Chapter 68

Rossi.

I was talking with the informant, who had something that could bring down the Gottis, when my phone rang. The shrill tone cut through the silence of our hushed conversations.

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to take this,” I said, excusing myself.

“Marco, what’s up?”

"Boss." Marco’s voice was urgent on the other end. "It’s Aurora. She’s gone. The safe house was hit."

My blood ran cold. "What do you mean, 'gone'?" I demanded angrily, my heart pounding in my chest. I had my men watching her, guiding every perimeter.

"She’s been taken," Marco said, his voice tight with barely suppressed panic. "The Gotti brothers. They took her."

For a moment, the world seemed to tilt on its axis. Aurora. Taken. The words didn’t seem real, but the fear surging through me was all too tangible. My mind raced, imagining the terror she must be feeling and the danger she was in. The Gottis had crossed a line, and there would be no turning back.

"Find out where they’ve taken her," I ordered, my voice ice-cold. "And get everyone on this. I want her back. Now."

I ended the call and stood there, gripping the phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My thoughts were a whirlwind of fury and fear. Aurora was my everything, and the Gottis had dared to take her from me. My vision blurred with rage as I envisioned the bastards who had her and the suffering they would endure once I got my hands on them.

I needed to move and act. The fear of losing Aurora drove me, transforming me into a fierce, protective anger. I would tear the city apart if I had to. I would find her, and I would make them pay.

There was no time for hesitation. My men were already mobilizing, a network of eyes and ears spreading through the city. The Gottis thought they could hide from me, but they were wrong.

“I’m sorry, can we talk about this later? Something came up that I need to attend to urgently.”

“Alright, meet me at this address tomorrow morning. We need to end this.”

“And we will,” I assured her.

. My mind raced in a whirlwind of rage and determination as I drove back to the penthouse. I leave her for just a moment, and they strike.

"Marco!" I barked, my voice echoing through the penthouse. Within seconds, Marco appeared, his face tense and his eyes wide with concern.

"Boss, what’s the plan?" He asked, already knowing that hesitation was not an option.

"We’re getting her back," I said, my voice as hard as steel. "But we need to be smart about this. They’ll expect a frontal assault."

Marco nodded, understanding. "What do you have in mind?"

I grabbed a pen and paper, sketching out a rough map of the warehouse district based on Marco’s earlier report. "We’ll split into two teams. One will create a diversion, drawing their attention and fire. The other will infiltrate the warehouse and get Aurora out."

Marco leaned over the table, studying the map. "The diversion team should hit from the east. It’s less fortified, and they’ll expect us to go for the main entrance."

"Exactly," I agreed. "We’ll make it look like we’re coming in full force from the east, but the extraction team will move in from the west. We’ll need snipers on the rooftops to take out any guards and provide cover."

I pointed to key positions on the map. "Here, here, and here. We’ll place our best marksmen. I want silencers on all weapons. We can’t afford to alert them too soon."

Marco’s eyes gleamed with understanding. "What about inside? We need to know the layout, where they might be holding her."

"We’ll use thermal imaging to scan the building," I said. "We have the equipment. It’ll give us an idea of where the guards are positioned and where they might be keeping Aurora."

Marco straightened, his determination mirroring my own. "We’ll need a tech specialist on-site to monitor the feed and guide us."

"I’ll bring in Alex," I replied. "He’s the best we’ve got. He can handle the tech and provide real-time updates."

The plan was taking shape, and with each step, my resolve hardened. The thought of Aurora suffering at the hands of the Gottis was unbearable. I would do whatever it took to bring her back and make them pay for their audacity.

"Let’s go over the teams," I said, focusing on the details. "You’ll lead the diversion team. Take five of our best men. Make as much noise as possible, but stay safe. We can’t afford to lose anyone."

Marco nodded, his expression grim. "Understood. And the extraction team?"

"I’ll lead it," I said, my voice brooking no argument. "I’m not leaving her fate in anyone else’s hands. I’ll take Leo, Sam, and Victor. We’ll move in fast, neutralize any threats, and get Aurora out."

Marco met my gaze, and the unspoken bond of trust and loyalty was clear between us. "We’ll get her back, Rossi."

I nodded, the fierce determination in his eyes matching my own. "Yes, we will. And we’ll make sure the Gottis regret ever laying a hand on her."

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. It was my brother, Luca.

"Hang on a sec," I said, pulling out my phone. "Luca, what's up?"

His voice came through, urgent and strained. "Rossi, I just heard something. Aurora's been kidnapped. The Gotti brothers are behind it."

“How do you know?"

"Word on the street," Luca replied. "It's spreading fast. They're using her as leverage, Rossi. I'm on my way to help. We'll get her back, I promise."

"Thanks, Luca," I said. "I owe you one."

"We're family," he said simply. "Hang tight. I'll be there soon."

I ended the call and turned to you, seeing the concern in your eyes."

My phone buzzed again. This time, it was a notification of a video message. My heart pounded as I opened it, a sense of dread washing over me.

The video was grainy, clearly taken in a dimly lit room. Aurora was tied to a chair; her face was bloodied and bruised. The Gotti brothers stood behind her, their expressions smug and menacing. Vincent held the camera, his voice sickeningly cheerful.

"Hey, Rossi," Riccardo taunted. "Miss us already? We've got your girl here. I thought you'd like to see how she's doing."

Riccardo stepped forward, yanking Aurora's head back by her hair. She winced but didn't cry out, her eyes blazing with defiance. "You want her back?" Vito said, his voice dripping with malice. "Then you'll give us what we want. The documents, Rossi. Or she pays the price."

The video cut off abruptly, leaving a cold emptiness in its wake. I stared at the screen, my heart breaking at the sight of Aurora in pain. But beneath the sorrow, a fire of rage was building—hot and unstoppable. I let out a cry of rage, trying to calm myself. They are going to pay for this.

I clenched my fists, my knuckles white, with the force of my anger. "They'll pay for this," I vowed, my voice low and dangerous.

Luca arrived minutes later, his expression grim as he took in the situation. "I saw the video," he said. "Bastards. We're going to make them regret ever laying a hand on her.

We spent the next hour refining the plan, going over every detail and every contingency. The Gottis would be prepared for a fight, but they wouldn’t be prepared for us. Not like this.

Finally, everything was set. Luca and I stood by the window, the city sprawling beneath us. The sun was climbing higher, but my focus was laser-sharp on the task ahead.

"We move out in ten," I said. "Get the teams ready.“

As he left to gather the men, I took a moment to center myself. I thought of Aurora, her strength, and her courage. She was my anchor, the one who made me believe in a future beyond this life of violence and power. I couldn’t let her down. I wouldn’t.

I armed myself, checking my weapons with meticulous care. Every click and every snap of a loaded magazine was a promise to her, a vow that I would bring her home. I tucked a photo of us into my pocket, a silent reminder of what I was fighting for.

Finally, I stepped out of the penthouse, joining my men in the lobby. Their faces were set, and their eyes were determined. They knew what was at stake. We moved out, a silent force ready to reclaim what was ours.

The drive to the warehouse was tense, every second ticking by with excruciating slowness. We parked a few blocks away, moving into position with practiced stealth. The diversion team took their places on the eastern side, while the extraction team moved west.

Alex set up his equipment, with the thermal imaging showing a detailed layout of the warehouse. Red and orange blobs marked the positions of the guards, a clear path illuminating the way to where Aurora was likely being held.

"Targets identified," Alex whispered. "Snipers are in position. On your signal, Rossi."

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding with a mix of fear and anticipation. This was it. The moment we’d prepared for. "Go," I said softly.