Page 58 of Secret Babies for the Italian Mafia Boss

“Where the fuck is the fortune?” he asks. “I know, you know. If you tell me, I won’t hurt you. I won’t hurt your kids, but if you don’t…I’ll make sure you watch everyone you love die,” he whispers maniacally into my ear. “Tell me.” He flips me onto my back and I notice he’s wearing black from head to toe. His face is covered by a black mask that has a digital covering for his eyes.

It mimics his eyes blinking, and it’s unsettling.

I can’t tell who this person is.

My keychain jingles, and I remember the pepper spray.

He slaps me across the face. “I said fucking tell me!”

“Fuck you!” I yell, lifting my leg and kneeing him in the crotch.

He folds, dropping to his knees. I yank his hood back, and he manages to grab onto my ankle. He yanks my leg up, and I fall onto my back.

The leaves and twigs beneath us crack and break. The air becomes harder to breathe. The cool chill hurts my throat as I try to breathe it in.

He shoves my head into the ground, taking away my ability to breathe, and I kick. I keep kicking until I land on something solid. He howls in pain, and I scurry away, grabbing my pepper spray again.

His eye mask is crooked, and I don’t look long enough to see who it is because I want to get out of here. I press the button to release the spray, and when it hits him, he screams, holding his face in his hands as the pepper spray does its job. He rolls onto the ground, crying from how badly it burns.

And I run. I put him behind me as fast as my legs allow.

I slip on the leaves again and stumble onto the sidewalk.

No one is here.

No one heard me screaming.

My hands are shaking, and I run to the apartment, locking the door without wasting a second.

Climbing up the stairs, I grip the rails, tripping as I try to get to my front door as quickly as I can. I sob when I enter my apartment, slamming the door shut and locking it too. I don’t feel like it’s enough. I need a bookshelf to be put in front of it.

I turn to make sure the curtains are shut, and when they are, I just stand there in the middle of my living room, trying to figure out what happened. Every inch of me quakes. When I get my phone out, my hands tremble as if I’ve been in the cold for too long.

My phone lights up, and I press the last number to call me.

It rings.

And rings.

Then, his smooth voice comes on the line, and it breaks me. “Beautiful Girl,” he croons.

“Luca! Luca,” I sob, unable to speak. “I…You were right. Someone tried to kidnap me. They wanted to know where…where….” I try to take a deep breath.

“What the hell are you talking about? Where are you? Don’t move. Do you understand? Are you hurt? Please, tell me you aren’t hurt.”

“I…” I lick my lips and press my hand against my cheek. “No. I’m scared. He wanted to know where the fortune was. He threatened everyone. Luca, I’m scared, please. I’ll go with you. We’ll go to your house. I can’t be here. Please,” I beg him.

A car backfires outside, which causes me to jump and scream at the same time.

“Go to your room. Lock the door. Alvize can watch the kids. I’m coming to get you, okay? And don’t you dare open the door for me until you hear my voice. Okay?”

“Okay,” I whisper, rushing to my room. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you. Anything.”

And I believe him. I don’t have a doubt in my mind now.

Chapter Fourteen

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