Blackmailed to the Altar (Caputo Crime Family #2)

31. Chapter Thirty-One

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

R iccardo

The Rescue

The night had settled thick and suffocating around me, shadows weaving through the narrow, winding streets like specters whispering secrets I couldn’t hear. My heart pounded in sync with each step, the urgency clawing at my chest like a beast that refused to be tamed. Mya was out there; taken, hurt, afraid, and I couldn’t let it stand. Not again.

I clenched my jaw, shoving the memories back, burying them beneath layers of rage and resolve. This wasn’t about the past. This was about Mya. And I’d be damned if I let her slip through my fingers like Amelia did.

Sebastian’s voice echoed in my mind, a constant presence I couldn’t escape. He was there, always lurking, always judging. But tonight, it was different. Tonight, we had a common goal. Save Mya. Tear Arjun apart.

I paused, leaning against the cold brick wall of a building, catching my breath and letting the chill seep into my skin. I could feel Sebastian stirring, his presence sharp and restless, and for the first time, I let him in. I didn’t fight it.

I didn’t have the luxury of denial anymore.

You’re really gonna let this bastard take her? His voice was laced with anger, and that irritating, self-righteous tone he always had.

I gritted my teeth. “I’m handling it.”

Handling it? You think you can handle this alone? This is Mya we’re talking about. You can’t just storm in, guns blazing.

His words grated on me, but he wasn’t wrong. Not entirely. We were two sides of the same fucked-up coin, but tonight we needed each other. I needed his level head, his calculation. Sebastian was the strategist, the one who saw three moves ahead, while I was busy breaking bones and spilling blood. We couldn’t afford to lose control now.

“I don’t need your help, but I will accept it,” I snarled under my breath, pushing off the wall and making my way toward the abandoned warehouse, where Arjun was holding her. “We do this for her. Only for her.”

Sebastian’s presence surged, taking hold of my thoughts. I could feel his frustration, his guilt, the unspoken remorse he carried like a heavy chain. But there was something else, something darker, deeper. We were mirrors of each other’s madness, bound by the fractured mind we shared.

Fine. We do this together. But make no mistake, Riccardo, if you screw this up, it’s not just you who’s going down. It’s both of us. And Mya won’t forgive us.

I didn’t respond. There was no need to. I knew the stakes better than anyone. I quickened my pace, my mind switching to autopilot as I navigated the maze of darkened streets. The warehouse loomed ahead, a hulking structure of rust and decay, its windows shattered, and walls marred with graffiti. It was the perfect place for scum like Arjun to hide.

My fingers itched for violence as I approached, my eyes scanning the perimeter. I spotted the guards; two, maybe three. Easy targets. The only thing stopping me from ripping through them was the knowledge that Mya was inside. If I made a wrong move, if I lost control, she’d pay the price.

Take the one on the left first. He’ll have the keys. Quiet and quick.

I nodded, more to myself than him. I moved like a shadow, slipping through the darkness, with the kind of ease that came from years of living in it. The guard on the left didn’t even see me coming. One swift, silent strike, and he crumpled to the ground, the keys clinking softly in my hand.

The other guards followed suit, each one taken down with calculated precision. I couldn’t afford any mistakes. Not tonight. Not with Mya’s life on the line.

Sebastian’s presence sharpened, and I could feel his anticipation, his silent command to keep moving. I crept to the warehouse entrance, peering inside. The dim lighting cast eerie shadows along the walls, and in the center of the room, was Mya.

My breath hitched. She looked smaller, more vulnerable than I’d ever seen her. Rage burned through me, and I had to force myself to stay calm, to keep Sebastian in check. I couldn’t lose control now. Not when she needed me.

Arjun was pacing nearby, his back to her, muttering to himself. He didn’t see me slip in. He didn’t hear me approach until it was too late.

I grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall with a force that rattled the metal beams. His eyes widened in terror, and for a moment, I saw myself reflected in his fear. I was the monster in the dark, and I was damn proud of it.

“You picked the wrong woman to mess with,” I snarled, my voice low and deadly. “You touch her again, and I’ll rip you apart.”

Arjun struggled, but I tightened my grip, savoring the panic in his eyes. Sebastian’s voice was there, urging caution, but for once, we were in sync.

We’re not here to make threats, Sebastian interjected, cold and calculating. We’re here to end this.

I nodded, and together we dragged an unconscious Arjun away. I rushed to Mya, my hands working quickly to free her from the bindings. She looked up at me, eyes wide with a mix of relief and confusion.

“It’s okay,” I said, my voice softer than I intended. “We’re getting you out of here.”

She nodded, leaning into me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt the weight of Sebastian’s approval. We were two sides of a broken whole, and tonight, we were united in our purpose.

As I led Mya out, my grip firm but gentle, I couldn’t help but glance back at Arjun, his body slumped against the wall. He was still breathing for now, but that would soon end, as my men descended on him to get him prepped for transport.

Touch her, and there would be no mercy.

I would hunt down every man, every shadow that threatened her, and I would do it with Sebastian at my side, whether he liked it or not. We were a team, bound by the madness we shared, and the woman we would burn the world down to protect.

And together, we were unstoppable.