In His Grasp: A Mafia Romance novel Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Taking Isabella Home

How could there be a man like him? One moment he was kissing her as if he wanted to devour her, but the next moment, he wanted to kill her! How terrifying.

Although Emanuele hadn't drawn his gun at this moment, his actions made it clear that he was reaching for it. Isabella felt completely innocent and wronged.

"Mr. Lombardi, I've already made it clear to you. As long as you let me leave, I can disappear from your world forever. If possible, you won't have to see me for the rest of your life. Isn't that enough?" Isabella persisted with her initial stance. She had no desire to be involved in this dangerous mafia world. Even with all their wealth, she still needed to be alive to enjoy it.

"I've told you before, from the moment you stepped into our family, you can't leave anymore, Isabella. Be a good Mafia princess, fulfill your duties, pick a suitable man to marry, have children, and let us see your worth. Only then will you earn our respect."

At that moment, the bathroom door was kicked open, and security personnel entered. Their expressions shifted from anger to visible nervousness when they saw Emanuele.

"We... we didn't know Mr. Lombardi was here. Please forgive us," one of the security guards stammered, not daring to meet Emanuele's gaze.

Emanuele, like a superior king, paid no attention to anyone in the room. He left the bathroom without a word.

As soon as Emanuele left, Isabella took a moment to calm herself inside the bathroom. She reapplied her makeup and then emerged.

"Isabella, why did you take so long in the bathroom? Are you okay?" Clark looked at Isabella with concern.

He had seen Emanuele's description of a violent act earlier. Isabella had clearly been unwell. Her pale face tugged at Clark's heartstrings.

She was just too innocent, with a simple worldview. She didn't understand that these kinds of things were normal for people in their world, just as normal as having a meal. But Clark knew that with time, Isabella would adapt.

"I'm okay," Isabella replied, but her mood was far from it. Every time she faced Emanuele, she felt like she lost completely. Her claustrophobia would kick in, making her feel suffocated and afraid.

Thinking of the man's intense possessiveness and the ruthless intentions he showed afterward, Isabella knew this man had no emotions. He desired only one thing from her.

He desired her completely, and she had to find a way to escape from him as soon as possible. Would marrying Clark be a way out? She glanced at him, unsure.

Clark had no idea about what had just transpired between her and Emanuele. He said, "Emanuele took quite a long time smoking. I've been waiting here all by myself."

He would never suspect that the man who had willingly offered to send his stepsister away would do such terrible things to her behind his back.

Isabella forced a smile and replied, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Clark."

She wondered if being friends with Clark, or perhaps even lovers, would be enough to distance herself from Emanuele's control. That seemed like the best possible outcome. Marriage was out of the question for her, especially since she had just graduated from college and was about to embark on a career in the medical field.

Isabella, lost in thought, didn't realize she had been staring at Emanuele for a while. It wasn't until a sharp pain in her waist snapped her back to reality, making her gasp for breath.

She turned to the man next to her, and it was him who had pinched her. However, he now pretended to be completely nonchalant, eating his meal without a hint of expression.

This man was truly despicable! She wished she could stab him right now, but in reality, she was nowhere near a match for him.

Soon, they finished their meal, but Isabella had lost her appetite. Sitting next to Emanuele, she still couldn't shake off the lingering smell of blood, which further killed her desire to eat.

"I'm so disgusted by all of this," Isabella thought to herself.

Clark noticed that Isabella had little appetite and felt sorry for her. "We'll go eat something you like another day. Emanuele, next time, please don't join us for dinner. It interferes with our bonding time," he said.

Emanuele chuckled, "Alright, alright. Next time, I'll let you two have your alone time. I won't disturb you."

After finishing his sentence, Emanuele reached for Isabella's arm and said, "It's getting late. I'll take Isabella home."

Isabella widened her eyes, a hint of fear flickering in them. Why was Emanuele being so proactive, insisting on taking her home? No, she didn't want to be alone with him.

Seeing that Isabella remained motionless, Emanuele turned to her and said, "Let's go."

With that casual phrase, it might seem insignificant to others, but Isabella clearly saw the threat in Emanuele's eyes.

Clark sighed, "Emanuele, I'm pursuing Isabella. I think I can take her home."

He felt that Emanuele was interfering too much. Didn't he dislike his stepsister? Why was he suddenly worried that Clark would harm her?

This didn't fit Emanuele's character at all. If he disliked someone, he would either eliminate them or use their value to his advantage. Why was he being so considerate now? Clark couldn't quite figure it out.

"Isabella, who do you want to take you home?" Emanuele started to inquire.

Isabella felt like she was caught in the middle, like a sandwich cookie. If she had a choice, she would prefer Clark to take her home. Being with Clark was always more comfortable.

But looking into Emanuele's irises, she saw the coldness of someone who could carry out his threats without hesitation.

"You better be obedient, don't betray me, or I won't hesitate to kill you."

She believed he was capable of such things!

Every hair on Isabella's body stood on end. Then, she said to Clark, "I'm sorry, Clark. It's better if my brother takes me home."

"A smart choice," Emanuele whispered in Isabella's ear.

Fortunately, during the ride, Emanuele didn't make any further advances toward her. It seemed that he was pleased with Isabella's choice this time.

The atmosphere inside the car was less tense.

When they arrived at Isabella's apartment building, Emanuele glanced at the rundown structure. Calling it an apartment building felt like a stretch; it was more like a slum. The building had been standing for who knows how many years, with bricks falling off its exterior, giving it a dilapidated appearance.

Emanuele looked at the building and said to Isabella, "This place is really run-down. You should consider moving somewhere else."

"No, I like it here," Isabella replied. She had been living in this area for many years. It was affordable, convenient, and close to her workplace. It might be old and worn, but she had decorated her little apartment so warmly that coming home after work always made her feel relaxed. That was enough for her.

"Your mother has entrusted me with your life, including the rent for your apartment, which I'll take care of," Emanuele said casually.