A RECAP SINCE ITS BEEN FOREVER SINCE AN UPDATE:

In the last chapter Alec and Jake (finally) blew up. She was given an ultimatum that the next day she would (finally) have to choose either Jake or Alec. Clara blows up on Jake for giving her this ultimatum and runs off after giving a piece of her mind. But on her way she hits a slight snag in the elevator when she gets ambushed by Eric.

Eric is the guy who Jake had gone to years back regarding his father murder. He also happens to be Spencer's brother a girl who loves dressing up in pink and is very much in love with Jake.

"I can run away you know."

"Well I'd hope you'd be smarter than that. I'd hate to think that Jake settled for the ordinary blonde bimbo."

I gritted my teeth. I was stuck in the elevator with someone who was dangerous at best. Not to mention creepy and totally slimy.But he was right, I was under no delusion that once the elevator doors opened that even if I tried to run, he would catch me.

But that doesn't mean I can't try.

My gaze briefly flickered to the floor number he had pressed and I recognized it as Jake's floor.

He was doing this to taunt Jake, to lure him and I most definitely can't let him.

Honestly between Spencer and Eric they had a real set of messed up genes but given a choice I would prefer barbie to creepy Ken any day.

"I really don't like you." I state.

"I'm hurt." He says mockingly placing his hand on his chest.

I gave him the most disgusted look possible.

"Do you actually think that Jake is going to take your bait?"I say,"I mean the both of us aren't in the best of terms right now."

"Jake is too impulsive not too." He says,"And besides you are a real prize regardless. You're parents aren't that bad off either."

I snort,"Are you seriously trying to kidnap me? This hotel is filled with cameras. The cops are going to be on your ass in a matter of minutes."

He chuckles,"I'm not trying to kidnap you. You're just going to accompany me and help me persuade your dear boyfriend."

"To kill you? I don't think he needs any persuasion and frankly neither do I." I say gritting my teeth.

He slowly raises an eyebrow,"The last time I saw you was when you were hiding behind Jake, now you seem to have more balls then he does."

I roll my eyes as the elevator dings and the doors open.

"After you." He says but I remain glued to my spot.

"You told me it would be stupid to run, so better yet I'm not going to move." I say defiantly standing in my spot.

"Well good." He sneers,"I'm tired of being nice."

As he reaches towards me I find an opening and make a run for it. I run out of the elevator and reach for the fire escape staircase pushing it open but before I can do anything I'm thrown back.

I hit the opposite wall and for a moment I'm completley dazed. I'm yanked up rather crudely by my arm and I know that I'm going to have bruises on them for sure.

I struggle against his grip but I can't get out of it. He pushes me forward towards Jake's and I kick and nudge him as hard as possible.

"LET ME-"

He clamps my mouth shut cutting me off promptly. I bite down on it hard and he curses but his grip on me remains as firm as ever.

"The next time you scream I will rip your tongue out. Got it?" His tone is steely cold and it's clear that it's way more than a threat so when he takes his hand off my mouth I comply.

Only with the screaming part.

"I hope that when your ass is kicked into hell and you are skinned alived and then burnt at stake." I say gritting my teeth as he takes out a card and swipes it across the handle opening the door,"How do you have the key?

He pushes me in and slams the door shut behind him without an answer. I glare at him with all I've got as I rub my sore wrists.

"I hope someone grates your dick and then feeds it back to you." I say,"While it's on fire."

He chuckles at this but doesn't look even closed to amused. His black eyes are deadly and cold even though he doesn't look like those typical movie villains with those scary tattoos and scars but never the less he looks ruthless. As if he isn't afraid if crossing any limit to get what he wants.

"You've got quite a mouth on you,don't you?" He says walking towards the table. He takes out his phone form his jacket pocket followed by a wickedly sharp steak knife which may have looked small but was still very dangerous ,"Most people would be cowering in fear by now."

He dangles the knife and touches its edge with his index finger which instantly starts bleeding. I gulp despite myself and put my hands behind my back in a desperate attempt to hide as to just how much they were shaking.

"Well most people would be afraid." I say.

Wow really Clara? That's the best you've got? I'm pretty sure Ralphie in the Simpsons would have had a better comeback than that.

He laughs though as if he finds my sad attempt at bravery amusing and then slowly makes his way towards me. I instantly back up against the wall.

"You really are something." He whispers and I cringe. His face is barely two inches away from me and I hold my breath. He dangles the knife in front of me tauntingly and I gulp. I look away and flatten myself towards the wall.

"It's a pity you go after the filthy rich boy with daddy issues." He says running his bloody index finger across my cheek.

And that snaps me out of my state of near paralysis. The very though of doing anything with Eric is so ridiculous that it's almost comical. In fact I would rather have a three way with Michella and Natalie and I can't even stand being in the same room as them.

"Go. To. Hell." I say each word slowly and with all the poison I can muster.

He laughs and then backs away,"Id watch it if I were you. Opening your mouth at the wrong time will get you fucked over."

For some reason I don't think that my wide vocabulary of insults is the only thing he is talking about.

"I pack quite a punch too." I reply drily, " I'd be the happiest to demonstrate it."

He looks at me keenly for a while and be silence is almost suffocating. I know I need to get out of here but it's almost next to impossible. My phone isn't with me and let's face it if I did have it who would I call? I don't want Jake to come and the police would just make things messier. A lot of explaining would have to be done as to how Jake knew Eric and those things would land Jake into a lot of trouble.

But Conrad Henderson did have the police under his thumb. A snap from him and This would be forgotten but what if he told Jake about out meeting? But that would make it even worse because let's face it I don't think Jake can cope with him anymore.

And besides Conrad Henderson would go out of his way to make sure that Jake resents him and there is no telling what he may do just to get get complete and total control over Jake.

All Jake needs a push and he would most definitely fall of the cliff no matter how hard I try holding on to him.

My best option is Jake but this was his worst option.

My mind briefly flickers to Alec but I immediately shut that thought out. No way in hell was I going to let him come even near this mess.

"In the ice rink I really didn't see the appeal but now I can see that Jake has got a lively one."

"Good for you, now let me go." I say,"Besides let's face it Jake is never going to agree to your twisted deal. He never was,so why create this big mess for yourself ? I mean yes I can see why many people want Conrad Henderson dead but you can't make his own son..."

I trail off remembering the taunt Mr Henderson had thrown my way when I had gone to his office. He knew about everything anyway, so why not just let Eric do what he wants and give a Jake the easy way out of this. Eric would plan an attack,Conrad Henderson would escape and Jake would have done what he was supposed too.

And Jake would completely change. The guilt would eat him up and...

NO!

Conrad Henderson was not getting his way and as long as I was there I would make sure that wouldn't happen. That day in the office when Jake said that he would show his father just how vindictive he would be if Conrad Henderson did anything to me, I don't know if he meant it but I knew that when I was telling Conrad Henderson to back off I meant it.

And honestly he deserved way more than a punch.

"You are sick." I finally say,"Besides Conrad Henderson knows about this and you are deluded if you think this plan is going to work using his own son."

"At times I wonder which son you are talking about."

My hands grow cold and my throat goes completely dry.

He knows about Alec.

My mind flickers back to when Jake had told me why he had gone to Eric in the first place. Jake may not have wanted to know but I'm sure Eric would have found out about it anyways.

"What? No smart ass comeback this time?" He says but I keep my mouth shut,"That's smart. I'm glad that there is some sense in that pretty head of yours."

"Why do you want to kill Conrad Henderson?" I ask. One was to clearly every the topic from and the other one was because I genuinely curious not to mention nosy. But hey! I had earned the right to be nosy.

"See my intentions don't concern you."

I laugh at that,"Umm I don't know if you've noticed this yet but you are currently dangling a knife in front of me to lure out my boyfriend. I'm pretty sure that says that your crazy out of hand idea concerns me."

"Sit." He orders pointing at the bed,"Don't think I've not noticed how you're itching towards the lamp. See Clara you are trapped and no matter how much you try you are not going to get out of here.So I suggest you give up any plans of even trying."

He takes his phone out and types something on it quickly before resuming his hawk eyes gaze on me.I consider my option and I have no choice but to admit he is right. Eric is smart, slimy and worst of all determined. Unless he miraculously has a heart attack or faints I have a zero chance of getting out of his room.

Right now the only option that was viable option was to stall him. Not that it would matter because sooner or later Eric would get what he wants. Jake would land up here regardless but till then I had to find a way of convincing Eric to leave this charade and get lost and at least try to escape.

Like that would work.

"Your sister will probably scratch you alive when she finds out that you are messing with her boy toy." I say.

Eric laughs," My sister has always been touchy when it comes to matters regarding to Jake.In fact its because of her that I realised just how useful you are. If that night she hadn't brought you to the club I would have never guessed just how easily you could be used to manipulate him using you."

"Seriously dude lay off the gangster movies because honestly you do a pathetic impression of them."I say,"And your sister is going to go all crazy barbie on your ass so best of luck."

"I can handle my sister Clara, she may be smart but there are somethings that she cannot see through clearly and one of them happens to be this."He says,"I assure you my sister can be quite the cunning bitch if she wants to be. In fact I was dumb not to realise that Jake was having second doubts when I met him in the ice rink but thankfully Spencer did and that night in the club I realised just how valuble you are."

"Jake is going to do nothing for you." I say gritting my teeth,"He was never going to do anything for you anyway."

Eric laughs,"Oh Clara, Clara, Clara I assure you that the Jake you know is very different from the boy I knew before you met him. He was bitter, angry and trust me he would have done exactly what I wanted him too, regardless of what he says to you."

For a second doubt flickers through my mind but I immediately push it aside.

"Excuse me if I don't believe you." I say.

"My poor sister thought she had planed it perfectly." He says,"But unfortunately she didn't take into account that you might actually forgive him and that also so soon. Honestly Clara you're too good for him you should just settle for his brother trust me I've looked into him he is a much better person."

I grit my teeth,"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Alec Evans is the perfect guy nice charming and sweet I still don't get why you went for the broken one out of the two of them." He says,"I wonder what Jake will say when he finds that the boy whose life he has desperately wanted happens to be the same boy who happens to be the one who takes away the one girl he has ever wanted."

"Well at least it's a girl in his case, for you it's probably your right hand."I say.

"Like I said, is be careful if I were you" he says turning around and that's when I see my opening, I jump out of my place grab the lamp and swing it at him with all my force. But he almost expects it and dodges it and catches the lamp tearing it out of my hand.

I instantly back off but end up tripping and falling on the floor.

Eric looks incredibly mad and he roughly pulls me up and slams me into the wall. I actually see stars before my eyes focus on his dark black ones.

"Tell me one reason that I should not kill you right now?" He says and I'm at a loss for words. My mind is completely blank in shock and a mixture of fear.

"Because I will make sure that your death is much much worse."

Eric's grip on me relaxes and he smiles to himself. He then throws me roughly on the bed and turns to face Jake.

"It's about time you came, I was starting to wonder."

Jake doesn't even glance at Eric and strides into the room straight towards me.

He gently pulls me up. At first I'm in shock and I don't register as to the fact that he is standing in front of me.

His palm cups my face and I'm forced to look at his green eyes,"Are you all right?"

I keep on staring at him like an idiot not comprehending that he was talking to me.

Finally my brain connects to my mouth and I blurt out,"You're not supposed to be here. You have to get out now."

A faint smile plays on his lips and he kisses my forehead and then turns to look at me," Don't worry about me, just get out of here go up and forget about this."

I'm about to tell him that he is freaking moronic if he thinks that I'm going to leave anywhere without him but it's Eric who speaks first.

"Well, don't hope I'm going to let her go just yet Jake the fun was just getting started." Eric says and Jake's hand wraps around my wrist.

"You've convinced me enough she doesn't need to be a part of this Eric, this is between you and me she has nothing to do with this." Jake says. His voice doesn't waver and has that characteristic sharpness which happens every time he is angry.

But this time Jake has met his match when it comes to Eric. Usually I'm almost always worried about the person stupid enough to go against Jake. But in a fight with Eric....

Eric would win because he would never play fair.

"Why would I let her go when she is the key to getting you to do almost anything." He says,"Maybe even everything."

My throat tightens. I can't see Jake's expression but I know it would be completely poker faced.

"So why don't you guys just take a seat?" Eric says,"It's going to be a while."

"Let her-"

"Fine."

Jake looks at me as if I'm crazy as I pull him down to sit next to me on the bed.

"See there is a smart girl." Eric says.

Jake let's out a low growl and for a second even Ive got goosebumps too.

"There is no point." I say somehow finding my voice,"I'm not going to leave you anyway."

He gives me an exasperated look but simply tightens his grip on my hand.

"Well now since that cute moment is over let's get down to it shall we?" Eric says.

"He is not going to do anything-"

I'm interrupted by Jake who squeezes my hand and then with all seriousness looks at me,"Clara shut up."

And I do.

"So the rules here are simple, you give me what I want and nothing will happen to Clara, here." Eric says.

"You fucking bastard." Jake's voice is as sharp as the knife that Eric is twirling in his hands,"You had no right to involve her in this."

"You had no right to involve my sister, either!" Eric spat out.

For a minute Jake is actually taken aback with Eric's reply.

"Spencer? This is about Spencer?" Jake's voice is almost unbelieving.

And for the first time I see that the only human thing in the ghastly boy standing in front of me twirling the knife in his hand, was the concern for his sister.

"You made a deal with me Henderson and you should have realised that there is no out." Eric says,"I drilled this in your head in this very room before and I tried at that night at the club too now you've left me with no choice but to prove to you what exactly are the consequences of you trying to get out."

"She's unharmed for now... But no promises." Eric says. Just then Eric's phone starts ringing and he frowns.

He points the knife right at me,"You try to do something and my aim will not miss."

He then picks up his phone.

"This is not a good time, Spencer." He says into the phone not taking his eyes of us but it was clear that he was distracted.

Jake leans towards me subtly and whispers in my ear,"You have to do exactly what I say."

I turn to look at him but immediately Jake squeezes my hand,"Just keep on looking at him, Clara. Don't panic."

I want to tell him the only reason I was actually panicking was for him but if I started to say anything I'm pretty sure we would have been caught.

"Do you trust me?" I can't see his expression but I give him the slightest nod.

"Good trust Spencer and tell her I'm sorry about Eric ."

I turned to look at him in confusion and I could feel his breath against my face. It had the metallic smell of blood in it courtesy of the fight with Alec. His hair was messier than usual as if he had constantly been running his hands through his hair in worry.

And at that second I forgot everything. To hell with Eric, to hell with my choice, to hell with it everything because at that moment all I wanted to do was kiss him. And in true moment that I was about to, he did the worst thing possible.

Jake pushed me down and in the millisecond Eric was distracted with almost unthinkable speed he reached and yanked the door open and threw me out into the hallway before slamming it shut.

With me on one side and him on the other with Eric.

At first I was too shocked to process what had just happened.

Yeah, that's happening to me a lot lately.

And then it hit me and I almost keeled over in a mixture of wanting to puke my guts out and scream at the same time.

Eric has a knife and Jake....I want to turn around and start banging around like a crazy woman or go to another room and call someone to do something.

Trying to force the door would be literally pointless because Jake had known what he was doing. The hotel door had automatic locks which meant that unless I had a card I would never be able to open it. The only reason Eric must not have come busting out because Jake was keeping him busy, to make sure that I was given a clear chance of escape.

But that's the thing, I didn't want to.

But thinking about it Eric had also planned it perfectly. The floor in which Jake was on was also one of the floors which was completely occupied by the guests for his mothers wedding which meant that everyone was in the Rehearsal Dinner upstairs.

And obviously because of that most of the security must have been trained on top perpetually ignoring these empty floors.

Which is why Eric wasn't the least bit scared of getting caught.

Well shit.

Okay think Clara, think.

The suddenly something struck me, the room card, the steak knife. No matter how dangerous or scary Eric was there was no way he had snuck his knife through the metal detectors which meant that he had gotten it from inside the hotel.

A housekeeping cart !

My head snapped up trying to locate the one I distinctly remember seeing but instead I'm met with the site of hot pink sparkly heels.

I didn't have to look much more to know that it was Spencer. So I simply got up brushed myself and looked her straight in the eye.

"If you think I'm coming with you and leaving him there with your psychopathic brother your even crazier than I thought and I will mow you down without a second thought."

My voice doesn't shake nor wavers which actually surprises me especially considering just how emotionally confused I was.

I mean my plan was completely idiotic. Even if I somehow busted in what would happen? I couldn't really do anything but indirectly help Eric by distracting Jake. Whatever was going to happen in there was going to turn ugly and I don't think that I could do much.

But one thing was sure that I would never let Jake get hurt. No matter what.

"Don't worry prom queen I never really had that intention." She says giving me a smile as she took out a card,"You held up your end of the deal now leave my brother to me."

"Fine." I say,"What do you want me to do."

She looks at me dead serious,"Stay here."

My mouth almost touches the ground,"What?"

I'm almost going to go ahead with my mow you down plan but something in her utter and total serious expression makes me stop.

"You need to trust me." She says,"I'll handle it all you are you going to be is a distraction and more trouble."

I clench my fist,"I don't trust you."

"Then trust him." Spencer says,"I do which is why I'm doing this for him the more time you waste.."

Do you trust me, Clara?

He had told me to trust her.His question at that time had received just a simple nod but now I knew the answer to it.

Always, Jake.

So I simply gave Spencer a tight nod and stayed glued to my position as she entered the room.

I don't know for how long I stood there. I didn't move even an inch because I was afraid if I did I would spontaneously combust with all the emotions racing through my head.

I was actually grateful that the door was thick and I couldn't hear anything but trust me whatever went on did that room could not have been nearly as bad as what I had imagined.

Finally when the door opened, it opened quite violently. Eric stormed out with an expression of pure rage. He didn't notice me because I was standing behind the door as he strode towards the elevator.

Spencer came out next.

For the first time her hair wasn't perfectly in place but all over the place. Her mascara was smudged and her eyes were red as if she had been crying. She stopped for just a moment and looked at me and gave me a small nod before running of behind her brother.

At first I honestly was to scared to go in. I didn't even have the guts to look in but in the end I told myself to suck it up.

My first view of the room was terrible. Glass lied shattered on the floor the white sheets of the bed were lying all over the place.

At first I didn't realise that Jake was sitting on the floor leaning on the bed. His head was tucked into his knees and his hands were clenched above his head and his knuckles were bloody.

And it was absolutely heartbreaking.

I carefully make my way towards him avoiding all the glass on the floor.

I sit in front if him until not saying anything. I simply put my hands on his wrists. He automatically jerks away raising his head and looking at me.

He looks at me with his green eyes unblinkingly for a moment like he was not processing the fact that I was siting in front of me.

His lip was bleeding and he had a slight cut on his forehead apart from that his face looked unharmed unless you counted the hopelessly dazed look in his eyes.

At that moment I wanted to know what Spencer had done. What she had said that put Eric in such a terrible rage and Jake in such a daze. But then I realised that It was none of my business and if Jake ever wanted to tell me he would.

And above all I was scared of what I would find out.

"Hi." I say quietly.

He still gives me a dazed look and I put my palms on either side of his face and look straight into his green eyes and say,"It's me Jake, I'm here."

He looks at me for a minute confused before saying,"Clara?"

"Yeah, I'm here." I say giving him an encouraging smile,"I'm okay, I'm perfectly fine I promise."

He squeezes his eyes shut and clutches my hand which is still resting on his cheeks,"You need to get away from me."

"No. Absolutely not."

His eyes flutter open and he looks at me. His dazed expression is vanished as he looks at me with surprise.

"I almost got you killed Clara." His tone is bitter resentful as he drops his hands,"You need to run as far away just like you were going to that night, I should never stopped you."

"You probably should have let me go that night."

He looked down and muttered,"Yeah I figured."

"Hey, look at me you didn't let me complete." I say gently and once again I find his green eyes trained on my blue ones,"I'm glad you didn't and this thing with Eric everything, put it behind you, Spencer handled it. "

His eyes darkens considerably at that,"He could have hurt you and I would have never been able to live with myself."

"Unfortunately for you he didn't so now you have to live with me in your life."

"It's not a joke Clara." He says pulling away from me.

"You forget I have a pathetic sense of humour because I was not kidding." I say.

"You could have gotten hurt-"

"Will you shut up?" I say,"Stop acting like a freaking matyr, I'm fine nothing has happened. I'm pretty sure I would be fine anyway because you had to come in bursting in like a hero, didn't you?"

"Wait." He says looking incredulous,"Your shouting at me for coming here?"

"Yes." I say,"You fail to get it through your thick head that he was always after you-"

"And he would have hurt you." He interrupted.

"He hurt you. Way way worse than he could have hurt me in fact..."

I pause for a moment and he regards me with his eyebrows raised and then I slap him as hard as I can right across his face.

He looks totally and utterly shocked,"What the hell was that for?"

"For pushing me out of that door." I say venomously,"That had to be the worst fifteen minutes of my life standing outside the door."

"And can you imagine what went through my head when Eric sent me the message saying he had you?" He says glaring at me.

"If anything had happened to you I would have killed you." I say softer this time.

"And don't you think of anything had happened to you I would have felt even worse?" He shouts back.

We glare at each other unblinkingly and I have the sudden urge to slap him and kiss him at the same time.

"You have to be the weirdest girl I've met." He concludes in the end,"I mean by now you should have run in the other direction and cried at least a bucket."

I raised an eyebrow,"You give way too much of credit to Eric. He isn't nearly as scary as-"

"He is worse Clara." Jake says in all seriousness.

"I really don't see why." I say,"He did nothing. The time you walked in was when I tried to bludgeon him with a lamp. Unfortunately that did not work out so well."

Jake keeps quiet as if he is thinking about something.

"Spencer handled it didn't she?" I ask,"You're not going to be bothered again, right?"

He shuts his eyes and once again leans on the bed and sighs,"No. Eric wouldn't dare."

What did Spencer do?

"I'm guessing from the state of the room it wasn't a very peaceful talk?" I say.

"The guy deserved much worse." Jake muttered,"Much worse."

I crawl over next to him near the bed and lean on his shoulder and he winces slightly.

He looks at my worried expression and says,"I'm fine."

"Try telling that to your face." I grumble.

He sighs and for a while he says nothing.

"I deserved that slap." He finally says.

"I'm glad we agree on something."I say.

"No I don't mean locking you out, I would do that again in a heartbeat." He says,"But I deserved it for my behaviour with Alec and you."

With a sudden start I realise that only a few hours had passed since Jake and Alec had fought and I was given a choice that I did not want to make.

Yeah well getting kidnapped does that to you.

It was actually freaking unreal. Before Jake Henderson and before New York I was a stammering girl whose only adventure used to be stalking hot guys A.K.A Alec on Facebook and Instagram and coming up with creative ways to kill his newest girlfriend and now.....

"Alec deserves you way more than I do." He says quietly.

I look at him in shock but he fails to meet my eyes.

"Are you telling me to choose Alec?" My voice sounds just as confused as I feel.

He looks into my eyes with a dead serious expression and for once I'm at total and complete loss for words.

"Yes."

------

AUTHORS NOTE:

Author: The next chapter is much better I promise. I'm sorry this chapter sucks I've completely lost touch with writing this book.

Samantha: Along with the grammar, of course. Your English Language skills suck.

Author: Our teacher is retarded, I mean who makes out a list? Isn't it make up a list?

Jake: Did I just tell her to choose the moron over me?

Alec: Watch who you're calling a moron.

Clara.*moans* why are you so cruel I cannot choose between them my life sucks.

*everyone reading this book drops their jaws*

Clara: Yes I mean with the both of them together it feels like reenactment of the hunger games.

Author:*raises hands frantically* I volunteer as tribute. Yeah I Mean I would make this huge sacrifice for you Clara cause you are a friend.

Reader: Get in line.

Jake:*turns to Alec* oh god they are everywhere.

Alec: yeah all 370K of them.

Reader1: I call dibs on Jake

Reader2: Alec is mine.

Clara:*laughs evilly* They are still mine losers.

Author: Not for long. You're going to have to choose Clara.

Clara:*dramatically* This can't be happening, I cannot choose.

Author:*quirks an eyebrow* Really? Then why don't you ask the readers to do it for you?

Clara: Can I?

Author: Why not? So the rules are simple you guys have to comment on this chapter writing as to who is a better choice for Clara and why. The best answer will get a dedication in the next chapter.

Alec: Which will come soon unlike this one, I hope? I can't wait to win.

Jake: oh please I'm winning. After all the above 8K votes and all 2K comments are about me.

Alec: You literally just admitted that I'm the better option.

Jake: yeah well I must have been high to something I donno.

Alec: Puhleez. So don't forget to comment to write how I'm the best option for Clara

Jake: Don't forget to vote for this chapter and comment about why I'm the clear winner.

Author:*grins evilly* let the games begin.