HANNAH'S POV
The door to the room I'm locked in is kicked open and in walks Arturo followed by three of his thugs all carrying guns. He takes a seat on the bed and I shuffle away from him but there's nowhere to go. My left hand is cuffed to the headboard and my legs are cuffed together limiting my movement.
"Good morning beautiful, I hope you slept well." Arturo asks running his hands on legs.
I shiver in disgust and wish I could move away but I am stuck.
I look at the window but there I can't tell that its dawn since they have been blacked out and boarded up.
The room I am in is stripped bare with nothing but the bed I am sleeping on and a single arm chair next to the bed.
"How could I when I've chained here like a dog all night?" I spit back.
"I'd have forfeited the cuffs but I couldn't risk you trying to runaway." Arturo replies.
"Runaway? I barely know where I am." I scoff.
"You are in my home, my kingdom. This is Santiago's home." Arturo answers.
I laugh bitterly knowing that this man is even more delusional than I thought. When he called Santiago last night I was so scared but hearing my man's voice reassured me that everything will be okay.
Hold on mami, I'm coming.
His words have been my strength all night and I can't wait for the day to be over so he can come get me. I wonder if he will clue Tom in. He might risk and come for me on his own but I hope he is smart enough to ask for Tom's help. Both of them working together will help bring Arturo and his whole gang down once and for all.
"Not anymore it isn't. His home is with me and Diego." I declare proudly.
Arturo's face is marred with anger at my words and I am afraid he will hit me but he stops himself. I can see in his eyes that he is afraid of Santiago's threat of what he will do to him if there is a scratch on me. I'm already hurt where he hit me with his gun yesterday. Any more marks on me and Santiago will have his revenge. The man went against a whole prison to protect me, these are people he knows inside and out so they will be much more easier to take down.
"I am still wondering what he saw in you?" Arturo scoffs raking his eyes over me like he did last night.
It still makes me feel as disgusted as it did then. Arturo might act like he is disgusted with me but I can tell by the tent forming in his pants that he is attracted to me. It makes my skin crawl to have someone like him looking at me like that. I want Santiago to be looking at me like that not his creep of an ex boss.
"I gave him everything you couldn't, love, a home, a future and security knowing that he won't have to fear for his life simply by leaving the house." I reply.
"You are so sure of yourself aren't you." Arturo says getting up.
"He loves me so yes I am." I insist.
"I've known the boy since birth, you've known him what, six months? You'll be lucky if he's still interested in you a year from now. You're just his latest obsession, something he's using to rebel against me. He will forget you and come crawling back to me." Arturo grins victoriously.
"You sound like a scorned ex-wife." I laugh unable to hold it in.
"Child you have no idea who you are messing with. Sit tight and let's wait to see who he will choose. He will be here by dusk." Arturo says.
"I am not the one who kidnapped the other to get the upper hand which means what we have threatens you. Accept that Santiago has moved on from you or you'll have hell to pay." I bite back.
"You don't scare me and neither does he. If he won't come back then I'll simply kill you both." Arturo smirks.
"We'll see." I reply confidently hoping to God that Santiago is on his way with Tom so they can get me out of this deranged man's home.
Arturo leaves the room and once again I am all alone. I'm brought a sandwich and a glass of water in a plastic cup an hour later but I don't take any of it. It could be poisoned and the water will make me feel like peeing and I don't want to go to the bucket situated at the corner of the room.
I can't tell what time it is so all I do is sit there dozing on and off as I wait for my Cesar to come get me.
Arturo picked the worst time to kidnap me because he is ruining time Santiago was spending with Diego, that will surely make him angrier. But I am glad that they took me instead of Diego who is someone that Santiago deeply cares about. He's just a kid and doesn't deserve to go through something like this especially after the life he has had. I know Santiago is coming for me and that's all the hope I need to keep being strong.
I have no idea how much time passes but I know it's barely afternoon when two men barge into the room and pull me from the bed.
"Where are you taking me?" I demand as they uncuff my legs and hands.
"Your boy is here." One of them replies as he swaps the cuffs on my hands for a zip tie.
Joy blooms in my chest with the fact that Santiago is here. He has come for me just like he said he would. Earlier than he said he would so it makes me wonder if everything is alright.
"Alone?" I ask when a thought crosses my mind.
"Who was he supposed to bring?" One man scoffs as they drag me out of the bedroom.
Tom. He was supposed to bring Tom and the whole FBI but I don't say that out loud. I hope Santiago has a plan because all I see as we walk through the house are armed thugs with guns I only see in action movies. He cannot take on all of them alone, they will kill us both.
The house is elegant but what it houses takes away all its beauty. The fact that Santiago gave all this up for me makes me love him even more.
I am led outside and the bright sun blinds me for a moment as it reflects off the swimming pool in the vast backyard. I blink to clear my vision and that's when I see Santiago standing with Arturo who is wearing a white suit as compared to the track suit he was wearing in the morning.
I am so happy to see Santiago and he looks relieved when his eyes land on me. I feel his gaze take me in scanning for injuries and he frowns when he sees the cut on my forehead. He steps forward as if to approach me but two more men step in with guns stopping him.
"Release her." He demands looking at Arturo with a menacing look on his face.
"Not so fast." Arturo laughs getting to his feet.
Santiago turns to me once more and the look on his face softens
"Are you okay?" He asks me.
I want to talk but my voice is choked up with emotion at the sight of him so I settle for a nod which makes my head hurt even more from the blow. Santiago doesn't miss this and his soft look disappears replaced by an angry one.
"She's hurt. I told you there would be hell to pay if she was hurt." He seethes stepping closer to Arturo invading his personal space.
"Goods get damaged in transport, nobody touched her while she was here." Arturo declares.
"Is that true?" Santiago asks looking at me.
"Yes." I answer.
I woke up tied to the bed after Arturo struck me but nobody touched me after that.
Santiago is pushed to a two seater while I'm forced onto a different one away from him, the zip ties digging into my wrists making my hands hurt. Arturo takes a seat on an armchair designed to look like a throne and picks up his cigar once again. Santiago is looking at him angrily and I don't want to imagine the thoughts running through his mind but at least he is pacing himself.
"Now that you've seen she's okay, let's discuss the terms of your surrender." Arturo demands with a sly grin.
I look at Santiago and wonder what his play is. As far as I can tell he is here alone but then a gain barging in with Tom and the FBI would have put me in danger so that wouldn't have been a smart move. I look around the compound and notice that we are in a heavily guarded ranch with armed guards everywhere. Nothing is amiss but then again if I could tell then so could Arturo and his posse.
"Just so you know, you messed up by taking her. I am not coming back." Santiago declares confidently.
"That's not what I wanted to hear." Arturo smirks snapping his fingers.
The result is having four men aim their guns at me. My blood runs cold as I watch Santiago jump to his feet, his eyes filled with fear.
"Put those away." He demands.
"Not until I get what I want. Like I said it's her life for yours and I wasn't bluffing so what's it gonna be Santiago. Do I kill her or will you be a good boy and come back home?" Arturo asks.
Santiago looks lost and this is not a decision I can make for him. He sighs in resignation and sits back down with a huff. Arturo grins happily and the guns are brought down but they do not disappear from sight.
"There's my boy. I am a reasonable man so I'll make you an offer. If you peacefully come back I will let you keep seeing her, she can even move in with you if you please. Till you get sick of her that is." Arturo offers.
My head jerks to him wondering is he has lost his mind.
"What if I say no?" Santiago asks.
"I kill you both." Arturo answers without missing a beat.
Santiago leans back in his chair as if he is contemplating and it makes me worried. Then he gets up and begins pacing infront of us. It's making me anxious waiting for his answer until he stops all of a sudden and turns to Arturo.
"Do you know that the only reason you are in power is because I made it possible?" He asks Arturo.
"Oh please, boy I made you not the other way round." Arturo scoffs getting up as well.
"If I wanted to be jefe I would have been the boss and we both know I'm not bluffing." Santiago declares looking smug.
This is the man Arturo wants back, his second in command, the ruthless thug who isn't afraid to fight the law and run the streets with guns and drugs. This is part of the man I fell in love with and I don't know if I am scared or turned on by this side of him.
"Then why didn't you?" Arturo asks setting his cigar down.
He didn't deny it a second time meaning there's truth to Santiago's words.
"I needed to stay under the radar and letting you rule allowed me to be powerful without actually having to call all the shots." Santiago answers.
I expect Arturo to be offended by this but he surprises me when he bursts out laughing.
"I knew there's a reason I wanted you back. I may not have given the seed that sired you but you truly are my boy, made in my image. This is all yours Santiago, come back and rule with me, you can't run away from who you are meant to be. Come back home my boy." Arturo says getting to his feet and holding his arms out for Santiago.
My heart shatters when Santiago smiles and walks into his arms hugging him back as if holding his long lost dad.
"Welcome home my boy." Arturo laughs hugging him.
"Thank you jefe." Santiago smiles wider breaking my heart even further.
Was it that easy for him to let me go?
"What about her? Will you keep her or do you want me to handle her for you?" Arturo asks as they pull apart.
Both turn to look at me and I am afraid of what Santiago will say.
"Let her go. She won't be a problem." Santiago replies.
"Cesar?" I call out my voice cracking.
"I'm sorry mam... I'm sorry Hannah but I'm home." He answers looking at me regretably.
The fact that he has called me Hannah hurts me more than I thought possible. Yes it's my name but the last time he called me that was during our initial correspondence letters while he was still in prison.
"Please don't do this. We had a whole future planned." I beg him.
He looks away and Arturo approaches me with a smug grin. "I told you I would win. He is mine and always will be."
I get to my feet and lung at him but I am immediately pulled back by two armed thugs.
"Get her out of here." Arturo declares.
"No let me go." I scream moving back but they are too strong for me. "Cesar please." I beg.
"Can I at least say goodbye?" Santiago requests.
"Of course." Arturo replies.
He snaps at his guards and they remove the zip ties. Santiago approaches me with a regretful look in his eyes.
"Why are you doing this?" I ask him.
"I'm sorry, I can't leave them. They are my family." He answers.
"No they aren't, I am, Diego is." I protest hitting his chest hoping I can beat some sense back into him.
Santiago captures my hand and pulls my hand up to his lips. His touch is my undoing as I fall into his arms and he hugs tight.
"I'm only sorry I couldn't take you sailing." He apologizes.
Sailing?
Santiago and I didn't make any plans to go sailing?
"Take a deep breath." He whispers in my ear a moment before he pushes me back and we both fall into the pool.
We hit the cold water and sink to the floor of the pool. I didn't have time to hold my breath so I start choking on water but Santiago is quick to notice this. He kisses me sharing his breath with me. I kiss him back but can't help but wonder what is going on.
Why did he talk about sailing and why did he push me into the pool? We sink to the bottom and he keeps me there for about a minute before we start swimming back up and the sight that meets us when we make it back to the surface is straight out of a CSI episode.
There's blood everywhere with multiple dead gang members on the ground and those who aren't dead are in handcuffs. A hand reaches out to help me out of the pool and I smile when I see that its Tom. He pulls me out and I smile falling into his embrace.
I knew he was coming for me. Santiago didn't fail me. It was all a ruse. One that hurt me and had me doubting him but a ruse nonetheless.
"It's good to see you too." Tom laughs hugging me.
"Sailing seriously? That was your safe word?" I ask Tom and Santiago who's also out of the pool.
"Don't look at me, he chose it." Santiago defends.
"Darius and I always wanted to go, I thought you would recognize it." Tom defends.
"You also wanted to go The Congo and scale Mt. Everest." I retort.
"Anyway, it worked didn't it." Tom retorts looking proud of himself.
I roll my eyes away from him and hug my man instead. He hugs me back and kissed the top of my head.
"You scared me there for a moment." I whisper.
"I know, I am so sorry." He apologizes.
"It's okay, I'm just glad you came for me." I reply.
"It's only ever been you mami, only you." He replies.
"Good because if you call me Hannah ever again, you're sleeping in the couch for a month." I threaten him.
"I hear you." He laughs kissing me softly.
I kiss him back but keep it short since we have company. I can't wait to get him back home and show him just how much I had missed him and thank him for saving me.
Tom leads us through the house and there's dead bodies everywhere but I don't see Arturo anywhere in sight. I am about to ask about him when I see him being led to an SUV.
He turns at the last minute and spots us.
"You betrayed me Santi." He yells.
"I told you I was leaving, you should have just let me go." Santiago replies wrapping a protective arm around my shoulders.
I wave at Arturo which makes him to get a more pissed off look on his face. The next few seconds all happen in a blur. I have no idea how he manages to get out of his cuffs, steal the gun from the agent with him and fire. All I'm aware of is Santiago pushing me behind him as the gun is fired. It strikes him in the chest but Arturo hits the ground with a bullet to the head before Santiago collapses at my feet.
"Cesar." I scream as I follow him to the ground.
He coughs gasping for breath as he pulls his hoodie up.
"Santiago breath, it didn't go through." Tom hushes him kneeling at his side.
He pulls his hoodie up to reveal the bulley trapped by his tank up.
"It's Kevlar, he's okay." Tom assures me.
I sag in relief but it doesn't stop the tears falling from my face. Santiago manages to catch his breath and I lay my forehead against his as my tears fall onto his face.
"Are you okay?" He wheezes out.
The bullet might not have struck him but I'm sure it's bruised his lungs.
"Yes I'm fine, are you?" I ask him.
"Yes now that you're safe." He replies.
I laugh as I kiss him not caring that we have an audience. I am so relieved that we both managed to survive this.
Arturo is also dead meaning that nobody will ever try to tear us apart ever again.