Chapter 8 - Sebastian Walked Into a Trap to Bring My Son Home
Everything became noise.
My son.
Gone.
Rafael escaped during a prison transfer.
Security footage showed him entering a black sedan.
The next message arrived.
Come to the old Lombardi warehouse.
Alone.
Sebastian said:
“No.”
I turned.
“My son is there.”
“And that's exactly why it's a trap.”
“I don't care.”
“I do.”
“You don't understand.”
“I do.”
He looked at me.
“I was trapped by the same man for twenty years.”
He took my hands.
“We go together.”
The warehouse was surrounded.
But we entered through the front.
No army.
No weapons visible.
Just us.
Rafael stood beside Oliver.
My son was frightened.
“Mom!”
I moved.
Rafael raised a gun.
“Stop.”
I stopped.
Sebastian stepped forward.
“Let him go.”
“You took everything from me.”
Sebastian stared.
“You did that yourself.”
“You destroyed my empire.”
“You destroyed yourself.”
Rafael laughed.
He looked at me.
“Your mother used to say the same thing.”
“I'll never be her.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“You'll become her.”
“What does that mean?”
“Your mother believed people could be saved.”
I said nothing.
Rafael continued.
“That belief killed her.”
Sebastian stepped forward.
“Enough.”
Rafael turned the gun toward him.
“You think walking makes you strong?”
“No.”
Sebastian stopped.
“I think choosing not to kill you does.”
Rafael stared.
Sebastian lowered his weapon.
“I could kill you.”
Rafael laughed.
“Then do it.”
“No.”
“You're weak.”
“No.”
Sebastian's voice was calm.
“I'm finished letting men like you decide who I become.”
Rafael's expression changed.
Federal agents surrounded the building.
Sebastian had planned everything.
Rafael realized too late.
He grabbed Oliver.
I screamed.
Sebastian moved.
Faster than I had ever seen.
He reached Rafael.
They collided.
Rafael fired.
The bullet missed.
Oliver fell.
I grabbed him.
Sebastian tackled Rafael.
Agents stormed the room.
Rafael was finally arrested.
Oliver was safe.
Sebastian stood beside me.
His leg shook.
I caught him.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Your face says no.”
He smiled.
“I've had worse.”
Oliver hugged him.
“Thank you.”
Sebastian froze.
Then hugged him back.
“You're welcome.”
That night, Oliver slept between us.
Sebastian sat at the edge of the bed.
He looked at the boy.
Then at me.
“You should rest.”
“So should you.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't believe this is over.”
“It is.”
He looked at me.
“How do you know?”
“Because we're together.”
He smiled.
It was the first time I heard him laugh after the kidnapping.
Then he said:
“I want to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Marry me.”
I stared.
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“In Oliver's bedroom?”
“He's asleep.”
“That doesn't make it less strange.”
Sebastian pulled out a ring.
Simple.
Elegant.
Not extravagant.
He got down on one knee.
The movement was difficult.
His recovering leg trembled.
I reached for him.
“You don't have to kneel.”
“I want to.”
“Why?”
He smiled.
“Because twenty years ago, people decided what my body could and couldn't do.”
He held out the ring.
“Now I decide.”
I cried.
“Sebastian.”
“I don't need you to save me.”
I looked at him.
“I need you to choose me.”
I whispered:
“Yes.”
He slipped the ring onto my finger.
Then Oliver stirred.
“Did you say yes?”
We both froze.
I laughed.
“Yes.”
Oliver smiled.
“Good.”
Then he went back to sleep.
Sebastian looked at me.
“I think he approves.”
“I think he does.”
We kissed quietly.
The most feared man in Chicago was on one knee beside my son's bed.
Not because he had lost power.
May you like
Because he had found something better.
A family.
