Chapter 83 Silence Them
Dante's POV
The ride was faster than I expected and just as I began dozing, the car came to a stop.
I looked out through the glass and spotted the familiar penthouse I called home.
I rubbed my face gently and sat up, reeling myself on as I felt the exhaustion from the last few hours hanging over me.
I tapped the little ones to wake, but they were far gone and didn't even stir.
I tapped again but that only caused them to stir a bit with neither of them getting up.
I imagined the sight of me having to carry them in my hands while stepping out.
I cringed and shook them again with a bit more force this time around.
The boy stirred and sat up, rubbing his eyes with his left hand. “Are we there yet?” He asked in a soft voice.
“Yes, we are there,” I responded.
“Oh cool,” he exclaimed and I wasn't what was behind his excitement.
Then he shook his sister to the best of little hands.
“Wake up, wake up. We're going to see dad,” he said softly as he shook her.
Oh shit, I've really gotten myself into this one. But I didn't have it in me to tell him otherwise, so I let him believe.
His sister finally groaned and sat up too, rubbing her eyes with her two hands rather.
“Where's dad?” She asked with sleep still evident in her voice.
“I don't know, the strange man said he's inside,” he replied to his little sister.
I gulped, realizing I had never said so. But I won't be the one to tell the kid otherwise.
I looked up and noticed Nico now standing at the entrance of the penthouse while the driver watched the show behind.
“I'll be right back,” I whispered down to them as I made my way out.
“What about dad?” The boy asked.
“Yes, I wanna see my dad,” the girl whined.
“You'll see him soon, okay?” I replied, looking over to the driver with a hopeful look.
He shrugged, offering me a similar smile.
I would need all the help I can get.
I stepped out, shutting the door behind me carefully before stepping towards Nico.
“Don,” he called out as he too strolled towards me.
“Nico,” I concurred as we stood and shook hands briefly. “How's she?” I asked.
“She's coping,” he responded, gesturing towards the penthouse.
“And Mrs Marceti?” I asked further.
“She's walking now, got her to the safe house without being followed,” he replied while staring at my clothes in particular.
I knew he was going to ask at any given opportunity.
“And the hospital bills cleared?” I asked, not giving him the room to ask anything.
“Yeah, all that has been cleared,” he replied.
I looked around and spotted the ambulance at the far off corner.
“And that was necessary?” I asked while pointing at the truck.
“I needed to blend in,” Nico simply replied and I nodded in response. “When are you going to tell me what happened to your dress?” He asked.
“These weren't there before?” I asked when I very well knew the answer.
“What happened, Dante? You look like you were nearly burnt. You even reek of smoke,” he added.
I chuckled and shook my head. “Okay, I took a few men with me to bring down Luca's drug house,” I admitted.
Nico took a step back and raised a brow up at me. “You are kidding right?” He asked.
I raised my two hands in the air, showing off more burnt parts of my suit.
Nico shook his head. “That was plain risky,” he shot back.
“Yeah, I know. At first, I needed the men to prove their loyalty to me after their carelessness cost me 180 billion dollars. Then it became purely revenge,” I replied.
“You went with only the men from that field?” He asked, referring to the men charged with securing the now messed up warehouse.
I nodded. “Yeah, that's just about it. The men led by Shaun,” I emphasized.
“But they aren't more than 50 if my count is correct,” Nico remarked.
“They are actually more than 50, just not up to 60,” I countered.
“Either way, that's less than half of what we normally take out,” Nico pressed on.
“It was just one drug house and I said to myself, if we perish, we perish. But I wasn't ready to let Luca have the final laugh,” I said firmly.
“But you know he's gonna react angrily,” Nico replied.
“Luca's a small boy, I can handle him. He caught me in my blind side the other time, doesn't mean I'll let him do so again,” I shot back.
Nico shrugged. “Let's just be alert, he can strike at any time.”
I nodded. “I'm always ready,” I replied.
We shook hands and he made moves to go.
“I'll see you tomorrow, Don,” he called out as he stepped behind me.
I stood with my hands in my pocket, watching him leave.
The back door suddenly pushed open and I nearly screamed at them.
Then the little boy dropped out from the car, followed closely by his little sister.
I immediately got that feeling fathers do get when their kids act crazy.
They stood there looking damn innocent while staring at me.
Nico also stood frozen in place before slowly turning back to me, then back to them and again.
He looked lost for words, then shook his head as I shrugged.
“And do you mind explaining these ones?” He asked.
I shrugged again. “It just kinda happened,” I replied.
“Just kinda happened?” Nico asked back and I shrugged in response. “You just kinda brought back two kids from Luca's camp?” He asked again.
“Look, it was either that or they burnt to death. I couldn't just let the second one happen,” I explained.
Nico nodded slowly. “And what's your plan with them? Integrate them into the family?” Nico asked.
“Not sure yet. But I certainly have to get them somewhere safe, and not a safe house,” I explained.
Nico nodded, then shook his head. “Everything's getting messy, Don. And breeding the enemies' children won't make it any easier,” he replied.
I nodded. “I'll figure out something later. For now? They'll remain with me till I source out the best solution for them.”
Nico nodded and raised his hands to the air, shaking his head and walking off.
“You guys just had to come out right?” I asked in their direction when Nico had gone.
I went over to them and held each of their hands, guiding them towards the entrance as the driver zoomed off.
The day was finally over, at least their day.
“I want to see my dad!” The little boy cried out.
“Relax, he'll—”
“Take me to my dad,” the girl cried out too and they both broke down in tears, jumping and shaking.
My head pounded harder than before over their tears and my ears rang bitterly.
The gun in my pants soon felt heavier than before as I lost myself with my hand reaching for it.