**CAITLIN**
A loud and rapid knock coming from my door nearly made me spill my glass of wine. I dragged the blanket off me and got up from the couch scowling at whoever was behind the wood.
"Caitlin, can you open the door please?" My brother's voice reached my ears. He sounded like he had been running and my frown deepened in confusion as I set the glass down on the small table.
"Caitlin!" He yelled out and continued banging like a maniac.
"I'm coming. For fucks sake." I mumbled. As soon as I unlocked it, I was pushed backwards and my brother's large body entered my apartment. He quickly shut the door behind him and locked it again, breathing heavily.
His black windbreaker was covered in dust and my eyes widened when they landed on the blue bruises on his neck when he removed his hood.
My heart dropped. Micah looked like he was running away from someone.
"Micah, what's going on?" I asked nervously and also in shock. He didn't answer me. Instead, he turned around and pulled me in for a tight embrace, surprising me.
"Thank you." He whispered and I slowly wrapped my arms around him, still feeling slightly confused.
"Are you in trouble?" I questioned when he pulled away. He ignored me and walked straight to my kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. It had been nearly two months since I last saw him, and he looked very different.
"Micah, can you fucking speak? You're scaring me." I nearly shouted. My brother meant everything to me, but he had this maddening habit of kicking up trouble wherever he went and bringing that mess home with him. It was one of the reasons why I learned how to protect myself.
He turned to me, bloodshot brown eyes meeting mine. He looked utterly exhausted. "I need a car."
"What am I supposed to do about that?" I asked, scrunching my eyebrows.
Micah walked up to me and grabbed my shoulders. "You don't understand. I need your car."
"Why do you..."
"And your gun." He interrupted. The grip he had on me tightened and I looked at him incredulously before shrugging off his hold. I took a step back.
"You're hiding from someone, aren't you?" I muttered slowly. "And you decided it would be a great idea to lead them right here, where your sister lives. Alone. I can't fucking believe you, Micah." I said, my voice lacing with disappointment. His eyes faltered, a solemn expression on his face.
He was three years older than me but most of the time I felt like the older sibling.
"I have nowhere else to go! You are the only one who will even think about helping me. I have no one else!" He yelled out and I couldn't help but close my eyes in frustration and partial sadness.
"Do you ever think about anyone but yourself? Just tell me what happened, and we can try to sort it out, but you're not taking my car or my gun." I told him, shaking my head. I couldn't give him my things. When used, it could very well be traced back to me, and I wasn't about to risk that.
"It was worth the try." He muttered in defeat.
Micah sighed before sitting on the couch and my heart shattered in my chest. He looked so vulnerable, so helpless.
"I owe some people money. They..."
"How much?"
He stilled before looking up at me as I sat down next to him. "15k. These guys don't care about the amount. It's deeper than that."
I took an unsteady breath in. I was drowning in student loans, and there was no way I could swing that expense. On the other hand, I was terrified of losing my brother and I just wished he would stop getting himself in so much fucking trouble.
"I was supposed to finish a job, but I got jumped and the product was stolen. They gave me twenty-four hours to get the money, and if I didn't, I'd pay with my life. That was two days ago and I've been running ever since." He admitted while rubbing a hand over his face. I bit my lip to stop myself from swearing at him.
"Drugs?"
"Cocaine." He gave a quick nod, and I let my head fall back against the couch with a sigh. What a mess.
"Were they chasing you right now?" I asked and turned to stare at the locked door. I hoped and prayed that nobody had followed him straight into my home. There was no negotiating with people like that.
"No, I just needed to escape the spotlight for a bit. We're good. I can't go home yet," he assured me. I nodded, letting out a relieved sigh.
What kind of sister would I be to kick him out when he looked like he needed me the most? Guilt gnawed at me as I thought of every possible scenario.
"I'm sorry, Caitlin. I really am. I don't know why I..." Micah's voice cracked and my face softened. I couldn't help but feel bad for him, so I scooted closer and wrapped my arm around his shoulder. His head dropped, and he took a deep breath.
"We'll figure something out," I said, trying to convince him, although I had no idea where to even start.
"I shouldn't have come here. It was so inconsiderate." He announced suddenly and stood up. He started to pace around the living room while dragging his hands through his hair.
"Stop. I'll get you something to eat. You must be starving." My tone left no room for arguing and he sighed, stopping his movements.
"Thank you." His voice was a mere whisper. Micah sat down on the couch before dropping his head into his hands. My heart twisted at the sight but I got up and walked to the kitchen.
I was low on options, so noodles it was.
A few minutes later I handed him the cup and fork. He offered me an appreciative smile and started digging into his meal.
"Micah..." I sighed after a tense pause. "I still have Mom's ring. It's not much, but..."
"No."
"But..."
"No."
My lips pressed into a thin line, and I took a deep breath to steady myself. So damn stubborn.
When he was done, he walked to the trash can to dispose of the now-empty cup. He froze, our eyes darting toward the door as I shot to my feet.
As if on cue, a slow, steady knock came from the door.
"Oh, fuck." Micah muttered with widened eyes. I gritted my teeth and gave him a well-deserved hard punch on the arm. His body jerked and he rubbed the sore area while glowering down at me. My fists balled up, ready to punch him again.
"You fucking dumbass. I can't stand you." I whispered, the sympathy I felt vanishing quickly. It was replaced by pure anger.
"Ssh. Maybe they'll go away." He whispered back as we stood there staring at the door.
We listened intently, pulses racing. The knocking's cadence shifted suddenly, now harsh and metallic, and my mouth fell open. It sounded like fists had been traded for something cold and unyielding.
"They're breaking in" Micah murmured, his voice barely a whisper, and I nodded, fear twisting my stomach. We were stuck on the third floor, no fire escape in sight. I slipped to my room, quietly retrieving my gun from the drawer.
"Hello? Anyone there?" A deep, unfamiliar voice called softly, paired with a faint tap on the door.
I scanned the apartment, mind scrambling to catalog every possible exit, every self-defense technique I knew, every item that could serve as a weapon. We were trapped, and I despised it.
"Caitlin, I…" Micah began, but the door burst open, wood splintering. I gasped, grabbing his hand and staggering back. A man in all black stepped inside, blonde hair catching the light, his silver gun already trained on Micah's head. He was too fast.
"Drop it, or I'll blast his face off," the man growled, eyes fixed on me. I swallowed hard, slowly placing my gun on the table next to my wine glass. His accent was thick, identical to Dominic's.
"Good. Now step back," he commanded, gesturing with the gun. I nodded, hands raised, moving away from the table. My inner voice screamed to fight back, to act, but that would be a death sentence.
I should have shot him the moment he entered.
Then he grinned, arms spreading wide. "Micah! Didn't think you'd be here. Thought I'd have to squeeze answers out of your little sister. Thanks for sparing me the effort." His voice dripped with false warmth, almost friendly.
"Yurik," Micah said, his tone steady despite the threat. "I'll get the money, I swear. Just don't hurt her, please." His eyes darted between me and the man named Yurik. My heart pounded, envisioning every way this could unravel.
I prayed my annoying neighbor heard the noise, but with my luck, they'd probably end up dead too.
"Sorry, friend, you know the deal. My brother wants a word, so you either come along, or…" Yurik shrugged, twirling the gun with reckless ease. Two more men stepped out from behind him, dressed in identical black.
Definitely mafia.
My throat tightened, a knot forming as I struggled to stay composed. My fingers itched to reach for my gun again.
One of Yurik's men stared at me, his blue eyes lingering on my bare legs. A repulsive smirk spread across his face. I bit the inside of my cheek, hard, to keep from snarling at him.
Keep your filthy eyes off me.
"I'll come with you but..." Micah began, but Yurik held up a hand, stopping him.
"Put shoes on, sweetheart," Yurik ordered, pointing at my sock-clad feet. Micah's eyes widened in alarm.
"She's got nothing to do with this," he protested, but the sharp click of Yurik cocking the gun silenced him instantly.
"I wasn't asking," Yurik said, his voice deceptively casual, though his steely gaze betrayed the menace behind his words. Despite the playful tone, every syllable carried a chilling weight.
"Micah, it's fine," I said, speaking for the first time since they'd stormed into the apartment. We were out of options.
I glanced around for my white sneakers, spotting them by the door. Yurik followed my gaze and nodded at the man who'd been leering at me the whole time to pass them over.
"I'm going to kill you for this," I muttered under my breath, cursing Micah silently.
It was a terrifying kind of insanity, the kind that paired polite gestures with unspeakable cruelty.
Once I'd slipped on my sneakers and was ready, the two men grabbed Micah's arms and marched him out of the apartment. Yurik didn't lay a hand on me; instead, he let me walk beside him, and that's when the real fear set in. My mind spiraled, imagining every horrific thing they could do to us.
My eyes darted around the hallway, desperate for someone to notice the suspicious scene. But it was nearly midnight, and the building was deserted.
"Get in and keep your mouth shut," Yurik commanded, opening the car door for me with an unsettling calm.