Chapter 25
Augusto
“What the fuck happened, Rocco?” I bark over the phone.
“Mrs. Vitale’s been taken. I heard her scream, and when I got to the front door, Aldo was unconscious, and a white van sped away. I tried to catch up to them, but they disappeared.”
The blow to my heart and fucking soul is more crippling than when I got the news that Riccardo had been shot. I stagger a step backward, shaking my head as the shock flays me raw. “No,” I hiss as the world is ripped from under my feet.
“I’m sorry, boss. I just got back to the house from trying to find the van,” Rocco says, “I see Aldo’s conscious. Let me ask him what happened.”
“Give him the fucking phone,” I growl, my entire body shaking as I fear for Yuki’s life.
It takes seconds too long before I hear Aldo say, “Hey, boss. It was an Asian guy. He wore a delivery uniform and had the groceries Mrs. Vitale ordered.”
“How the fuck did he get past you?” I shout, rage burning through me like an uncontrollable wildfire.
“I was caught off guard.”
“You better stay out of my way until I find my wife,” I growl.
I end the call and begin to run out of the warehouse while dialing Rosie’s number.
“Augusto!” I hear Lorenzo shout from behind me. “What’s wrong?”
I indicate for him to come with me, and when Rosie answers, I say, “Someone kidnapped Yuki from my house. They are driving a white van. Find her.”
“Jesus,” she gasps, and I hear her typing like crazy. “Give me a few minutes to access any CCTV cameras near your place.”
We end the call, and when I reach the SUV, I slam my fist against the roof, shouting, “Fuuuuuck!”
“What happened?” Lorenzo asks as he catches up to me, worry etched deep into his face.
I meet his eyes, and as it hits me square in the chest that I might lose Yuki, I can only gasp through the pain it causes before I groan, “They have Yuki.” I suck in a desperate breath, pressing my hand to my chest. “The fuckers have my wife.”
His face goes slack with shock. “Christ, Augusto.” He grabs hold of my shoulder and locks eyes with me. “We’re going to get her back. Have you called Rosie?”
“Yes. She’s hacking the CCTV cameras around my house.”
I glance over all the warehouses, feeling fucking powerless as I try to think of what I can do to get my wife back.
They have my little shapeshifter.
Jesus.
As my mind races to come up with a plan, I realize what Yuki means to me.
I love her.
My eyes drift shut from the intense emotion surging through me.
I love her more than I’ve ever loved anything.
When I open my eyes again, everything inside me stills so I can focus on finding my wife, and opening the SUV’s door, I get in. “Let’s go, Lorenzo.”
He runs around the front of the vehicle and climbs in behind the steering wheel. “Where are we going?”
“Home to gather all the men. I want them ready for war the instant Rosie finds out where Yuki was taken.” As Lorenzo steers us away from the warehouse, I dial Dad’s number.
“Hi, son.”
“I need you, Uncle Milo, and Uncle Marcello. Yuki’s been kidnapped. Come to my house with any men you can spare.”
I hear Dad suck in a deep breath, then he growls, “On my way.”
Lorenzo sends out an alert to all our men, then focuses on the road again, which feels twice as long before we reach my house.
Dad and my uncles are already waiting for us, armed to the teeth.
When my eyes land on Aldo, who has an ice pack pressed to the side of his head, my temper flares dangerously high.
“Sorry, boss,” he says as I stalk toward him, and when he realizes he fucked up for a second time today by not listening to me, fear flits over his face.
Pulling my arm back, I punch the shit out of him, and as he goes down, I follow.
I grab hold of his shirt and slam my fist into his face until Dad hauls me off of him.
“That’s enough, son. We need to find Yuki.”
As Rocco helps Aldo up, I growl, “Get him out of my fucking sight.”
I stalk into the house and go straight for the whiskey, pouring myself a finger and tossing it down my throat.
Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I dial Rosie’s number while I walk to the foyer, prowling up and down to burn some of the restless energy surging through my body.
“Hey, I’m still tracking the van,” she tells me immediately when she answers the call.
“In which direction did they go?”
“Toward Brooklyn.”
Suddenly, the front door opens, and the instant I see Yuki, the air explodes from me. I drop my phone and shoot forward.
“I can explain,” she says right before I grab hold of her, squashing her to my chest.
Just as her soft scent hits my nostrils, my eyes lock on the man coming in behind her.
In one fluent move, I shove my wife behind and pull my gun from the holster.
“Nooooo!” Yuki screams, darting in front of me. I’m stunned out of my fucking mind when she takes hold of my wrists, pushing my arm down. “He’s my brother. Ryo. He thought I needed saving and came to get me.”
It takes a moment for her words to get through the rage that’s still tearing me apart inside.
“He’s my brother,” she repeats. “You can’t kill each other. Please!”
My fingers flex around the gun’s handle as my eyes snap to Ryo Tanaka. “You took my fucking wife and dare to show your face?”
“My sister,” he growls, taking a step closer to Yuki.
“NoNoNoNo,” Yuki presses her hand to my chest while holding her other up toward Ryo. “Please. Calm down so we can talk. Don’t get violent.”
“Augusto,” Dad says from behind me as he takes my gun from me.
That’s fine, I can kill the fucker with my bare hands.
Yuki
The last time I saw the brutal look on Augusto’s face was when he killed Masaki and Kentaro and had me in the hangar.
I give Mr. Vitale a thankful look for taking Augusto’s gun, and when I look into my husband’s dark eyes, shivers rush down my spine.
“You can’t hurt each other without hurting me. You both want what’s best for me. Please, let’s talk,” I beg, standing between the two men I love most in the world.
Finally, my words seem to get through to Augusto, and when his eyes lower to my face, I see the hell he’s been put through, thinking I’ve been kidnapped.
He grabs hold of my arm and yanks me back against his chest, his arms forming steel bands of safety around me. The armored vest he’s wearing feels hard, and I wish I could feel his body’s warmth.
“Christ.” His breaths turn ragged, and his body shudders. “You’re back.” He pulls a few inches away and frames my face, his eyes burning over every inch of me. “I have you back.” Then I’m hauled back into a tight hug.
I brush my hand over his hair, giving him time to calm down. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Mine,” he growls, his tone unforgiving and possessive.
When I look up, his eyes are fixed on Ryo with cold, lethal focus. I glance over my shoulder, and seeing the fury carving sharp lines into my brother’s features sends my mind racing for a way to defuse the volatile situation.
Ryo steps closer, and it has Augusto’s arm tightening even more around me.
“You almost killed my sister and forced her to marry you,” Ryo says, his tone deceptively calm.
“Stop!” I snap, turning in Augusto’s arms so I can face my brother. “I told you I was disguised as a man.”
Ignoring me, Ryo keeps his eyes locked with Augusto’s. “Yuki’s told me you’ve been good to her, but I want to hear from you why I should leave my sister with you.”
“Because you don’t have a fucking choice,” Augusto growls, his voice carrying so much danger that the tiny hairs on the back of my neck rise.
Suddenly, they both move at the same time. Augusto pushes me behind him in a protective move, and lunging forward, his fist slams into Ryo’s jaw.
I let out a shriek as Augusto and Ryo go into full-blown fighting mode, and desperate to make them stop, I dart forward.
“Yuki!” I hear Mr. Vitale shout, and as he grabs hold of my arm, Ryo’s fist slams into the side of my head while Augusto’s elbow connects with my throat.
I’m lifted from my feet and swung away from danger, while Mr. Vitale snaps, “That’s enough! You’re hurting Yuki with this pissing contest.”
I press my fingers to my temple, where a throbbing starts, while gagging from the blow to my throat.
When both men rush toward me, Mr. Vitale barks, “Look what you’ve done!”
My father-in-law ushers me into the kitchen, and grabbing a pack of frozen corn from the freezer, he gently holds it to the side of my head and leans down to look into my eyes.
“Are you okay?”
I nod, and glancing at Augusto and Ryo, it upsets the crap out of me when I see the bruises on their faces.
I shake my head, my breaths bursting over my lips.
“Yesterday, I got to go on my first date, and I had an amazing night.” I gasp to get air into my lungs.
“And today my brother returns after eleven long years. This is supposed to be the happiest time of my life, and all you two want to do is fight.” When it looks like Augusto is going to say something, I silence him with a glare.
“My whole life, I’ve had to do what others want.
Today, that changes. You will make peace because it’s what I want.
I don’t care how. Suck it up and deal with your anger. ”
Guilt settles over their faces as they both stare at me.
I scowl at Ryo. “Augusto married me so he could give me a better life, and he has been the most wonderful husband to me.” My expression darkens as I look at Augusto.
“I told you how much I miss Ryo. He didn’t know I was happy.
He heard I was forced to get married and came to rescue me.
” A frustrated and tired sigh leaves me, and my shoulders sag.
“You’re the two most important men in my life, and watching you rip each other apart is breaking my heart. ”
Silence falls heavy over the kitchen as I catch my breath, but then they side-eye each other as if they’re enemies, and I scream, “Make peace right now!”
Reluctantly, they look at each other before they shake hands.
I know it’s not as easy as that, but it’s a start.
Augusto moves closer to me, and brushing his fingers over my throat, he shakes his head before he pulls me into a gentle hug. “I’m sorry, my love.”
I burrow closer to his chest and close my eyes, taking a minute so my chaotic emotions can settle.
His hand rubs up and down my back while he presses soft kisses to the side of my head. “Are you okay? How’s your head and throat?”
“Fine,” I mumble. “I just need a moment.”
“Sorry, Yuki,” I hear Ryo say. “I didn’t mean to hit you.”
I don’t leave the safety of Augusto’s arms as I glance at my brother. “It’s okay. I jumped in the way.”
Augusto looks at his dad from over my head. “I think everything is under control. I’ll handle the rest. Thanks for coming, Dad.”
“Just call if you need me.” As Mr. Vitale leaves the kitchen, I hear him say, “Lorenzo, pour them a drink and make sure Yuki doesn’t get hurt if they go at each other again.”
“Will do, Uncle Franco.”
When it’s just the three of us, I pull away from Augusto and gesture at the island. “Sit so we can talk.”
While the men take seats on opposite sides of the island, I begin making coffee. After I tasted whiskey last night, I’m never touching it again. It tasted like gasoline.
Soon, Lorenzo comes in with three drinks, and I tell him, “You can have mine. I’m having coffee.”
He hands a tumbler to each of the men and goes to stand by the window, so he can be nearby in case things get out of hand again.
Once I have my coffee, I take a seat between the men and sip on the warm beverage.
Augusto is the first to speak, saying, “Yuki isn’t going anywhere.”
Ryo drinks some of the whiskey, then asks, “Why should she stay with you?” He glances around the kitchen. “Once I take over from my father, I can give her a home, protection…whatever she needs.”
Making a scoffing sound, Augusto shakes his head.
“Once? My protection and taking care of her every need isn’t a maybe.
It’s a fucking priority, which I’m actively seeing to every fucking day.
” He slams his tumbler down on the marble top and drops go flying into the air.
“Try to take the woman I love from me. I fucking dare you.”
My eyes go wide as saucers as I gape at Augusto, and my tone is filled with stunned wonder as I gasp, “Woman you love?”
His gaze flicks to me, and instantly his features soften. Getting up, he closes the distance between us, and framing my face, he presses a tender kiss to my mouth before murmuring, “I love you, my little shapeshifter.”
A smile spreads over my face as I stare at him, my heart filling with more warmth than it’s able to contain.