Chapter 7 - The Threat
A week passed, and the fake contract slowly began to feel incredibly real.
Vincent took me out for dinners, held my hand in public, and treated me like absolute royalty.
But Vincent's dangerous world was bound to catch up with us eventually.
It happened on a rainy Tuesday afternoon while I was leaving a luxury boutique.
Vincent had sent his driver, but as I walked toward the car, a black van suddenly blocked my path.
Two men in dark masks jumped out, grabbing my arms before I could even scream.
They dragged me into the van, throwing me roughly onto the metal floor.
"Keep her quiet!" one of the men barked as the van sped away from the curb.
My heart hammered against my ribs, pure terror blinding my thoughts.
"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice from shaking.
"Just some guys who want to send Vincent DeLuca a message," the driver sneered.
They tied my wrists with thick zip ties and blindfolded me.
I remembered Vincent's words about his rivals looking for a weakness to exploit.
I had become that weakness.
The van drove for what felt like hours before stopping at an abandoned warehouse.
They tied me to a cold steel chair and pulled the blindfold off my face.
The man in charge pulled out his phone and hit record.
"Let's see how much the great DeLuca is willing to pay for his pretty little waitress," he laughed.
I lifted my chin, refusing to let them see my tears.
"You don't know him at all," I said with a defiant glare.
"He isn't going to pay you."
The kidnapper laughed loudly.
"No," a cold, familiar voice echoed from the dark rafters above.
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"I am going to kill you."
The warehouse doors suddenly exploded inward.
