Page 47 of Memento Mori
“Oh... thank you, Donna,” he said, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and gratitude. “Thank you both for your generosity.”
Antonio and I stood, and Guiseppe followed. Antonio extended his hand, and Guiseppe eagerly clasped it, followed by me doing the same.
“See you tomorrow,” Antonio said.
Guiseppe nodded in agreement before making his exit from the office. As the door closed behind him, Antonio exhaled deeply, then sat in his chair.
“What do you want to do?” I asked.
“We find Dante, then we go to Italy. After we deal with them, then we call the heads and inform them and tackle who’s in control.”
Antonio dialed Franco, his voice stern as he ordered him and Luca to track down Dante and take him to the dungeon. By any means necessary. We needed to get to him before he informed Marianna and before he let whoever was behind this know we were closing in.
I’d only been to the dungeon once during one of Tony’s torture sessions, but I’d make sure to be there for this one. Nobody came for me and my family.
“What’s your plan?” Alessandro asked.
“He dies,” Antonio said. “He played a part in everything, including the hit on Aaliyah. Then we go after Marianna.”
Antonio turned to me. “Call Abasi. I promised to let him know if we found out anything.”
I retrieved my phone from my pocket and dialed his number. I knew he’d want to be involved. One thing about my adopted father was he didn’t let anyone fuck with me. He was livid even though he hid it very well.
“Aaliyah. Are you alright?” he asked when he picked up after the first ring.
I’d never heard a tinge of panic in his voice until that moment.
“Yes, I’m fine, Abasi. We found some of the people involved just not who’s pulling the strings.”
“I’m sure once you take care of the puppets you will find the puppet master.”
Abasi had always had a poetic way of framing things and had a never-ending trust in my abilities in whatever I was doing.
I sighed. “I hope so.”
“Am I sensing doubt?”
I knew he could hear the wavering in my voice, and I braced myself for the impending fatherly lecture.
“The woman I raised does not doubt the ability to end what others have started. You were raised for this moment, Aaliyah. They have wronged you and your family, now it’s time to show them who you are. Show them why you hold the position that you hold, dear daughter. No mercy.”
He was right. He was always right. He raised me to be as ruthless as him. He raised me to be the wolf in sheep’s clothing. The one everyone would underestimate because I was a woman. Because I was beautiful. Because I was Black. Only to realize their mistake when it was too late. That was why Abasi made me the face of his organization. That was why Marianna and whoeverelse was involved in the plot had underestimated me. And it will be why they would all fall.
“No mercy,” I repeated, my voice growing stronger with each word.
“That’s right. You are my child. Maybe not by blood, but you are mine, nonetheless. Make sure you remind them of who you are.”
When a smile crossed my face, Antonio and Alessandro immediately diverted their attention from their conversation towards me. Abasi had always treated me as a daughter but not too long after Antonio proposed, he started referring to me more as his daughter and not the child of a friend that he raised.
“Keep me informed,” he said.
“I will.”
Without another word he ended the call.
“What did he say?” Antonio asked, his breath brushing against the shell of my ear.
“Just to make sure I make them pay for going after my family.”
