Aria's eyes snapped open, her breath catching in her throat. She sat up with a jolt, her heart racing like a wild animal. The darkness around her was suffocating, making her skin prickle with unease. She flung her arms out to the sides, feeling for the familiar contours of her bedroom. But her hands grasped nothing but air.
Panic set in, her mind reeling with fragmented images. She had been dreaming, hadn't she? The memories lingered, taunting her with their vividness. Confessing her feelings to Prince Lucas, the rush of excitement and terror...
Aria's gaze darted around the room, slowly adjusting to the dim light. The outlines of a lavish bedchamber materialized, and her stomach dropped. This wasn't her room.
She scrambled to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her. That's when she saw him – Prince Lucas, lying on the bed, watching her with an unnerving intensity. His piercing blue eyes seemed to hold her captive.
Aria spun around, desperate to escape the unsettling gaze. Her feet carried her swiftly across the room, but she collided with a solid wall of muscle – Marcus, the prince's bodyguard.
"Where am I?" Aria demanded, trying to shake off the lingering fear.
Marcus's expression remained impassive, but his grip on her arms tightened. "You're with Prince Lucas," he replied, his voice low and even.
Aria's head whipped around, her eyes locking onto the prince. He had risen from the bed, his movements fluid and deliberate. The air seemed to thicken as he approached her.
"You're mine," he said, his voice dripping with possession.
Aria's heart stumbled, her mind reeling. Mine? What did he mean? The word sent shivers down her spine.
She tried to break free from Marcus's grasp, but his fingers only dug deeper. Aria's thoughts flashed to Jack, the memory of his warm smile a beacon in the chaos.
"No," she whispered, struggling against Marcus's hold.
Prince Lucas's eyes narrowed, his jawline hardening. "You won't leave," he stated, his tone brooking no argument.
Aria's panic spiked, her breath coming in short gasps. She was trapped.
Jack shoved Allison away, her laughter echoing through the hallway as she stumbled backward. He didn't spare her another glance, his mind racing with strategies to rescue his family and Aria.
He took the stairs two at a time, his footsteps heavy with determination. Reaching the top, he paced across the landing, thinking.
Where could Allison have taken them? The possibilities swirled in his head, each location more ominous than the last.
He entered his room, locking the door behind him. Jack's eyes scanned the space, searching for any clue, any hint. His gaze landed on his phone, and he swiftly dialed a number.
"Mike, it's Jack. I need your help," he said, his voice low and urgent.
Mike's voice on the other end was calm and reassuring. "What's going on, Jack?"
"Allison's kidnapped my family and Aria. I don't know where they are."
"I'm on it. Give me any details you have."
Jack rattled off everything he knew, from Allison's cryptic messages to their confrontation downstairs.
"Stay put, Jack. I'll track Allison's movements. We'll find them."
Jack's grip on the phone tightened. "Hurry, Mike. Time's running out."
The line went silent, and Jack was left with his thoughts, his anxiety growing with each passing moment.
Will Jack and Mike rescue their loved ones in time?
Allison's gaze lingered on Jack's retreating figure as he disappeared upstairs. A sly smile spread across her face, her eyes gleaming with determination.
"She thinks she can take him away from me," Allison whispered to herself, her voice dripping with malice. "But I'll make sure Jack forgets Aria ever existed."
Allison's thoughts swirled with schemes, her mind racing with ways to eradicate Aria from Jack's life. She paced across the hallway, her heels clicking on the marble floor.
"I'll show her what it means to cross me," Allison muttered, her eyes flashing with anger.
With a calculated calm, Allison pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
"Vinnie, it's Allison. I need your expertise... Yes, make sure Jack is distracted. Keep him busy while I handle Aria... No, harm should come to Jack. I need him intact."
Allison's smile grew wider as she listened to Vinnie's assurances.
"Good. I'll take care of the rest. Aria will be history, and Jack will be mine once more."
The darkness in Allison's eyes seemed to deepen, her resolve hardened.