The world blurred into shadows and whispers. Leonardo drifted in and out of consciousness, pain burning through his side like fire. But every time he opened his eyes, one thing stayed constant: Isabella.
She never left his side.
For two days, she sat in the safe room beside him, ignoring her own exhaustion, feeding him water, pressing cool cloths to his fevered skin. The mansion bustled with activity—guards doubling patrols, the sound of guns being loaded echoing down hallways—but Isabella stayed focused solely on him.
On the third morning, Leonardo stirred, groaning softly as his dark lashes fluttered open.
"Leo…" Isabella whispered, instantly leaning over him, her hands trembling as they cupped his face. "You're awake."
His lips curved into the faintest smirk despite his pallor. "Hard to sleep with you hovering like a mother hen, bella."
She let out a shaky laugh, relief flooding her as tears welled in her eyes. "You scared me," she confessed, voice breaking. "I thought I'd lose you."
Leonardo's hand found hers, gripping it weakly but firmly. "You'll never lose me," he said, voice low and hoarse. "I'm not going anywhere… not when you and our child need me."
Her heart clenched painfully. Every wall she'd built around her heart was crumbling, brick by brick, replaced by something far more dangerous: trust.
"You took a bullet for me," she said softly, brushing his hair from his forehead. "Why?"
His dark eyes burned into hers, intense and raw. "Because you're mine, Isabella. Both of you. And I'd burn the entire world before letting anyone hurt what's mine."
The possessiveness in his voice should've terrified her. Instead, it sent a shiver of something entirely different down her spine.
---
Later that day, Leonardo sat propped against pillows while his right-hand man, Marco, stood at the foot of the bed.
"We traced the attack," Marco reported grimly. "It was Romano's men. They've aligned with the Giannis family. They want control of your ports… and they know about Isabella."
Leonardo's jaw tightened, his dark aura filling the room like a thundercloud. "They dared to come into my home," he said, his voice ice-cold. "They dared to fire at my family."
Marco nodded gravely. "Orders?"
Leonardo's eyes flicked to Isabella, who stood near the window, arms protectively wrapped around her stomach. Seeing her there, pale and frightened but still standing tall, ignited a fury deep in his chest.
"No mercy," Leonardo said, his voice a lethal promise. "Burn every Romano front to the ground. Make the Giannis remember why they fear my name."
Marco bowed his head. "Consider it done."
When they were alone again, Isabella turned to him, worry written all over her face. "You're already wounded and you're planning a war?"
Leonardo's gaze softened only for her. "They came for you," he said, his tone fierce. "For our child. That's not war, Isabella… that's survival."
She crossed the room, kneeling beside the bed, her hands gripping his. "I don't want this life," she whispered, desperation thick in her voice. "Guns, blood, enemies at every corner… I don't want to bring a baby into that."
Leonardo reached out, his hand gently cupping her face. "I was born in darkness, bella," he murmured. "But you… you're my light. This child is my chance to give us something better. Safer. I swear to you, I'll end every threat before they ever reach you again."
Tears spilled down Isabella's cheeks. She wanted to doubt him, wanted to cling to the belief that nothing good could come from a man like him. But the way he looked at her now—vulnerable, determined, almost reverent—shattered every argument she had left.
"You'd do all that… for me?" she whispered.
Leonardo's thumb brushed her tear-stained cheek. "Not just for you," he said softly. "For us. Because somewhere between hating me and trying to escape me… you became my entire world."
Her heart stopped. For weeks, she'd fought against the dangerous pull between them. She told herself it was fear, not passion. Captivity, not choice. But in that moment, staring into the eyes of a man who'd kill or die for her and their child, Isabella realized the truth she couldn't run from anymore.
"I hate that you make me feel this way," she said, voice trembling. "I hate that I can't stop thinking about you… even when I should."
A slow, dark smile spread across Leonardo's face. "Good," he whispered, his voice dropping to a husky growl. "Because I can't stop thinking about you either."
He pulled her onto the bed beside him, his strong arms wrapping protectively around her waist. She rested her head on his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart beneath the bandages.
For the first time since she met him, Isabella felt… safe.
---
That night, thunder rumbled in the distance as the DeLuca estate lay cloaked in shadows. Leonardo refused to sleep, holding Isabella close as she dozed against him. His eyes burned with fury and resolve.
Every enemy who dared threaten his woman, his child, would drown in blood before they even breathed her name again.
Because Leonardo DeLuca wasn't just a mafia king anymore.
He was a man in love.
And there was nothing more dangerous than that.
For a moment, Leonardo just stared at her, his usual steel gaze softening. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I've done terrible things," he admitted quietly, a confession no one else had likely ever heard. "Things that should've made you hate me enough to run the first chance you got."
"I did hate you," Isabella said honestly, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I wanted to run every day. But then…" Her voice faltered. "You saved me. You saved us."
His large hand engulfed hers, bringing it to his lips for a lingering kiss that sent her heart racing. "And I'll keep saving you," he vowed. "Even if it costs me everything."
---
That evening, Marco and two of Leonardo's most trusted men entered the room, their expressions grim but respectful.
"Boss," Marco said, bowing slightly before glancing at Isabella. "We need to finalize retaliation plans. Romano's men are regrouping. They won't stop until they've crushed the DeLuca name."
Leonardo's jaw tightened, his entire presence shifting into that of the feared mafia king. "Not while I'm breathing," he growled.
Then, to Isabella's shock, he motioned for her to come closer.
"Everyone listen," Leonardo commanded. "This woman…" His hand wrapped around Isabella's waist, pulling her protectively against his side. "…is not just my captive. She's carrying my blood, my heir. From this day forward, you treat her as the future queen of this empire."
The room went silent before Marco and the others nodded solemnly. "Understood, Boss," Marco said, bowing his head to Isabella.
Her heart pounded wildly. Future queen? The words felt surreal, terrifying… yet a strange spark of warmth bloomed in her chest. For the first time, she wasn't just a prisoner in this mansion—she was someone who mattered to Leonardo's entire world.
When the men left, Isabella turned to him, breathless. "You didn't have to say that," she whispered.
Leonardo cupped her face with both hands, his gaze fierce. "I meant every word," he said. "You're mine, Isabella. I don't care if it takes blood, fire, or war—I'll protect you and our child until my last breath."
The sheer intensity of his devotion stole her breath. Slowly, almost against her will, she leaned in until their lips met in a tender, lingering kiss that spoke of promises unspoken and a bond neither could deny anymore.
---
Hours later, after they'd fallen asleep tangled in each other's arms, a phone buzzed on the nightstand. Leonardo answered, his voice turning to cold steel.
"Good," he said after a brief conversation. "Send the message: DeLuca is coming for every man who dared touch what's his."
When he hung up, Isabella stirred beside him, fear clouding her sleepy eyes. "What does that mean?"
Leonardo brushed a kiss to her forehead, his voice low but lethal. "It means tomorrow, we start a war."
And as Isabella lay awake long after he'd drifted back to sleep, one chilling truth settled deep in her heart:
Loving Leonardo DeLuca meant stepping fully into his world of guns, power, and blood… and there was no turning back.