Our World

There was a way that Luca was treating the whole thing. If we were to put him into terms, we would say he was here to kidnap me.

But can you even call it kidnapping if you're being forced into doing things?

It was the way he was so sure of himself, so certain that I was going to do everything he said just because he was Mafia, just because Asher had asked him to.

But he didn’t know me. Not this new version of me.

I wasn’t just going to let them pick me up and throw me into their cage, controlling me with their batons. I had survived too much, fought too hard, to let them take me without a fight.

So, I decided to use Luca’s weakness against him.

He hit the top of the roof of my car twice as he said,

"Come on, let's go." Then, without another word, he started walking back toward his police cruiser.

No. He wasn’t taking me that easily.

I turned the car back on, gripping the wheel tightly. Just as I was about to press my foot on the gas, a hand shot out and held mine in place.

I stiffened.

My gaze dropped to the hand—strong, unmoving. Then, I followed the arm up until I was staring straight into Luca’s face.

Gone was the smile. Gone was the easy charm.

Instead, his dark eyes bore into mine, his expression unreadable.

"Asher warned me about you," he said, his grip tightening slightly—not enough to hurt, but enough to remind me of who he was. "He warned me you might not be the Meek, Ari, we all loved and knew. And from the moment I told you to take the boy and get out of the car, I saw the wheels turning in your head."

I swallowed hard, but I refused to look away.

"You think this is my first time doing this?" His voice dropped lower, his lips twitching as if he found this amusing. "Do you think you're smarter than me, little Ari?"

I held my ground, my voice steady.

"I never claimed to be anything."

But that didn’t mean I was going down without a fight.

"But you thought it," Luca said smoothly, his grip still on my hand.

I swallowed hard, but he wasn’t done.

"You think I’m just some big muscle Mafia idiot." He tilted his head, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "Let me remind you, Ari. My father was the consigliere. I have more info on the Mafia than the Don himself. And my family have always kept it quiet. You think we would have kept it quiet if we didn’t have any brains? You think we would be the leading Mafia family in the country, in this continent, if we didn’t have any brains?"

I swallowed again.

"Now, here’s the thing," Luca continued, his voice almost patient. "I do not want to hurt you, little Ari. You and I kind of have a history, you might say. That’s why Asher sent me."

I could hear the unspoken words beneath that statement.

He sent me because you’d be less likely to fight back.

Luca exhaled, shaking his head slightly. " As I was saying I do not want to hurt you. But if you force me to… Well, we don’t want your little boy to see me smacking his mother around, would we?"

I flinched.

Luca gave me a sharp smile, watching my reaction closely.

"You wouldn’t want to have a car chase with me, not with your son in the backseat, would you?" He raised a brow, his voice dripping with mockery. "I mean, just think of the headlines. Ariella Costa is alive. You think the Famiglia is going to let you live?"

His disappointment was laced with something colder.

"No, Ariella," he said, shaking his head. "You wouldn’t survive."

My hands curled into fists.

"Now, I don’t know what happened between Asher and you—"

I scoffed before I could stop myself. Asher’s best friend didn’t know? Please.

He ignored my reaction completely, as he went on.

"But I’m here because Asher trusts me to keep you alive and deliver you to your new home."

New home. Like I was just a package being sent somewhere.

Luca’s gaze darkened. "I don’t want to hurt you or that little boy. But I was given the go-ahead if you force my hand."

Then he smiled. But this time, it wasn’t the easy charm, the playful smirk I remembered from years ago.

This smile was cold. Calculated.

"Do not force my hand, Ariella." His voice dropped, turning into something sharper, deadlier. "You don’t want to see the other side of me."

There was the way he said it, and there was the crazed look in his eyes that told me he meant every word. And I realized, right then and there, that I was not just fighting for myself—I was fighting for Leon.

What was I even thinking? That I could just drive away and he wouldn’t chase me down? That I’d somehow outrun him?

I sighed, accepting the inevitable.

Luca must have seen the resignation in my eyes because his demeanour shifted instantly. The charm was back on, his expression morphing into the easygoing persona I remembered—except I never really knew him, did I?

Did I even like him? We had never spent time together alone. The only times I was around him were when Asher was there.

"Okay, I'm coming," I told him, my voice quiet

Luca smiled, nodding. "All right, I'll wait for you in the car."

And then he turned and walked away.

It felt like a test. Like he was giving me space on purpose, just to see what I would do.

But I already knew he was right. If I was going to run, I needed a new plan.

I took a deep breath and reached for Leon, who was still sleeping in the backseat. Carefully, I lifted him into my arms and followed Luca to the police cruiser. I slid into the backseat, holding Leon close, grateful that he didn’t stir from his sleep.

Luca drove.

The road stretched on for what felt like hours until he finally pulled into a petrol station. He parked beside another car, then stepped out without a word. I watched as he walked over to the vehicle, crouched beside the back tyre, and retrieved a key. He unlocked the door and then turned back to me.

"Get whatever you need from the supermarket," he said casually. "We’ll meet back here in ten minutes, then keep moving."

Leon was awake now, rubbing his sleepy eyes. I nodded, stepping out of the car with him.

Inside the small supermarket, we grabbed snacks, drinks, and juice. I picked out a few games to keep him occupied on the road, all while my mind raced with possibilities. Could I run? Could I call for help?

After taking Leon to the bathroom, we headed back to the car.

Luca had changed. He was no longer in the police uniform but instead wore a simple t-shirt and jeans. He looked effortlessly casual, comfortable even. He was a handsome guy, I’d give him that. But that didn’t change the fact that he was here to do Asher's bidding.

When he got into the car, I glanced at him and said, “We’re hungry.”

He nodded. “There’s a diner down the road, five minutes away. We’ll eat there.”

He started driving, leaving the police car behind. My curiosity got the best of me. “Are you just going to leave it there?”

Luca smiled, eyes on the road. “Someone will take care of it.”

I shrugged. I didn’t want to know.

Five minutes later, we pulled up to a small roadside diner. Luca walked in ahead of me, choosing a booth in the farthest corner. As I slid in across from him, he leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"If anyone asks, I’m the dad," he said. "Because you're the mom and he’s the son. We’re a team. Cute, huh?"

Leon, curious as ever, turned to me. “Mom, is he my dad?”

I forced a smile. “No, honey. He’s just a friend. We’re just playing a pretend game.”

Leon considered this, then nodded. “Okay. I wouldn't be Angry if he was my dad.”

I smiled tightly. If only he knew.

The waitress came, took our orders, and after we finished eating, the check arrived. Without hesitation, Luca slid it toward me.

"You’re paying." He stood up, stretching lazily.

I frowned. “You’re just going to make me pay for the food? What if I don’t have any money? Aren’t you supposed to be the guy with the big bucks?”

Luca smirked, tilting his head. “What are you planning to do with all that money Damien gave you?”

I froze.

"How do you know about that?" I asked slowly.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You might have grown up in our world, but you know nothing about our world." His eyes darkened slightly as he continued, "I’ve been trailing you ever since Asher laid eyes on you. And you had absolutely no idea I was shadowing you all along."