DANTE'S POV
My head was crowded and I couldn't think properly. The weight of the charges, Matteo's request and everything weighed down on my chest, crushing the air and leaving me breathless. That moment Paulo kept rambling in my ears about problems with the shipment and I had bigger problems.
"Just deal with it Paulo" I said into the phone, and using every last bit of willpower in me to not crush the phone with my bare hands.
"You don't need to call me for every fucking problem Paulo – fucking deal with it. I have a lot on my plate" I yelled angrily and clicked the phone off, standing up immediately and took my keys and headed back home.
When I reached home, I was greeted by Helena surrounded with shopping bags spread out across the room, a glass of wine in her hands and a sheet mask on her face.
"You're home" she said, peering at me and with an unreadable look on her face but she seemed elated enough and I didn't want to ruin it with my sour mood.
"Looks like you've been busy" I said.
"Christmas shopping – "
"It's not even October yet" I wanted to argue but she raised her hands to stop me.
"Did you know that things are cheaper if you shop for them early enough before the season, look at this pretty winter coat – " she was going to start rambling again and I didn't think I had it in me to listen not with my head rambling the way it was.
"Charges have been filed against me" I said suddenly interrupting her rant mid way and she stopped, her eye balls growing wide.
"What? What charges?"
"Matteo is contesting my father's will and the US government is using this as an opportunity to throw in other charges, drug trafficking, organized crime – you know the whole bullshit if Matteo is willing to work with them gather evidences against me and you and I know the bastard will – Fuck!"
Helena had her eye brows knitted together in confusion. She dropped her glass immediately and turned to me fully, I could see the fear already brewing in her eyes, I could feel her head working already.
"How about you just give Matteo a share of what's his, what's so hard about that?" she asked and I flared.
"I can't do that. I have built everything with my blood sweat and tears. My father would have never been able to do this much even when he was alive. Why the bloody hell would I give that bastard a percentage of what's mine because my father was a whore, I'm not responsible for him"
"But you are – " I shot her a look before she could complete her statement, then I began pacing room.
"Look Helena, if I go to court it's going to be a long ass trial and if I'm convicted I'm going to jail, for however long those dimwits want and then what, everything I've ever worked for goes to Matteo" I ranted, I could feel my blood boiling over. I could feel my insides melt with rage and I wanted nothing more than to put a bullet through his head.
"So what's the deal now?" she asked picking up her wine again and looking at me, she already seemed a bit jaded and this was the best time to bring up Matteo's request.
"He wants you for a night – in exchange for dropping all the charges" I started.
Helena stopped, she didn't look at me or say anything at first and when she finally it was the most confused I had ever seen her.
"What the fuck does that mean Dante? Are you suggesting – "
"No" I said immediately "Fuck no – you know I'd kill anyone even if they try to touch you with a 6 foot pole. I would never allow that and you know that"
"Well then I'm going to kill him if you don't, what the hell?"
"It just makes me look guilty, and I'll be facing more charges. He's a bastard and all but he's my family, he's my blood"
"He's definitely not acting like that" she shot back at me.
Suddenly, the door burst open and uniformed men began to troop into the room, filling the air with tension and they seized me immediately, pulling my hands behind me before I had a chance to react, I could already hear Helena screaming in the background.
"What the hell?" I yelled, trying to pull my hands free but I knew it was a fruitless exercise.
"You are under arrest Dante D'angelo on the charges of Drug Trafficking, money laundering, organized crime – you have the right to remain silent or anything you say will be used against you in the court of law"
I shot Helena a look, and the tears were already streaming down her face and I could feel my heart shattering to pieces.
"Don't cry, I'll be out before you know it" I was barely saying as they dragged me away and the only thing I could hear was Helena screaming my name.
I was taken to a cell in Algreen Cove, before I would be transported to US pending trial. I already had my lawyer read out the charges repeatedly to me and at that point the only way to get out of this was to kill Matteo but I couldn't – not yet – I still had one last course of action.
The next day, the holding police office dragged me out of a cell that I had a visitor. I followed him out to find Helena waiting for me through the glass, her eyes red and swollen like she had been crying all night and barely sleeping. I took the phone to my ears
"Dante" she blurted out, and my heart broke at the sound of her voice. "Are you okay?"
I nodded in response "I've been better but I'll get out of here I promise, I'll come back to you just wait for me"
She shook her head impatiently, the tears streaming out of her eyes "I'll do it, I'll spend one night with Matteo if it'll get you out of here"
I froze
"No Helena" I said immediately.
"Well what other fucking choice do we have? You said it yourself that it was going to be a long trial, are you going to remain in jail throughout"
"I'll be out on bail – "
"And if the judge doesn't approve?" she fired back and damn she had a point. I stared at her and she looked right back at me, with a mixture of sadness and a fierce intensity.
"It's the only way, if Matteo doesn't testify then there's no case, it'll be thrown out. I'll do, I'll spend the night with him and get you out of here"
"Helena – "
"I'll do it" she said – they were tears in her eyes.