Mistakes happen all the time. Right?!

18

The night air was cool against Giovanni's skin as he stepped out of the house, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and resolve. He clutched his bag tightly, each step feeling heavier with the weight of his unborn child. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger, sadness, love, and a desperate need for clarity.

Unbeknownst to Giovanni, eyes were watching him from the shadows. One of Diablo's sworn enemies, a man named Markus, had been waiting for this moment. He saw Giovanni's vulnerability as an opportunity to strike at Diablo where it would hurt the most.

Giovanni barely had time to react as a hand clamped over his mouth and he was dragged into the darkness. He struggled, but Markus's grip was ironclad. Panic surged through him, but he knew he had to stay calm for the sake of his child. He tried to memorize details of his surroundings, hoping against hope that Diablo would find him.

***

Inside, Diablo paced the dimly lit room, the remnants of the gender reveal scattered around him. His anger had cooled, leaving behind a gnawing worry. He replayed their argument in his mind, regretting the harsh words spoken in the heat of the moment. He decided he needed to apologize, to make things right.

But when he went to find Giovanni, the house was eerily quiet. Diablo's heart skipped a beat. "Giovanni?" he called out, but there was no answer. Panic started to creep in as he searched the house, his calls growing more frantic.

Realizing Giovanni was gone, Diablo's mind raced with fear and dread. He stormed out of the house, his face a mask of fury and concern. His men, sensing something was wrong, quickly gathered around him.

"How the hell did this happen again?" Diablo roared, his voice echoing in the night. His eyes burned with anger as he scanned the faces of his most trusted men.

"Boss, we didn't see anyone come in or out," Vito, one of his closest lieutenants, said, his voice edged with worry.

Diablo's fists clenched at his sides. "That's not good enough! This is the second time Giovanni has managed to walk out of a house guarded by all of you! I thought I could trust you to keep him safe!"

Vito stepped forward, his expression resolute. "We’re sorry, Boss. We’ll find him. We’ll make this right."

Diablo's glare softened slightly, but his frustration was still evident. "We don’t have time for sorry. We need to find him now. Spread out, search the area, and find any clues about his whereabouts. Check every street, every alley.

The men scattered determination in their eyes. Vito remained for a moment longer, his voice low and serious. "We won't let you down again, Boss. We'll bring Giovanni back."

Diablo nodded, his mind already racing with plans and contingencies. "You better, Vito. Because if we don’t find him. Giovanni won't be the only one who can't be found.”

Vito swallowed hard and nodded, then hurried to join the others in the search. Diablo watched them go, his heart heavy with worry but fueled by a fierce determination to find Giovanni and bring him home safely.

He couldn't lose Giovanni, not now. Not ever.

Diablo paced the dimly lit room, his heart a chaotic mess of fear, anger, and guilt. Giovanni was gone, and it was all his fault. He should have tried harder to comfort him, to show him that everything would be okay. But his ego had gotten in the way, blinding him to the desperate plea in Giovanni's eyes.

"How could I let this happen again?" he thought, fists clenching in frustration. "I promised to protect him, to keep him safe, and now he's out there, vulnerable and scared."

He replayed their argument in his mind, each harsh word a dagger in his heart. He had been so focused on asserting his authority, on making Giovanni see things his way, that he had missed the pain and fear in his partner's voice.

"But damn it, he doesn't understand what it takes to keep us safe," Diablo reasoned with himself, trying to justify his actions. "I've done everything in my power to shield him from the ugliness of this life. Can't he see that?" While the time they have has been short, only half a year with the lifestyle Diablo is involved in shit Happens at such a fast and deadly pace.

Deep down, a part of him knew that wasn't entirely true. He had kept secrets, hidden the darker parts of his dealings, thinking it would protect Giovanni. But all it had done was drive a wedge between them, creating a brand new chain of mistrust and fear.

"I should have been there for him," Diablo admitted silently, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him. "I should have held him, reassured him, instead of letting my pride get in the way."

His love for Giovanni was fierce and all-consuming, but his ego had always been a formidable barrier. It was hard to admit he was wrong, to show vulnerability. He had built his life on strength and control, on being unyielding in the face of danger. But now, that very strength had pushed away the person he cared about the most.

"Giovanni needs me, and I've let him down," Diablo thought, a surge of determination rising within him. "I won't let my pride cost me everything. I have to find him. I have to make things right."

The realization hit him hard, cutting through his bravado. He had to swallow his pride, to show Giovanni that he was willing to fight for their love, not just against their enemies but against his flaws as well.

As he stepped out into the night to join the search, Diablo vowed to himself that he would do whatever it took to bring Giovanni back. And this time, he would make sure Giovanni knew just how much he meant to him, ego be damned.

****

Giovanni was bound and gagged, sitting in a dark room that smelled of damp concrete and oil. Markus stood in front of him, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "Well, well, if it isn't Diablo's precious Giovanni," he sneered. "Did you think you could escape this life? You belong to it as much as he does."

Giovanni's eyes blazed with defiance, even as fear gnawed at him. He refused to let Markus see him break. He thought of Diablo, of their child, and prepared himself. He needed to stay strong.

***

Back at the house, Diablo was a man possessed. He tore through the city, interrogating anyone who might have information. His desperation was palpable, driving him to the brink. Every second counted, and with each passing moment, the knot in his stomach tightened.

One of his men, a loyal friend named Finn, finally brought him a lead. A neighbor had seen a suspicious car lurking around the house earlier in the evening. Diablo's eyes narrowed as he recognized the description of Markus's vehicle.

"Markus," he hissed through clenched teeth. "Of course it’s him."

***

As Giovanni sat in the darkness, he clung to the thoughts of Diablo. He knew his partner would come for him, but he also knew he had to be ready to help himself. He began to subtly work at the ropes binding his wrists, wincing as they bit into his skin. Every small victory was a step closer to freedom.

The door to his prison creaked open, and Markus entered, looking smug. "Comfortable?" he taunted. "Diablo will come for you, and when he does, I'll be ready to end him”.

Giovanni's eyes met Markus's, filled with a silent challenge. He refused to give in to the fear that threatened to overwhelm him.

A/N Should I drag the kidnapping out or let Gio just be found ??