Page 78 of Mafia Pregnancy

Carmen stares at the image of her best friend bound and unconscious, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know, but she might have stopped by the staffing agency.”

“Which agency?”

“The same one that placed her here originally. San Diego Domestic Staffing.” Carmen wipes her eyes with the back of her hand. “She’s looking for something that pays well and fits around Leo’s school schedule.”

I turn to Andrei, who’s already making notes. “Get me everything on that agency. Client lists, recent placements, andphone records. I want to know if anyone requested Danielle specifically.”

“On it.” He steps away to coordinate the investigation.

Carmen grabs my arm. “Wait. I might be able to help.” She pulls out her phone with shaking hands. “Danielle and I both use a location-sharing app for safety. If her phone is still on, I can see where she is.”

Hope flares as she navigates through the app. After several seconds, a map appears showing a blinking dot in what looks like the Mount Soledad area. “There.” Carmen points to the screen with a trembling finger. “That’s her current location.”

I study the coordinates and cross-reference them with the tactical maps spread across the conference table. The location sits on a residential street with expensive homes and limited access routes, which explains why Luca chose it for his operation.

“Andrei,” I call across the room. “We have coordinates.” He approaches with a tablet showing satellite imagery of the target location. “Mount Soledad, high-end residential area. It has modern construction and was probably built within the last five years. There are multiple exit points, but the property backs up to a canyon, which limits escape routes.”

“Security systems?”

“High-end residential, but nothing our technical team can’t handle.” He makes notes on his tablet. “The bigger concern is civilian presence. There are occupied homes on both sides, though they’re spaced far apart.”

“Then we go in clean until we’re not clean anymore.” I check my watch and calculate response time. “How long until the teams are in position?”

“Thirty minutes for full deployment, fifteen for advance reconnaissance.”

I turn back to Carmen, who’s still staring at her phone screen as if she can will Danielle to safety through sheer force of concern. “I need you to go to the safehouse with the protection detail. Monitor that app and call Andrei immediately if her location changes or goes offline.”

“I want to help.” Carmen looks up at me with desperate determination. “She’s my best friend. There has to be something more I can do.”

“The most helpful thing you can do is stay safe and keep monitoring her location.” I place a hand on her shoulder. “Leo and Molly are being taken to the same safehouse. Danielle will need to know they’re protected when we bring her home.”

Carmen nods reluctantly. “Promise me you’ll get her back.”

“I will.” The words carry the weight of an oath. “I won’t come home without her.”

After Carmen is escorted away, I turn my attention back to the tactical planning. The satellite imagery shows a two-story house with a three-car garage and extensive landscaping that could provide cover for approach routes. The property sits on approximately two acres, with neighboring homes spaced far enough apart to minimize collateral damage concerns.

“Primary objective is extraction of the hostage,” I address the assembled team leaders. “Secondary objective is elimination ofhostile forces. I want Luca alive if possible, but not at the expense of the primary objective.”

“Rules of engagement?” asks my tactical commander.

“Anyone who raises a weapon against us is considered hostile. Anyone who gets between us and Danielle is considered hostile.” I meet each man’s gaze in turn. “She comes home alive and unharmed. Everything else is negotiable.”

My phone buzzes with a text from an unknown number containing only an address that matches the coordinates Carmen provided, with no demands or threats. It’s pure arrogant confirmation that Luca wants me to know exactly where he’s holding Danielle.

“He’s expecting us,” I tell Andrei. “This is a trap.”

“Obviously. The question is whether we’re walking into it anyway.”

I study the photo of Danielle one more time, noting the way her hands are bound and the careful positioning that suggests she’s been displayed specifically for the camera. Luca isn’t just holding her hostage. He’s making a statement about his power and ability to reach into my life to take what matters most.

“We’re walking in prepared for war.” I tuck the phone away and check my weapon one final time.

The next fifteen minutes pass in a blur of final preparations. Routes are confirmed, communication protocols established, and backup plans rehearsed. Every man in my organization who can hold a weapon is either heading to Mount Soledad or protecting the safehouse where Leo, Molly, and Carmen will wait.

As I climb into the lead SUV, I think about the last conversation I had with Danielle, and the ultimatum she gave me about choosing between her and the bratva. The pain in her voice when she said she couldn’t raise children in a world where violence was a constant threat haunts me.

She was right about the danger and the risks that come with loving someone in my position. Today proves that beyond any doubt. The question now is whether I can get her back safely and find a way to eliminate those risks permanently.

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