Page 33 of Kidnapped By the Mafia

“Trapped? Who trapped you?”

“Lucas Caprione. He forced me to marry him and–”

He’s not listening anymore. The mention of Lucas’s name makes his eyes narrow, and he steps closer, lowering his voice, speaking over me. “You’re saying Lucas Caprione is holding you against your will? The Lucas Caprione?”

“Yes,” I nod, my heart pounding. “He’s kept me locked up in that penthouse for weeks. I managed to escape, but he’ll come after me. You have to help me.”

The officer’s expression hardens, and he glances around the alley, as if checking to make sure we’re alone. “You’re lucky you got out when you did,” he mutters, his voice low. “Lucas Caprione is not a man you want to mess with. He’s got a reputation—a dark one. People disappear around him, and they don’t come back.”

His words send a shiver down my spine, confirming the fears I’ve had since the day I married Lucas. I knew he was dangerous, but hearing it from someone else, from an officer of the law, makes it all the more real. I swallow hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “Please, just take me somewhere safe. Anywhere but here.”

The officer nods, his expression grim. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

We make our way to his patrol car, parked just around the corner. He opens the passenger door for me, and I slide in, my hands trembling as I fasten the seatbelt. I glance around nervously, half-expecting Lucas to appear out of nowhere, to drag me back before I even have a chance to breathe.

The officer gets in the driver’s seat, starting the engine. The car rumbles to life, and for a brief moment, I allow myself to believe that I might actually be free. I watch as the alley disappears behind us, the building that had become my prison growing smaller in the distance.

But then, in the side mirror, I see it—a sleek, black car speeding up behind us, weaving through traffic with a terrifying precision. My heart skips a beat as I recognize it instantly. Lucas.

“Officer, he’s here,” I say, panic rising in my voice as I point to the mirror. “He’s coming after us.”

The officer glances in the mirror, his expression tightening as he realizes who’s following us. “Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, slamming his foot on the gas. The patrol car lurches forward, the engine roaring as we speed down the narrow streets, trying to outrun Lucas. “Hang on.”

The car chase is a blur of flashing lights, screeching tires, and narrow misses as the officer weaves through the streets, trying to lose Lucas.

My heart is in my throat, fear and adrenaline mixing in a dizzying cocktail as I clutch the seat, my eyes darting between the road ahead and the car behind us.

But Lucas is relentless. He’s gaining on us, the black car inching closer with every second. The officer makes a sharp turn, trying to shake him, but Lucas is right there, matching every move. The tension is unbearable, each heartbeat a countdown to the inevitable.

And then it happens. With a terrifying jolt, Lucas rams his car into the side of the patrol car, sending us careening off course. The impact throws me against the door, pain shooting through my side as the car swerves violently, struggling to stay on the road.

The officer fights for control, but it’s no use. We crash into a parked car, the force of the collision slamming me forward, the seatbelt the only thing keeping me from being thrown through the windshield.

The world is a mess of broken glass and twisted metal, the sound of the crash ringing in my ears. I’m dazed, my vision swimming as I try to make sense of what just happened.

The car is still, the engine sputtering, smoke rising from the hood. My body aches, every inch of me screaming in pain, but I force myself to move, to reach for the door handle.

Before I can even think about getting out, the door is yanked open, and I’m dragged out into the street. I look up, blinking through the haze of pain, and see Lucas standing over me, his expression dark and unreadable.

His grip on my arm is like iron, and there’s no mistaking the fury in his eyes.

“Get up,” he orders, his voice low and dangerous.

I try to protest, but the words stick in my throat. All I can do is nod, letting him pull me to my feet. My legs are shaky, barely able to support my weight, but Lucas doesn’t seem to care.

He drags me toward his car, his movements controlled, calculated, as if he’s done this a thousand times before.

Behind us, the officer groans, trying to pull himself out of the wreckage, but Lucas doesn’t even glance back. His focus is solely on me, and the fear that had been simmering inside me boils over.

I thought I wanted to escape, but now, faced with the reality of Lucas’s wrath, I realize just how much danger I’ve put myself in. This is the man who controls my life, who holds all the power, and I’ve crossed a line I’m not sure I can ever come back from.

The brief taste of freedom I had is gone, replaced by the cold, hard truth of my situation. I’m not just trapped—I’m at the mercy of a man who will do whatever it takes to keep me by his side.

24

EMILY

When the elevator doors slide open, Lucas doesn’t let go of my arm, guiding me through the luxurious hallway and into the penthouse.

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