Marco froze at the doorway. The pool of blood was thick, dark against the polished floor, but the body wasn't Chelsea's.
Relief hit him fast, but it didn't calm the pulse hammering in his neck. Whoever the lifeless man was, his throat had been slit clean—the blood trail smeared toward the back exit of the store. Chelsea was gone.
"Merda," Marco muttered, pulling out his phone.
Xavier answered on the first ring. "Talk."
"She's gone," Marco said quickly. "Someone took her. Left a dead man in the dressing room."
For a moment, there was only silence on the other end. Then Xavier's voice, cold and sharp. "Lock down the store. Nobody leaves. I'll be there in ten minutes."
*****
Chelsea woke up with a sharp sting in her arm. She tried to move, but her hands were tied behind her back, rope digging into her skin. The air was damp, heavy with the stench of metal and oil—a warehouse.
She blinked, forcing her vision to focus. Shadows loomed, three men standing around a table cluttered with knives, bottles, and cigarette butts. Their voices were low, but she caught fragments.
"—Orders were clear. Bring her alive."
"Boss won't like we left a body."
"She'll fetch more leverage than we thought."
Her stomach sank. Leverage. They knew who Xavier was.
One of them noticed her stirring. He stepped closer, tall, scar slashed across his cheek. "Awake, sunshine?" He smirked, mocking Xavier's pet name for her. "Your boyfriend's about to pay a very high price."
Chelsea bit her tongue, refusing to show fear. If she broke down now, they'd eat her alive.
*******
By the time Xavier arrived at the boutique, the scene was sealed off. His men had dragged the dead body into a corner. Marco stood stiff, jaw clenched.
"They planned this," Marco said. "The cut on the throat—it was professional. She didn't just slip away. They knew who they were taking."
Xavier's eyes narrowed. His hands flexed at his sides, though his voice stayed steady. "How long?"
"Ten minutes, maybe fifteen since she disappeared."
Xavier's control cracked just enough for his fist to slam against the wall, the sound echoing through the store. Everyone froze.
"She was under my watch," Marco added, guilt thick in his voice.
"She was under my protection," Xavier corrected, his tone colder than ice. He turned toward Salvatore. "Find them. I don't care if you tear this city apart brick by brick."
Salvatore nodded and left without a word.
Chelsea tested the ropes, twisting her wrists against the coarse fiber. The more she moved, the deeper it burned. But panic wasn't an option. If Xavier had taught her anything, it was that fear never won battles.
The scar-faced man crouched down in front of her, tilting her chin up with the edge of a knife. "Pretty little thing. Shame you got caught up with a devil like him."
Chelsea glared. "You think kidnapping me makes you stronger than him? He'll find me. And when he does, you won't have a throat left to gloat with."
The man chuckled, but his eyes flickered, uncertain, just for a second. He stood, muttering to his companions.
********
Xavier sat in the back of the SUV, staring out at the streets of Spain. The city looked calm, ordinary, as if Chelsea wasn't out there somewhere with wolves circling her.
"She'll be fine," Marco said quietly.
Xavier's jaw tensed. "You don't know that."
He leaned forward, voice low, dangerous. "She thinks she's not scared of me. She doesn't understand I'm the one thing keeping her alive. If they touch her, Marco—" His words cut off, but the promise in his silence was deadly.
Marco didn't reply. He didn't need to.
******
Chelsea's chance came fast. One of the men stepped outside to answer a call, leaving the other two arguing by the table. Their backs were turned.
She twisted again, harder this time, ignoring the burn. With a sharp pull, the rope loosened just enough. Her wrists slipped free. Her hands were raw and red, but free.
She scanned the floor. A shard of glass lay near her boot. She shifted slowly, grabbed it, and slipped it up her sleeve.
When Scarface turned back, she slumped, pretending to be bound.
"You're quiet," he said, stepping closer again.
Chelsea let him lean in, knife pressing against her skin. Then, in one swift motion, she drove the glass into his thigh.
He roared, collapsing back. Chelsea bolted for the door.
But she didn't make it far. The second man grabbed her by the hair, yanking her back hard.
She clawed, kicked, screamed, but his grip was iron. He slammed her against the wall, his hand crushing her throat.
"Stupid girl," he spat
She was locked in a room with no window for another escape to be planned, still holding onto her bruised neck her thoughts lingered to Xavier. She was kidnapped because of him, it was all his fault. The rackling of the door brought her back to reality
"I'm sorry about what he did to you", one of the calmest men among the others said showing sympathy, " you shouldn't have tried to escape"
"What do you plan to do to me?", her voice shaky
"We just need to come to terms with Xavier and we'd have you released", placing a plate of food on the bed he turned to leave.
******
"Passports, a safe pass outside the country and $500 million cash" meet our requirements and we'd have your little girl returned to you safely
"Requirements? I don't take orders- I give them", with this Xavier ended the call. He smashed the phone against the wall, he was furious, days had passed and it was still impossible to pin point the kidnappers.
At the kidnapper's hideout…..
"He's not yeilding", Scarface said placing the phone down on the table where the rest sat
"He will sooner or later", the other one blurted out
"Should we cut off her ear and deliver to his door step?", Scarface suggested removing his knife
"You promised not to hurt her, you said no blood but you killed the man", the calmest said stammering
"Because he saw our faces", we need to make an escape before we are caught and taken back to prison
"Let's send a piece of her to him", the three men nodded agreeing to Scarface's suggestion, everyone except from the calmest
Finding his way to her room, he provided her with money and a key to the back door.
"You need to leave now", the calmest saying almost in a whisper
"What is happening", she had a lot of questions that needed answers but her feet were already in motion
"I never wanted this, I got locked up because they spilled blood when I told them not to, you need to leave now if not they'd kill you in the end", dragging her hand he led her out of the room
"Come with me, let's run away together", she cared for him "what is your name?
"Diego", he responded.
And that was the moment the doors burst open
Xavier's men flooded the warehouse like a storm. Gunfire cracked through the air. Chelsea and Diego dropped to the floor as bullets tore past them, men growling followed afterwards
Then silence