Lahat ng Kabanata ng Cruel Capone: Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Casio’s POVThe room was dim, lit only by a single swinging bulb that cast long shadows against the concrete walls. A metal chair sat bolted to the ground in the center of the room, and in it, slumped and bloodied, Ansaldo Cadell. His name was feared by many, but not by me. I stood in the doorway, arms crossed, my expression cold as ice. There was no need to raise my voice or flash my weapon; the silence was more than enough.Finally, I stepped forward, and the sound of my boots against the cement echoed ominously. Ansaldo looked up through swollen eyes, blood crusted on his lip. But to my surprise, he still managed to smirk. He was either very stupid or trying to act brave, but I would break him.“Well, well,” He rasped, “The lion finally leaves his den. Did that girl make you soft, Casio?”My face remained unreadable. Crouching down slowly, resting my elbows on my knees so that I could meet his eyes. “You kidnapped her,” I said quietly. “You laid your dirty hands on her. Almost let

Whitney’s POVI stirred awake, the warm light spilling across the sheets. My body was sore, but it was a sore I could live with. My lashes fluttered open to the sight of Casio beside me, his arm heavy and protective across my waist. A small smile played on my face. I didn’t expect to feel this protected and safe in his bed. In this new world. Yet here I was. Happy.I watched as Casio’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his dark hair against the pillow. His features softened by sleep. We were still naked beneath the covers; his heat seeped into my skin. Shifting closer, I nestled into him, inhaling his familiar scent of smoke and leather that always clung to him. For the first time in almost forever, I never felt this way about someone. This happiness, this joy of seeing someone.Then-Bang. Bang. Bang.The sudden knock on the door made my heart skip a beat, almost making my heart jump out of my chest. I stiffened, clutching the blanket instinctively to cover myself. Then Casio’s

Whitney’s POVAndy and I walked up the cobblestone path. The sun shone brightly, making everything, even the grass, seem more vibrant. Andy’s hands rested in his pockets; I gave him a quick glance the looked at their home. But I couldn't help but feel nervous. I haven’t seen Ashley or talked to her in over a month. A month that felt like a year. I now had secrets I would never be able to share with her.My heart ached, the thought of Ashley’s face. Ashley wasn’t just my best friend; she was my anchor, my safe place in a world that felt like it had been ripped apart. And now I won’t even be able to tell her. It wasn’t my place to say anything anyway, that was Andy’s job. If he wanted her to know about his double life, he would have told her by now. Sometimes I wish I didn’t know, but there was no way that was happening.“Relax,” Andy murmured beside me, his voice low and steady. His gaze met mine as I looked up at him. “She missed you and wanted to see you. So, I spoke to Casio, and he

Casio’s POVThe crackling of fire echoed through the air, heat, smoke, and the metallic tang of blood lingered in my mouth. My head pounded as though someone had hit me with a sledgehammer, and when I tried to move, pain shot down my arm like fire.“Casio, hey-hey, come on. Wake up!” A hand tapped my face, and Ashley’s voice pulled me out of the haze. She was kneeling over me, her face scraped and bruised. Then I noticed her one hand pressed against my shoulder.I blinked through the blur and coughed until my throat burned. “Where… Where is she?” The words came out ruff.Her eyes darted towards Andy. He was half-standing, clutching at his side, but his eyes were dark, filled with anger. “They took her,” Andy rasped, his voice raw. “Whitney. Someone carried her off; they came waltzing in and took her. I tried to, but…”His words sliced through me sharper than any glass could. I forced myself upright, ignoring Ashley’s protest as my world spun violently. My ribs screamed, but I gritted

Casio’s POVPushing open the door to Zack’s office, I stepped inside with Andy on my heels. The smell of stale coffee and cigarette smoke hit my nose, making me pull my face. My first instinct was to open the blinds and some windows. Zack hissed as daylight entered the room. He turned to me with narrowed eyes, then pushed up his glasses.“Warning next time,” Zack said, adjusting to the sunlight.“Update.” I shot back, my voice sharp. “Tell me you got something from that footage I sent you.”I leaned against the wall, arms folded across my chest. Andy stepped towards Zack’s table, leaning against it. “We need details on who that man was that too Whitney.”Zack turned around to face his computer. “Relax. You hired me for a reason. But you should know this wasn’t some run-of-the-mill grab. Whoever this guy is, he knew what he was doing.”I stepped closer, my jaw tightened. I leaned over Zack’s shoulder, “Show me.”With a few keystrokes, Zack pulled up the footage on the larger monitor. “