Page 89 of His Forced Irish Mafia Bride

The car moved. I tested my wrist once when the man beside me looked away. His attention caught even that small movement, so I stopped. The route left the city limits and moved into quieter roads.

My head leaned back against the seat as the car slowed again. This stop felt different, like we’d arrived wherever we were going.

The door opened. Cold air hit my face with more control than before, like even the outside had been prepared for this moment. I stepped out because they guided me forward, not because I chose to. My feet hit the ground and held, even though my body resisted the movement.

I looked up. The building was unfamiliar. No landmarks or context, only walls…and security.

A voice came from behind me. “Keep her moving.”

They led me forward. I didn’t resist anymore.

Resistance wouldn’t change the outcome, only the time it took to reach it. As I walked, the truth became clearer than fear. This wasn’t a kidnapping anymore. This was strategic. And whoever waited ahead already had a plan for me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Sean

The message came in while I stood at the desk. One line:Mrs. O’Connor is not currently at residence.

I read it once, then read it again.

My hand stayed on the desk’s edge, but I stopped noticing the pressure I put on it.Not currently at residence.The wording didn’t feel right. It sounded formal in a way that didn’t match how my security reports usually came in.

I picked up the phone. “Confirm,” I said. My voice stayed flat, almost too controlled. A delay followed.

I noticed it immediately.

“Security detail reports she exited the controlled zone during a service transition window,” the reply came. “No contact since then.”

Service transition window.

I turned away from the desk. “Transition window?” I repeated.

“Yes, sir. Three-minute overlap between internal movement and external corridor coverage.”

I ran the timeline through my mind. It had been three minutes before anyone noticed anything. The system wasn’t supposed to leave gaps. It never worked perfectly, but it should’ve been able to contain her.

Containment was the standard. I turned back to the desk.

“Lock down every exit point,” I said. “Pull every camera feed from residence level downward. Track every vehicle that left the perimeter after she did.”

“Already in progress,” the voice answered.

I set the phone down. It hit the surface harder than I meant it to. The sound felt sharp in the room. I looked at it, but nothing changed.

I walked from the desk to the window and back again. The city outside stayed normal. Lights moved. Traffic flowed. Nothing matched what I was feeling inside the room.

That difference started to bother me. I stopped by the desk again. “What was her last known point?” I asked.

“Service corridor exit, lower service level.”

She’d planned this.***

The list stayed frozen on the screen. Names. Access points. Overlaps. Every line now carried weight it didn’t have ten minutes ago.

Then the next update came through.External confirmation: Anton-linked unit identified in extraction chain.

I didn’t move.