Page 13 of Kidnapped By the Mafia

The rage I feel is palpable now, a cold, burning fury that spreads through my veins like poison. It’s not just about the skimming operation—it’s about everything Albrecht represents.

The man is a cancer, spreading his influence through the city, corrupting everything he touches. And he’s the reason my parents are dead.

I was eighteen when it happened. Just old enough to understand the world but too young to do anything about it. My parents were powerful, wealthy, respected by everyone in their circles, but that didn’t save them from Albrecht.

The brakes on their car were tampered with, the road they were driving on that night was slick with oil—placed there by Albrecht’s men. It was no accident. It was a calculated, deliberate murder, a way to send a message to anyone else who dared to stand in his way.

Took me years to fight back against him.

And now, all this time later, he’s still at it. Still spreading his rot through the city, still hurting people like Emily. I won’t let him get away with it. Not this time.

“Shut it down,” I say before hanging up the phone. “And bring Evan to me.”

I jog for another hour, my mind racing with thoughts of revenge, of how to make Albrecht pay for everything he’s done. I know it won’t be easy—he’s powerful, protected by layers of corruption and influence—but that only makes me more determined.

I’ve spent years building my empire, making sure I’m untouchable, and now it’s time to use that power.

8

LUCAS

When I arrive back home, Jake is waiting for me in the private room we use for interrogations. It’s a stark, windowless space, devoid of any comfort or warmth, a place where the truth comes to light no matter how much it hurts.

There’s a man tied to a chair in the center of the room, his head covered with a burlap sack.

Jake stands off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression as grim as I’ve ever seen it. “He’s been cooperative so far,” Jake says, his voice low. “But I figured you’d want to handle the rest.”

I nod, my jaw set as I step closer to the man in the chair. Jake pulls off the sack, revealing Evan’s pale, sweat-streaked face. His eyes are wide with fear, darting around the room as if looking for an escape that isn’t there.

“Lucas,” he stammers, his voice trembling.

I slap him across the face. “Mr. Caprione. Show some fucking respect.”

“Mr. Caprione, sure. Sorry. Look, this is all a misunderstanding. Call my boss, please. Let’s sort this out.”

I study him for a moment, my expression unreadable. He’s scared, and he should be. But fear isn’t enough to save him—not after what he’s done. Not after he helped Albrecht in his schemes, knowing full well the kind of man he was working for.

“You’ve been busy, Evan,” I say, my voice calm, almost conversational. “Skimming cards, funneling money to Albrecht, helping him spread his filth through this city. Doing it at my fucking party.”

Evan’s face pales even further, his eyes darting to Jake, then back to me. “I had no choice,” he pleads. “He would have killed me if I didn’t do what he said. You know how he is.”

“Yes,” I reply, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper as I think of my parents burning to death in the fiery inferno on the roadside. “I know exactly how he is.”

And that’s why I can’t let him live. Albrecht’s reach is too far, his influence too deep. If I let Evan walk away, he’ll go right back to working for him, and the cycle will continue. I can’t allow that.

“Jake,” I say, without looking away from Evan. “Deal with him.”

Evan’s eyes widen in panic as he realizes what I mean. “No! Please, Lucas, don’t do this. I’ll disappear, I swear. You’ll never see me again.”

I take a step closer, my gaze cold and unfeeling. “Begging never works with me, Evan.”

“I can get you money. You want money, right?”

“I’m worth billions. You’re offering me peanuts. Say goodbye.”

Instead of anger, I feel a strange sense of calm wash over me. I am a monster. I’ve known it for years, ever since the night my parents died, ever since I decided to build my empire on the foundation of control, power, and fear.

I give him a dark, humorless smile. And then, without another word, I reach out and wrap my hands around his throat. There’s no hesitation, no remorse, just the cold, calculated efficiency that has always defined me.

---