Twisted Veil of Devotion

Part 15

RYAN POV

When we confirmed the helicopter's location, I knew it was now or never.

The FBI and police were already mobilizing, moving fast, but patience wasn't something I had left. Stella had been gone too long. Every second stabbed at me. Fear lived in my chest, but so did something stronger.

I knew who took her.

Zane Cavallaro.

His compound sat hidden like a fortress. Guards patrolled with discipline. Every detail screamed planning, power, and control.

Agent Hayes leaned in. "We move quiet. Precision only."

I nodded. "Understood."

But my head wasn't on the mission. It was on Stella.

We advanced through the shadows, closing in on the mansion. It looked like wealth wrapped around something rotten.

"I'll take the left," I said. "You take the right. Meet at the main house."

"Move."

Gunfire exploded. Shouts. Boots hitting stone. Zane's men fell back hard. We pushed forward, room after room, clearing corners, kicking in doors.

And then the truth hit like a punch.

No Zane.

No Stella.

Empty.

Like they'd vanished.

Rage burned through the fear. Someone would talk. Someone always did.

They dragged one of Zane's men over. Bleeding. Broken. Still smiling.

"Where did he take her?" My voice didn't sound like mine.

He laughed. "I will never betray my Master."

I snapped.

My hands were in his collar. Then fists. Walls. Blood. All I saw was Stella's face. All I heard was her calling for help.

Officer Martinez grabbed me. "Enough. You need to stop."

The man spat blood, smiling through cracked teeth.

"He took her to Italy. His territory."

Everything inside me went cold.

Italy.

"You'll never see her again."

Martinez kicked him away before I did something I couldn't come back from.

"We're going after her," I said.

Because this wasn't over.

Not even close.

STELLA POV

The fear stayed long after the gunshot.

The maid. The threat. The way Zane looked at me when he reminded me what he was capable of.

I sat by the window, staring at a beautiful view that felt like another kind of cage. For a moment, I thought of Ryan. Of the life that felt like it belonged to someone else.

The door creaked.

"Your dinner, Miss Thompson."

I thanked the maid, though I wasn't hungry. When she left, the silence returned. Heavy. Suffocating.

The door opened again.

Zane.

He didn't speak at first. Just watched.

I picked up my fork and took a bite, pretending everything was normal.

"Good girl," he said quietly.

I hated the way my stomach twisted.

He stepped closer. "I expected more fight from you."

I stayed quiet.

He studied me, then softened his tone. "Would you like to walk outside? This is your home now. Someday maybe we'll have children running through the halls."

The food nearly lodged in my throat.

"Babies?" The word scraped out of me.

He watched my reaction, amused.

"You're insane," I whispered.

He chuckled. "Or maybe you just don't see it yet."

I pushed away from the table and moved toward the window, needing air.

He followed.

"How will we build a family if you stay away from me?"

My heart climbed into my throat. "You can't. You don't get to force me. You can't."

He lifted my chin, gentle but terrifying.

"If you leave me no choice..."

I felt the truth settle heavy inside me.

He meant it.

All of it.

"Please," I whispered. "Let me go."

He didn't answer. Instead, he kissed me. Slow. Intentional. My whole body locked up. I wanted to shove him away, scream, run.

I couldn't move.

His kiss deepened. His presence swallowed the room. Then suddenly his grip tightened, and I was on the bed, breath knocked out of me.

"Stop. Zane. Please."

He pinned my wrists, eyes dark and burning.

"You belong to me."

Tears blurred everything. I pushed. Fought. Nothing worked. Panic clawed at my chest.

"This isn't love," I choked out. "This is control."

Something flickered in his eyes. Regret. Confusion. Something human.

He backed away.

Just like that.

The room went quiet except for my shaking breath. I wrapped myself in the blanket. I couldn't look at him.

He left without a word.

And I was left with the strangest, most terrifying realization.

He was not finished.

Not with me.

Not with any of this.