The following morning, the DeLuca mansion buzzed with tension. Men in black suits armed to the teeth lined the corridors, strategizing in hushed voices. Trucks loaded with weapons rolled out of the gates. The scent of gun oil and impending war filled the air.
Isabella stood by the window of Leonardo's study, one hand protectively resting on her stomach as she watched the preparations. Fear twisted in her gut—not just for herself, but for Leonardo and the dangerous world he ruled.
Behind her, the man himself radiated power and darkness. Dressed in a sharp black suit despite his healing wound, Leonardo looked every inch the mafia king he was born to be.
"You shouldn't be out of bed," Isabella said, turning to face him.
Leonardo's gaze softened for only a heartbeat before the steel returned. "I can't stay down while they're out there plotting to take you from me," he said, voice thick with possessiveness. "Today, Isabella, I remind the world who I am."
"And who is that?" she whispered.
He closed the distance between them, his large hands framing her face. "The man who will slaughter anyone who even thinks about hurting you or our child," he said fiercely. "This war ends before it begins. I swear it."
Her chest tightened. She wanted to beg him not to go, to stay safe, but she knew better. This was his world, his throne—and anyone who challenged him would pay in blood.
Hours later, Leonardo gathered his top men in the mansion's underground war room. Isabella, surprisingly, was summoned to join them.
When she entered, the entire room went quiet. These were hardened killers, men who'd carved empires with bullets and fear, yet they stood respectfully as Leonardo introduced her.
"This is Isabella," Leonardo announced, his hand firmly at her waist. "She carries my heir. From now on, anyone who disrespects her disrespects me."
The men nodded solemnly.
Leonardo led her to the large map spread across the table. "Romano thinks he can challenge me," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "We'll take his docks, his safe houses, his money. By tonight, there won't be a Romano soldier alive to threaten you."
The brutality in his tone sent chills down Isabella's spine. She glanced at Marco, who gave her a subtle nod of reassurance.
Leonardo's eyes softened slightly as he looked at her. "I want you to stay here while I handle this," he said.
"No," Isabella blurted, surprising even herself. "I'm coming with you."
Every man in the room froze. Leonardo's brows shot up, his mouth twitching into a dangerous half-smile.
"You?" he said, his voice a velvet warning. "At a battlefield?"
"I can't just sit here waiting to hear if you're alive or dead," she said fiercely. "If we're in this together… then let me be with you."
A tense silence stretched before Leonardo leaned in, his lips brushing her ear. "You have no idea what you're asking for, bella," he murmured. "But God help me… I can't say no to you.
That night, they rode in a black armored SUV, flanked by convoys of DeLuca soldiers. Isabella sat beside Leonardo, his gloved hand gripping hers tightly.
He leaned closer, his voice a low growl meant only for her. "Stay behind me. If anyone touches you, I'll put a bullet in them myself."
Her pulse raced, fear and adrenaline mixing in her veins. "I trust you," she whispered, and for the first time, she meant it.
Leonardo's gaze softened just enough for him to kiss her forehead. "That's dangerous, bella," he said. "Because I'll never let you go now."
The docks erupted in chaos when they arrived. Romano's men opened fire first, but the DeLucas struck back with ruthless precision.
From the SUV, Isabella watched through the bulletproof window as Leonardo commanded his men like a dark god of war. Every order he barked was followed instantly, every shot hitting its mark.
But when a grenade exploded near their vehicle, Isabella's scream tore from her throat. Before she could react, Leonardo yanked the door open, pulling her into his arms.
"Stay down!" he roared, shielding her body with his as debris rained down.
"Leo, you're hurt!" she cried, feeling warm blood on his sleeve.
"It's nothing," he gritted out, his gun firing over her shoulder with deadly accuracy. "You come first. Always."
The battle raged on for what felt like hours until finally, silence fell over the docks. Romano's men lay defeated, their empire reduced to ash and smoke.
Leonardo stood tall amidst the carnage, one arm wrapped protectively around Isabella as his men rallied to him.
"This is what happens," he declared, his voice carrying like thunder, "when you threaten what's mine."
The soldiers erupted in cheers of loyalty, their king victorious.
Back at the mansion, after the bloodshed had been washed away and Leonardo had been patched up again, Isabella sat in the quiet of their room, trembling from the night's events.
Leonardo emerged from the bathroom, shirtless, bandages stark against his tan skin. His dark eyes softened when he saw her curled up on the bed.
"You were brave tonight," he said, sliding beside her, pulling her into his arms.
"I was terrified," she admitted, tears slipping down her cheeks. "But when I saw you out there… I understood. This is your world. And now… it's mine too."
Leonardo tilted her chin up, his lips brushing hers softly at first, then deeper, hungrier. "No," he whispered against her mouth. "It's our world now. And nothing will take you from me."
Their kiss deepened, a raw mixture of victory, fear, and unspoken love. As he laid her back on the bed, his hands protectively caressing her stomach, one truth became undeniable:
Isabella DeLuca was no longer just a captive.
She was becoming the mafia queen she was destined to be.