Page 119 of DeLucas After Dark

“Damn, right. You would think they would wait until New Year's to sign their death certificates,” Casper fussed. “Do they know it’s Christmas time?”

Vito

White Christmas

Icould feel the tension radiating off of my trusted allies – Prosper, Teddy, Ishmael, and Casper – as they gathered around me, their eyes reflecting both concern and determination. Safia, Nicole, and little Antonio were in the den, well-guarded by Russell and his team.

The weight of the situation pressed heavily on my chest, making me remember why leaving the capo position behind had been a great choice for me. Although it was a role I could easily dominate, the hot seat was always hot.

"Alright," I began, my voice low and steady. "We've got a serious problem on our hands, and we don't have much time to deal with it because we all want to be home for Christmas." I glanced around at each of them, making sure I had their full attention. "Prosper has gathered intel on the men after Marcello and Safia. They aren't just after them. They're targeting Safia's entire family."

I could see the shock register on their faces, but they remained silent, waiting for me to continue. "Safia's father got involved with some dangerous individuals in the past, and it cost his family their lives. He owed money to the Grecozis before he died, but some of the investments he made with the money have skyrocketed, making her a billion-dollar target. The man orchestrating the attacks is Jack Dunner, a stock market analyst who knows her worth. He has promised the Grecozi family that they can get what her father owed them if they bring her to him so that he can get control over Safia to access her inheritance. Chances are the Grecozis have no clue of how much she’s worth and don’t know they’re getting played by Dunner."

"Son of a bitch," Teddy muttered under his breath, clenching his fists tightly.

“I will rip Dunner apart limb by limb,” Marcello barked.

“You will get your chance to do that, but we have to find him first," I agreed.

“Seems the Grecozis are keeping him protected, like one of their assets,” Prosper acknowledged. “I haven’t been able to get a location on him.”

“So, he’s something like a ghost,” Casper asked.

“Don’t start with your ghost analogies,” Teddy warned.

“Am I missing something?” Marcello asked, looking confused.

“Inside joke about his name. You ever heard of Casper the Friendly Ghost?” Teddy asked.

Marcello frowned. “We don’t have time for jokes.”

I nodded. “Marcello is right. We need to gather as much information about Jack Dunner and his plans as possible. We'll use any means necessary, legal or otherwise." Turning to my trusted intel guy, I said, "Prosper, I want you to dig more into Jack Dunner's background. Find any weaknesses or vulnerabilities we can exploit."

"Consider it done, Vito," he replied, his voice smooth and confident.

"Teddy," I continued, my gaze falling on the burly man with a hint of gray in his beard. "Reach out to your contacts in the criminal underworld. Gather any intel they might have on Dunner and his associates."

"Got it, boss," Teddy said, nodding solemnly.

"Ishmael," I addressed my sharply dressed business partner and best friend, standing next to Teddy. "I need you to work with Prosper and investigate Safia's family's past. Look for any clues or connections that might shed light on this situation."

"Understood, Vito," he responded, his eyes sharp and focused.

"Teddy, while you're reaching out to your contacts, you'll also stay at the safe house and guard Safia, Nicole and Antonio." I could see the determination in his eyes as he nodded in agreement, and I knew Nicole would be safe under his watchful eye.

"Casper," I turned to the youngest of the group, his sandy hair slightly disheveled and a nervous energy about him. "Trail the team and blend in with the background as usual. Keep a close eye on what’s going on around us and let us know if there are any threats around at all times.”

"Of course, Vito," Casper said, sounding confident in his ability to remain like a ghost.

“And Marcello,” I turned to my brother and began to speak but he cut me off.

“I’m ready for whatever,” he groaned, apparently feeling the gravity of the situation.

I stared into the eyes of each man on my team – Prosper, Teddy, Ishmael, and Casper – men whose loyalty had been tried and tested through many dangerous situations before. "Listen," I said, my voice low and urgent. "It's crucial that we maintain discretion and secrecy during this investigation. If we draw attention to ourselves, it could jeopardize everything.”

They nodded in agreement.

"Vito," Teddy spoke up, his voice steady despite the worry lurking behind his eyes. "You know we'll do whatever it takes to bring down this Jack Dunner and keep our family safe."

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