Chapter 68 Burnt To Ashes
Dante's POV
“What is it?” I asked, sitting up straight to match the serious look in her eyes.
“Just promise me you'll do it,” she said firmly.
I stared at her eyes, then nodded once.
She nodded too and tried to sit up.
“Careful,” I called out, getting up to help her to sit. I carefully lifted her legs and dropped it slowly till she was sitting properly.
“Thank you,” she muttered, to which I nodded.
“Now,” she started, looking all serious again. “I need you to make a promise to me that you'll return my daughter to me if you can't handle what's coming,” she said in a serious tone.
I paused, taken back by her sudden request and even the scary look in her eyes.
“What do you mean?” I just had to ask as I really didn't know where all that was coming from.
“If it ever comes to it. If you ever feel like dropping her and the trouble she has brought, don't hand her over to her enemies. Bring her to me, I would be glad for us to die together,” she explained.
I wanted to tell her that it would never come to that, I wanted to assure her that I would fight to the end.
But the look in her eyes told me she didn't want any of that. She just wanted her daughter alive.
So I nodded, taking her hand between mine gently. “If it ever comes to it, if I ever feel like giving up. I will bring Serena back to you, I will never hand her over,” I swore.
Vanessa smiled and nodded. “You are a good man, Dante,” she said warmly.
And I couldn't help but hate myself cause I didn't deserve that. I'm not a good man and she doesn't know that cause she doesn't know my true plans.
I was about to counter her when the door flew open and Serena walked in.
I instinctively pulled my hands back from Vanessa's.
“Oh, oh. Wow, I didn't expect to find you here,” Serena said in my direction.
I nodded, rising to my feet. “I just came to check how she was faring. I'll leave” I replied.
“Oh, no. You don't have to go,” Serena exclaimed.
But I ignored her. My time with Vanessa here was already up.
“Mrs. Marceti,” I called out to her mother rather. “I will be taking my leave now. Be good,” I added as I stared down at her.
“I will. Good of you to give us some time too,” she replied softly.
I nodded and made my way to the door, nodding at Serena as I passed by her and out through the door, closing it quietly.
But I didn't move immediately.
“What was that about?” I heard Serena asking her mom.
“Oh nothing much. Just discussing the way forward from here. Just a personal discussion between us,” I heard Vanessa reply.
I smiled and nodded. She kept the conversation private, exactly what I wanted to hear.
I stepped away gently to avoid drawing any attention. I returned to the booth I was in before and grabbed myself a bottle of wine with a glass for the rest of the journey.
It was a six hours or so flight and I'm sure we were just done with one. Would see how long it took me to finish the wine…
By the time the pilot's voice broke through the speakers, I was left with about a quarter.
“We would be landing in five minutes,” he announced at about 5:45am.
I sat back as the plane dropped to a smooth landing, but when I looked out, I was stunned to see it wasn't our destination.
I quickly downed the remainder of the bottle and made my way to the cockpit.
Nico stepped out, meeting me before I could push through the door.
“What the fuck, Nico? Haven't you had enough for a day?” I asked.
“I understand, Don. But I think you need to see this now,” he replied calmly.
I stared at him, then back out the window at the open field that looked very familiar now.
“Where are we?” I still asked.
“Let's go outside,” Nico replied calmly.
There was something about him, he was acting weirder than normal.
I nodded, not still convinced. He gestured forward and stepped ahead as I followed him all the way out.
“Dante,” Serena called as she stepped out. “We aren't supposed to be here, right?” She asked.
“Just stay calm, I'll be back,” I said and stepped out with Nico.
I wasn't comfortable with presenting myself to the world in a dirty and torn up suit but the moment I stepped out of the jet, all that didn't matter.
“Dear mother of Zeus,” I muttered as I took in the sight before me which literally was nothing but ashes and burnt up materials.
“What the fuck happened here?” I muttered again, looking around at what I can now tell to have been my warehouse.
Nico stepped forward to my side. “This is what I wanted to tell you earlier,” he started. “I received information that the warehouse was bombed and burnt last night,” Nico explained.
“Just like that?” I asked, struggling with the pressure.
“As I was told, Don,” Nico replied.
The calmness in his tone didn't help the anger in me one bit.
“And what happened to our fucking defenses?!” I yelled.
“Sir—”
“Don't fucking tell me I pay these motherfuckers thousands every week and they can't be fucking accountable!” I cut him off angrily.
“Don, details weren't given to me as you know very well where we were,” Nico replied calmly again, further tempting my anger.
I took a deep breath, trying to get myself calm.
“Tell me again how this actually happened,” I said with heavy breaths, still feeling the rage burning.
“I don't really know, Don. All I do know is that it happened simultaneously with the attack in Peru last night,” Nico replied.
“And any idea who did this?” I asked through gritted teeth.
“No, boss,” Nico replied.
“Of what use are you to me right now?” I burst out.
“Don, I'm as clueless on the situation as you,” he replied.
“Then fucking get me somebody who can tell me something reasonable!” I yelled, not able to hold back the rage any further.
I turned away and began pacing about angrily as Nico hurried off to wherever he went.
But it wasn't long before someone stopped me between my strides.
“I can tell you something, Mr. Russo.”