Page 56 of Kidnapped By the Mafia

He opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out, just a strangled gasp as he realizes the gravity of his situation.

“Start talking,” I say, my voice low, cold as ice. “Tell me where she is, or I’ll make sure you never speak again.”

“How did you find me?” he asks.

I punch him in the face. “Talk.”

The cop gulps, his gaze darting nervously between me and Jake. He knows he’s out of options, knows that his only chance at survival is to give me what I want. But he also knows that I’m not in the mood for games.

I can see the calculation in his eyes, the realization that his life is worth nothing to me if he doesn’t deliver.

“She’s in a shipping container,” he stammers, his voice trembling. “Pier twelve. Ready to be shipped out to one of Albrecht’s brothels. The shipping firm thought you were dead, thought Albrecht had already taken over.”

The words hit me like a sledgehammer, but I don’t let it show. I keep my expression blank, my gaze locked on his. Inside, though, I’m seething, the thought of Emily trapped in that container, alone and terrified, fueling the rage that’s been building since I found out she was taken.

The cop’s gaze flickers nervously to Jake, as if seeking some kind of reassurance, but Jake’s expression is as hard and unreadable as mine. “I gave you what you wanted,” the cop pleads, his voice desperate now. “I told you everything.”

I step forward, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. My mind is racing, the pieces of the puzzle falling into place. The cop has given me the address of the shipping container, the place where Emily is being held.

I can go there, try to save her directly, or I can walk into the meeting with Albrecht and end him once and for all.

But if I make the wrong move, if I choose wrong, I could lose her.

I stare down at the cop, my decision already made. There’s no mercy in my gaze, no compassion. He played a part in this, betrayed me and led Emily into danger. And there’s only one way this ends for him.

“No loose ends,” I say, my voice cold and final.

I grab the cop by the collar, pressing a gun to his forehead. The man’s pleas for mercy bounce off me as I pull the trigger. One more loose end squared away.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions inside me. The fear, the rage, the love—all of it is pushing me toward one inevitable conclusion. I’m going to end this, and I’m going to bring Emily back, no matter what it takes.

I can feel the seconds slipping away, each one a reminder that Emily is out there, in danger, and I’m the only one who can save her.

Two paths, each with its own risks, each with its own consequences. And the wrong choice could mean losing everything.

I stare down at the gun in my hand. This isn’t just a battle for territory or power. This is about Emily. About love. About something I never thought I’d have, something I never thought I deserved. But now, with the woman I love in mortal danger, I realize just how much I have to lose.

A part of me wants to tear that shipping container open with my bare hands and pull her out of this nightmare. But I know Albrecht too well.

I know this is a trap, that he’s counting on me to act on emotion, to make a mistake. And if I do, if I walk into this without thinking, I might never get the chance to tell her how much she means to me. How much I love her.

The word feels foreign, strange, even in the privacy of my own mind. Love. It’s not something I’ve allowed myself to feel for years. Not since…

No.

I shove the memories back, focus on the present. On Emily. She’s the one who’s cracked the armor I’ve built around myself, the one who’s made me feel something other than cold, calculated control.

And that’s what makes this decision so damned hard.

Jake reappears in the doorway, his expression unreadable, but I can see the concern in his eyes. He’s waiting for my command, ready to follow me into hell if that’s what it takes. But he knows, just as I do, that this isn’t just about strategy or power. This is personal.

“What’s the plan?” Jake asks, his voice steady, but I can hear the undercurrent of tension.

I take a deep breath, forcing the whirlwind of emotions to settle. I have to think clearly, have to make the right choice. “I’m going to end this,” I say, the words coming out calm, controlled, even though inside, I’m anything but. “Albrecht dies tonight.”

Jake nods, his loyalty unwavering, but I can see the worry in his eyes. “And Emily?”

The question hangs in the air, heavy with the weight of what it means. I can’t let her down. I can’t let her suffer because of my mistakes. But I know that if I go after her directly, I could be walking into a trap.

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