Chapter 79
Back at the estate, Carmen paced the war room, her phone clutched tightly in her hand. The panicked reports from Marco’s team had started coming in minutes earlier, and every word confirmed her worst fears.
“Mobilize the reinforcements,” she ordered, her voice sharp.
Sergio nodded, reaching for his radio. “They’re ready. We can have boots on the ground in twenty minutes.”
Carmen turned to Luca, her resolve unshaken. “We’re going too.”
“Carmen—” Luca began, his voice hesitant.
She cut him off. “He’s my husband, Luca. I’m not sitting here while he’s fighting for his life.”
Luca hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Let’s go.”
________________
At the compound, the situation grew more dire by the second. Marco’s men were pinned down, their numbers dwindling as Rafael’s forces overwhelmed them. Smoke and gunfire filled the air, chaos reigning as Marco fought to keep his team alive.
“Fall back!” Marco shouted, motioning for his men to retreat to a more defensible position.
But the enemy was relentless, cutting off their escape routes and closing in from all sides. Marco’s heart pounded as he realized they were running out of options.
Then, over the din of the firefight, the roar of approaching vehicles reached his ears.
“Reinforcements!” one of his men shouted, hope breaking through the chaos.
Carmen’s backup forces arrived in a wave, their vehicles screeching to a halt as armed reinforcements poured out. Luca led the charge, his weapon blazing as he joined the fight.
Carmen was right behind him, her movements precise and fearless as she took down enemy guards with unwavering focus.
“Marco!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Marco turned, relief flooding his expression as he saw her. “Carmen! What are you doing here?”
“Saving your stubborn ass,” she shot back, ducking behind cover as another volley of bullets rang out.
With the reinforcements tipping the balance, the tide of the battle shifted. Rafael’s forces began to falter, their lines breaking as Carmen and Marco’s combined forces pushed them back.
________________
By the time the dust settled, the compound was in ruins, and Rafael’s remaining guards had either surrendered or fled. Marco approached Carmen, his chest heaving from exertion, his face streaked with dirt and sweat.
“You shouldn’t have come,” he said, his voice a mix of frustration and gratitude.
Carmen raised an eyebrow. “And let you get yourself killed? Not a chance.”
Marco chuckled, pulling her into a tight embrace. “You’re impossible, you know that?”
“That’s why you love me,” Carmen replied, a smile tugging at her lips.
He leaned his forehead against hers, his voice softening. “I do. And I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Carmen cupped his face, her eyes filled with both love and determination. “You’ll never have to find out. We’re in this together, Marco. Always.”
As their men regrouped, the couple stood together amidst the wreckage, their bond stronger than ever. The war wasn’t over, but in that moment, they knew they could face whatever came next—side by side.
