Chapter 86 The Sign
Dante's POV
He was inches away from me, inches away from a nod that would wipe that ugly smile off for good.
But I had to buy my time, seems he didn't come here for what I expected.
We stared at each other, eyeball to eyeball with him being the first to speak.
“I'm here to hand out a warning to you, Dante,” he started slowly. “This was always about Serena, about revenging my brother's death by bringing Serena back home and making her pay,” he added slowly.
He then flicked my shoulder and I stared down at the spot his finger touched before returning a burning gaze at him.
I kept my cool still, refusing to blow up just yet.
“But now?” He continued. “Now you've gone ahead to make this personal.”
“It has always been personal between us, Luca,” I said, staring down at him.
He smiled. “Expect more deaths, more losses. And certainly, I'll have Serena back, dead or alive,” he replied.
“I like the challenge,” I slurred back.
“You better,” he said with a nod. “Cause if you as much as stand in my way too much, I won't hesitate to end you, and burn your family down with you,” he added with another crazy laugh.
“I dare you,” I shot back directly in his face. “I mean, you've always been in Marco's shadow all these years even when you came out first,” I started.
His jaw ticked but he said nothing.
“Marco started the business and hired you, his elder brother to be his enforcer,” I added the last part in a dramatically mocking tone.
“Don't try to bait me, Dante,” Luca replied slowly.
I raised my two hands into the air. “I won't, but how does it feel to call the shots now? How does it feel not to have to take orders from your kid brother any longer?” I continued.
Luca's jaw ticked repeatedly while his hands shook.
“I know the smell of desire when I see it, been getting it off you since. You've wanted this power long before Marco died,” I added.
Luca cracked his neck angrily.
“My bet is that Serena did you a favour,” I exclaimed. “Yeah, she did you a big favour, and you are not going to kill her, no, you're just after her to remain in the good books of the men you lead. In reality? You adore her, and you want her by your side as much as Marco did.”
“Enough!”
It was my turn to laugh now and I gave the best mocking laugh I could muster.
“It's coming out now, isn't it?” I smirked. “So it's not just the power you wanted, you wanted Serena too. Probably that's why you had your eyes on her all through the wedding and not on your brother,” I continued.
Luca looked well on his way to losing it.
“You admire her not just for her beauty, you admire her cause she did something you were too scared to do. She pulled the trigger at him while you were still wondering when best to do it,” I continued.
“You don't know anything!” He yelled.
“Oh I do know that you've sabotaged many records between Marco and I in the past just to make him look bad. I do know you only followed Marco cause of the money he was giving you,” I replied, then stepped even closer.
I dropped my voice to a deadly low tone. “And I do know that you would have killed your own brother if Serena hadn't.”
“You are in no place to question what I do!” He yelled.
“Oh on the contrary, I am. You see, Luca. You can't deny anything I've just said. I see right through you,” I said, stabbing his chest with a finger.
“You've always been jealous of Marco, you've always been hungry for power. Probably why you are so desperate to enforce your command and not let respect happen naturally.”
“And Luca? If you ask me,” I added slowly. “Your dad would always be proud of Marco, and in fact, he would never be proud of a bitter, deceitful, braindead slut of a son.”
“Arghh!” Luca yelled and flung his fist right at me.
Just what I needed, I took the punch, letting it push me to the car to by my side.
Then I pulled out my gun from my trousers and shot at Luca's tummy.
“Now!” I yelled as Luca took a few steps back while clutching his tummy.
I jumped behind the car as my men sent bullets their way.
I moved and maneuvered my way to the other side of the car.
I got back to my feet, rubbing my jaw. For a druggie, he sure does pack a punch.
I watched as some men guided Luca back as he favoured the spot I had shot at.
I guess I've drawn the first blood.
Nico had arrived with a few men and they opened fire from the other side, driving Luca's men back on all sides.
I kept my eyes on Luca as they took him all the way to his car which was heavily secured and protected.
And just before stepping in, Luca stopped, and like he knew I was watching, he turned and took off his shirt to reveal a bullet proof singlet underneath.
Son of a bitch.
He had that crazy smile I so wanted to wipe from his face. I watched as they guided him into the car and zoomed off.
He got lucky today, or maybe I did. But either way, I'd created an opening, one I would be more than willing to explore.
Serena's POV
I watched the sight from the window of my room in horror.
I watched everything, from the interaction between Dante and Luca which I would have given anything to hear what they'd said.
To Luca's punch and Dante's shot which I celebrated by jumping up and down.
But that joy was short- lived when Luca took off his shirt to show that he had a bullet proof singlet on him all along.
So the bastard still lives.
I watched till Dante's men drove back Luca's men in an unevenly contested battle.
Dante always looked to be a step ahead of his enemies and this particular battle stunned me the most as he was in bed with me through the night.
The fact he could come up with all that so quickly and win, was a testament to his abilities.
And as everything calmed down with Luca's men running off, Dante stepped out and had a brief exchange with Nico before doing a sign with his hands.
I had seen that sign before, but couldn't tell where or when.
The more I stared at his hands, the more it came to me, till it all landed and pushed me a step back.