Page 80 of Keeping My Captive

“That’s what you really want?” her father questions, standing.

I close my eyes for a moment and nod, unable to even voice the lie again. Just the thought of never seeing Aria again makes me feel like my entire world is falling apart. But the truth of the matter is, I have to let her go. I love her too much to make her wait for me. I want her to live a good life, and this is the only way for her to have it.

The alarm on my heart monitor begins beeping out of control behind me. “I want her to be free of me and all the bad memories of our time together,” I tell him. My blood pressure is going through the roof with every lie I tell myself and her father. And then, I decide to tell him the truth. “I don’t want this kind of life for her.”

“You love her that much?” he prompts.

My eyes snap to his. He sees right through my bullshit. “I do,” I confess. “I love her so much that I’m willing to let her go. To let her be happy without me.”

His brows furrow as he stands there, thinking, deciding. On what? I don’t know. But then he asks me, “Do you remember where The Island is?”

I’m taken aback by his question and the sudden change in direction, but I tell him, “I’m sure I could figure it out.”

He nods and considers my words for a few moments. “What if I told you that information was invaluable to the FBI, and I managed to secure you a plea deal that would let you walk away from all of this a free man?”

I stare at him before I burst out laughing. “There is no way you pulled that many strings.”

Mr. Vitale takes a few steps towards me. “What if I told you I pulled every fucking string I could for the sake of my daughter and her happiness?”

The laughter dies in my throat. His face and tone are so serious. Could what he says be true? “How? What would I have to give up?” There has to be a catch. A big one.

“Would you give up your life for my daughter?” he asks.

“In a heartbeat,” I say without hesitating.

“Then that is what they require. Your life — past and present and future. After the deal is made, you would cease to exist. The records will indicate that you died in that raid on your uncle’s home.” He takes one more step until he’s right beside my bed, staring down at me with narrowed eyes. “You give them everything they want, including your drug suppliers, traffickers, warehouses, and the location of The Island. Then you and Aria can be together, if that’s what she still wants.” He turns and walks away. “I’ll give you a little while to decide,” he calls over his shoulder before leaving the room.

I stare after him in stunned silence. There’s a way to be with Aria…but only if I give up my entire life for her. My worst fear has been exactly this — losing the empire that I built from the ground up. It will all have been for nothing. Everything that I worked so hard for and fought for over the years will be taken and seized by the American government.

On one hand, I’d be losing my identity, my power, and my empire. But on the other hand, I would be gaining the most important thing in the world to me.

The choice is easy.

Too damn easy.

And so, when her father returns a half an hour later, I have my mind made up…with one small stipulation.

“There’s one thing I need to do before I agree to this,” I tell him. “And then I can be out for good. Mateo Navarro can die after I finish what needs to be done.”

“And what is the one thing?” Mr. Vitale questions.

“Retribution,” I tell him.

Aria’s father slowly nods. “Okay,” he agrees.

CHAPTER60

Mateo

THE DOCTORS WERE amazed with my progress. I should have been bedridden from the bullet wounds I suffered for weeks. But with the promise of revenge coursing through my veins, leading me to my end goal — being with Aria again — it gave me the strength I needed to strive toward a fast recovery. I only laid in bed for four days before I began grueling physical therapy to get me back into shape. If I was going to accomplish what I wanted, I would need to be in top form.

And two weeks later, I’m finally ready. I’m making my last stance as Mateo Navarro. And then, after today, he will no longer exist.

When I stroll into Domingo’s house on a beautiful, sunny morning, I have a smile on my face. I’m not smiling because I’m happy. No, I’m smiling because vengeance has finally been able to rear its ugly head after all these years and the day for retribution is upon us.

My uncle is sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast. I’m sure his morning went as normal as possible. He probably woke up a couple of hours ago, brushed his teeth, maybe took a shit, read the newspaper and then came downstairs for a meal consisting of over-easy eggs, bacon and fresh squeezed orange juice.

When his gaze rises and rests upon me, I watch in amusement as his face grows pale like he’s just seen a fucking ghost. “M-Mateo,” he stutters in disbelief. “What the hell are you doing here?”

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