Chapter 20 Enemy Territory
Anna's POV
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
My pulse accelerated.
This was either a blessing… Or a trap.
“Why would we go there?” I asked.
Lucas’s gaze remained steady on the road. “Because if Zack is distracted by secret agencies, it’s the perfect time to observe.”
“Just observe?” I asked carefully.
“For now.”
My mind raced.
If I got a glimpse of Zack today, layout, security, movement patterns, it would give me a head start.
But if Xavier was already watching him…
Then this mission was layered inside a war I hadn’t fully understood yet.
Lucas slowed the car slightly. “You look nervous,” he said.
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
I turned to face him. “You’re taking me to enemy territory. Should I be thrilled?”
A faint smirk touched his lips. “I’ll protect you.”
The words hung between us.
I swallowed. “Why?” I asked quietly.
Lucas didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, he pulled the car into a quieter street, the skyline of another district rising ahead.
“Because,” he finally said, “Since I set my eyes on you, Anna, nothing seemed to matter to me anymore, apart from getting to know you and being with you."
For a second, I forgot how to breathe. His voice was calm. Not playful. Not teasing.
I didn’t say anything. What was I supposed to say to that?
He glanced at me briefly. “You’re not going to say anything?”
“I… don’t know what to say.”
“That’s fair,” he murmured. “I know you never imagined a love life with someone like me. A mafia. But if you give me a chance… I’ll prove not all mafias are bad eggs.”
Bad eggs. If only he knew what kind of blood was on my own hands.
I forced a small smile, then shifted the conversation before it could sink deeper.
“Can you influence Xavier to spare Sam? And Patrick?”
Lucas’s jaw hardened. “I wouldn’t do that even if I wanted to.”
The words were cold. Final.
“Plus,” he continued, “Sam and Patrick are none of my concern. My only concern is you.”
“But they’re my foster family,” I insisted.
“Exactly. Foster,” he said bluntly. “You’ve had several foster parents, I believe. You won’t miss this one.”
He wasn’t wrong. I wouldn’t miss Patrick.
But the thought of watching them die, because I got involved, sat like lead in my stomach.
I didn’t push further.
We pulled up in front of a massive hotel. Elegant. Expensive. Clean glass walls and polished marble.
I frowned. “This looks like a regular place. Not a mafia domain.”
Lucas smirked slightly. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
We stepped out of the car.
“Remember,” he said quietly as we approached the entrance, “you must not mention anything about Xavier in there. We’re here to observe. Nothing more.”
“Yes, sir,” I teased lightly.
But inside, my mind was sharp.Observe? No. My mission was on the line.
The lobby was immaculate. Crystal chandeliers. Soft instrumental music. Wealthy guests checking in. Nothing criminal in sight.
Security scanned us for weapons before we entered.
Lucas walked to the receptionist and spoke quietly.
I pretended to admire the architecture while studying every corner,cameras, guards, exits.
Still nothing suspicious.
Did he bring me to the wrong place?
“Come,” Lucas said.
We entered the elevator.
Instead of going up— It went down.
Lucas looked at me. “Told you.”
The doors slid open. And everything changed.
Neon lights greeted me first. Bass vibrating through my chest.
The smell hit me first, weed, alcohol, sweat.
Tattoos. Bare skin. Strippers swinging around poles.
Men with thick gold chains and cold eyes.
Women grinding against strangers. Laughter that sounded unhinged.
A party on the surface. Chaos underneath.
Lucas leaned close to my ear so I could hear him. “Be careful. You’re a pretty woman. They’ll be interested.”
I nodded. “Where are you going?”
“To get tickets to the main casino. That’s where the real players are.”
He pointed toward a darker hallway. “Wait there.”
I moved to the side and sat on one of the plush leather seats, pretending to watch the show.
But I was scanning. Counting armed men. Spotting exits.
Noticing who wasn’t drinking. The real guards never drink.
A waiter approached me. “What would you like to drink, ma’am?”
“Information,” I said calmly.
He blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“I don’t want a drink. I want information.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you police?”
“Not really,” I said casually. “I’m looking for my brother. Someone told me Zack abducted him.”
The waiter stiffened. “I’m sorry… I can’t help you. But if he was abducted, the best place to find answers is the main casino. Though… they won’t let you pass.”
“It’s fine,” I replied. “I have it covered.”
“Are you sure you don’t want anything?”
“I’m sure.”
He nodded and walked away. But I followed him with my eyes.
He didn’t head toward the bar. He went straight to one of the armed men in suits standing by a pillar.
They spoke briefly. Then the waiter subtly pointed in my direction.
My stomach tightened. Shit.
I rose smoothly before they could approach and slipped into the crowd.
Bodies pressed against me. Music swallowed sound. I kept moving, weaving through dancers, ducking behind taller figures.
My heart pounded, but my face remained calm.
I spotted Lucas heading toward where I had been sitting. I intercepted him halfway.
He looked at me carefully. “You look tense,” he observed.
“Just overwhelmed,” I lied lightly.
He studied me for a second longer than necessary, but didn’t press. “Follow me.”
We walked toward a guarded hallway. I glanced back.
The waiter and the suited guard were scanning the crowd. Looking for me.
I smiled faintly. Good luck.
Two massive men blocked the entrance to the inner section.
Lucas handed them something, cards, perhaps. They scanned us briefly, then stepped aside.
The hallway was quieter. Dimly lit. Carpeted floors absorbing the sound.
At the end, another set of double doors.
Lucas leaned toward me slightly. “From here on, no wandering.”
I nodded obediently.
Inside, the energy shifted again.
No loud music. No strippers. Just power.
Large circular tables. Men in tailored suits. Gold rings. Calculated expressions. Chips stacked like small towers. Cigars burning slowly in crystal ashtrays.
This was the heart. This was where real money moved. Where alliances formed.
Where deaths were ordered with a nod.
My pulse quickened, not from fear. From focus.
Somewhere in this building was Zack Arrow.
I scanned faces. Which one?
Which one was the don powerful enough to rival Xavier?
Lucas leaned closer. “We observe. That’s all.”
But I wasn’t just observing. I was memorizing. Camera placements. Guard rotations.
Distance between exits and private rooms.
And then— The room subtly shifted.
Conversations lowered. Chairs straightened.
A presence entered from a side door. I didn’t see him yet.
But I felt it. The air changed.
Lucas’s posture stiffened slightly. “Don’t stare,” he muttered under his breath.
Too late. My eyes had already lifted.