Tomorrow I'll have meetings. Security briefings. Business to handle.
Tomorrow I'll be Don Rossi again, at least for part of the day.
But tonight, I'm Lupo.
A man who has everything he never knew he wanted.
And for the first time in my life, I'm whole.
Chapter 36: Lupo
The morning comes too quickly.
I wake with Isabella in my arms in her room, Elena between us again. She climbed in sometime during the night, seeking comfort in this new place.
I would love nothing more than to stay in bed but I have business to handle. Business I've been putting off.
I slip out of bed carefully, not waking them. Shower. Dress in a suit, my uniform now. Check my gun.
Isabella stirs as I'm leaving. "Lupo? Where are you going?"
"I have something to take care of. I'll be back by lunch."
"Is everything okay?"
"It will be." I kiss her forehead. "Stay with Emilia and Elena. I'll be back soon."
She doesn't ask more questions. She's learning how this works. Trusting me to handle things. Trusting me to come back.
Ciro is waiting downstairs with the car. "Ready, boss?"
"Let's get this done."
We drive into the city, to a warehouse in an industrial area. One of our properties. Isolated. Secure.
The kind of place where people disappear.
Two guards are posted outside. They nod respectfully as we enter.
Inside, the warehouse is mostly empty. Concrete floors. High ceilings. A single chair in the center.
And Dante.
He's tied to the chair, his face bruised, lip split. Not tortured. I gave orders he wasn't to be harmed beyond restraint, but roughed up from the initial capture.
When he sees me, he flinches. Genuine fear in his eyes.
"Boss," he says, his voice hoarse. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn’t have a choice."
I walk closer, studying him. This man who was my bodyguard for eight years. Who I trusted with my life. Who left me bleeding in a field to die after he tried to kill me.
"Tell me why," I say quietly.
"They had my sister." His voice breaks. "The Florence family. They grabbed Giuliana. Said if I didn't—if I didn't kill you—they'd rape her. Torture her. Send me her body parts. Kill her slowly." Tears streak down his face. "She's nineteen, boss. Just a kid. She had nothing to do with any of this."
"Where is she now?"
"Safe. Ciro's men got her out after—after the restaurant. She's with my mother. They're both safe."
