Page 7 of Secret Revenge

“Exactly.” Marco approached the devices from below, his expertise in electronics now crucial. His fingers moved with surgical precision, rerouting wires, severing connections, and rendering the cameras and sensors useless.

Or so I thought.

As soon as I passed the sensor, lights flared on and sirens rang out. “Spread out and find her,” I commanded.

My men did as they were told. I followed but stopped when the alarm silenced.

“Nicholas Romano,” a voice snarled from the shadows, its chilling cadence sending shivers down my spine. “Finally found your way to the lion’s den?”

“Luca Carbone.” Recognition flared within me like a lit match, igniting my fury. One of Bianchi’s most ruthless lieutenants – a formidable foe.

“Your wife is waiting for you in the basement.” His taunting words were a sharpened blade, twisted in my gut. “Why don’t you come and get her? All you need to do is get through me first.”

Our bodies collided with brutal force, our fists flying as we engaged in a deadly dance. Muscle strained against muscle, sweat dripping like blood from our brows. Each blow I delivered was fueled by fear and determination, my love for Liliana driving me to fight harder, faster.

“Give up, Romano,” Luca hissed, pain and frustration etched on his face. “You can’t win.”

“Never.” The word was a guttural growl, born of raw defiance. My fist connected with his jaw, a savage satisfaction coursing through me as he stumbled back.

“Boss!” Marco’s voice broke through the haze of battle. “We’ve got company!”

“Deal with them.” My command was punctuated by another crushing blow to Luca’s face. “I’ve got this.”

“Understood.”

The sounds of gunfire erupted around me, but my focus remained locked on the man before me – the obstacle standing between me and Liliana. Luca lunged at me, desperation lending him strength, but I was fueled by something far more potent: love.

“Is that all you’ve got?” My taunt cut through the chaos, goading him into making a mistake. His eyes blazed with fury as he charged at me once more.

“Die, Romano!”

“Never,” my fingers closed around his throat, squeezing the life from him. “Without,” I slammed him into the wall, his body crumpling beneath the impact. “A,” a final kick sent his limp form to the ground. “Fight.”

“Boss,” Enzo’s voice reached me, thick with relief, “we’ve got her. We’re in the basement.”

“Good.” I glanced down at Luca’s unconscious form, my victory bittersweet. “Let’s move.”

I raced down the steps to my wife. There she was, her dark hair disheveled and fear etched upon her delicate features. But it was the relief that flooded her deep brown eyes when she saw me that undid me, piercing through the darkness like a beacon.

“Nicholas...” Her voice was muffled, but the recognition and hope in her tone breathed life back into my battered spirit.

“Shh... it’s alright, cara mia. I’m here.” My hands trembled slightly as I removed the gag and began to untie her, my fingers brushing against her soft skin. “Let’s go home.”

“Thank God you’re here. I thought... I thought I might never see you again.” A tear escaped the corner of her eye, leaving a trail down her pale cheek.

“I’ll always find you, Liliana. Always.” Our gazes locked, the intensity of our shared emotion tangible in the air. “Now, we need to get you out of here.”

“Right.” Her voice was still shaky, but her determination shone through. “Lead the way, Nicholas.”

“Stay close to me,” I said, feeling the weight of her hand in mine as we ventured back to the first floor of the house. The shadows seemed to dance along the walls, eager to embrace us in their cold grasp.

Her hand trembled in mine, yet she matched my stride with silent determination.

“Did they hurt you?” My voice was barely audible, but I needed to know.

“Nothing I couldn’t endure.” Her words seared through me, fueling a fire that burned away doubt and fear.

“Stay behind me,” I urged, positioning myself between her and the approaching danger. Our breaths became shallow, synchronized with the rhythm of our pounding hearts.

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