Page 58 of Beautiful Vows

“I am. And I promise I’ll keep my distance.”

“I’m going to have some bodyguards stay with you. Protect you so you do what you can from the boat with no one obstructing you.” I point to where the boat will be positioned just before we rescue Rafe. There’s a good chance the captor already has boats lined up for a quick escape.

Outside the window, the world rushes by in a blur of muted greens and browns to one side, to the other a sparkling blue ocean, but the landscape is a simple afterthought as we hurtle towards our aim.

The occasional crackle of radio chatter and updates from the ground team mix with the dull roar of the engine, which only ratchets the tension higher.

I exhale deeply.

Time seems to have slowed to a crawl, each second stretching into an eternity as we draw closer to our destination.

The weight of the unknown bears down on me. If it wasn’t my brother we were rescuing, I’d be feeling like Mateo right now, ready to unleash, but there’s a suffocating presence that smothers me because I know there’s no room for mistakes.

We have to show we protect what is ours at all costs. Although we may be leaders, we’re not afraid to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty.

We’re soldiers and ready to risk our lives for the sake of our family—and our legacy.

As the helicopter banks sharply, the world tilting on its axis, I glimpse Lia’s face.

Her eyes are alight with a fierce energy, her jaw set in a defiant line that speaks of her steadfast courage. I’m in awe of her, but I’m also terrified by her nerve and her determination.

A fleeting thought crosses my mind—what if this is the last time I see her, the last time I gaze upon her beauty? The mere notion sends a lance of icy dread through my heart.

I want to beg her not to get involved, but I know she’ll refuse. She wants to do this for Rafe and Cade... for me too, so I forcefully push it aside and beat down my pounding heart.

The helicopter banks again, and suddenly, our destination looms before us.

Rafe is being held in an old boathouse which has corrugated metal entwined with concrete walls and a metal rooftop.

As I turn to Lia, our eyes meet, and I smile. She returns it. And it’s in that single, intense moment that a thousand unspoken words pass between us, revealing the depth of our adoration.

But I can’t leave without telling her. I pull her close and whisper, “I love you. Be careful.”

“And you too.” She smiles. “Love you.”

Romeo stares at us. “What the fuck?”

I wink at him. “You know what these Bailey girls are like. You can’t forget them.” I don’t know if Antonio has told his sons exactly who Lia is. But it’s also not my place to get involved.

With a sharp nod, I tear my gaze away from Romeo, refocusing on the task at hand. It’s time to bring my brother home, and exact vengeance on those who dared to take him.

As the helicopter begins its descent, the blades kicking up a maelstrom of dust; I feel a strange calm settle over me. The fear and the uncertainty fade into insignificance, now replaced by a singular purpose of bringing my brother home, no matter the cost.

My cell dings with a message. I open the attachment and immediately gag at the photo of my brother naked from the waist up with blood drenching his torso.

My phone dings again with a message:

Unknown: I’m going to torture him for two more days and then you can come and get him.

“Fuck!” I yell and pass my phone around for everyone to see it.

“Let me get the bastard who did this,” my father growls. “He won’t die quickly.”

When my phone is returned, I glance again at the photo as fear skittles down my spine. But I try to push it to the back of my mind when the helicopter comes into land around one mile from the boathouse near to the sea.

Just as I take hold of Lia’s hand, ready to assist her out of the copter, the jarring sound of my phone interrupts us. I hit the answer and yell, “You bastard!”

“Dante.”

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