Page 77 of The Gangster King

“What’s going on? Do we need to move in?”Nathan asks. They have eyes on me from their spots around the event. And a nearby balcony.

Nick shakes his head, and Dante slaps him on the shoulder. Then his second walks inside the party and closes the door.

Leaving him unprotected.

“I could kill you,” I say.

“I could kill you,” Dante replies, walking back over and stopping in front of me. He crosses his arms.

If he’s trying to intimidate me, it’s not working. But I don’t think he is. He wants to talk. Privately.

And he has my attention.

I feel a little guilty about having my team on the comms, but not enough to go silent and risk my life.

“But we are now family,” Dante says. “And I need—”

“I owe you my life.” I snap, reacting from weeks of the weight of this hanging over my head.

In his world, I do. I need to make it abundantly clear; I am not abiding by their rules. Owing a gangster is not a position anyone wants to be in.

He smirks, telling me that despite my rejection of the debt, it’s still hanging over my head.

Fucking prick.

He doesn’t respond as we stand there for a long moment.

“Let’s talk openly,” Dante says, uncrossing his arms and sliding his hands into his pockets.

Relaxing.

I frown.

Then nod.

“What I’m about to tell you, I’ve never shared with another living soul,” Dante says. “I’ve thought about this long and hard for years. Especially the past two weeks.”

I shake my head.

“Then why are you telling me? Just because we are family—”

“Shut up and let him tell you,”Mack says, and I blink.

“Fuck I don’t like this,”Connor adds.

Dante watches me.

I don’t know if he is aware my team is in my ear, but if he is, he stays silent.

But he’s armed, and if he’s going to share some deep secret, then drop me right here, I want to be prepared. I push away from the railing and roll my shoulders.

“Listen, I’m not a man you can trust. Don’t say anymore. We’re on different sides, Baldassare. Despite me marrying your sister.”

He watches me.

Like I’m his prey.

“Maybe we are,” he finally answers, and glances down to adjust the cuffs on each sleeve. Then he wipes his hand down the front of his tuxedo jacket. “But you and the Dark Kings are going to help me.”

---