Chapter 6 - The Long Night to Chicago
The private twin-engine helicopter sliced through the stormy night sky, its heavy blades cutting through the dark clouds as it flew high above the eastern seaboard toward Illinois.
Inside the quiet, leather-trimmed cabin, Lily had finally succumbed to exhaustion, fast asleep on the wide reclining seat, wrapped in a thick cashmere blanket.
Rosa sat beside her, staring out the oval window at the distant, glittering lights of cities miles below. She was wearing one of Alessandro's soft black sweaters over her clothes to block out the chill, the sleeves rolled up twice over her wrists.
Alessandro sat opposite her, a encrypted tablet resting on his lap, his fingers flying across the screen as he coordinated with his capos in New York, Brooklyn, and Detroit.
"How many men do we have in Chicago?" Alessandro asked quietly into a secure headset.
"Three squads already on the ground, Boss," Vance’s voice crackled through the comms line from the front cabin. "They've secured a safehouse near the industrial docks on Lake Michigan. Chicago PD is completely bought off by Romano, but we've deployed private countermeasures. If we strike tonight, it will be fast and silent."
"Keep it contained," Alessandro ordered. "Vincent Romano is the target. Anyone who stands between me and him dies. I want his financial servers seized before sunrise."
He disconnected the line and removed his headset, rubbing the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.
Rosa watched him, seeing the tremendous burden resting on his broad shoulders. She reached across the small table separating their seats, gently placing her hand over his.
Alessandro looked up, his tense features softening instantly as he felt her touch. He flipped his hand over, intertwining his long fingers with hers.
"You don't have to do this, Alessandro," Rosa said softly. "We could go somewhere far away. A place where the Romano family can never find us."
"There is no place far enough, Rosa," Alessandro replied, his dark eyes fixed on hers. "Men like Vincent Romano do not stop. If I run, I spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, wondering if the man walking behind my daughter carries a gun. I built my empire so I would never have to run from anyone. I will finish this tonight, so Lily can grow up in the light."
Rosa looked at him, realizing the profound depth of his love for them. He wasn't going to war for land, money, or pride. He was going to war to purchase his daughter's peace.
"Promise me you'll come back to us," Rosa whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Promise me, Alessandro."
Alessandro leaned forward, bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a tender, lingering kiss against her knuckles.
"I promise," he said softly. "I survived ten years of mafia wars, Rosa. But now I have a reason to live. Nothing on this earth can keep me from coming back to you."
Two hours later, the helicopter touched down smoothly on a private helipad inside a secluded industrial shipyard on the outskirts of Chicago.
Rain was pouring down in sheets, whipping against the corrugated iron roofs of the surrounding warehouses.
A black armored sedan was waiting on the tarmac, its engine humming quietly.
Alessandro stood up, slipping his heavy leather jacket over his shoulders and pulling his weapon from its shoulder holster to check the chamber. He turned to Rosa, placing his hand gently on her head, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead, then kissing Lily’s warm cheek while she slept.
"Vance will stay here with six men," Alessandro instructed her. "The sedan is bulletproof. You stay inside the safehouse suite until I return."
"Be careful," Rosa breathed, her heart heavy with anxiety.
May you like
Alessandro gave her one last, lingering look—a look filled with unspoken love and absolute promise—before stepping out of the helicopter into the pouring rain.
The door snapped shut, leaving Rosa alone in the quiet cabin, watching through the rain-streaked glass as his car sped off into the dark, stormy night of Chicago.
