SANTIAGO'S POV

When I get to the airport I manage to get a flight out immediately though it costs me double what I would have paid on a return ticket plus I have to make two layovers but I do not care about that. My main objective is getting back to Phoenix and saving Hannah. Thankfully I don't get any annoying seat mates this time so I am able to fly peacefully with my own thoughts. I would not have been as kind if I would have sat with someone as annoying as the girl I flew to Rhode Island with, I don't even remember her name.

I am anxious the whole flight back and barely manage to get any rest as I am overthinking about the situation Hannah is in. What if they hurt her or worse? I was able to protect her during the riot at FCI but will I be able to make it back in time to save her again?

The gang doesn't deal with women but they are cruel and have a grudge against Hannah for taking me away so I fear for her. Arturo especially doesn't like her because he blames her for me leaving him. What he doesn't know is that even without Hannah in the picture I still would have left the gang for myself and for Diego. I'm done with living a life of crime, Hannah was just the kick in the nuts I needed to make that bold move.

Arturo thinks that by taking Hannah he has leverage to make me rejoin the gang but what he doesn't know is that by taking her he has sealed his fate. I will not rest until he is in prison or dead. I am getting my Hannah back and I do not care how many men I have to kill. I didn't rat them out when I was arrested but now that they have taken Hannah, I am done doing them any favours.

I land in Phoenix at dawn and call Tom immediately I get off the plane. I had already texted him my flight schedule so he knows when I am landing.

"You've landed?" He asks as soon as he picks up.

"Yeah, I'm here." I answer.

"Good, Jada is waiting for you outside. She'll bring you to the field office." He replies.

"Okay." I reply and hang up.

I was okay with getting a cab and I have no idea what mood Jada is in but I don't have a choice since she is already here.

I walk out if the airport to find her leaning against the same white Mercedes Benz I saw her driving at the hospital when I went to see Hannah for the first time.

She surprises me when she hugs me. I skeptically hug her back not sure how to react. I know that Jada wasn't a huge fan of me at the beginning and I am still trying to earn her affections and show her that I am worthy of Hannah but this is new even for me.

"We'll get her back, don't worry." Jada consoles.

I think the words are more for her benefit than mine.

"I know we will." I reply when we pull apart.

I put my bag in the backseat and take the passenger seat as Jada drives us out of the airport.

"Did you talk to her?" Jada asks.

I nod. "Yes."

"How did she sound?" Jada sniffs.

I want to offer to drive but I don't want to spook her so I just observe her carefully. If I see her falter, I will take the wheel.

"Scared." I answer honestly.

"Of course she is. Those bastards kidnapped her from her own home." Jada cusses out.

"How do you know that?" I question.

I don't know the details of how they took her but Jada seems to.

"You weren't supposed to know this yet but Hannah bought the food truck yesterday and was going to surprise you with it when you got back. They grabbed her when she arrived home with it. We saw everything from the video footage on doorbell camera when Tom went to secure the scene." Jada explains.

Of course Hannah went ahead and purchased the food truck. I kinda saw it coming and of course I am going to reimburse her when I get her back. I'm just sad that they took her while she was doing something nice for me.

"Does everyone hate me?" I ask in a fearful whisper.

"Why would you say that?" Jada counters turning to glance at me.

"They took your best friend because of me." I confess.

"Oh that! We don't hate you Santiago, we know it wasn't your fault. You did everything by the book, quit gang for her, took a beating and had a tattoo burnt off. They are just vengeful fuckers who don't know the meaning of the word no. She'll be fine, we'll get her back and put those idiots behind bars where they will rot forever." Jada reassures me.

"Thank you Jada." I smile at her.

She has no idea the power of her words. I am already feeling inadequate to her friends because of my past and then this had to happen. I was afraid that they would hate me and cause a rift between Hannah and I but I am so glad to hear that that won't be the case.

When we get to the FBI office, Jada parks out front and asks me to leave my bag in the car as we head inside. We are issued visitor ID badges before we are guided to a conference room where Tom and five other people are waiting for us, all unfamiliar faces.

Tom approaches us when we walk in, shakes my hand and hugs Jada, kissing her cheek.

"Thanks for picking him up babe." Tom says to her.

"Of course, I'll be outside if you need me." Jada whispers.

She gives us both comforting looks before exiting the room.

"Ready to do this?" Tom asks.

"Yes." I answer confidently.

"Great, let me introduce you first. This is my boss Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field office, Patricia Wells." Tom says pointing me to the woman who looks like she holds all the power in the room.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Delgado, it's unfortunate that we have to meet under such circumstances." Patricia expresses.

"Likewise." I nod shaking her hand.

"Assistant Special Agent in Charge Shaun Warren, my partner Special Agent Clark Adams and the other two Agents who will be working with us Kennedy and Mark." Tom finalizes introducing everyone.

They all look very capable and I trust that Tom works with the best because that's what I need to save Hannah.

"You the convict that helped Johnson solve his case at FCI?" Mark asks.

I look at Tom who assures me it's okay to divulge such information with a nod of his head.

"Yes I am." I answer.

"That was very brave of you." Kennedy adds.

"We can all catch up later, can we brainstorm now. We need to get Hannah back, I cannot lose another Johnson." Tom demands.

"Of course." Shaun agrees.

They play me the a abduction clip from Hannah's doorbell camera to confirm that we are indeed going after La lobo and its not easy to watch especially where he knocks her out with his gun. It makes my blood boil because I know how painful that is. Hannah told me that they did but hurt her but that is the definition of them doing it.

"That's Arturo Rodriguez, head of La lobo." I affirm.

"Why would a big time drug lord like Arturo single handedly kidnap a civilian?" Kennedy asks.

"Because that civilian is my girlfriend and the reason I left La lobo. He believes that by taking her he can use her to make me go back." I answer looking at the paused image of him putting my Hannah into the trunk of his car.

When I get my hands on him, I will make him pay for that.

"You his son or something?" Mark asks.

"I worked for him long enough to be second in command before Darius arrested me. We worked together for years so yes he considers me family." I explain.

"Well then let's go storm the castle." Clark comments.

Clark replaced Darius as Tom's partner and from what Hannah told me he is an upstanding guy. Jada was happy when Tom got a male partner so it's a win win situation for all. I only hope he is a square as Darius was because he would have gone to the ends of the world to get his sister back.

"When will your team be ready to go in?" I ask Tom.

"We'll be ready by sundown like Arturo said." He replies.

"I would like to go in earlier, he won't be expecting that." I insist.

Taking Arturo by surprise will throw him off his game especially since he doesn't know that when he took Hannah he messed up because now has the whole Phoenix FBI field office after him.

"We can make that possible." Shaun agrees.

"Let's do it." Tom nods.

The briefing and planning takes longer than I like but I know it's all for Hannah's benefit. We will have SWAT and aeriel support from two choppers. Patricia isn't sparing a resource when it comes to this. But then again I am helping them take down the biggest gang in Phoenix responsible for half the drugs in the streets, multiple murders and almost all the crime in the city. They were once my family but the minute they messed with Hannah, it was game over for them.

We leave the office half an hour before midday and I am surprised to see that Jada is still around.

"You boys heading out?" She asks approaching us.

"Yes, it's action time." Tom answers.

"You go and you bring her back safe." Jada demands.

"We will, I promise." Tom replies.

They hug and share a kiss while I stand there awkwardly. I can't wait to get Hannah back so we can go back to being the ones who make people feel uncomfortable around us. I get a hug as well before Jada finally let's us go.

Tom, Clark and I ride in the tactical van while the rest of the team are in SUV's behind us. Patricia and Shaun stayed back to monitor the operation from the JOC.

"Give me a gun." I request Tom on the drive over.

"You can't go in there armed." He retorts with a scoff as if he can't believe I've just asked him that.

"Why not?" I challenge.

"Because then we will have to charge you when we arrest the rest of them and Hannah will have my balls if I'm the reason you go back to prison for not keeping you in check." He answers.

He is right even though I hate to admit it. I don't want to go in there unprotected but carrying will have major repercussions that I am not willing to pay.

"This is for your ear, we will be able to hear you but you can't hear us." Tom says giving me a earpiece.

I slide it into my ear canal and perform a systems check to make sure that it is working.

"We will be with you the whole time. What's your safe word?" Tom asks as he checks the camera hidden in the button of the jacket I am wearing.

"Sailing." I answer.

It was such a weird safe word but then again anything too obvious and I'd spook Arturo.

"Perfect, don't forget to use it if things goes sideways. We will be in there in thirty seconds." Tom assures me.

"Bullets travel faster than that." I mumble my leg shaking in anticipation.

"You're wearing Kevlar." Tom reminds me.

It's not a bullet proof vest, that would be too obvious but the tank top I am wearing under my hoodie has been reinforced with kevlar.

"I am not talking about me." I say looking him in the eyes.

One look and he knows exactly who I am referring to.

"She will be fine." He reassures me.

"I hope so. God I pray so or you'll be carrying dead bodies out of there." I grit out feeling myself start to get angry.

"Hey remember what we talked about. No heroic moments." Tom demands.

"ETA, three minutes." Clark's voice crackles over the radio.

"No promises." I reply looking at Tom in the eyes so he can see I mean business.

I will do my best to follow the plan but if anything goes sideways I am doing everything possible to protect Hannah even if that means putting people down.

La lobo headquarters is based on a huge ranch in the outskirts of the city, the perfect cover to run drugs. It is monitored 24/7 but I know the area well enough to give Tom all the information he needs to take advantage of their blind sports.

We stop a half mile away since I need to cover the rest of the distance on my own. I was expecting to walk but I am surprised when Tom hands me a set of car keys. It's a RAM truck that I wish they'd let me keep after the operation is over and we have rescued Hannah.

"Stick to the plan." He demands as he leans over the open car window.

"I'll do my best." I answer starting the truck.

He nods and steps back letting me drive away. When I get to the familiar gates, it feels like I am going back home after being away on a long trip but in real sense I am going in for war. The gates automatically open to let me in and I immediately spot all the armed guards at the entrance. The gang has grown over the last three and a half years I've been away but I do not care about that. I am here to get my girl and leave.

I exit the truck with my hands raised in surrender and get strip searched. They get nothing on me but a bandana and some cash.

"Jefe is waiting for you inside." Lorenzo the stupid kid who rated me out says approaching me carrying a gun that looks bigger than him.

Poor kid doesn't know that he'll either be dead or in prison by the end of the day. I feel no remorse for any of these men. They all knew what they were signing up for when they joined La lobo. It's either kill or be killed and today their surrender will determine where they end up.

I know exactly where I am going as I enter the extravagant ranch house where Arturo and his top lieutenants live. Everyone else lives either away from the ranch on in the five different cabins on the premises.

I hate to think that Hannah has been with these men for almost twenty four hours but I need to remain calm.

Arturo is in the backyard smoking a cigar by the pool in an all white suit that makes him look like a pimp. He smiles when he sees me and gets up to hug me.

"You're here early, that eager to see me." He asks with a mocking laugh.

"You wish, I am here for her. Where is she?" I demand itching to see Hannah and assure myself that she is okay.

"Not even a hello." Arturo mocks giving me a fake pout.

"Don't fuck with me Arturo." I grit out.

He looks taken back by my disrespect but I am not here to play games.

"If she means that much to you, you will behave." He demands.

"We are not discussing anything until I see her." I insist.

"You are so whipped it's ridiculous. I will enjoy killing her, or the both of you depending on how today turns out but if you must see her then okay." Arturo relents.

He snaps his fingers and two of his men disappear inside the house. The ranch is exactly as I left it but there are more animals on the farm than I remember meaning Arturo has grown the drug business as well. It's all quiet but I know that behind the fence is an FBI and SWAT army waiting for my cue to burn this whole operation to the ground.

A few minutes later they drag Hannah out with her hands tied behind her back in zip ties. Her braided hair is falling loosely over her face but I don't miss the cut on her forehead from where Arturo struck her. I move forward to meet her but two more members step in the way, guns at the ready.

"Release her." I demand.

"Not so fast." Arturo laughs getting up as well.

"Are you okay?" I ask Hannah.

She nods though I don't miss the wince when she moves her head. That makes me angrier than I already am.

"She's hurt. I told you there would be hell to pay if she was hurt." I grit out.

"Goods get damaged in transport, nobody touched her?" Arturo assures me.

"Is that true?" I ask Hannah looking into her eyes.

"Yes." She replies.

I am pushed to a chair and Hannah is forced to sit away from me as well while Arturo sits across from me. It takes everything in me not to leap across the coffee table between us and strangle the life out of him. There are too many guns trained on us so I have to stay calm and listen to what he has to say. I need to get Hannah to safety and away from him before I can unleash Tom and his team on them.

"Now that you've seen she's okay, let's discuss the terms of your surrender." Arturo demands with a sly grin thinking he has won.

If only motherfucker.

✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️

Double update because why not?

You guys are so sweet. Thank you for all your encouraging comments in the last chapter. I was so focused on the negative comments that I forgot that there are hundreds of you who actually love my book and my characters. Thank you so much. You have no idea what your words did for me.

I love you all ❤❤❤.

Hannah's POV coming up next.