Page 44 of His Bride

Dante

I slam my fist on the desk, the sharp crack echoing through my office. Enzo flinches but holds his ground, his eyes fixed on a point just over my shoulder.

“You’re certain?” My voice is low, dangerous.

Enzo nods. “Saw him with my own eyes, boss. Lorenzo De Luca, leaving Giovanni’s house yesterday after I dropped off Adriana.”

The rage builds inside me, a wildfire threatening to consume everything in its path. I force it down, letting it smolder instead. Cold calculation is what’s needed now.

“Set up a meeting with Giovanni. Somewhere private.”

Enzo bows his head slightly. “Consider it done.”

As he turns to leave, I call out, “And Enzo? Not a word of this to anyone. Especially not Adriana.”

The drive to the meeting spot is tense, the silence in the car broken only by the occasional crackle of the radio. We pull up to an abandoned shopping mall on the outskirts of town. I look at the black SUV already parked outside the warehouse.

Giovanni emerges from the shadows as I approach, his once-proud shoulders now hunched with the weight of his sins. The scent of fear clings to him like cheap cologne.

“Dante,” he begins, his voice wavering. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

I circle him slowly, a predator toying with its prey. “Cut the bullshit, Giovanni. I know about your little chat with Lorenzo.”

His face pales, the blood draining so quickly I wonder if he might faint. It would almost be amusing if the situation weren’t so grave.

“I-I can explain,” he stammers.

I hold up a hand, silencing him. “Save your excuses. I warned you what would happen if you ever betrayed me. And now here we are.”

Giovanni’s eyes dart around wildly, searching for an escape that doesn’t exist. “Please, Dante. You have to understand. I was just trying to protect my family.”

“Protect them?” I snarl, my carefully constructed calm crumbling. “By aligning yourself with that snake Lorenzo? You’ve put everyone at risk, including Adriana.”

I turn back to face Giovanni, my jaw clenched. His eyes are wide, a mix of fear and defiance flickering in their depths.

“You think you’re so different from Lorenzo?” Giovanni spits, finding a shred of courage. “You’re cut from the same cloth, Dante. Both of you, willing to do anything for power.”

My fists clench at my sides, rage boiling in my veins. “I am nothing like that dishonorable bastard!” I bark.

Giovanni lets out a bitter laugh. “Honor? In our world? Don’t make me laugh.”

I step closer, looming over him. “Lorenzo would sell his own mother for a profit. He has no loyalty, no code. The Rossi family? We protect our own.”

“At what cost?” Giovanni challenges, his voice rising. “How many lives have you ruined in the name of ‘family’?”

The rage inside me roars into an inferno. I grab Giovanni by the collar, slamming him against the wall. “You want to talk about ruined lives?” I snarl. “What about Adriana’s? You sold her to me to save your own skin!”

Giovanni’s face contorts with pain and shame. “I did what I had to do!”

“And now you’re doing it again,” I hiss. “Putting her in danger by consorting with Lorenzo.”

We’re nose to nose now, both breathing heavily. The air is charged, years of resentment and mistrust bubbling to the surface.

“You don’t deserve her,” Giovanni retorts, his words cutting deep.

I release him abruptly, stepping back. “Maybe not,” I admit, my voice low. “But I’ll die before I let anyone harm her. Can you say the same?”

I take a deep breath, forcing my anger to cool. It settles into a cold, heavy weight in my chest. Disappointment. I’ve known Giovanni for years, watched him fall from grace. But this? This is a new low.

---