CHAPTER 63 - Take her

IVORY'S POV

I blink repeatedly, needing to be sure he’s really the one I’m seeing.

“What am I doing here? Why did you kidnap me?” I demand.

“I’m sure you already know,” he replies, his dark gaze fixed on me. “I told you to leave my son, but you refused. And now, he’s proving just as stubborn.”

But for some reason, I’m not intimidated. “I don’t care if you’re in the Mafia or not. He’s an adult, and he can choose his own company,” I spit back, surprised at my own nerve when I should be begging to be released.

“It’s that poor choice of his that’s going to cost you your life.”

“What?” My heart pounds as my stomach tightens. “What do you mean, it’s going to cost me my life?”

“In simpler terms,” he replies without a hint of emotion, “for him to stay away from you, you have to die.”

I’ve heard about the Mafia, and I know how dark and dangerous that world is, but I never thought they’d kill someone just to keep them away from another. This is insane!

“Please!” I beg, the desperation seeping into my voice. If I have to stay away from him, I would. I don’t want to die for such a senseless reason. “You want me to stay away? Fine! I’ll keep my distance. I won’t let him near me. Just, please, let me go.”

“Take her,” he orders, ignoring my pleas entirely.

Oh no.

***

LUCA'S POV

Mr. Hastings stirred up far more trouble than I imagined before his death. His betrayal of my father led to his demise, and now I can’t shake this heavy sense of guilt. If Ivory ever finds out that my father killed hers, she’ll never forgive me.

“Damn it!” I groan in frustration, slamming my fist against the steering wheel, causing the car’s alarm to beep.

Reaching for my phone, I call her, intending to apologize for what I said earlier. Even though I wasn’t wrong, I realize now that my approach was. I should’ve been more thoughtful. But she doesn’t pick up, and I assume she’s already asleep. It is late anyway.

Not long after, Baron’s call comes through, and I pick it up instantly.

“What’s going on?” I ask urgently.

“Is Ivory with you?” His voice is full of tension. I slam my foot on the brake, bringing the car to a hard stop.

“She’s not at the apartment?”

“No. She left, and when we tracked her phone, it was found on the ground not far from the—”

“Where are you?” I cut him off as I slam my foot on the gas. “How the hell did you let her go out alone? You were supposed to be watching her!” I groan with frustration.

I don’t even allow him to reply before ending the call. Fear creeps up every inch of my spine as different scenarios keep playing in my head. That girl is so stubborn, too stubborn, that it frustrates me. She knows how many enemies her father harboured; she knows how unsafe it is for her out there, but she stupidly still went ahead to go out alone. I have to find her. I must find her. Nothing must happen to her.

A call comes in, and I glance at the screen, hoping it’s Baron with good news. But when I see Matteo’s name, disappointment surges through me. Whatever he needs to say, now isn’t the time.

I ignore it, but he calls again. Matteo never calls twice unless it’s serious.

“It better be important,” I groan, pressing the phone to my ear.

“I might get in trouble for this, but the girl is here.” He says with urgency, and I feel my heart stutter as I slam on the brakes. “He’s about to kill her.”

Father! A surge of rage explodes within me, and I whip the car around, changing direction and heading straight for the mansion.

I am speeding so fast that I don’t care about the traffic rules; I just want to get to her before it’s too late. Fuck, I would have myself for life if anything ever happened to that girl. She’s been through so much already, and she doesn’t deserve to die at the hands of the same man who killed her father.

On my way, I call my father multiple times to warn him, damn it, please with him to spare her, until I get there at least. Threats don’t work on that man. He does as he wishes. But he doesn’t pick up, and my fear piques.

When I reach the mansion, I barely have the patience to park properly before jumping out of the car.

“Ivory!” I shout as I run inside, searching desperately for any sign of her, but she’s nowhere in sight.

“Where is he?” I ask a maid in a low growl.

“In his office,” she whispers, and I storm down the hallway, throwing the door open without hesitation.

Father sits behind his desk, his expression unreadable. “I’ve been expecting you,” he says calmly. “I knew one of them would inform you. Who did? Matteo?”

“Ivory!” I exclaim with relief when I see her sitting on the sofa in one corner of the office, legs and hands tied together.

“Luca….” She whispers, tears streaming down her beautiful face the moment she sights me.

I hope she doesn’t hate me now.