Blood On Italian Soil

Aria’s POV

The first gunshot sounds like thunder the second makes me scream by the third, the entire airport has become a battlefield I crouch behind the private plane, my hands pressed against my ears as bullets strike the metal above me the sound is deafening. Men are shouting, guns are firing, and the smell of gunpowder fills the air a few minutes ago, I was sitting beside my husband, believing that we had finally put the worst behind us now I am wondering if we will survive the next five minutes “Aria”

Massimo’s voice cuts through the chaos I turn my head and find him a few feet away, firing at two men advancing toward us his expression is terrifyingly calm but I know him well enough now to recognize the tension in his jaw.

He is worried not for himself for me “Stay down” he orders

I nod pressing myself closer to the plane a man suddenly appears from behind a vehicle aiming his weapon at Massimo’s back “Massimo behind you”

He turns just in time two shots ring out the attacker falls and Massimo immediately grabs my hand “Come with me”

He pulls me toward a concrete barrier while his men provide cover I stumble over a piece of broken luggage, but he catches me before I hit the ground “Are you hurt?”

“No”

“Look at me Aria”

I lift my eyes to his “Are you sure?”

“Yes Massimo I am fine”

He studies my face for another second before pulling me behind the barrier “Good stay here”

He starts to move away I grab his wrist “Where are you going?”

“To end this”

“Don't you dare leave me here”

His blue eyes lock onto mine “Aria I cannot protect you if you refuse to listen to me”

“And I cannot sit here while you get yourself killed”

For a moment neither of us speaks then he cups my face with one hand “I am coming back to you understand?”

My throat tightens “You better”

He gives me the smallest smile before turning away I watch him disappear into the smoke my heart pounding so hard that I can barely breathe another round of gunfire erupts I squeeze my eyes shut I have seen death before. I grew up in a world where people disappeared overnight, where a simple disagreement could end with a body in a river but this is different because the man out there fighting for his life is the man I love and I am terrified of losing him “Mrs Lockwood?”

I turn sharply one of Massimo’s guards Marco is crouching beside me “Stay close to me” he says “We are moving you to the vehicle”

“Where is Massimo?”

“He is handling the attackers”

“That is not an answer”

Marco hesitates my stomach twists “Marco!”

“He is alive ma’am we need to move”

I hate the fact that I have to trust him but I follow as he leads me toward a black SUV parked near the terminal we barely reach it before another explosion shakes the ground I lose my balance Marco catches my arm, pulling me behind the vehicle q dark cloud of smoke rises into the sky then I hear a familiar voice “ARIA”

Massimo I turn toward the sound he is running toward us, his black shirt stained with blood near his shoulder my heart stops “Massimo”

I rush toward him before Marco can stop me Massimo catches me against his chest, wrapping one arm around my waist “Are you insane?” he demands looking down at me “I told you to stay behind the barrier”

“And I told you not to get yourself killed”

His expression hardens, but before he can answer I notice the blood spreading across his shirt my anger disappears “You are hurt”

“It is nothing”

“Nothing? You are bleeding”

“Aria”

“Do not Aria me”

I press my hand against the wound, and he winces the sight makes my eyes sting “You promised you would come back”

“I did come back”

“Barely”

He looks at me for a long moment before brushing his thumb across my cheek “I am still here”

I lean against him breathing shakily then a sharp voice interrupts us “Massimo”

Kelvin approaches with several guards behind him his suit is dusty and there is blood on his sleeve although he appears unharmed “We need to leave now”

Massimo nods “What happened to the others?”

“Maria and Chloe are safe we got them into the second vehicle everyone else is accounted for”

“And the attackers?”

“Most are dead two escaped”

Massimo’s expression darkens “Find them”

“Already working on it”

Kelvin looks at his brother’s shoulder “You need a doctor”

“I need answers”

“You can get both if you stop bleeding all over the airport”

Despite everything, I almost laugh Massimo gives his brother a murderous look at Kelvin shrugs “What? Someone has to tell you the truth”

We climb into the SUV and the convoy immediately pulls away I sit beside Massimo, refusing to let go of his hand he has a doctor examine his shoulder inside the vehicle, but he barely reacts when the wound is cleaned and bandaged. My attention, however never leaves his face when the doctor finally finishes I release a breath I did not realize I was holding “It is a flesh wound” the doctor explains “He will need rest but the bullet did not damage anything serious”

“Thank God” I whisper Massimo looks at me

“You were worried”

I stare at him “Of course I was worried you idiot”

His mouth curves slightly “I like hearing you say you care about me”

I smack his uninjured arm “This is not funny”

“I know”

He reaches for my hand again “I am sorry I frightened you”

That makes me go quiet Massimo rarely apologizes without turning it into an argument hearing those words from him makes my heart soften I rest my head against his shoulder carefully avoiding the bandage “Just do not leave me”

His fingers tighten around mine “Never willingly"

I lift my head “What does that mean?”

Before he can answer Kelvin’s phone rings he listens for several seconds before his expression changes “What do you mean the security cameras were disabled?”

Silence “Check every entrance I want the footage recovered”

He ends the call and turns toward Massimo “The attackers knew exactly when we would arrive”

Massimo’s expression becomes cold “Explain”

“Someone leaked our flight schedule the arrival time and the route we were supposed to take out of the airport”

My stomach drops “Could it have been Dante?”

“Possibly” Kelvin replies “But whoever planned this knew too much about our security”

Massimo looks out the window “Someone gave them information from inside our organization”

The words settle over us like a dark cloud a traitor someone close enough to know our movements someone who knew where to strike the convoy eventually arrives at a heavily guarded estate outside the city unlike the Lockwood mansion in Chicago, this place looks ancient with tall stone walls enormous iron gates and guards stationed along every entrance. It is beautiful and frightening Maria rushes toward us the moment we enter “Massimo!”

She hugs him carefully before turning to me “Aria, are you all right?”

I nod “I am fine”

She touches my face then looks at Massimo’s bandaged shoulder “Your father would have killed you himself for being so reckless”

Massimo sighs “Mother”

“What? Am I lying?”

Kelvin laughs under his breath for a moment the tension eases then a man in a dark suit approaches us “Boss the council has arrived”

Massimo straightens “What council?”

“The families, sir they were informed that the announcement would proceed tonight”

Kelvin frowns “After an assassination attempt?”

“The council insists the ceremony cannot be postponed”

Massimo’s jaw tightens “Of course they do”

I look at him “You do not have to go”

He turns toward me “Yes I do”

“Massimo someone just tried to kill us”

“And if I hide after the first attack, every ambitious man in Italy will believe I am weak”

I understand what he means but I hate it he is not just my husband anymore. He is a man standing on the edge of becoming the most powerful person in the mafia world and there are people who would rather see him dead than bow to him I take his hand “Then let me stand beside you”

His gaze softens “You are not obligated to do that”

“I know”

I lift my chin “But I want to”

For several seconds he simply watches me then he raises my hand to his lips “Stay beside me then”

An hour later we enter the grand hall where the mafia families have gathered every conversation stops when Massimo walks through the doors. He wears a black suit, his injured shoulder hidden beneath the fabric I walk beside him in a deep burgundy gown my fingers intertwined with his I can feel the stares some are curious, some are hostile, others are calculating how much power they can gain by standing beside us. At the front of the hall stands Don Viti his expression is grave as he welcomes the assembled families “Tonight, we gather to announce the future of our organization the old order has served us for many years but every era must eventually come to an end”

His eyes move toward Massimo “Massimo Lockwood has demonstrated strength, loyalty, and the ability to lead effective immediately he will take his place as the new Don”

Applause fills the room Massimo steps forward I watch him accept the symbol of authority his expression unreadable for a moment I feel proud he has worked his entire life for this position but before Don Viti can continue, a man near the back of the hall suddenly raises his voice “This appointment is a mistake”

The room falls silent Massimo slowly turns the man steps into the light.

“Why should we accept a leader who cannot even protect his own family?”

Several people murmur Massimo's expression does not change “Choose your next words carefully”

The man smiles “Perhaps you should be asking who arranged the attack at the airport”

My stomach tightens Massimo takes one step forward “You have something to say?”

The man reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small envelope “I have proof that someone in this room ordered your death”

He throws the envelope onto the table Massimo opens it Inside is a photograph I cannot see it clearly from where I stand, but I watch my husband's expression change his jaw tightens his fingers curl around the photograph. Then he slowly lifts his eyes toward the crowd and I realize with a sudden chill that he recognizes the person in the picture “Who is it?” I whisper

Massimo does not answer he looks at me for the first time that night I see genuine fear in his eyes then he turns the photograph toward me My breath catches the person pictured beside Dante is someone I know someone who was supposed to be on our side and beneath the photograph written in red ink are four words:

YOUR WIFE IS NEXT.