a/n: I most recently make an ask.fm account, so if you want to talk or have any questions about my stories, me, or even random crap in general – feel free to ask me (no pun intended)! My username is the same as on here ; taintedkissesxo – the link is in my A B O U T if you're too lazy to search.

Thank you all for the 7k followers and Luciano is so close to 4 million reads! I never would've guessed we could reach that many.

P.S. IVE MISSED YOU ALL OMG. I'M JUST GONNA STALK MY COMMENTS NOW BYE.

- - - -

"You can try and take away from crown, but I will never let my kingdom down." – 'Crown', Empire Soundtrack

(p.s. sorry for any grammar errors)

- - - -

War. That was what this was.

Everything seemed to slow for an uncountable amount of time. The thunder that echoed across the sky outside seemed to last longer than usual, the lightening seemed to light up the sky a few seconds longer than normal, and the rain only seemed to hit the car sporadically – yet, in reality, time hadn't slowed, but my mind had. It was all an illusion my mind was portraying; nature hadn't slowed at all, but truthfully, I wish it would. Hundreds of thoughts raced through my mind, all pertaining to the threats that Peter Corinelli had spat in Liam's face just a few moments before.

The sound of lighting crackling and thunder booming outside was dull and quiet, pushed to the back of my mind in an attempt to concentrate on my thoughts; however, the car's engine was loud in my ears as Liam floored it, his driving clearly distracted by the same man that was on my mind. Neither of us had uttered a word to each other since we had seated ourselves comfortably for the ride home and I wasn't complaining.

Liam didn't seem to be in the mood to talk. He kept his left hand loosely around the wheel, his right clutching the gearshift. I couldn't help but notice the deathly grip he had on it, his knuckles indicating it by their turning of colors; from tan to white. His lips were also pursed in a line, unmoving; and the constant movement of his jaw helped me believe that he was focusing hard on whatever was running through his mind. And if I felt like I had a lot going through my mind, I could only assume he had ten times more.

"He's always been jealous," The words struggle to escape through the thin opening in Liam's lips, his jaw locked. Hatred dripped and hung off of every single word. "Peter has always been jealous, ever since I took over for Michael. He just couldn't fathom how a young, 18 year old could build a family back up and be as successful as I am today." Liam lets out a long, frustrated sigh before repositioning his hands on the wheel. "It also doesn't help that he's struggling, financially.

I shook my head, propping my elbow up between the window and the cars passenger door. I rested my head against my closed fist and angled my body as well as I could in Liam's direction, my seatbelt being the reason I was temporarily uncomfortable. "I thought this was about me and the money that I do not have."

"It is." All I could do was quirk an eyebrow at Liam's short response, pushing him to continue. He glances over at me quickly, clearing noting my dissatisfaction with his answer. Luciano lets out another long, exaggerated sigh. "Whether you have this money or not, I truly don't believe Peter cares anymore. All he sees is money; power and money." Liam stretches out his fingers, regaining his knuckles lost complexion caused by the grip he held the steering wheel and gearshift with. "He knows I care about you and whether you have this money or not, he will make money if he takes you – because he knows damn well that I would do anything to get you back." I nod in understanding. "And if getting you back means paying a shitload of cash, I would do so."

I had already prepared myself to answer him, but the curt ringing of a cellphone cut through the momentary silence that engulfed the car. The interior of the car lit up in a light blue glow as the stereo system that Luciano had hooked his phone up to, alerted him of the incoming caller. With a swift glance at the caller ID, I knew who was calling.

Liam tapped a button, which I assumed connected the call, and leaned back in the driver's seat. Neither of us even had the opportunity to squeak out a quick greeting to the person on the other end of the phone; they spoke up quickly.

"Give me two reasons," Federico's voice was clearly recognizable as his statement echoed throughout the car. Liam and I shared a suspecting glance, both of us sitting up a tad straighter at the harsh tone that Rico didn't dare hide as he spoke. His anger was evident; it seeped through his words like some type of poison. "Give me two reasons why I shouldn't walk back inside and slit every throat, why I shouldn't dismember every single fucker that breathes inside that house."

"I'll give you one; I want to watch," Liam responds swiftly.

Rico let out a huff that resonated through the speaker. You could hear his feet padding against the concrete on his end and I mentally envisioned him pacing outside of Corinelli's grand mansion, attempting to keep his voice low. Liam's answer seemed to temporarily give Federico peace, but I knew it wouldn't for long.

"Fine." The sound of his feet hitting the concrete stop, signaling to me that Rico had stopped in place. "But you hurry up and make your move, or I will. I will chop off that fucker's penis and shove it down his throat, showing the entire goddamn world that a man can indeed suck his own dick." Federico let out another huff of air, "You may quote me."

The dial-tone is the next sound that fills the car.

It fit the mood for the rest of the ride home to perfection. The re-mentioning of the deadly threats and harsh words from earlier only seemed to worsen the feelings that both Liam and I were feeling. There was worry; something that I was sure we were both feeling. There was worry that Peter would hurt one of Liam's family members, one of his closest friends, and of course, me. There was sadness, knowing that all too soon my parents would be on their way home; which, in reality, would force me to head back to Maryland. And of course, there was anger – anger at the fact that all of this with Peter was still happening.

Yet, as long as it had taken to build up, I felt as though everything would come crashing down quickly.

I didn't even realize that Liam had parked the car, killed the engine, and exited his luxury vehicle till the car door slammed on my left. There was nothing cute about the way we interacted that evening; there were no gentlemanly signs or slight glimpses that chivalry wasn't dead tonight. Luciano hadn't even glanced behind him as he stepped up a few steps, heading straight for the front door of his home. I scrambled out the car quickly and followed him – something I felt like I was doing a lot of recently.

I jumped a bit at the sound of the car honking, its lights flashing, as Liam locked its doors. He bowed his head briefly at the door, before twisting the key in the lock and pushing the door open. Those that were still waltzing around the foyer, exiting and re-entering rooms as their days died down, were the first people that Liam and I laid eyes on. I could feel multiple people glancing at me, probably noticing the puffiness of my eyes; then they turned to Liam.

There was no way in the world I could say that Liam looked bad, but he looked haggard. With his tie pulled loose around his neck and his dress shirt untucked, he was by far, looking much different than when he left. I wasn't sure whether it was the fact that the men in the home were familiar with the look of distress that etched Liam's features, or the simple fact that they truly cared about their boss's feelings; but one of the men stopped, nodded his head towards Liam, opened his mouth, but didn't speak.

Maybe it was the distressed, yet angry look Liam had written on his face that caused the man to hesitate; who knows. But it was two words that Luciano uttered that caused the house to wake up from its quiet state.

"Meeting. Now."

Luciano was swept away from me; I wasn't sure if it was because of the wave of people that seemed to head in that direction, or because he, personally, had decided to leave me. Never-the-less, I found myself alone in the quiet foyer as the boisterous noise grew from down the hallway, where everyone had begun to gather. My eyes fell on the multitude of men dressed in pajama bottoms; some had on t-shirts and tank-tops, while others wore nothing.

"I think your future husband needs your sup—"

"—Liam isn't my future hus--!" I whirled around, not even allowing the voice to register in my head. I truly didn't know who had said it and incorrectly, I had assumed it was Federico. But when I did turn around and my eyes landed on the familiar head of blonde hair, I let out a breath. I quickly acknowledged the fact that Federico's voice was much deeper than that and my initial assumption had been terribly wrong. It was William.

William's eyebrows shot up and he held his hands up as a sign of defense. Once most of the air I had been holding in escaped past my lips, Will continued. He gestured towards me, waving semi-widely. "I sense some...tension."

A slight glimpse of a smile pulled across my lips at Will's tone; but it quickly fell. He was leaning against a door frame, that connected the foyer to the living room; his ankles were crossed and his arms folded. His hair had gotten longer and a tad lighter, more than likely due to the exposure of the sun. His skin was a little more tanned than I had remembered it and he, in all, appeared a bit older. Maybe it was just the way he had his head tilted, or the slight facial hair that covered his upper lip, only to connect with the hair on his chin.

"Peter threatened everyone," I finally stated. I turned my back to Will and backed up, now leaning against the wall beside his head. We watched in silence as a few stragglers scurried down the steps, heading towards the well-known conference room.

I could feel William's gaze fall on my temple as he contemplated a response. "You really think he'll go through with his threats?"

"Yes," I scoffed at his reply and turned to face him. "If this man is sick enough to decapitate Alex and send his head to Liam, then yes, I do believe he'll go through with his threats."

"I know, but—"

"Ms. Faith?"

A man I had seen around stepped out into the hall and headed in my direction. He was tall and well dressed with dark hair; it was a description I had come to be very well familiar with. Once he came within a few feet of Will and I, he hooked a thumb behind his shoulder, pointing back down the hall.

"Liam needs you."

"Liam...needs me?" I reiterated their statement, unsure if I had heard it correctly. Hardly noticing it, I had pushed myself away from Will and had begun following the man. He nods, but says nothing.

When I glance behind my shoulder, to whisper an apology to Will, he just smiles and holds up a hand, wiggling his fingers in a form of goodbye.

The man that escorted me towards the doors of the conference room walked in first. For a meeting, it was quiet upon my arrival. The familiar sight of men seated around the table and others leaning against the walls was the first thing I saw. Luciano's seat was unoccupied, but instead, he stood beside it; his head was bowed and his palms were being pressed firmly against the oak table. He remained silent, along with the other two dozen men in the room.

The second my foot hit the other side of the door and echoed my official arrival to the meeting, they all stood. Chairs squeaked and groans were made as the men pulled themselves to their feet. I had become acquainted with this form of respect that they all seemed to show Liam whenever he entered a room, but what I was unfamiliar with, was it being done to me. Nobody made a peep as Liam finally lifted his head, noticing the rapid amount of movement around the room.

I felt a chill ripple down my spine as he pushed himself away from the desk and headed towards me. He didn't look angry, nor happy; neutral, would probably be the best word to describe the look he had on his face. Liam reached my side quickly, immediately reaching for my hand and interlocking our fingers. Like me, he turned to face the room, just as I leaned up, whispering a question in his ear.

"Why are they standing?"

Luciano doesn't even bother whispering, as if he isn't afraid to speak his answer out loud. He turns to me and for the first time that evening, I saw a glimpse of something flash across his eyes – it wasn't anger, that was certain. "They stand in the presence of me and of you."

I scoff as Liam takes my other hand in his and fully faces me. The others didn't budge or speak, they made no type of movement; it was as if they weren't even there. I wouldn't even be surprised if they had zoned our conversation out, simply waiting for their command to be seated.

"Yeah," I let out a laugh, waving in their direction as Liam grabs my hand again. His gaze was solely on me, never faltering, never wavering. It was obvious as to why they stood in Liam's presence; he was their boss, their commander; his word is law, everything he says goes. "But I'm nothing to them."

"But you're everything to me."

I could've sworn Liam was about to say something else, but he closed his mouth, pursed his lips, and leaned down, planting a short, yet sweet kiss on my lips. We exhaled briefly before turning back to face the crowd. I was impressed with their professionalism to say the least.

I felt the grip Luciano had on my hand tighten. His voice was deep as he belted out a command, one that his men followed without hesitation or commotion. "As you were, Gentlemen." And just like that, they were seated.

Liam led me to his own seat, one that he pulled out and settled me comfortably in. A few men around the table snatched pieces of paper and pencils, while others just folded their arms and listened. Some leaned against their seats, making it squeal under their weight and others just relaxed, their eyes locked on Liam, waiting and watching. I squirmed in the seat at the head of the table, my hands folded, and my neck craned upwards so that I could get a good look at Luciano. All we could do was anticipate the words Liam were about to say.

I had taken a wild shot in the dark and figured that this meeting, this entire speech, was going to be about Peter Corinelli. Newflash, I was right. Luciano started from the very beginning as he tuned the family in on the occurrences of tonight. He gave a brief history of Peter Corinelli; the hatred he had for Liam, the financial struggles that he appeared to be going through. But Luciano mostly stuck to the threats, emphasizing as strongly as he could that these threats were not to be taken lightly.

During the meeting, I couldn't help but notice Will sneak in the door and push himself to the side, not drawing anyone's attention – but mine – to him. It was also at the juncture that I noticed the seat to Luciano's right, was empty; Dominic's seat.

I zoned in just as another man voiced his opinion on Peter Corinelli and his threats. "Well," The man had dark brown hair and sat at the table; a gun rested in front of him. "Let's take this bitch out."

A couple men nodded in agreement, a few voicing their similar opinions with grunts. "Send us in there, Liam," one man said. "I mean, really, send about one hundred of us and we'll take out his entire empire."

"On God," A man added in response to the previous comment that had been made.

"I can't," Luciano resumed his previous position beside me. Occasionally he would rest his hands on the back of the chair I sat on, other times he would lean against it, but he never once left my side. This time, he pressed his hands against the cool wood and shook his head, making sure to eye everyone around the table, including me. The distress in his eyes were evident, including the tension in his shoulders.

"Why not?" The man that had initially made the comment spoke up again, defending his point; trying to will Luciano to let them do what they do best. "It's what we do—"

The entire room jolted awake as Liam slapped the table. The sound echoed for a good minute or two and I could only cringe, imagining just how much pain was shooting through Luciano's hand at the moment. The muscles in his arms contracted as he leaned forward, using them to support most of his body weight. "I understand damn well what you all do; you're here to protect, to run drops, and to kill; but your job is not to be killed and if I feel as though the situation is dangerous, I'm not going to send you all in there."

Luciano leans back and sighs.

"I don't understand though," All eyes turn to a man in the corner who speaks up next. "Peter has a huge ass house and a million exotic cars; he has a grand staff, even bigger than yours Liam... Why does he want what you have?"

I could see the hesitation cross Liam's features, as if he didn't truly have an answer for the man. Twice, he mouth fell open and twice, he closed it; no words having the courage to slip past his lips. A confident voice floated like silk around the room and it took me a minute or two to realize that it wasn't Liam's; in fact, it came from the direction of the door.

"Just because you can dress the part, doesn't mean you can play the role."

I saw a smile cross Liam's face as he bowed his head. I looked up quickly, just like the others, and found myself staring at Dominic Santiago. I wasn't sure how long he had been standing there, adjusting his dress shirt. His hands were fumbling with the buttons, buttoning the shirt back up. The diamonds in his ears had been removed, but his hair still looked as curly as it did earlier this evening. In silence, we all watched as Dom lowered his head and flung a black tie around his neck, tying it quickly. He pulled the knot tight and looked up, seemingly unbothered by the amount of eyes that rested on him.

He continued to make his point as he waltzed into the room. "Peter Corinelli dresses the part, yes. He has the fancy cars, like you mentioned Quintin, and he has the grand staff of maids and waiters," Dom continues to stride into the room, pulling everyone's attention along with him as he approaches Liam, slowly. "And yes, he has the luxury cars." Dominic stops as he comes alongside Liam. The two share a respectful nod as he continues his journey around the room; finally stopping on the right side of my chair. He folds his hands behind his back and finishes, "But Peter Corinelli cannot play the role because it's all a lie, a show. I've done the research; Corinelli is running that name into the ground, financially too. He's using this opportunity to not only take what Liam has, but to get the recognition he feels as though he deserves. And knocking off one of the most powerful families in this day and age, will give him that."

The expression on Liam's face said everything; he couldn't have put it any better himself. Dominic had always been good with words and once again, it showed. The men seemed to understand this, nodding and pointing towards Dom as his words registered themselves in their brains. Liam let a brief silence envelop everyone, allowing Dominic's spiel to engrave itself deep into the back of their minds before he spoke again.

"I understand and I appreciate the fact that each and every one of you want to help. We're a family, yes and if one goes down, we all do. But I've thought about it and I've come to the conclusion, that I want this house emptied out by tomorrow."

That got everyone's attention.

"This is a fight I only want a select few to fight," Liam continues. "Sending in a hundred of you will only end in mass casualties, we all know that." The men around the table bow their heads. "You all know where the safe houses are, divide yourselves up evenly and head to them. By 10:30 tomorrow morning, the only people I want in this house are me, Faith, Dominic, William, Federico, and Timothy." Despite the fact that a few of them had arguments on the tip of their tongues, they held it back. "Effective immediately," Luciano finishes, "You are dismissed."

The excitement had died down completely as the group of men exited, their shoulders slumped, their heads bowed. Their demeanor had taken a complete 180 flip as they all filed out; all except Dominic.

"I think it was a smart move," Dominic was chewing on the edge of a pen, his head tilted to the side as he leaned back in his seat, eyeing Liam. "You're saving lives by doing this, don't feel bad."

"I know," Liam groans and throws his head back, running both hands down in face in a sign of irritation and sleepiness. When he pulls his hand down, he glances at his watch and groans once again. "I'm tired as fuck." I scooted out of my chair as their conversation continued. "How was your meeting by the way?"

"About that, I was wondering if we could speak in private."

Liam glances at me, then back at Dom. "We are in private."

The pursing of his lips was the only response he had for Liam.

With a yawn, Liam extends his hand to me and points back at Dom, "Check when Rico plans on coming back, we're going to need his...talents."

"Of course," Dom pulls out his phone and tosses it to the table. He has his ankle thrown over his knee, a careless look written on his face. "You two have a good night," I watch Dom dial Rico's number, placing the call on speakerphone in the process. The call had connected and was now dialing as I spoke up.

"You aren't going to sleep?"

"Not tired," He glanced up through his thick eyelashes and sent me a caring smile. He must've seen the look I had on my face, because he added, "I'll sleep soon." I nodded now, content. With everything that seemed to be piling on the shoulders of both Liam and Dominic, I knew we all needed our sleep. Just as we stepped out the room, Rico answered.

"Thunder buddy!"

Rico would never see the smile he put on Dominic's face with his greeting, but I was glad I was able to.

Their conversation faded into the distance as Liam threw an arm around over my shoulder and pulled me close. It weighed me down, causing me to laugh. We made a quick pit-stop at the kitchen, where Liam poured himself a glass of champagne. With a sip and a second to pause and taste, he nodded, satisfied.

"You better not plan on getting drunk on me tonight," I tilt my head towards him as we make the journey up the marble stairway. He chuckles as I add, "I couldn't take care of a drunk Rico and I doubt I'll be able to take care of a drunk Liam."

We push our way into his still and quiet bedroom. The troubling factors that we had met tonight were pushed to the back of our minds. With the back of his foot, Liam closed his bedroom door. I shot a glimpse of the clock, which read almost two in the morning. But tiredness hadn't overwhelmed me yet; and without a second glance at Liam, I headed towards his balcony. I pulled the doors open with the assist from the wind; it was refreshing, yet, a storm brewing in the distance was easily recognizable.

The moonlight was dim that night as I stepped onto the balcony and continued walking. It was nothing large, but it held just enough space that I could step out a ways from the doors. The railing that I leaned upon looked as though it had been freshly painted. The wind only seemed to pick up the longer I stood out there, but like I had figured he would, Liam joined me.

His champagne glass was still firmly grasped in his hand as the wind blew through his hair. I turned away from him, eyeing the lights that the city of Los Angeles displayed at night. "I'm going to miss this view."

Liam was smirking from my left as he leaned forward and looked at me. "Me too," His eyes twinkled. I extended my arm and shoved him, watching as he slid away from me, still laughing.

The smile on his face could light up anyone's day. He grew serious fairly quickly, but he didn't address my prior statement. We locked eyes and all I saw him do was nod downwards; with a roll of the eyes, I pushed myself up and away from the railing to join him in an upright position.

"You can't even unbutton a shirt without me now?" I laugh and lean forward, closing the gap of space that had previously separated us. Liam's genuine smile was sweet, but he didn't have a verbal response for me. My fingers un-did the buttons slowly, traveling from his collar down. I couldn't help but stare at his chest as I undressed him. Liam visibly tensed as my knuckles brushed against his bare stomach, finally reaching the last of the buttons.

I wasn't sure what overcame me; maybe it was smell of his cologne or the closeness in proximity that we shared, but I found myself leaning up and tilting my head. Liam froze, refusing to lean down at all, to meet my lips. I paused. He wasn't distracted in the slightest, his attention on me, my lips, but he grew rigged and didn't move. I lower my voice, speaking in a hushed whisper, as if the city of Los Angeles was listening in.

"What's wrong?"

My hands had found their way to his shoulders, the base of his neck, then down his chest. My fingers dipped multiple times as they ran over the defined muscles in his chest; over the firmness of his pectoral muscles, only to stop once I reach his belt.

Whatever thought had intruded Luciano's brain was whisked away with the next gust of wind, causing him to blink out of it. He took a step back and in the process, he rested his glass down and grabbed both my hands, and pulled me close once again. I bumped into his chest as he threw my arms around his shoulders and gripped my waist. This time, he did dip his head; we came close, our lips brushing together. I was fairly certain Liam had planted a kiss so faint on my lips that it was hardly recognizable, but the slight tinge of champagne awoke my taste buds.

"It bothers me every day," He lowered his head, pressing our foreheads together in the process. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you, I – " A finger found a way to his lips, silently shushing him.

"You already apologized, Liam." He lets out another sigh, "Seriously," My hands find his cheek as I tap them gently, forcing him to focus his attention back on me. "Don't beat yourself up over this."

Luciano cringes, "Bad use of words."

"I'm sorry," I stifle a laugh as I run my hands past his chin.

His grip on my waist tightens momentarily, "Do you forgive me?"

A nod and a kiss was surely enough in my mind to allow Liam to understand that I did forgive him. It was a kiss of reassurance; one that didn't need an explanation of any kind. It started off slow, longing, and passionate; my hands found their way to the base of his neck once again. Liam had slowly backed me into a corner, forcing my back to press against the brick of his home.

My mouth fell open in surprise, allowing Liam to take the opportunity to intensify the kiss. In a matter of seconds, not only were our lips colliding, but so were our tongues. It was a kiss that sent butterflies in a frenzy deep down in the pit of your stomach, it made you nervous, and also kicked start your heart rate.

Liam pulled away briskly, using the time to let his dress shirt fall from his shoulders. I took a step away, as Liam approached once again, but this time, we didn't kiss. His hands gripped either of my cheeks, his fingers brushing the skin just below my eye. The look in his naturally brown eyes was intense, filled with a look of desire and want that I had never seen before. Another emotion, one that was rare, could also be spotted. My hands wrapped themselves around his wrists as we backed up slowly, heading into the bedroom and making our way over to the bed in no type of rush.

"I'm afraid of a lot of things," He spoke in a rapid manner, as if the time we had together was coming to a close. The confidence that I had become so accustomed to hearing when Liam spoke, simply wasn't there anymore. He sounded unsure of himself, his typically strong-willed voice, faltering. "But my biggest fear is losing you, I can't." He squeezes his eyes shut, pressing our heads together as if he needed to feel as though I was still there.

"Liam, you won't lose me – "

"Everyone, everyone that I consider family, is temporary," Liam drags his finger down my cheek, his eyes following his own movements. "Everyone except Rosie. Rico, he's temporary. Dominic, he's temporary. They won't stay with me forever. Michael, he's... my mother isn't even..." Despite the fact that Liam seemed to struggle to find words that he could associate with his parents, his point came across loud and clear.

"- And I know what Peter is doing is terrifying; knowing that he's coming after everyone and everything that not only I love, but everything that I've built." My legs hit the corner of the bed, causing Liam to stop walking. "But I'd rather lose my kingdom then lose my queen; because I can rebuild my kingdom, I can't find another you."

I pull myself on the bed, using my arms to push my feet off the floor. I had no words that seemed appropriate enough to follow up with what Liam had said. And he didn't seem to mind; with the solemn look he had on his face, I kept quiet. My head fell back on the soft mattress as Liam kneeled on either side of me, slowly leaning his body forward, pinning me to the bed. His arms shot out above my head, supporting most of his body weight.

"I care about you so much," He shakes his head, "Faith, I..." It was clear he was struggling again, searching his vocabulary for whatever word he was looking for. I wasn't sure if it was the emotion that was clouding his brain, or the multiple glasses of champagne he had downed when he didn't believe I was looking. "I l – "

I shushed him again by putting a finger to my lips, causing him to nod. Arching my back, I leaned up just enough to capture his lips in mine. He visibly relaxed and for the moment, allowed all his cares and worries to melt away. For a temporary moment in time, we forgot about Peter, about his threats, we forgot about the constant threat of danger not only Liam and I were in, but also those that we both cared about – Rico, Dom, Rosalie. We were in our own carefree zone, completely oblivious to the outside dangers that lurked just beyond the walls of Liam's estate. I raised my arms, laughing as Liam pulled my shirt over my head and onto the floor.

The fact that the summer was coming to an abrupt end was pushed to the farthest corner of our minds as Luciano scooped me up in his arms. I threw my head back in a laugh as he carried me fairly easily towards the bathroom door, mumbling something about saving water and showering. I kicked my feet and flailed my arms, begging Liam to put me down; but my cries and pleas went through one ear and out the other.

And as the clicking sound of the bathroom door being shut and the locking of the door registered in my mind, I knew my fate that night was sealed. However, at least I approved of this one.

- - - -

At four on the dot, I woke up for the fifth time. Sleep would come, but it wouldn't stay. Yet, similar to the last four times that I had woken up, Liam's side of the bed, was empty. I had come to depend on the feeling of his arm being wrapped around me as I slept; not only the physical part, but just knowing that someone was beside you, knowing that nothing could hurt you while you rested, was comforting in its own way.

I rolled onto my back and sat up slightly, pulling the duvet up to my neck at the cool air that floated around the room. A breeze whisked through my hair, blowing it out of my face and waking me up even more. The crack in the balcony doors explained the odd occurrence of a breeze in the bedroom, but the figure that was still standing on the balcony, worried me. Having woken up multiple times before, I had noticed Liam still standing outside, a champagne glass in his right hand.

I let out a sigh and dropped my head back to the pillow, watching Liam in silence. Despite the coolness of the breeze, Liam stood outside in only a pair of shorts. The wind had changed direction and was blowing from left to right, forcing the longer strands of Liam's hair in that same direction. Even from here, you could see the force it had. The sound of it caused me to have chills, which made me hug the blanket even tighter. Luciano downed the rest of his champagne glass and turned around, more than likely looking for a refill. But my attention caused him to freeze in place.

For the longest minute, we just stared at each other through the clean, French doors. With his glass in tow, he pushes through the doors and closes them behind him, finally speaking up as the sound of the wind died down. "How long have you been awake?"

I use my elbow to prop myself up on the mattress, "Isn't that a question I should be asking you?"

"I'm not tired," was his answer. Liam heads over towards a small table beside the balcony doors, topping his champagne glass back up.

"Probably because your buzzed," I stated in a matter of fact that of tone. My eyes remained on the champagne bottle even though Liam's gaze had fallen back on me.

He pulls the glass away and eyes it, before glancing at me for a split second. "I'm okay," and like he had been doing most of the night, he drank away. It let out an irritated sigh and flung my legs out the bed. It didn't go unnoticed that I was in a t-shirt far too big for me and shorts that were threatening to fall off my waist at any second. I snatched the glass out of Liam's hand, spilling most of the drink on the ground, then I reached for the bottle.

"Faith!" I turn my back to Liam as he reaches for his much needed drinks, looking highly frustrated. "Faith, seriously, give it back." I shake my head and marched away from him, sending him glares whenever he tried to take a step closer. A worried tone pierced his words as I stepped into the bathroom and unscrewed the top. "Faith, Faith, that is a five hundred dollar bottle of champagne do not!"

Like my cries went in one ear and out the other, so did his. I watched as the bottle slowly emptied itself into the sink, swirled around for a second, then vanished into the drain. When I turned to my right, Liam was standing there, right where I had left him, looking very much defeated and five hundred dollars broker.

"Faith," He groaned my name, his shoulders slumping in the process. It wasn't a groan of pleasure, but of irritation. A slight knock on his bedroom door tore his attention from me. I went back to cleaning in the bathroom. I left his personal glass still half full, feeling just a little bad – only slightly. I had already made up my mind that I would allow him to finish this glass, but that's about it.

When I walked back into Liam's room, the lights were on and Dominic stood beside the door, silent. Liam let out a nervous laugh as Dom closed the door behind him. "What happened?" It was shame to me that that was the first question Luciano knew he had to ask.

I treaded carefully into the room, handing Liam his last and final glass before plopping down on the bed and waiting. Dominic was wearing the exact same thing I had last seen him in, proving to me that sleep hadn't even crossed his mind that night. His tie was gone, his shirt unbuttoned all the way down. I squinted for just a second, the tattoo that was etched onto one of his pectoral muscles livened up my curiosity.

But the look on his face caused my stomach to drop in the process. Dominic hadn't even said a word, but I swore I could feel my eyes watering. He bowed his head, before raising it and pointing to Liam's half full glass of champagne. "Put the glass down first."

"Dom."

"Liam," The sternness in his voice was something I wasn't used to. In a way, it almost sounded as though he had snapped at his boss. "Put the glass down."

The muscle in Liam's jaw ticked as he downed the rest of his champagne once again and set in on the nearest table. It made a thumping sound, proving to me that Liam emphasized the move to make Dominic happy. Luciano folds his hands and points, signaling for Dom to continue.

Dom doesn't.

My mind was already beginning to wander, but the first person I thought about, was Federico; and so did Liam. "Is it Rico?" Luciano took a step forward, "Did something happen to Rico?"

"Three hours ago," Dom begins, "The alarm in your home went off – "

"I have three homes Dominic, clarify."

"The one Michael, Melanie, and Rosalie live in."

Liam visibly tenses.

" – nobody has turned it off." Dominic lowers his head, "We sent a few people over to check it out. We didn't want to worry you if it was nothing. They searched the outside of the house, but they didn't go in. We didn't want to do anything like that without your permission."

Luciano's voice shakes as he asks his question, "And?"

Dom raises his head once again, only to meet Liam's gaze. "We believe Peter has them."

Luciano didn't waste any time in taking his anger out on the innocent glass that lay just an arm's length away from him. Now, I understood Dom's warning. Like Liam's heart, it was shattered due to a careless act. The glass hit the wall with such force, it nearly disintegrated; the glass broke up into fine pieces, scattering themselves on the plush carpet. It pulled at my insides because that glass could never be put back together, no matter how many people you had trying to work on it. I looked at the pained expression on Liam's face, the ghostly white complexion that seemed to overthrow his normally tanned skin, then I looked back at the general area of where the glass fragments fell.

On multiple occasions Liam's heart had been shattered and like that glass, you could pick up the pieces, but it will never able to replicate the same form it had before it was broken. I watched, silently, as Liam's mouth moved, commanding Dominic on his next move. I could just tell I wasn't getting anymore sleep tonight and I crawled out of bed, but not before another thought pierced the forefront of my mind.

A broken heart can only beat for so long.

- - - -

The sun had yet to break past the horizon at five in the morning, but you knew a new day was coming. Darkness still surrounded Dom, Liam, Rico, and I as we stood outside of the Luciano home that I had grown most accustom to. The welcoming lights that I had been so familiar with were off and not a light flickered in either of the windows on the forefront of the house. The chirping of the crickets being the loudest noise in my ears was unnerving.

I turned to my right, taking my hands off my hips as I glanced at the three men. Dominic and Liam leaned into the trunk of one of the cars as they prepped, dressing the part. They strapped weapons in their waists and all three of them hooked a holster to their upper thighs, sliding a gun in its socket. Federico, in my opinion, carried the most artillery; with one holster strapped to either leg and the knowledge that he was holding to at least a few more guns was – this time – more calming.

The sound of the trunk closing brought me back to the present. Liam sidled up to me, handing me a small hand gun. "I've been meaning to teach you how to use this, but I think you can manage, right?" Now was not the time to prove that I couldn't do anything, so I simply nodded. I was sure Liam saw past my confident façade, but he clicked off the safety, then clicked it back on. "That's the safety, click it off. Click it on," He does it again for my own reassurance. "Aim and shoot," He then says, "We aren't police. No need to ramble about the Miranda rights before you shoot them. Clear?"

"As crystal."

I glanced over Liam's shoulder, watching as Rico and Dom finished preparing. Rico had joined us the moment we got there and still, to this very moment, I haven't heard a peep of laughter come from his direction. His usually jokes and laughter were pushed aside at the seriousness of the situation and I could only respect him more for that. They joined Liam's side a second later, handguns similar to mine, rested in their hands.

Luciano takes a step back, but his eyes still stay locked on mine for a second longer. He tears his attention away from me and addresses us as a group. "We go in, we search the house. There is a possibility that Rose, Mel, or Michael may have hidden while Peter's men came in. We shoot to kill, not to injure."

Dominic and Federico make it to the door first, but they don't waltz in. After Liam politely tells me to follow him, he presses his hand on the door. It makes a squealing sound, but that wasn't what frightened me; what frightened me was the fact that it was open. Liam bows his head and takes a deep breath. He speaks in a hushed manner, "You two go first, Faith and I follow." Dom nods as Liam pushes the door open.

Rico and Dom storm in, their guns extended. It was a tense fifteen minutes as we marched through the first floor of the house. Nobody touched a light, which could possibly alert whatever enemy was lurking unseen. I heard Dominic and Rico mutter, "Clear," a lot, before heading up the steps in a hurry. Liam and I did the same, but while Dom and Rico went left, we went right. With no threat in sight, Liam holsters his gun and pushes through the door leading into Rosalie's room.

Unlike downstairs, her room was trashed. Her sheets had been thrown in corners of the room and her mattress had been flipped and thrown against the wall. The dresser drawers that held all her clothes had been pulled out and ransacked through. The pictures on her wall that decorated her room had been torn off their pedestals. I was fairly certain the thump I heard was Liam's heart dropping into his stomach, but it came once again, from behind us.

Rico stood at the door, a fist raised. Liam hadn't turned around at the knock, but I had. "Upstairs has been cleared. There's no sign of anyone," He speaks to me, knowing good and well Liam wasn't listening. "Luciano's room was trashed too, not just hers."

"They were probably just looking for anything that you had deemed valuable Liam," I turn away from Rico and take a step closer to Luciano. He took about two steps, his eyes just wandering over the walls and the state the room was in. If Rosalie's room looked like this, then what had they done to her?"

"Liam, standing in this room isn't helping you," Federico spoke up again. "It's just making you..." Rico cringes, "Sad."

"Rico, he's fine. Just – "

Luciano finally makes a move. He turns around, speaking to Federico over his shoulder. "I'm sorry I have more emotions than just anger." It was an unnecessary jab that Liam did not have to take. My shoulders fell in disappoint.

Rico blinked and it was on.

"I have more emotions than just anger. But I know when to show them. You standing in her bedroom boo-hoo-ing like a little bitch isn't going to bring her back," A tone I couldn't recognize dripped off every word Rico spat at Liam. I had to grip Luciano's forearm, attempting to hold him back.

"Liam, this isn't helping. You don't have to argue with him. You're just angry." I could practically feel Liam's heart rate quicken as I gripped his waist, doing everything I could to keep him from lunging at Rico. "You two are just tired, no one has slept, no one has really eaten. Everyone's ju – "

Federico just adds fuel to the fire as he speaks up again, "Once your pussy dissolves and you grow your testicles back, call me. I'll be waiting to help you find this girl."

Rico turns his back to Liam and mumbles a word beneath his breath. And truthfully, I honestly believe Liam would've let Rico walk out the house, but the mumbling beneath the breath was too much – in his mind, not mine. My nails scraped Liam's arm, surely drawing blood, as he pulled away from me and jogged out the door, yelling at Federico.

"Whatever you have to say, you fucking say it to my face." Without a second thought, Liam pushes Rico. I don't think it registered in anyone's mind that falling down stairs could be fatal. The man tumbles down the stairs, finally landing on the first floor.

He doesn't move.

Dominic had come out the bedroom, his hand up. He stands between Liam and I, pressing a firm hand against Luciano's chest to keep him from going after Rico. "Listen," He states carefully, "The faster we clear this house, the more we learn about what happened here, the closer we are to finding Rosie, okay?" Liam breathes heavily and turns around with a nod.

Dom shoots a look over his shoulder and shouts down to Rico, "It hurts, doesn't it buddy?"

Gingerly, Rico pushes himself up on his knees and stands. "Blood," He repeats the word at least three times before the three of us rush down the stairs.

"Yes, blood," I speak up as I cautiously raise a hand to his forehead, where a gash oozes blood.

"No," He takes a step away from me and points down the hallway, "blood."

The three of us lean closer to Federico, following the point of his finger. Sure enough, he was right; a trail of blood led from the bottom of the stairs all the way to the patio out back. The pool lights illuminated the outdoors, but despite the light, nobody made an effort to head in that direction.

"You go," Liam was nervous. His voice shook and his palms were sweating. I watched him wipe them on his pants at least three times within a span of fifteen seconds. With their fight long behind them, Rico shrugs, nods, and begins to follow the trail. I, too, was terrified as to what we may find at the end of it.

Dominic follows shortly after, peeling the patio doors opened and stepping out into the crisp, early morning air. Liam and I are next. Gripping each other's hands, we push ourselves outside and step on the concrete, our eyes immediately traveling to the pool.

The normally blue, chlorinated water was tainted with a splotch of dark red. Whatever body had been thrown in there had sunk to the bottom and for a few silent minutes, we watched the blood soil the rest of the pool; turning the crystal blue water, to a dirty, grimy crimson red.

"Melanie." A voice echoed from behind us, causing the four of us to whirl around in surprise. Liam had a hand on his holster, but Dominic and Rico already had their guns out, aimed and trained on the man that the deep voice belonged to.

Michael Luciano.

He sat in a pool chair that was pushed a few yards away from the actual pool. He was leaning forward, his hands folded in between his legs. Least to say, he hadn't aged a day despite the amount of stress he had to be under. Tonight, he supported a pair of swimming trunks and a muscle shirt. Bags hung low under his eyes because of the lack of sleep.

I noticed Liam shoot a look over his shoulder at the pool, then back at his father. "Corinelli just couldn't take you, could he?" Liam's fake laugh was chilling, "Oh, that's right, he would be doing me a favor by killing you."

Michael's tired gaze floats away from his son, landing on the two men that have their weapons trained on him. "Tell your pets to put their weapons down. If I was going to kill you all, I would've done it the second you entered this house."

Liam doesn't obey immediately, knowing that would give his father a confidence boost. Instead, he allows Michael to fidget for a second longer, before nodding in Dom's direction. The two lower and holster their weapons.

"You say that's Melanie's body floating around in there?" Luciano points behind him, forcing a nod from his father. "Then where's Rosalie?"

Michael shrugs.

"I said, where the hell is Rosalie?" Liam took a confident few steps towards his father. It was a bold move as he tried to show his authority, but Michael would have nothing of it. He pushed himself to his feet, causing Liam to take a step away.

"You watch who you're talking to, child."

I would never be able to envision Michael Luciano as a typical elder with a cane and a hunched back. He seemed to keep himself in tip-top shape. His shoulders were still broad and he still walked around with the theory that he was invincible and important.

Michael pushed his way past Liam, heading in the direction of the house. Liam seemed defeated, but called out to his father once again. It was a move that immediately made Michael seem superior to all of us. "Dad..."

Mr. Luciano stops, a hand on the door. It was rare to hear Liam call Michael by what he was; his dad. The hesitation Michael showed was enough for Liam to angle his body towards his father and continue.

"Dad, I need your help." He takes another step towards Michael, "For the first time in your life, will you please help me." Liam glances at the three of us, who stand there, silently. "Dad, I can't... I have no idea where Peter could've taken her. And I know this isn't the last person he'll take from me. I need help."

Michael takes his time, not rushing to turn to speak to his son. His voice was even, never sounding overly anxious. "You aren't stupid, Elijah, figure it out. I don't raise ignorance."

A coughing fit Rico had suddenly gone into drew everyone's attention to him. He stood at the edge of the pool, coughing into his fist with a high tone. Dominic quickly elbows the man, then the two fall silent. I had to suppress the smile that was trying to find its way across my face.

Michael hardly laughs, let alone givies Rico his time of day. "I'm not going to help you, Liam," He turns back to his son. "You can do this."

"If I find out you were in on this..."

"You'll kill me," Michael nods with a roll of the eyes, "Yeah, I know. I love you to."

The older man disappears into the quiet home without another word. Liam speaks a short phrase in Italian, which leads to Dominic and Rico following his father. I still stand there, an eyebrow raised. When Liam turns to me, the sleepless night is finally showing. His eyes hang low and he looks defeated in every way.

I knew I had to say something uplifting, especially after he dropped to the floor and presumed an uncomfortable seated position on the hard concrete. Facing the crimson colored pool, he pulls his knees to his chest and sighs. I drop and proceed to sit in the same formation.

For the longest time, we remain quiet, just enjoying each other's company. Liam watches the pool, I watch Liam. The crimson red that reflects off his eyes only makes him look sadder. Yet, no matter how much I could speculate; I would never be able to tell exactly what was going on in his mind.

Just a few hours ago, Liam was telling me that Rosalie was the only permanent family he felt like he had and now she was gone.

Liam's fingers interlock as he finally talks, "I never wanted this type of life for her. The second Melanie came into Michael's life, the second I met Rosie... I just knew... I didn't want this for her. I would rather just move away, anywhere, to get away from all of this – just to keep her safe."

"We'll get her back," I nod, resting a hand on Liam's knee.

He speaks after hesitating, "Will we?"

"You just have to have..." My words fade from my own mouth as Liam turns to me. We both knew what I had planned to say; and despite the seriousness of the conversation, I let out a nervous laugh. Liam, however, finishes my though.

"faith? Have faith?"

"Yes," I nod, "You just have to have faith."

The pool captures Liam's attention once again and our conversation dies, overtaken by a sick silence. It wasn't peaceful or welcoming, but it was a silence that was caused by inner thoughts. It was silence that was just waiting to be broken by words; but neither I nor Liam had any to share. I let out a sigh as Liam nudged himself closer to me, allowing me to rest my head on his shoulder. As Liam inhales and exhales, his shoulders move, slowly rocking me into a lulled state. But just before I succumbed to the sleepiness, I heard Liam break the uncomfortable silence.

"You're the only faith I have."

- - - -

a/n: I know, I know, forgive me for how long it's taken me to update! Typically, I think about how the chapter is about to go beforehand and you'd think after almost 2 months I would've had something, but I didn't. Then, the other day, I was just waltzing around my house and BAM. This entire chapter just came to me LOL. It's crazy how it works.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! I won't leave you hanging for another month, I promise!