I struggled to sit up, my entire head pounding with relentless fervor. I sighed, clutching the place where Luca’s henchman punched me. My surroundings had changed, and I now found myself in a familiar but unsettling place — the bedroom where Luca and I shared our first intimate night.

Panic surged through my body as I realized I was no longer bound by handcuffs, but locked in the bedroom. The window was boarded up.

I dashed to the door, jiggling the knob.

Locked.

“Damn!”

A muffled — yet heated — exchange of voices reached my ears, and I strained to make sense of the argument taking place in the next room. Luca's voice carried a mix of anger and frustration, his words sharp and biting. I just couldn’t pinpoint what it was about.

Maybe that was something I could use against them.

I groaned as I leaned against the door, straining to hear whatever I could.

My mind was riddled with questions.

“Still doesn’t give you a right!” Luca barked.

“She was beating the shit out of me, Boss! Like a fucking wild woman!”

“We just fucking kidnapped her!” he hissed. “What did you expect her to do? Hug you!?”

I grinned.

He didn’t want them to hurt me.

Good to know.

His plan involved me being unscathed.

I surveyed the room, looking for any advantage or means of escape. Every detail became a potential way out., something I had to make note of.

Every object could be a weapon, too, I told myself as I scanned the room for pieces of furniture and knick-knacks with points or heft behind them.

As their argument escalated, I hobbled to each corner of the room looking for things I could use.

I was going to get the hell out of there.

I was going to expose them. Whether there was much in this room or not.

I would find something.

23

LUCA

I took a deep breath,my frustration almost getting the best of me.

How had things become so complicated? This girl, Annabelle, was never meant to be more than a good screw and a fun time. Yet, here I was, caught up in a shit storm, with her in the middle.

On one hand, the broad was a cop.

On the other, she was the fucking daughter of my enemy.

I turned to Enzo, my loyal second in command.

My underboss.