Assault on Home

Candice’s P.O.V.

The drive back to the villa was a blur of speed and fear, the van's tires screeching on the highway as Mantovani pushed the engine to its limit, his knuckles white on the steering wheel, and I sat in the passenger seat, my phone clutched in my hand, trying to call Mom but getting no answer, the signal dropping in and out like a cruel tease. Conti was in the back with Ryan, who was gagged and bound again, his eyes wide with terror, but I couldn't spare him a thought; all I could focus on was the image of the villa—our home, our fragile peace—under siege, and the war that had been simmering suddenly boiling over into something personal and devastating. Mantovani glanced at me, his voice steady but edged with worry, "We'll get there in time; Sanna has men holding the line, and your mom is tough, she'll be okay," and I nodded, wanting to believe him, but the intrigue of the mole's betrayal gnawed at me, making me question every face, every loyalty we'd taken for granted.

As we approached the villa, the night sky was lit with flashes of gunfire, the sounds echoing like thunder, and Mantovani slammed on the brakes at the outer gate, where two of our men lay wounded but alive, their faces grim as they waved us through, shouting, "The sheriff's men breached the east wall; Sanna's inside with Elena!" and my heart pounded, a mix of passion for our family and rage at the intruders fueling me as I grabbed a gun from the glove compartment, checking the clip with hands that were steadier than I felt. We abandoned the van and moved on foot, Mantovani leading the way, his body low and tense, Conti covering our rear with Ryan slung over his shoulder like a sack, and as we crept through the gardens, the lilies now trampled under boots, I saw the bodies—sheriff's men in tactical gear, our capos defending with everything they had—and the war felt real, the smell of gunpowder and blood filling the air, making my stomach churn but my resolve harden.

We reached the side entrance, where Sanna's voice boomed from inside, directing fire, and Mantovani kicked the door open, pulling me behind him as bullets whizzed past, and I fired back, my shot hitting a shadow in the hallway, the man dropping with a grunt, and Mantovani looked at me with a mix of pride and fear, saying, "Stay close; I can't lose you now," and I nodded, the passion between us a silent promise amid the chaos. We fought our way to the living room, where Sanna stood over Mom, shielding her with his body, his gun blazing, and Mom's face was pale but determined, clutching a pistol she'd never used before, and when she saw me, her eyes filled with relief and terror, shouting, "Candice, get out of here!" but I shook my head, joining the fight, the intrigue deepening as I spotted the mole—a trusted capo named Mariano, turning his gun on Sanna with a sneer, revealing his betrayal for the sheriff's promise of power.

The room erupted in gunfire, Mantovani tackling Mariano to the ground, their bodies rolling in a tangle of punches and grunts, and I covered them, shooting at the remaining attackers, my heart racing as Mom fired her first shot, hitting one in the leg, and Sanna pulled her close, his voice rough with emotion, "You did good, Elena; we're in this together." The battle raged, the war taking its toll as Conti dropped Ryan in a corner and joined the fray, his shots precise and deadly, and I felt the passion for our family surge, binding us in this moment of desperation. Mantovani finally subdued Mariano, his knife at the traitor's throat, demanding, "Why? After all these years?" and Mariano laughed bitterly, "The sheriff promised me the empire; you were always the favorite," and the intrigue cut deep, the betrayal stinging like a wound.

But as we secured the room, the attackers retreating under our counterassault, a new explosion rocked the villa, the ceiling cracking above us, and Mom screamed as debris fell, Sanna pushing her out of the way, but then the floor gave way, and I watched in horror as Mantovani disappeared into the darkness below, his voice calling my name fading into the abyss.