I tried calling Sofia’s number again to try and get some type of location of where she could be. I had no clue of who could have done this since my line of work puts me in the line of fire from not only rival cartels, but also, the police in both America and my home country have me on their radar. I try to keep a low profile as Ghost, but if anything happened to Sofia I couldn’t promise not to kill off every head of all the cartel families.
“Speed up and get me to the dock now!” I shouted to my driver. Dialing my car phone again it was finally answered.
“Sofia! Sofia!” I yelled and heard an evil laugh.
“Boss, good to hear from you,” Leonardo said.
“Where is she?” I questioned.
“She went on a little trip and said for me to tell you not to bother calling again,” Leonardo spoke in a menacing yet annoyed tone.
“Do you really want to play with your life, Leonardo? You know what I’m capable of doing,” I stated. Chilled silence lengthened over the phone before I spoke once more. “I suggest you contact your mother and say goodbye now.”
“What are you talking about?” Leonardo fearfully asked.
“You’ll find out soon,” I replied then ended the call as he screamed my name. Loving another person while being in this business was one of the reasons I didn’t get involved with women. It only brought out the other side of me that I tried to keep hidden and now Sofia would see the real Joaquin “Ghost” Fuertes because I planned on hunting down everyone that had a hand in hurting her. From the captain of the ship to Leonardo’s mother for giving birth to a spineless piece of shit son.
The car finally pulled up at the dock, and I could see the boat was already halfway in the middle of the ocean. I could only hope and pray Sofia was able to stay calm and not get hurt by fighting back. I knew the way these men thought and worked. When I killed Queen it was quick and smooth, no witnesses or anything tying it to the organization. I looked down as my phone started ringing from an unknown number. Normally I wouldn’t answer, but something in my gut told me this wasn’t an ordinary call. I hit answer while still watching as the boat got farther away.
“Mr. Fuertes.” I heard a voice I couldn’t recognize come through the phone.
“Who is this?” I asked.
“I have something you want,” he stated.
“Joaquin! Help me!” I heard Sofia cry out.
I closed my eyes trying to control my emotions.
“Shush...sweetheart,” he told her over the phone, and I heard Sofia whimpering don’t touch me.
I felt my heart pumping fast and clenched my fists.
“I know Leonardo helped you,” I ground out through clenched teeth. My whole being boiled with fury. My jaw ached from my actions, but my focus, my priority was Sofia.
“I figured it wouldn’t take you nothing but a second,” he remarked.
“What...do...you...want?” I spoke, my voice low and deadly.
“You took something from me Ghost. It’s only fair that I do the same thing to you.”
“Ahhh! Stop please,” Sofia screamed.
“Since you know my name, it’s only right I know yours.”
I paced in front of the dock back and forth as Gabriella, Gael, and Hugo pulled in next to my car.
“I think that will be arranged really soon. But in the meantime, I’m going to have a little fun with my guest,” he said and hung up abruptly.
“Fuckkkk!!” I shouted, removing my tie to stop the suffocation I was feeling. I knew I wasn’t really suffocating, but my rage and anguish were such I felt like I would combust if my tie was on one minute longer. I watched as the boat faded out to sea and my stomach dropped knowing that I’d probably never see her again.
“Joaquin you need to see this,” Gael said and stepped next to me holding his phone. I froze, my eyes wide as I struggled to comprehend what I was reading.
Actress, Singer Sofia Chambers Kidnapped-The Daily Blast
Sofia Chambers Worldwide Superstar is Missing-Celebrity Gossip Magazine
“Fuck!”
“Exactly, we need to regroup at your place and call her people,” Gael mentioned.
My jaw tightened further at having to call her manager and parents. They would only use this as a means to keep her away from me. Gael tapped me on the shoulder and we walked back to my car and I got inside while Gael slid next to me as Gabriella and Hugo rode in the next car.
“Your father wants to meet tomorrow,” Gael stated, and I waved him off.
“I don’t have time for him.”
“He might be able to help, Joaquin,” Gael told me, and I sharply turned my head toward him.
“You think he had something to do with this?” I questioned as the driver drove back to the city.
“I doubt he would stoop to that level,” Gael replied, once again scrolling through his phone.
“I wouldn’t put anything past anyone,” I said as our eyes locked.
“I agree, but you know I’ve always been loyal.”
“Let's hope so,” I mumbled to myself.
Thirty minutes later we made it back to my place, jumped out of the car, and walked inside to head toward the elevator. I checked my watch and it was going on ten o’clock. Since the blogs already had the story I could only imagine the major news stations would blast the story soon. Gabriella and Hugo followed us onto the elevator. I stood in the corner with my head angled up and my eyes closed trying to will myself not to go crazy. The elevator dinged and we stepped off. Hugo stopped to pick up a yellow envelope.
“Take Gabriella and check out back to see if you can find anything. This is preposterous that someone was bold enough to leave an envelope in front of my door.”
“Stay calm, Joaquin,” Gael said.
“Fuck being calm!” I shouted as I stepped in Gael’s face.
He held his hands up and took a step back. I could feel myself slowly slipping into that dark place again. Without Sofia, there was no reason for me to spare a soul on this planet. I opened the envelope and pulled the photos out of Sofia showing her in various scenarios—alone at the studio, entering the recording booth, and out to eat. Some of the photos even had me with her or with my people. I slapped the photos in Gael’s hands.
“How was someone able to get these without me knowing?” I forced my key in the door and tossed my jacket on the couch before I headed to the bar and poured a drink.
“I’m starting to think it could be an inside job,” Gael said as Gabriella and Hugo walked inside shaking their heads.
“We didn’t see anything.” Gabriella bit her lip.
“Check the cameras,” I said before I gulped down the scotch and poured another glass.
“What do you want me to do about her people? We need to get ahead of this,” Gael informed me.
“Call them over first and then we’ll see what they think about calling her parents.”
Gael stood up and walked out of the living room as he talked on the phone. My gaze lingered on each person in the room as I wondered if they had betrayed me.
“Boss,” Gabriella muttered and walked over to the couch and looked at the screen.
My face reddened. “Who is that?” I questioned as I glared at the person wearing all black with their face covered up.
“I think it’s Leonardo, just from the body build. No one has access besides him and us,” Gabriella stated and rewound the footage of the guy as he stepped into the frame and placed the envelope down without ever showing his face.
“He knew the cameras were there,” I spoke.
“Exactly, which means we have a snake in the camp,” Gabriella sneered before she cracked her knuckles.
“Cassidy is on her way here now. Edward didn’t answer the phone,” Gael remarked.
“He didn’t answer his phone? The same night Sofia is kidnapped?” My brows drew together.
“Edward’s a sleazeball, but I doubt he could pull something like this off on his own,” Gael told me.
“Should we call Antonio?” Hugo asked.
“No.”
“He’s gone through the same thing, Joaquin. Maybe he could help.” Gael’s eyes burned with frustration.
“The less people involved the better.”
“I disagree, we need everyone that can put in calls,” Gael replied.
“I said no. I'm Ghost, this can be fixed without more people getting involved.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Gael questioned.
“Gael, drop it.”
“You're not invisible, Joaquin.”
“I fucking know that! I’m Ghost for a reason,” I yelled in Portuguese.
“Brother, I just want to help you.” Gael jammed his hands in his pockets. The doorbell rang and Hugo opened it slowly and I saw Cassidy standing on the other side.
“Thanks for coming,” I spoke as I waved for her to take a seat.
“I had no choice when you said something happened to Sofia,” Cassidy remarked, and my chest tightened. I sat down on the chair opposite of Cassidy; my hands clasped together in my lap.
“Sofia’s been kidnapped,” I muttered.
“What! OMG...I need to call the police.” Cassidy jumped up out of her seat and I motioned for Gabriella to take her phone.
“What are you doing!” Cassidy screamed.
I watched as Gabriella tossed Cassidy’s phone in her pocket.
“Cassidy, we can’t get the police involved.”
“Are you crazy? The police should have been called the second you found out,” Cassidy grumbled, holding her hand out for her phone.
“Cassidy, my work is not the most conventional,” I said.
“I know you're a gangster or something,” Cassidy mumbled.
“Something like that, but Sofia has always been protected.”
“Until today,” Cassidy spat.
“Yes and the reason being is because someone wants my attention and they decided to get me back by taking Sofia,” I informed her, and stood up, grabbed my glass and refilled it.
“You need a clear mind, Joaquin,” Gael said, pointing toward the glass.
“This is the only thing keeping me sane,” I stated, and went back to the couch.
“Hugo, go back to the dock with some men and see if anything was left behind, maybe Sofia fought with them.” Gael crossed his arms over his chest.
I stood up and walked to the bedroom to change my clothes. I turned and saw one of my shirts on the bed and lifted it up and smelled it remembering this was Sofia’s favorite shirt whenever she came over and spent the night.
“I knew you thugs would hurt Sofia in some way!” I heard a gasp and yelling back and forth. I ran back into the living room and saw Gabriella choking Edward as Hugo and Gael tried to separate them.
“Let him go,” I said as I dropped the shirt on the back of the couch. He bent over trying to catch his breath as Gabriella glared at him.
“She’s an animal,” Edward spat.
“I see you got our message.”
“Where is Sofia? I don’t think this is a kidnapping plot.” He straightened his jacket and tie.
“She’s been taken and before you start, I’ll cut your fucking tongue out if you say anything else besides How can I help?” I demanded.
Edward glanced over at Cassidy then back to me with a grave expression.
“I don’t understand why we can’t call the police,” Cassidy spoke.
“Because the police will only make things worse,” Gael responded as he focused his eyes on Edward.
“What can we help with?” Edward mumbled.
“Two gossip magazines or whatever you call them have posted about Sofia’s kidnapping. I want them shut down and for you to find out who did it.”
“We can try, but most times they'll say an anonymous source,” Cassidy explained, raising her arms wide.
“Take Gabriella with you,” I stated and both their eyes darted over to Gabriella checking the bullets in her gun.
“You have any idea who did this?” Edward questioned.
“An enemy. I can promise that once I find out who, they’ll wish they were never born,” I said.
“I’ll help, but just know the second we find Sofia, I’ll do everything I can in my power to convince her to stop dating you. If you truly love her, I suggest you leave her alone,” Edward responded, before he turned to yank the door open and walked out. Cassidy and Gabriella strolled behind him. I lifted the bottle of scotch to refill my glass and Gael grabbed it out of my hand.
“Get your head out of the bottle. We need you clear and focused,” Gael said, placing the top back on and I nodded in agreement. We both stayed silent for a few minutes until Hugo spoke.
“What about her apartment?” Hugo asked.
“Take Alex with you and report back to me,” I said and grabbed my jacket off the floor not even thinking to change clothes.
“Where are you going, Joaquin?” Gael asked.
“I need to talk with Antonio.” I swiped my keys off of the table.
“I’m going with you,” Gael insisted.
Hugo, Gael, and I left my apartment and went our separate ways, leaving through the back alley. I jumped into the driver’s side of my Ferrari and Gael went to the passenger side. I stuck the key in the ignition and headed out, not waiting for him to slide the seat belt on.