Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Sophia
T he morning light spills through the blinds, casting long, soft shadows across the room. It's a strange quiet today—no gunfire, no explosions, just the distant hum of the city waking up. It feels surreal after everything we've been through.
I sit at the small table, my hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee, trying to push down the exhaustion that's creeping up on me. I'm still sore from the wound, but I'm not letting it stop me.
Alessio's in the other room, speaking in hushed tones to Matteo. I can't hear their words, but I know what they're discussing. We have one last step to take: dealing with Domenico and bringing an end to his operation once and for all.
The five families.
I close my eyes, letting the weight of it settle in. The plan is simple: Meet with the families, expose Domenico's betrayal, and take control back. But nothing is ever simple. I know the risks. I know there's a chance that things could go sideways.
The sound of footsteps pulls me from my thoughts, and I look up to see Alessio entering the room. His attention snaps to mine immediately, and for a moment, everything else fades. The intensity in his expression, the weight of everything we've been through—it's all there, unspoken.
"Kids are settled," he speaks steadily. "Matteo's taking them to a safe house outside the city. He will stay with them while we handle things with the families."
I nod, relief washing over me, though I don't let myself relax. "Good."
He pulls out the chair beside me and sits down, the distance between us almost unbearable. He doesn't say anything for a few moments, his eyes flicking over me.
"It all comes down to today," I whisper.
Alessio reaches across the table, taking my hand in his, his fingers warm against mine. "We end this."
I squeeze his hand, the weight of the decision heavy between us. The families are our fighting chance. Our world has rules and things that we stand for. I need to just prove that Domenico will not uphold our values and they will be on my side, regardless of my sex.
"I'm ready," I say, though internally, I feel unease.
Alessio leans in slightly, his expression softening as he looks at me. "We'll make it through. Together."
I take a deep breath, trying to steady the swirling thoughts in my head. There's a knot in my chest, and no matter how much I try to ignore it, I can't.
I lean forward, closing the distance between us, and his hand moves to cup my face, his touch warm and reassuring. His eyes linger on me, and for a moment, I feel like the world around us disappears.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," I whisper, my breath catching in my throat.
"You won't have to," he replies steady and low. "I'm not going anywhere."
For a heartbeat, we just sit there, the quiet between us more intimate than any words. I lean in, my lips brushing against his, softly at first, tentative, like I'm afraid to break the fragile moment. But then the kiss deepens, our hands moving, pulling each other closer, and the world outside disappears.
The kiss is everything—relief, longing, a promise. It's the first time in so long that I feel like we're both standing still, just for a second, in the chaos of everything that's happened.
When we pull away, we're both breathless, and for a moment, I rest my forehead against his, letting the stillness settle around us.
"I love you," Alessio says quietly, his voice thick with emotion.
I close my eyes, savoring the words, the truth in them. "I love you, too," I whisper, my hand moving to his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath my fingers.
I have been holding onto those words for a while. I know I love him because my heart beats in rhythm with his.
"Make love to me, Alessio." My words are barely above a whisper, but they fill the room we are sitting in. I lift off my chair and settle into his lap. "Show me how much you love me."
Our lips collide into a heated kiss. Our tongues move with each other with an urgency that had not been there before, unlike the last times he worked my body. This time, we are clawing at each other.
I feel the complaint of my wound, but I don't care. All I want is to feel him. I need him in ways I have never needed anyone in my life before. Our kiss is frantic and uncaged. I pull away from him to catch my breath, my chest heaving up and down as I try to slow my racing heart.
"I want to taste you," I say against his lips. I pull off of his lap and drop down to my knees in between his legs. The dress that I have on kisses the floor when I sit down on my knees.
"You don't have to do that, baby," he whispers. But I can see the desire swimming in his eyes. He wants this as much as I do.
"I want to see you come undone, Alessio," I whisper. My mouth is already watering with anticipation. "Show me."
He unzips his trousers and frees his hard cock. The sight of it has me licking my lips. I take all of him into my mouth slowly at first until I feel him hit the back of my throat. He grabs a fist full of my hair, a hiss escaping his teeth.
I move up and down on his dick, feeling the soft twitch of his hard cock in my mouth. My head bobs up and down as I begin to incorporate my hand along with my mouth. I squeeze his base carefully, just enough to have him groaning and bucking into my mouth.
"Oh baby…" he moans into the empty apartment. "Fuck, yes, take my cock into your mouth. You suck my cock like a slut, my slut."
I slurp and wet his dick as I take him in. I love watching him come undone under my touch. It is the most delicious thing I have ever seen. I can watch him do this for all of eternity. His muscles tense underneath me, and I know that he is only seconds from finding his release, but he abruptly pulls out of my mouth with a loud pop.
"Alessio!" I whimper.
But my whimpers are soon drowned out when he lifts me from my knees and places me onto his lap. I straddle him, my hands coming to his shoulders, and he plunges into me without warning. I am hit by this wave of extreme passion. It sears through my body, torching everything in its wake. He moves in and out of me relentlessly, taking me to new heights with every forceful blow.
"Ah!" I gasp. "Alessio! Please!"
He growls into the crook of my neck. His teeth graze my skin and warms my blood. I feel the pleasure moving through every cell in my body.
The lightning courses through my veins, my body moist with sweat and passion.
"Alessio, I'm going to…"
"Come for me, baby."
His command is all I need to find my release. My body bucks forward into him. My fingers are pulling at the soft strands on his scalp. I smash my lips onto him so he can steal my screams and swallow them whole. He shudders under me, his cock spilling into me as he follows me down to the sweet abyss.
We allow the orgasms to move between us, the fire moving between our bodies and settling into our chests.
He is the man I love, my stable center and the pillar of strength that I depend on. Outside of these walls, we have a war on the horizon, but for just this moment, we will exist as two people who love each other like their lives depend on it.
We will make it out of this alive. This is my solemn vow to myself and to Alessio. We will not allow Domenico to steal our futures.
The time arrives for us to make our final move against Domenico. Weeks of running, shooting, and dodging have all lead up to this one singular moment.
And in this moment, despite the danger waiting, despite everything we've been through, it feels like we're exactly where we're supposed to be. Together.
The tension in the room is suffocating. We've been preparing for this moment for hours, and yet it feels like it's happening too soon. Every step, every decision leading us here feels like it's written in stone—there's no turning back now.
I stand by the window, looking out at the city skyline as the sun sets, the last slivers of daylight fading into the night. The quiet hum of the city below seems so distant from the chaos that's been surrounding us, but I know it won't last.
Domenico knows we've found the kids. We can't even pretend he doesn't. His retaliation will come fast. He'll be accelerating his plans, trying to finish what he started before we can stop him.
I turn from the window as Alessio steps into the room, his face unreadable as always, but the dark circles under his eyes betray the exhaustion he's been hiding. He doesn't say anything right away, just moves past me to gather his jacket and gear. I watch him for a moment, trying to gauge what's going through his mind.
"You ready?" I ask, my voice quiet but steady.
Alessio doesn't look at me at first, but then he pauses, his back to me. "You've heard what they want. You know the stakes."
I nod, my fingers tightening on the strap of my bag. We've been over this a dozen times, but the reality of it is settling in now—Domenico is cornered, and so are we. The families are our only shot at shutting him down for good, but they won't make it easy. They don't trust us, not after everything that's happened.
"I know," I say. "I'm ready."
He turns then, his eyes meeting mine, and for the briefest moment, I see something in his expression—a quiet, almost unreadable sadness. Maybe it's the weight of everything we've lost. Maybe it's the fact that we're walking into the lion's den.
"Just… stay close," he says, softer than I expect. "If things go south, I need you to stick with me."
"I will." I speak with a firmness, even if my heart is racing in my chest. I won't leave him. Not now. Not ever.
He steps forward then and pulls me into his arms, his warmth grounding me in the chaos of everything. I let myself lean into him, breathing in the scent of him—leather, gunpowder, and something else I can't quite place. Comfort, maybe.
"We'll end this tonight," he murmurs, pressing his forehead against mine.
I nod, my throat tight. "We have to."
For a long moment, we just stand there, holding each other in the quiet before the storm. It feels like everything is weighing down on us—Domenico's plans, the families' distrust, the kids we rescued. Everything.
I pull away from him, taking a step back as I look at him one last time. "Let's go."
The ride to the Romano mansion is silent, the car speeding through the streets as I stare out the window, trying to steady my breath. Alessio's presence beside me is a quiet reassurance, but even he can't hide the tension in his shoulders. He's always been good at hiding his emotions, but I can feel the strain in him now, the weight of what's to come.
As we approach the mansion, the grand structure looming ahead, I can feel my pulse quicken. The meeting with the families is here, and everything depends on it. If we can convince them that Domenico is the real threat, that they have to stand with us, we have a chance. But if we fail, we'll be fighting this battle alone.
We pull up to the front gates, and the massive stone walls of the mansion come into view, towering and imposing. Guards stand on every corner, their presence a reminder of the power they wield.
Alessio doesn't say anything as we step out of the car, but I can feel the finality of it all. This could be the last time we walk away from something like this.
"Stay sharp," he says as he walks toward the front door.
I fall into step beside him, my heart pounding in my chest. We've been through so much to get here, but nothing could have prepared me for this moment.
The door to the mansion opens before we even knock, and we're ushered inside by two of Domenico's men. They don't look at us with hostility, but their eyes are cold—calculating.
We follow them through the marble halls, the tension thick in the air. The silence is oppressive, and for a moment, I wonder if we're walking into a trap. This is the first time I have been home in weeks. This place doesn't even feel like home anymore.
The room we're led to is grand, filled with heavy wooden furniture, old portraits, and dark curtains that shut out the light. The five families are seated at a long, polished table. Their eyes turn toward us as we enter, their faces unreadable.
Domenico is there, too, sitting at the head of the table, his expression twisted into something that could almost pass as a smile.
"You're late."
"We were busy," Alessio replies coldly, his eyes not leaving Domenico's.
I stand beside him, my hand instinctively reaching for my gun, though I don't draw it. The air between us and the families is thick, charged with distrust, and I know that this meeting could go either way.
"Let's get to it," I enthuse. "We know what you've been doing, Domenico. The children. The trafficking."
The room falls silent, the families exchanging glances.
Domenico's eyes glint, and his lips curl into a smirk. "I'm sure you've heard much from your informant."
The words hang in the air, and for a split second, I wonder if Matteo's loyalty will be questioned here. I glance at Alessio, who doesn't flinch. He's in control. But even he can't hide the underlying tension in the room.
"This ends tonight," Alessio says firmly. "You're finished."
Domenico leans back in his chair, the smirk still playing on his lips. "We'll see about that."