Lahat ng Kabanata ng bound to the ruthless mafia king: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

The morning light filtered through the grime- covered windows of the cabin illuminating the room brightly, it didn’t even make we want to stand up from the bed, it just reminded me where I was. I felt the air before I even opened my eyes. It was heavy, still, and impossibly cold.But I wasn't cold.I felt a solid, radiating heat pressed against my back. A heavy arm was draped over my waist, the palm of a large hand resting flat against my stomach. I could feel the steady, rhythmic thrum of a heartbeat through the fabric of my dress. For a second, my brain scrambled to make sense of it. Then the memory of the bank, the empty vault, and the drive into the woods came rushing back.Luca was holding me.He wasn't just holding me; he was anchored to me like I was the last thing on earth. His face was buried in the space between my shoulder blades, and his breath was slow and hitching, like someone who was running even while they slept. He moved slightly, his fingers twitching against my ski

"Watch your step," Luca said, his voice cutting through the heavy silence of the ruins. He didn't look back at me as he pushed through a thick wall of thorns. He was holding his gun in one hand, using the other to shove aside charred pieces of wood that had once been part of my life. I followed him, my boots sinking into the soft, ashy dirt. Every step felt heavy "Over there," I pointed toward a corner where the stone foundation was still visible. "That was the kitchen. The pantry was in the back." Enzo stayed by the edge of the clearing, his eyes scanning the treeline. "Boss, I don’t like this. We’re sitting ducks out here. If the Vanchis followed that drone, they’ll be on us in twenty minutes." "Then we have nineteen minutes to find what we’re looking for," Luca replied. He stepped onto the blackened floorboards, the wood groaning under his weight. He looked at me, his eyes hard. "Well? Where is it?" I walked toward the center of the kitchen. My heart was thumping against m

"Stay behind the trunk and don’t make a sound," Enzo whispered.He pulled me down into a patch of thick, wet ferns. His breathing was heavy and ragged, a wet sound rattling in his chest. I could see the dark stain on his shoulder spreading, turning his grey shirt into a deep, shiny black. The forest around us was alive with the sound of snapping twigs and the distant, rhythmic shouting of men in the distance. The Vanchis were hunting."You’re bleeding too much, Enzo," I said, my voice barely a breath. "We have to stop the bleeding or you’re going to pass out before we hit the road.""I’m fine, kid," he gasped, his head thumping back against the bark of a massive oak tree. "Just... give me a second. My head is spinning a bit.""You’re not fine," I said.I looked at my dress. It was already ruined, covered in the mud from the pipe and the soot from the cellar. I grabbed a handful of the fabric at the hem and pulled. It didn't tear. I reached into the pocket of my coat and pulled out the

"Move your legs, Isabella. You’re blocking the path to the medical kit," Luca said, his voice grating against the steady hum of the van’s engine.I didn't move. I sat on the floor of the windowless laundry van, my back against a stack of rough, industrial towels that smelled like harsh bleach. I kept my eyes fixed on the vibrating metal door across from me. Every time the van hit a pothole, the entire frame shivered like it was about to fall apart."I said move," Luca repeated, his tone sharpening."And I said I’m busy," I snapped back, not even glancing at him.I was leaning over Enzo, who was stretched out on a pile of linen. His face was a pale, and his breath was coming in short, whistled gasps. I was using a damp cloth to wipe the sweat from his forehead, trying to keep his fever from spiking again. Enzo reached out, his hand trembling as he caught my wrist. His grip was weak, but his touch felt warmer and more human than anything I had felt from Luca all day."It’s okay, kid," E

LUCA’S POVThe sound of the bedroom door clicking shut sounded so loud. I stood in the center of the room, my chest heaving, my heart hammering against my ribs. The air in the loft was suddenly too thin to breathe. I looked down at my right hand. It was stinging. The skin was red, mirroring the mark I had just left on her face.I let out a single, jagged curse and slammed my fist into the metal table. The map rattled. The locket skittered toward the edge. I didn't feel the pain in my knuckles. I only felt the crushing weight of the silence.Her silence."You’re a coward, Luca."The voice was weak but sharp. I turned my head slowly. Enzo was sitting on the edge of the sofa, his face pale and sweat-streaked. He was holding his wounded shoulder, but his eyes were full of a cold, hard fire I had never seen before."Shut up, Enzo," I said, my voice raspy."No," Enzo said, his voice rising as he struggled to stand. "I’ve followed you through hell. I’ve killed for you. I’ve bled for you. But