I accidentally kidnapped the Mafia lord

Eloise

The morning rush was always the hardest, but today it felt like the universe wanted to test me.

I was standing behind the counter of “Bean & Bliss,” the small coffee shop where I worked, my apron already spotted with coffee stains. My hands smelled like roasted beans and caramel syrup. The shop was warm, filled with the low hum of voices and the hiss of the espresso machine.

And then there was her.

The woman stood at the counter again, her sharp perfume cutting through the smell of fresh coffee. Her lips were pursed, her manicured nails tapping on the countertop like a warning drum.

“I said no foam,” she snapped, pushing the cup toward me with two fingers, as though it were contaminated. “This is the third time. How hard is it to follow instructions?”

I inhaled slowly through my nose, forcing my lips into what I hoped was a professional smile. “I’m sorry about that, ma’am. I’ll remake it right away.”

“You’d better,” she said, glaring at me like I had committed a crime.

I wanted to roll my eyes, maybe even throw the drink at her fancy shoes, but I didn’t. Instead, I dumped the cup, rinsed it out, and started again, careful to steam the milk exactly as she had asked.

Behind me, I heard Gina, my co-worker, snort. Gina was the opposite of me—loud, sharp-tongued, and fearless. She leaned against the counter, chewing gum like she was born to annoy customers.

When I finally handed the woman her corrected drink, she snatched it from me without a single word of thanks. She strutted out, heels clicking like gunfire against the floor.

I let out a slow breath and leaned against the counter.

“I swear, El,” Gina said, shaking her head, “you’ve got the patience of a saint. If it were me, I would have poured that latte right over her hairdo.”

I gave her a tired look. “And then what? The boss would cut my pay? You know it’s barely enough as it is. I can’t risk losing even a dollar.”

“You work too hard for too little,” Gina muttered, blowing a bubble with her gum that popped loudly. “One day, you’ll snap. And I hope I’m there to see it.”

I chuckled weakly. “Don’t hold your breath.”

We shared a quiet moment, wiping down the counter, when the bell above the shop door rang harshly. A boy stumbled inside, nearly tripping over himself.

My heart stopped.

“Eian?” I whispered.

It was my younger brother. Nineteen, with messy hair and wide eyes filled with panic. His chest was rising and falling like he’d been running for miles.

The customers gasped, a few cups clinking against saucers.

I dropped the rag in my hand and rushed to him. “Eian!” I grabbed his arm and pulled him close, lowering my voice. “What are you doing here?”

“Eloise—” His voice cracked as he tried to catch his breath. “They’re after me. Some guys. Please—you have to hide me.”

My stomach twisted. I glanced around quickly. The customers were staring. Gina’s eyebrows shot up, gum forgotten.

Without another word, I dragged him toward the back, through the swinging door that led to the changing room. I shoved him inside, closing the door behind us.

“What happened?” I demanded in a whisper, holding his shoulders. “Who’s chasing you? What did you do, Eian?”

He looked away, shame flickering in his eyes. “I’ll explain later. Please, El, just save me this once. I swear I’ll tell you everything after.”

“Eian…” I narrowed my eyes, giving him the glare that always meant you are in so much trouble later.

“I promise,” he begged. “Just don’t let them find me.”

Before I could press him further, the shop door burst open. The bell clanged wildly. Heavy footsteps pounded against the floor, and a loud, rough voice carried across the café.

“Where’s the boy?”

I stepped out of the changing room, forcing my face into calmness. Gina stood beside me, her arms crossed, eyes flicking to me in warning.

Three men had entered, big and burly, with tattoos crawling up their arms and necks. Their presence s*ck*d the air out of the room. Customers shrank in their seats, some whispering nervously.

The tallest one, bald with a scar across his cheek, scanned the shop. His eyes landed on me. “A boy ran in here. You seen him?”

I shook my head quickly. “No. No boy came in.”

“Yeah,” Gina added, her voice surprisingly steady. “We only saw the usual customers. No kid.”

For a second, I thought they’d believe us.

“She’s lying!”

The voice came from a middle-aged man at a corner table, his hands trembling as he pointed toward the back. “I saw a boy! He went that way. She’s hiding him.”

All eyes turned to me. Sh*t!

The bald man sneered. “That so?”

I forced a nervous laugh. “He must be mistaken. No one came through here.”

But the men were already moving. They pushed past chairs and frightened customers, heading toward the hallway. I rushed after them.

“Wait! You can’t just storm in here!” I shouted, trying to block their path.

The scarred man shoved me aside like I was nothing. I stumbled into the counter, my elbow slamming painfully against the edge.

They disappeared into the back, searching. My heart thudded so loud I thought everyone could hear it. Gina rushed to my side.

“You okay?” she whispered.

“I’m fine,” I lied, clutching my elbow.

Minutes later the men returned, their expressions dark with anger.

“He’s not here,” one muttered.

The bald one glared at me. “If you’re lying to us, girl, you’ll regret it.”

I lifted my chin, even though my hands were shaking. “I told you—no one came in.”

He stared at me for a long moment before spitting on the floor. Then they left, the bell jangling harshly as the door slammed shut behind them.

The shop exhaled collectively. Customers whispered, some glaring at me for bringing trouble into their quiet afternoon.

I didn’t care. Relief washed over me like a wave. Eian was safe—for now.

When the rush finally ended, I told Gina I’d handle closing. She eyed me with suspicion.

“You better tell me what that was about,” she said, pointing a finger at me.

“I don’t even know myself,” I admitted softly.

By the time my shift ended, exhaustion pressed down on me. I hurried home, I had this feeling that something was wrong.

Our apartment was small, the kind of place where you could hear the neighbors argue through the thin walls. The moment I opened the door, I froze.

“Eian!” I gasped.

He was lying on the floor, his face swollen and bruised, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His shirt was torn, his chest rising shallowly.

My heart broke. “Oh my God, no…”

Before I could run to him, a voice stopped me cold.

“You’re late, Eloise.”

I turned slowly, my eyes landing on a man sitting casually on our worn-out sofa. He was dressed in dark clothes, his posture calm, as though he owned the place. His eyes, however, were sharp and dangerous.

I clutched the doorframe, my heart racing.

“What… what do you want?” I whispered.

The man smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Why don’t you sit down,” he said. “We have a lot to talk about.”

Eloise

The man had spoken so casually, like this was a meeting over coffee, not him sitting in my home with my brother bleeding on the floor.

I wanted to scream, to call the police, to do something, but the way he looked at me made my throat tighten. Those eyes promised danger. And I knew, deep down, that if I made one wrong move, Eian would pay for it.

I sat down slowly, never taking my eyes off him.

“Good girl,” he said, leaning back as though he owned the apartment. “Your brother owes us money. A lot of money. And you are going to pay it back.”

My stomach dropped. “How much?”

"Three hundred thousand dollars."

My mouth fell open. It was more than I made in a year at the café. Scratch that. My entire life

I turned to Eian, who groaned softly, barely lifting his head. Rage shot through me.

“Are you insane, Eian?!” I hissed. “What in the world made you think you could borrow that kind of money?”

“I—I thought I could fix it b