Her Last Night in the City Chapter 03
Nico shoved Elena aside and got in my face. “What did you just say?”
“Look at my phone,” I said, shaking so hard my teeth were chattering. “The photos. His medical records.”
He ripped the phone out of Elena’s hands and started scrolling. Then his expression went stone cold. “I can’t believe you’re using a child to manipulate me.”
“I’m not—” I started. Then I caught the smug look on Elena’s face. Her. She’d wiped my phone. She’d found out about Luca.
“Baby,” Elena said, patting his arm. “I told you she was lying.”
“I’m not lying!” I screamed.
Elena shot a look at the manager. He slapped me hard. “Keep talking.”
“I didn’t take the ring!” I cried. “Let me go! Let me leave!”
“Hit her,” Elena ordered.
The punches came fast. I was tied up and couldn’t block them. Blood filled my mouth.
“He’s really your son. His name is Luca, he’s eight years old,” I choked out, looking at Nico through swollen eyes. “Let me go. Please. For our son.”
Something moved in Nico’s face.
“Shut up,” Elena hissed. “Using the Don’s compassion to save yourself? Pathetic.”
Nico’s face locked back up like concrete.
“Fifteen minutes,” I sobbed. “Please…”
“Still performing?” Elena raised the blade again. “I’m going to pull your teeth out.”
Just as the blade neared my face, a small voice broke through the room.
“Let go of my mom!”
Luca sprinted into the hallway, face pale, eyes wide with terror.
Nico went still. Everyone could see it. The boy looked just like him. Same jaw. Same eyes.
Elena’s face twisted. She lunged at me with the knife. “Liar! Where’d you drag this little con artist from!”
“Stop!” Nico grabbed her wrist.
Luca threw himself at me, his small hands clawing at the ropes. “Mom, why are they hurting you? Don’t work here anymore. I don’t want the surgery. Let’s just go home.”
The room went silent.
“Look at him,” someone whispered. “They look exactly alike.”
Nico dropped to his knees and grabbed Luca’s shoulders. “You’re Luca? Natalie’s your mom?”
Luca nodded, tears running down his face. “Sir, please help her. I’ll bow to you.”
He started to kneel.
“Don’t.” Nico caught him and pulled him close, his own eyes wet. He looked at the manager. “Untie her. Now.”
The manager scrambled to cut the ropes.
Luca climbed into my lap. “Sorry, Mom. Did I hurt you?”
Nico looked at me, his chest rising and falling hard. “Natalie, why…”
“Get away from me!” I grabbed Luca and snarled.
I had to get to the hospital.
I had to make sure Luca lived.
“I’ll drive you,” Nico said, catching up. “I’ll call the best doctors.”
“Nico!” Elena seized my arm and shrieked. “She doesn’t even love your child. Don’t you remember? She emptied your safe when she ran. Thirty gold bars.”