Epilogue

Three Years Later

"Any news?" I asked Frank, growing impatient. "Marco should’ve been back from that warzone by now. I don’t know what he was thinking, diving into that place knowing our men are being killed on the streets every day."

The war hadn’t gotten any easier in those years. The Japanese had allied with the 'Ndrangheta, and they’d been trying to take us down ever since, delaying our reclamation of my father’s old territory and turning everything into a living hell.

It had been tough years, and even with all our allies, things hadn’t progressed. Men were dying on both sides constantly.

"He should be arriving any minute now. According to the GPS, the car’s in our territory," Frank finally said, calming me down. "But there’s something wrong with your sister’s flight."

"Alessia? What happened now?" I asked, feeling my heart sink and a chill of fear grip my body. I knew all too well how ruthless our enemies were.

"She never boarded. Our men haven’t reported anything, but they’re not answering."

"Hell. Get the jet ready—I’m going to bring her back home myself!" I declared, turning, but the sound of small footsteps running through the house stopped me.

Matteo and Monalisa burst into the office, fleeing from Enrico, who had arrived that morning. It was good to have someone his age with energy and free time to chase after my kids at that moment. Because all I could think about was bringing their aunt and father back home.

"I’m gonna get you!" my brother shouted excitedly, making the twins run around my legs, squealing.

I smiled, ruffling their hair—they were the spitting image of their father, from their eyes to their smiles. There was no denying they were Marco’s kids, and thinking about it made me even more anxious, wondering what was happening to him since he wasn’t answering any calls.

I was grateful for the family we’d built. Finding out we were expecting twins was the best news we could’ve had.

Marco celebrated for days, bragging at every opportunity. Even during the birth, he never let go of my hand, eagerly waiting to see our perfect pair come into the world.

We were excited for Lana and Nero to have a child, but they seemed like the most distant couple imaginable, and nothing we discussed seemed to have any effect on them.

Nero now spent more hours with the soldiers than at home, and she kept herself busy painting her canvases, staying far away from anything mafia-related.

All we could do was hope they’d find happiness in that marriage, just as we hoped Frank would find love again and put an end to his nights of heavy drinking.

"Daddy!" My kids’ shouts snapped me out of my thoughts, making me look straight to where they ran.

Marco stood at the door, his face dirty, a cut on his forehead, his suit completely covered in blood, looking like he’d been through hell. But he knelt in front of our kids as soon as they ran to him.

"Daddy’s home," he said, looking into my eyes as if to reassure me, while hugging them.

I didn’t wait for anything before rushing to him, throwing myself into his arms and pressing our foreheads together, needing the certainty that he was real and alive.

"You need a doctor and a shower," I murmured, planting a kiss on his lips, trying to ignore the wave of tears threatening to spill over at the sight of him—attacked, but back with me once again.

"I’ll go get Alessia. You stay and take care of the family. I promise I won’t let anyone lay a hand on her!" Frank declared, storming past us like a hurricane, not even giving me a chance to argue.

But I knew I could trust him with this mission—he’d move heaven and earth for our family.

Time had made us great friends, especially during the moments when he needed company while drowning in bottles. During my pregnancy, I learned he still grieved for Mel, so I kept an eye on him, and the kids couldn’t be more attached to their godfather.

I knew that, even if he tried to hide it, his heart was locked away, waiting for a woman brave enough to pull him out of his grief and bring happiness and love back into his life.

"Now go chase after Uncle Enrico to the kitchen and ask for a delicious cake while Mommy takes care of Daddy," my words had an immediate effect.

Enrico ran out, winking at me, and the twins followed, excited about their eleven-year-old uncle.

"Hey, my she-devil," Marco murmured the moment we were alone, his fingers sliding over my face.

"Ooh, she-devil at this hour? That’s a sign things were as bad as they look," I said, running my nails along his nape and watching him close his eyes at the caress. "Do you want me to jump into your lap while you’ve got a bullet in you?" I asked, pulling his suit and finding the tear in his shirt, soaked with blood.

"It just grazed me—this blood’s not all mine. Now let me get inside you; I need to feel at home!" Marco declared, pulling my hair and plunging his tongue into my mouth, drawing a moan from me. "I love you so damn much."

"I love you, Marco Falcone."

A few hours later, we were gathered around the table, eating as a family. Including Lana and Nero, who seemed reluctant to touch or talk to each other, preferring to play with their nephews instead.

"When are you two going to give my kids some cousins?" I asked, wanting to stir them up.

Lana’s usually pale, delicate cheeks turned a bright red, and she looked to Nero for help. He just rolled his eyes and turned to Matteo beside him, ignoring his wife.

"We’ll enjoy our nephews for a bit longer."

"I don’t think now’s a good time to have kids," she whispered, pretending to agree with him, but it didn’t escape anyone at the table that she’d felt his indifference.

Marco grabbed my hand, kissing my fingers, knowing that if he didn’t hold me back, I’d end up saying something until they at least touched each other.

"Speak for yourselves, because if Angel isn’t pregnant again, it’s a damn miracle since we try every chance we get," he said, making the girl smile in response. He knew full well I was on birth control. As much as we wanted nephews, Lana was right—it wasn’t the time to bring more innocent children into this war.

"Because a minute’s enough for you, little brother. With me, it’s a whole different story," Nero threw a smug grin, and Lana narrowed her eyes at him, as if she didn’t know what he was talking about.

There was something very strange going on there—it wasn’t normal for there to be so much hostility between them. But before I could keep speculating about them, my phone rang.

"Frank, did you find her? Tell me you’re on the plane heading home."

"I found her, but all the soldiers are dead," his words made my heart sink, images of what was happening there forming in my mind. "There are Japanese everywhere—they’ve taken the damn territory."

"We’ll send reinforcements. I know Vladimir’s nearby; he’ll help us."

"Send everything you can. I’ll keep us hidden until then." I could hear the fear in his voice, something I hadn’t heard from him in a long time.

"Frank?" I called before he hung up. "Take care and come back home safe. We’re waiting for you."

The call ended quickly, leaving me even more anxious. I knew that if Filippo’s father got his hands on Alessia, he’d make her suffer far worse than his son did to me, just for revenge, and Frank would be the cherry on top—the Demon of the Camorra’s right-hand man captured would be a feast for them.

"What happened?"

"Frank and Alessia are cornered, surrounded by the Japanese, and the soldiers are all dead. We’ll send reinforcements, and with luck, they’ll be back soon," I said all at once, because I knew I couldn’t tell it calmly while my heart was tight in my chest. "We’re staying together—no one leaves the mansion. That includes you two," I pointed at Lana and Nero. "I won’t risk letting anyone else I love be in their crosshairs. Until Frank returns, we’re confined to the house!"

All we could do was hope that sending soldiers as reinforcements would help bring them back safely and not make things worse.

"Everything will be okay," Marco tried to comfort me, kissing my fingers. "Together to hell, remember?"

"To the end, my Demon of the Camorra!"