Sinful Flames

Chapter 58

Seeing Chiara again was like a shot of pure adrenaline to my heart. Her touch, her scent, the way her eyes softened when they met mine—it all made the hell of the last two months disappear in an instant. She was my world, my everything, and seeing her alive, standing there in front of me, gave me the energy I needed to push forward. Now, there was no room for hesitation. This wasn’t just about bringing her back anymore. It was about destroying anyone who stood between us. The Vittore family and their lapdogs would regret ever coming between me and my tuono.

The very next day, Matteo, Antonio, and I got to work, holed up in the small cottage outside the Vittore estate. The house was modest and kept us off the radar, but the walls were buzzing with our plans. This was the moment we’d been waiting for, and the clock was ticking.

Matteo sat in front of his laptop, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he pulled up schematics, blueprints, and security layouts. "The Vittore estate is fortified like a damn fortress," he muttered, the screen casting a glow over his face. "But their security system is outdated. With the right tools, I can take it down long enough to get us in and out without raising alarms."

I stood by the window, staring out at the sprawling estate in the distance. It had been a week since I’d seen Chiara, a week of planning, waiting, and gathering resources. She stayed in touch with me through the burner phone, sometimes texting when it was safe, and other times sending information through Sofia, the maid who was risking her own life to help us. I missed her fiercely, every fiber of my being aching to hold her again. But this wasn’t about immediate gratification. This was about bringing her home for good and ensuring no one could take her away from me ever again.

Antonio, who had been leaning against the table with his arms crossed, finally spoke up. "We’ll need firepower. Their guards are armed to the teeth, and we can’t go in half-cocked. I’ve been talking to some of our connections, and I’ve arranged for a shipment of weapons to come in from a contact in Rome. We’ll have enough to take down their security detail and block off their exits if need be."

I nodded, my mind already spinning with the possibilities. "Good. We’ll need those weapons to hit them hard and fast. But we can’t just rely on brute force. We need strategy."

I turned toward Matteo. "How long can you keep the security system down?"

Matteo didn’t look up from his screen as he answered. "Once I’m inside the system, I can shut it down for about twenty minutes before their backup kicks in. That’s our window."

"Twenty minutes," I repeated, thinking it over. "That’s enough if we move quickly. But we’ll need to be discreet until we’re ready to strike."

Antonio gave a short nod. "We block off the entrances, hit their guards, and control the exits. We need to make sure no one gets in or out."

"Exactly," I said. "But first, we need to build our numbers. The Vittore family is powerful, and they have alliances in Italy. We can’t just go in with a handful of men."

I glanced at Matteo. "Start reaching out to our allies. The gangs that support the Romanos. We’ll need them on our side for this to work."

Matteo finally tore his eyes away from the screen to look at me. "Already on it. I’ve been in touch with a few crews in Milan and Naples. They’re ready to move when we give the word."

I nodded, pleased with the progress. "Good. I’ll also start bringing in men from America, but they need to be discreet. We can’t draw attention to ourselves, not yet. Start pulling in some of the Romano loyalists from across the pond. Slowly, in small groups, so it doesn’t raise suspicion."

This was all coming together faster than I expected, but we couldn’t afford to rush. Every piece needed to be perfectly in place before we made our move. One wrong step, and the entire plan could fall apart.

Over the next few days, we refined the details of the plan. Matteo would hack into the Vittore estate’s security system and take it offline. Antonio and I would move in with our men, neutralizing the guards and securing the exits. Once inside, I’d find Chiara and get her out while the others held off any reinforcements. We’d be in and out before anyone knew what hit them.

As we worked, Chiara sent me more information. She was careful, but I could feel the urgency in her texts. She was feeding me everything she could—guard rotations, shifts, the layout of the estate. Sofia, too, passed along valuable intel whenever she could sneak out of the estate unnoticed. It was a dangerous game they were playing, and I admired their bravery. But every time Chiara shared something, every time I heard from her, it stoked the fire in me even more. I couldn’t rest until I had her back in my arms, where she belonged.

I could hear her voice in my head, teasing me about crying when I saw her last. But I wasn’t ashamed. Not one bit. I’d been to the edge, thinking I’d lost her, and then I’d been yanked back to life the moment I held her again. That kind of emotion doesn’t just fade away. It only strengthens the resolve to protect, to fight, to keep what’s yours.

But it wasn’t just about me. It was about her. Chiara deserved more than the cage they had locked her in. She deserved freedom, the chance to live the life she wanted, not the one they were forcing on her. And I was going to make sure she got that, no matter how many Vittore soldiers I had to cut down along the way.

The nights were the hardest. When I wasn’t with her, when the house was quiet and the others had gone to bed, I’d find myself staring at the burner phone, waiting for it to light up with a message from her. Sometimes, we’d text until late, talking about everything and nothing, planning our future together. Other times, there was radio silence, and I’d lie awake, my mind racing, wondering if she was okay, if she was safe.

I missed her. God, did I miss her. But the thought of bringing her back, of spending the rest of my life with her, kept me going. I’d already tasted what it was like to lose her, and I wasn’t going through that hell again. Not ever.

One evening, after a particularly long day of planning, I stood in front of the window, staring out into the night. Matteo had just finished running another simulation of the security breach, and Antonio was making final preparations for the weapons shipment. We were almost ready. Almost.

As I stood there, the burner phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, a small smile tugging at my lips as I saw her name flash across the screen.

You ready to bring me home?

I smirked, typing a response. Always. Just hold on a little longer, amore. We’re almost there.

Her reply came almost immediately. I’m counting on you. I miss you.

My chest tightened as I typed back. I miss you too. But soon, this will all be over. And I’ll never let you go again.

I could practically hear her teasing laugh in her response. I’m holding you to that.

With a soft chuckle, I slipped the phone back into my pocket and turned to face the room. Antonio was cleaning one of his guns, and Matteo was already deep into another round of hacking preparations. We were ready. It was time to end this.

“Let’s finish what we started,” I said, my voice filled with determination. “It’s time to bring her home.”

And this time, nothing was going to stop me.