Aria could not breathe.
The beds were empty. The curtains moved in the cold night wind. The window was open wide, letting in the sound of the trees and the far-off guards shouting down below. The small black playing card sat on Nico's pillow. The king of spades. On the back, in neat writing:
One hour is over.
Her hands shook as she grabbed the card. "No," she whispered. "No, no, no."
She ran to the window and looked down. It was a long drop to the gravel. A rope hung from the frame, swaying. It had been tied to the radiator and cut with a knife. There were muddy boot prints on the floor. Fast hands. Loud hearts. Her babies carried out into the dark while she was running back to save them.
"Matteo!" she yelled. "Help! Matteo!"
She spun and ran into the hall. Matteo was on the floor where she'd left him, blood spreading under his shirt, one hand pressed to his side, the other reaching for his gun.
"Aria," he gasped. "The boys..."
"They're gone," she said, her voice breaking. "He took them. He took them."
His eyes hardened. "I'm sorry." He swallowed, fighting to breathe. "Listen to me. South service road. Camera dead. Gate log says a delivery van came in with a fake code twenty minutes ago. No van logged back out. That means there's a second exit. Old gardener's lane. The one through the trees."
Her heart pounded. "Romano planned this. He knew the weak spots."
Matteo gave a sharp nod, sweat dripping down his forehead. "Tell Luca. Go. I'll hold until the doctor...."
But Aria didn't wait. She ran, barefoot on the cold floor, down the stairs until she saw Luca in the hall. His men were moving fast, guns in hand, radios crackling. He looked up when he saw her face.
"They're gone," she whispered. Her hand shook as she held up the card.
He took it, his jaw tightening as he read the neat writing. Then he crushed the card in his fist.
Enzo appeared at his side. "We've got eyes on a van leaving by the gardener's lane. No plates, stolen tags. Headed east, toward the docks."
Luca's gaze snapped back to Aria, fire blazing behind his eyes. "Romano."
Aria grabbed his arm, her nails digging into him. "We can't just storm after him. He'll kill them before you get close!"
"I'm not waiting," Luca growled. "They have my sons."
"They're my sons too!" she cried, her chest heaving. "Think, Luca. If you walk into this blind, Romano wins. He wants you to come charging. He knows your rage."
For a second, silence pressed between them. Luca's breath was heavy, his fists clenched, but Aria saw the truth: he wanted blood more than anything.
Aria stepped closer, desperate. "If you go in like this, we lose them. We lose everything. Please. Please don't let your pride cost me my children."
Her voice cracked on the last word. Luca's eyes softened just for a heartbeat. His hand rose, brushing a tear from her cheek. "I swear to you, Aria, I will bring them back. But if Romano thinks he can take what's mine, I'll tear the city apart to prove him wrong."
Enzo cleared his throat. "We tracked the van to the docks. But Romano won't be alone. Word is Antonio Vargas landed tonight. If the two of them are working together…" His voice trailed off.
Aria's blood ran cold. "Two against one. That's suicide."
Luca's smile was grim. "Then we'll bring more than one." He turned to Enzo. "Call everyone. We go in heavy. No mistakes."
"No!" Aria grabbed his arm again. "You can't risk their lives in crossfire. I need a plan that doesn't end with bullets flying around my boys' heads."
Luca's men exchanged looks, but Luca only stared at her. Then, finally, he nodded once. "Fine. You'll come. But you follow my lead. No matter what happens, you do not run ahead. Do you understand me?"
Her lips trembled, but she forced herself to nod. "I'll do whatever it takes. I just want them back."
The drive to the docks was suffocating. The city lights blurred past the windows, and Aria sat pressed against the door, her hands tight in her lap, her mind spinning with images of Nico and Nino crying for her. She remembered the way Nino held his teddy bear when he was scared, how Nico always pretended to be brave even when his voice shook. She wanted to rip the world apart to hold them again.
Luca sat stiff beside her, silent, his jaw locked. The rage rolling off him filled the car like smoke. She wanted to scream at him for bringing her into this world, for putting her sons at risk, but she bit down on it. Right now, they needed each other.
When the car slowed, she looked out. The docks stretched long and dark, the water black under the floodlights. And there, under a single lamp at the edge of the pier, stood David Romano.
And in front of him, small and shaking, were her sons.
Aria's breath caught. Nico's little hand was clenched in Romano's grip, his face pale. Nino stood behind his brother, clutching his bear.
Her knees weakened. "Oh my God."
Luca's hand clamped over hers before she could throw the door open. "Not yet. Wait."
Romano's voice carried over the night air. "De Rossi! I knew you'd come. You always do when your blood is on the line."
"Let them go!" Aria screamed, tears streaming down her face.
Romano laughed, pressing a hand against Nico's shoulder. "Do you know what it feels like to hold the future of an empire in your hand? These boys… they're my key to destroying you. And Aria..., sweet Aria..., you thought you could hide them from me? You thought you could bury De Rossi blood?"
Her heart twisted.
Luca stepped forward, his voice low and deadly. "Romano, if you touch them, I will bury you."
But Romano's grin only widened. "You won't have the chance. Because you're not just fighting me anymore."
Another figure stepped out of the shadows. Tall. Sharp. A face Aria had only seen in whispers and nightmares.
Antonio Vargas.
Her stomach dropped.
"Together at last," Vargas said smoothly, his voice carrying across the pier. "Romano and I, one empire. And your sons will be the first sacrifice."
Nico's voice broke through the night, trembling but strong. "Mama!"
Aria lurched forward, but Luca pulled her back.
And then Romano lifted a gun. The barrel pressed against Nico's small temple.
Everything froze.
"Choose, De Rossi," Romano said softly. "Your empire, or your sons."