Page 11 of Mafia Heir's Broken Vows

The road stretches on, dark and eerily quiet. I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched, that I'm not as alone as I want to be. My stomach churns with unease as the forest looms on either side. I try to shake off the paranoia.

But then— BAM!

The car jerks violently to the right, metal screeching as I fight to stay on the road. My hands clamp down on the wheel, knuckles aching as the vehicle swerves uncontrollably. My heart pounds in my throat, the icy grip of panic choking me.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" I gasp, yanking the wheel to keep from spinning out. Headlights flare in my rearview mirror, and my stomach twists into a knot. A car is coming. Fast. Gaining on me.

Gunshots shatter the silence, echoing like thunder in the night. Bullets rip through the air, pummeling the back of my car. Glass explodes around me, and a sharp scream bursts from my lips.I'm going to die.My foot slams on the accelerator, the engine howling as I push it to its limit.

"No, no, no!" My voice cracks as I urge the car forward, tires screeching on the asphalt. But it's no use—they're too close. Too fast. My little car is no match for them, but I'm not giving up. Not like this.

The black SUV looms beside me, its windows rolled down. Gloved hands appear, dark and menacing, clutching guns that gleam in the moonlight. A shot fires, narrowly missing me as I swerve sharply. My heart races, blood roaring in my ears as I try to duck and drive at the same time. I can barely see the road, let alone keep control.

I don't seethe second car until it slams into the SUV, forcing it off the road. My hands shake, and I struggle to breathe through the panic.Alessandro.

His sleek black car tears past me, screeching to a halt ahead. The headlights cast long shadows onto the dark, unlit road.Alessandro is out before the engine dies, walking toward the SUV, a gun already in his hand.

"Serafina, get down!" he roars, his voice cutting through the chaos like a whip.

I duck, straining against my safety belt as bullets shatter my rear window, shards of glass raining over me. My breath comes in short, ragged gasps as Alessandro fires back, each shot sharp and deafening in the empty night. My attackers hesitate, then retreat, their SUV reversing with tires screeching and spinning before they disappear over the hill and out of sight.

The silence that follows is deafening, broken only by the sound of my shaking breaths. My fingers remain locked around the steering wheel, unmoving. Alessandro's footsteps crunch on broken glass as he lunges toward me, his shadow dark against the headlights.

"Are you hurt?" His voice is sharp, demanding—not soft or concerned.

I manage a small shake of my head. "No, but?—"

His eyes narrow, his jaw tightening. "But nothing. Get out of the car."

The way he barks the order leaves no room for argument. My legs tremble as I fumble with the seatbelt, finally climbing out of my car. The night air feels colder against my skin now, the adrenaline from the attack draining out of me and leaving me shaky and useless.

The leather interiorof his car is so warm compared to the outside, but I am in just an evening dress in the dead of winter. Alessandro drives fast, too fast, speeding through the dark,winding roads. My stomach lurches at every turn. The engine is loud and thankfully fills the silence between us.

"You followed me?" My voice is hoarse and shaky.

"You think I'd let you leave alone with Marco's men watching you?" His glare cuts through me like a laser. "You seem to have a death wish, Serafina?"

"I can handle myself!" I snap, anger flaring despite the fear churning in my stomach.

Alessandro slams the brakes, the car skidding slightly before coming to a jarring halt. He turns to me, eyes burning, fierce and dark. He's angry—furious even.

"You were handling yourself so well! You would've been dead if I hadn't been there. Don't mistake your pride for strength." His bitter words are meant to hurt me, to prove his point.

I glare at him, my chest rising and falling quickly. I want to argue, to throw his words back in his face, but I can't. He's right. And that grinds my nerves more than anything. I hate that he's right.

He exhales harshly, gripping the steering wheel, so he doesn't punch something. The car lurches forward again, speeding off without saying anything else. He has made his point.

Minutes stretchinto an eternity before Alessandro pulls into a dimly lit parking garage on the outskirts of the city. It's dingy and has an eerie feeling, there are no people around at this hour. The engine cuts off, leaving a suffocating silence in its wake. What am I supposed to do now? I'll get an Uber, although from this neighborhood—at this hour, I might end up with Ted Bundy driving me.

"You're staying with me," he says flatly, his voice like steel.

I snap my head toward him. "Excuse me?" The hell I am, I'd rather walk home, I have to go home, I have responsibilities that he can't know about.

"Until we figure out why Marco is after you, you're not going anywhere alone." I don't have to figure anything out. He needs to back the fuck off.

"You don't get to decide that!" No, this is not happening.

His gaze hardens. "I just did."

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