Authors Note: Thank you all for the feedback on the last chapter! It's likely I'll continue writing the story in Faith's POV. Read my ending comments... Enjoy!

* * *

The plane was indeed gorgeous.  I had slept for about an hour, before stirring and waking up.  I walked around the 'living room' section of the private jet, running my hand along the furniture and wood.

There were decorative pictures on the wall, but only one of them caught my attention. The picture was hung right above the sofa in a tan wooden frame. The picture itself looked old and time worn, but you could still make out its contents. Six or seven men all dressed the same – black suits and matching fedoras – stood, in what looked like, a front yard. The picture was in all black and white, signaling its age. One man, standing off towards the left, looked just like Liam; allowing me to assume that was his father. "Hm," I spoke to myself, "That's interesting-"

"-What's interesting?"

I hadn't even turned around when I heard his voice. I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing; he had seriously scared me, once again. I whirled around, my arms already folded as I faced Liam once more. Tilting my head, I looked up at him, thinking of something to say. His eyebrows remained raised, waiting for me to answer his question. "Mr. Luciano," I licked my lips, "In all due respect, can you make noise? Or is that not physically possible for you?" I shifted my weight off my left foot, falling back a tad. The move was unnoticeable, but allowed me to inch myself away from him. I didn't know what he was going to say.

I could've sworn I saw the corner of Luciano's lips twitch, aching to form into a slight smile – possibly a smirk. "Call me Liam," He finally said, nodding. Luciano turned on a dime as he walked over towards the drink table, gently taking the wine out of ice. I watched curiously, occasionally standing on my tippy-toes to see what he was doing.

So, does this mean we're on a first name basis now?

I cleared my throat as his back was towards me. "You can call me Faith," Liam didn't respond as I dropped down on the sofa, sighing.

"Do you drink?" Moments had passed as I watched Liam crack open the expensive bottle of red wine.

"Yeah, water."

My response took him by surprise, and I was attempting to suppress a smile as he turned around, the glass halfway to his lips.  Liam looks around the plane, averting his gaze from mine before allowing his eyes to land on me, "Are you always a smartass?"

"No, I usually take a day or two off."

He snorts and rests his glass down, bending over to reach inside his miniature fridge.  He pulls out a chilled bottle of water and rests it on a coaster that sat on the coffee table.  Quietly, I watch as he slides all the way down to the other end of the sofa, adjusts his suit pants, and sits down - as far away from me as possible.

"No," I answered honestly, meeting his gaze. "I don't." He didn't look as surprised as I thought he would as he screwed the cap back on.

He brought the refreshing wine to his lips, parting them as he allowed the wine to slip past them and slither down his throat. The drink quenched his immediate thirst.  He smacks his lips together and leaned back, before finally turning and looking at me. "Ms. Crawford, did anyone tell you that staring at others is rude?"

My face flushed as I turned away; shit. I never wanted to get caught staring at him; all that did was make him look more powerful than me, something I didn't want. I kept my eyes on the carpeted floor, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. Yet, I couldn't get that shaky feeling to go away – he was staring, and staring hard. I turned back to him – but he didn't turn away, nor did he blink – he simply stared. I felt like I was being analyzed under a microscope, his eyes falling on every blemish and imperfection that was on my face.

We made eye contact and held it.

I licked my lips, breaking the silence. "You can call me Faith,"

He sips his drink again and nods, "Okay, Faith."

My name hangs in the air, both of us wincing at the sound of it against his lips.  We both start shaking our heads at the same time.

"Nope," I shake my head, "you know what, stick with--"

"--Ms. Crawford, yes, I agree with you."

I clear my throat and open the bottled water, sitting down on the sofa.  He leans to his left, I lean to my right and take a sip.  "So, why Bora Bora?"

Liam shifted in his seat, now sitting on the edge of the sofa. "I just opened a hotel in Bora Bora and I need to go there for business, so I'm taking you with me."

"Clearly," I sighed, "Why?"

"Because Corinelli and Costello are after you," he says simply.

"And obviously, they're going to think I'm with you, so why take me with you? Wouldn't it make more sense to go with Will?"

I could tell Liam didn't like the fact I was putting up a fight. But who was I to sit back, smile, and say, "Yes Master," to everything that came out of his mouth – no matter how beautiful he was.  He sighed, his defensive tone diminishing.

"Yes, that would be the logical answer, but that doesn't make it the smartest," He replied. I had opened my mouth, questioning his own logic when a voice came over the loud speaker.

"Liam, Ma'am, please take a seat in one of the four off to your right. We are landing in Bora Bora, be prepared for landing." Our pilot's voice disappears  from the speaker with a click.

"Come on," Liam grabbed my arm roughly as he tossed me in one of the available seats and buckles me in like a toddler.  He does the same as the plane begins to make its decent. We were only seated for a moment when Liam spoke up again, "I know a lot of people at this hotel, so no funny business. The mafia isn't ever mentioned within hotel grounds and here-" I watched him dig into his pocket, before tossing the object into my hands.

It was my phone.

"-I can see all your outgoing and incoming calls. If I want to listen in, I can. Same goes for your text messages, so don't mess with me, Crawford." Liam looks out the window and adds,  "My number is in there."

I frowned as I unlocked my phone, smiling as the familiarity of it came back to me. I scrolled down my phone, looking under the letter 'D'. "It's not here," I pout, a smirk on the corner of my lips.

"What are you looking under?"

"D . . ." I laugh, "D for Dick."

* * *
Tanner Heights did not disappoint. Liam pulled the white Ferrari – which had been waiting for us right outside the plane once we landed – into park. Cameras and reporters were nowhere to be found, and I sighed happily.

This man could run a corporation and juggle the mafia? Mad respect, too bad I wasn't going to tell him that though.

I climbed out the side of the car, still wearing his hoodie from earlier. It looked much better than those baggy clothes I had on under. I watched as Liam grabbed his suitcases, along with my duffle bag, nodding towards the entrance. "Ladies first," I frowned, crossing my arms.

"Then why aren't you going first?"

Liam took a breath as he brushed past me. I was getting to him. I followed Liam as the automatic doors rotated in a circle. I walked quick enough to not get hit by the following door and eventually I was let out, inside the hotel.

I opened my mouth, completely and utterly in awe of the sight before me. The hotels rotunda was utterly beautiful. I could've sworn I was walking on marble as I followed Liam to the front desk, where four employees stood, talking with customers and laughing with each other. It was nice being able to see other people. I hadn't seen anyone outside of the Luciano home since my kidnapping.

Three other people were available as Liam walked up, but I noticed him heading for the older looking woman on the right. She had short, grey hair, styled in a bob. Her smile was cheeky, her cheeks red. She reminded me of a older mother; loving and caring.

"Grey!" She screeched. I stayed back as I watched her run around the welcome desk. Liam dropped most of his luggage, welcoming the hug she was giving him. He had to bend down significantly to reach her halfway.

Grey? I frowned, but I didn't say anything. She seemed happy to see him. Was this his mom?

"Hey, Mary," His greeting muffled, "It's good to see you again."

"It's great seeing you again! I . . . oh!" The woman's voice faded as she craned her neck around Liam's arm, smiling softly as her eyes landed on me. Liam stepped out the way, allowing me to see the woman – and for the woman to see me. Mary smiled as she looked at Liam. "Who's the girl?"

"Hi!" I spoke up, closing the distance between us when Liam didn't speak up. I felt him staring at me the whole time."I'm Liam's . . ." – victim, abuse subject . . . – ". . .friend," I smiled.

"And your name, sweetheart?"

"Faith," I nodded, pulling our hands away. Liam cut in, not allowing our conversation to continue.

"Mary, my room is still available, correct?"

"Of course, Grey," I watched as Mary sauntered back over to the welcome desk, searching for a key. She smiled, holding it up. "Aha! The room should be just the way you left it, Liam," She handed him the key, "How long do you plan on staying?"

"You know me, Mary, I come and I go," Liam winked at her before turning, "Come on." I followed along reluctantly, entering the elevator behind him.

The doors closed behind us. Liam jammed the 'floor 35' button harshly, sighing deeply. I noticed floor number 35, was the last floor.

The elevator rose a couple floors before I cleared my throat, "Who's Mary?"

"Mary's been with me since the beginning of Tanner INC. She used to be my receptionist, then she had family trouble and left, but thankfully came back.

"She called you Grey . . ."

Liam turned, shooting a look in my direction. "My eyes."

"She seems nice," I nodded, complimenting the older woman.

"She's an angel," He replied, "Like I said, she worked with me back when I first started; she left for about a year to deal with her family. She came back and I gave her a job. But when I started traveling more and the business started spreading, I had her assigned to hotels in vacation locations. I felt like she deserved it. Now her family lives here, in Bora Bora."

The elevator pinged, signaling our long awaited arrival as the gold painted doors slid open. A long hallway welcomed us, rooms on either side as Liam stepped off, taking the lead. I followed him slowly. About 8 rooms – four doors on each wall – sat on this last floor; and eventually we stopped at the end of the hallway.

Two double doors ended our walk as Liam stepped forward, sliding the card-shaped key into the hole, waiting for the light to turn green. As it did, Liam pushed the doors open.

My mouth dropped almost immediately; the room was absolutely huge. As I walked into the room, I felt relieved. This was definitely a step up from that basement.

"Take a look around," Liam ordered, "I'll be out in a few." He grabbed his belongings and merged left, heading to what I assumed, was his bedroom.

Off to the right, pushed farther into the hotel suite was a cream colored sofa, with a matching ottoman and separate chairs. The clean, white carpet matched wonderfully underneath. A large, plasma television hung against the wall, an electric fireplace just underneath it.

To the left was the kitchenette; I was thankful that the rooms were divided like a house. There was a small island with stools, along with a full kitchen set; an oven, full refrigerator, a microwave, the works. Tile stood underneath the kitchenette area, slowly turning to carpet as you veered further away from the kitchen appliances and walked deeper into the living room.

Past the living room type area, sat two French doors. I pushed them open, the ocean wind hitting me in the face. It was a refreshing feeling as I inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the beach. The view was utterly perfect and thanks to the 35th floor, I was able to see Bora Bora's waters from here.  They looked crystal blue, and personally, I couldn't wait to get in them. If I could . . .

Closing the doors, I turned and continued my exploration of the hotel. I turned into one of the two bedrooms and gasped. This bedroom was quite large for a hotel suite; the color theme remained white and tan. My bed was a queen, covered in silky tan sheets, pillows mounted on the bed. I dragged my suitcase behind me as I rested it against the wall. I didn't have to worry about unpacking, I barely had anything.

I turned and exited the bedroom. Remembering my phone, I pulled  it out of my pants pocket, checking the date and time. Thursday; 3:17pm.

"Four days," I breathed. My eyelids fluttered closed as I thought about just how different my life was four days ago.  Life was good; I had the house to myself, my parents were off on vacation, and it was summer break? I opened my eyes, gasping slightly as I noticed Liam standing there, frowning. "Do you always sneak up on people?"

Liam shrugged slightly, "I'm light on my feet."

I squinted at him slightly, eyeing him up and down. He had changed from his dark blue suit, to a cream colored one. He wore a burgundy colored tie, with matching dress shoes. I would never admit it out loud, but he knew how to dress. His hair was tossled, his five o'clock shadow had grown out slightly, but nothing too noticeable. He must've noticed my intensifying stare because he spoke up, "I have a meeting at 3:45. Afterwards I'm taking you to the mall, you look like shit."

I make a face and gesture towards the clothing that covered my frame, "Sorry, I was just trying to look like you."

His right eye twitched, along with the muscle in his jaw.  His head turned at an angle as he stared at me, analyzing me.  I hold my chin up high, despite the fact that my knees were shaking underneath his gaze.  He let a minute pass before nodding.

"You can leave the suite," He turns from me and heads toward the door, "but I wouldn't advise stepping past the front doors of this hotel," Liam latches a hand around the doorknob and glances at me, "Your room key is on my bed," He pulls the door open and steps out, only to turn around and shoot me - what appeared to be - a forced smile; it looked more like a grimace, "I'd advise that you do not touch anything else.  I'll know."

I listened to the click of the locking door and waited fifteen seconds before I put my hands on my hips and mimicked Liam Luciano.  I scoffed and walked in the direction of his bedroom.

I noticed the faint smell of aftershave grown stronger the closer I got to his room.  I stepped inside and admired the room that was similar to mine in color and features; he, too, had a balcony. 

Something about his room made me nervous, so as quickly as I got in there, I left.

Not only did I leave his bedroom, but I left the suite. The elevator ride back down to the lobby was much quicker than earlier. The doors slid open, and I was welcomed by the crowd.

People poured in and out of doors from every direction. Loud chatter, laughter, and the squeaking of wheels against the marble floor filled my ears. Little children held their parents hands, smiles on their faces as their summer vacations finally began. Couples stood near windows, phones up to their faces as they took selfies. The people working the welcome desk looked busy, but yet, they continued to smile; handing out pamphlets and fliers, advertising the tourist attractions around the area.

I stepped into the sea of people, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about what I was wearing. With a dark hoodie flung over my head and a pair of thick, grey sweatpants hugging my frame, I definitely stood out. Women around me wore colorful dresses, shorts, and skirts, cute tops finishing their outfit. The men were mainly in shorts or swim trunks, some dripping with water from the pool. A soft smile crept on my lips. Everyone looked like they were having such a great time.

I turned to my right, where a small, cute Italian restaurant resided, their doors open. Traffic between the restaurant and hotel lobby was quite busy.  My eyes wandered over the crowd of people again and I caught sight of a very attractive men, forcing me to do a double take.  My eyes rolled when I realized that it was just Liam.

He stood at the entrance of the restaurant, engaged in a serious looking conversation with two other people. They were all dressed the same; both the man and woman wearing a suit.  Liam nodded as the man showed him something on his expensive looking tablet.

I felt a light brush on my shoulder, making me whirl around. The older looking woman from earlier, Mary, smiled brightly, recognizing me. "Hi, Hun... you look lost, are you alright?"

"Yeah," I smiled, a huff of air escaping my throat. "I'm just..." I turned on my heels, taking in the rotunda. "This place is huge."

"It is a lot to take in," She agreed. I felt her grab my arm gently, tugging me towards the welcome desk. The crowd thinned the closer we got to the desk,  "What's your name again, sweetheart?"

"Faith," I confirmed with a short nod.

"Well Faith, I see Liam left you to fend for yourself," She joked. I felt her peer over my shoulder. I turned slightly, craning my neck to see Liam once more. He was still there, talking.

"Yeah, he isn't the... " My voice faded as I crammed my vocabulary for a word, any word, "best..."

"He isn't the best communicator," She finished for me, "That's for sure." I smiled as Mary handed me a few pamphlets, allowing me to flip through them. Personally, I highly doubted that Liam would let me visit any of these places, but who knew. There was a serious lull in the conversation as Mary watched me examine the advertisements.

"So," I closed the jet-skiing and snorkeling advertisements as I looked up, tucking a strand of hair behind my hair. "Are you Liam's mother?" Her eyes went wide for a moment, before she double over in hysterical laughter. I felt the flow of traffic turn and look, watching as the woman made a serious fool of herself. I reached out, hoping to calm her down. She stood up after a moment, tears slipping out the corner of her eyes as she dabbed them.

"No," She finally replied, "Liam is more like...an adopted son, I suppose. But I'm not his biological mother. Actually," She tilted her head slightly, appearing to be thinking deeply, "I've never met Liam's real mother. But, considering you're his girlfriend, I'm sure you'll meet them before me," She ended her statement with a teasing wink, making me laugh – really laugh.

"Mary, we aren't dating..."

"Sweetheart," She rested a comforting arm on my forearm, smiling deviously,  "Nobody is just friends with that." At that exact moment, Liam walked by slowly, the two others in tow.

His suit hugged him perfectly in all the right places. The sleeves of the expensive looking suit defined his arms and shoulders; his suit-pants not too baggy and I'd be lying if I didn't say my eyes drifted even further downwards, staring at his ass.

Mary had an excellent point.

We watched him walk-by, totally unaware of all the stares he was receiving; not just from us, but from other tourists. Woman paused, children in hand, as they waited for him to walk by. Even men stared a little longer than need be, but for different reasons. Women were attracted to the man wearing the suit, but the men were attracted to the suit the man was wearing.

I laughed nervously, "I guess you're right. But really, that's all we are. Just friends." If that.  Mary continued giving me that look even though I claimed otherwise. "Anyways, this place has a pool?"

Mary obliged to the subject change, "Just around this corner, there's an outdoor pool and an indoor pool." She then turned around, pointing behind me at the Italian restaurant. "Over there is a tourist favorite, A Little Taste of Italy. Everyone loves that restaurant. A little further down that hall there's a Chinese place and an every-day diner. The diner serves amazing breakfast."

I nodded, taking all the information in.

"-They also have a spa and nail salon. Truthfully, if you can think of it, this place has it. Mr. Luciano truly outdid himself. Also, of course, outside of the hotel-" Mary pointed to my stack of advertisements I had rested on the welcome desk beside me. "-There's tons of shopping, restaurants, and activities you can do. Mostly water activities of course," She laughed, "I'd bring Liam along for those though."

"Why's that?"

"You can see Liam shirtless, duh." I cackled loudly, smiling down on the elderly woman. She was easily in her early 60's, but the way she talked, she sounded like she had a tiny crush on Luciano. I was about to answer, my mouth falling open when I heard him approach behind us.

His shoulder brushed against my arm as he approached. "Thank you Mary for showing Faith around," His lips curled into a smile, something I had rarely seen and never caused.

"No problem, Liam," She smiled, "You two have a good evening! I'm going on my break." Mary sent a farewell wave as she disappeared into the crowd.

I sighed, my stomach suddenly starting to do flips. Awkwardly, I clear my throat, "I thought you were still in a meeting."

"It ended early," He lifts an eyebrow, "I'm assuming you know what that means?"

I groan and turn in the direction of the door, "Yay, I get to hangout with you," I mutter dryly.  I whirl my lone index finger around my head, emphasizing my lack of excitement. 

I swore I heard a deep chuckle from behind me as I pushed open the doors, waiting and holding them so they didn't fall back in his face, "You should definitely sound more excited than that."

I muster up as much energy as I can and turn around, walking backwards.  I squeal, "Gee-willikers, this is the greatest day of my young life."

Liam doesn't say anything until he opens the car door for me.  I slide inside and buckle my seat-belt, patiently waiting.  A cool, ocean breeze blows through the open door, forcing me to look up at him, curious as to why he hadn't slammed the door in my face yet. 

Liam had his lips curled into his mouth, his eyes locking with something on the other side of the car.  I go to speak, but that's when he clears his throat.

"I can't believe you quoted a famous philosopher and didn't even give him credit."

Luciano spoke in a teasing tone, one that I was not used to.  Our eyes lock as he laughs, genuinely, "Philosopher? What are you talking about?"

"This is the greatest day of my young life, Mr. Krabs," Liam slams the car door and actually laughs, "quoted by the infamous and iconic, Spongebob Squarepants."

* * *

The mall was gorgeous.  An infinite amount of stores filled my sight as I walked the mall. It was crowded and the restaurants that surrounded the large building were packed.

My walk slowed as I passed by Victoria Secret, eyeing the goodies inside. The '5 for $28 panties' sign caught my eye, making me stop dead in my tracks. Liam brushed past me, his walk continuing as he spoke, "Don't even think about."

My eyes went wide as I raced up to him, blocking his path. "I know you didn't just say that. It's twenty eight dollars for five panties," I groaned, "Do you even understand the sale-" The look on his face made me stop and frown. He wasn't going to go for it. "I swear," I turned, huffing, frustrated as I continued my journey down the mall. "You have money falling out your ass. Honestly, it isn't even worth your time picking up a dollar bill you dropped! You probably make twice that within a minute,"  My ranting stopped as I turned around, noticing his presence was no longer near.

Liam still stood beside the Victoria Secret entrance, his eyes scanning his phones screen. A serious look etched his face; one that wasn't there a few moments before. He looked up, licking his lips. "Can you behave and walk the mall without a grown up by your side?" I ignored his unnecessary comment and nod.

"Sure, whatever."

I heard him utter a soft "Call me if you need me," as I walked away.

I immersed myself in the multitude of stores that I walked by, spending time in each and every one.  I excused myself politely as I slipped past crowds of people who were stalling in the main walkway. The majority of my fellow tourists smiled softly at me as I marched by. I entered a few more stores, exiting with a couple bags of shirts, shorts, and eventually, a swimsuit. Within the thirty-five minutes Liam was gone, I accomplished more without him there. I bought a few sun dresses and pajamas, along with underwear, bras, feminine necessities and, of course, hair care products.

It wasn't until I exited my last store that I checked the time. The time said 6:49pm as I slid it back into my pocket. The mall had cleared out slightly, yet, a few people still mulled around, shopping and having a good time. That's when the feeling overwhelmed me and I whirled around.

"Liam?"

I must've looked insane; standing in the middle of the mall, bags clutched in my hand, as I spoke to nobody. Liam wasn't there.

I turned, continuing to walk when once more, I felt as though I was being followed. Turning around again, I sighed. "Seriously, Liam..."

No answer.

That's when I saw them.

The men my eyes landed on were a few stores down, the two of them casually walking in my direction.  They appeared to be deep in conversation, blending in well with the sparse crowd.  They drew no attention to themselves by their attire, but instead, they looked like regular, every-day tourists; short-sleeved, flower patterned shirts and tan shorts.

I made my first mistake by looking back.  My second mistake came about fifteen seconds later when we made eye contact. I bolted.

People and stores flew past me, my vision blurred. Occasionally, I ran into a few people, muttering a quick, "excuse me," but never breaking stride.  A variety of shouting came from behind me; most of it coming from annoyed tourists while the least of it came from the two men that were chasing me. My lungs burned as I turned down another hallway of the mall, frowning. One store was open in the very corner of this section of the well-populated mall, the other stores having been shut down, their business signs torn off and a metal gate flung down, blocking the entrance.  Retail 'For Rent' signs were dangling from a couple of the locked entrances.

My feet pounded against the floor, my breaths coming out short and quick. I reached into my back pocket, reaching for my phone as I ran. I scrolled through contacts quickly, cursing quietly when I scrolled by the name, Luciano. I hit the contact and waited as the phone rang once – if that – when the voice I strongly disliked answered the phone.

"Liam," His name was the only thing I could breathe out as the end of the walkway neared. I risked a glance behind my shoulder, only to see the two figures continuing to chase me. "Liam?" I pulled the phone away from my ear, only to find the words 'Call Ended' teasing me.

I was plotting out my next plan of escape when I, Faith Crawford, ran into a wall.

My phone flew out of my hand, it's screen easily shattering as it fell to the tile floor and slid out of sight.  My ass hit the floor first and my head followed, snapping back harshly.  I would definitely, without a doubt, be sore tomorrow. As quickly as I could, I stood to my feet, still swaying.

"Damn," The sound of two men laughing came from behind me, forcing me to shoot a glare in their direction.  One was doubled over, his arms wrapped around himself as he laughed, wholeheartedly.  The other one just chuckled as they slowed their jog to a quickly paced walk, "you fucked her up."

My head pounded as my gaze dropped to the floor, where my recently purchased clothes lay, spilling out my shopping bags.  Just as quickly, I lifted my head and eyed the man I had run into.  At the sight of him, I stepped back.

He wasn't dressed in a floral shirt or tanned pants, using flip-flops to seal his tourist look.  I took in his black attire from his boots to the hood that was thrown over his head.  All I could identify was his stubble-free chin, his lips, and his tanned complexion.  His eyes were hidden behind his dark sunglasses and everything above that was hiding behind brim of his hat.

Despite the fact that this man and the two behind me were clearly working together, I found myself drifting backwards, toward them.  However, for every step I took, the man took two - eventually, closing the gap that had stood between us.

"Faith Crawford," my name parted his chapped lips as he adjusted the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose.  A smirk curled the corner of his lip up and before I could even understand what was happening, a gun was jammed underneath my chin. His large hand found its way to the back of my head, yanking me closer to him as his smile grew.  The man's voice lowered as he finished with, "I've been sent to kill you," He smiles, "Just, y'know, letting you know beforeha--"

I went to knock the gun out of the man's hand, but before I could, he was being shoved.  The chilling feeling of his gun against my chin left and silently, I watched as the went stumbling to his right - my left, eventually falling to his knees.  I felt a hand wrap around my forearm and for a split second, I tried to fight back, but when I glanced up and saw Liam staring at me, I stopped.

Liam pulled me behind him and unholstered his weapon, shooting quick glances to the men on the left. The 'tourist' looking bad guys had already pulled out their guns, aiming them in Liam's direction.  Luciano didn't seem concerned.  Instead, he takes a step towards the man on the floor and releases the safety on his handgun.

"You were sent to kill her?" he questions, then scoffs, "I'd like to see you fucking try."

The man on the ground chuckles, pulling down his hoodie long enough to toss the cap off his head.  He lifts the hood back over his head but instead of standing up, he creates his own momentum and kicks his leg out, tripping Liam.

The man shoots daggers in the direction of his two men, pointing a finger down the hallway, "Make sure nobody comes down this hallway," his eyes land on Liam, before lifting to me, "we wouldn't want anybody finding their bodies before they're even cold."

He flicks his wrists, two knives appearing in either hand. The man lets out a loud laugh as he takes the first jab, slicing at Luciano's arm with his sharp knife.  He misses, barely.

That jab was practically the bell at the start of a boxing match.  Once Liam hopped back to his feet, the fight was on.  They both shared punches, the unknown man attacked more, whereas Liam stood in his stance, defending himself.

I kept off to the side, standing there awkwardly as I cheered Liam on.  For a while, I threw right and left hooks, pretending as though I were the one in a fight.

I threw about three more pretend punches when I stopped, realizing that the grunting and cursing had died down.  When I angled my body towards the two men, I realized they were watching me.  Liam had a look on his face, one of disapproval, whereas the man in the hoodie was bent over, cackling.

Liam doesn't hesitate, using my diversion to the best of his ability.  He grabs my potential murderer by the shoulder and pushes him up against the nearest pillar, hardly giving him any time to recover.  The man hisses at the pain, only to softly squeal once Luciano wrapped a large hand around his neck, pressing against him.

"I know this probably isn't a good time to say this," I hear the man struggle.  He wheezes and tries to twist his body, trapped between the marble pillar and Luciano's lower half, "but you're doing it wrong."

Clenching his jaw, Liam questions, "What am I doing wrong?"

"T-this," he motions towards his neck and the grip Liam has on it, "This is not a sensual hold."

"What the fuck are you--"

I saw it happen.  The man lifted an elbow and struck Liam in the neck, freeing him from his previous position.  I quickly made my way over to Liam's side as the man begins to backtrack.  He adjusts the sunglasses on his face and pulls the hood back over his head, hiding his head of short, black hair.

"A sensual hold," he continues and rests his own palm against his neck, wrapping his long fingers his neck in demonstration, "is this. Not hard enough to choke her, but firm, firm enough that when she crawls out of that bed, she knows who daddy really is--" The man throws his head back in a laugh before making eye contact with both of us, loudly rolling his R's.

Three bursts of short, quick, high-pitched whistles echoed down the hallway and the young man stopped.  It was a signal.  He begins to walk backwards, giving me the once over.

"Who sent you?" Liam steps forward, questioning randomly.

The man shrugs.

"Corinelli?" He asks again.

The man stops, answering Liam's question without verbally responding.

I feel Luciano grab my wrist, pulling me closer to him.  "You can tell him he already lost.  He isn't getting the girl."

A smile graces the mans face.  He taps his sunglasses and lifts a hand, waving his index finger in a circular motion.  I lean back against Liam as men step out of the shadows of the darkened hallway.  I count five and spin around, noticing men creeping up on us from that direction too.  I grab Liam's forearm and look back to the man.

He stands upright and tall, his his hands intertwined as they dangle by his crotch.  He smiles innocently.  "I think it's safe to say, we won, Liam."

I felt Luciano tense at the sound of his first name.  We huddle together as Corinelli's men round up and follow their supposed "leader" towards the nearest exit.  It wasn't until I was sure that they were gone, did I speak.

"Who was that?"

Liam blinks and begins to march away, leaving me to pick up my bags and cellphone.   I scramble after him.  All I could do was listen to the heated conversation he was having without someone on the other end of the phone.

"He sent him after us."

"Who?" I heard the recipient of the call ask.

Liam gives me a look and shakes his head, muttering a curse word beneath his breath. "Fantasma."

* * *

A/N: HI RE-READERS. HI NEW READERS.