Page 66 of Mafia King's Forbidden Obsession

How does he know? Why is he even offering to help me?

“Why should I trust you?” I fist another pad and throw it in the basket as the wheels turn in my head.

“Let’s just say... something similar has happened to me, and I hate to see it happen to someone else.” He returns one tampon to the shelf. “You know you can decide to run away on your own… that’s if you want. But you can never hide from the mafia. They’ll find you.”

He pauses for a brief moment, then continues. “But I can make you disappear. If you allow me to help you, the don will never find you after you escape.”

Bewilderment— that’s the only thing that fills my senses as I stare emptily at the shelf before me.

Is this some kind of setup? Is Ezra testing me? Or is this man really offering a way out?

If he truly is, then why?

Before I can ask, he stops his movement on the shelf and walks past me, slipping a card into my basket as he does.

“Think about it, Raven. But don’t wait too long,” he whispers, and heads to the checkout.

I reach for the basket and pick up the small piece of plain white paper, which has only a phone number etched in its center.The haze of confusion thickens as I stare at it. Maybe I should crumple it… toss it into the nearest trash can, but I don’t. When I look up again, he’s already out the door.

I swallow hard as I slip the card into the pocket of my dress and head to the counter to check out my items. The guards come then to carry the packed bags.

“Time’s up,” one of them says, as we exit the store. We quickly walk back to the car, and we’re soon on our way to the mansion.

When we return to the mansion, I rush to Ezra’s bedroom with my bags, my heart still pounding from the encounter. The confusion I feel slowly turns into a sense of overwhelm as I close the door behind me and then sit on the bed.

Can I truly be free of Ezra?

I always believed for that to happen, he had to willingly let me go, which is the safest option. Better to be in here than out there with a pissed-off Marino after me.

But if the stranger makes good on his promise, Ezra would not be a problem. And that’s what I want… right? It’s what I’ve always wanted. To leave and return to my normal life.

The thought swirls in my mind, shooting every emotion through my being until one settles thickly in my heart. Fear. I don’t know why, but I’m suddenly scared… of everything.

The urge to use the bathroom grips me, and I shoot up to do so. I’m almost at the door when I remember to get the kit. My hand shakes as I pull the pregnancy test from one of the bags and stare at it. Anxiety shoots through my being, and sweat starts to clamor my palms.

I sit on the edge of the bed, the box heavy in my hands. What if I’m pregnant? What will Ezra do? What will I do?

I’ve seen the way he handles betrayal, the way he punishes those who cross him. The killings, the violence, the blood—this is no place to raise a kid.

I shake my head, the urge to yank at my hair is strong. But then again, this is just a precaution. I can’t be pregnant. My mind is only playing tricks on me.

Finally, I get up and speed to the adjoining bathroom, locking the door behind me. Sitting on the toilet seat, my hands tremble as I yank open the box, clasping it a little tighter before taking out the two sticks and urinating on them. I set the sticks on the sink and leave for the bedroom.

I pace the room, glancing repeatedly at the alarm clock on the bedside table while I wait. The box said to wait for five minutes.

The minutes tick by agonizingly slow, each second dragging on forever. Every glance at the clock causes my heart to race and my body to numb with fear as I try to walk off the anxiety.

When the time is up, I go back into the bathroom and mumble a little prayer before forcing myself to look at the sink.

Time comes to a stop, and the wind is forcefully sucked out of my gut when I see it.

Two lines.Positive. No.

My stomach churns with a new wave of emotions– fear, confusion, despair, panic– and my legs suddenly aren’t enough to hold the weight of my body.

No. No. No. This… this is impossible.

My vision blurs as the world crashes down around me. I can’t breathe. I try to swallow, but my throat is constricted.