Chapter 23

ELLA

When I found my seat on the plane, I fought the urge to pass out and dialed Leo’s number as they did the safety speech.

“Ella,” he said, after picking up. “Where are you?”

“On the plane and your men are with security. Turns out two men dragging an almost unconscious girl through a busy terminal raises suspicion,” I replied, a little spite in my tone.

“Is Max on the plane?” he asked.

“No,” I replied. “Why would he—”

“Get off it immediately,” he said in his alpha tone, growling. “I’m not fucking around, Ella. I mean it.”

I shook my head as a tear ran down my face.

“I’m sorry, Leo.” I sniffled. “I’m going to Mexico to get our son, and there is nothing you can do to stop me.

“Alessio and Xanthus did everything they could, and I am begging you to be merciful on them. Especially Alessio, he has a young family and—”

“If you want me to be merciful, then I suggest you get your ass home now. Then I won’t touch his fucking family.” Leo growled shortly after I heard him punch something solid. Hopefully an inanimate object.

“Don’t be like this, please,” I pleaded.

“Just come home, Ells,” he said in a much softer tone.

“I was wrong to tie you up and cut you out of this, so come home and we can work it out together. There is no reason for you to sacrifice yourself to a man highly unlikely to follow his part of the deal.”

“You’ve met Andrea. He’s ruthless. He doesn’t have a single hint of mercy. If he realizes you are trying to outsmart him, he will kill Cato without hesitation,” I replied.

“I know that you aren’t used to following other people’s orders, but this time we don’t have a choice.”

“There’s nothing I can say or do to stop you, is there?” he asked with a sigh.

“No,” I replied quietly.

“When Cato is safe, I’ll come for you,” he said. “And if you are already gone, Andrea will die. For real this time.”

“That’s if I haven’t killed him first,” I replied.

“Death seems too good for him,” Leo said. “I’d rather—”

“Leo,” I interrupted in a stern tone as I realized what he was insinuating. “I didn’t spend years trying to instill morals in you for them to disappear the second I leave.

“Don’t stoop to his level whether you think he deserves it or not. Doing more than is necessary to end his life is immoral. Remember that.”

“Nothing like a lecture about treating the literal devil with morality,” he said. “You’re too good for your own good, Ella.”

“Just promise me that if I’m not there to keep you in shape, you won’t slip back to your old self, Leo,” I said. “Please.”

“I promise. But you are coming back,” he replied. “You’re a cockroach, remember? No one can kill you.”

“Yeah, I’m a survivor,” I agreed.

He laughed a little before sniffing his own tears back.

“We’re about to take off,” I said. “I have to go.”

“Call me when you land, okay?” he said. “I can’t say goodbye yet.”

“But just in case, I love you, Leo,” I said, more tears falling down my cheeks.

“I love you too,” he replied, before I had to hang up.

I couldn’t deal with any more for fear of running off the plane and straight back to him. I wiped the tears away before leaning against the window as we were all told to turn our phones on airplane mode.

Shortly after, we began moving along the runway. I noticed what looked like a security car speed up to the plane and a couple of security officers pile out.

Leo must have had something to do with that, but they were too late, we were gone.

With the relief of a successful escape, I closed my eyes and let the powerful effects of the pill take over.

Hours later, I awoke to the sound of the plane thudding on the runway. I bolted upright from the shock of the rude awakening and looked around me.

All the other passengers were excitedly awaiting their vacation to Mexico, or getting ready for a boring business trip, or thrilled to be visiting their families.

Not me. I wasn’t in for nearly such a fun time. As soon as we were allowed to turn our phones off airplane mode, I called Leo.

“I’ve landed,” I said as I followed the busy crowd off the plane. “Am I going to have trouble with security here? I saw a car of officers try to stop the plane, which I don’t doubt you were behind.”

“I tried, but unfortunately it’s difficult to pay off security already paid off by Andrea Martinez,” he replied with a sigh. “You won’t be stopped anywhere in Mexico by the police. So, what’s your plan?”

“Andrea texted me his number. I’m going to call him,” I replied.

“So, you’re just going to go along with it?”

“I figured that is best. I don’t want to risk provoking him,” I explained.

“Ella Jones, I feel like I don’t even know you anymore. Why couldn’t you ever go along with what I said?” he asked.

I laughed before sitting on a bench just before passport control.

“Because you don’t have a gun.”

There was a brief moment of silence.

“Leo?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you mad at me?” I asked.

“I was. Very. You ignored my orders, and as a result, I may never have my mate again, and my kids may never have their mother again, but I can’t be mad anymore.

“They threatened our kid, and nothing is going to stop you saving him. I get that, but fucking hell, I’ll miss you. I miss you when I leave the same room as you. I don’t know how I would cope with forever,” he replied.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“Don’t be sorry,” he replied. “Don’t you dare.”

“I’ll do everything I can to stay alive. If I don’t give him a reason to kill me, he’d rather I was alive too, right?” I asked, thinking back to how fond of me (my body in particular) he was.

“I can’t bear the thought of that either, Ells,” he replied after a while in a broken voice. “Him using you for that sort of thing.”

“But you’d rather that than him killing me, yes?” I asked.

“Yes,” he stated.

“Promise me that you’ll take care of the kids,” I said, a tear running down my cheek.

“Of course, Ella. Of course, of course.”

“And yourself. Miss me for a little while and then move on, okay? I don’t want you to suffer forever. Find a way to be happy again. Whether that’s with someone else or whatever.

“I don’t care, just be happy. And make sure my mom is okay too. She’s already lost Connor, this will tear her apart,” I explained.

“You’ll survive this, Ells. I know you will. Just like a cockroach,” he replied. “And I’ll come for you. I promise.”

“Are you ready to say goodbye yet?” I asked, watching as the queue for passport control quickly died down, and I was the only one left in the waiting area.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be.”

“What about a goodbye for now?” I asked. “We’ll meet again, Leonardo. I’m sure of it.”

Tears were now streaming down my face.

“Well until then?” he said. I was sure he shared my tears. I could hear it in his voice.

“Until then,” I whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he replied, before he hung up, and I was left all alone in the room.

I clutched my phone to my chest and screwed up my face, desperately trying to hold in a howl.

Instead, it escaped in broken sobs and patchy cries as I gasped for oxygen.

Why was it that you didn’t realize the extent of your love for someone until you didn’t have them anymore?

I don’t think I could have loved him anymore.

For a moment, I considered going straight back to Seattle. The next flight could only be a few hours away. But then I remembered why I was there. What I had to do.

Save Cato.

I took a few more moments to compose myself. I let the tears dry into stains and the grief sink deep within before standing up and walking bravely to passport control.

“I saw you crying over there. Are you all right, miss?” the woman asked as she checked my passport on her computer.

“Not really,” I replied.

“Is there anything I can do?” she asked with a kind smile.

“Not really. But thank you anyway,” I said, taking my passport and heading into Mexico.

I called Andrea. He was delighted to hear of my arrival and said there’d be a car to pick me up within the hour.

And there was. Twenty minutes later, a tinted-windowed black car rolled up in front of the airport where I had been sitting miserably on the floor. A Mexican climbed out and quickly scanned the crowd.

When his eyes landed on the only blonde woman in the entire place, he marched forward and picked up my rucksack.

“Come with me,” he said dryly.

I stood up and followed him back to his car where he hustled me into the back seat.

We drove in silence through the desert for about twenty minutes before arriving at the same warehouse. It hadn’t even been two weeks since I was last here. Since I left and thought I’d never have to come back again.

The driver took my arm and led me into the building. I could hear voices and laughter inside that immediately ceased when the door opened.

I froze as I laid my eyes on Andrea, sitting on a chair in a circle of three other men. The driver pushed me farther in, and Andrea gestured for the other men to leave.

He stared at me with an evil smirk plastered across his lips before beckoning me with his finger. I hesitantly stepped a little closer as he continued to eye me up.

I got to about two meters away before he opened his mouth to speak.

“Blanca, how wonderful it is to see you again,” he said in an amused tone.

“Where is my son?” I asked.

“We will get to that in a moment,” he said, standing up and striding closer to me.

He cupped my face in one hand and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear with the other. Then before I could see it coming, he struck me across the face, causing my nose to immediately spout blood.

“That was for escaping me,” he whispered in my ear, before pushing his lips against mine.

The kiss only probably lasted about five seconds, but for me, it felt as though he was never going to stop. I could do nothing but stand motionless and let him do it without risking both Cato’s and my own life.

When he was done forcing himself upon me, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed the blood on my nose. So he’s going to hit me, then clean up after himself? Psycho.

Eventually, he let go of me and said something in Spanish to the driver. He left and a few short moments later returned holding the hand of a small, blond, seven-year-old boy.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw my son. He didn’t look hurt or scared or even unhappy, and the driver let go of his hand, allowing him to run forward into my arms.

“Mommy!” he cried as I clung to him tightly.

“Cato,” I whispered, stroking his hair as I lifted him into the air. “Are you okay?”

He nodded excitedly.

“Juan is showing me how to play cards!” he replied.

“Who’s Juan, sweetie?” I asked, and he pointed to the driver. “And can we have Mexican for dinner more often?!”

I smiled and hugged him tighter.

“Of course,” I replied, knowing that I may never make him dinner again.

“And Andrea is teaching me Spanish!” he added with pride in his voice.

I looked over Cato’s shoulder at Andrea, loathing him slightly less knowing that he treated Cato well.

“Time to say adiós to Mamá, Cato,” he said. “You have a long journey.”

“Are you not coming home too, Mama?” he asked, looking at me suddenly far less happy.

I shook my head and squeezed him a little tighter.

“No, bambino. I have to stay here,” I replied.

“Why?”

“So that you can go home. Like a swap,” I explained.

“Will you be back?” he asked.

“Maybe, maybe not,” I said truthfully. He was only seven, but he was old enough to understand.

“I’ll miss you,” he said, clinging to me tightly.

“I’ll miss you too, Cato. But you have to promise that you’ll look out for everybody. Papa, Silas, Mathias, Francesca, Marie, Lili, Stefano, Zacharias, Granny Rosa, Grandad, Granny Mara, Luca. Everybody, okay?”

He nodded.

“I promise,” he whispered, burying his face in my shoulder.

“Good boy,” I said, kissing his head as the driver, who I now knew was called Juan, approached. “I love you lots and lots.”

“I love you lots and lots more,” he replied.

“Come on, Cato,” Juan said, placing his hand on his back.

“No!” he cried as he tried to pry him out of my arms. “Mama, no!”

He clutched me tightly and was soon wailing as he was ripped out of my hands.

With floods of tears running down my cheeks, I watched as he was dragged out of the warehouse and then listened as he was put in the car and driven away.

“You have kept your side of the deal, now I will keep mine. He’ll be in Seattle by nightfall,” Andrea said. “That is unless your alpha tries anything between then and now.”

“He won’t,” I replied, wiping my eyes.

“That is good to hear,” he stated, sitting down in the same chair he was on when I first came in.

“You weren’t trying to trick us?” I asked, incredibly relieved.

“I have no interest in hurting a little boy even if he will grow up to be an alpha,” Andrea explained. “And besides, I’ve got what I wanted,” he added with a smirk.

“If you are going to kill me, can you get it over with?” I asked.

“Oh no, Blanca. You don’t get that kind of privilege anymore,” he replied. “Come here,” he added, tapping his lap.

I hesitated for a moment before slowly walking forward and perching on his knees.

“You’re going to be my little bitch. You’re gonna do everything I say,” he whispered in his thick Mexican accent into my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

“You’re gonna work for me, entertain me, cook for me… Can you cook, Blanca?”

“A little,” I replied.

“Good. I wanna try some of your Italian shit. And in doing all of this, you can repay me for all this trouble you’ve caused.”

“And if I don’t?” I asked.

“Then I will kill you,” he deadpanned. “In an utmost unpleasant, drawn-out manner. So which will it be, Blanca?”

“You leave me little choice,” I replied.

“Excellent,” he chirped, before kissing my neck, right where Leo’s mark was. “Now let’s get somewhere that alpha of yours will never find you.”