaze to see everyone from our friend group staring in my direction, concern written all over their faces.

"I don't know, just the thought of loosing Talia terrifies me" I shakily say while closing my eyes but the dream kept flashing through my mind. "It's nothing for you all to be concerned about" I murmured before collecting Talia's suitcase.

"You need to talk to David about this Zach" Jonah said and I scoffed before glancing in his direction.

"He won't allow us to come out as a real couple, we're under a contract" I quietly tell him. "There's no way out of this, this is the mess I created. A mess I'll get the both of us out of" I tell them and Jack raised an eyebrow.

"How?" He asked, arms crossed against his chest and I squinted my eyes in his direction.

"I'll find a way" I grumbled out and averted my gaze towards the washroom and furrowed my eyebrows. "Where is she? We need start heading out to the hotel".

"You know if you keep stressing your hair will turn grey even before you reach your mid-thirties" Jonah said and I sent a glare in his direction.

"You're the one to talk, you're the oldest out of all of us" I retort and he scowls.

He incoherently grumbled under his breath before grabbing his black suitcase. "Well, jokes on you" He said and I furrowed my eyebrows at his response.

"That doesn't even make se—" I started but groaned at the feeling of a body ramming onto my back, arms wrapping around my torso. "Wh—" I start but sighed in relief as I gazed right into Talia's brown eyes as she laughs.

"Shut up Gabbie!" She exclaimed bringing me out of my trance. "Zach, help your girl out" She complained and I chuckled.

"I don't even know what happened so I can't jump into whatever," I say gesturing to Gabbie and herself "this is" I finished and she huffed.

"She threw water over the cubicle I was in, soaking my clothes and causing it to stick to my body" She whined out, a pout plastered on her face and I chuckled. "This is not amusing" She exclaims whacking my arm.

I nodded my head, "No of course not" I cough out, censoring the chuckles that slipped passed my lips. I gazed into her eyes, "It's hilarious" I chuckle as she scowls at my answer.

"If that's hilarious then you'd be fine sleeping on the couch right" She said with a smirk dancing on her lips and I stared at her gobsmacked, my laughter coming to a full halt.

"You're joking right" I ask her as the others watched our playful argument in amusement. "Please tell me you're joking" I plead and she grins while patting my cheek.

"Who's laughing now babe" She answered in a taunting manner. I stared at her figure as she and the girls strolled towards the airport exit.

"Good job Zach" Daniel said as Jack patted my shoulder, a sympathetic smile on his lips.

"I didn't think she was being serious" I called out as the four of them walk in the same direction as the girls. "Gu—" I start to complain but the figure of a familiar person stood afar. A smug smirk dancing on the blonde's lips.

"I'm close by Herron.. I'd watch over Talia if I were you" the figure said but it sounded more like a voice ringing in my ear, almost as if it was a mile away.

My heart began to pound against my chest, my breaths started to become more erratic. A screech elicited passed my lips at the sudden feeling of a hand being pressed against my shoulder. "Zach?" Jack asked, concern laced in his tone.

I closed my eyes to only see the same sinister smile, almost mocking me. I growled at the person, "Go away!" I yell at the person ahead. I snapped myself out of whatever trance I was in and turned my head to see Jack staring at me with worry.

"Are you okay? Talia wanted me to check up on you since you weren't behind us" he explained and I nodded my head, letting out a shaky breath.

"I'm alright just a little... jet lagged" I lied, grabbing ahold of both luggages before dragging them, still dazed.

"You don't look alright though, your face is a ghost white" he said, worry clearly evident.

"I'm fine Jack" I murmured before stepping out of the airport, the hot air of Singapore hitting me right in the face. I looked ahead and saw Talia pacing back and forth, a worried look on her face.

"Zach! I'm sorry I was just joking around" Talia cried, ramming herself into my body causing me to lose my grip in our luggages. I Instinctively wrapped my arms around her waist, "I'm sorry..."she said while burying her head into the crook of my neck.

I breathed in the strong aroma of her perfume that reeked off of her, "I knew you weren't serious" I murmured into her ear. A quiet giggle slipped passed her pink plump lips and my face fell at the tear drops that rolled down her cheek. "Why are you crying baby" I ask quietly and she sniffed.

"I thoug— I thought I pissed you off" she cried out and I gave her a small smile.

"You could never piss me off" I whisper, pressing a tender kiss against her forehead. "I was surprised but I'm not angry" I assure her and she just leaned against my body.

"I'm sorry" she whispered once more and I chuckled.

"Stop apologizing" I say and pull her body closer to my chest. "You're going to sound like a broken record if you do".

She pulled away from me, "Broken record? I'll show you what a br—" she started but I pressed my lips against hers.

"Not again!"
~
"Zach are you alright?" Talia asked as we remained cuddled on our queen sized hotel bed. I looked up at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"Why?" I ask confused by the question.

She shrugged, "you've been protective and clingy ever since the flight..." she said slowly and I sat up while glancing at the ceiling. A sigh slipped passed my lips as I stared down at her laying down position.

-Talia's Pov-

"I had a dream— well it was more of a nightmare if anything" he started, gulping as he stared up at the ceiling. "You were tied to a chair, restrained from any physical movement, crying and pleading for him to set you free but he pretended to not hear a word" He said, jaw clenched.

"What are you getting at Zach" I ask, my voice wavered as I stared into his brown orbs. He stared into brown orbs, bitting his bottom lip.

"Luke was keeping you hostage Talia" he said and my body stiffened at the sentence that fell from Zach's lips. My heart rate picked up by the mention of the name.

"Don't say that name" I choke out jumping off of the bed, my hands shaking in fear. "Never say that name again" I say turning around to only gaze into Zach's confused eyes, eyebrows furrowed as he sat propped up against the head board.

"What aren't you telling me Talia?" He questions, a concerned expression plastered on his face as we continued to stare at one another.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair, "You already have so much to stress about Zach" I started with a soft tone as I walked over to his side of the bed. "You have the tour to worry about, the situation with David and I already told you abo—" I continue but he cuts me off.

"I don't give a fuck about the contract Talia!" Zach snapped and my body shook at his tone. I gazed into his eyes, dark with anger, "I just want you to be honest with me and not hide anything cause by the looks of it," He breathed out before continuing "you're hiding something".

I bit my lip and closed my eyes, "Lu—Luke has been sending messages regularly" I whisper and watch as his face twist in anger. "Don't be an—" .

"Don't be angry! Talia is that all you're going to tell me when this psychopath has been sending you messages! You told me he stopped, you said you haven't received any messages from that day" he angrily says and I plop myself on the bed.

A tear slipped out of my eye, "I—I lied" I stammered out as he let out an exasperated sigh. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry about me" I whispered while playing with the rings that coated my fingers.

"I am supposed to worry Talia! That's my job being your boyfriend" He yelled and I snapped my head in his direction. I opened my mouth to protest but he beat me to it, "Don't you dare say that I'm doing it because of the contract because I am not!" he snapped.

I sighed but before I could respond the sound of the hotel room bell ringing echoed around the room. "I'll get that" I muttered before hauling myself off of the bed before stumbling towards the door, wiping away the stray tears that rolled down my cheek.

I opened the door to see no one at the door but an envelope on the ground. I furrowed my eyebrows but bent down and picked up the small white envelope, closing the door with a sigh. "Who was at the door?" He asked, his arms crossed against his chest.

"No one but just this envelope that laid on the ground" I murmur before placing the package on the bedside table. I lay on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling, "Are you going to continue yelling at me?" I mumble, not looking into his angry eyes.

"Yelling? No, I'm not yelling" he said and I scoffed before looking his way.

"So raising your voice and talking to me is not yelling?" I ask him with a raised eyebrow.

He let out a heavy sigh, "You're so damn stubborn you know that right. I'm trying my best to protect you and you keep doing this" He said gesturing between us.

"Doing what?" I ask confused.

"You keep hiding vital information like this" He said with a huff and I sigh closing my eyes. "Talia. Baby, I love you and I just don't want that nightmare to become a reality" he said softly.

"You can't protect me from everything Zach" I tell him, averting gaze to stare into his brown orbs.

"What if I want to?" He questions while holding my face in the palm of his hands, caressing my cheek with the pad of his thumbs.

I frowned as I stared into his eyes, "You can't" I whispered. "Luke is a psychopath and you can't stop any of his schemes otherwise he'd come up with a more gruesome plan" I tell him.

He sighed, "I'll try my best to rescue you from him and then make sure he won't get out" He whispered before placing his lips against my own and I kissed back. Our lips moved in-sync against one another and my arms wrapped around his neck.

"You can't promise that" I say, pulling away for a moment to only be pulled back, feeling his hand rub down my back.

"I'll make sure he's locked up" He murmured against my lips pulling my body closer so I was pressed against his chest. Seconds later I pulled away, giggles escaping my pink plump lips as I buried my head into the crook of his neck. "What's got you giggling?" he asked flipping us so I was laying on my back as he hovered over my body.

"The fact we were yelling at one another and then it ended with us kissing instead of one of us sleeping on the couch" I said laughing. The weight that was once on top of me vanished and Zach's loud laughter echoed a round the room.

"What can I say... It's hard to be mad at you" he laughed out and I chuckled, pressing my palm against his clothed chest.

A knock at the door made our laughter come to a halt but this time, Zach answered the door. Faint chatter could be heard for a few minutes before the door being closed was heard. "Who was that?" I asked from my laying position on the bed.

"Come on" is all I get from him. I furrowed my eyebrows as I watch him flip his suitcase open causing it to hit against the wall. He turned his head around, "Are you going to join the rest of us for a day under the sun or are you going to lay in bed all day?" he asked while removing his shirt.

I whined, "You said we were going to lay here for today and relax tomorrow" I said while pouting at him.

"I said no such thing, that's what you wanted to do babe" he said with a chuckle. "So am I going alone or are you joining us".

"I'm joining" I say before dragging myself off of the bed and made my way towards my luggage that sat beside Zach's. I smirked as I grabbed a swim suit, skipping to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" he called out as I slammed the bathroom door shut.

"I'm going shopping" I sarcastically say before peeling my airport clothes and slipped on the two-piece swim wear.

"You're hilarious" he said with a sarcastic chuckle and I giggled before admiring my appearance in the mirror.

"Perfect"

~
"What took you two so long?" Corbyn asked as Zach and I stepped into the indoor swimming pool.

I smirked and looked back at Zach, "Zach had other plans" I said while plopping myself beside Gabbie on one of the pool chairs.

"Plans?" Olivia asked and I tilted my head to the side while touching my nose, "Oh! Shut up that's information we all didn't need to know specially the toddler" She exclaimed.

Zach and I chuckled, "Blame him" I say pointing to Zach who sat beside Jack with a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Then you should've just changed so it's on you babe" he said slipping his shirt off. "Are we just going to sit and stare at each other or jump into the pool?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"It's cold" Olivia whined and Daniel shared a look between the boys. "No! Daniel I know that look" She said as I slipped my dress off of my slim frame.

"What look" He innocently says while standing up along with the other boys and my eyes widened in realisation at what was about to happen.

"No, not happening" I yelled before bolting away from the group.

"Get back here!" Zach yelled from behind and I shrieked when arms wrapped around my waist. "You're a slow runner" He mumbled into my ear as he swept me off of my feet, carrying me bridal style.

"I'm unfit" I mumbled but screeched as Zach walked towards the pool. "Don't throw me in" I angrily hiss into his ear.

"Or what?" He questioned, an eyebrow raised.

I blinked for a second, "No more kisses" I say and he chuckles.

"I know you can't resist these lips" he says

A scream elicited passed my lips as he dropped my small frame into the water and I resurfaced to only see Zach hunched over as he laughed.

"ZACHARY DEAN HERRON"