Chapter 69: A Different Side

Chapter 69: A Different Side
Isla
I stared at the city, we drove through the wind. I kept the window down as I inhale the fresh breeze. We rarely had moments like this, when the silence fills everything we were meant to say. I didn't know what the world felt like, I didnt see the darkness of it until I met him. I thought about giving him grace. Showing him that, sometimes love heals. That my love heals, despite everything, I couldn't teach him or bring him into a realisation that he was not. I could not infuse the man that he was not. I could feel his eyes watching me as my eyes wandered through the view.

"Tesoro, you know you can talk to me." He said under his breath, startling me out of the deep end that is my mind. "Yell at me, anything that would distract you from what you are really feeling."

I scoffed, it was the innocence of his words, like it had a deeper meaning. Mocking me out of the blue. " Don't talk to me like you know what I am feeling." I whispered. "The only thing I want from you is to teach me how to defend myself." From you. If need be.

I couldn't afford to be playing a hand that was quick to ruin me. I was tired of being the victim. I was also happy he was doing this, I didn't want to result into asking someone else. My mind wandered again as I taught about him. Sicario. I knew how Dante would hate it, if i had chosen to rely on him instead. I would kill to see the look on his face but I couldn't do that. Not when I gave unconsciously loved the man for the last few months. I narrowed my eyes as we turned into a drive way of an estate. It was a fortress within a fortress. Before I could fill my eyes with the marvel that had met my eyes, Dante's presence was towering over me, opening the door.

"What is this place? One of your numerous properties I'm unaware of?"
He smirked, "Very soon, you will know more about my wealth. What's mine is yours anyway." He shrugged, I rolled my eyes. " This place is a club."

"You took me to a dance club? How is that going to help me?" My chest began rise as my blood boiled beneath my bones. "Do you think i am joking..."

"Isla, calm down. I take your desires very seriously. This is a membership club for made men. Like a golf club but this is more sophisticated." He gave a humorless smile, as I stared at him in confusion.

"This place is called II Bastione. It is an exclusive private club for the Mafia elites. It looks like luxury from the outside, the velvet lounges, aged whiskey. Live music and marble floors. Politicians, businessmen, foreign investors… they all pass through those doors thinking it’s just another exclusive establishment for the elite.” his expression was stern, hardened like he just pictured something.

"But it belongs to us. It was built by a long line of families. Only made men and those invited are given access to the privileges it offers. The inner chambers. The real meetings don’t happen in the open night club, where this men come to explore their desires. They happen behind locked doors, where alliances are formed, territories are divided, and wars are approved.”

I turned around staring at the acres of lands, beautified in one estate. "You are saying these long line of families are responsible for all the fortresses in this estate?"
He nodded. "Votes of leadership are cast here. Favors are negotiated here. Debts are collected here. If someone wants an influence in Cosa Nostra, they earn it in II Bastione." The Bastion. I picked up Italian before now, so I knew what he meant. The name alone was befitting for the nature of this membership club. It was more than a club, it was the secret hiding place for the biggest crime organisation in the world.

He sighed, sinking his hands into his pockets. "It is more than just a club. Power breathes here. Reputations are either built...or destroyed. The power here can consume you because you have no choice than to heed demands that are required of you."

I gulped, measuring the gravity of what I had just stepped into. "Am I in danger?"

"Nah, you dont have to worry. You are a guest, we dont harass our guests."
We walked into a private chamber. My stomach rumbled in between our conversation at the parking lot. He took me into one of the chambers where we were served lunch. My eyes widened at the buffet, sitting in front of me.

"Eat up. You will need your strength when your training begins." He undid some of his buttons, rolling up his sleeves. As he served me a plate before starting out his food.
"Have you brought Bianca here before or am i the first person." He lips cornered into a smile.
"Getting jealous, Tesoro. I thought you were mad at me?" I rolled my eyes, glaring into his eyes. "Well, no. There's no need for me to bring her here when her father occupies a seat in both Cosa Nostra and II Bastione. " his nonchalance was not hidden as he scooped risotto into his plate.

"Oh, so there's a committee, enforcing the law."

"Just as every government body. The committee was never large. In Cosa Nostra, there are Nine seats. But in II Bastione, there are only five. All men. Fabian, Me, Costa, Lucy abd Sicario. There are two others who are the capo under Sicario and Costa. Five ruling families who are also a part of Nine seats of Cosa Nostra. Each seat represents a bloodline powerful enough to influence territory, money flow, political protection, and military force. No more. No less. If a family falls, another does not simply ‘apply’ to replace them. A seat is earned through war, strategy, or unanimous vote.” He poured himself a stronger drink, ignoring the bottle of chardonnay dividing the view from us.

His jaw tightened slightly.

“The people holding seats in Cosa Nostra can sometimes interfere with II Bastione. But we respect the bloodline tgat had stained this power. The Romanos seat has stood for generations. Bellini holds one. De Luca holds another. The remaining seats are scattered between Sicily, Milan, and some southern territories. Not all of them, reside here in Palermo."

He swirled the amber liquid in his glass.
“The committee doesn’t run daily operations. It decides larger matters, succession of Cosa Nostra, territorial disputes, sanctions, executions of made men, and recognition of new leaders. The director here do make these matters our business. We are involved more than the Parliament like to admit."

A pause. "Why are you telling me all these? I thought there's an Omerta rule. Sworn to secrecy and all that." It was a code of silence rule that builds loyalty among made men. Dante didn't dangle his loyalty to the Parliament, away for some silly conversation. My eyes slowly followed his movements. His body tensed up a bit.

"I can see you are catching up real quick." I shrugged, he let that sink before continuing.

"Isla, anything can happen to me. I dont want you to wonder about anything or put yourself in danger. If you know these things you will know how to protect yourself abd whonto meet when things go south." I gulped. I had spent a lot of time arguing and being at war with this man, I didn't pause to ask if he might be in danger too. Or even mentally prepare myself for that day. The that Dante might be kill... Nop.

"Are you in danger? Is there something wrong somewhere? What about Rafael?"
He extended his hands from across the table. Drawing invisible patterns with it. "Calm down Tesoro. I am not in any danger. I just..."He paused, cussing under his breath. "Because in Il Bastione, Isla… everyone at that table wants to be the last man standing."

"What does that mean?" My heart skipped a beat.

"I am about to take Padrino's place in Cosa Nostra, “And when I do take his place, I won’t just inherit power. I’ll inherit enemies sitting across that same table. And you need to be prepared for that."