Chapter 37 KIDNAPPED
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AUTHOR’S POV
The phone buzzed, breaking the heavy silence of Luciano’s office. His sharp eyes darted toward the screen before picking up.
“Valentino,”
he said curtly, leaning back in his leather chair.
“Luciano,”
Valentino’s voice was tense, bordering on frantic.
“Something happened. Adeline… a boy took her.”
Luciano sat up immediately, his spine rigid as his heart skipped a beat.
“What? What do you mean, took her?”
“They left the restaurant together. It wasn’t normal,”
Valentino explained quickly.
“She didn’t seem comfortable, and it looked like they knew each other. I thought it was odd, so I called you.”
Luciano’s hand tightened around the phone. His mind raced as his protective instincts surged.
“Did you see his face? Who is he? Where the fuck were your men? Why did you let her go? ”
“ I do not know him. I did not want to let her go but she stopped me knowing it will lead to a big mess ”
Valentino admitted.
“ Something’s not right.”
The line went dead as Luciano slammed the phone onto the desk, his breath coming faster. He stood abruptly, pacing the room, his thoughts spiraling. For weeks, he’d been trying to piece together everything for Adeline’s safety and Now, this.
The door creaked open, and Christian stepped in, his expression hesitant. Luciano’s sharp gaze snapped to him.
“What is it?”
Christian hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“We’ve identified the guy who took her,”
he said, his tone cautious. Christian had already been informed about Adeline from aurora.
“Who?”
Luciano demanded, his voice low and dangerous.
Christian shifted uncomfortably before answering.
“Asher.”
The name hit Luciano like a lightning bolt. He froze, the pieces falling into place. Slowly, he exhaled, rubbing his temples.
“Asher,”
he murmured, his voice carrying both recognition and frustration.
“Her friend from that university..”
Christian nodded.
“Yes. But there’s more.”
Luciano’s head snapped up, his piercing eyes locking onto Christian.
“What else?”
Christian cleared his throat, glancing at the floor.
“He’s… been acting strange. A few witnesses saw him and Adeline arguing in a parking lot. She was fighting back, but he… he forced her into his car and drove off.”
Luciano’s body stiffened, his fists clenching tightly. A vein pulsed in his temple as his anger reached its breaking point.
“He forced her?”
Christian nodded again, his voice lowering.
“Yes. That’s what they said.”
Luciano let out a low growl, his hands slamming onto the desk as he leaned forward. His jaw tightened, and his usually composed demeanor cracked, revealing the storm of fury beneath.
“Find them,”
he ordered, his voice deadly calm.
Christian hesitated.
“We’re already tracking—”
“Now!”
Luciano roared, his voice echoing through the room.
“I don’t care what it takes, Christian. Find them, and bring them to me. Because when I get my hands on Asher…”
He paused, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
“He’s dead.”
Christian nodded quickly, backing toward the door.
“I’ll get our team on it immediately.”
As the door closed, Luciano stood in the silence of his office, his chest heaving with restrained fury. His mind replayed the image of Adeline being forced into a car, her fear palpable. He couldn’t stand the thought of her being hurt—or worse.
His heart rate increased as the thought of something happening to Adeline scared him.
“Asher,”
he muttered to himself, the name dripping with venom.
“You’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life.”
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The door to Luciano’s office burst open once again, and Christian stormed in, his face pale and his breathing uneven.
“Luciano,”
Christian started, his voice laced with urgency,
“Asher is nowhere to be found.”
Luciano, who had been poring over a map on his desk, looked up sharply, his gaze piercing.
“What do you mean, nowhere to be found?”
Christian exhaled deeply, frustration and concern etched into his features.
“His phone is off. We’ve checked his house, his friends’ places—nothing. It’s like he’s vanished.”
Luciano tensed, the muscles in his jaw tightening as he processed the news.
“That doesn’t make sense,”
he muttered, pacing the room.
“He couldn’t have just disappeared. He’s not that clever.”
Christian hesitated before speaking again, his tone more cautious.
“Luciano, what if… what if Elena is involved?”
The name froze Luciano in his tracks. His head snapped toward Christian, his eyes narrowing.
“Elena?”
he repeated, his voice dangerously low.
Christian nodded slowly.
“Think about it. If she found out about Adeline… If she’s somehow connected to Asher, this could all be part of a larger plan. You know what she’s capable of.”
Luciano’s hands clenched into fists, his entire body taut with tension. The possibility of Elena’s involvement sent a chill down his spine. She was cunning, ruthless, and unpredictable—everything that could spell disaster if Adeline was caught in her web.
“We can’t let this escalate,”
Luciano said, his voice firm.
“If Elena knows, Adeline’s in more danger than we thought.”
He moved toward the door, his steps brisk and purposeful, but something clicked in his mind—an overlooked detail, a small but crucial piece of the puzzle. He stopped suddenly, his eyes widening.
“The bracelet,”
he said under his breath.
Christian frowned, confused.
“What bracelet?”
Luciano turned to face him, his expression both determined and urgent.
“The bracelet Adeline always wears. It was her father’s gift to her. Her father had me plant a tracker in it years ago—for her safety.”
Christian’s eyes lit up with realization.
“You’re saying we can track her right now?”
Luciano nodded sharply.
“Yes. Get on it immediately.”
Christian didn’t hesitate, pulling out his tablet as Luciano grabbed his coat.
“I’ll send you the location as soon as I have it,”
Christian promised.
“Good,”
Luciano said, already heading out the door.
“I’m going to find her myself.”
As Luciano rushed through the hallway, his mind raced with a mix of fear and determination. Adeline was more than just someone he cared about—she was family, his family, and the thought of her being in danger because of someone like Asher or Elena was unbearable.
Sliding into his sleek black car, Luciano started the engine and sped out of the driveway, his jaw set and his hands gripping the wheel tightly. His phone buzzed, and he saw a message pop up from Christian:
“Tracker found. Sending coordinates now.”
His GPS updated almost instantly, marking a location a few miles out of the city. Luciano’s heart pounded as he focused on the road ahead, his thoughts filled with scenarios of what he might find.
Hold on, Adeline, he thought, his foot pressing harder on the accelerator. I’m coming.