Chapter Fifteen
Dante
I slam my fist on the desk, the sharp crack echoing through my office. Enzo flinches but holds his ground, his eyes fixed on a point just over my shoulder.
“You’re certain?” My voice is low, dangerous.
Enzo nods. “Saw him with my own eyes, boss. Lorenzo De Luca, leaving Giovanni’s house yesterday after I dropped off Adriana.”
The rage builds inside me, a wildfire threatening to consume everything in its path. I force it down, letting it smolder instead. Cold calculation is what’s needed now.
“Set up a meeting with Giovanni. Somewhere private.”
Enzo bows his head slightly. “Consider it done.”
As he turns to leave, I call out, “And Enzo? Not a word of this to anyone. Especially not Adriana.”
The drive to the meeting spot is tense, the silence in the car broken only by the occasional crackle of the radio. We pull up to an abandoned shopping mall on the outskirts of town. I look at the black SUV already parked outside the warehouse.
Giovanni emerges from the shadows as I approach, his once-proud shoulders now hunched with the weight of his sins. The scent of fear clings to him like cheap cologne.
“Dante,” he begins, his voice wavering. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
I circle him slowly, a predator toying with its prey. “Cut the bullshit, Giovanni. I know about your little chat with Lorenzo.”
His face pales, the blood draining so quickly I wonder if he might faint. It would almost be amusing if the situation weren’t so grave.
“I-I can explain,” he stammers.
I hold up a hand, silencing him. “Save your excuses. I warned you what would happen if you ever betrayed me. And now here we are.”
Giovanni’s eyes dart around wildly, searching for an escape that doesn’t exist. “Please, Dante. You have to understand. I was just trying to protect my family.”
“Protect them?” I snarl, my carefully constructed calm crumbling. “By aligning yourself with that snake Lorenzo? You’ve put everyone at risk, including Adriana.”
I turn back to face Giovanni, my jaw clenched. His eyes are wide, a mix of fear and defiance flickering in their depths.
“You think you’re so different from Lorenzo?” Giovanni spits, finding a shred of courage. “You’re cut from the same cloth, Dante. Both of you, willing to do anything for power.”
My fists clench at my sides, rage boiling in my veins. “I am nothing like that dishonorable bastard!” I bark.
Giovanni lets out a bitter laugh. “Honor? In our world? Don’t make me laugh.”
I step closer, looming over him. “Lorenzo would sell his own mother for a profit. He has no loyalty, no code. The Rossi family? We protect our own.”
“At what cost?” Giovanni challenges, his voice rising. “How many lives have you ruined in the name of ‘family’?”
The rage inside me roars into an inferno. I grab Giovanni by the collar, slamming him against the wall. “You want to talk about ruined lives?” I snarl. “What about Adriana’s? You sold her to me to save your own skin!”
Giovanni’s face contorts with pain and shame. “I did what I had to do!”
“And now you’re doing it again,” I hiss. “Putting her in danger by consorting with Lorenzo.”
We’re nose to nose now, both breathing heavily. The air is charged, years of resentment and mistrust bubbling to the surface.
“You don’t deserve her,” Giovanni retorts, his words cutting deep.
I release him abruptly, stepping back. “Maybe not,” I admit, my voice low. “But I’ll die before I let anyone harm her. Can you say the same?”
I take a deep breath, forcing my anger to cool. It settles into a cold, heavy weight in my chest. Disappointment. I’ve known Giovanni for years, watched him fall from grace. But this? This is a new low.
“Listen carefully,” I say in a deadly voice. “If anything happens to Adriana because of your little dance with Lorenzo, I’ll have your head.”
Giovanni’s eyes widen, fear flickering across his face. Good. He should be afraid.
“The only reason you’re still breathing right now is because you’re her father,” I continue, each word deliberate and sharp. “Don’t make me regret that decision.”
I turn away, unable to look at him any longer. The room feels suffocating, reeking of betrayal and desperation. As I reach for the door handle, I hear Giovanni’s ragged breathing behind me.
“You can’t protect her forever, Dante,” he calls out, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and defeat.
I pause, my hand on the cool metal. “Watch me,” I retort, then wrench the door open.
I stride out, leaving Giovanni to stew in his own fury. The hallway stretches before me, long and empty. My footsteps echo off the walls, matching the pounding of my heart.
Adriana’s face flashes in my mind. Beautiful. Defiant. Mine to protect.
I clench my jaw, resolve hardening within me. Giovanni, Lorenzo, the whole damn world – I’ll burn it all down if that’s what it takes to keep her safe.
The drive home is a blur of neon lights and screeching tires. When I arrive home, I storm into the house and make my way to Adriana’s office. The door’s ajar, a sliver of warm light spilling into the hallway.
I push it open without knocking. “We need to talk.”
Adriana’s head snaps up from her desk, eyes wide with surprise. “Dante? What’s wrong?”
I shut the door behind me, the click of the latch like a gunshot in the tense silence. “Your father,” I say, jaw clenching. “He’s been meeting with Lorenzo De Luca.”
Her face pales, guilt shining in her eyes.
“I… I don’t understand,” she stammers.
“Don’t play dumb, Adriana,” I snarl, moving closer. “Did you know?”
She stands, hands trembling slightly as she smooths her skirt. “Dante, please. Let me explain-”
“Explain what?” I cut her off, slamming my palm on the desk. “That your father’s putting our lives at risk? That he’s betraying everything I’ve built?”
Adriana flinches but doesn’t back down.
. “I saw them,” she admits, anger and hurt reflecting her eyes. “Once. and I confronted my father, I swear.”
My blood boils. She knew and said nothing. I want to shake her, to make her understand the danger we’re in. But the fear in her eyes stops me cold.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, forcing my voice to soften.
She looks away, conflict etched across her face. “He’s my father, Dante. I… I didn’t want to believe he could do something like this.”
I watch her, the way her shoulders slump, the tremble in her lower lip. My anger wars with the urge to protect her, even from this.
“Adriana,” I say, gentler now. “Look at me.”
She meets my gaze, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Your loyalty to your father… I understand it. But this? This puts everything at risk. You, me, our future.”
A tear slips down her cheek.
“I know,” she cries. “I’m sorry, Dante. I should have told you.”
I reach out, wiping the tear away with my thumb. “No more secrets,” I tell her. “From now on, we’re in this together. Understood?”
She nods, leaning into my touch. “Together,” she agrees, her voice stronger now.
I pull her close, feeling her warmth against me. The betrayal still stings, but as I hold her, I know one thing for certain: I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe, even if it means going to war with her own blood.
I breathe in her scent, feeling the tension in my body slowly uncoil. Her fingers clutch at my shirt, desperate and seeking reassurance. I want to give it to her, but the weight of our situation presses down on us both.
“Dante,” Adriana says against my chest, her voice muffled. “What happens now?”
I pull back slightly, cupping her face in my hands. Her eyes are wide, searching mine for answers I’m not sure I have.
“We protect what’s ours,” I say, my thumb brushing her cheekbone. “Your father’s choices have consequences, but you’re not responsible for them.”
She swallows hard. “But I am, aren’t I? By keeping quiet…”
“Stop,” I interrupt, firmer than I intend. I soften my tone. “What’s done is done. We move forward.”
Adriana nods, but I see the doubt lingering in her eyes. It tugs at something deep inside me, a protective instinct I can’t ignore.
“Listen to me,” I say, leaning in close. “You’re my wife. My partner. Whatever comes, we face it together.”
Her lips part, surprise flashing across her face. It’s more vulnerability than I usually show, but with her, the walls come down.
“I never thought…” she starts, then shakes her head. “I was so afraid you’d hate me for this.”
The admission hits me like a punch to the gut. I pull her closer, my forehead resting against hers.
“Never,” I say fiercely. “You’re mine, Adriana. Nothing changes that.”
I feel her relax against me, the tension slowly leaving her body. My fingers thread through her hair, savoring the silky texture.
“I forgive you,” I say, the words hanging heavy in the air between us. “But this is the last time, Adriana. No more secrets.”
She nods, her eyes meeting mine with a newfound resolve. “I understand.”
The clock on her desk ticks loudly in the silence that follows. I inhale deeply, breathing in her sweet scent. It centers me, reminding me of what’s truly important.
“Your loyalty is to me now,” I say, my voice low and intense. “Not your father, not anyone else. Just us.”
Adriana breathes sharply. I see the conflict in her eyes, the struggle between family ties and our bond. But she doesn’t look away.
“I know,” she replies. “I choose you, Dante.”
The words kindle a primal desire within me. I crush my lips to hers, pouring all my possessiveness, my need, my twisted version of love into the kiss. She responds with equal fervor, her fingers digging into my shoulders.
When we break apart, both panting, I rest my forehead against hers again. “Remember this moment,” I tell her. “When things get hard, when you’re tempted to keep things from me – remember.”
She nods, her eyes shining with unshed tears. I’ve given her a lot to process, I know. But we don’t have the luxury of time.
“I need to meet with my brother,” I say, stepping back. “Don’t wait for me.”
As I turn to leave, Adriana’s voice stops me. “Dante?”
I look back, raising an eyebrow.
“Thank you,” she says softly. “For forgiving me.”
I nod once, then slip out of her office.