Page 18 of Dark Mafia Heir

A mirthless smile spreads on my lips. He doesn’t consider me human at all. To him, I am nothing short of an asset he can flaunt and buy allies with.

My gaze darts to the window, and for a second, I imagine what would happen if I jumped from it. We’re on the first floor, so the most I’d get is a broken leg, but I could really run away and be free from all of this.

No.

I can’t do it because I know what that would mean for my sister. Tears well in my eyes, but I blink them away before they can roll down my face. My makeup is flawless tonight, and I won’t ruin it over a situation I have no control over.

I refuse to be the mafia princess who is a victim. I’ll be strong, and who knows, Enzo could die in a year or two, and I’ll get my freedom back—that is, if I don’t put a pillow over his face on our wedding night.

My skin crawls at the thought of his rough, wrinkly hands on my body.

The toilet door opens, but I’m too lost in thought to check who it is.

Repeating the words of affirmation to myself, I sniffle and start to wash my hands. I’m about to pull out a tissue from a box in front of me when I notice someone in a dark hood standing behind me.

I whirl around to see who it is but everything happens in a flash, and before I can react, he throws a bag over my head and pushes me against the counter.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

My blood turns to ice, and a cold sweat breaks out on my skin. Who the hell is he? Is he going to kill me? I know I wanted to escape from my father, but not like this—not as a corpse.

Shit.I should have taken my combat classes seriously, is all I can think of as I clench my fist and throw it at him. He catchesmy hand mid-air and flips me so my back is pressed against his chest.

I catch a whip of his cologne, and it smells oddly familiar. I’m sure I’ve inhaled that musk and sandalwood scent before, but my mind is too much of a mush to think of where.

I throw my feet back to kick him, but he pulls away, evading my kick before he wraps his strong arms around my throat and hauls me closer.

“Who the hell are you?” I scream, panting from my efforts to free myself and the adrenaline pumping through my veins. “My papa is outside. Let me go, or he’ll kill you.”

There’s a deep chuckle behind me, and the warmth from his breath heats up my neck. My nipples harden, and there’s a rush of heat in my stomach. I think I’ve lost my damn mind. No way I felt that over a stranger who’s most likely here to kill me.

“Is that you showing concern for me,gattina?” he asks, his voice low and dangerous.

My eyes widen, and my heart rate triples as realization dawns on me. “Antonio.”

“We meet again, darling,” he says, his voice laced with amusement.

I feel something prick the skin around my neck, and the world spins into darkness.

8

Antonio

“She’ll wake up soon,” I say to Lorenzo, who’s been staring at me non-stop since I carried Vivienne’s unconscious body to the car an hour ago.

The fucker’s not even trying to hide his concern for her, and while I do not normally explain myself to anyone, Lorenzo and I are more like brothers than master and worker.

He’s one of those people I know who will gladly lay down his life for me if the need arises. I trust him with my damn life.

He sighs and shifts his gaze back to the road. “Peter must’ve found out she’s missing by now.”

Luca nods from the passenger seat. “I bet the old bastard is going crazy looking for his precious daughter. Too bad he won’t be seeing her for a while.”

I glance at Vivienne sleeping peacefully on my legs. Her long lashes flutter in her sleep, and her lips are pouty. She’s so beautiful that it’s a struggle for me not to trail a finger over her lips or her perfectly arched brows.

Luca is right. Peter will probably go insane looking for her, but not because she is his precious daughter. He’ll go insane because he just lost a valuable pawn on his chessboard.

Men like Peter are all the same. Their greed runs deeper than whatever love for anyone. He wouldn’t have put a price tag on her if he valued her. Scratch that. He wouldn’t have let that old asshole lay his disgusting fingers on her despite how visibly uncomfortable she was.

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