Hi everyone! Sorry for taking so long to update. I won't bore you with the details, but I'm back with an update for you guys. I hope you enjoy. I also hope that you are all doing well and keeping safe during this pandemic.

Hallie

"What's wrong?" Damien asked as we were laying in bed.

"Nothing," I said.

"You're not a very good liar," he responded. "I know that something's bothering you. "Talk to me. Please."

I looked at him and pain gripped me. "I just want this to be over," I said.

"Me too," he replied. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you or our kids," he said.

I smiled. "I know. I know that you love us. You love Ty and Michy and no matter what happens, I know that you'll love and take care of them," I said.

"Of all of you," he corrected. "Why are you talking like this?" He asked, worry evident on his face.

I shook my head. "I just want you to promise me that if something happens to me, that you'll take care of Ty and Michy," I said.

He shook his head. "Nothing will happen to you," he said fiercely.

"Please. Just promise me," I begged.

"Hallie..."

"Damien, please. I need to hear it," I begged again.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I promise."

"And please always remember that I love you," I said. "I love you with everything I am."

He pulled me closer to him. "I don't like the way you're saying these things. You're saying them like you're saying goodbye."

I forced a smile and a nervous laugh as guilt filled me. "I'm not," I lied. "I just want you to know that I love you very much and that you are the best thing that ever happened to me. You gave my life purpose and meaning."

Please forgive me. I'm doing this to keep all of you safe.

"Ditto, baby," he said, before kissing me.

Damien

"Something's wrong. I can feel it," I said to Nate and Dave.

"What do you mean?" Dave asked.

"Hallie. I don't know what, but there's something wrong. The way she's acting and the things she's saying. It's as if she's saying goodbye."

Nate and Dave frowned.

"You don't think she me planning on doing something stupid do you?" Dave asked.

"Like what?" Nate asked.

I shook my head. "I don't know. But... do you remember when I first found her. How she left in the middle of the night?"

"Yeah," the both replied in unison.

"Well what if she's planning the same?"

"Why would she leave?" Dave asked.

"Probably the same reason you have," Nate muttered earning a glare from Dave and a questioning look from me.

"We're talking about Hallie," Dave pointed out. "You were saying?"

"I just have this feeling in my gut."

"Do you think, Marcus got to her?" Nate asked.

I frowned. Could he? I asked myself.  "She made me promise to take care of Ty and Michy if something were to happen to her," then it dawned on me. "Fuck. She's going to give herself up," I said. And I knew my gut is right after saying it.

"Her security. If she's gone, they would have called."

"When Hallie sets her mind on something. No one stops her."

"Call her now," Nate said to me. "Dave, trace her phone. I'll call her security."

I pulled my phone immediately and called her. It went straight to voicemail. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." I tried it again even though I knew it was no use. "Hallie, baby... please. Please call me. Don't do this," I said to her voicemail.

"Fuck!" I cursed. "Anything?"

"Nothing, yet," Dave said.

"Ty and Michy?" Nate asked.

"Hallie said she was taking them to Bella's for a play date," I said as I tapped on my sisters a number.

She answered on the second ring. "Hey."

"Hey, is Hallie there?" I asked.

"Yeah. She's just using the bathroom."

"Could you go check on her please," I said.

"What's going on Dami?" My sister asked.

"Please. Just check on her. She isn't answering my calls."

"You're scaring me, Dami," Bella said.

God. I'm fucking terrified.

"Don't bother, Damien. I'm on the phone with James. They're following her in a black Rover," Nate he said to me. "Don't fucking lose them," Nate growled. "Why didn't any of you call me sooner?" Nate growled.

Fuck. God. Please. Please keep her safe.

Oh baby. Why? Why did you do this?

Marcus

"You made the right decision," I grinned at Hallie, as I ran my knuckles down her arm.

She flinched and moved away from me.

I laughed. "You'll have to get used to my tough sooner or later."

"Never," she hissed.

I laughed again. "We'll see."

"I will never feel anything for you but hatred. You killed my mother. You have taken everything from me. I'm only with you to save everyone that I love and care about," she said. "You make me sick."

"Be as it may be, you're mine now. I'm going to enjoy every second of it," I smirked.

"Boss. We're being followed."

"Lose them," I growled.

Damien

"Why would she do this? How could she do this?" I asked as I ran my hand down my face in fear and frustration.

"We'll get her back," Nate assures me.

"Why couldn't she just trust me to protect them?"

"Damien, trust me, this has nothing to do with her trusting you.  She's just afraid of something happening to any of us," Nate pointed out.

"I get that, but fuck. I can't lose her Nate."

"You won't."

I hope so. I don't know what I'll do if I do, I thought to myself.

Hallie

"Boss, were being followed," one of his men said.

I looked back and recognized the Rover following behind us.

"Lose them," Marcus ordered.

"We had a deal," I reminded him, in case he thinks of something to lose my guards.

"I kept my end, I haven't harmed a single hair on that fucker's body and those brats. But those guards of yours are proving to be a fucking problem."

"They're not," I insisted, not wanting anyone to get hurt.

"You can't save them all," he smirked.

"I'm not letting you hurt anyone because of me."

"I'm afraid you're done dictating terms."

"Get did of them. Now," he ordered.

One of his men nodded, rolled down his window and pulled out a gun and shot at them.

I heard a bang then a loud pop and screeching. I looked back and found one of the Rover's tire blown up and losing control.

"No!" I said.

Marcus just laughed. "Relax. I didn't blow them up did I?"

I raised my hand to slap him, but he caught it.

I winced at his tight grip. He pulled me close and licked my face as he laughed and taunted me.

My stomach turned. "Let go of me."

"I'm really going to enjoy you."

I glared at him.

"Now. Sorry about this, but I can't take a chance in you letting that man of yours know where you are," he said and before I could ask he meant, he covered my mouth with a cloth and things around me slowly turned dark.

Damien

"He's lost them," Nate said dejectedly. "I'm sorry."

"Fuck," I cursed. "Nate, you promised me!"

"I know. We'll find her. We'll bring her home."

I slammed my hands on the dashboard.

"I want her back in my arms, Nate. I don't care how, but you better get her back to me."

He nodded.

He dropped me off at my sisters to be with Ty and Michy.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked as she hugged me. "I'm so sorry."

Her words and her comfort was enough to make the emotions I've been bottling to explode.

I hugged her back right and cried.

"I'm so scared," I admitted. "I..." my voice cracked.

"It's gonna be okay, Dami. We have to believe and have faith that it's gonna be okay."

"Dada," I heard Michy. "Daddy!" Ty followed.

I let go of my sister and wiped my eyes before holding my kids close.

"I love you both so much," I said.

Hallie

When I came to, I was lying on a bed. At first I thought I had dreamt in all, but as I regained full consciousness and looked around the room, I realized that I didn't.

This is real.

I left Damien. I left Ty and Michy.

I left them to keep them safe.

I jumped off the bed and walked to the door. Surprisingly it was unlocked. I had thought he would have locked me in this room to keep me from escaping.

I stepped out and found myself in a hallway.

I took a few steps. I jumped when I found my mouth suddenly being covered and I'm restrained.

I tried to fight back, but whoever it was was string and I was carried back into the room I was occupying.

"Shh. It's me."

I recognized the voice. I turned around and found Vin.

"Vin!" I exclaimed as I hugged him. "You scared me."

"What are you doing? I wanted to strangle you when I found out you made a deal with Marcus."

"He's got someone on the inside, Vin. I couldn't risk it. He hasn't admitted it either, but I know him. He couldn't have gotten close without him having someone on the inside. I couldn't risk him hurting the ones I care about."

"Do you honestly think he's going to let them go?"

"We made a deal."

"Hallie, Marcus doesn't make deals. He gets even and he goes after what he wants without a second thought. He doesn't care who gets hurt in the process."

"Vin..."

"He knows your weakness. He wants his kids. He will get them back no matter what kind of deal you think you made with him."

Fear ran through me.

"You just handed him everything."

Tears filled my eyes.

"God Vin," I choked out.

"Shh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's going to be okay. I'll protect you as much as I can."

"I can't let him get Ty and Michy. One of the reasons I agreed to this is because I don't him anywhere near them."

"I know."

"What do we do?" I asked.

"We've got to figure out who he has on the inside working for him," Vin said. "Also, I'm going to need Damien's number."

"He must be very angry with me for what I've done," I said after giving Vin his number.

"That's the least of our worries."

"Vin, I'm sorry."

"Don't. You have nothing to apologize for. I promised your mother I would do everything to keep you, Ty and Michy safe and I intend to keep it," he promised. "I failed to protect your mother from him. I won't fail protecting you."

Damien

Later that evening after putting Ty and Michy to bed and making up an excuse as to why their Mom wasn't here to tuck them in bed, I downed a shot of whiskey, then through the glass against the wall in frustration and anger.

I feel back on my chair and buried my head in my hands.

Various thoughts was running through my mind. I'm imagining all kinds of unpleasant things that could possibly be happening to Hallie. I couldn't stop them. Then suddenly my phone rang. A number I didn't recognize was calling. Hoping it was somehow Hallie, I answered.

"Hello?"

"You don't know me, but we've got to talk," a man said.

*****