Chapter 83

Christian

“You have to tell me about Fabio’s plans, all of it,” Christian demanded. Vincenzo knew what kind of mess this would bring him in, but Christian was right. He loved Serena and Luis, and this was not the way to treat someone you loved. “Vince, come on.”

“He wants them to suffer together.” Vince decided to spill his father’s plan. “Beau and Serena, he’s looking for her.”

As expected, Christian was right about his theory. As long as Serena and Beau were separated, her life would not be in danger—which means his plan could work.

“I don’t know what the hell Isobel has done to those guards, but I’ve understood that they change shifts in four hours—so I need you to go back and deal with them and the ones who were supposed to keep guard after that.”

“You want me to kill them? My dad’s men?” Vincenzo stressed himself out. He knew that if he would do something like that, there would be no turning back. “If they aren’t already, yes. As long as no one is there to keep an eye on Beau, Luis will be safe and your dad will be satisfied.”

“Christian, you have eight hours—I can deal with the two others who were supposed to guard him after that—but my dad checks on Beau every eight hours,” Vince revealed.

“Fine, after dealing with the guards you will call your dad and tell him you’ve found Luis.” Christian gave him further instructions. “Tell him that I took him from you, but that Luis has managed to escape and knows the location of the safe house.”

“You will lead him straight to Serena, are you sick?” Vincenzo exclaimed. Christian knew that he would be taking a risk, but it would end up helping him.

“Right now you need to gain your dad’s trust, Luis needs your dad’s trust—so yes, I will.” Christian nodded his head. He felt bad for once again betraying Serena, but he knew that she would surrender herself to keep everyone safe because that’s the kind of person she was.

He knew Serena was fearless, smart, brave, and would be ready to sacrifice herself for the ones she loved and that’s why he was proud to call her his. “It’s just for a while, to keep him satisfied.”

“Because we need to give him something in return so he’ll forget about Beau for a while. He will wait for a while before he will bring Beau because that’s the kind of man he is. He likes to play games.” Vincenzo sighed as he knew where Christian was coming from.

“I know what you’re going to ask of me—but I can’t do it. I won’t kill my own father, you can, but I won’t do it myself.” Vince shook his head. No matter what, it was still his family.

“That’s not your job Vince, that’s my job—and I wouldn’t put you in that position, because that would only bring you shame—all I’m asking for is your help,” Christian spoke.

“Whether you like it or not, you have to choose. Who will you save? Will it be Luis and Serena or will it be your dad? Because you know what will happen when he finds out Beau is missing.” Christian demanded an answer.

Vince looked at Luis who looked up at him with hopeful eyes and took a deep breath. “It will be Luis, Serena...and your baby.” He had made his decision.

“That’s good, I knew I could count on you—I came here because I’ve never doubted you.” Christian sighed relieved. Everything he had done until now had been a risk, which his own family would probably kill him for, but it was one worth taking.

He knew all of this had started when Serena had decided to take matters into her own hands and saved not only Luis but also Beau, but he was ready to take all the blame. Serena was right, he had done everything in his power to protect Enzo’s name—so why was she not allowed to do the same?

“I will make sure he won’t touch Serena, but I can only hold on for eight more hours,” Vince explained. “Christian, my dad told me that he wanted to wait until they were together—but he lost his patience and when I left, Beau was on the verge of dying!”

“Yes, I know—and that’s why you will help Serena escape after the eight hours are over.”

Vince might’ve had a conscience, but Fabio didn’t and would hurt anyone to get his way. Christian knew that blood had to be shed, but he wished for it to be the minimum. “I don’t understand, why can’t you just give him Beau?”

“Because Serena won’t forgive me if something happens to him!” Christian lost his patience. “So you’ll hand her over instead?” Vince asked.

He had not realized how much he did care for her until the thought of losing her became a reality. He slowly began to realize that he would’ve never been able to go through with it. “Yes, and you will make sure he doesn’t touch her and you’ll keep her safe until I get there because you love her.”

“I need Fabio to be comfortable until he’s at his weakest. That’s the only way to take him down.”

“And you’ll risk Serena’s life in doing so?”

“Yes, your dad’s mind is not stable—after he’ll find out you’ve betrayed him he won’t be able to think clearly. I want him at his weakest, and if I don’t give him Serena or Beau—it’ll only anger him more and I don’t know what kind of monster I’ll create.” Christian spoke.

“He will forget about his revenge, and project his anger onto me...” Vince began to see the downside of everything.

“You want to take him down when he’s at his weakest? That’s barely a fair fight.” Vince realized. He had not expected Christian to fight this war so dirty and knew it would look embarrassing and even cowardly on his side.

“You know what’s not fair? Serena having to go through her entire pregnancy like this—that’s not fair.” Christian spoke annoyed. He knew that he was not one to speak, because he had betrayed her—but he also knew that there was a lot to fix, and he would begin by saving her life.

“Luis, come here.” Vince knelt and opened his arms. Luis grasped Christian’s leg and shook his head. “I don’t want to go back to Fabio, he’ll hurt me.” He closed his eyes.

“Luis, you have to trust me—I know that I’ve been bad to you, but you’re all I have and I won’t let anyone touch you.” Vince reached out to hold his hand. “Luis, go with your brother,” Christian tried to encourage him.

Luis opened his eyes to look at Vincenzo and nodded his head. “Yes, okay.” He took a deep breath and ran into Vince’s arms.

“It will all be okay,” Vince told him as he pulled him into a tight hug. “Were you really going to...you know?” Christian wondered. If that was indeed the truth he felt as if he was somewhat to blame for not reaching out any sooner.

“No, I wasn’t and I don’t know what I was thinking,” Vince admitted. It was definitely something that had crossed his mind, but he wasn’t ready to take his own life. “I don’t want to die, I want to live.” Vince spoke as he picked up Luis, the most important person in his life.

“What are you going to do?” He wondered what Christian’s next step would be. “I’ll be stretching out the time and do as we’ve discussed until Fabio is at his weakest.”

“Weakest...Christian, don’t you think he at least deserves a death of honor?” Vince asked.

“Death of honor?” Christian chuckled. “Do you hear yourself? Your dad lost his honor many years ago, don’t you think?”

He did not want to hurt Vince’s feelings, but it was time for him to wake up and it was the truth. It did not matter in which way Fabio died, all Christian knew was that he deserved to die. “But your family—“

“My family is Serena and the baby.” Christian cut him off. It was something he had been thinking about for a long time, and he knew that his family would definitely not agree with the way how he was planning to end everything and would make him out to be a coward—but all he needed was Serena and the baby.

“Very well then, I think we should both start moving.” Vince had finally agreed to it.

—

VINCE

7 HOURS LEFT

—

With Luis by his side, Vincenzo drove back to the garage to deal with the guards, just as promised.

“Luis, let’s leave after all of this is over, just you and me, okay?” He smiled at his younger brother. Having him back allowed him to breathe and he slowly began to realize the truly important things in life. “Just seven more hours until all of this is over, Luis.” He spoke with a smile on his face.

“Can we go to Hawaii?” Luis giggled. Vince scratched the back of his neck and shrug his shoulders. “I was thinking maybe Mexico to visit Nic, but Hawaii also works.”

It had already been many years since his brother, Nic got disowned by his father for disobeying him, and Fabio had made it very clear that anyone who would contact him would be six feet under. At that time Vince did not ask any questions and let it be, but now he was starting to think otherwise. Perhaps the three of them could be a family without their father.

“Luis, I need you to stay inside while I’ll go and handle this, alright?” Vince spoke and placed a pair of headphones over his ears. “Okay.” Luis nodded his head.

Vince wasted no time and locked the car door before he made his way to the garage. The first thing he noticed was one of the guards handcuffed to a chair with his head in the grass as he called out for help with a hoarse voice. “Definitely something for Isobel,” He muttered to himself and grabbed the back of the man’s head.

“Vince, he’s gone!” The man spoke as grass left his mouth. “They took Beau, he’s gone!”

“Hey, calm down!” Vince played along and knelt so he could look at the man. “Tell me, who took him?”

“It was that Isobel bitch and I think your brother might’ve given her the location, they’re all in this together, I’ve heard her say his name!” The guard spoke and grabbed Vince by his wrist.

“Micah is still inside, I heard gunshots but I think he might be alive—untie me so I can call for backup!” He pleaded with desperate eyes, but Vince kicked him and stepped back. Even if he wanted to spare him he couldn’t, he knew of Luis.

“Vince, what are you doing!” The man yelled out and watched as Vince pulled out his gun. “I’m doing something right for once,” Vince spoke and pulled the trigger just enough times until he was reassured that the issue had been dealt with.

Without a second glance, he made his way to the garage and opened the door. “Hey, who is there!” He heard a voice call out and stepped closer and closer until he saw the other guy flat on the floor as he covered his bleeding shoulder.

“Took you long enough, they took Beau!” He whispered as he removed his hand from his bleeding shoulder to hold his finger in front of his lips. “There were gunshots, I don’t think they’ve left yet and they’re in on this!”

Once again Vince knelt and looked the man in his eyes. “Who are they?” He asked. “The Alfonzo girl and your brother Lu—“

Before he got the opportunity to finish the sentence, Vince closed his eyes and pulled the trigger. It was for Luis’s and Serena’s sake.

He made his way back to the car and knocked on the window. Luis smiled at him and removed his headphones before he unlocked the door. “You didn’t hear anything, right?” Vince asked Luis. He gave him a bright smile and shook his head. “Nope, all I heard was music.”

“That’s good.” Vince smiled back. He grabbed his phone and dialed the number of the guards from the next shift, so he could speed up the process. “Hey, I’m at the garage and it’s empty—what the hell are you guys thinking?” He put his acting skills to test.

“W-what? It isn’t our shift yet!” He heard the man speak. “Listen, just come here immediately and I’ll let Fabio spare you—I don’t have time to deal with this right now. I expect you here within an hour!” Vince yelled out and hung up the phone.

“What now?” Luis asked.

“Now we wait.”