Pieces

"Don't do this, Zack. We'll find you another assistant. Don't throw away Vengeance University just because Violet isn't here," Brian tried to reason with him.

"No one can replace her, Brian. You know that," Zack stated as he packed up another box of VU merch. His plan was to have a major sale to sell the last of the merchandise before he would shut the website down for good. He didn't have an explanation for the fans yet, but he would find one.

"Zack-" Brian was cut off by a knock on the door. Zack looked over, unable to see who it was through the curtain on the window. He sighed and walked over, opening the front door before he stopped.

"What are you doing here?" He asked suddenly.

"I came to have a chat," Craig stepped inside and Zack backed up, unable to find his voice to protest. The sight of Craig brought up feelings he wanted to keep buried. Anger, wrath, fury. Despite what Violet had done, she didn't deserve the marks on her skin.

"Violet's gone," Brian stepped in, "You can go off and find her and leave us alone now."

"I see she's managed to destroy your life too, huh?" Craig asked with a smirk and Zack glared, "Where is she?"

"I don't know," Zack lied before Brian could answer. His friend sent him a glaring looking, wondering what the hell he was doing lying for the girl who had betrayed him, "She just stormed out. I haven't heard anything about her."

"Hm," Craig straightened his tie, "She does have a fashion for doing that, doesn't she?" He asked, "But, that still leaves me with nothing."

"Well I don't know what to tell you," He shrugged.

"Did she tell you that her times is up?" Craig questioned and Zack raised an eyebrow at him, "I told her she had a month to come back to me, or stay. She surprisingly chose you, though I don't know why," He scoffed and Zack glared, "But her time has come and she's once again missing. So what am I to do?"

"Move on," Brian stepped closer to him, "That's what we're doing."

"Ah, but I don't take defeat easily, Brian," Craig snapped, "So here is my proposition," Craig stated darkly and stepped closer, "I have every single bank account number from Vengeance University, I have your social security number, and I know everything about you. So now it's your turn. You find Violet and you tell her that if she doesn't come back to me within the week, then I will personally tear your company apart from the inside out."

"Who the fuck do you think you are!?" Zack yelled, "Do you know who I am!?"

"You," Craig spat, "Are the man who took Violet and changed her. You are the person who single-handedly cured a monster of her disease. When she left me she was submissive, a coward, and weak. When she turned up in Vegas again she had a new flame to her, a flame that I had extinguished long ago. But you," He poked a finger into Zack's chest, "Made her believe that she could be anything but the lying whore she is. So you're going to bring her back to me."

"He didn't change anything about her," Brian snapped.

"He changed Violet in ways I didn't think were possible," He stated, "Do not underestimate me, Mr. Vengeance."

Zack sighed, defeated. He kept his eyes away from Craig. He couldn't look him the eye, fearing he would see that he was lying. He knew exactly where Violet was.

"New York," Brian stated and Zack turned to him, eyes wide, "I don't know where exactly. But she's going to start work at a new design firm soon."

"Now you know where to start," Craig smirked, "You have until tomorrow night."

Zack watched as Craig turned, walking out of the house and getting into a sleek black Maserati parked in his driveway. He huffed, fists clenching as he thought about Violet being back in the claws of Craig. He was threatening to take everything he ever loved, including the girl who had stolen his heart. So now what was he supposed to do?

He felt his heart race as he thought of Brian and how he had opened his mouth. He shouldn't have said anything at all. He should have stuck up for Violet.

But Craig had said it. He even admitted it. Zack had changed Violet. And now he was going to bring her back to the life she spent her life trying to run from.

"Zack..." Brian trailed off.

"Call Jimmy," Zack stated lowly, "Fuck what Matt and them think. We need to find Violet now."

-

"Hello?" I answered as Dan's name popped up on the screen.

"Violet, where are you?" He questioned.

"I'm at the hotel, why?" I questioned.

"I'm coming to get you. Do not go outside and do not leave," He demanded and I could hear a car engine roaring to life in the background.

"What's going on?" I questioned.

"Craig went to Zack's house," He stated and my eyes widened, "He told him that your time is up. Something about making a deal with you? He told Zack that if you didn't return to him, then he would bankrupt Vengeance University. He has all of the banking information and all of Zack's personal information," He explained.

Oh no. Craig knew all of these things from finding them on my computer. And now he was personally targeting Zack until I returned to him.

"I'm coming to get you. We're going to go somewhere else while this gets sorted out," Dan stated.

"No," I stated firmly, "Don't come here. Don't try to find me and don't ever call me again, Dan."

"Violet, I'm trying to help you!" Dan exclaimed.

"And I'm trying to help Zack," I stated, "Craig will not leave him alone until I'm back with him."

"I swear to God, Violet, if you go back to him I'll..."

I took in a deep breath, "Tell Zack I love him, and I always have. Tell him everything was real. But most of all, tell him to move on. Goodbye, Dan."

Violet!" He exclaimed just before I hung up.

Craig wanted me, then he was going to get me.
And I was bringing hell with me.