Page 122 of Ruthless Mafia Daddy

What happened?

I want to hope against hope that this is Andre’s way of punishing me for leaving the house. But looking around, I know better.

This time, I’m in big trouble. But how? Why?

I screw my eyes shut and rub at my temples, wincing at the pain in my head as I try to decipher the last thing I remember.

I was in an uber, and there was a car. Oh, my god, he was trying to run us off the road. It passed us and swerved and then…fear…pain…nothing…

Holy crap. We crashed. My baby! My hands move to my abdomen as bile rises in my throat.

I need to see a doctor. I need to make sure my baby is okay.

I pull on the chain on my leg again and again. I need to free myself. I need to get out of here, wherever ‘here’ is.

I look around, trying to find a way out, other than the door, which I’m sure is either locked or has someone nasty on the other side.

Thick, iron bars block the window high above me.

My eyes flick to the door, and I notice more bars, orange with rust.

Two exits.

But no way out.

On the other side of the bars in the door, there’s the top of a blond head—a guard who is sitting outside to make sure I don’t escape? Not that I could, even if my life depended on it.

“Help,” I croak.

My throat is bone-dry, and I’m desperate for water.

How long has it been?

My head’s foggy, as if I’ve been asleep for days, and my stomach growls.

“Help!” Though my voice is barely above a whisper, the empty cell still carries the sound, but the guard makes no indication that he’s heard me.

“Please!” I choke out, crawling onto my hands as knees as far as the chain will allow. “Help.”

My limbs shake with the effort, and they eventually give out, my body collapsing onto the cold, damp floor.

“Andre…” I whimper, as if somehow my voice will carry all the way to him. That I’ll wake to the sound of him breaking down the door, where he’ll rush to my side and lift me into his arms, whispering in my ear how he’ll always keep me safe.

I let my eyes flutter closed, praying that Andre will come, because without him, I doubt I’ll leave this cell alive.

I can feel his presence long before I open my eyes. I try to keep my breathing shallow, feigning sleep as I try to come up with a plan.

Even if I managed to unlock the chain around my ankle, there’s at least one guard outside, and potentially more beyond the building where I’m being kept. There’s no way I can fight them all off without a weapon.

So, that’s what I’ll need to find.

I peel my eyes open, ignoring the painful pounding of my heart as I take in the man crouched before me with a feral smile plastered on his face.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lila Morano.”

His face is heavily lined, and his dark gray hair is neatly styled. He’s wearing a pristine three-piece suit the same color as his hair. The man oozes wealth and power, and I know somewhere on his person he’ll have a gun or a knife.

I take a steadying breath as I look into his dark green eyes.

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