Chapter 125: Run

I halted at the door, a small smile slowly stretching across my lips as I turned back to meet his gaze.

His chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths. Veins stood out against his forearms as he pulled violently against the shackles. Blood had already started forming around his wrists.

“Mila,” he warned darkly.

I took slow steps toward him until I reached the edge of the bed.

Then I leaned closer. Close enough to feel the heat radiating from his body, but still far enough to stay out of reach.

“How does it feel, Luca?” I asked softly. “To be helpless like this?”

His jaw clenched.

“I trusted you,” he growled.

The words struck somewhere deep inside my chest.

For one brief, stupid second… he didn’t look like Il Cattivo.

He looked like a man genuinely hurt.

A dangerous man. A cruel man. But hurt nonetheless. And somehow, that was worse.

Something twisted painfully inside me. guilt? Almost.

I straightened slowly, forcing my expression back into place.

“Your bad,” I said calmly. “You should never trust Lissandra’s daughter.” I tilted my head slightly. “Didn’t you say I was becoming just like my mother?”

His eyes darkened even more.

“Mila,” he growled again, lower this time. “Stop playing around and open these fucking shackles.”

“I would love to,” I replied lightly as I started retreating toward the door. “But unfortunately… the keys aren’t with me.”

The second I touched the doorknob, his expression changed; not rage, something colder.

“Ricardo!” he roared. “Silas!”

I opened the door slowly.

Then paused without turning back. “No one’s going to answer you.”

Dangerous silence streached. Then his voice came again, rougher this time. “What the fuck did you do?”

“Nothing dramatic,” I said with a small shrug. “They’re just sleeping.”

Then I shut the door behind me and walked away.

“Milaaa!” His voice exploded through the villa like thunder.

A violent shiver ran down my spine. I hated the fact that even now… my body still reacted to him.

“I’m sorry, Luca,” I whispered under my breath while hurrying down the hallway. “You forced me into this.”

I pushed open Angelo’s room door quickly.

“Mommy?” Angelo asked sleepily the moment I touched his shoulder.

“It’s time to go, baby,” I whispered urgently, pulling the blanket off him. “Uncle Levi is waiting for us outside.”

His sleepy eyes blinked open slowly.

“Now?”

“Yes. Right now.”

I had already changed into black jeans and a dark shirt before coming here. Comfortable clothes. Clothes meant for running if things went wrong.

And judging by the sound of Luca’s furious shouting echoing faintly downstairs…

Things were already going wrong.

As I hurried Angelo down the stairs, Luca’s furious voice thundered again somewhere inside the villa.

“You will regret this, Mila!”

My pulse jumped violently.

Angelo looked up at me nervously.

“What’s wrong with Uncle Luca, Mommy?” he asked quietly. “He sounds angry.”

I forced a calm smile onto my face.

“It’s nothing, baby. We just don’t have much time.”

“But maybe we should check on him first?”

“No.” I tightened my hold on his hand gently. “Levi is waiting for us.”

The moment we reached the main hall, my steps slowed slightly.

Bodies.

It was that Angelo could bearly open his eyes.

Men were scattered around the entrance unconscious. Some slumped against walls. Others collapsed onto the marble floor. The sleeping drug had worked. Thank God.

But it eould not last for long.

I glanced at the surveillance camera. I believe Luca would watch the photage later.

I smiled to the camera and raised my middle finger.

Then, I tightened my grip around the pistol hidden beneath my jacket and ran toward the main gate with Angelo beside me.

Outside the gates, hidden partially in darkness exactly where I instructed him earlier, Levi’s car waited.

Relief flooded me instantly.

But it disappeared just as quickly when I spotted the two armed guards standing near the entrance.

The second they noticed me, confusion crossed their faces.

“Miss Russitte?” one of them asked cautiously.

I swallowed my panic and forced my expression into something softer. Fragile.

My hand instinctively moved protectively over my stomach.

Convincing armed mafia guards in the middle of the night was harder than manipulating Luca himself.

“My baby isn’t okay,” I said shakily. “I need to see a doctor immediately. Il Don is busy inside, so he sent Mr. Levi to take me.”

Thank God Levi couldn’t hear this conversation.

The guards exchanged uncertain looks.

One of them immediately pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

No answer.

Of course there was no answer. Everyone inside was unconscious.

“I told you,” I whispered desperately, forcing panic into my voice. “They’re all busy.”

Then I bent slightly and let out a soft cry of pain.

“Oh God…” I whispered shakily. “My baby… I think something’s wrong.”

“Mommy?” Angelo’s small voice trembled instantly. “Is the baby okay?”

The guilt hit me hard for using him in this lie. But I had no choice. I had to comfort him later.

“I don’t know,” I whispered weakly. “Please…”

The older guard frowned deeply.

“Ma’am, we still need direct permission from Il Don. Those are the orders.”

Every second passing felt like a countdown to disaster.

The drug would wear off soon.

And if Marco arrived before I escaped...

No.

I couldn’t think about that.

“Are you seriously going to let me lose my child here?” I snapped suddenly, letting real panic bleed into my voice this time.

The older guard cursed under his breath before turning sharply toward the second one.

“Go inside and ask Il Don personally. Now.”

The younger guard immediately ran through the gates.

The moment he disappeared inside... I moved.

In one swift motion, I pulled the gun from beneath my jacket and aimed it directly at the remaining guard’s head.

He froze instantly.

“Hands up,” I hissed.

Shock flashed across his face before he slowly obeyed.

“Miss Russitte...”

“Keys,” I snapped. “To the guard room. Now.”

His expression tightened.

Even though he was twice my size, covered in muscle and armed, he knew better than to test me with a gun pressed against his skull.

“Please,” he tried again carefully.

“Now.”

I shoved the barrel harder against his temple.

Behind me, Angelo shifted nervously.

“Gelo,” I said quietly without taking my eyes off the guard. “Close your eyes for Mommy.”

The guard visibly stiffened at that.

Slowly, he reached for the keys.

“One wrong move,” I whispered coldly, “and I’ll paint the wall with your brains.”

He swallowed hard and handed them over.

“Inside,” I ordered sharply, pointing toward the guard room.

He hesitated.

I nudged him forward with the gun.

I didn’t have time for this.

At any second, the other guard would discover the chaos inside the villa.

The moment the guard stepped inside the room, I slammed the door shut and locked it immediately.

Then I ran.

Fast.

Straight toward Levi’s car hidden in the shadows nearby.

The second I climbed inside with Angelo, Levi turned toward me sharply.

“Bebe,” he said, his eyes searching my face. “What took you so long?”

Before I could answer, movement in the rearview mirror caught my attention.

The other guard had already reappeared outside the gates.

And judging by the horror on his face…

He had seen everything.

My heartbeat spiked violently.

“Drive, Levi,” I said immediately, turning back toward him. “I’ll explain everything on the way.”