I DO NOT OWN LEVERAGE.

So this is chapter 10, you guys! Thank you for reading, for putting my story as your fave, for following it and for the AWESOME reviews! It really means A LOT to me. :) Love you loads, you guys. I hope you like this chap. :)

To saides: Thank u! :)

To guest: Thank you so much for wanting to help. I really appreciate it. :) I will try my very best to write a bit better. I hope you keep reading. :D .Thank you for reviewing.

Eliot. Parker. The hitter. The thief.

When Nate heard him say his name, the hairs on the back of his neck immediately stood up. He knew then and there that not only Parker's life was in danger, but the lives of all five of them. Richardson told him what he wanted from them. He wanted the diamond and demanded from Nate that they should get it for him.

"And don't worry about contacting me. I will contact you." Richardson said mockingly.

Nate had put the conversation on speaker phone, so Sophie, Hardison and Eliot also heard what Richardson said.

During the conversation, Eliot sat impatiently on a chair. He was grabbing the arm of the chair so tightly that his knuckles turned white. While listening to the conversation, his rage took over him completely. Just as he was about to grab his phone from Nate, Hardison urged him to sit back down.

He wanted to get up anyway, but Sophie placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered."Try to stay calm, Eliot. You know Nate; while speaking to Richardson his mind is already working overtime. I bet a thousand dollars that he already has a plan to get her back."

That still didn't make his rage go away, but he did listen and sat back in his chair while avoiding Sophie's gaze.

"How do we know that she is still alive? We want proof of life." Nate demanded.

"You have my word that she is not dead. Yet." Richardson answered.

Nate acted like he didn't hear the last word and said."You have to give me proof of life."

Richardson answered." Okay, that's the least I could do, right?"

Nate didn't answer him; he just waited.

After five minutes, Richardson demanded." Tell your teammates who you sold the diamond to."

Parker's voice was trembling, but she did tell them right away who bought it from her. She was afraid that Richardson would hurt the others, if she didn't.

After Nate heard that she was indeed alive, he asked with a serious tone in his voice."What will happen, if somehow we can't get what you want?"

"Mr. Ford, if you and your team don't deliver the diamond within 48 hours, your precious thief will die." Richardson said coldly and hung up the phone.

When Eliot heard the last part of Richardson's last sentence, his rage overwhelmed him. His face turned red, then pale. Hearing that Parker's life was in danger, was the last straw for him. He walked towards the nearest table, grabbed it and threw it across the room. The others were totally shocked; especially Sophie. They tried to calm him down, but he got only angrier.

"I will hunt this guy down. The moment I find him, I am going to kill him slowly and painfully with my bare hands. And I promise that I am going to enjoy every second of it." Eliot growled without looking the others in the eyes.

At this point Nate knew that no matter what they would say or do, Eliot wouldn't calm down. So he acted like he wasn't startled by his outburst. Instead of trying to ease Eliot's rage, he began to tell the others about his plan to rescue Parker. They all listened with undivided attention. Even Eliot; he was still fuming but he wanted her back desperately. So he too listened carefully to Nate's plan.

On the big screen, Hardison showed all the information about Richardson to Nate and the others. Nate was nervous about the plan, because they were dealing with one of the most dangerous drug lords in the country. And more importantly, because Nate knew Richardson personally. He met him years ago; Nate had experienced firsthand that Richardson would do anything to protect his empire. He even murdered people who were in his way. But Nate didn't tell the others that he knew Richardson though.

The plan was in place; Nate even asked other people for help. They knew now who Parker sold the diamond to and were going to steal it. Everybody knew exactly what they were supposed to do, but it wasn't dark yet. They planned to steal the diamond at night, so Hardison went home till it was time to execute their plan. Sophie stayed at Nate's, while Eliot went home also. Eliot was quiet the whole time. Nate knew that it wasn't a good sign, so he asked him about it. Eliot didn't answer him; instead he just walked out the door without saying one word.

Sophie shook her head and said." I am worried that he will ruin the plan, Nate."

"Don't worry, Soph. I planned it all, so he won't be able to do much damage." He promised.

But Sophie still had a very bad feeling about Eliot. But she didn't have time to dwell on it for long, because Nate told her about Richardson. He told her everything that happened all those years ago. Sophie's mouth dropped, while listening and at the end of his confession her eyes also welled up. It also became too much for Nate, so he took a seat on his couch and covered his face with his hands. Sophie tried to comfort him, by sitting next to him.

And then she whispered." We will get him, Nate. We will get Richardson. I promise."

Eliot arrived at his apartment and immediately walked to his private gym. He took off his shirt and began to hit the punching bag furiously. He couldn't believe that not so long ago, Parker was here with him. She was here and safe. And now her life was in danger; it made him feel so powerless. He could fight a half of dozen men at once and still win from them, but at the moment he wasn't allowed to do anything but wait. It killed him that he let her go alone. He felt guilty and blamed himself for not going to her apartment with her.

He felt on edge. His guilt, anger and rage was consuming him from the inside out. It took him half an hour, when it became way too much for him. He sank to the floor and thought about her.

*FLASHBACK*

Eliot and Parker were on the roof, when they both received a text message from Hardison. They had a job to do and were expected to be at Nate's at 9 in the morning. Eliot read his message and smiled at Parker. She also looked at him and smiled back.

"I know why you are smiling, Eliot." She said coyly.

He laughed and dared."You do , don't you? Tell me, why am I smiling?"

"You aren't smiling, because of the message you just received. You are smiling, because you enjoy jumping off of high buildings. Just like me." She answered, while raising her eyebrow.

He laughed loudly and said."You win, Parker. You are right, I do enjoy it. It's been quite fun, but it's getting late. We have to be at Nate's in a few hours. It's enough for tonight, don't you think? Let's get out of here."

Parker agreed and they grabbed their stuff. They got into the car and drove to her apartment. Eliot was driving, but his mind was not 100 % on the road. Lately it became so hard to be near her and not be able to tell her how he felt about her. He tossed and turned in bed, not being able to sleep. All he could think about was her. Her ocean blue eyes, her smile, her intoxicating scent, her touch. Everything about her was slowly driving him insane. At night when he was awake, he had the urge to call her and tell her. But before it rang once, he would hang up the phone. At night he also had dreams of her; thinking back what he did in the dreams made him blush in the morning.

When they arrived at her apartment, Parker asked if he wanted something to drink before he went home.

"Jumping off of buildings, makes me thirsty. What about you?" She asked.

"Okay, I will have one drink." He answered.

His heart was beating out of his chest, because he had a very hot dream just like this with her in it. It was a good thing that she was walking first, because the dream made him blush again.

They were sitting in the kitchen. He was drinking a beer, while she was drinking wine. She was talking about the jobs they had done up until now. But Eliot didn't listen anymore. He even stopped drinking. He could only watch her lips move; they were so tempting and inviting. She kept talking, so he decided to shut her up. He licked his lips and leaned into her. But just as he was about to get closer, her phone rang. So she got up and walked to the living room to answer her phone.

Eliot was so pissed at himself! Was he crazy? He was going to kiss her without asking! He was going to kiss her without telling her first how he felt about her! He mentally kicked himself and got up. He had to go home, before he would do anything stupid!

Parker hung up her phone and smiled at Eliot.

"I will see you tomorrow?" she asked.

He nodded and said."Yes, darlin'. See you at 9 tomorrow."

He then walked out the door and closed it. The moment he was in the hall, he sighed deeply. His heart ached, because he couldn't tell her how he felt. He wanted to walk away, but his legs refused. He stood in the hall for five minutes; then he decided to tell her. He was about to knock on her door, but he got scared. What if she would reject him? He then put his hand in his pocket. He then stood there for another five minutes and decided to knock. But then he changed his mind. Again!

He mentally kicked himself again and finally decided to just walk away now, before he made a total fool out of himself.

*End of FLASHBACK*

That happened one week ago. Eliot was taken out of his thoughts, by his phone buzzing. He got up from the floor and grabbed his phone. It was Hardison asking how he was. He answered him and hung up his phone. Eliot wished that he did a lot of things differently. He wished that he told Parker that night what he felt for her. He wished that he knocked on her door and confessed it all. He wished that he did kiss her, when they were in her kitchen. He closed his eyes and thought about her. Parker. Amazing Parker. He wouldn't know what to do, if something bad would happen to her. He just wouldn't.

A/N: Please tell me what you think in a review? :)

Ruby.