Page 80 of Mafia Pregnancy

“So you decided to kidnap his maid?”

“I decided to take something he can’t afford to lose, as I already said.” Luca stands and begins pacing the small room with restless energy. “Radmir has always been too concerned with minimizing collateral damage. It’s made him predictable in ways that work to my advantage.”

I watch him move and note he favors his left leg slightly, as if he’s compensating for an old injury. The information might be useful later, though I’m not sure how. “He won’t negotiate with you,” I say, hoping to draw more information about their plan. “Radmir doesn’t respond well to threats.”

“Oh, I’m not planning to negotiate.” Luca’s smile is sharp and unpleasant. “I’m planning to eliminate him entirely. You’re simply the bait that will bring him to me on terms that favor my position rather than his.”

The casual way he discusses murder makes my stomach clench with nausea. “What happens to me after you kill him?”

“That depends largely on how cooperative you choose to be over the next few hours.” He returns to his chair and studies me with renewed interest. “You see, killing Radmir is only the first step. Taking control of his organization requires eliminating potential challenges to my authority, which includes anyone who might seek revenge on his behalf.”

I shake my head. “I’m not part of his organization.”

“No, but you’re carrying his child, which makes you a potential problem for my long-term plans.”

The words make me gasp. He knows about the pregnancy, which means his surveillance has been even more thorough than the photos suggested. “How do you?—?”

“Know about your condition? Please, Ms. Arden. You’ve been visiting an obstetrician regularly for the past several weeks. It doesn’t take a genius to connect those dots.” Luca leans forward slightly. “What interests me more is whether Radmir knows he’s about to become a father again.”

I don’t respond, unwilling to give him information that might affect whatever plan he’s constructed around my capture. He knows about Leo too then.

“Your silence tells me he does know.” Luca nods with satisfaction. “Which means he’ll be even more motivated to respond quickly to my invitation.”

“What invitation?”

“The one I sent along with your photograph, of course. Radmir received a picture of you in your current situation approximatelythirty minutes ago, along with coordinates that will lead him directly here.”

Horror washes over me as I realize the full scope of his trap. Radmir is probably already mobilizing his men and planning a rescue operation that will walk directly into whatever ambush Luca has prepared. The man I love is going to risk everything to save me, and I’m the bait being used to destroy him.

“He won’t come alone,” I say, hoping that’s true. “Radmir isn’t stupid enough to walk into an obvious trap without backup.”

“I’m counting on him bringing backup.” Luca checks his watch with casual precision. “In fact, the more men he brings, the more decisive my victory will be when they’re all eliminated.”

I study his face for signs of uncertainty or bravado but find only calm confidence that suggests careful planning and superior positioning. Whatever preparations he’s made for Radmir’s arrival, he genuinely believes he holds the advantage. “You’re underestimating him,” I say, though I’m not sure if I’m trying to rattle Luca or convince myself. “Radmir has survived fifteen years in this business by being smarter and more ruthless than his enemies.”

“Radmir has survived by being careful and methodical. Those are admirable qualities in most circumstances, but they become weaknesses when someone he loves is in immediate danger.” Luca’s smile grows wider. “Desperation makes even the most careful men careless, and desperate is exactly what Radmir will be when he sees that photograph.”

The truth in his words makes my chest constrict with fear and guilt. I walked away from Radmir to protect my children from exactly this kind of situation, but my attempt to escape his worldhas instead pulled him deeper into conflict. If he dies trying to rescue me, Leo will lose the father he’s just begun to know, and our daughter will never meet the man who wants to love and protect her.

“There has to be something you want more than revenge,” I say, grasping for any angle that might defuse this situation. “Money, territory, or business connections… Something that doesn’t require killing anyone.”

“You misunderstand my motivations, Ms. Arden. This isn’t about revenge, though I admit there’s personal satisfaction involved.” He stands again and moves to a small table I hadn’t noticed before, picking up what appears to be a tactical radio. “This is about consolidation. The syndicate that Radmir built is valuable, but it’s also vulnerable as long as he remains alive to challenge my authority.”

He adjusts settings on the radio and speaks quietly. I catch fragments about positioning and timing, but not enough to understand the specific details of his plan.

“How many men do you have?” I ask when he finishes the communication.

“Enough.” Luca returns to his chair and fixes me with that unsettling stare again. “You’re asking the wrong questions, Ms. Arden. What you should be wondering is how much pain you’re willing to endure to ensure your cooperation over the next few hours.”

The implied threat makes my hands shake despite my attempts to remain calm. “I won’t help you hurt him.”

“You already have, simply by being here. Your presence guarantees Radmir will take risks he would never considerunder normal circumstances.” Luca checks his watch again. “In fact, he should be arriving within the next twenty minutes, which means our conversation is nearly over.”

I look around the room again, this time more frantically searching for anything that might help me escape or warn Radmir about the trap. The door is solid metal with multiple locks, the walls are concrete, and both guards remain alert and armed. Even if I could free myself from the chair, there’s nowhere to run.

“He’ll figure out it’s a trap,” I say, though I’m not sure I believe it. “Radmir is too smart to walk blindly into an ambush.”

“Of course he’ll know it’s a trap. The beauty of using someone he loves as bait is that it doesn’t matter whether he recognizes the danger.” Luca’s expression grows almost sympathetic. “He’ll come anyway, because the alternative is accepting you’ll die because of his caution.”

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