Chapter 36: Dante

Dante's POV

The dimly lit back room of The Devil's Forge smelled like cigarettes and whiskey. Perfect for secrets. I leaned back in my chair, watching as my uncle Matteo tapped his fingers against the wooden table. Jax and two other trusted members of our motorcycle club sat around us, faces serious in the low light.

"So," I said, breaking the silence. "Let's talk about those two girls from earlier."

Jax snorted, taking a swig of his beer. "What's there to talk about? They're in, aren't they?"

I grinned, turning to my uncle. "Do you know why they agreed so easily to come back to the club with us? Especially Hilary's eagerness." I leaned forward, enjoying the way my uncle's expression shifted. "I suspect she might have a crush on you, which is absurd considering your age is old enough to be her father."

Matteo's face hardened. "I see her as a daughter."

I shrugged, not believing him for a second. The way he'd looked at Hilary wasn't paternal. Not even close. "Sure you do. Keep telling yourself that." My uncle might deny it now, but I'd bet good money he'd take those words back someday.

"Can we focus on business?" one of the other members asked, clearly uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

I nodded, my smile fading. "My father's been making moves. Aggressive ones."

"He's always been ambitious," Jax said, his voice low. "But lately, it's different. More desperate."

"I think he's planning to take over other gangs," I said, voicing what had been bothering me for weeks. "But I can't figure out his next move or what he really wants."

My uncle leaned forward, his eyes serious. "Your father isn't our biggest concern right now."

That surprised me. "No?"

Matteo shook his head. "His biggest rival is the real threat - Vincent's brother, Hilary's biological father."

The room went quiet. We all knew who Matteo was talking about - one of the most dangerous men on the East Coast.

"What do you know?" I asked.

Jax pulled out his phone, scrolling through some notes. "I've been digging. Hilary's father currently serves a very powerful role in the Donovan family. He's one of their most skilled aides - logistics, weapons, distribution. The man knows everything."

"The Donovans," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. My father's biggest enemies. If Hilary's father was working with them, that complicated things.

"Now's not the time to make a direct move," Matteo advised. "We need to be smart about this. Start smaller."

"Like who?" I asked.

"Like the gang that's been supplying weapons to Hilary's father and the Donovans," Jax said, sliding a folder across the table.

I opened it, flipping through the pages of surveillance photos and transaction records. Then I stopped cold. There, in black and white, was a name I recognized instantly - Salvatore "Sal" DeLuca.

My step-sister's uncle.

"Fuck," I muttered, staring at the name as if it might change if I looked hard enough.

"What is it?" Matteo asked, noticing my reaction.

I hesitated. How much did they know about my new family situation? My father's recent marriage had been kept relatively quiet in our circles.

"This guy, DeLuca," I said carefully. "He's my step-sister's uncle."

Jax let out a low whistle. "Small fucking world."

"You're telling me," I muttered, my mind racing. Valentina rarely spoke about her uncle, but the few times she had, there was hatred in her voice. I knew there was bad blood there, but I hadn't realized Salvatore was directly working with my father's enemies.

"This complicates things," Matteo said, stating the obvious.

I nodded, unable to tear my eyes from the file. My father had married Isabella DeLuca, bringing her and her daughter into our world. But did he know that Salvatore DeLuca was actively working against him? And if he did know...

A cold feeling settled in my gut as I thought about Valentina and her mother. My father wasn't known for his forgiveness or mercy. If he discovered this connection - if he hadn't already - there was no telling what he might do. He could see them as liabilities, or worse, as pawns to be used against Salvatore.

"We need more information," I said finally, closing the folder. "Before we make any moves."

The meeting continued, but my mind was elsewhere.

I found myself in a dilemma I never expected. I didn't know how to handle my step-sister's uncle. Taking him down might be good for business, might even be necessary for our survival against the Donovans. But what would that mean for Valentina?

And worse, I wasn't sure if my father knew that my step-sister's uncle was one of his adversaries. If he didn't know yet, he would find out eventually. Lorenzo Marino wasn't a man who missed details like that for long.

When he did find out, would he mistreat my step-sister and stepmother? The thought of Valentina being hurt made something dark and violent rise inside me.

I had no answers, only questions, and a growing certainty that whatever was coming, it would force me to choose sides. The family I was born into, or the girl who'd somehow gotten under my skin in ways I never expected.

Either way, blood would be spilled. It was just a question of whose.