ANNOUNCEMENT!!! I posted before that the next story would be Red's but I decided to postpone it for the meantime. The plot is not yet solid and I need to revise it. So, after this story, I will start a new story which is more ready to be published here on Wattpad. Anyway, I hope you like this update. Just one chapter more before the Epilogue. Bon weekend, Amores!

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SABINA's POV

I was about to respond when I felt like the ship has started moving. Then, I unintentionally looked outside and realized that the ship had indeed started sailing away from the dock.

"Oh, God, Akira! The ship is sailing away from the dock! What do we do now?!" Panic was already invading my whole senses and didn't know what to do.

"I told you, Sabina. Everything's going to be okay." She seemed to be calm as she stared at the endless expanse of water ahead of us, leaning against the taffrail.

"How can you say that when they're taking us away from this place against our will?!" I asked her incredulously and she shrugged her shoulders almost uncaringly; didn't even bother to look at me. She looked brooding.

I huffed and was about to storm out of there to look for a way to escape this situation when Carlo, who was surveying us nearby, spoke.

"Father Nicolas instructed for you to stay here and you can't wander off the ship without his permission."

I gave him a cold stare. "Fùck his permission! I don't need it to go wherever I please. He took me here against my will!" I snapped at him, couldn't take it anymore that I didn't even realize that I was already cursing.

"He's your husband—"

"—He's not my husband! Never! I don't have any relationship with him or whatever so stop telling me that!"

"What's going on here?" Everyone looked at the direction of Father Nicolas who just came back. My jaw flexed. Seeing the man I loathed the most was sending my blood into a boil. But instead of shouting at him, I decided to deal with him as calm as I could.

"What do you want me to do for you to let me go?" His eyebrows arched.

"Let you go?" He shook his head. "Absolutely nothing, Sabina. From now on, there's only me and you and no one can separate us no matter what. You belong to me."

I cringed so hard. "You, sick b*stard! I don't want to be with you! And please, stop talking as if there's something going on between us because that will never ever happen! You repulse me! I belong to no one other than Cryxus Xzavier Montaño! Keep that in mind!" I saw how his face turn red in rage but I couldn't care less anymore. He needed to hear the truth for once and for all.

I knew why he was doing all this and it made me sick to my stomach that a person like him who should be the one to demonstrate kindness to others was the one who terrorizes and causing pain onto others because of his selfish ambitions.

"What did you just say?"

I raised my chin defiantly and met his gaze. "I know why you're doing this to me and I'll make sure that you will never achieve your goals. I'm the key to your success, right? Then, I will do everything I can to stop whatever you're plotting to do.

"I'm thankful that I managed to escape Safe Haven but I pity those who are still there until now, suffering and living like a robot under your leadership not knowing that you're nothing but a money and power-hungry b*stard who only uses them for your own good.

"But just like what happened to me; the people of Safe Haven will eventually see right through you. Your dark soul will eventually show its atrocious form to everyone. I'll make sure of that." His eyes squinted in anger.

"You b*tch!" He raised his hand and was about to back hand me when we heard a familiar voice that sounded like the calm before a storm.

"Try harming even a strand of her hair and you're dead." Father Nicolas' hand stopped in mid-air before turning his head to look at him.

"Xzav..." My eyes brimmed with tears upon seeing Xzavier. I didn't expect him to show up here like this. I really thought, I wouldn't be able to see him again knowing that a powerful guy like Father Nicolas kidnapped me.

"Montaño." Father Nicolas uttered full of displeasure and obvious loathe.

"Yes, Nicolas. The one and only." He smugly responded, too relaxed as if he wasn't in the territory of the enemies.

"You're still as cocky as before coming here alone like this. I'm sure, you know that just one lift of my finger and you're dead. You came here spontaneously just to save Sabina but I didn't know that you're this stupid, coming here unarmed and alone. Well, I should thank you for coming here though because I don't need to hunt you down in order to erase you for good." Even though Father Nicolas was just saying it, fear already crept within me, realizing that he was right.

I saw earlier that Father Nicolas' men were everywhere in this ship and one wrong move of Xzavier and he would surely get killed.

"Xzav—"

"—Stay right there, Sabina, if you don't want me to take him down right at this instant." Father Nicolas warned when I attempted to walk toward him. He then lifted his hand and snapped his fingers. Just like a cue, his men gathered around us, each one holding guns.

But instead of getting intimidated, Xzavier's facial expression didn't change one bit. In fact, he even scoffed as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"You're really a coward, hiding behind your men like a sissy. Well, what else could I expect from the likes of you?"

"Well, we're not the same, Montaño. I know how to utilize the things I have for my own advantage without even breaking a sweat. That's what you call power."

"And yet, you still want more? Indeed, we're not the same. I'm not like you who's only after money and power. I already have those since the day I was born. I don't need to force a woman to marry me just to achieve those petty goals." Father Nicolas' face reddened of pique.

"You, motherfù—"

"—Give me back my woman and I'll spare your life." He interrupted Father Nicolas with a bored tone and yet, his eyes were telling the opposite. I knew that a storm was coming and it would be cruel and unforgiving.

This was my first time seeing him like this and shocked was understatement. He hadn't done anything yet but I could already sense the catastrophe that was about to strike.

Father Nicolas laughed as if he just heard the funniest joke ever.

"You're the second Montaño who dared going against me and yet, just like him, you're nothing. In fact, I can see a lot of him in you. Loves talking big and yet, stupid enough to cross me. Look what happened to him. Six feet under the ground."

"Oh, I don't know about that. If there's someone stupid here, that's you. You just keep on striking blindly without making sure you're hitting its root. I tricked you under your nose before and I can do it again without breaking a sweat." Father Nicolas' nose flared in anger.

"B*stard!" He then looked at his men. "What are you still waiting for?! Kill him!" My eyes widened and I felt like my heart stop beating as I looked at Xzavier who remained standing on his spot like he was merely in the park as if his life wasn't in danger at all.

"No! Xzav!" The men around cocked their guns and was about to pull the trigger when I saw Xzavier held up his hand like signaling someone before a series of gunshots echoed followed by Father Nicolas' men falling on the ground almost at the same time like bowling pins.

I screamed as the gunshots continued, crouching down with my arms covering my head as if that gesture could protect myself. I searched Xzavier with my eyes but he disappeared.

"Sh*t! We're being surrounded, Father Nicolas! We need to get out of here, quick!" Carlos shouted while trying his best to retaliate but the enemies shooting at them were nowhere to be seen.

"Sabina, let's go! This is our chance!" Akira pulled me by the hand but someone grabbed my other hand, stopping me from leaving.

"You're not going anywhere until I say so!" It was Father Nicolas.

"Let go of me!" I tried my best to pull back my hand from his grip but to no avail. Then, Akira suddenly collapsed and Carlo caught her before she fell on the floor.

"Take her and get her out of here!" Father Nicolas instructed. It seemed that they hit the sensitive spot behind Akira's neck that caused her to lose consciousness.

"What have you done to Akira?! Put her down!" I tried going after them but Father Nicolas' hand tightened around my hand which made me wince in pain before dragging me somewhere. I kept on screaming while struggling out of his grip when Xzavier reappeared and gave him a solid punch in the face.

"Dare touching what's mine one more time and you're dead!" He spat at him before pinning him down with his knees on the floor as he kept on punching him solidly in rage. It seemed like he didn't have any intention of stopping until he killed him and that scared me.

Father Nicolas tried to fight back but he was easily overpowered by Xzavier.

"Xzav, stop! He's already unconscious!" I hugged him from behind, forgot about the gunshots around. Somehow, I felt relieved to be rescued by him from Father Nicolas but I didn't want him to be a murderer.

Father Nicolas' blood was too dirty to stain his precious hands and I would never let him commit a mistake that he would surely regret in the end. There were many ways to punish him without letting him have it easily by dying.

"He hurt you and that's enough reason for me to kill him!"

"No! I don't want you to be a criminal! Don't be like him! You're far too good compared to the likes of him. Please, stop. This is not like you." I cried and burrowed my face in his hair while hugging him tightly.

"I love you. Please, enough."

I thought, he was already too mad to listen to reasons but upon hearing what I've whispered, his body went still as if he just woke up from a deep slumber.

"Be thankful that my woman still has a compassion for you even though you don't deserve even a tiny bit of it. She's right. I won't let you die because I'll make sure that you'll suffer." He said stone-heartedly before grabbing Father Nicolas' collars and whispered something in his ear before shoving him back to the floor.

He untangled my arms from hugging him and then slowly faced me.

"I'm sorry for showing you that side of me. I was just enraged to the point that I wanted to kill him." He then wiped my tears. "Stop crying because it breaks my heart whenever I see you cry."

When he held out his hand, I gave him mine and we stood up. "You're safe now, my Ina. I'm sorry for coming late. I just wanted to make sure that we would trap him in a place where he wouldn't escape." I threw my arms around him as I sobbed. This time, I felt relieved that everything was finally over.

"Thank you for keeping your word, Xzav. Thank you for coming to my rescue. Again."

"You don't have to thank me, my Ina, because even if he hid you in hell, I would rescue you. Wherever you are, I'll be there no matter what happens. I'm sorry for all the tears I've made you shed, especially that time when you thought that I didn't come for you. This time, I made sure to come because I didn't want to repeat what happened in the past."

I shook my head. "I've forgiven you long time ago, Xzav. Even though you didn't come for me personally back then, you made sure you sent someone on your stead and that's enough for me. Thank you because you came to my rescue once again." I looked up at him and cupped his face.

"I love you so much. The thought of losing you forever almost broke my heart and soul. I want to be with you forever. You're my one and only." His eyes shone with joy.

"I love you too, my Ina." He kissed my forehead tenderly. "The thought of losing you forever almost made me insane. Thankfully, I was prepared for this day and everything happened just like how I predicted it to be. Akira contributed to the success of this mission too." He lifted my chin with one finger and was about to kiss me when I remembered something.

"Oh, God! Akira! They took Akira!" I was about to go look for her when he pulled me by the hand and sealed my lips with his. I groaned. Much as I wanted to kiss him, Akira needed our help. He grunted when I pinched his abdomen.

"What was that for?!"

"Didn't you hear what I've said?! Akira needs our help! They took her away!" He was about to answer when someone spoke.

"X, everything's under control now." X?

"Good. What about Ms. Smith?"

"She's safe now." Xzavier nodded his head.

"You know what to do next."

"Of course, young master." When the man left, he faced me.

"You heard it. Akira's in safe hands now." I chewed on my bottom lip and turned around, wanting to see the aftermath of the gunshots but before I could see anything behind me, Xzavier covered my eyes with his hands.

"What are you doing?"

"Close your eyes, Ina." He instructed and I was about to protest when he spoke again. "Please. Just do what I say." His tone was earnest and I understood that it wasn't the time for me to be stubborn.

After that, he carried me on his arms and took me somewhere, realizing that he didn't want me to see the scenes of gore. I tightened my arms around him, feeling safe and relieved.

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What do you think of this chapter, Amores?

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