Undressed By The Mafia God novel Chapter 330

Chapter 330: I Hate This

A small, cold piece of metal.

Relief surged through him as he pulled out the cuff key, slick with blood. He dropped the blade onto the tray and removed the cloth from his mouth, gasping for air as he rode out the waves of agony for a few seconds. Sweat drenched his skin, and his vision blurred momentarily, but he forced himself to remain conscious.

With shaking hands, he guided the key toward the ankle cuff. The faint click as it turned in the lock sounded like salvation. One restraint fell away, then the other, until he was finally free. Luca allowed himself only a brief moment of stillness before pushing himself upright, ignoring the dizziness and the fresh blood seeping from his shoulder and side. He had no time to waste.

*****

Veronica moved restlessly through the house, her anxiety growing with every passing hour. The once comforting space now felt suffocating, each room echoing with Luca’s absence. She wrapped her arms around herself as she paced, her mind racing with unanswered questions.

Nonnina watched her from the kitchen doorway, her eyes narrowed with a scrutiny that Veronica had noticed since the moment she arrived.

Vee didn’t understand it. Every time she cried, Nonnina appeared with a steaming cup of some strange herbal tea. Every time she refused food, insisting she had no appetite, the same tea was pressed into her hands with gentle insistence.

But it wasn’t the usual blend. This one carried a different taste. It soothed her nerves, yet left her feeling oddly drowsy.

"I hate this," she murmured softly. "I hate not knowing."

Was he safe? Why hadn’t he reached out? The not knowing was the hardest part.

"Zuccherino, sit down," Nonnina said, her voice firm yet laced with affection as she watched Veronica pace restlessly across the living room.

"I’m fine, Nonni," Vee replied distractedly, barely slowing her steps. Her fingers twisted anxiously in the hem of her sweater, her eyes darting toward the door, expecting Luca to appear at any moment.

Nonnina’s gaze hardened slightly. "I didn’t ask how you were," she said. "I said, sit down."

Veronica turned to face her, frustration bubbling to the surface. "How can you be this calm?" she asked, her voice trembling. "It’s been days already. Days, Nonni! No word, no message... nothing."

Nonnina sighed softly, the lines on her face deepening. "You get used to it," she replied.

What she did not say was that calmness was not the absence of fear. Beneath her composed exterior, her heart ached just as fiercely as Veronica’s.

Vee dropped onto the sofa, her hands covering her face as a shaky breath escaped her lips. "I hate this," she whispered. "I hate feeling so helpless."

Nonnina moved closer, placing a gentle hand on Veronica’s shoulder. "Luciano is stronger than you think," she murmured. "And Marco is here. You are not alone, cara mia."

Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps from upstairs. Both women looked up just as Marco came rushing down the staircase. He was in the process of throwing on his shirt, his expression grim.

"Marco?" Vee shot to her feet, her heart pounding. "What’s wrong?"

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