Page 49 of Ruthless Mafia Daddy

It turned out to be a very exciting experience, and I ended up staying past my work hours. It was exactly what I needed—a distraction to occupy me for the day and keep me from returning to the empty house waiting for me. While I appreciated Maya’s efforts to keep me company, she simply wasn’t Mikhail.

“We’ll make a brief stop at Ben & Jerry’s,” I said to Angelo as we pulled out of the driveway, feeling the need to treat myself after a long workday. I’d probably have to run an extra kilometer or two to shed off the calories, but it’ll be worth it. Ice cream was my ultimate guilty pleasure.

“Yes, ma’am.” My skin bristled at the cold and formal tone of his voice. I’d given up on trying to create a less tense relationship between us long ago and allowed him to continue with his formalities. He was probably following strict orders from his boss, but that didn’t make being called ‘ma’am’ bearable.

As we approached the ice cream truck, my phone buzzed with a message from Julia reminding me of our monthly catch-up dinner tomorrow. Finally, something to look forward to. A smile curled my lips as I typed my reply. Our monthly dinners were the only sign of normalcy in my life, and I held tightly to them.

Before I could hit the send button, a sudden jolt threw me forward, and searing pain exploded on my shoulder from the seat belt holding me in place. The deafening sound of screeching tires and shattering glass filled the air as the car was sent spiraling out of the road.

“Angelo!” I screamed, my heart going into overdrive as I struggled to process what the hell just happened. I could see him struggling to control the car, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. Panic surged through my veins as I realized we were spinning out of control. I closed my eyes tightly, praying to every God I've ever heard of and offering my fealty to any one of them who managed to bring me out of this situation alive. This can't be how I die.

Time slowed down as the car skidded across the pavement, and I cracked an eye open to see Angelo slowly regaining control of the steering. The relief was wiped off my face as a bigger force slammed into us, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through me. My vision burned as my head slammed against the window, a sharp pain radiating from the side of my skull. I could taste the metallic tinge of blood in my mouth, mingling with the smell of smoke and burning rubber.

For a moment, everything went silent. The world seemed to hold its breath as I struggled to stay conscious. I could hear the pounding of my heart against the pain in my head, and my breath was coming out in a ragged manner. Survival instinct kicked in as the blanket of smoke around me thickened, almost crowding my vision and filling my lungs with so much carbon monoxide that they started to burn. I tried to move, but my body seemed to weigh a ton. I could only manage to lift my fingers. Panic tugged at my chest as I realized I was trapped.

“Angelo,” I whispered, my voice weak and trembling. I couldn’t see him. I couldn’t see anything. Tears streamed down my eyes as I came to the slow realization that this was how I was going to die—in a burning car, scared and alone.

Suddenly, a hand grasped my shoulder, shaking me violently. "Arielle! Please Arielle, open your eyes. Don’t die on me, please, stay with me." Angelo’s voice sounded like a muffled noise at the back of my head, but it was a lifeline in the darkness, and I focused on it, clinging to it like my life depended on it because it probably did.

“Can you move?”

I tried to nod, but the pain in my head was overwhelming. I forced myself to take a deep breath, filling my lungs with more smoke as I pushed through the fog of pain and fear. Slowly, I managed to unbuckle my seatbelt, and Angelo pulled me out of the car, his movement careful and deliberate. The world outside was a mix of chaos and anarchy. Mikhail’s car was crumpled and smoking, the front end smashed beyond recognition. Another vehicle, a pickup truck, was lodged against the driver’s side, its front bumper twisted. There was no sign of the driver.

My legs wobbled as I stood, my body protesting every movement. I leaned on Angelo for support, my mind still reeling from the shock. “What happened?” I managed to ask, my voice barely more than a whisper.

“Someone rammed us,” he replied, his eyes scanning the area. “We need to get to safety.”

As we stumbled away from the wreckage, I couldn’t stop my thoughts from racing. Who would do this? Was it a randomaccident or something more sinister? The questions swirled in my mind, each one more terrifying than the last.

We made our way to the sidewalk, where a small crowd had gathered. People were shouting, their voices adding to the growing pain in my head. I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me, my vision darkening at the periphery.

“Stay with me, Arielle. Please,” Angelo pleaded, supporting my weight with his body.

Just as we reached the relative safety of the sidewalk, a loud explosion rocked the air. I turned just in time to see the car engulfed in flames, the heat and light searing through my senses. The force of the blast knocked me off my feet, sending me crashing to the ground. Pain exploded in my head as I hit the pavement, my vision going black. The last thing I heard before losing consciousness was Angelo’s frantic voice calling my name.

CHAPTER 21

Mikhail

“This better be a state-of-emergency-worthy situation Lorenzo.” I held my phone to my ears as I made my way out of the conference hall.

It was my third day in Paris, and I've barely slept a wink since I landed. It was either a negotiation meeting, a business lunch, a press conference, a meeting with the lawyers, or some stupid nonsense. I was cranky as hell and couldn't wait to be done with it all and be back home.

“There’s been an accident,” Enzo said, his voice lacking its characteristic arrogance.

I paused for a bit, waiting for him to explain further, and was met with silence. “You called me four times to inform me of the road traffic situation on the streets of New York?” I queried, growing increasingly uncomfortable with his silence.

“Uhh, Arielle was involved,” he finally said, and I felt my blood run cold. “She’s been admitted to the hospital, the doctor said it wasn’t very serious, but she is still unconscious at the moment. We tried to—”

His voice dulled into an inaudible echo in the background as I stood in the middle of the office hallway, my heart thudding inmy ears as a thousand scenarios flashed past my head in less than five seconds.

“Mikhail?” Enzo’s voice brought me back to the moment, and I immediately snapped into action.

“Don’t step an inch from her hospital bed. Make sure she’s well taken care of, and I want every detail about this accident. I’ll be home at dawn,” I instructed, making my way back to the conference room.

“Gentlemen, my woman was involved in an accident, and I need to be home as soon as possible.” A bald man with the face of a crow tried to object, but I silenced him with a look. “We’ve been on this for three days, and if you’re not convinced to work with me after seventy-two hours, there’s nothing more hours of talking can do. I’ll await your decision.” I pulled my suit jacket from the chair I was sitting on and made my way out of the office.

In my little moment with the board, I’ve figured them to be a snobbish bunch of Ivy League alumni whose only source of income was catering to businesses with a certain market cap to maintain their position and relevance in the world of the elite. I indulged them for a bit, but I know they need this deal far more than I do.

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