S*X Contract With Invalid Mafia Boss

Chapter 4

Christine’s POV

When I’d finally woken up, the lavish bungalow was still around me, its opulence stark against my memories of rain-soaked streets and cramped apartments. But no matter how luxurious it looked, it didn’t feel like freedom.

The sound of Luca’s footsteps broke the silence. He entered with that cool, detached expression, studying me with a half-smile that only served to heighten my nerves. I glanced away, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of knowing how uneasy he made me feel.

I cleared my throat, folding my arms across my chest after the fog in my head had mostly cleared. “I need to go to the hospital,” I said, trying to keep my tone steady.

His brow lifted in faint amusement. “Hospital? Are you feeling unwell already?” He leaned against the edge of the table, arms crossed, watching me with a casual interest that made my skin prickle.

“It’s not that.” I hesitated, wondering if he’d even let me finish. “I… don’t want to get pregnant. Not during this, whatever this is. I need a doctor to make sure of that.”

His expression shifted, and his eyes narrowed as he considered me, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his face. “You think I’d let you go to just any hospital?”

I held his gaze, my chest tightening. “I’m not asking for permission; I’m telling you what I need.”

A low chuckle escaped him, soft but dark. “Very bold of you, Christine.” He paused, crossing his arms as he looked me over with that same maddening calm. “But if you need a doctor, I’ll take you to one of mine.”

The words struck me as odd. One of his hospitals? Did he really have that kind of reach, or was this just another power move, meant to make me feel dependent on him? He might own a gang or two, but plenty of small-time bosses loved to exaggerate their influence.

My stomach tightened as I remembered the stories I’d heard since coming to Italy—gangs of every size, from street-level thugs to networks that operated in the shadows of entire cities. When my ex took off with all my money, I’d given up pursuing him the moment I found out he was tied to a gang. I hadn’t needed that kind of trouble.

But Luca’s calm intensity was different, and his certainty unsettled me. Did he truly have that much sway? It seemed absurd, but the nerves in my stomach wouldn’t calm down.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, his gaze narrowing as he caught the uncertainty flickering in my expression. “Have you changed your mind?”

I shook my head, unwilling to let him see the fear simmering beneath my defiance. “No,” I replied, squaring my shoulders. “I still want to go. I just didn’t realize you’d make this so… complicated.”

He smirked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “I like things simple. My hospital, my doctors. It’s better for both of us.”

He stepped closer, his gaze fixed on me, almost daring me to refuse. And I realized, standing there, that I had no choice. Not if I wanted to keep this arrangement without taking risks I wasn’t ready for.

“When are we leaving?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.

“Now,” he replied, his tone brisk and businesslike. With a quick wave of his hand, he motioned for me to follow him out of the bungalow and down the stone-lined path to a sleek, black car waiting near the entrance.

The drive was smooth and silent, the back windows heavily tinted. I didn’t bother asking questions, knowing he wouldn’t want me figuring out the route. Luca’s presence beside me was unnervingly composed.

Had he done this before?

Was I the first?

And what would he do once he’d had his fill?

I knew he was part of a gang, but I couldn’t measure the scale yet. However, if there was anything my thirteen months in Italy had taught me, it was to never underestimate gang members. You never knew if they were part of a small crew or a mafia with deep connections, but either way, the brutality was the same.

These people took lives without remorse. That was why I’d abandoned all hope of retrieving my money from my ex. That lost money had forced me to drop out of school, but after everything, I valued my life more than a degree.

I found myself sneaking glances at Luca, trying to gauge the limits of his power. Did he really own a hospital, or was this just another way to keep me under his thumb? Whatever it was, the influence he held felt too effortless, too dangerous.

When we arrived, I stared in disbelief at the imposing building in front of us. It was no small clinic hidden away in an alley. This was an entire medical center, complete with private floors and a gated entrance. I swallowed hard, the reality of my situation hitting me like a punch.

Inside, a woman in a crisp white coat guided me to an office, exchanging respectful nods with Luca before closing the door behind us. As I sat across from the doctor, the weight of Luca’s control pressed down on me even in his absence. I kept my answers short and controlled, nerves fraying any chance of full honesty.

Back in the car, we drove in silence. I closed my eyes, wondering how I’d ended up entangled in such luxury and control. For a moment, I could still feel the doctor’s fingers against my wrist, that unsettling familiarity settling over me like a second skin. This world I’d agreed to, this man I barely knew… it felt surreal.

When we returned to the bungalow, I hesitated in the doorway, unease growing with every step. Luca’s amused smile only heightened the discomfort as he gestured for me to follow him inside.

“Let’s have dinner, then we’ll go to your room,” he said, heading toward the dining room.

He’d grown all too comfortable calling this place mine, and I didn’t know how to react, so I followed behind, dragging my feet as I took a seat in the chair already pulled out for me. One of his bulky guards—wearing a pink apron, of all things—began serving plates of pasta and elaborate side dishes that made my stomach grumble.

I wanted to eat, but a wave of nausea hit as fatigue settled in from the day. Not wanting to insult the chef by throwing up his food, I decided to call it a night.

“I’ll go to bed now; I’m feeling really tired,” I said, offering an apologetic look, though the guard ignored me as I stood, gripping the table to steady myself.

“What’s wrong, Christine?” Luca’s voice was soft, but his words carried a bite. “Are you trying to escape after we agreed on this? I didn’t think you were a coward.”

I bit my tongue, holding back a retort, and simply replied, “I’m just really tired and need to rest.”

“That’s why dinner’s here. Eat, because you’ll need every ounce of strength for what my plans require,” he said, casually lifting his fork and taking a bite. His eyes cut toward the chair I’d just vacated.

Jerk. I wanted to spit the word at him but remembered the weapons I’d glimpsed on him and his men. I didn’t want to risk it.

I shook my head. “I just need time to get used to all this.”

He laughed lightly. “I’ll pay for that time. Now sit down and eat.”

“Can’t you give me a moment to rest first?” I muttered, wanting to plead for just a little reprieve.

But he walked over and lifted me effortlessly into his arms, making my pulse race.

“You’re here for a reason, Christine,” he said as he carried me down the corridor. “Don’t forget that.”

When he opened the door and laid me down on the bed, something settled cold and heavy in my chest. This was fate, inescapable and unyielding.

It felt like Kelvin all over again.