Chapter 495

Chapter 495
The Last Plan.

Richard's POV.

"You should go give her back to Gotham then. What if he harms Rain?" Aaron asked, panic evident in the way his eyes widened.

"I can't believe you brought me here to tell me how some crazy politician has taken Raina hostage because you're keeping his grandson away from him." He threw his hands up in irritation.

"Aaron, you should calm down. We're trying to look for a way out." Theodore held up a hand, attempting to steady the situation.

"Calm down?" Aaron scoffed. "Your sister has been kidnapped by some crazy dude, and you're asking me to calm down?" He shook his head in disbelief.

"And why are you so invested in their affairs? Huh?" His brows drew together as he glared at Theodore.

"Why won't you return her to her father-in-law? You know how these things work more than any of us here, Theodore." He folded his arms across his chest.

"Don't you care for Raina? Don't you worry about what will happen to her daughter if she isn't rescued?" Aaron pressed, his jaw tightening.

"Aaron, I think that's enough," I intervened as I stepped between them.

"You saw the message. We have a day to think of a way out. Releasing years-long rage won't solve anything." I rubbed my forehead, exhaustion weighing on me.

I had brought Aaron to where Theodore and the woman were and had Theodore explain the whole situation to him.

While we were at it, Theo had received a message from Gotham's men requesting that Melissa's son be sent to him within the next twenty-four hours.

Gotham knew Melissa would run into the cage he had set for her if he had her son.

That bastard!

We had barely twenty-four hours to rescue Rain. That task became more difficult knowing it would come at the expense of Melissa losing her life and her child.

"He's going to kill me and turn my son into a monster like his son once was, please save me and protect my son." Melissa's fingers trembled as she clutched them together.

"I swear I only killed his son because he deserved it. I was nothing but a toy to them." Her voice broke as tears gathered in her eyes.

"I wanted to live then, and I want to live now." She wrapped her arms around herself, her shoulders trembling.

"Please, help me."

I blinked as I looked away, my fist tightening at my side.

As much as I pitied her and wanted to save her life, I wasn't going to give up Raina for her, not even in a billion years.

I would tie her wrists and toss her to Gotham if that was the only way to keep Raina safe without a second thought.

Raina was my priority.

I loved that woman.

Fortunately, we had other options now. We had twenty-four hours to play Gotham's game and beat him at it.

"I think there's a way out." I tapped my fingers against my thigh as I thought it through. "And that's killing Gotham before he gets the chance to hurt anyone else." I straightened, drawing everyone's attention.

"But I need you, Melissa. I need you to tell me all you know about him."

She shifted in her seat, her gaze darting around the room.

"What properties does he own? Where do you think he has taken her?" I asked, watching her closely.

"There are a lot of properties he owns," she admitted, her fingers twisting together.

"But there's a particular old warehouse where he imprisons his rivals." She lifted her gaze, as though searching her memory.

"The address sent is close to an abandoned warehouse the Senate used to keep firearms." Theodore leaned forward, his attention sharpening.

"If Raina is there, then we have to go rescue her," Aaron interjected, rising from his seat.

"We will," I assured him, holding his gaze.

"But barging into Gotham's turf just like that will put Raina in more danger."

"We will need a distraction." My eyes drifted toward Melissa's son, who was sleeping on the couch.

"We will have to give him Melissa's son."

"No." She recoiled immediately. "You can't... He... I might never see him again." Her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes widening in horror.

"We have to." I kept my gaze fixed on her. "That's the only way we get to his turf unnoticed." I held up a hand before she could argue, leaving no room for debate.


I loaded my pistol as Theodore gave orders to Raina's men.

The plan was to keep little Jeremy here with me and Melissa while Theodore went with the gang to rescue Raina.

They engaged with him more easily than I expected. He used to be their boss, after all.

"Are you ready? It's only an hour left," I asked, already tense.

Theodore nodded and gestured to the armed men.

They got into their vehicles and drove away.

I was meant to take Melissa and her son to the address Gotham's people had sent while Aaron and my men stayed back at the Moranno mansion.

Our plan was solid, but for some reason, I felt a familiar ache in my chest.

The feeling that always consumed me whenever I was about to lose something dear.

Shaking off the thought, I turned to Melissa.

"We have to go now," I urged, glancing toward the road.

She lowered her gaze, her arms tightening around her son.

"You both are going to be safe, I promise. This is the only way out," I reassured her.

She nodded as she wiped away a tear from her face.

I opened the car door and watched them get in.

Entering the driver's seat, I ignited the engine.

We drove in silence, my grip firm on the steering wheel, her face turned toward the passenger-side window.

But then I noticed her shifting, her hand moving toward the side where her handbag was.

She turned to me before quickly looking back out the window, her breathing becoming noticeably louder.

Her uneasiness made me bring the car to an abrupt stop.

"Are you okay?" I asked, studying her.

"I... How can I be?" she murmured, her fingers tightening around her handbag.

"How can I be okay while knowing I might end up in his possession again?" she continued, her voice trembling.

"I'm scared of dying. I'm scared of losing my son."

I sighed, unsure of what to say.

"I'm only trying to help you. I am a father, and I know how much you desperately want to protect your son," I told her, softening my voice.

"I promise you will walk away, but you have to trust me first," I assured her.

She forced a smile and wiped the tears from her face.

"Thank you," she whispered, her gaze lowered.

Looking straight ahead, I tried to ignite the engine again.

But then, from the corner of my eye, I caught her rushing at me, a sharp sting spreading through my neck almost immediately.

"What the fuck!" I exclaimed, turning toward her.

She was holding a syringe, the drug already emptied.

She injected me.

The bitch injected me.

My lips parted as my hands fell from my neck. They had suddenly become too heavy.

"What the fuck have you done?" I demanded, my eyes widening as the realization hit me.

My vision suddenly blurred, my eyelids growing heavy as my breath hitched and my head began to pound.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, but I won't put my son in danger," she muttered, her face remaining hard.

Her hand moved to my side of the car, and the door clicked open.

I looked helplessly as she pushed me out, my body falling roughly onto the cold road as every part of me went completely numb.

My heart drummed against my rib cage, my eyes struggling to stay open.

"I'm leaving the country tonight. I'm really sorry."

Those were the last words I heard before the car's engine roared.

With a loud screech, she reversed and drove away, leaving me partly paralyzed in the middle of nowhere.