Nico's Revenge

Chapter 46: Nico's Revenge

The storm arrived without warning.

Dante sat in his study, the glow of the city stretching out beyond the vast windows behind him. The weight of the DeLuca empire rested on his shoulders now, and for the first time, he allowed himself to feel it. Power was intoxicating, but it came at a price—one he had paid in blood.

Isla was in his bed, asleep, wrapped in silk sheets that barely covered her bruised skin. Evidence of their toxic, unbreakable bond. He should have let her go. But he couldn't. Not now. Not ever.

A knock at the door shattered the quiet.

Luca entered, his expression tight. "We have a problem."

Dante straightened. "What is it?"

Luca threw a phone onto the desk. The screen was lit up with a message.

Nico Bianchi: You thought you could take Antonio out without consequence? I hope you're ready, DeLuca. Because I'm coming for you.

Dante's eyes darkened as he read the words.

Luca folded his arms. "It was only a matter of time."

Dante leaned back, his fingers drumming against the polished wood of his desk. He had anticipated retaliation, but he had expected it to come later. Nico was acting fast—too fast. That meant he had been planning this before Antonio's death.

"He's coming for my empire."

Luca nodded grimly. "He's not alone. He's rallied the remnants of Antonio's loyalists, and from what our informants say, he's bringing hell with him."

Dante exhaled slowly. Then he stood, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. "Then we'll give him a war."

The First Strike

It happened just as dawn broke.

Explosions ripped through one of the DeLuca warehouses, sending a fireball into the sky. The heat could be felt from miles away, the destruction unmistakable.

By the time Dante's men arrived, the damage had already been done.

"Casualties?" Dante demanded, stepping through the rubble as his men assessed the wreckage.

Luca approached, his face grim. "Five dead. More injured. We lost over half a shipment of weapons."

Dante's jaw clenched. He could feel the rage building inside him, a familiar heat that burned behind his ribs.

Isla stood nearby, arms crossed. She had insisted on coming, even though he told her to stay behind. Now, she watched him carefully, gauging his reaction.

"He's testing you," she said, voice steady. "Seeing if you'll hesitate."

Dante scoffed. "He'll regret that."

Luca exhaled sharply. "Dante, we need to think this through. If we go after him now, we'll be walking straight into a trap."

Dante turned to him, his eyes cold. "Then we set one of our own."

The Counterattack

Nico had made his first move, but Dante had built his empire on knowing how to strike back harder.

By nightfall, his men had already identified one of Nico's key hideouts—an underground club that served as a front for his operations.

"We take it out," Dante ordered.

Luca hesitated. "You're talking about making a public statement. That'll escalate this to a full-scale war."

Dante's gaze was like steel. "It already is."

Blood on the Streets

The club was packed when Dante and his men arrived, the music pulsing like a heartbeat beneath the flashing lights.

Dante walked in first, dressed in black, his presence sending a ripple of unease through the room. He didn't bother with warnings.

The first gunshot silenced the music.

Then all hell broke loose.

His men moved with precision, taking out Nico's guards before they could even reach for their weapons. Blood splattered against the walls, screams cutting through the air as Dante made his way toward the VIP section.

He found Nico's second-in-command cowering behind a table.

Dante grabbed him by the collar, slamming him against the wall. "Where's your boss?"

The man choked, fear evident in his eyes. "H-he's coming for you. This is just the beginning."

Dante pressed his gun to the man's temple. "Tell him I'll be waiting."

The shot echoed through the club.

A War Ignited

By the time Dante returned to the estate, Isla was waiting for him.

"You think this will stop him?" she asked, arms crossed.

Dante poured himself a drink. "No. But it will send a message."

She watched him carefully. "And what if he comes for me?"

Dante turned to her, his expression unreadable. Then, stepping closer, he tilted her chin up with his fingers. "Then I'll burn the entire city down."

Isla shivered, but not from fear.

Because despite everything, she knew one thing was certain—this war was just beginning.