Tomorrow Is the Day

The brute that had kidnapped Talia either didn't know anything about time or was purposely trying to keep her in the dark about where she was going. Either way, the 25 minute "estimated time of arrival" he'd declared to whoever Vengeance was on the phone was way off. She sat silently in the back of the car, fuming, for about an hour before the man turned off onto side roads.

After ten more minutes, a huge house came into view. It reminded Talia of the home she'd lived in while she was in middle school, before her father decided that he didn't need such extravagant luxuries. There was a huge iron gate, which the man drove through quickly before it shut tightly behind them. The house was admittedly gorgeous, covered in pale brown stone with large windows. She squinted through the tint of the SUV's window to see inside.

The man pulled up in front of the steps of the mansion and came to a stop. Talia watched the house with interest. From what she could see of the inside, it seemed more modest than she would expect. The outside had no landscaping but that was smart; bushes and flowers were easy to hide in. The man turned to her and she tore her gaze from the house to look at him.

"I'm going to let you walk in on your own. Your hands are bound and if you try to run, I'll whistle for the dogs."

"Fuck you," she spat. He grinned and shook his head.

"I also wouldn't suggest lunging at any of the guys. They're not all as patient as I am and I'd hate to see your pretty face all bruised."

With that, he got out of the car. Nerves consumed Talia. If he considered himself patient, she'd hate getting to know the men inside. The man opened the door she was sitting by and, in one act of kindness, slipped the shoe she'd hit him with back on her foot. He helped her out of the car and though he was not gentle, he wasn't rough either.

"What's your name?" Talia asked, wanting to cling to anything familiar. He raised an eyebrow at her and stopped at the bottom of the steps. They looked at each other and Talia waited expectantly. She wasn't used to not being answered.

"I'm known as Synyster Gates but you may call me Syn," he answered, his eyes on fire. She rolled her own and sighed. She had expected an actual name, not his mafia alias. That was foolish of her though. She was used to holding the control, the power; now she was at the mercy of these people.

When they reached the door, it opened unexpectedly and Talia stopped short. Syn pulled her along. The man who opened the door was just as large and attractive as her kidnapper. He didn't smile or say anything, just looked Talia up and down before nodding. They entered the house and Talia was stunned silent, not that she had much to say anyway.

The interior of the house was magnificent, even if it was mildly decorated. The floors were dark hardwood and the walls were a light beige. A grand staircase stood against the wall to the left, with an open living room standing to the right. Talia saw a glimpse of a marble kitchen down the hallway in the middle. The door closed and Talia jumped.

"Well, the pictures didn't do you justice," the man said, stepping in front of her, "You certainly are beautiful."

She couldn't help but notice that both men she was in the large foyer with were gorgeous. Her heart plummeted at the sight of this new man's green eyes and snakebite piercings. His muscles were shown off clearly by his cutoff shirt and his tattoos glared at her. She stared at him coldly though, her hands still bound and upper arm still held by Syn.

"Cat got your tongue?" he asked when she gave no answer.

"Your...friend," she nodded her head backwards at Syn, "Told me to be nice. My father always said if you have nothing nice to say that it's best not to say anything at all. Hopefully that explains my silence."

He laughed appreciatively at her words but the laugh cut short unexpectedly. He crossed the short few steps to her and grabbed her face in his hands. Her temper flared and her stomach churned at his touch. He squeezed her cheeks tightly, allowing her discomfort. Her eyes spoke the cold words she could not.

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut. You might be under our protection but that doesn't mean I have to play nice," he snarled, releasing her face. She repressed the urge to spit in his smug face. His dark hair fell into his eyes, which held a disdainful look.

"Why would I be under your protection?" she asked. He ignored her, turning to Syn and shrugging.

"Shadows said to take care of this. He said we could use his office," he said. Syn agreed non-verbally and they began walking. As Talia followed, he pulled her to a short stop. She glanced up at him, eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"I'm going to take off the ties, okay? Don't be stupid."

Talia nodded, allowing Syn to untie her wrists and, in an attempt to not show weakness, neglected to rub feeling back into her hands. They followed the man down the hall and then under the stairs down another hallway to the left. This hallway wasn't well lit and it seemed almost foreboding compared to the rest of the house.

"Sit down," the man ordered when they entered the office. It wasn't very large but it was a very manly den, with an electric fireplace, large screened television, and bearskin rug. Talia watched as the TV screen flashed from camera angle to camera angle, showing different security cameras. She watched as the trio appeared on the screen before shifting to a multi-camera view of the interior and exterior of the mansion.

"I'd rather stand. Now tell me why I'm here because you're acting like you didn't just fucking kidnap me," Talia spat. The green-eyed man pushed himself off the oak desk he'd been leaning on and grabbed her throat in his large hand. Talia gasped for air, putting a smaller hand over his. He squeezed, though gently.

"You don't talk to us like that," he warned, releasing her. She stumbled back, holding her throat. His cruelty was unexpected and Talia quickly figured out that this man wasn't the one to mess with. Her eyes immediately flashed to Syn, who sat in the chair in front of the desk. Green Eyes settled back against the desk, smirking.

"Yeah, I guess some explanation is in order," Syn said, ignoring the actions of his friend, "Well, Talia, your uncle has paid us to keep you safe. You are now under our protection."

"Right; and who are you exactly?" Talia asked, her patience wearing thin. She was tired and her stomach felt sick, probably from all the Jack she'd drank. The man against the desk smirked.

"I'm Vengeance," he introduced, "And we are Avenged Sevenfold."

"Is that a metal band or something? 'Cause I've never heard of you," she smirked, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Vengeance laughed at this and Syn chuckled, though Talia could feel the tension rolling around between the three. Talia looked at the cameras again.

"To enlighten you of your ignorance," Vengeance sneered, a slight smile still a ghost on his face, "We happen to be one of the largest organized crime institutions in Southern California. I'd suggest you shut your smart fucking mouth before I shut it for you."

"I'd love to see you try," Talia challenged, crossing her arms tightly. She couldn't stand this man, who so blatantly thought the very highest of himself. He raised a hand to smack her but Syn saved her, standing up and catching his wrist. The two looked at each other and Talia caught the faintest hint of surprise in Vengeance's eyes.

"Let's be civil," he suggested, looking between Talia and Vengeance. The two rolled their eyes at each other. Syn backed off, standing back but remaining silent otherwise.

"Okay, so you're in the mafia. I could have guessed that myself. My father..." she caught herself, looking at Syn, "You know enough about me already. Syn made that clear at the bar so let's talk about why my own family would pay you creeps to look after me."

"You're smart," Vengeance said. "The less you say the better."

"In any case," Synyster said firmly, glancing at Vengeance, "Ever since your father's death you've been being trailed and watched. He wasn't a very nice man, your dad, you know that?"

"I knew my own father. I'm still unclear about what I'm doing here," she said, "Does my father owe Avenged Sevenfold money?"

"No," Vengeance said. Talia shifted her gaze from Syn to him. "Daddy owed a lot of powerful people a lot of money, but not us. The people watching you are very unhappy."

"Who is watching me?"

"James Cappociamo, mostly. Your father owed him a very large sum and it's become clear now that he's not just after money, but blood."

Talia was surprised. James Cappociamo had been a family friend when she was a child, close enough for her to call him Uncle Jay. She knew about the falling out between him and her father. She hadn't known it was about business. Now her heart started to race. James was someone she was always glad to have on her side. His reputation was enough to make fear pump through her veins.

If she'd known he was after her, she would have packed her inheritance money and become nonexistent in some distant corner of the world. Then again, a large chunk of that inheritance money was probably all debt owed to James Cappociamo.

"Surprised? Why? Because your father fucked over his old friend?" Vengeance pushed. Talia was still stuck in her own brain, trying to figure out how to keep that money safe. She had no intentions of handing it over to anyone. That was hers, she didn't care how her father had gotten it.

"So James wants to kill me," she said out loud. Her voice was quiet and raspy and then she shook her head. "Why am I here?"

"Your uncle has been receiving threats. He's concerned for his safety and his children. You think he wanted you to move down here because he wanted to see more of you?" Vengeance mocked, "What? Uncle Ben wanted to have you over for Sunday dinners? No. He couldn't let his sister's kid die when he could help it, that's why you're here."

"Fuck you! That's my family you're talking about!" Talia said, her voice raising. If there was one thing she couldn't stand and take, it was someone insulting her family. Her uncle had more moral fiber than that and her ego was slightly bruised. It wasn't an odd time when Talia felt like a stranger in her uncle's home or an outsider among her cousins.

"Seems like I hit a nerve," Vengeance smirked. Talia's arms snapped down to her sides and her fingernails dug into her palms. Her mind was racing on standby, trying to figure out what exactly to do. "You'll stay with us for a night and then you're going to a safe house in Nevada."

"No. You can't make me stay here," she fought. Syn opened his mouth but Vengeance beat him to it.

"Your uncle paid us a lot of money to keep you safe. You stay."

"I go!" Talia's voice was a yell and she was pleased to hear it unwavering. "I refuse to stay in a house full of you fucking people, who have no respect for me or my family. I'm leaving. Now."

"You will fucking stay!" Vengeance roared, toppling the chair that stood between him and Talia. She stepped back, only flinching mildly as he stepped into her face. "Your coward uncle paid us to do the job he couldn't--protect you. That's exactly what we'll do. We've been watching you for months, close enough to know that your bitch cousins are packing your apartment away. Your faggot cousin Theodore," he spat, "Is crying in his bedroom."

"You bastard!" she roared, lunging forward. "How dare you speak about my family that way?"

She stood toe to toe with the large man, heels still on and spat directly into his eye while simultaneously digging her heel into his foot. He roared in pain before slapping her powerfully across the face. She fell to the ground immediately. Talia had been hit before, but never by an angry man with at least four inches on her.

When she looked up, stars danced across her vision but she saw Syn holding Vengeance back. The two men were both struggling against each other. Talia stood and instead of taking her chance to run, she took her chance to fight. The insults he'd thrown out about his cousins were branded in her brain. She clawed at him over Syn's shoulder, feeling her nails dig into the side of his face.

"You little fucking bitch!" Vengeance yelled, getting one hand free and pushing her back. Talia was seething now though, yelling and screaming nonsensical things in defense of her family. As she jumped over Syn's shoulder, trying to land hits on Vengeance, the door opened and she stopped, turning.

"Zacky!" a female's voice rang from the door. "Did you hit her?"

Talia glanced at the woman now standing in the doorway. Vengeance, or Zacky as Talia assumed was his real name, didn't calm immediately. He shook Syn off of him and Syn stood closer to Talia than to his friend. She pulled her corset up and adjusted her hair, trying to retain a collected demeanor. The woman stepped into the office.

"Talia?" she questioned.

Talia had never, ever been more thankful for her brief stint in college than she was in that exact moment. For one semester, she'd taken a math class with Valary DiBenedetto. The beautiful blonde woman had been going to school for acting and modeling while Talia had been going for music theory and communications. The two had been close for the entirety of that class until losing contact when Talia dropped out.

"Val?" Talia asked, incredulous. How could it be that this woman was here? She thought back to the days they'd spent on campus together and remembered her bragging slightly about her boyfriend, though she'd never given many details. They'd also never met off campus nor done anything outside of schoolwork together. It almost made sense then, if they'd both had ties to the mafia that would explain why they got along so well. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing!" she said, crossing the room swiftly and taking her face into her hands. "God, Zack why'd you have to hit her? She's my friend!"

"She's also a bitch," Vengeance commented, rolling his shoulders in his defense. Val sighed and rolled her eyes, tracing her thumb over Talia's cheekbone. Talia smirked at him and then concentrated her vision back on the blonde in front of her. Val would certainly vouch for her and get her out of here.

"You're ridiculous," she said, rolling her eyes. "What is Tally doing here?"

"Tally?" Vengeance spat, "This is making things complicated."

"Talia's under the gang's protection Val. It's none of your business," Syn said gently. The look on his face made it completely obvious that this one woman had the entire gang's balls in her hands. To prove it, she put her hand on her hip and rolled her eyes up at the muscular man.

"We'll see who's business it is real quick," she said, smirking at him. Talia wanted to clap her hands together in excitement. Val walked away from Talia and back to the open office door. Without missing a beat, she raised her hands to cup her mouth and yelled, "Matt! Matt!" When no one answered she huffed, "Shadows!"

It was silent in the room for a moment until rushed steps were heard thundering down the stairs. Talia sank back against the wall, mildly concerned about the trouble she'd caused. It was, of course, possible that her connection to Val would mean nothing. Talia had grown up watching her father date countless women and the only one he never hit was her.

The man that rounded the corner was large, probably a little bigger than Vengeance and Syn. His expression was soft when he looked at Val, who merely pointed into the office. When his eyes fell on the overturned chair, he sighed and looked back at his girlfriend. Her hands were on her hips and her eyebrow was raised.

"Why the fuck can't you keep him in line Matt? He hit my friend!"

"Your friend?" Matt asked, his voice deep and confused. He entered the room and scrutinized Talia, who let her gaze fall to the floor. She knew an alpha male when she saw one and if she knew who to keep her mouth shut around, it was him. He looked to Syn and Vengeance for an explanation. When they weren't forthcoming, he sighed. "I'm under the impression that this is Talia Russo, Val. This girl is our business."

"Like hell she is!" Val said, stalking into the room after her boyfriend. He was covered in tattoos as well, and shirtless, demonstrating exactly what she knew was underneath the shirts of the other two men in the room. She glared through her eyelashes at everyone. "This is my friend Talia, from college. What is she doing here?"

"Jesus Val, what the fuck is wrong with you? You always get yourself mixed up in the wrong crowd," he said, picking up the chair Vengeance had knocked over. He sat in it and looked up at the blonde. "It's like your a magnet for the mafia, shit."

"Are you insinuating that I'm a criminal?" Talia spoke finally, "Because I hate to remind you but I'm the one who got kidnapped tonight."

"Don't be dramatic," Matt, or Shadows as she figured she was to call him, ordered. He finally looked at her for longer than a second. "That had to hurt," he commented, using his finger to point out the area Vengeance had hit her. She rolled her eyes and huffed, giving Vengeance the finger when he grinned to himself.

"It was unnecessary!" Val said, stepping closer to Shadows. "Tell Zack he was wrong."

"What are you even doing down here Valary?" Vengeance questioned sternly. "You know Shadows' office is off limits during business hours."

"Every hour is business hour," she pointed out. Shadows inclined his head.

"Answer the question Val."

She glared at him, clearly miffed at the tone he was using. Talia recognized it all too well. It was the tone her father used when she stumbled across something she shouldn't have. "I came down to the kitchen to get something to drink, you know that. I heard a girl yelling and then I heard someone get slapped. I figured it wasn't one of them. I came in and I knew the girl. Why is Talia here?"

"Exactly what I'd like to know," Talia muttered, earning a glare from everyone in the room. She raised her hands in innocence.

"Talia's here because her uncle paid for her protection. She stays here tonight and moves to a safe house in Nevada with the Berry brothers and some security. That's all you need to know," Shadows explained. Talia didn't like the sound of being in the middle of the desert with a bunch of men and neither, obviously, did Val.

"I'm going with her, to keep them in line," she said. Shadows clearly did not like this and stood.

"Out of the question. You stay; she goes."

Talia hated to be the outsider, hated to be treated like an animal that had no say in anything. She was in that position though. The feelings of hurt and betrayal flashed through her, leaving her sagged against the wall. She wasn't sure how her cousins could keep her in the dark about it all, especially Teddy. He was her best friend.

"I'm your fiancee Matt, not someone to order around. This girl is my friend and to be honest, I don't like the idea of her all alone with those men. I don't think the Berry's would do anything to hurt her, but the others? Don't pretend they're innocent. No, I go with her...or she stays here," Val proposed. Vengeance groaned.

"This isn't your house Val, and it isn't mine either. We all live in it, that's not my call. She'll be fine in the house with the guys, I'll be strict," Shadows answered. He looked back over at Talia, his eyes betraying his dislike. She was putting him in a hard spot.

"I wouldn't mind if she stayed here," Syn spoke up. There was a stunned silence. "She'll be safe here obviously. Val will have someone to hang out with. I'm sure Christ will have no objections. Besides, it'll only be a few months at the most right?"

"Fuck no. I don't want her here. She hit me!" Vengeance argued. Shadows looked in between the three of them and then back at Val, who smiled and nodded encouragingly. He hung his head and then chuckled somberly.

"Listen, I can just walk out of here. Wire my uncle's money back into his account. I can handle my own shit okay? I'll take the money and run," Talia suggested. Val shook her head. "I don't need to be protected."

"Yes, you do," Val said, walking over to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Especially if whoever it is knows you're in this house. Think about your family. You wouldn't want them hurt, would you?"

"Of course not," Talia mumbled, the conclusion coming to heavy weight in the pit of her stomach.

She had no choice. Now that Cappociamo knew she was involved with another gang, he'd be enraged. If she simply disappeared, then her uncle and cousins would pay for it. Vengeance had said it himself: he wasn't looking for money, he was looking for blood. With her free will completely gone and her wits at their end, Talia nodded.

"You can stay," she heard the rumbling voice of Shadows say. He stood in front of her and sank his face onto her level. "But here, you abide by my rules and if you break them, you leave. You are not a prisoner here but you can't leave without permission. No one enters the mansion without my approval. Don't hit anyone unless they really deserve it." He straightened up. "Same goes for you Vengeance."

Talia nodded and Val wrapped her arms around the girl. Shadows was being kind to her, despite everything she was putting him through. She couldn't pretend that she was relieved though. With Val at her side, Talia wouldn't be given too much trouble here; at least, not any trouble she couldn't handle.

"My office is off limits to you, as is the basement. Your room is upstairs with the rest of the bedrooms. There's a gym down here that you're welcome to use. You can use the pool as well, and go down to the beach; you'll be perfectly safe. We'll get your clothes and everything tomorrow, alright?" Shadows said and she nodded again. He nodded once and reached out to Val, who took his hand.

"Syn, show her the room. Vengeance, cool down."

"Wait!" Talia called, as Shadows and Val were about to leave the room. They both turned. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Shadows said, offering her a smile that showed off dimples. Val smiled too and for a moment, Talia tried to forget that this was really happening. She cursed her own life and her father's wretchedness. "It'll be good for Val, to have a girl back in the house."

"I'll come to get you for breakfast," Val said, "I don't have class in the morning!"

Talia nodded, looking to Syn when the two disappeared. He gave her a tight smile and then gripped her upper arm lightly. Vengeance said nothing, only glared at her with hard green eyes. She said nothing, only looked at him with an empty expression. He turned from her as Syn tugged on her gently. They emerged from the office into the hallway.

Syn released her to close the door and neglected to grip her arm again so Talia took it she was supposed to follow. Her heels clicked against the wood floor and it was silent in the house. They passed the kitchen and Talia glanced longingly into it, but decided against any food. The sheer size of the room shocked her though. The house didn't appear that large outside, but it obviously was.

She followed Syn back past the living room. Through the large window, Talia noticed that in the distance she could see the ocean. It wasn't surprising that she missed it before. Maybe if she had the choice of staying here, she'd enjoy the large house with what was sure to be gorgeous views. She didn't have a choice. Despite what Shadows said, she was a prisoner.

"I'd bother Val for some clothes for you to sleep in but, she'll be busy," Syn said as they climbed the stairs. He turned and grinned over his shoulder. Talia nodded tightly once and then smiled uneasily. They got to the top of the stairs and made a right. There were three doors down that hallway, one on each side and one at the very end. He stopped outside the one to the left. "I'll give you something of mine to wear, just so you're comfortable."

"I thought you were my worst fucking nightmare," Talia said, when he was inside the room. She didn't look inside but she did hear a chuckle. She kept her back to the door. He didn't answer, instead handing a bundle of clothes to her. She looked up at him and he gestured to the door at the end of the hall. She sighed.

"There's a bathroom in there. Vengeance's room is right there," he said, pointing across the hall. Talia rolled her eyes. "There's another man that lives here, Christ. He's away on business right now. You'll meet him the day after tomorrow."

"Okay," Talia said, her hand on the door knob of her new room. "But why are you being so nice?"

"Would you rather I hit you?" he asked, smirking and then turning around. He disappeared into his room, the door shutting tightly. Talia sighed, pushing her way into the room and then stopping short.

The room was huge, decorated neutrally. The walls were painted a sandy color, except for the far wall which was painted a light ocean blue and the floors were a light wood. There was a large bed in the center, as well as a desk in the corner and some bookshelves. Talia browsed the books and sighed, looking for the bathroom.

Before she entered, she heard another door close and she was sure it belonged to Vengeance. She shuddered and entered the bathroom, looking at herself in the large mirror over the marble sink. Her face was flushed pink but she could tell she was paler than usual. Her cheekbone had a huge, purple bruise forming on it and underneath her eye had some busted blood vessels. She poked at the skin and hissed.

Her hair was a tangled mess and she searched the drawers for a hairbrush. She came up empty and sighed. Talia kicked off her shoes and combed through her long hair with her fingers, only to give up eventually. With luck she found a hair tie in her back pocket and tied her hair up. With a lot of hand soap and scrubbing, she washed her dark eye makeup off being careful of her new bruise.

Left in a white t-shirt that hung off her body and a pair of shorts that she had to roll up a few times, Talia felt exhaustion wash over her body. Her entire life had been turned upside down in an instant. She'd been drunk at a bar with her family one moment and hands bound in the back of a gangster's truck the next. Nothing made sense anymore.

She turned off the light and locked the bedroom door. Deep down inside, she knew that lock meant absolutely nothing. Talia crawled into the strange bed and knew that she only found it comfortable because of her exhaustion. She felt like she was on the verge of tears. The lifestyle she'd been a part of with her father was one she was always proud of. She trusted him and she loved him but now, he was gone and Talia had to fend for herself.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she listened to the distant ocean, waves landing hard against the shore. She wasn't going to a safe house in Nevada where she'd be alone, no. She was living in a house full of men who were hardened criminals, which wasn't necessarily better. The only thing she had going for her here was her one-time friend Valary, who had shown her kindness that Talia had no reason to expect.

She couldn't fool herself; no matter who was her friend in this house, Talia was alone and walking on thin ice.