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Chapter 25
Dernière mise à jour:
2025-02-06 04:14:18
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Bound To The Mafia Chapter 26
LUCAI stood there for a moment, watching her disappear into the building, a part of me wanting to follow her, to keep her close, to shield her from the things she couldn't control. But I knew I couldn't always be the one to carry her weight.Not anymore.I exhaled sharply and ran a hand through my hair. Everything was a mess, and the truth only made it worse. The more I tried to protect her, the more she slipped away from me.I wanted to take control, but she was too smart for that. Too determined. And now she was shutting herself in with her books, pretending that nothing had changed.I could’ve tried to stop her, pulled her back in, but I knew better than that. Let her breathe. Let her have her space.Still, the idea of her confronting her father... It’s a bad idea.I turned back to my car, hands clenched into fists. The Scorpions weren’t just after her because of me—she was a target all on her own now. The moment I saved her from that trafficking ring, I had thrown her into someth
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-07Bound To The Mafia Chapter 27
LUCAI stood there in the doorway, watching her, feeling the weight of every unspoken word between us. She was shutting me out again. I saw it in the way she refused to meet my eyes, the way her hands clutched the notebook like it was some kind of lifeline.But it wasn’t going to fix anything.Her words cut through me, though I knew they weren’t meant to. "You can’t fix everything with a kiss, Luca."The truth was, I never expected to fix everything. But I did think I could make her see that I wasn’t the monster she imagined me to be. I had hoped she would believe me about Alicia. I had hoped that after everything, she would see me.But it wasn’t that simple. It never was.“I’m not trying to fix everything, Isadora,” I said softly, stepping into the room, letting the door close behind me. There was a quiet resignation in my voice, but beneath it, there was something else—something stronger. Something raw. “I’m just trying to be here. For you.”She didn’t answer, and for a long moment,
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-07Bound To The Mafia Chapter 28
LUCAIt had been days since our last conversation, and I could still feel the distance between us. Isadora was closed off, distant, almost unreachable. The more I tried to be there for her, the more she pushed me away. I couldn't blame her for it-not really. But it hurt.Today had been different. She hadn't shut me out. In fact, she had asked for my help.And somehow, that small shift was enough to crack the walls she'd built around herself. Slowly, tentatively, she let me in.We were sitting on the couch in her room, textbooks spread out in front of us, but neither of us was really looking at them. She was fidgeting with the corner of her paper, and I could feel the tension in the air between us.I'd been patient, waiting for her to come to me. But I couldn't ignore it anymore-something had shifted between us, and I didn't want to let it slip away."I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft but sincere. She finally looked up at me, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "I've just been... so mes
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-07Bound To The Mafia Chapter 29
LUCARafael led me down the hallway, and the urgency in his step matched the tension that had been building since he called out to me. I could feel the weight of something heavy in the air, and as I followed him, the pit in my stomach grew. What the hell was so urgent that it couldn’t wait?We reached the door to one of the secured rooms in the building, and Rafael paused before opening it. The moment he swung the door open, a shock ran through me. There, sitting on a chair in the dimly lit room, was Alicia. Alive. The last person I ever expected to see again.She looked broken—fragile, worn down, and thinner than I remembered. Her hair hung in messy waves around her face, and her once-impeccable appearance was now nothing more than a shadow of what it had been. Her eyes met mine, but there was no warmth there. Just pain and regret.“Alicia,” I muttered, barely able to process it. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I was frozen in place.Rafael stepped forward, his voice low but fi
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-07Bound To The Mafia Chapter 30
LUCAAlicia’s voice was quiet, but the words hit like a gunshot."I don’t remember betraying you, Luca. I don’t… remember any of it."My jaw tightened. “Convenient.”She flinched, but I didn’t give a damn. I wasn’t about to fall for this. Not after everything.Rafael exhaled sharply. “Luca, she’s not lying. She barely remembers anything from the last few years. Just… you.”My stomach twisted. “You expect me to believe that?”“I don’t expect anything,” Alicia cut in, voice hoarse but steady. “I just know that the last thing I remember is loving you. And now I wake up to find out that I betrayed you? That I—” She swallowed hard. “That I died?”I didn’t respond. What the fuck was I supposed to say to that?Rafael folded his arms. “She came here looking for you, not knowing you’d moved out. She thought you were still living at the old house. That says something.”It didn’t. It didn’t mean shit. I’d spent years dragging myself out of the wreckage Alicia left behind. I wasn’t about to let h
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-07Bound To The Mafia Chapter 31
LUCAI should’ve walked out. I should’ve left her sitting there with her ghosts and her excuses. But instead, I stood there, staring at the woman I once called my wife, feeling nothing but the weight of a past I never wanted.Did I love her?No.Not the way a man should love his wife. Not the way I—I clenched my jaw, cutting that thought off before it could finish.Alicia was a duty, an expectation, a business move wrapped in the illusion of something real. She was never mine, not in the ways that mattered. And now, she was just another loose end.Her lip trembled, her gaze searching my face. “Luca, I swear—I don’t remember. But I know I wouldn’t have done that to you.”I let out a humorless laugh. “Wouldn’t you?”She flinched.Rafael shifted beside me, his face unreadable. “The doctor’s almost here. You want me to stay?”I shook my head. “No.” My eyes stayed on Alicia, my voice turning sharp. “You wanted to see me. You got what you wanted. Now you’ll stay here, under my watch, until
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-09Bound To The Mafia Chapter 32
LUCARafael was waiting in my office when I got there, arms crossed, face unreadable.“She asleep?” I asked, grabbing the whiskey from my desk and pouring a glass.He nodded. “Doctor sedated her. Said she’s weak, malnourished. Looks like she’s been through hell.”I took a slow sip, letting the burn settle before answering. “She’s lucky I give a damn.”Rafael let out a low breath, leaning against the desk. “You don’t, though. Not really.”I met his gaze, waiting.“She was dead, Luca. You let yourself believe it because you wanted to.” His voice was calm, measured. “So why does this bother you so much?”I tilted my glass, watching the amber liquid catch the light. “Because someone played me.”That was the real issue. Not Alicia. Not her damn memory loss. But the fact that someone had orchestrated an entire fucking death, left me a body, faked the DNA results, and let me believe the lie.And now, after all these years, she was back.The question wasn’t just how.It was why now?Rafael st
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-10Bound To The Mafia Chapter 33
LUCAI was still thinking about her when I left her room.She didn’t tell me to stop. She didn’t pull away. She’d been on the edge, just like I had. And I hated that I wanted to see just how far we could both go.But she didn’t trust me. Not yet. Not enough. And she shouldn’t.Because I didn’t trust myself either.I made my way back to the study, trying to push the weight of her out of my chest. But it wasn’t working.I sat at my desk, but I didn’t touch the papers in front of me. Instead, I grabbed the bottle of whiskey again, poured another drink, and took a long gulp.The burn felt good.I needed something to dull the ache, the pull, the need for something I shouldn’t have.And then there was Alicia.What the hell was I supposed to do with her?I’d been around long enough to know that nothing about her return was clean. Nothing was coincidental. She was back for a reason, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out why.But I was going to have to.I leaned back in my chair, rubbing a ha
Dernière mise à jour : 2025-02-11
Latest chapter
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 72
LUCAI set the letter down, my grip tightening. My instincts screamed that this wasn’t just about Costa or the shipment.This was about me.Someone was watching. Waiting. Calculating every move I made.And I was done playing their game.I looked up at Rafael. “I want every single person in our circle checked. No one is above suspicion.”His jaw tightened. “Even our own men?”“Especially our own men.” I leaned forward, voice low and firm. “Someone tipped them off. I want to know who.”Rafael nodded, understanding the weight of what I was asking. It wasn’t just about loyalty—it was about survival.I exhaled sharply, my mind already racing ahead. “Send men to the docks. If they stole from us, they have to move it. I want eyes on every deal going down in the city. The Scorpions are selling to someone, and I want to know who.”Rafael didn’t hesitate. “I’ll handle it.”I pushed back from the table, my fingers curling into fists. “And Rafael?”He stopped
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 71
LUCAI didn't let go of Isadora's hand as we walked out of the clinic.Not when we reached the car. Not when I opened the door for her.Not even when we were halfway back to the house, silence stretching between us, thick with something unspoken.She shifted slightly in her seat, the movement drawing my attention. I glanced at her, catching the way her free hand rested on her stomach.Something in my chest tightened.The image from the ultrasound still burned in my mind. The rhythmic sound of our baby’s heartbeat. The small, undeniable proof of life.Mine.Ours.I had known, logically, that Isadora was pregnant. Had accepted it. But seeing it? Hearing it?It did something to me.Changed something.I wasn’t a man who loved easily. Hell, I wasn’t even sure if I knew how. But the possessive, protective instinct thrumming beneath my skin at that moment?It was the closest thing to love I had ever known.Isadora turned to me, her gaze soft but unreadable. “You haven’t said anything.”I kep
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 70
LUCACosta slumped forward in the chair, breathing ragged. Blood soaked the ropes around his wrists, dripping onto the concrete floor beneath him.Rafael stood by the table, shaking out his bruised knuckles. “He’s tougher than he looks,” he muttered.Costa let out a weak chuckle. “You’re just not as scary as you think.”I pulled up a chair in front of him, leaning in. “That so?”He gave me a lazy smirk, swollen lip splitting further. “I’ve met worse.”I hummed, tilting my head. “Have you?”Then, before he could blink, I drove my knife into his thigh.Costa screamed, body jerking violently against the chair.Rafael barely reacted.I twisted the blade, watching him writhe. “You’re going to tell me what I want to know.”Costa gasped, chest heaving. “I— I already did.”I yanked the knife out, blood pooling at his feet. “Not everything.”His good eye twitched.“I know Alicia gave the order,” I said, wiping the blade on his shirt. “I know she wanted Isadora dead.” My fingers flexed around t
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 69
ISADORALuca was getting stronger.Every day, I watched the color return to his face, the sharpness settle back into his gaze. His movements were steadier, his pain more manageable. He still hated being confined, but for once, he wasn’t fighting me on it.Not out loud, anyway.But as his body healed, mine stayed wound tight. Because while Luca was focused on his recovery, my phone wouldn’t stop ringing.My father.Every call, every voicemail, every text—all ignored.But that didn’t stop them from coming.At first, it was just desperate pleas."Isadora, I need your help.""Please, Isa. I’m in trouble.""You’re my daughter. Don’t you have any loyalty?"Then, the threats started."You think you can ignore me forever?""You owe me, Isadora. After everything I’ve done for you.""You think your little boyfriend can protect you?"My stomach curled in disgust every time his name flashed across the screen.He didn’t deserve my help.Not after what he had done.Not after the way he had betrayed
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 68
ISADORALuca’s reluctant surrender lasted all of ten minutes.The moment Rafael left the room, he shifted like he was testing the limits of his pain, his jaw clenched in quiet determination. I knew that look. It was the same one he wore before making a reckless decision.I exhaled sharply. “Luca—”“I need to see Costa myself.”I clenched my fists. “No, you need to heal.”His eyes, sharp despite the lingering haze of painkillers, locked onto mine. “I won’t sit here while someone else handles my problem.”I swallowed my frustration, trying to remain calm, but it was impossible. The past few days had been nothing but fear, watching him teeter between life and death, praying for just one more moment. And now, barely awake, he was ready to throw himself into the fire again.My hands curled into the sheets. “Do you even hear yourself? You almost died, Luca. Do you think that means nothing?”His jaw flexed, but he didn’t look away. “I think it means I have unfinished business.”Something sna
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 67
ISADORA The room was quiet except for the steady beep of Luca’s heart monitor and the low hum of Rafael’s breathing.I lay there for a while, watching Luca, tracing the shape of his fingers with my eyes, memorizing the slight movement of his chest. Every breath he took felt like borrowed time, a reminder that he was still here. That I hadn’t lost him.But sleep didn’t come easily.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw him—bleeding, gasping, slipping away. The metallic scent of blood clung to my memory, sharp and suffocating. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing the images away, but they always lurked just beneath the surface.A rustling sound broke the silence.I turned my head slightly, expecting to see Rafael adjusting in his chair, but he was still, his arms crossed, eyes closed.The noise came again—this time from the bed.My breath caught.I pushed up onto my elbows, heart pounding as I focused on Luca. His fingers twitched slightly against the blanket, a small but unmistakable movemen
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 66
ISADORA “Come on. Let’s get you upstairs.”I hesitated, my gaze flickering back to Luca. He was still, but not in the way that had terrified me earlier. His chest rose and fell in steady rhythms, his pulse strong beneath my fingertips.Bianca reached for my arm. “Rafael’s staying here. He’ll call you the second anything changes.”The logic was there. But logic didn’t matter.What mattered was that Luca had almost died tonight. And I wasn’t sure I’d survive seeing it happen again.But I wasn’t given much of a choice. Bianca tugged gently, pulling me up from the chair. My legs protested the sudden movement, pins and needles prickling up my calves from standing for so long without rest.The walk to the grand staircase felt longer than it should have. The house was eerily quiet, the usual hum of distant voices absent. The only sound was the muffled press of our footsteps against the marble floor.Halfway up the stairs, a wave of dizziness hit me.I swayed, the edges of my vision tilting
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 65
ISADORA The clinic ward was eerily silent now, save for the steady beeping of monitors and the occasional murmur of the doctor’s assistant. But the stillness did nothing to calm me.Luca was too pale. His breathing, though steady, was still too shallow. I gripped his hand tightly, my fingers trembling against his skin. He was warm—too warm, fever still clinging to him. My stomach twisted.I hadn’t moved from his side.Not when the doctor finished tending to him. Not when Rafael tried to speak to me. Not even when my body screamed in protest, exhaustion weighing me down like lead.I wasn’t leaving.Rafael sighed from where he stood near the doorway, arms crossed. His sharp eyes, always unreadable, softened just slightly as he watched me.“Isadora,” he murmured, stepping closer. “You need to rest.”I shook my head, my grip on Luca tightening. “I’m not leaving him.”Rafael exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “You’re pregnant.”The words hit like a quiet reminder, one I had
Bound To The Mafia Chapter 64
ISADORAI didn't even know there was a fucking clinic ward in this house.Rafael barreled through the halls, shouting orders, his grip on Luca unrelenting as he and another man hauled him toward a hidden wing of the estate. Blood trailed behind them, soaking into the expensive floors, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.Luca's weight sagged between them, his head lolling to the side, his breaths shallow. Too shallow.Panic choked me."Move!" Rafael barked, shoving through a set of double doors.The clinic was pristine, cold, too white. It smelled of antiseptic and something metallic—Luca’s blood. My stomach twisted as they laid him onto a surgical bed, hands working fast to strip away his blood-soaked shirt.I hovered, frozen, my heartbeat a frantic, unbearable rhythm in my ears.Luca was too pale. His eyes fluttered, unfocused, lips parted as though he was fighting to stay conscious.A doctor—where the hell did he even come from?—rushed in, a bag slung over his shoulder. "Get out of
