Chapter 16 Dante
DANTE
Sofia's excited about a holiday choral performance.
She’s been talking about it all afternoon, ever since I cleared my schedule and sent Enzo to do my dirty work for me to invite Angelica and our daughter to join me.
It's a tradition in the city, though I'll be the first to admit I've not upheld any traditions.
They're meant for families, and until this year, I had none.
"Marta said there’ll be cookies," Sofia says, "and hot chocolate."
She lets me hang her shawl on a hanger while Angelica removes her own coat and hangs it.
The foyer is full of people preparing for the evening.
Choir members waltz through carrying cups of water and wearing their long Christmas-colored gowns.
I watch Sofia's eyes widen as she squeals.
"Look, Papa! The singers." She looks up at me, and it melts my heart.
It isn't the first time I've heard her use the word "Papa", but it is the first time she's said it to me directly.
"We should get our seats before they run out," I tell her, then I hold out my elbow to Angelica who wraps her arm around my bicep with a stiff expression on her face.
We both know the risk of being out and about together.
Things haven't calmed down at all, and Gerard's attacks have grown more bold lately.
But I don’t want my family to feel like they're prisoners in our home.
This public event poses less of a risk than the Christmas market or other more isolating traditions.
And I have men posted outside to watch things.
Sofia grins and we head into the sanctuary together.
It's warm, filled with the sound of voices that echo around the space.
Tables line one wall with refreshments and pews are arranged in rows facing a small stage where the choir will perform.
The vaulted ceiling is magnificent in a display of stained glass the likes of which I haven't appreciated in years, but tonight it draws my gaze upward.
Sofia tugs on my sleeve and points to the refreshment table. "Can I get cookies?"
"After the performance," Angelica says. "You'll get too jittery to sit still."
"But what if they run out?" Sofia pouts, and I chuckle.
"They won't run out. I promise," I tell her, which is good enough.
She believes I'm a man of my word and that's what I'm trying to be.
Sofia pouts but accepts the answer.
We find seats near the middle of the hall. Rico and Luca position themselves near the exits.
They blend in well enough, but they know how important it is to me that my family stays safe.
The choir takes the stage and begins to sing traditional carols in Italian.
The voices are clear and sweet.
Sofia sits between Angelica and me, swinging her legs and watching the performance with wide eyes.
Angelica leans back in her seat and listens with a soft expression on her face.
I watch her more than I watch the choir.
The way the light catches in her dark hair.
The way she smiles when Sofia whispers something to her.
The way she looks relaxed for the first time in days.
It's like she's entranced in the beautiful performance and it makes her radiate beauty.
This is what I want to give her.
Moments like this where she can forget about the danger and enjoy something simple and normal with our daughter.
I hope she can see that I'm trying to be the man she wants me to be.
I'm not good at any of this, and it's like learning to ride a bike.
I keep failing, but when I do get it right, it feels magical.
Especially because I've never known these emotions before in my life.
Sitting here with Angelica and Sofia, I realize my father was wrong.
Caring about them doesn't make me weak.
It makes me fight harder to defend what I have because having something and losing it is worse than never having it at all.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out discreetly to check the screen. It's a text from Rico.
Rico 8:14 PM: One of Antonelli's men is outside. He followed us here.
I read the message twice and feel my jaw tighten.
Gerard is a flea on a camel's back that needs to be exterminated.
It seems no matter what I do, he's there to ruin it.
The pressure he's applying on me in every sphere of my life has to stop.
I look at Angelica and Sofia.
They're both watching the choir.
Neither of them notices my phone or the tension that runs through me.
I could stay here and pretend I didn't see the message—let Rico and Luca handle it while I sit here and enjoy the performance.
But it would be a risk.
If Gerard's man got into this building and past my men, the results could be disastrous.
I can't imagine letting Sofia see a shootout.
Angelica would leave me immediately.
I lean toward Angelica and speak quietly. "I need to use the restroom. I'll be back in a few minutes." I won’t just sit here while my men put that bastard in his place. I have to make sure for myself that it's done right.
She nods without taking her eyes off the stage.
I stand and walk toward the back of the hall.
Rico catches my eye and follows me outside.
Luca stays inside to watch Angelica and Sofia.
The cold air hits me as soon as I step through the door.
Rico is there now, ready to lead me around the side of the building where the church butts against an alley.
Enzo has a man pinned against the wall with one arm twisted behind his back. I didn't realize he had even come.
The man is young, with a nervous expression and sweat running down his face despite the cold.
He wears a dark jacket and jeans.
Nothing that marks him as part of Antonelli's crew, but if my men tell me he's the enemy, I'm obligated to trust them.
I walk over and stand directly in front of him.
He tries to straighten but Enzo keeps him pinned.
"Who sent you?" I ask.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he says, and his voice is shaking. He's green, probably never been confronted by a mark before. Gerard is getting sloppy.
I pull my knife from my belt and press the flat of the blade against his cheek.
Not hard enough to cut, just hard enough to make him understand what will happen if he lies to me again.
"I'm going to ask you one more time. Who sent you?"
"Fuck," he gasps. "Gerard wanted me to follow you and see where you went. That's it…"
"And what were you supposed to report back?"
"Just information. Nothing else. I swear." His eyes dart around frantically as he pushes at Enzo's chest.
He's just a child still, maybe not even twenty years old. Who the fuck sends someone so young to do a job like this?
I press the blade harder. "Did he tell you to hurt anyone?" I already know I can't kill him, but I can send a message.
"No, just information. That's all."
I study his face.
He's telling the truth.
He's just a scout—a low level soldier sent to gather intel.
But the fact that Antonelli sent him at all is a problem.
It means he's watching my movements now, not just my business practices, and that means he's planning to escalate more quickly than we thought.
I step back and fold the knife.
Then I grab the front of his jacket and Enzo backs off.
After a few hard punches to the stomach and one to the face, I grab him by the lapels of his jacket.
His nose is bleeding and he's breathing hard, but he's not trying to fight back. Smart kid.
"You're gonna go back to Antonelli and give him a message for me. You tell him that my family is off limits. And tell him that if he comes near them again, I'll burn his entire operation to the ground. Do you understand?"
The man nods frantically. "Yes. I understand."
"And if I see you or anyone else from his crew following me again, I won't be this generous. I'll send you back in pieces."
"I understand. I swear." The whites of his eyes show as I push him and he stumbles backward. Enzo lets him go, and he runs down the alley without looking back.
I watch him disappear around the corner and feel the rage simmering beneath my calm exterior as I rub my knuckles where I struck him.
They're bleeding and probably swollen and bruised, which Angelica will no doubt notice, but the threat is neutralized for tonight.
Antonelli's escalating. He's not just targeting my shipments and operations anymore. He's targeting my family, trying to prove that he can reach them. That he can hurt me through them.
But he doesn't understand what he's dealing with.
I'll do anything to protect Angelica and Sofia and I'll kill anyone who threatens them.
Rico steps beside me. "What do you want to do?"
"Double the security at the villa. I want guards on every entrance and surveillance on every corner. And I want a full report on Antonelli's movements by morning."
"Understood."
I turn and walk back toward the entrance of the church then take a moment to compose myself before I go inside.
I can't let Angelica see that anything's wrong.
I've done so well at keeping the things of my world separate from her, and I have to make sure I maintain that for her sake.
I need her to trust me.
Once I'm composed, I step through the door and return to my seat.
The choir's still singing.
Angelica glances at me and smiles. "You missed the best part."
"I'm sorry. I'll catch the next one."
Sofia leans against my side and whispers, "They sang my favorite carol. The one about the star."
"I'm glad you liked it," I tell her softly, and my throat constricts.
I could really use a glass of that punch right about now.
The performance continues for another fifteen minutes.
When it ends, the audience applauds and the families move toward the refreshment table.
Sofia jumps up and pulls Angelica toward the cookies.
I follow behind and watch her pile three different kinds onto a small plate.
"Only two," Angelica says. "They'll keep you awake all night long." But she has a smile on her face that's full of the Christmas spirit.
"But there are so many kinds," Sofia protests.
"You can have two now and two later. We'll save them for tomorrow."
Sofia sighs dramatically but agrees.
She takes her plate and finds a chair near the wall.
Angelica pours her a cup of hot chocolate and sits beside her.
I stand nearby and watch them together.
For a few perfect moments, all I feel is the happiness I've been craving my entire life.
Seeing Angelica mirror the love and affection I have for my daughter does something to my heart, and it only solidifies how I feel about them.
When we arrive home, I carry Sofia inside while Angelica follows.
We take her upstairs together and lay her gently on the bed.
Angelica removes her shoes and pulls the blanket over her.
Sofia murmurs something in her sleep but doesn't wake.
We stand beside the bed for a moment watching her.
Then Angelica turns to me and speaks quietly.
"Thank you for tonight. She had a wonderful time."
"So did I," I whisper, taking her hand. She doesn't shy away.
"Did you?"
"Yes. Watching her enjoy the music made it worth it."
Angelica studies my face. "You left for a while during the performance."
"I told you… I had to use the restroom…" I bring her hand to my lips and press a kiss to it. "Come. I'd love to sit and talk with you. We can share a nightcap." I let go, moving toward the door, and to my pleasant surprise, she follows.
Now as long as I can steer her away from questions about why I was gone so long, we'll have a good evening.
She doesn't need to know how Antonelli is escalating and I don’t need to tell her unless she brings it up first.
Tonight is about me showing her how hard I'm trying, and I hope she accepts it with an open mind.