Chapter 2

DANTE'S POV

     Julian was a pretty boy. He had always been but after fifteen years, he looked too delicate to be involved in the family business. I was glad Orabella was trying to make him take another path. His lashes fluttered as he looked up at me briefly. I could tell he was skeptical about living with me and I understood him. I would not welcome the idea of living with a step uncle who disappeared for fifteen years.

Aldo cleared his throat. “You know the Montrelli.”

“Very well,” I said, my eyes still fixed on Julian. He was chewing really slowly and his mouth sagged like he'd rather not be here.

“They are sniffing around the port again. Two of their men were caught there last week. Are they just going to ignore that we have it locked down?”

I scoffed. “They are testing you.”

Julian glanced at me. He was a young man shielded from our world. Orabella had done a great job keeping him away from this evil.

“You talk as if this test might not end up with bodies in bags,” Orabella said calmly. Her hand shook as she ran them over dress.

“If you were strong enough, they wouldn't dare,” I locked eyes with Aldo. He moved uncomfortably on his seat but he didn't say anything. His pride would never let him. He might hate me and I might get on his nerves occasionally but I never told a lie. Montrelli would never make a move like that if the rumours of his weakness were not spreading. Orabella coughed as if trying to stop the air from thickening with violence.

She reached for Aldo’s hand which was stiffened by his sides. “We have managed just fine, Aldo. Haven't we?”

Her eyes begged him to agree. He grunted a reply and I smirked. A predator deeply humoured by its prey.

Our plates were cleared and now something sinister hung in the air. No one said a word. There was no sound of cutlery against plate to distract us. Just the gentle hum of the air conditioner.

“Who wants dessert?” Orabella asked as she got out of her chair simultaneously. She didn't wait for a response before hurrying to the kitchen and returning with brownies and ice cream.

“It’s your favourite,” She said to Julian as she passed him a bowl. He smiled politely.

“Thank you mum.”

Our eyes met again for a split second and Julian looked away immediately. Orabella moved quickly, slicing, scooping and serving like the sugar could sweeten the bitterness that hung in the room right now.

“Julian has been working on unsolved cases from five years back,” Orabella said to no one in particular. “Why don't you tell your uncle about it?

“It’s nothing serious, Mum,” Julian said quietly like he was embarrassed.

“Don’t be silly,” She chuckled.

“It’s nothing interesting, Mum,” He said firmly. “I don't want to bore him.”

“Unsolved cases would not bore me,” I said, leaning my elbows on the table. I could see his breath hitch in his throat.

“Try me,” I raised my brows.

He cracked his knuckles and looked around the table. It was very interesting how timid and withdrawn he had grown up to be. I was glad to Orabella from shielding him away from our life of crime and death but I could not shake off the feeling that she had done too much. He looked very fragile and a part of me was glad that he would be with me through his internship. I wouldn't let any harm come to him. Deep down, I feared that I may be the harm that comes to him.

Julian exhaled and for the first time, I noticed the little moustache at the top of his lips. I swallowed.

“Many cases go unresolved for various reasons. Power play, the people involved are not considered worth the stress or sometimes it just meets a dead end. The problem is that dead end is not truly an end. It's a distraction. The perpetrators intend to derail investigation and they actually do.”

“What are you? A lawyer? An investigator?” I leaned back and smirked.

Julian chuckled and the way the side of his eyes crinkled were so beautiful.

“I watch a lot of true crime in my free time and I once interned as an investigative journalist.”

“Interesting,” I nodded slowly. “Tell me more.”

Julian rubbed his palms together. “Basically, I just want to solve these cases and offers closure to their loved ones.”

“Hmm,” I pursed my lips. “Something for humanity.”

“Yes,” Julian said, his eyes lighting up.

“Interesting,” I looked at Aldo and Orabella. I didn't know what they were thinking allowing this boy become a lawyer. We were a family of criminals. Our legacy was one of crime but they wanted their son to be a lawyer. I guess this is what I get after years of no contact.

“You should not be here,” Aldo blurted like he couldn't hold back that sentence for another second. “Why are you here?”

“Darling,” Orabella said in a thin voice as her hand flew to his. He didn't break his gaze away from me. The air stilled and the room was suddenly growing hot.

“You gave up your place years ago when you left. A child born fifteen years ago would have blood on his hands.”

“How much blood does Julian have on his hands?”

Orabella sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes darting between both of us. Julian picked up his phone and planted his eyes there.

“Don’t talk about my son. You have no idea how hard it is to raise a good child.”

I clicked my tongue. “Right and that's why you shielded him so much that a Hale is chasing unsolved crimes. To convict who? All of us?”

“Dante, it's enough,” Orabella said firmly. “Stop this.”

I noticed how Julian's hand shook. If only he knew the terrible things we had done as a family.

“What I am saying is that you don't get to just show up to dinner like you have always honoured our invites. You do not waltz back into our lives as though…”

“As though what?” I said calmly, my voice dripping with poison. I would never let it show but these words got to me. “As though I'm family?”

Aldo’s lips thinned and his eyes darkened.

“You know,” he said through his teeth.

I chuckled. “What I do know is that I had a bullet lodged in my chest and a blood stained dagger in my hands long before it was alright for me to buy alcohol. I forfeited my childhood for this family.”

Orabella’s lips quivered and she gripped her wine glass so tight, her knuckles turned white.

Aldo got up and stormed out of the dining room. Orabella sighed and looked at me. I reached for her hand but she drew it back quickly.

“What is wrong with you?” She asked in a fierce whisper as she set her glass down and went after him. I exhaled and leaned back. Julian looked up from his phone.

“I’m just going to clear this off,” He looked around the table.