Chapter 48: THE RESCUE MISSION
Luciano DeLuca had always believed he could control everything, money, power, loyalty, fear. Yet as he stood in his war room, staring at the grainy video of Aria chained in that filthy warehouse, all his power meant nothing. For the first time in years, he felt truly powerless. And he hated it.
"She’s strong," Matteo said beside him, watching the screen freeze on her defiant eyes. "But they won’t keep her alive forever. They’re baiting you."
"I know." Lucas’ voice was low, deadly calm, but his hands betrayed him they trembled slightly as they gripped the edge of the table. "And I’m going to let them think it’s working."
Matteo frowned. "You’re walking into a trap."
"Of course I am," Luca snapped, then exhaled, forcing his tone to soften. "But this isn’t about winning a war, Matteo. This is about Aria."
He turned back to the map spread across the table. Every potential hideout of the Romano syndicate was marked, but only one matched the location hints in the video, an abandoned steel factory near the docks. It was heavily guarded, surrounded by derelict buildings perfect for ambushes. A suicide mission, his enemies believed. And maybe they were right.
But Luca didn’t care.
"Gather the men," he ordered. "Only the best. Silent, precise, and ready to kill."
Matteo hesitated. "Luca... are you sure about this? We could negotiate. Buy time."
"I’m done buying time." His gaze hardened. "They touched my wife. I will burn their empire to the ground."
Inside the warehouse, Aria’s world had narrowed to pain and dread. The Romano men had grown crueler as the hours stretched on, taunting her, shoving her, threatening her life with every breath. And now, Isabella had entered the stage.
The Don’s former lover circled her like a predator savoring a kill. "You poor thing," she cooed, brushing a strand of hair from Aria’s face. "You really thought you meant something to him, didn’t you?"
Aria glared, refusing to flinch. "I don’t need to mean something to you."
"Oh, but you don’t mean anything," Isabella purred, crouching down until their faces were inches apart. "You’re just a pawn. He married you to settle a debt, to strengthen his hold. And when he’s done, he’ll discard you just like he did me."
The words were poison, but Aria bit down on the surge of insecurity rising in her chest. Isabella wanted her broken. That was the real game here.
"If that’s true," Aria said coolly, "why are you here trying to break me?"
For the briefest second, Isabella’s smile faltered. Then she slapped Aria hard across the face, the sound echoing in the empty space. "You think you’re clever? Let’s see how clever you are when he chooses between you and his throne."
The door slammed open before Aria could retort. One of the Romano lieutenants rushed in, breathless. "We’ve got movement. Multiple vehicles. South entrance."
Isabella’s eyes glittered with malicious delight. "Showtime."
Lucas’ convoy moved through the night like a storm, black SUVs slicing down the empty docks, their engines purring with lethal intent. Inside the lead vehicle, Lucas loaded his gun with practiced precision, his jaw locked in grim determination.
Matteo glanced over. "Once we breach, we’ve got two minutes before reinforcements arrive. After that, we’re outnumbered."
"Two minutes is all I need," Luca said, slipping the safety off. "I’m not leaving without her."
The convoy stopped a block from the warehouse. The team fanned out silently, moving like shadows across the rooftops and alleyways. Lucas’ heart hammered in his chest, not from fear, but from the sheer weight of what was about to happen.
If this failed, he’d lose everything.
If it worked, he might lose himself.
He signaled his men. "On my mark."
The countdown in his head was deafening. Three. Two. One.
They moved.
Explosions rocked the perimeter as flash grenades shattered the night. Gunfire erupted from the watchtowers, answered by precise shots from Lucas’ snipers. Men screamed, alarms blared, and chaos swallowed the Romano defenses.
Luca was already inside. He kicked through a side door and dropped two guards before they could even raise their weapons. Blood pounded in his ears as he stalked through the labyrinth of corridors, Matteo and four others at his back.
"Upstairs," Matteo shouted over the noise. "Thermal shows movement on the second floor!"
Luca didn’t wait. He charged up the metal staircase, taking another guard down with a shot to the shoulder. A bullet whizzed past his ear, another slammed into the railing inches from his chest.
"Cover me!" he barked, sprinting down the hallway.
He burst through the heavy door at the end, just in time to see Isabella holding a gun to Aria’s head.
For a heartbeat, the world stopped. Aria was slumped against the chair, bruised and pale, but alive. And then her eyes met his wild, disbelieving, desperate and everything else disappeared.
"Let her go," Lucas growled, leveling his gun at Isabella.
She laughed, a cold, brittle sound. "Ah, the knight arrives. How predictable."
"Put the gun down." His voice was low, lethal. "You don’t want this war."
"I want you to suffer," she hissed. "You took everything from me. You humiliated me. And now I’ll take her from you."
Aria’s pulse thundered as Isabella pressed the barrel harder against her temple. She could feel Luca’s rage vibrating in the air, could see the way his hand twitched on the trigger.
"Lucas," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Don’t...."
"Quiet," Isabella snapped. "This ends one of two ways. You walk away from her and from your empire, or I paint this floor with her blood."
Matteo appeared behind Luca, gun raised, but one sharp glance kept him still. This was between Luca and Isabella now.
Luca took a slow step forward. "You won’t pull that trigger."
"Try me."
"Because if you do," he continued softly, "I will spend the rest of my life hunting you. And when I find you, Isabella, there won’t be enough left to bury."
A muscle twitched in her jaw. For the first time, she hesitated.
"Let her go," he repeated, voice like ice. "This is your only chance."
For a terrible second, Aria thought Isabella might actually fire. Then the door behind them exploded inward as Matteo’s men stormed the room, bullets flying. Isabella screamed and ducked behind Aria, shoving her to the ground as gunfire tore through the air.
Luca dove forward, shielding Aria with his body. A bullet grazed his arm, but he barely felt it. All that mattered was getting her out alive.
"Move!" Matteo shouted.
Luca hauled Aria to her feet, wrapping an arm around her waist as they sprinted for the exit. The building shook as more explosions rocked the floors below. Romano soldiers poured into the hallway, but Luca’s men cut them down with ruthless efficiency.
"Stay with me," he whispered into her ear as they ran. "Don’t you dare let go."
"I’m not," she gasped, clutching his jacket. "I’m not letting go."
They burst out into the night, the cold air hitting them like a wave. Gunfire still crackled behind them, but the convoy was waiting. Matteo slammed the SUV door shut behind them as Luca pulled Aria into his lap, holding her as if she might disappear.
"Go!" he barked, and the driver hit the gas.
The city lights blurred past as they sped back toward the mansion. Aria clung to him, trembling, her cheek pressed against his chest.
"I thought..." she whispered. "I thought I’d never see you again."
"Don’t say that," he breathed, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I was never going to let them take you from me."
Her tears soaked into his shirt, and still he held her tighter. The weight of what almost happened, the bullet that nearly ended her life, the trap that nearly destroyed them both crushed him.
"I’m so sorry," he whispered against her hair. "For everything. For the lies. For not protecting you. For letting you think you were alone."
She pulled back just enough to look at him. "You came for me."
"Of course I did." His eyes burned with something raw and unguarded. "I’d burn the world for you."
The words hit her like a heartbeat. She searched his face for the lie, the mask, the manipulation. But there was nothing just truth, naked and terrifying.
And despite everything, despite the fear and the blood and the chaos, something deep inside her began to soften.
By the time they reached the mansion, dawn was breaking. Lucas carried her inside, refusing to let anyone else touch her. The world outside was still on fire, but in that moment, none of it mattered.
"You’re safe," he murmured as he laid her gently on the bed. "You’re home."
Aria’s eyes fluttered closed, exhaustion finally claiming her. "You came for me," she whispered again, as if still needing to believe it.
"Always," Luca said softly, brushing a kiss against her forehead. "Always."
And for the first time since their marriage began, she believed him.