It All Started With The Kidnapping

Chapter 17- The Cost of Betrayal

Theo's POV

I walked back inside with Elijah and noticed he was gathering his stuff and grabbing his keys, clearly getting ready to leave. Curious, I asked, "Where are you heading?"

He glanced at me and replied, "I have to go meet my dad, so I can't make it to the bar with you tonight." His tone and expression made it clear he wasn't exactly thrilled about the family obligation.

An idea struck me, so I suggested, "Why don't you bring him to the bar with you? We could turn it into a guys' night out." It seemed like a good plan—I'm sure his dad could use a drink, and Elijah definitely needs one after dealing with him.

He nodded in agreement. "Good idea. I'll see you later then." With that, he headed out, leaving me with some time to kill.

I decided to head back to the living room, planning to annoy my sisters enough to score some food. When I walked in, they were both sprawled out on the couch, legs up, eating wings and beaks while watching a chick flick. Without a second thought, I plopped down right on top of them. They both screamed in surprise.

"Get off me, you heavy fool!" Renee screamed, trying in vain to shove me off. I just laughed at her weak attempts to push me away.

Dakota put up more of a fight, almost managing to wriggle free, but I quickly shifted and trapped her again. She sighed in defeat, realizing she was stuck. With both of them pinned down, I reached around and grabbed some of their food—knowing they wouldn't eat it anyway—and started chowing down on some chicken while they struggled beneath me.

I finally stood up, and as soon as I did, they both attempted to tackle me, but it didn't work. I just laughed and said, "Alright, calm down, you little gremlins. I'm going to go work in my office for a bit." They let go, but I knew it was too easy. I was definitely in for it later—they love playing pranks on me.

I headed upstairs to my office and opened the door. The large desk at the back was crafted from solid oak, with a comfortable leather chair positioned to command the room. Two matching leather chairs faced the desk, and on either side were built-in bookshelves filled with volumes of books. A fireplace adorned the opposite wall, framed by a large classical painting, and two large windows overlooked the driveway, letting in plenty of natural light.

I sat down to work on some paperwork when my phone rang. It was Ace, one of my top men. "Hello?" I answered.

I could hear shouting in the background, but it was too chaotic to make out what was being said. Finally, Ace spoke, "Boss, you need to get down to the warehouse—something's happened, and you need to come quick."

I stood up immediately, phone still pressed to my ear, and started heading out. "I'm on my way. Fill me in when I get there," I said before hanging up. I quickly made my way downstairs to find my sisters.

"Hey, I'm heading to the warehouse—something came up, and I need to check it out. I'll call if I need you guys," I said, knowing full well that most people don't realize my sisters are also part of the mafia. They may be twins, but they each have their own unique skills. Renee is my top hacker, while Dakota is an explosives expert who loves blowing things up, which matches her fiery personality perfectly.

I headed to the garage and jumped into my jet-black Corvette with gold rims, pulling out of the driveway and onto the highway. As I drove, my mind raced, trying to figure out what could have gone wrong. When I arrived at the warehouse, the guards outside nodded in respect as I passed. But as soon as I stepped inside, it was complete chaos—guys were yelling, trying to fight each other while others struggled to hold them back. It was pure chaos

"ENOUGH!" I shouted, and the room fell silent in an instant. Some of the guys looked at me with fear in their eyes, while others seemed more bored than anything. "What the hell is going on here?" they all started talking over each other, so I slammed my hand down on a table, making them jump. "I said enough! Everyone stay quiet. Ace, meet me in my office. If I hear as much as a whisper from anyone, you're all getting it. Got me?" They all nodded quickly and went to sit down, while Ace followed me to my office.

I walked into my office and sat down in my chair, fixing Ace with a raised eyebrow, waiting for an explanation as to why I was here and what the hell had just happened out there. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"I was out with Cam and Miles, and we saw Oliver and Wyatt talking to some of the Black Shadow mafia men—Mason's crew. After they walked away, we approached them. They got defensive, thinking we were spying on them, which wasn't the case. We were just on our way to Chick and Beak to grab some food and thought they were being harassed by Mason's men, so we were going to step in. But they flipped out, acting like we shouldn't have seen what we did.

When we got back here, they started throwing a fit, calling you names, saying you're not leading the mafia the way you should. When Cam tried to defend you, they spit in his face, and that's when everything went to hell. But there's more—I think they're hiding something. I noticed they handed their phones over to Mason's men, and they got them back just before things escalated. I wanted to call you so you'd know what's going on and deal with it accordingly."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Wyatt and Oliver were two of my top men, and the thought that they were involved in something like this made my blood boil. Betrayal and lies are the things I despise the most. I took them in from the streets, taught them everything they know, only for them to turn around and betray me like this.

"Thanks for letting me know," I said to Ace, my voice tight with anger. I got up and walked back out to where the rest of the guys were. My eyes zeroed in on Oliver. Without a second thought, I grabbed his head and slammed it against the wall, holding him there as everyone around us gasped in shock.

"I'll give you one chance to tell me the truth," I hissed, my voice low and dangerous. "You know I hate liars."

Oliver gulped, clearly terrified, but he still had the nerve to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

Stupid move. I slammed his head against the wall again before dropping him to the ground. In one swift motion, I pulled out my gun and shot him in the knee. His scream echoed through the room.

"I told you, I don't tolerate liars," I said, my voice cold and unwavering. "Ace, take him to the cells. I want to know everything they've been discussing with the Black Shadow mafia. Understood?" Ace gave a quick nod, just as I noticed Wyatt trying to make a quiet exit. Without a second thought, I drew my gun and shot him in the head. I don't have patience for fools.

Ace immediately grabbed Oliver and began dragging him to the cells. I turned to face the rest of the men, my tone icy and calm. "Let this be a lesson to everyone: cross me, and you'll meet the same fate." With that, I turned on my heel and walked out, leaving a heavy silence in my wake.