Hidden Love

10th floor

Nicolette POV

“Seb” I said weakly, getting off the elevator. “Where is Sebastian?”

The secretary looks at me with a disgusted look. “Who exactly are you and how did you get up here?”

I looked at her weirdly. I’m hanging on by a thread. I’m the only sister to Adonis, Sebastian, and Michael Caprisi. Adonis and Sebastian are my older brothers and Michael is my younger brother. My name is Nicolette. I am currently in my brothers' office building. Their offices are on the tenth floor. I’ve never been here before. Today is different. Today I need their help. All three have told me that if I ever need anything to come to their office. The security guards in the lobby looked at me in surprise, but they let me go through. Now my second brother’s secretary is keeping me from my brother. I am in bad shape. My feet are cut badly. I’m fairly certain that I have a few broken ribs. I have cuts and bruises everywhere. There are two big cuts on my back. I’m bleeding everywhere. I also think I have a concussion. All I know is that I am safe now and I need my brothers.

I read the name on the nameplate. Hailey. “ Hailey, I need my brother, Sebastian. Right now.” I say through labored breath. “You obviously don’t seem to understand who I am or what’s going on.”

“Sit down over there. He’s in an important meeting. It will be done in 30 minutes.” Hailey says, shuffling some papers, “Don’t make me call security.”

I have no more strength to stand. I carefully sit in a chair. I happen to see myself in a reflection in the mirror. My skin seems paler. My brown hair is a hot mess and there is dried blood in it. My green eyes are strained and rimmed with red. I can now see that I have a split lip and a possible broken nose. My wrists and ankles are raw from the ropes. I look away. There is a phone on an empty desk so I hobble over to it. I know all three of my brother’s personal extensions. I call Sebastian’s.

It rings twice and he picks up. “Hello?”

“Seb. I’m sorry I need you. I’m at your office. Please. Seb.” I, barely in a whisper.

“Nic? You're at the office? s**t. I’m on my way.” Sebastian, says hurriedly.

I try to place the phone back on the holder, but double vision is taking over. Just as I’m about to fall, two strong arms catch me. “Whoa little one. I’ve got you.”

It sounds like Mikey’s voice. It’s so far away, though I’m not sure.

MICHAEL’S POV

Sebastian was in a meeting. He needed some paperwork that he forgotten, so I’m on my way to get it. Just as I was headed up to his office, I heard what I thought was my sister’s voice. Only it doesn’t sound good. She sounds distressed and hurt. I come around the corner and my sister collapses in my arms. I feel murderous. “What the f**k?”

I looked down at my sister’s face. Whoever hurt my sister is a dead man. I straighten my 6-foot frame with my sister in my arms. It's then that I noticed that she was bleeding. My light green eyes turn dark as I turn murderous. I shoved my brown hair off to the side. “I've got you, little one. You are safe.”

She moans in my arms. I started to walk towards Sebastian’s office. Hailey looks at me with my sister in my arms. “Uhg. That girl is causing problems. Do you want me to call security?”

I glared at her. “YOU will do no such thing. My brothers are on their way here now. Our sister needs help. Call the doctor too.”

Hailey goes pale. Her overly made-up face matches her very blonde hair. Her mouth moves like a fish. “NOW!” I shouted.

I don’t wait to see if she does what I’ve just told her. I went into Sebastian’s office and carefully lay Nicolette on the couch with her head on my lap. I pulled my gun from the small of my back. If someone followed her here, they would be dead on sight. She looked like s**t. I started to play with her hair. She moans again. “Hey big sis. Stay with me. The doctor is coming. Hang in there. Whoever touched my sister is a dead man walking. I hope they know that. Until we catch this bastard, they had better be walking looking both ways and then some.

I pointed my gun towards the door. Adonis is first to come in. “The f**k? Put that damn thing away.”

I put my gun away and looked at Adonis. He looks at me and then Nicolette with his fists clenched.

“She was supposed to be going to her friend Sonja's this week. She wasn’t due home until Tuesday. She usually checks in, but I figured she and Sonja were doing their usual girl stuff. I want to know what happened. I’ve got someone discreetly going over to Sonja’s to check on what happened.” Adonis stated to me.

I nodded. We were interrupted when Sebastian stormed in the door. “What the f**k? Where’s the doctor? What happened to her? How did she get like this?” Sebastian began to pace the floor he went over to the bar in his office, took a glass and threw it against the opposite wall. I watched impressed as the crystal shattered.

“Seb? Mikey? Donny?” Nicolette whispered so softly.