Chapter 4

Dante's POV

“Fucking hell.” Ghost cursed as he caught Lily, who was out like a light. “Did you have to hit her that hard?”

“What? She fucking kicked my balls while you were stargazing over there.” Luca groaned in pain.

Matteo chuckled. “How was I to know she would pull a stunt like that?”

“Fuck you, man.”

“You have 72 hours or consider your daughter dead.” I addressed her father, who was sobbing.

“Y–Yes, sir.” He stuttered.

“Let's go, boys.” I exited the house. Luca hoisted Lily over his shoulder.

She was kept in the backseat with me, while Luca rode shotgun. I stared at her face, admiring her pretty features, which had started to swell up because of the force of the slap. I hadn't expected her to try and fight back, especially kicking Luca in the jewels. She was really surprising. I wondered if there was more to her than she let on.

I shook my head pulling out my phone. I dialled then brought it up to my ear. Isabella picked up on the first ring.

“Boss.”

“Schedule a meeting with Diego right away.” I instructed. Diego was the leader of one of the smaller gangs under the family. He had been the one cause the chaos with the Serpents.

“Yes, sir.” She replied.

“Also, prepare the holding room. We have a guest.”

“Oh?” She asked.

“Yeah, you'll see when I get back.” I hung up.

We returned shortly after to Villa Silente, my family owned estate. The dense forests and high walls covered each corner of the land. In the very center was the mansion. With its gentle mix of old world elegance and mordern luxury it held gazes with its tall columns, marble floors and a large expanse of rooms in the interior.

Isabella stood at the entrance to welcome us back.

“Everything went well, I presume?” She inquired.

“Not exactly.” I grunted as we all walked through the building towards the elevators.

She glanced back at Lily whose head lolled back and forth against Luca’s back. I caught the glimpse of a raised brow before she schooled her expression.

“Is that the guest?” She asked as we stepped into the elevators.

“Yes.” I replied, pressing the button..

“I see.” She blinked. “Diego is on his way, and the holding room is ready.” Isabella reported.

The elevator stopped on the last floor. I turned to Luca as we got off. “Take her there.”

Luca nodded, heading off to the right. I walked ahead to the large double cherry wood doors at the end of the hall. Isabelle turned the ornate handles, pushing it wide to let us both in. The room behind was a large lounge with glass for walls. Everything on the outside was on on full display.

I traced my hand against the leather chairs walking towards the bar on the left side. Grabbing a wine bottle and a glass from the wine rack I poured myself a drink.

I pulled off my blazer pushing up my sleeves to my elbows. “Let's go through the file.”

Matteo handed me the file we’d gotten from the Syndicate. It held details of my assigned job. Whatever the hell that was. I flipped it open.

“Justin Harris.” I read the name written below the picture of a black man, with a tag around his neck. He had a familiar look of a set of people I rarely--and hated to--engage with. Reporters.

“What do the Syndicate want with a reporter?” Matteo asked.

Good question. I remained silent flipping to the next page reading through the man’s details. He was a reporter/ investigator, one of the best around. With a nasty track record of exposing big wigged dirty politicians across the state.

“If they wanted him gone, they could have given the job to a smaller gang.” Ghost commented, reading over my shoulders.

“Must be more than just killing him off. He has information.” Isabella chimed in.

Isabella was right. I flipped to the next page. The job was simple. An abduction. No traces. All we needed to get was the information he had. Nothing more.

“I wonder how he got information on the Syndicate in the first place.” I closed the file.

“He must have his sources.” Isabella guessed.

“Ghost, find everything on him. If those old timers gave us this job, there’s something else here.” The Syndicate dished out their jobs ranging from difficulty. A simple capture and release would ideally be offered to smaller gangs. Dragging me into something so trivial only spelt trouble. Trouble waiting to happen.

“Yes, boss.” Matteo grabbed the file from the counter while I sipped my wine.

A knock came and the door swung open. Diego walked in along with one of his lackeys. The burly man moved from side to side like a bobble head. His eyes wandered around the room in awe before settling on us. Immediately, he bowed.

“Boss.” He greeted.

“Diego! Nice to see you.”Matteo called to the shorter man, ushering him to the bar. “ It's been a while.”

“Sit.” I gestured to the barstool.

He smiled as he lowered himself onto the stool, his lackey standing beside him.

“Would you like a drink also?” Matteo offered with an uncanny grin which didn’t reach his eyes. I met them, a look of understanding glazing through them.

“Umm… I—” He hesitated.

“Go ahead, please make yourself comfortable.” My right hand man urged. He grabbed a glass, pouring him some wine.

“I heard about the little issue with the Serpents. Care to fill me in?” I asked glancing momentarily at the wine in my glass.

“It was a drug deal gone wrong, boss. While we were trading drugs with our supplier, they somehow got wind of it, and they decided to launch an attack. We only countered back.” Diego explained.

“Hmm, now why would they launch an attack?” I danced my gaze on the man. “Did they take anything?”

“Yes, the drugs.” Diego exhaled roughly. I could see a little pespiration forming on his forehead. “They managed to steal everything. We were taken by surprise, boss.”

“Surprise? Interesting choice of words.” I sipped, eyes steady on him. “And you didn't manage to catch anyone? Instead, you gunned down a civillian.”

“It was too fast, boss.” His lackey interfered. “We weren't expecting them, so we weren't prepared to face an attack.”

I couldn’t help the smile on my face. “You weren’t prepared. Interesting.”

“But we promise to get them next time.” Diego blubbered.

“Next time?” I exhaled placing the glass on the counter with a soft clack. “There is no next time. Whatever it is you and others have got with the Serpent Gangs, you put it to rest starting today.“

“What? After they attacked us and killed our men?” His lackey interrupted again. “We can't let them go like this.”

In a swift motion, I pulled a gun from under the counter shooting the lackey point blank in his thigh. He yelled stumbling to the floor. His boss on the other hand had all but flown from his chair, hands up in surrender.

“Interrupt me again and you won’t have a pulse.”

Diego swallowed. I placed the gun on the counter grabbing the wine bottle.

“Now Diego. What did I say?”

“Put it to rest.” He muttered.

I poured myself another glass. “Louder.”

“Put it to rest.”

“Good.” I dunked the wine down my throat slamming the glass on the counter. Diego’s breathing could be heard mixed with the silent groans of his lackey.

“Now, get out and get his fucking blood off my floor.” I waved them away.

“Boss, Luca just texted.” Bella called my attention. “Your guest is awake.”

Running a hand through my hair I hooked the gun back into the holser under the counter. “No rest for the wicked.”