Serene
I could see the worry on Alex’s face, and I didn’t want to see that. I knew he wasn’t used to my way of living, and because of me, even his parents were getting caught up in it. It was one of the reasons why I didn’t want to be acquainted with anyone. I cannot guarantee their safety and won’t be able to be with them all the time.
But Alex gave me the experience of having a family. Having someone to look after and protect. So, I am going to do everything to save my in-laws.
“Who are you?” my husband asked when he answered his phone. He went silent for a moment before speaking again, his voice sharper this time. “Where are they?”
I walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Pulling my phone from the pocket of my slacks, I called Enzo.
“Boss, you’re back?” he asked. I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me, before asking.
“Yes, where are you and Princess?” I’m sure they were together since I asked them to tail Juancho.
“We’re where Sir Alex’s parents are. I’m with one of his men. Luckily, he left someone to guard them when you left. Maybe it was his gut feeling.” I sighed in relief at his words.
I looked at my husband, now standing in front of me, still talking to whoever had called him. But I already had an idea of who he was. Alex’s forehead was creased, and judging by the twitch in his lips while he listened, I could tell he was cursing them silently in his mind.
“Where?” I asked, locking eyes with him.
“Nadine is already tracking my phone, and she’s setting up the location pin, so you’ll know exactly where we are. I’m unfamiliar with the area, and Sir Alex’s man is on the other side with Princess, so I can’t ask him,” Enzo explained.
“What about Patt?” I asked, concerned.
“I left Patt at Serendipity. He needs to stay there in case they planted a spy without us knowing. If he leaves, they’ll sense we’re ready for them,” he answered in detail. He was always cautious, and that saved him many times over. Another thing, we can’t let Patt get involved with this since he will be responsible for us after we finish those bastards.
“And how were you ready? How did you find out what they were planning to do?” I asked, curiosity creeping in. Could Alex have planned this?
“You know, Grandpa. When Sir Alex mentioned you were returning to Portico, and they decided to come along, Grandpa already suspected something bad might happen to us.” I chuckled at that. Grandpa was always ahead of things, thinking everything through.
“But our enemy realized they can’t get you, so they changed their target,” I added.
“You got it. Anyway, Boss, a car just arrived. I’ll check who’s inside.”
“It could be Sacramento, so keep me updated.”
“Copy, Boss.” With that, our conversation ended at the same time as Alex’s. He now sat beside me, his expression tense.
“What did Juancho say?” I asked.
“You knew?” he responded, surprised. I nodded, and he took a deep breath, the worry still clear on his face. “I thought I had them protected, but the men I hired weren’t enough to guard them.”
He ran his hands over his face before pulling at his hair in frustration. His face showed a mix of worry, frustration, and anger. He buried his face in his hands, with his elbows resting on his knees.
I had never seen him look so vulnerable yet still so confident. I didn’t know how he managed to do that-how he could look strong and brave even when terrified and worried for his parents.
“You did,” I said, breaking the silence. His eyes shot up to meet mine quickly.
“What do you mean?” he asked, confused.
“The man you sent to watch over your parents is with Enzo and Princess right now. They’ve managed to track where your Mom and Dad were taken.” His breath became heavy with relief. “Alex, your man is with Enzo and Princess. But that doesn’t mean your parents are safe yet-they haven’t found them.”
“Still, I believe in Enzo, Princess, and my guy,” he said firmly.
“How are you so confident and trusting?” I asked, amazed by his calmness.
“The fact that they’re already there tells me nothing bad will happen to my parents. They were on it before I even knew they were kidnapped. I’m grateful to them for that.”
“About what you talked with Juancho,” I said, then shared what Enzo had told me earlier.
“When will Nadine call you?” he asked next.
“No idea. But for now, we should be ready to leave the moment she does.”
“Okay, let me make a call as well,” he said, already calling someone on his phone. He had connections-being rich meant he knew powerful people in the country.
“Yes, General, thank you.” After a few minutes of explaining, he ended the call. “We should’ve stayed at the office; we could’ve taken the helicopter quicker.”
“Juancho wouldn’t have called you if you were still there.”
“How do you know?”
“He doesn’t have a spy there-they’re watching from outside our house.”
“What? You knew this earlier?”
“Not really, but if I were them, I wouldn’t leave a spy behind at the office because I would want you to go home instead of talking to you in a place where there is a means of transportation.”
“So how can we get to where my parents are quickly?” he asked, worried.
“You can ride, right?” I asked back.
“You mean, motorcycle?” I nodded, and he smiled. “I have three big bikes at the back, and there’s a secret gate.”
“Perfect!” I said, already excited. I stood up and headed to our room to change clothes. I didn’t want to ride a motorcycle in slacks, and Alex felt the same.
Just as we finished changing, Nadine texted.
“Sending you the coordinates.”
“Let’s roll,” I said, smiling, seeing Alex ready too. Nadine would guide us on which roads to take.