Astrid's POV The sound of my fingers tapping the keyboard echoed through the entire room as I typed away on the keyboard. I was seated in front of the computer setup Luca had gotten specially for me and I've been glued to it for hours. Vincent sent in files earlier and they were all sprawled out besides me. I read through the plan he had sent me over and over again and I didn't know why I was surprised although I knew how the mafia ran their business in the first place. Luca's latest mission was to take out the Hills family. They weren't really popular on this side of the continent but it seemed they've gathered a lot of power than it seems on the outside and are now one of the A class families in their side of the continent. Their wealth came from different dark sources and Luca wanted them gone. Completely erased. Vincent had sent me everything I needed; passwords, codes, and blueprint of the Hills family estate. There were hundreds of laues of security but not something really
Astrid's POV I paced back and forth in my room, biting my nails impatiently. What I had seen in the system was bothering me and the fact that Luca just called that we would be breaking into the Hills family today made me even more nervous than I already was. I stuffed my laptop and tools into a bag. The thought of going on this mission and stepping into Luca's dangerous world made my hands tremble. I didn't even know how to use a gun, not to talk of fighting to defend myself. I was a hacker. Just what was he thinking? But I had no choice. Luca was pulling me deeper and deeper into his world an did I back down now, that meant I would be playing into the hands of whoever wanted me and no leads on my family. I'd rather stay with Luca with his attitude than anyone else. I was hellbent on that. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror as I zipped up my back. I was dressed in a black tight short with a holster on my right lap. My hair was up in a comfortable messy ponytail, but I didn
Luca's POV Astrid has been steadily feeding me information about the positions I should avoid and go through but the line suddenly went shut. There was suddenly tension in her voice before she was cut off. I paused, pressing my back against the wall as I scanned the area. She had been trying to warn me about something, her voice cracked with urgency. “Wait, Luca, there's something else…” Then silence. I waited a moment, listening to the static in the earpiece, but there was nothing. The connection was broken, making me curse undrea my breath. If Astrid's system was down, it meant trouble. I trusted her with the tech and system aspect but if the Hills has set up something, we're going to be in it. It was unusual for her system to fail unless it was either a counter measure was perfectly executed or something was wrong on her side and both was a one in a million chances occurrence. I moved forward cautiously, avoiding every guard I came across but it wasn't easy without Astrid's d
Astrid's POV The cold metal of the chair pressed into my back, and the ropes around my wrist burned with every movement I made. My head was spinning and my heart was equally racing. How had everything gone wrong so fast? One second I was hacking the Hills' system and the next I was being dragged out of the car and into this dimly lit room. The two men guarding me didn't speak much. They didn't need to as I already guessed what I was. I was the bait to lure Luca in because it was something sure that Luca wouldn't let me, a valuable pawn go to waste. Where was Luca? The question repeated in my mind. I had lost contact with him and although I wasn't worried about him being caught. He was more experienced in this than I was so there was nothing to worry about. But did he know what had happened to me? What if they set a trap at the car and he goes back to look for me? The door creaked open and I expected it to be more threats till I heard a familiar voice. “Astrid.” It was Luca and a w
Astrid's POV My heart pounded against the ribcage in my chest as I hid behind Luca, trying to process what was going on. Hills Bill was here, and we were surrounded to the brim. Armed men stood in a semicircle around us, their guns raised already. And wrong move and it could as well be the end of everything. I had faced danger before– hacking, trying to get away from those who were after me and wanted me dead. But this felt different, I felt like I really was going I die and I was to blame because I was with Luca. I've heard rumors about him single handedly defeating an army of enemies and that was when he had nothing to protect. His men were rarely there when he battled according to what I've heard but I didn't think that was the right choice at the moment. Luca stood tall, as calm as ever which made me even more nervous than I already was. How can he be calm when we were surrounded and any step meant death. Instant death that is. Bill took another step forward, his gaze flickere
Luca's POV Astrid fell limp in my chest and for the first time in years, I felt what was called fear. She was bleeding– bad. The red soaked her shirt, painting my hands red as I held her. I couldn't tear my pain away despite knowing we were still being tailed. I could stop here now. “Damn it.” I cursed under my breath, gritting my teeth in frustration. This was going nich slower than expected. The footsteps behind us got heavier and heavier. I knew Bill had sent his men head of him to finish the task and get my body and I wanted to scoff at the thought but I had other things to do. I scanned the area, my mind working into overdrive. No exits. No cover. No backup. I forced my emotions down and locked them away like I always did. I tightened my grip around Maya's waist and pulled her up to her feet while supporting her weight. “We're getting out of here.” I muttered, more to myself than her. She didn't respond, her head lolled to the side, her breathing shallow. The blood loss wa
Astrid's POV My head was pounding when I finally opened my eyes. The room was spinning, and it took a moment for me to focus my mind on my surroundings. Tje familiar scent Luca gave was lingering in the room and it strangely comforted me. The events of the night came rushing back to me, making my head hurt slightly. My chest tightened and I groaned softly, as I tried to move. Every muscle ached and a dull pain throbbing through my body. I glanced down at my body to see someone had bandaged the sounds on my side– Luca no doubt, and I was only in shorts and a light sports bra. The memories of how I was close to death made my blood boil but I still had to be grateful to Luca anyway. I sat up slowly, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. The room was dark and the faint glow of the dawn sky flickered into the room. Luca was nowhere to be found. Of course, he wouldn't. The man had probably left the moment I was stable. That's how he worked– he saved you, because you're a useful p
Luca's POV I watched as the color drained from Astrid's face. Her eyes widened in terror, darting between Vincent and I. We had found her mother rand sister while she was unconscious and I was going to tell her although it meant our deal would be off.“Astrid,” I called out to her, trying to get control of the situation but she was already heading towards the door, her hand trembling as she reached for the handle. “I have to go,” she whispered, panic lacing her voice. “I need to–” “You are not going anywhere,” I said, grabbing her wrist before she could slip past me to touch the door. Her wrist tighten under my fingers but I didn't let go. “Luca, let me go…” she said, her voice trailing off. “They have my family!” Her wide, pleading eyes hut me harder than I expected and I just wanted to ugnoryit but I couldn't, but one thing was I couldn't let her go. She was thinking with her heart and not her head right now, and that's going to get her killed. I'd seen it a lot of times, peopl