Chapter 114: The Rescue

Achilles’ Point of View:

“I am sure this reaches you, Achilles Roman. I have your pretty wife and this isn’t your usual kidnapping. Meet me at 67 Hastings Street and we’ll discuss your downfall.” I read on the phone screen and a deep breath left my mouth at the realisation.

I needed to be smart about this. Generally, I wouldn’t even think to dive in and save her, but it wasn’t just me at stake. I was responsible for all of my men, and I had to make the decisions in the capacity of a Mafia boss, and not a husband. I needed to use my head instead of acting on impulse.

I left the message on read and kept it down. They must have left the phone on purpose, obviously.

“Boss? What’s the plan?” Robert asked me after a few seconds passed, and I put up a strong face. “The person who took Isabelle has called me to 67 Hastings Street for a… negotiation. I believe I should go alone.”

“But boss, it might be a trap,” He said, rationalising his point.

“I have to take the risk,” I said, still thinking that it wasn’t exactly a negotiation. Obviously, they were gonna ask me to give up my Mafia or something worse. But I couldn’t leave Isabelle now, could I?

“I want you all to prepare for a fight, in case things go south.” I said as I processed my plan, grabbing everyone’s attention.

“A fight with The Blood Ravens?” One of them asked and I gave him a ‘so what?’ look and he shut up.

“No matter who the enemy is, we have to believe we can win. Do you all understand?”

“Yes, boss,” They all said in unison.

“And I wouldn’t send any of you in a losing fight. I’ll die before I let any hurt come to my people.” I added to relieve some stress among them and they were quite taken aback that I was giving them “moral” support. To be honest, I hadn’t exactly been the same since Isabelle came back. She had made me much more emotional than I wanted to be, but who could blame her?

I felt that somewhere between finding a middle ground at being a husband and a cruel killer had rendered me useless in both. I was terribly failing as a leader, acting on impulse. To be honest, I came all the way to Europe in a “losing game”, just in hopes I could defeat Anna’s empire and then there would be no reason to continue my Mafia anymore. She was the reason I had to step up. But now that I saw it all from a leader’s perspective, that was the worst decision ever.

“Find Unit 2 and contact them. Everyone should be here in case I need you,” I further instructed as I came back to my senses. “I’ll be leaving now.”

They all nodded as I took two guns and headed off to the given address.

***

The place was not much far off from where Unit 1 was situated. I found that it was an old warehouse, as expected.

I went inside.

The room was dark, and I could barely see anything at all. As soon as I entered, a dim light was turned on and I turned around to see the person, and found a man standing.

“Where’s Isabelle?” I asked.

I heard muffled sounds from the other end of the room and quickly looked over to find Isabelle tied to a chair. Before I could reach her, I heard a gun load up behind me. My steps paused.

“Stay where you are.” His voice was definitive and I looked at Bella with a conflicted expression. I turned around toward the man again.

“Who the fuck are you?” I said, even when I wanted to remain calm. Anger was an indicator someone was getting on your nerves, which proved that they were the one with power.

“Now, let’s have a civil conversation, shall we?” He said and smiled, his happiness making my blood boil.

“I guess we moved past that when you pointed a gun at me, wouldn’t you say?” I replied and raised my eyebrow confidently.

He chuckled and put it down. “Right.”

“What do you want? Money?” I asked, desperate to free Isabelle. She looked so scared when I looked at her just a few seconds ago, but a little relieved I was here.

“As I said, this is not a normal kidnapping,” He said as he walked toward me. “She doesn’t need to hear this conversation. Let’s go in the back.”

I glanced over at Bella once before nodding and following him out to the back. This place was much more civilised than the front, making me wonder if this was normal for this man.

We sat down across from each other.

“So what do you want?” I asked again.

“I’m Cole,” He said, ignoring my question. “I guess you don’t know, but your pretty wife had a fling with me when she came to the UK.”

“A fling?” I asked and chuckled, getting slightly jealous. She had never dated anyone other than Matt in her whole life, and she went to Britain for the shortest trip ever. “Even if she miraculously dated you the day she moved to the UK, I wouldn't call three days a fling.”

“What matters is,” He cut me off, making me smirk, and said, “Your pretty wife played me and now you’re part of this game you’re gonna lose. I need you to give up your Mafia.”

I chuckled. “Or I’ll just burst in with the mafia and rescue her, killing you along with that. Also, stop calling my wife pretty, if you want this conversation to remain civil.”

A smirk played on his lips, making me more frustrated—but I decided to remain cool. “I love when you guys think you have the power. You don’t have the slightest idea who I’m working with, do you?”

I raised an eyebrow, asking him to continue.

“Anna Reading. Heard of her?”

I scoffed within, knowing she was the only one I didn’t want to be behind this. I wasn’t scared of her, but I had to be scared of The Blood Ravens. They were the deadliest Mafia at the moment, and all of her father’s exceptional product was now Anna’s.

“You still know I would never give up on my people,” I said as I thought for a moment. “Make a sensible offer and we might come to an agreement.”

He took a few seconds before responding. “Fine. You don’t wanna give her up, and you won’t give your mafia, then I will need money.”

“Okay,” I replied without any snarky remarks, knowing I was being let off easy. I could’ve come up with something good to tell him how it indeed ended in money at the end, but I held myself back. “How much?”

“Seventy-five million dollars,” He said and smirked, “Wouldn’t be much for a billionaire boy now, would they be?”

“No. They’ll be paid to you within the hour. Now let Isabelle go,” I said as I stood up, wanting to leave as soon as I could.

“Oh, you don’t think that’s all I need, do you?” he asked, as he looked at me and let out a chuckle. “You’re naive for a CEO and a mafia boss.”

Holding back my anger at the insult, I scoffed, “What else do you need?”

“One night with Isabelle. That’s the deal, or I’ll call Anna and erase your entire Mafia out of existence, taking Isabelle with me in either case.”