Chapter 90 Taking It In
Serena's POV
I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
Beads of sweat formed over my head and slowly made their way down as I watched the elder pull back in horror.
He looked like he had been rocked or crashed into after Dante pulled the plug.
“Are you kidding?” He asked slowly with his eyes going between Dante, Nico and I.
He then smiled and looked around again, shaking his head before sitting dramatically and staring at Dante.
“No offense, Mr. Russo, but you must be mistaken,” he started.
“No, elder. Marco is no more,” Dante muttered.
“How?” He asked cautiously. “I saw him last just over a week ago. He didn't make any complaints,” he added.
“And you haven't seen him since then,” Dante said slowly, like he was forcing the truth into him.
“And that is unlike my boy to be away for so long,” he muttered slowly, like it was coming to him. “And why would his wife be here without him,” he added.
Normally, I would detaste being called Marco's wife, but in the circumstances I've found myself in? I'd swallow it softly.
“My boy Marco can't be dead. And I'm just finding out?” He exclaimed.
Means Luca never told him.
Dante stared at me like he was seeking my permission to continue. I knew what he was going to say anyway.
I nodded gently, it's either he finds out from us or he finds out later anyway. He needs to find out, we need him.
Then Dante slowly lowered himself to the seat, leaning forward while Nico stood by his side.
There was a seat by Dante's side, but I couldn't bring myself to sit.
I was scared, I was honestly scared of what he'd do. So I stood by the table with my hands tucked neatly behind my back.
I struggled to keep my head up as I felt I was in for it.
“Elder Moretti, with all due respect, I’m not mistaken, neither would I play with this. Marco is dead,” Dante started.
“How? And why am I just getting to know about this now, if it's true?” He asked.
“I don't know, Elder. But that's what brought us here,” Dante continued.
“How?” He asked carefully, looking around. Then his eyes fell on me. “Is this true?” He asked in my direction.
I swallowed hard, looking around as whatever I would say now could topple everything.
“Yes, Elder,” I replied without meeting his eyes.
“Shit,” I heard from him then looked up to spot him with his head lowered into his hand and shaking slightly.
Then he slammed his fist into his table, startling me but Dante remained unfazed.
“How?” He asked with his head still lowered in his hands.
Dante turned to me again and looked to be holding back the words. I nodded again, he has to know.
Dante looked back at the Elder who still had his head lowered into his hand.
“How did my boy die?!” The elder sparked suddenly.
I shivered again at the force behind his voice and fear clawed at me.
“Serena shot him,” Dante announced carefully.
My heart skipped a bit as he finally said it out loud.
He shook his head repeatedly in his hands, rubbing his forehead till it burned red.
“What are you saying? Serena shot my boy?” He asked in a hard voice that spiked my heart beat.
Dante hesitated long enough to tell me he feared the worst too.
“Yes, Serena killed Marco,” Dante repeated slowly in a weak voice.
The elder shook his head repeatedly like he didn't want to believe it.
“Marco, my boy. Marco can't be dead, no,” he muttered. “Just last week he was excited to be getting married, and now I'm hearing his death from a completely different family?” He asked majorly to himself.
“Elder Moretti, I don't know why you weren't told all along, Luca very well knew,” Dante explained.
“Luca. Luca. Luca, that boy has always been a menace since Marco was put in charge over him,” he muttered.
We all kept silent, watching him take the information the best way he knew how to.
“Luca has never seen eye to eye with me since I charged Marco over all affairs of the family business, I wouldn't expect anything less from him,” he added.
“He's one of the reasons we came here,” Dante cut in.
“There's only one thing we have to do now,” he muttered while raising his head slightly and his other hand searched for something in his locker.
I gulped hard as I feared the worst while keeping my eyes on his hands, ready to move if necessary.
Then he got up sharply with a gun in hand and raised it into the air. “Let's go!” He yelled.
Dante got up immediately and stepped between him and I, shielding me.
Then the elder pulled a confused look and lowered his gun slowly.
“What are you doing?” He asked, then looked between the both of us and twisted his head. “Wait. Wait, I hope it's not what I'm thinking,” he muttered, slowly sitting back in his seat.
“I hope so too,” Dante muttered as he stepped away from me slightly.
He looked between both of us again, then focused on Dante. “Dante, talk to me. Who's this Serena? And how do I find her?” He asked in a low voice.
Dante didn't respond immediately, he just turned to me and nodded in my direction.
Elder Moretti’s eyes turned to me slowly, staring at me before lowering his head.
“Don't tell me,” he muttered. “Don't tell me she's the one,” he added, shaking his head.
“I won't, but she is,” Dante said softly.
He shook his head slowly and lowered it. Then chuckled before laughing out fully.
I was caught in the midst of everything. I wasn't sure whether to join him or do the opposite.
He laughed dryly before sitting back fully and staring at me with a crazy look in his eyes.
He still had the gun in his hand and swung it around.
“Tell me he's joking,” he muttered. “Tell me you didn't kill my boy,” he added with a hard voice.
“I. I. I—”
He didn't let me find my voice as he raised the gun at me. “Talk before I do something we'll both regret.”