Chapter 32 The New Plan
Anna’s POV
Lucas nodded. “Yes. Tomorrow. Xavier told me himself.”
My chest tightened. Everything was moving too fast.
“But don’t worry,” Lucas added quickly, stepping closer. “I have a plan. A solid one. It will get you out of here… away from Xavier and any other Don who might try to claim you.”
I looked at him carefully. “You’re going to tell me, right?”
“Of course,” he said. “You need to know so you can prepare.”
He took a breath, then continued.
“I’ve hired someone. Paid a huge amount of money. He’ll be at the auction. No matter who bids for you, he’ll outbid them… until there’s no one left.”
My heart skipped. “That means…” I trailed off.
Lucas nodded. “Yes. He wins the auction.”
A pause. “Then what?” I asked quietly.
Lucas held my gaze. “Then you’re free.”
Something about the way he said it made me tilt my head slightly. “Free?” I repeated. “Or owned by you?”
His expression shifted.
“Don’t see it that way,” he said quickly. “I’m not buying you to own you. I’m doing this because I—” he stopped himself briefly, then continued, softer, “because I care about you. You’ll be free. This is just… a way to get you out.”
I studied him. “Free to do whatever I want?” I asked.
He hesitated. Just for a second. Then he nodded. “Yes.”
But I caught that hesitation. “And what happens after?” I pressed. “What if I don’t give you the love you want… after everything you’ve done?”
Lucas exhaled slowly. “Then I let you go,” he said. “Even if it hurts.”
I didn’t respond immediately. Because I didn’t believe him, not completely.
There was something deeper there. Something he wasn’t saying.
But… I had no better option. And his plan could actually work.
More importantly— It might help me get closer to Zack.
So I nodded slowly. “Alright,” I said. “I’ll go along with your plan.”
Relief flooded his face. “Thank you,” he said softly.
Then he leaned forward and kissed my forehead.
“Don’t worry. It’ll work out.”
I forced a small smile.
“Goodnight, Anna.”
“Goodnight.”
Then he left, watching the dark corridor before finally closing the door behind him.
The moment the door closed, I exhaled deeply. I quickly went to where I had hidden my phone and dialed Serena.
She picked up.
“Xavier is auctioning me tomorrow,” I said immediately. “Highest bidder.”
There was a brief pause. “Then go along with it,” Serena replied. “As long as it keeps you inside the mafia network… or even deeper.”
I hesitated. But I didn’t mention Lucas’ plan.
“That’s the plan,” I said instead.
“Keep me updated,” she added. “We’ll have agents at the venue. Your cover must not be blown.”
“Understood.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
I hung up, hid the phone. Then went to shower.
After that, I wore something light and lay on the bed.
Sleep didn’t take me gently. It dragged me under.
One moment I was lying on the bed… the next, I wasn’t in my room anymore. I was somewhere else.
It had dim lights, shadows flickering against the walls. And Lucas was there, standing in front of me.
His eyes locked on mine, softer than I had ever seen them, yet burning with something deeper… something that made my breath hitch.
“Anna…” he said quietly.
My name sounded different coming from him.
I didn’t step back. Didn’t move at all.
My body felt rooted to the spot as he reached for me, his fingers brushing against my arm slowly, like he was testing if I was real.
A shiver ran through me. “Don’t,” I whispered.
But it didn’t sound like a refusal. It sounded weak.
He noticed. Of course he did.
Lucas stepped closer, his presence surrounding me, his warmth pressing into me until there was no space left between us.
“I told you,” he murmured, his voice low. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
My heart pounded.
I should have pulled away. I should have stopped this. But I didn’t.
Instead, my hands found his chest, gripping lightly, as if I needed something to hold onto.
He tilted my chin up. Just like he had done before. Only this time— There was no interruption.
His lips brushed mine, soft at first, as though he wanted to be sure I wanted it too. Then he went deeper.
My breath caught, my body reacting before my mind could catch up. Heat flooded through me, confusing, overwhelmingly wrong.
But my fingers tightened against him as the kiss deepened, my thoughts blurring, my guard slipping.
Then a sharp clicking sound interrupted the moment, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
My body froze. Lucas pulled back slightly, confused.
And then, I heard a gunshot.
Lucas’s body jerked as blood gushed out of him.
Blood.
My eyes widened in horror as it spread across his chest, he staggered and fell.
“Lucas—!”
I dropped to my knees, grabbing him, my hands shaking as I tried to hold him together, but there was too much blood.
I turned slowly, Xavier stood there, with a gun in hand. His eyes were dark, not with anger, but something possessive.
“You disappoint me,” he said quietly.
My breath came out in broken gasps. “You shot him—”
“I warned you,” he cut in, stepping closer. Each step felt like death approaching. “You don’t belong to him.”
My heart pounded wildly as I shook my head. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
Xavier pointed the gun at me, his fingers gripping the trigger, forcing me to look at him. “Wrong answer,” he said softly.
Darkness swallowed everything, I jerked awake, gasping.