All Chapters of Bound To The Mafia: Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

Isadora A few weeks had passed since the attack, and life had taken on a strange new normal. Luca had enrolled me in self-defense classes, though I wasn’t sure if it was for my protection or just his peace of mind. My two former bodyguards had been replaced by new ones, both of whom looked like they could kill with just a glare. And then there was Rafael who was always there, always watching, like a shadow I couldn’t shake. He wasn’t exactly fun, but I’d caught him smiling more than once when he was around Laura. Maybe she was softening him up.With finals just a few weeks away, most of my time was spent studying. Luca, despite his... unconventional line of work, had been surprisingly helpful. Whenever he wasn’t busy running the Mafia, he’d sit with me and help me prepare. He’d even tutor me on the parts of business law that made my head spin, his sharp mind and patient demeanor catching me off guard. It was almost easy to forget who he really was when he’d show up with blankets and

Isadora "Wow, you look terrible," Laura said as I stepped into class, her tone shot back, sliding into the seat next to her."Don’t deflect," she said, leaning closer. "Something’s up with you. Spill."I sighed, leaning on my elbows. "I went out on a date with Luca."Her eyebrows shot up. "You what? How did it go?""It was fine, I guess," I said slowly. "Until I got this text." I pulled out my phone and showed her the string of anonymous messages I’d been getting, the ones about Luca and Alicia, his dead wife.Laura frowned as she scrolled through them. "Okay, yeah, this is... weird. Do you think the rumors are true, though?""I don’t know what to believe, Laura," I admitted, running a hand through my hair. "He’s so good to me. He’s thoughtful, kind... but he’s also a Don. He kills people. And Alicia..." I trailed off, biting my lip."And?" Laura pressed, her voice quieter now.I hesitated, my throat tightening as the words hovered on the tip of my tongue. "And... I think I’ve start

IsadoraI took a step back, my heart slamming against my ribs. His words, his confession, should’ve given me clarity. But they didn’t. If anything, they made everything worse.“How do I know you’re telling me the truth, Luca?” I asked, my voice sharp despite the way it trembled. “How do I know this isn’t just another way to keep me here, to keep me under your control?”His jaw ticked, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by that unyielding intensity that always left me breathless.“I don’t need to lie to you,” he said, his voice low, measured. “If I wanted to control you, I’d do it. I wouldn’t waste my time trying to convince you of anything.”The calmness in his tone sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn’t a threat, it was a fact, plain and simple.I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself. “Then why not just let me go? If you’ve been watching me all this time, if you really care the way you say you do, why no

Isadora I didn’t sleep.Not because I was afraid of what Luca would do, but because I was afraid of what he wouldn’t.There was something about the way he looked at me tonight, like he was waiting. Like he was daring me to keep pushing. And I would.Because I wasn’t like Alicia.I wasn’t going to die just because I trusted the wrong person.And maybe that’s what scared me the most because the longer I was around Luca, the more I realized I did trust him.And I hated that.Next morning I was at the breakfast table when he walked in, looking infuriatingly unbothered. Like last night hadn’t happened. Like he hadn’t caught me in his office and warned me in that deadly voice of his.He poured himself a coffee, glancing at me as he took a sip.“You look tired.”I ignored him.He chuckled, shaking his head. “Still on the silent treatment, huh?”I stabbed at my food.Luca leaned against the counter, watching me with that unreadable expression. “Alright, princesa. I’ll play along. Let’s see

Luca I wasn’t surprised when Isadora started digging. I’d known she would. Her curiosity was like a magnet, pulling her deeper into the very things I needed her to stay away from. I had expected her to find something—there was no way I could’ve kept her in the dark forever. But what I hadn’t expected was for her to go this deep.She was smarter than I gave her credit for.As I watched her across the room, her eyes burning with the knowledge she’d uncovered, I could tell she was pissed. It was written all over her—her rigid posture, the way her jaw clenched when she looked at me. She was angry, but more than that, she was unsettled. And I liked that. I knew she hated being in the dark, hated the feeling of being out of control. It was the one thing I had over her—the one thing I could use to keep her in line. But even that was slipping.She had found the offshore accounts, the hidden investments, the connection between her father’s company and the money laundering. I’d made sure of it