~The lost one~

Chapter 10

Luca's POV

Luca sat behind his large mahogany desk, a frown etched deep into his brow as he reviewed the latest reports. The balance sheet was clear—three million euros, overdue by two months. His patience had run thin. Those three idiots thought they could play games with him, the future head of the Gabrini family. They had no idea who they were dealing with.

He picked up his phone, dialing a number with a calm, steady hand. "Raju, get the car ready. We're paying our friends a visit."

In no time, Luca and Raju, his trusted right-hand man, were speeding through the streets of Milan. Luca stared out the window, the city lights flashing by, but his mind was focused on the task ahead. This wasn't just about money—it was about respect. And Luca Gabrini would tolerate no disrespect.

They arrived at the rundown warehouse on the outskirts of the city. The place reeked of desperation and decay, a fitting hideout for scum like them. Luca's sharp eyes scanned the area as he stepped out of the car. Raju was right behind him, a silent force of loyalty and strength.

Inside, the dimly lit space was just as grim. Luca found the three men huddled together, their faces pale when they saw him enter. They knew they were in deep trouble. But something else caught Luca's attention—a faint noise coming from the back of the warehouse. He signaled Raju to stay with the men as he moved deeper into the shadows.

It was then that he saw them—four girls, tied up and looking terrified. Luca's pulse quickened, anger boiling beneath his calm exterior. This wasn't part of the deal. He didn't involve himself in human trafficking or anything that low. He despised it.

Suddenly, one of the girls, a fiery redhead, glared at him with defiant eyes. "You better stay away from us, or I'll kill you!" she spat, her voice trembling but full of bravado.

Luca couldn't help but chuckle at her misplaced courage. She had no idea who she was threatening. But before he could respond, the girl next to her—Anke, as he would later learn—began to cry. Something about her tears stirred a distant memory in him, a memory of a little girl who used to cling to him, crying just like that when she was scared.

His heart tightened at the thought of Simi, his lost sister. He hadn't allowed himself to think about her for years, the pain too deep to confront. But seeing these girls—vulnerable, scared—it brought everything rushing back. He couldn't leave them like this.

With a nod to Raju, Luca made his decision. "Handle the men," he ordered, his voice cold and decisive. Raju didn't need further instruction. The three men were quickly subdued, their pathetic attempts at escaping no match for the Gabrini men.

Luca approached the girls, starting with the one sitting farthest from him—Lena. Her wide eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear as he untied her hands. "You're safe now," he muttered, trying to keep his voice steady.

He moved on to untie Kimberly, who, despite her earlier bravado, looked relieved to be free. Anke, still sobbing softly, was next. Luca's heart ached as he released her from her bindings. But it was the last girl who made him pause.

As he knelt in front of her, their eyes met, and for a split second, he froze. Her face, her eyes... there was something eerily familiar about her. His breath caught in his throat as emotions he thought he had buried long ago surged to the surface. But he quickly pushed them aside, blaming the exhaustion from the confrontation. He couldn't allow himself to be distracted by memories. Not now.

He untied Simi's hands, his fingers brushing against her skin, and a jolt of recognition sparked inside him. He stood up quickly, trying to shake off the strange feeling. It was impossible—he hadn't seen Simi in years. He shook his head, clearing the thoughts, and led the girls outside.

"Get them to their hotel," he instructed Raju, his voice gruff to hide the storm of emotions brewing inside him. He watched as the girls climbed into one of the black SUVs, Simi being the last. His gaze lingered on her a moment longer than the others, that nagging sense of familiarity gnawing at him. But he dismissed it again. There was no time for this.

Anke's POV

The ride back to the hotel felt surreal. My hands were still shaking as I clung to the seat, the events of the night replaying in my mind like a bad dream. But we were safe now, thanks to that mysterious, incredibly handsome man who had shown up out of nowhere. I glanced over at Simi, who was staring out the window, lost in thought.

There was something strange about the way that man looked at Simi. It wasn't just concern, like he felt responsible for us. No, it was something deeper, more personal. The way their eyes met... it was like they knew each other, but that didn't make any sense. Simi had never mentioned him before.

And now that I think about it, they looked similar too. It wasn't just their intense expressions or the way they carried themselves. It was something in their eyes—those deep, green eyes that seemed to hide a world of pain and secrets.

The man's presence had been intimidating, yet there was an undeniable warmth when he untied us, like he genuinely cared about what happened to us. But it was when he reached Simi that I saw it—hesitation. As if he recognized something in her that he wasn't expecting to find.

I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just a random rescue. There was more to this story, something connecting Simi to that man in a way none of us could understand. But for now, I was just grateful to be out of that nightmare.

When we finally reached the hotel, the SUV stopped, and the doors opened. We stumbled out, still in a daze, and headed inside. As we walked through the lobby, I couldn't help but glance back at the car. The man was still there, watching us, his gaze fixed on Simi until the doors closed behind us.

"Do you know him?" I whispered to Simi as we got into the elevator. She shook her head, but there was uncertainty in her eyes, as if she wasn't sure of the answer herself.

Whatever the connection was, it left a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something had changed tonight, something that went beyond the terror of being kidnapped. But for now, all I could do was try to calm my racing heart and get some rest. Tomorrow, we would have to face whatever came next.