Xavier~
"Are you ready, Jacqueline?" I teased James, unable to resist the opportunity since he was dressed like a woman.
"Don't play with me, Xavier; otherwise, I will punch your handsome face, turning it blue." He angrily gritted his teeth, his voice unusually high-pitched to match his disguise.
"Don't be too harsh on your delicate hands, Jacqueline." I smirked, taking his hand and running my thumb over it.
"Bella, ask this bastard to stop teasing me; otherwise, I will kick him in his main part, and he will not be able to fulfill Alan's desire!" James shot Bella an irritated look.
"Stop it, Xavier. How can you make fun of him in such a risky situation? You know that what James is going to do is not a simple task," Bella scolded, her expression deadly serious.
"I know, my sweetheart, but he looks so gorgeous in this attire that I can't hold myself back from flirting with him. Trust me, Bella, if he were a woman, I'd propose to him right now." I burst into laughter as I glanced at James' fake assets."
"Shut up; I only changed my attire. I'm still a boy on the inside," James growled, grabbing me by the neck in mock anger.
"Bella, please help." I threw her a pleading look as James tightened his hold.
"Can you guys please stop it? I'm already nervous about my plan; if someone saw us like this, they would doubt us!" Bella snapped, her stern tone cutting through our antics. Seeing her serious face, James and I exchanged glances and sat straight in our seats.
It was her idea to catch Jonathan in Italy. I hadn't wanted to encourage her stubbornness at first, but when she refused to return to the United States, I had no choice but to give in to her demands. She insisted that I tell her about Jonathan's weakness, just as I had told her about Jordan. After learning that Jonathan's weakness was sleeping with a different woman every night, she devised this audacious strategy.
When we revealed our true purpose for visiting Italy to the Italian police, they agreed to assist us. Jonathan was the most sought-after criminal in Europe, but his web of influence had always kept him beyond their reach.
"Jacqueline, I wish you all the best. Jonathan is about to enter the club." Bella spotted Jonathan entering his private club and motioned for James to get out of the car.
We had received additional information about Jonathan from the Italian police, including the club's address. The authorities knew much about Jonathan, but they had never been able to touch him because they lacked solid evidence.
James walked confidently into the club, but my pulse raced as I thought about what Jonathan would do to him if he discovered the truth. Bella was composed, her calm demeanor unwavering even in such a perilous situation.
"Xavier, don't be so tense; I have full confidence in James that he will succeed in this plan." Bella's self-assured voice cut through my inner monologue, but I couldn't understand how she could be so calm.
Despite witnessing Jonathan's brutality, she maintains her courage. The way she first challenged Jordan Lucas and now faces Jonathan head-on is truly remarkable.
"But it was taking too long." My eyes flicked to my watch as my unease grew. "It's too late now; why hasn't James come out of the club? I think I should go in and check," I muttered, already moving to open the car door.
"You must not enter the club, Xavier, or else our strategy will fail," Bella said sharply, grabbing my hand to stop me.
"But what if James needs our help? What if Jonathan has already recognized him?" Bella, sitting in this car makes every second feel like an eternity. My voice cracked under the weight of my worry.
"Calm down. I've already set an alert on his wristwatch; he'll press it if he needs our assistance."
Her assurance did little to quiet my nerves. James just had to unlock the club's back entrance covertly for the Italian police to capture Jonathan. This time, the goal was to apprehend Jonathan so quietly that none of his team members could gather any information or mount a rescue. Every time the police had tried to catch him before, Jonathan's armed guards had killed the officers, ensuring his escape.
Suddenly, Bella's wristwatch beeped with a flashing red light. Her face paled.
"Oh no, Xavier, we have to go there; James is in danger," she said, her voice trembling.
"Bella, please wait here while I enter the club." I didn't want to endanger her life.
"I can't leave you alone, Xavier," she insisted, her determination as strong as ever.
We entered the club through the hidden door that James had previously unlocked for the Italian police. Inside, the dim lights and pounding music created an unsettling atmosphere. My eyes darted around, searching for any sign of James or Jonathan.
To our immense relief, Italian authorities had already taken Jonathan into custody. He was being escorted out, and his expression smug despite the situation.
Sitting on Jonathan's lavish bed, James flashed a cheeky grin.
"If you weren't in danger, why did you press that button?" I growled, narrowing my eyes at him.
"I just wanted to make sure the alarm was functioning," James replied mischievously, his grin widening.
I clenched my fists, my frustration boiling over.
"Can't you see Bella has a fractured leg?" I punched him lightly in the chest.
"Ouch, sorry, but I didn't think you'd bring her inside the club," James said, casting a regretful glance at Bella.
A voice interrupted our exchange.
"So you were responsible for all of this, Xavier?"
We turned to see Jonathan glaring at us as the police forced him into their vehicle.
"Yes, we assisted them in apprehending you, and you will shortly face consequences for what you did to Laila," Bella said, her voice steady as her fiery gaze locked on his.
Jonathan chuckled, the sound low and menacing.
"You don't know me, sweetie, and no jail in the world can ever hold me. You have no idea what my brother will do to you once he hears about this."
His words sent a shiver down my spine. The disgust in his laugh made my stomach churn.
"I'm not afraid of your threats, Jonathan," Bella snapped, clenching her fists tightly.
I placed a hand over hers, trying to calm her.
"Don't mess with him, Bella. We need to deal with him solely in court."
But deep down, Jonathan's words rattled me. I had dealt with the threats of the Lucas family before, but something about this encounter was different. The fire of vengeance in Jonathan's eyes lingered in my mind long after the police car disappeared into the distance.