Chapter 19 Dante
DANTE
I’ve never been so nervous in my life. I’ve never had a reason to be. “You had better know what you’re doing,” I grit out.
With a sigh, Alessandro replies, “I do.”
“Are you sure about that?” I counter. “This is my wife we’re talking about.”
“This is my little sister we’re talking about, and she was my sister before she was your wife, so—”
“Would you both give it a rest?” Luca demands from the back seat.
It’s taking everything in him to be in Alessandro’s presence without putting a bullet in the back of his head, and I know that because I would very much like to be the one to pull the trigger after everything he put my family through.
Joining forces is a necessary evil, and a sacrifice I have to be willing to make for Sophia’s sake.
“You think he’ll show?” I ask, and I know it’s not the first time I’ve posed the question, but the alternative to repeating myself is sitting here in silence, letting doubt eat me alive.
“I know he will,” Alessandro assures me, grim but certain. “I’ve never heard him sound so happy. He’ll want to show her off. It means proving he could get around your security.”
I still can’t help but bristle at the thought. “We’ll have to add an item to our protocol… how to handle sudden bombings.”
Alessandro smirks, rolling his eyes before checking the time. “He should be here any minute,” he murmurs, and now I hear tension in his voice. He’s taking this seriously, as he should. He’s a little more anxious than he wants to let on too.
Could he be capable of genuine affection for his sister? I guess anything is possible. Here I am, tearing myself to pieces over this woman when marrying her was the last thing I wanted.
“Tell me the truth,” I urge before he can get out of the car to enter the completely nondescript diner.
It could be any diner, anywhere, which makes it a good location for this to go down.
The lunch rush has passed by now, not that it matters after my cousin arrived first and kicked everyone out except the staff, meaning there are only a few cars in the lot.
Luca is on the phone with Nico, confirming he and Cesco are in place in the kitchen.
I’m sure the staff was thrilled when they found out they were about to play a part in this scheme, but the money that changed hands should make it more than worthwhile.
I doubt either of the waitresses currently working their shift sees that much in tips over the course of a month, much less a single afternoon.
Alessandro sighs before turning to me. “What?”
“When you were on the phone, did he seem solid? Level?” I ask.
He seems to take the question seriously instead of firing off a quick, sarcastic remark. “As level as someone who was willing to bomb a compound to steal another man’s wife. That’s the best I can say. Now let me get out of this car and into that diner before he gets here.”
Be careful with her. I hold back at the last second when my pride won’t let me voice what’s weighing heaviest on my heart.
All I can do is get out of the car along with him and enter the diner, Luca at my back as we head straight for the kitchen.
Along the way, I scan the interior while inserting my AirPods to listen in on the conversation after calling Alessandro’s cell.
Two of our guys are slouched in one corner booth, while another two sit on vinyl-covered stools at the counter.
They blend in perfectly in their jeans and track suits, drinking their coffee, minding their business, or at least pretending to.
I only hope that if Sophia recognizes any of them, she doesn’t show it. At least, not until Alessandro talks some sense into that fucking maniac.
To think, there was a time when Alessandro was the maniac.
Now I’m counting on him to rescue the woman I think I might have fallen in love with.
Life is strange like that. “Leave the phone face down on the seat,” I tell him.
He surprises me by doing as I ask, and I mute my phone to be sure no sound is picked up that could alert the sick fuck holding my wife captive.
“Just promise none of my people are going to get hurt.” A middle-aged man in a short-sleeved shirt stands with his arms folded, his back to a prep station. I’m sure this is not what he expected when he left home this morning.
“Everything will be fine,” Nico tells him with a sigh that tells me it’s not the first time. “Just stay back here and stay quiet.”
“You two, outside,” I decide, gesturing to him and Cesco. “In case he decides to make a run for it. But—”
“Be careful with her. We know.” Nico looks sympathetic, even clapping me on the shoulder on his way through the door leading out to the rear lot.
“Look.” Luca motions for me to join him at the window cut out of the swinging door leading to the dining area.
Through it, I see Alessandro sitting up a little straighter as he watches the progress of a car only partly visible from where I’m standing.
There’s no doubt in my mind who he’s looking at when his eyes narrow and his jaw tightens dangerously.
I take the risk of swinging open the door slightly. “You’re meeting an old friend,” I remind him before ducking back into the kitchen. He flips me off, but at the same time, relaxes his posture. The prick.
Why did I think I could handle this? Standing back here, hiding myself when I should be out there fighting for her.
My fingertips touch the door, ready to push it open again, but Luca holds me back.
“Don’t.” Normally, I’d shove him away, but I can only be grateful now. For once, he’s got the cooler head.
I have to settle for watching, standing to the side of the window, barely peering through the glass by the time a bell chimes, signaling the front door being opened. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath until I release it when I see her.
I don’t know what I expected. I didn’t believe he would hurt her, at least not yet. There hasn’t been enough time. But seeing her in one piece is still enough to make the air rush from my lungs.
I wouldn’t say I’m satisfied, though. Not when Enzo takes her by the hand in an intimate gesture before leading her to the booth where Alessandro waits.
“Here she is. Free at last,” Alessandro declares.
His voice is slightly muffled thanks to the phone’s position, but I hear the genuine gladness in his voice. He’s convincing, I’ll give him that.
They hug next to the booth while Enzo looks around. I’m sure he trusts his friend, but that doesn’t keep all of his suspicions at bay. The brazen fucker. Touching a hand to my wife’s back, helping her into the booth like he has the right.
Though when she stiffens at his touch, I’m glad. I needed to see that. She doesn’t want his hands on her.
“I can’t believe you’re back.” She sounds genuinely glad, too, as she takes her seat across from her brother.
He reaches across the table and takes her hand, leaning in a little, staring into her eyes. “I had to be here for you. I couldn’t stay away.” He’s trying to send a message. Does she understand?
“I told you,” Enzo crows. The excitement in his voice makes my hands curl into fists. How pathetic can one person be? “I told you I would get her out. Your old man might’ve sold her off, but that doesn’t mean we need to accept it.”
“Is that what he did?” Alessandro’s voice is softer now, gentle, and from where I’m standing, it looks like he’s stroking his sister’s knuckles with his thumb. “Did he sell you off? Is that how you feel?”
I wish I could see her face. I wish I knew whether she has any inkling of understanding what’s really happening. I wish I could have given her a signal, a pet name we only use with each other. But we have never done any of that. There hasn’t been enough time. I just need more time.
“How could she feel differently?” Enzo has the entire narrative worked out in his head, obviously, and doesn’t need to wait for her response. “You know how he’s always been. Treating her like a commodity. No man was ever good enough. Because he had big plans,” he scoffs.
“Let’s be fair,” Sophia murmurs, barely loud enough for me to hear through my AirPods. “You were the only man in my life for a long time. You were the only one he ever turned down.”
“Because you knew there was no use in trying to find anyone who could love you the way I do.”
Is that what he needs to tell himself? For all I know, it could be true. He was the only man for her until I came along.
“See, here’s the thing…” Alessandro glances at Enzo before releasing Sophia’s hand. He then folds his on the table, staring at Enzo. “There are a lot of unhappy people because of this.”
Enzo shrugs like the stupid bastard he is. “I knew there would be.”
“People are going to die,” Alessandro insists. “You know that too?”
Shrugging again, Enzo asks, “Since when does that matter to you?”
He’s got a point. I would like to know the answer myself.
“Since I learned something when I was away.” Alessandro retakes Sophia’s hand, this time giving her a different sort of look, one that means he’s serious. “There’s only so long a man can play the lone wolf.”
Glancing at Enzo, he continues, “When you texted, you told me you have an alliance with these other families. They’re counting on you to create chaos so they can swoop in and take advantage.”
Motherfucker. He already filled us in on Enzo’s plans while we drove here, but hearing it again calls up the same rage. It’s not enough for him to take my wife. He thought he could destroy my family too.
“But think about it,” Alessandro urges. “What are a couple of low-level families going to do that the combined forces of the Santoros and Vitalis can’t?”
Enzo rolls his shoulders back and lifts his chin. Dammit. He senses trouble the way an animal would by sniffing a scent on the wind. “This was a mistake. It’s time to go.” He wraps a hand around Sophia’s forearm, and she looks at him, letting me see her face and the worry in it.