Chapter 5: The Price of Betrayal
Question of the Day
What is betrayal to you?
Now enjoy
Christian's POV
"What the hell are you doing lying in bed when Bella has been taken?" Crystal's voice exploded through the room. "Do you even understand what this means?"
I pushed myself up on the clinic bed, pain shooting through my side where I had been treated. "Just shut up, Crystal," I snapped. "You don't care that I got shot, so watch your mouth."
Crystal's eyes darkened. "You don't tell me what to do."
"And you don't act like you own everyone," I fired back, standing on my feet despite the pain. "You're only in charge because you arrived five minutes before me. That's it."
"What did you just say?" Crystal growled, stepping forward.
"Enough!" Christopher, our older brother, cut in sharply. "This won't bring Bella back. Fighting each other is exactly what our enemies want."
Silence filled the room. Heavy. Dangerous.
Christopher rubbed his temples. "If anyone contacts us, we wait. If there's no word in six hours, we track her ourselves. Matt will hack every street camera in that area. No mistakes."
Crystal clenched his jaw but said nothing.
I had a bad feeling in my gut. A name kept repeating in my head.
*Anthony Santa Cruz.*
That man had been quiet for four years. Too quiet. And now Bella was gone.
This wasn't a coincidence.
This was war.
---
Bella's POV
Pain woke me up.
Not the normal kind. The kind that tells you something is very wrong.
I tried to sit up — and fell off the bed. My head spun as I hit the floor.
New room. Cold walls. No windows.
Then it all came rushing back.
The man in black.
The syringe.
Christian shouting my name.
The gunshot.
My heart started racing.
I've been kidnapped. Again.
"What kind of life is this?" I whispered, my voice breaking. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"
The door opened.
A man stepped in. Lean. Muscular. Tattoos on his face. His presence alone made the room feel smaller.
"Well," he said slowly, eyes dragging over me, "now I see why he's so obsessed with you."
My throat went dry. "Please… I don't have money. I don't have anything. Just let me go."
He laughed softly — a sound with no humor in it. "You're not here for money, Bella."
I froze. "You know my name?"
"Oh, I know a lot about you," he said, walking closer. "You're the girl who saved him. The girl who ruined everything."
"Ruined what?" I whispered.
He slammed his hand on the table. I flinched hard, covering my head on instinct. Years of experience had taught my body to react before my mind could.
"I've been planning for four years," he snapped. "Four years to take everything from Crystal Sinster Abaddon. And then you came along and kept him alive."
Tears filled my eyes. "I didn't know who he was. I was just trying to help."
"That was your mistake," he said coldly.
He grabbed my arm roughly and shoved me back against the wall. Pain exploded through my shoulder. My head hit hard, and stars filled my vision.
"Please…" I cried. "I didn't mean to—"
"Save it," he interrupted. "Your kindness cost me my crown."
Blood rushed in my ears. My body shook uncontrollably. I couldn't even scream anymore.
He crouched in front of me, gripping my chin so I had to look at him.
"Do you know who you really saved?" he asked quietly. "Crystal Sinster Abaddon. And his precious brother, Christian Spinster Abaddon."
My eyes widened.
"You're in the middle of something far bigger than you," he continued. "And now… you're my leverage."
He stood up, straightening his jacket like nothing had happened.
"My name is Anthony Santa Cruz," he said calmly. "And you, pretty girl, are the key to breaking their empire."
He leaned closer one last time.
"Rest well, Bella. You're going to be very useful."
The last thing I felt was a sharp pain at the back of my head.
Then darkness took me.