"Help me it's like the walls are caving in. Sometimes I feel like giving up but I just can't, it isn't in my blood."

— Shawn Mendes

●●●

●●●

●●●

CHRISTIAN

"He's out of it."

"He just needs a little more rest, Rico."

Everything hurts. I can't seem to open my eyes.

"Did you find anything related to Victoria?" It's my dad. Why is he asking about Victoria?

"Nothing yet," Rico says.

"We have to do something quick. Find something before he wakes up."

"I don't understand. How could they know?" Rico asks.

"That's the whole issue. But for now, we have to keep everything between us three," Dad sighs.

"Yes, Uncle." Francis is here. "We can't leak anything. It's too dangerous."

What are they talking about?

I have to get to Victoria. I need her.

I try to open my eyes but they are too heavy. My limbs are too heavy. I can't move them.

I have to do it for Victoria.

Something is wrong with her.

I try again, for Victoria. I succeed.

It's too bright.

"Christian." Rico's face comes into my view.

"Son." Dad is here.

"Dad," I croak out.

Francis is holding a glass to my face, "Drink this."

I take small sips and my throat feels better.

"Dad, Francis, Rico." I try to sit up. "What is happening? Why am I here?"

"You don't remember son?" He looks tired.

"Remember what?" I look at them for an answer. "Where is Victoria?"

"Chris, man..." Rico looks nervous and tired as well.

"Matteo got to her." Dad clenches his jaw.

I choke on my breath. "What?"

"You were going to the safe house and Matteo caught up with. Flipped your car and took Victoria with him." Francis explains. "It's been more than twenty four hours."

Fuck.

Everything hits me like a train. The chase. Matteo. Him taking her. Me cutting through the seat belt. Crawling down on the road.

"Dad, Matteo recognized her. He fucking knew her." I get off my bed and stumble. "He fucking touched her dad. He took her. Fuck!"

Dad holds onto my shoulders keeping me balanced. "Christian. Listen to me. You are not going to lose your shit. You were trained for this day. You are going to look for her. You are going to find her. And you are going to kill Matteo. You hear me?"

I blink at him.

"I said do you hear me?"

"Yes."

"What are you going to do?" He stares right into my eyes.

"I'm going to find her." I breathe out harshly, "And I'm going to kill Matteo."

"That's right." Dad pats me on my back. "This mission is not going out of this room. Understand?"

We all nod.

"Now Francis, Rico. Get in with it." Dad orders. "Christian is going to join you in a while."

They leave the room without any question.

"Son, go change and freshen up," Dad says. "No one messes with the Vasquez family and gets away. Let's show them they messed with the wrong people."

Let's do this.

▪️▪️▪️

"This is fucking impossible," Francis barges into the room.

"What is it?"

"Amara hacked into their servers," Francis says with a proud smile. "She's been up to it the minute she knew you were being chased."

I frown, "She can do that?"

"She did so yeah, I guess." Francis shrugs.

"Not just for decoration after all," Rico remarks but shuts up after Francis shoots him a glare.

"What did you find?" I ask him.

"Matteo is not working for Ricci."

"What do you mean?"

"After Matteo was thrown into jail for a murder, Ricci turned his back on him. Now he's working for Luigi."

"Luigi Ferrari?" Rico asks astonished.

"The very same." Francis types on the laptop. "He's the one who got Matteo out of jail."

"Anything else?"

"Amara's decoding the rest. She'll be here in a while," Francis says.

"This is bad. Real bad," Rico says. "They are our allies. They won't go against us."

I lean on the table. "I'll call dad."

I take out my phone and he picks up on the second ring. "Christian."

"Dad we got something," I say.

"What is it?"

"Matteo is not working for Ricci." I clench my jaw. "He's working for Luigi Ferrari."

"That's impossible," Dad hisses out.

"Apparently not," I mutter. "Could you come here? Amara's decoding the rest of the files."

"Amara?" He sounds surprised.

"Yes. Who knew," I mumble the last words.

"I'll be there in a few." He hangs up.

"He's coming." I walk over to Matteo.

We discuss a little more then dad enters the room.

"Got anything new?"

"Nothing yet. We are waiting on Amara," I reply.

Just then Amara barges in screaming.

"I found her! I found her!"

I leap from my position.

"What?"

"Their CCTV cameras. They are at Luigi's place." She says sitting on the table. "Here look."

She plays the video. There is Victoria. Limp in Matteo's arms. He's taking her inside. In a very familiar house.

"Dad he is our ally," I start. "You should call him right now. He knows he'll be dead if he does something like that."

"I don't think a call will do any better." Dad paces around. "You have to give them a personal visit."

"We have a few trusted people Christian," Rico says. "We'll bring them from the gang house."

"Sounds like a plan," I say.

"Good." Dad says. "Go to the basement and collect all the latest gadgets and weapons."

"Okay. Come on Francis." I turn to Amara, "Good work Amara."

She seems surprised by the compliment but smiles. "Thank you."

Francis turns to Amara before leaving with me. I see him smiling at her but when he leans in for a kiss I look away.

I miss her.

My eyes meet dad's and he gives me a reassuring look. This mission would have been a piece of cake for me but the fact that Victoria was taken away.

Everything thing seems so difficult.

When did I ever needed reassurance?

Never.

I laugh internally. Who would have thought a woman would make me so scared.

I'm always scared when I'm away, working.

I don't want to lose her when I just got her. Victoria is my talisman. Making me fight for my life. Before Victoria I never cared.

Never cared if I die.

Never cared who died.

Never cared who I killed.

But that's changed. I want to be good for Victoria. She doesn't even know what I can do and what I have done. But I hope to God she never finds out.

She'd surely want to leave. I'm a monster I admit it but without Victoria, I'm nothing. Right now I don't want to dwell on these things.

But one regret is eating me. It's eating me alive.

A regret that will follow me like a shadow everywhere.

I never told Victoria.

I never told her that I'm insanely in love with her.

I'm madly in love with that woman who showed me the meaning of life.

I'll do anything to make this come true.

Maybe by miracle she'll love me back.

God I hope so. It's seems impossible though. She got in the hands of a sick man, just because of me.

I know she would be waiting for me.

All I have to do now is to find her.

●●●

●●●

●●●

Love you guys. Thank you so much for supporting the book.