Chapter 37

Sebastian.

I looked around a dark warehouse, gradually refining my consciousness. My senses slowly sharpened, and the haze of confusion lifted. I wanted to adjust myself but couldn’t move. I realized I was bound to a sturdy column, its cold metal digging against my flesh. It took a moment for my vision to clear and the unbearable ringing in my ears to subside. I quickly assessed the warehouse and several men of the Moretti mafia. But it was the sight of Cedric Atkinson that jolted me fully awake. My eyes widened, brows furrowing instinctively as I struggled against the restraints.

“Surprised to see me, son-in-law?” A wicked satisfaction crossed his face.

I clenched my teeth over the piece of cloth they put in my mouth. If it wasn’t for the bindings restricting my movements to mere inches, I’d kill the fucking piece of shit right on the spot. My eyes darted to the side, where Charles stood by a table with glasses of whiskey as he lit up his cigarette, the smoke floating around him.

“I warned you that you were going to regret fucking with me,” his voice rang out. “I lost everything because of you. Because of the fucking Vanderbilts! Money, reputation, even my family! Your existence is like a curse to me,” he spat. “Everything would be different now if you hadn’t shown up in my daughter’s life.”

I stared into his psychotic eyes, unable to do anything. I was bound and helpless. I could only listen as Cedric unleashed his bitter, pathetic rant.

“Now, it’s high time your father loses everything.” He took a few steps closer. “At midnight, he’s going to sign papers that transfer ownership of his companies and all assets to Charles to save his beloved son. What he doesn’t know is that afterward, we’ll kill you both anyway.” His laugh bitter reverberated through the warehouse.

“I don’t think so,” Anderson’ voice boomed, his gaze steely as he pointed a gun at Cedric. Behind him, dozens of our soldiers accompanied by Chuck and Sergio Suarez. Sergio was our trusted ally from Colombia, who ran some of our deals in Miami.

Chaos erupted like a volcano. Moretti’s men pointed their weapons back at our soldiers, and neither side backed out. It would mean death. But death was inevitable that night.

“Cedric!” Celine’s voice cut through the chaos. I was taken aback, to say the least, to see her here. She held a gun in her shaky hands, aiming.

Shots broke out in a flurry of motion, reverberating around the steely walls as gunfire filled the air. Two of our men raced to me, freeing me from the chains, and handed me the weapon, the cold metal felt so familiar in my hands. I quickly rose to my feet and started firing. There was no room for hesitation. There was only destruction and death. The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder floating all around us, the metallic taste of blood, and the roaring of gunshots. Moretti’s men against our soldiers, neither side willing to retreat. All were ready to die. Ready to kill. That was what we were. Killers. Not scared of death and trained to kill without batting an eye.

“Dad!” Anderson’ shout made me turn in alarm. He rushed to our father’s side, and I rippled through the room, shooting at Moretti’s men like a madman, annihilated beast, watching their bodies fall to the ground like dead flies. I was no longer a man, I was a killing machine.

A stain of blood began to spread across Chuck’s shirt. Anderson kneeled next to him, putting his head on his lap. “Son,” he spoke with effort.

“Chuck?” My gaze flickered between my father and brother.

His eyes shifted to meet mine, and he forced himself to smile softly. “Everything is on you two, now.” His voice was barely audible above the noise of the warehouse.

“Don’t say that,” I hissed through my pain.

“Please, take care of Avery and Elle.” He choked the blood out of his mouth. “And tell them that I love them deeply.”

My throat tightened. I hardly held back my tears and the rage growing inside me.

“Take care of each other,” Chuck continued, his voice trembling as he spoke.

I saw tears in Anderson’ eyes. He caressed our father’s paling cheek. “You can’t leave us.”

Chuck overlapped Anderson’ hand with his, smiling at him with the strength fading in him. “Remember that you are brothers. You have the same blood running through your veins. My blood. The Vanderbilt blood. Don’t be the downfall of my legacy. Your legacy.”

My heart clenched. I watched my father’s strength wane, and I couldn’t do anything. He looked at me one more time. His eyes seemed lost. “Sebastian, promise me you’ll take care of my family.”

I hardly swallowed, tightening the grip around his hand. “I will,” I vowed, seeing how life was escaping out of his eyes.

“Rose…” he whispered, reaching his hand in the air.

Shivers swept down my back, and Anderson’ gaze sharpened. He looked at Chuck with a sort of incomprehension. Then tears streamed down his face as he realized it was the end.

“My beautiful Rose.” Chuck’s eyes fixed on a space before him, his lips curling up in a warm smile.

She was here. My mother. I felt her presence, too. At last, they were reunited. Their love could go on and live forever, wherever they now were.

It’d been a month since that dreadful night. The night we all lost someone. Melissa and I made our way through the cemetery and across the rows of gravestones. Until we reached it. Chuck’s grave. I watched Melissa placing a bouquet on the headstone, her fingers trembling slightly. I stood beside her, hiding my emotions, something I knew best.

Melissa turned to face me with a vague yet comforting smile. “Shall we?”

We proceeded to Celine’s grave. I wrapped my arm around Melissa’s shoulders, but even that didn’t stop the tears welling in her eyes. She placed another bouquet in her mother’s resting place. “I just got her back.” She sobbed, and I wouldn’t stop caressing her arm as if that could help. “And now she’s gone again.”

I held her close, knowing there were no words I could offer to ease her pain. She lost both of her parents that night. Maybe Cedric was never a father to her, maybe she had never seen him as one, but I was sure it left a void in her heart too.

Melissa wiped the tears from under her eyes, inhaling deeply, and I led her out of the graveyard, flanked by my waiting men.

Two cars stood guard nearby as we left the cemetery, approaching our waiting vehicles. My gaze lingered on Melissa; her hair tousled by the wind as she leaned against the car.

“I’m sorry I put you in danger,” I said quietly, tucking the unruly strand of hair behind her ear.

Melissa peeked around at my waiting men before she turned back to me. “I won’t ask you to leave your life behind, but promise me, Sebastian, promise me that you’ll keep Angel away from all of this.”

I let out a quiet breath and nodded. “I’ll do anything in my power, go any length to protect you and Angel.”

I straightened my shoulders, realizing how much had changed for the past month. I knew our life would never be the same again. I was now in charge, and it was my duty to keep control over this dangerous chaos that was always like a ticking bomb. I knew this position put us even in more danger. At the same time, it gave me and power that allowed me to protect my family.

“Well, well. Fancy meeting you here.” We turned to face Anderson, who stood a few steps away. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes, his hands clasped over his abdomen. “We must talk, brother.”

“Get in the car,” I stated, and he followed.