Page 92 of Mafia King's Forbidden Obsession

I approach it quietly and reach out to pull the handle. I almost cry from relief when it opens. I get in, and reach for the ignition the same time I realize I don't have the keys.

Shit.

Then Harper’s voice floats into my mind, teasing and confident. She showed me how to hotwire a car once— a trick she learned from some guy she hooked up with. She thought it would be useful one day, but I never thought I’d actually ever need such a skill.

My fingers fumble as I pop open the panel beneath the dashboard. The wires are a mess, but Harper’s instructions echo in my mind, guiding me through the steps. It takes a minute, but the engine roars to life, and I pull away from the mansion, my heart racing.

At the gate, the guards stop me again. “Where are you going?” one asks, his hand resting on the handle of his gun.

“Medical supplies,” I lie through my teeth, keeping my face calm. “Ezra’s critical. We’re running low.”

“There are guards inside who can get that fo—”

“They’re busy helping the doctor! I know exactly what’s needed!” I yell, cutting him off. “Do you want to be the reason he dies?” I widen my eyes, daring him to argue.

I’m pretty sure I look unhinged at this point as I stare at their shocked faces. They hesitate for a few more seconds before scrabbling forward to get the gates open and let me through. Without wasting time, I slam on the accelerator and zoom away from the mansion.

Driving down the same route we’ve used to get into town twice before.

The mansion disappears in the rearview mirror. My hands are shaking again by the time I reach the retail pharmacy in the shopping district.

Most stores are closed down as I pull up by the side of the road. I scan the area, but the stranger is nowhere in sight. My heart sinks. Was this a mistake? Did I trust the wrong person?

A town car pulls up in front of me, the window rolling down just enough for the driver to gesture for me to get in. His blonde beard is unmistakable even in the dim streetlights. It’s him.

I get out of the Audi and slide into the backseat of the sedan, my breath catching in my throat as I shut the door.

“Smart choice,” the stranger says, from the front seat, his voice calm. “You’re finally looking out for yourself.”

As the car pulls away, I stare out the window, the events of the day replaying in my head. Ezra being carried into the stitch room, unconscious.

He's in a coma, Elio's words ring.

I'm doing this for the future of our child, I try to convince myself. The sight of him covered in blood resurfaces in my mind, and I squeeze my eyes shut.

Maybe I should’ve seen him one last time before leaving. Maybe I should’ve waited until he’s out of the coma. I'll get another chance to leave. And even if I don’t, I just want to make sure he’s fine first.

I nod to myself and open my eyes. My decision is made.

“Stop the car. I can’t do this today,” my voice shakes.

The stranger doesn’t respond. The doors suddenly lock with a sharp click, and a transparent barrier slides up, separating me from the front seat. My heart pounds in my chest, panic clawing at my throat.

“Excuse me, let me out!” I scream, banging on the thick glass. But it’s no use. The driver doesn’t even flinch.

Suddenly, something changes. The air feels thicker, suffocating, and a faint hissing fills the back seat. Confusion hits me first, followed by dread as the realization dawns on me. Gas.

Frantically, I claw at my throat, trying to block my nose and bang on the windows.

Suddenly, my arms feel heavy, too sluggish. The air is slipping away, my lungs begging for relief as darkness creeps in at the edges of my vision.

The last thing I see is the blonde driver's smirk in the rearview mirror before everything fades to black.

Chapter twenty-eight

Ezra

The steady beep... beep... beep of the heart monitor echoes distantly, slowly pulling me into consciousness.

---