My Protector | Meliodas

31. Uncooperation

Meliodas's POV:

Bartra ushered me into his office and slammed the large oak door behind him, a loud roar departing his lips. I moved to the side of the room and watched with a straight back and blank face as his arms flew out and swiped an amphora vase from a nearby shelf. He didn't flinch as it hit the ground and smashed into small pieces. 

He veered toward his hip-level cabinet and ran his forearm along the top, taking with it several glasses and ornaments. I thought he was satisfied, but he moved on to the next shelf.

My brain was numb. My entire body was stiff. I didn't know exactly why yet, but the way Bartra was acting, convinced me that whatever had happened, was not good. I patiently waited for him to calm down, and after about five minutes of him throwing and smashing his antique furniture, he waddled over to his chair, brushed off some glass from his desk, and began pouring himself some scotch. 

I approached his desk and straightened up the loveseat before I gratefully took the glass he handed to me, my eyes glued to him. 

"They have her," his voice was gruff after he drank the whole glass. My heart began racing at his words. 

His hand reached into his pocket and returned with his cell phone, the screen alight to an anonymous message. I reached out to take it from him with his invitation.

There was a video in the chat with no preview. I felt my fingers begin to tremble as I hesitantly pressed play. 

The phone turned to full screen and the video started playing. My mouth went dry instantly at the sight of a girl wearing nothing but her bra and panties being waterboarded. The video was unsettling in itself, but the realization that it was Y/N, sent my adrenaline shooting through my body. 

I tried to tear my eyes away, but the sight and sound of her drowning and struggling in the ropes held my attention. The way she squirmed and cried beyond the wet cloth made my entire body grow hot. 

I quickly handed the phone back and drank the rest of my drink. 

I couldn't wait to get my hands on them. 

"What do they want in exchange for her?" I asked as I placed the cup back down. Bartra looked at me with a worried expression. 

"Thirty million and my end of the casino," his voice said lowly. I watched him with a raised brow. 

"Okay so give it to them? What are you waiting for?" My anger became apparent in my words, and fear flashed in Bartra's eyes. 

"Well it's more complicated than just handing it over in a gift box..." he trailed off, pouring himself another drink. 

"Bartra," I stood up and slammed my hands on the desk to peer down at him, "give them the fucking money." His eyes flickered from me to the drink. 

"They won't give her up that easily, once we get there, they'll just ask for more and more. I can't throw away my businesses and sources of income when they're not hurting her. She will be fine there for a little while." His tone was final, but I wasn't finished. 

"If they ask for more, you give it to them. This is your daughter on the line, not some illegal fucking business. You are a piece of shit for doing this to her," my voice was laced with venom, but before his contorted face could bark anything back, I turned around and left the room.

I slammed the door shut and fished out my phone while crossing the ground floor to the entrance. I dialed Arthur's number as I slipped out of the house. 

"Yo!" His tone was chirpy again and I grunted a 'shut up.' 

"I'm coming over, we need to go to that warehouse tonight. Bring your guys and I'll bring mine. Bartra's out, but we can take them on ourselves," I barked before I hung up, bursting out the front door. I stomped over to my bike and jumped on the seat while pulling on my helmet and starting the engine. 

The second it came alive, I reefed the grip back and took off toward Arthur's apartment. 

"That's fucked up..." Arthur replied with a quiet blow of his breath. 

I had explained the whole situation to him. How Y/N was being held captive somewhere, with no clothes on, being waterboarded and god knows what else, while Bartra is sitting back hesitating whether or not to save his own daughter. 

I felt sick. I was absolutely disgusted by Bartra's actions, but every minute that passed, guilt and nerves brewed in my stomach. I needed to find her. 

"Don't worry dude, we have Zaneri and Helbram at the warehouse now. They definitely think something is happening there. But so far, they haven't seen Howzer or any of his associates," Arthur comforted, patting me on the back as he walked past the couch. 

I was sitting with my elbows on my knees, my hands wrung together. I bumped my knuckles on my chin as I stared at the ground, trying to wrack my brain on what to do next. 

"Explain to me again why I can't go there and knock the fucking door down?" I growled. Arthur was shuffling through the pieces of paper that had accumulated on his kitchen counter when he replied. 

"Because they are armed, and if we aren't there with the money or Bartra, they are not going to let you get away with Y/N easily."

"It doesn't need to be easy, I'd take a bullet for her if it meant I could get her away from that prick," I countered, throwing Arthur a hard look over my shoulder. His orange hair swayed around his face as he chuckled and shook his head. 

"Down bad," he muttered. If I had enough energy, I would have smacked him. 

"We just need to be patient. This warehouse may not even be where they're keeping Y/N, it's still just a hunch," he added. 

That was true. We had no reason to assume that this warehouse was where they were keeping her, but Arthur had his men raid Fraudrin and Galand's other businesses, and she wasn't found. 

In a way, this warehouse was the last resort. If she wasn't here, we had no idea where else she was.

As if on cue, Arthur's phone began vibrating on the countertop. I sprung up eagerly. 

He raised a finger to me as he gingerly lifted the phone to his ear, his lips in a straight line as he waited for the speaker. 

"Howzer is here, he just came out of the shed," was all I heard before Arthur hung up and snatched his keys off the bench. I rounded the couch and followed him as he left his apartment down to the garage where his Mercedes was waiting. 

These next two hours would kill me.