Chapter Forty-One
Rylan
It’s been three days. Three days since I awoke wrapped around Savannah’s beautiful body, her warmth pressed against me as if it was the only thing tethering me to reality. Three days since we had brunch together, the mundane act transformed into something extraordinary because of her laugh, her smile, the way she looked at me like I was the gravity holding her together. Three days since the reality of our relationship shifted, and I realized she owns every piece of my heart and soul.
Three days since she was stolen from me. The memory of her is both a balm and a curse, the thought of her laughter a cruel echo against the silence I’ve been left with. My mind replays every moment, every missed sign, searching for what I could have done differently. But regret has no place here—not now. Regret won’t bring her back. Only action will.
Now, I’m consumed with a singular purpose: I will kill anyone who touches her. Everyone involved in taking her away from me will die a painful death.
I would give anything to rewind time, to freeze that morning and never leave the house without her by my side. But there’s no undoing the choices I made that have led to the circumstances we find ourselves in now. Regret is a useless companion, and I’ve traded it in favor of rage—a cold, calculated fury that drives me forward.
We’ve been working nonstop since the moment I alerted Declan about Savannah’s kidnapping. The second I hung up, I tried to contact the pilot of my family’s jet, desperate to get back home as soon as possible. He didn’t answer. My calls to the company he worked for led nowhere; they hadn’t heard from him since he reported completing the flight that brought Savannah and me to the coastal airport over a week ago. That’s when the first puzzle piece fell into place—a piece I wish had remained hidden.
Declan immediately reached out to his source—a man I’ve since learned is one of our own, embedded deep within the Castillo Famiglia. This source has been feeding Declan information about Castillos’ operations for months, a silent guardian in the shadows. But when Declan tried to reach him after the kidnapping, the line went cold. It wasn’t until yesterday that we finally received a response.
The news he brought was both a relief and a fresh wound. Savannah is alive. They have her. But our source isn’t trusted enough within their ranks to know where she’s being held. He could only confirm what I had already begun to suspect: the pilot betrayed us. He sold out Savannah’s and my location to the Castillo Famiglia. Greed sealed his fate—after he attempted to bargain for more money than was promised, they killed him. A loose end tied off with blood.
Now, red is the constant haze that colors my vision. The clock is ticking, and every second without her is another moment of agony—a sharp, unrelenting ache that threatens to consume me. I’ve barely slept, barely eaten, running on pure adrenaline and the burning need to bring her back. Declan, his men, and I are tearing apart every lead, every name, and every connection to track her down. We’ve raided safe houses, interrogated informants, and scoured every inch of our network. Each dead-end only sharpens my determination.
Declan and I barely exchange words anymore. The man is a force of nature, just as driven as I am, if not more. His loyalty to me and Savannah is unwavering, and I know he’s haunted by his own ghosts. I’ve caught glimpses of his guilt, his fury, the way his hands clench into fists whenever we hit another roadblock. He’s carrying this burden alongside me, and for that, I’ll owe him a debt I can never repay.
Late last night, we stormed an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city, acting on a tip from a low-level associate. The air was thick with dust and the stench of decay, every creak of the floorboards setting my nerves on edge. We found nothing but empty crates and the faint traces of blood smeared across the concrete floor.
Just as frustration threatened to take over, a detail caught my eye—one of Savannah’s boots, scuffed and lying on its side near the far wall, abandoned like an afterthought. The sight hit me like a punch to the gut, a stark reminder that she’s still out there, still within reach. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Enough to know they’re moving her, staying one step ahead of us. For now.
Somewhere along the way, Savannah became the woman I love; she’s my reason for breathing, my anchor in a world that’s spiraling into chaos. I can’t fail her. I won’t. The Castillo Famiglia thinks they can take her from me, that they can use her to hurt me, to weaken me. They’re wrong. All they’ve done is ignite a fire that will burn them to ashes.
I’ll find her. I’ll bring her back where she belongs—in my arms, safe, cherished, and away from the monsters who dared to lay a hand on her. And when I do, I’ll make sure they regret every moment of their pitiful existence. They’ll pay. Every last one of them.
This isn’t just about revenge anymore. It’s about justice. For Savannah, for me, for everything they’ve tried to destroy. They’ve underestimated what love can drive a man to do, and that will be their downfall. My hands may be stained with blood by the time this is over, but it will be worth it. For her, it will always be worth it.