Chapter 4 Now or Never
SERENA MORETTI DIES TODAY.
The Romanos.
Marco's rivals.
They wanted me.
Dante's expression hardened. "No one touches what's mine."
His hand dropped to my thigh under the table. Two of the capos exchanged glances, I could tell they didn't like me.
"Double up the security," Dante continued. "Serena stays with me—” he paused and looks between them. “Always."
Nico flexed his jaw as his hand twitched. "Understood."
Dante nodded and with that, they stood and walked out one after the other.
After a long uncomfortable minute, I felt Dante's presence closer to me, then his hand wrapped over mine.
"Don't you worry, piccola,” he said softly, lifting my hand to place a kiss on it. “You're safe," he added.
"For now,” I interjected.
He smiled, shaking his head dramatically before turning away from me, pulling his hand away.
"The Romanos declared war today," he murmured, catching me off guard. "Because of you," he added slowly.
"I'm sorry—"
I couldn't complete that as he pulled me onto his laps in seconds, crashing his lips against mine.
I was stunned, but gave in to the pleasure, kissing back. His fingers dug into the soft fabric of the dress I had on.
He broke away suddenly, breathing hard. "I need to hear it again,” he breathed out.
"Hear what?" I gasped.
His hand slid between my thighs, teasing me. "Say you're mine."
"I'm yours," I whispered.
He smiled, one that just reached his eyes. "Good girl."
His smile caught me off guard, a rare moment with someone like him.
I was about to say something about it when my eyes caught a figure standing just beyond his premises by a black van.
It was a man, hiding and watching us, taking pictures too.
Dante must have noticed cause he pulled back suddenly, turning around and following my gaze.
The man vanished before he could catch a glimpse of him.
"You saw something," he said, not caring to ask.
I shook my head, not sure how I would tell him what I saw. "It's… nothing, just... nerves."
He narrowed his eyes at me, not convinced by my response.
He didn't push on, just stood drastically, nearly tipping me over.
"Let's go,” he ordered, walking away.
I took a deep breath and followed him. We went all the way outside where Nico stood beside Dante's jeep.
Dante stepped around, barking orders at Nico in rapid Italian while I walked into the jeep without a word.
I couldn't stop thinking of what I saw, that man. Someone in Dante's inner circle was working with Luca. Or the Romanos. Or both.
In a short time, the car zoomed out with Dante sat beside me and Nico in front.
We were getting closer to a large warehouse beside a small courtyard when—
BANG!
The glass exploded behind us.
“Ahh!” I screamed, ducking low.
Dante placed a hand on my back and drew out his gun, returning fire immediately.
The car came to a stop at the courtyard and Nico stepped out, turning to my side and flinging the door open.
"Get her out!" Dante roared.
Nico hauled me over his shoulder and sprinted through the small courtyard before dropping me behind a small tree.
I managed to slip out his phone while I was on his shoulders.
Shortly, the cops joined the show as sirens tore through the air.
"Where's Dante?!" I demanded, pounding Nico's arm as he hid behind the tree, watching the mess unfold.
"Handling the situation," he grunted. "You don't worry about the boss."
That's exactly what I couldn't stop doing.
"Wait here," Nico ordered before running off to join Dante and firing on his way.
I sat flat, dropping my head to my hands as I tried to steady my breathing. I hope he comes back alive.
As I turned around to take in the scene, my eyes caught a glimpse of the same figure I had seen not too long ago.
He was standing beside one of the trucks firing at Dante and his men who must have joined him from the warehouse.
The man stood there with a phone to his ear before turning away and getting into the same van, and pulling away from the scene.
I panicked, sitting back, worried that he was onto something.
I picked up Nico's phone, dialing any number that had tech attached to it.
"This is Serena,” I yelled into the phone when it connected. “Track the black SUV leaving the courtyard!" I yelled breathlessly.
"Miss Moretti?" The other person asked slowly. "Mr. Russo didn't authorize—"
"Do it!" I snapped.
He went silent, but I left the call on. Two minutes later, I heard his voice again. "Lost them on the expressway. Heading towards Romano territory."
Fuck. I needed to tell Dante.
But as I turned, I noticed Dante dragging a bleeding soldier by the collar towards where I was.
The chaos had ended.
He stopped a few feet from where I was, dropping the soldier to his knees.
He looked roughly twenty, and very terrified.
"Chi ti ha pagato?" Dante roared.
"Nessuno!" the kid sobbed.
Dante pulled out his gun.
BANG!
The kid's head exploded.
I stumbled back, bile rising behind my throat.
That was the betrayal Dante expected—not the photographer.
Suddenly, I felt like running away but when our eyes met as he turned, my legs lost its way.
Dante stormed towards me, fear shot through me as I shifted uncomfortably.
"We have a rat!" He growled when he got to where I stood. "Three shipments compromised. Five million gone!" He yelled, kicking the tree before pacing around with his hands on his waist.
Another soldier approached slowly, probably scared too. He was holding out a phone.
Dante turned to him sharply when he noticed. The soldier shivered before stretching the phone to him. "Boss. It's for you," he managed to say.
Dante took it without a word. His expression darkened as he listened.
"When?" He asked into the phone.
I didn't hear the response, but he continued pacing, looking more tensed.
"How many?" He asked again.
He hung up after a few more seconds, tossing the phone to the floor before turning to me.
"The Romanos just hit every one of my warehouses simultaneously,” he started, walking towards me slowly.
I swallowed hard, limping backwards.
"They're saying you ordered it," he continued in a terrifying tone. "That you're a Romano plant. That you seduced me to destroy my empire from within."
My stomach dropped. "Wh—who's saying this?" I stuttered.
Dante raised his gun slowly to my head. “Doesn't matter. Start talking, Serena," he said softly. "Before I paint this courtyard with your blood.”