CHAPTER 73: FIGHTING BACK TOGETHER

The mansion was still wrapped in smoke and silence when Luca found her standing at the balcony, her wedding dress torn, her eyes fixed on the blood-red horizon. The sun was rising over a city that had witnessed too much, and yet, in that moment, Aria looked like its defiant queen, battle-worn, unbowed, and unbroken.

"Everyone’s secured," Luca said quietly behind her. "The Romanos pulled back before the police arrived."

Aria didn’t turn. "And Matteo?"

"Gone." His voice was edged with restrained fury. "He knew exactly how far to push before retreating. This was never about killing us, it was a declaration."

She exhaled slowly, her fingers gripping the cold railing. "Then let’s respond in kind."

Luca stepped closer, studying her profile in the soft dawn light. She was trembling, but it wasn’t fear, it was adrenaline, determination, something fierce that had awakened inside her since the attack.

"You want war," he said, almost as if testing her resolve.

"I want control," she corrected, turning to face him. "I’m tired of being the reason everyone else makes choices. My father died because he tried to protect me. My mother hid her truth because she feared what her bloodline meant. And you," she paused, eyes locking with his, "you’ve been fighting everyone to keep me safe. Maybe it’s time I fight for myself."

He stepped closer until their foreheads almost touched. "You don’t know what that means, Aria. Once you step into this world fully, there’s no turning back."

She met his gaze, unwavering. "Then show me. Teach me."

Something dark flickered in his eyes, pride, desire, danger. "You don’t know what you’re asking for."

"Then enlighten me," she whispered.

Luca’s jaw clenched. He could see her mind was made up. There was no more hiding behind silk veils and bodyguards. The girl he’d once married to protect was gone. The woman standing before him was ready to reign beside him.

He reached into his jacket and pulled out a black pistol, placing it flat against her palm. "Lesson one," he murmured, "never hold a weapon like you’re afraid of it."

Her fingers closed around the grip, the weight of it foreign but grounding. He guided her hand gently, adjusting her stance. His touch lingered longer than necessary, his breath brushing her ear as he said, "Don’t hesitate. Hesitation gets people killed."

She swallowed hard, nodding.

They practiced in the private range behind the estate, the echo of gunfire cutting through the morning air. Luca stood behind her each time, correcting her aim, whispering quiet instructions. The tension between them was electric, an invisible thread pulling tighter with each shot.

"Again," he commanded.

She aimed, fired, hit the target near-center. Her pulse surged.

Luca’s mouth curved into a rare smile. "You learn fast."

"From the best," she replied softly, glancing back at him.

He didn’t deny it.

As the morning wore on, Aria felt the pistol become an extension of her will. Each shot was sharper, more precise. Luca watched her with a mix of caution and pride, as if seeing her anew. Between rounds, he taught her to dismantle and reassemble the weapon, explaining its mechanics with a patience that contrasted his usual intensity. Aria absorbed every word, her mind racing to keep up with the life she was choosing.

Hours later, the mansion’s war room buzzed with tension. Maps, photos, and reports covered the long mahogany table. Marco and Sofia stood at one end, debriefing the remaining lieutenants. The moment Aria walked in, the room fell silent.

Luca watched as she took her seat beside him at the head of the table, a symbolic gesture that didn’t go unnoticed.

"The Romanos attacked us on our wedding day," Luca began, voice cold steel. "They broke every rule of neutrality. Matteo helped them. That means we’re no longer just defending ourselves."

Aria leaned forward, her voice calm but cutting through the air like a blade. "We strike back, but not recklessly. We hit where it hurts, money, supply lines, influence."

Sofia’s brows lifted slightly. "You want to cripple their operations."

"Yes," Aria said. "And we start with their legal fronts. The Romano syndicate launders most of its money through a logistics firm in Naples. I have contacts there from my mother’s side, people who still owe loyalty to the Conti name."

Marco let out a low whistle. "You’ve been busy."

Aria met his gaze evenly. "I’ve been listening."

Luca shot her a sideways glance, something like admiration flickering in his eyes. "Then it’s decided," he said. "We move tonight."

As the meeting dispersed, Aria lingered, studying the maps. Luca stayed by her side, silent but present. She traced a finger along the coastline, her mind mapping out their next steps. "My mother used to tell me stories about Naples," she said quietly. "The docks were her family’s territory once. She taught me their secrets, codes hidden in plain sight. I never thought I’d need them."

Luca’s gaze softened. "She’d be proud of you."

Aria’s lips twitched, a mix of grief and resolve. "She’d tell me I’m reckless."

"She’s not wrong," he said, a rare tease in his voice.

By nightfall, the estate had transformed into a command center. Cars lined the courtyard, engines humming softly in the dark. Luca and Aria stood at the balcony, watching the preparations below.

"You sure you’re ready for this?" he asked.

She smiled faintly, adjusting the leather holster under her coat. "You forget who my mother was."

"I never do," he said quietly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. His fingers lingered just long enough to make her heart stutter.

Then, without warning, he leaned in and kissed her, not the desperate, wild kind they’d shared before, but slow and certain, like sealing a pact.

When he pulled back, his eyes were molten. "If we’re going to war, we do it as one."

She nodded, whispering, "Together."

The convoy moved under cover of night, headlights off, engines low. They arrived at the Romano logistics hub just past midnight, a sprawling complex of warehouses on the edge of Naples.

Luca’s men spread out silently, cutting power to the perimeter while Aria and Luca approached the main control building. The sound of distant waves against the docks mixed with the whisper of boots on gravel.

Inside, the air smelled of oil and money, dirty business disguised as legitimate trade. Aria followed Luca through the maze of corridors until they reached the operations room.

Two guards stood watch. Luca motioned for silence, then took them down in swift, silent moves. Aria exhaled shakily. He moved like a predator, silent, efficient, lethal.

"Stay behind me," he whispered.

But Aria stepped forward instead. She spotted a laptop open on the desk, data streaming across the screen. "Their transfer schedule," she murmured, eyes scanning quickly. "They’re routing shipments through Istanbul, smuggling cash and weapons under cargo manifests."

Luca glanced at her, impressed. "Can you access their offshore accounts?"

"Give me sixty seconds." She pulled out a flash drive from her coat and plugged it in. Her fingers danced across the keyboard. "My mother’s encryption codes still work," she said with a hint of pride.

When the download finished, she turned to him with a smile. "Now they’re broke."

A slow grin curved his lips. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Before they could move, alarms blared.

"Go!" Luca shouted, grabbing her hand as armed guards flooded the hall. They sprinted through the narrow corridors, bullets ricocheting off metal walls. Luca returned fire, cutting down two men, while Aria ducked behind a crate, heart pounding.

"Left exit!" she yelled.

They burst through the door into the night air, the docks blazing behind them as explosions rocked the compound. The Romanos’ empire burned under the stars, their power crumbling in one night.

Back at the car, Aria caught her breath, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Luca slid into the driver’s seat, his hands steady on the wheel despite the chaos they’d escaped. As they sped away, Aria glanced at the side mirror, watching the flames consume the Romano hub. Her heart pounded, not with fear but with triumph.

"That was just the beginning," she said, her voice steady.

Luca nodded, his eyes fixed on the road. "They’ll come for us harder now."

"Let them," Aria replied, her tone defiant. "We know their weaknesses. They don’t know mine."

He glanced at her, a spark of something dangerous in his gaze. "You’re more like your mother than you realize."

She leaned back, the weight of the pistol still at her side. "Good."

They reached the car, breathless, adrenaline surging. Luca slammed the door behind them and gunned the engine. The reflection of fire flickered in Aria’s eyes.

"Was that your plan?" he asked, half-laughing, half-incredulous.

She caught his gaze, chest heaving. "You said we’d fight together."

He reached across the seat, cupping her face, his voice low. "You’re terrifying."

"And you love it," she whispered.

His lips brushed hers again, hot and fierce, as the car sped down the coastal highway. Behind them, smoke rose over the city, their first victory carved in fire.

For the first time, they weren’t running.

They were fighting back.

Together.