The pier was still ringing with gunfire when silence finally fell. Smoke drifted in the air, the water rippled from fallen bodies, and the night smelled like metal and salt and blood. Aria held her boys tight, rocking them even though her own hands shook. She whispered into their hair, "It's over, it's over, Mama's here."
But she knew it wasn't over. Not at all.
Nico trembled against her chest, his small hands gripping her dress so hard his nails dug in. Nino still clutched his bear, his wide eyes glassy as though the world had gone too loud for him to understand. Aria kissed both their foreheads, her tears streaking their skin.
She looked up at Luca.
He stood in the middle of the pier, gun still in his hand, his chest heaving. His eyes were wild, not with fear, but with rage. Every line of his body screamed war.
Romano had escaped. And Luca would not rest until he was dead.
Aria rose slowly, pulling the twins up with her. "We need to go," she whispered. "They've seen us. They'll come back."
Enzo jogged up beside Luca, blood on his sleeve, a cut on his cheek. "Boss, we got some of them, but Romano slipped away. His car was waiting at the back road. He's gone."
Luca's jaw clenched. "Not far enough."
Aria reached out, her voice cracking. "Luca, please. Not now. The boys..."
He turned, his dark eyes locking onto her. For a second, she thought he might explode with fury. But then his gaze dropped to the twins, and his face softened, just slightly.
"You're right," he said quietly. "We take them home first. Then I make him bleed."
The ride back was a blur. Aria sat in the back of the black SUV, the twins tucked on either side of her. She held their small hands the whole way, whispering soft promises she wasn't even sure she could keep.
Nico leaned against her shoulder, his voice small. "Mama… was that man going to hurt us?"
Her throat closed. She smoothed his hair back and forced her voice to stay calm. "Not anymore, sweetheart. Not while I'm here. Not while Papa's here."
At that, Nico's eyes flicked up to Luca in the front seat. The boy's lips trembled. "Papa saved us."
Aria's heart cracked open. She glanced at Luca, who didn't turn, his gaze locked out the window. But his hand tightened on the steering wheel until the leather creaked.
Nino whispered into his bear, "I was so scared…"
Aria pulled him close, her chest aching. "I know, baby. I know. But you're safe now."
Were they, though?
Her eyes found Luca's reflection in the dark window. His jaw was set like stone, his eyes like ice. She knew that look. She'd seen it years ago, before she ran from him, before she took the twins into hiding. It was the look of a man who would burn the world down for revenge.
And Romano had just lit the match.
The De Rossi estate was silent when they arrived. Guards opened the iron gates without a word. Inside, the house was dim, the lights low, the halls echoing. Aria took the twins upstairs, her heart heavy with each step.
She tucked them into her old bedroom instead of their own, pulling them close under the blankets. They clung to her, refusing to let her go. Their small bodies trembled every time the wind moved the curtains or a floorboard creaked.
She sang to them softly, an old lullaby her mother used to hum, until their eyes grew heavy. Still, they wouldn't sleep unless she lay between them. She kissed their foreheads, whispering, "Mama's not leaving. I promise."
But her mind was on Luca.
When she finally slipped from the room, easing the door shut behind her, she found him downstairs in his study. A half-empty glass of whiskey sat on the desk, untouched. Maps of the city were spread across the wood, with red pins marking warehouses, streets, alleys. Enzo stood nearby, arms folded, face grim.
They both looked up when she entered.
"He's planning already," Enzo said quietly, almost as a warning.
Luca's voice was low, deadly calm. "Romano thinks he can touch my blood. He thinks he can breathe in my city. I'll show him what it means to declare war."
Aria's chest tightened. "Luca, please. Tonight was too close. The boys..."
His gaze snapped to her, sharp and burning. "That's exactly why he has to die. Do you want to keep running? Hiding? Watching the shadows every time they walk to school?"
Her lips trembled. "No. But..."
"There's no but, Aria." He slammed his fist on the desk, the sound making her flinch. His voice dropped, harsh but raw. "They're my sons. My blood. And he dared put his hands on them. He dared threaten you. There's only one answer."
Enzo's eyes flicked between them, then he stepped closer to Luca. "Boss, Romano has Vargas's contacts. Money. Men. If you move too fast..."
"I don't care if I burn half this city down," Luca snapped.
Aria whispered, "And if you burn us with it?"
That silenced him.
For a long moment, the room was thick with something unsaid. His breathing slowed, his eyes locked onto hers. Then, quietly, he said, "I will not lose you. I will not lose them. Not to Romano. Not to anyone."
Aria's heart twisted.
The next morning was gray, the sky heavy with clouds. The twins finally slept, curled together like they always had. Aria watched them for a long time, smoothing their hair, memorizing their little faces.
Downstairs, the house was already alive with movement. Guards armed to the teeth. Enzo barking orders. Engines rumbling in the drive.
War was coming.
She found Luca outside by the cars, pulling on black gloves. His expression was unreadable, cold as steel.
"Where are you going?" she asked, her voice sharp.
He looked at her once, then at the house behind her. "To settle this."
Her breath caught. "And if you don't come back?"
His jaw clenched. He reached forward, his hand cupping her cheek. For a moment, the mafia boss faded, and she saw only the man who had once broken her heart. His thumb brushed her skin, gentle despite the violence in his eyes.
"Then tell them I died fighting for them," he said softly.
Her eyes filled with tears. "Don't you dare."
He leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. "I swore an oath when they were born, even if I didn't know it yet. They are my blood. And Romano will pay in blood."
Before she could stop him, he turned and climbed into the car. Enzo followed, the door slamming shut. The convoy rolled down the drive, engines fading into the distance.
Aria stood there, the cold wind whipping her hair, her chest hollow. Fear pressed down on her ribs until she could hardly breathe.
She went back inside, forcing herself to stay strong for the boys. But deep inside, she knew the truth: tonight, something would break.
Either Romano would die.
Or Luca would.
Hours passed. The boys woke, asking for their papa. Aria forced a smile, told them he was working. But each time Nico asked if he was coming back, her throat closed tighter.
By evening, the sky turned black with storm clouds. Rain began to fall, beating against the windows like fists.
Then, the phone rang.
Aria's stomach dropped. She picked it up with a shaking hand.
A voice she hated slid down the line, smooth and cruel.
"Aria."
Her heart froze. Romano.
"You thought you won last night?" His laughter was low, mocking. "De Rossi is bleeding even now. He walked into my trap, and soon, his empire will be mine. But you, dolcezza, you and the boys… you'll be the prize."
Aria's blood ran cold. She clutched the phone tighter. "Stay away from us."
Romano chuckled darkly. "Oh, I will come for you. When De Rossi falls, you'll see. You'll see who the real king is."
The line went dead.
Aria's knees buckled. She slid down the wall, the receiver slipping from her hand. The storm raged outside, and upstairs, her boys laughed softly, playing with their toys, innocent of the war closing in.
Her tears blurred everything.
Luca was walking into a trap.
And Romano was coming for them.