With sickening clarity, I understand that whoever is behind this won't stop until the Dante leadership is destroyed.
And I've just been welcomed back into the fold. At least temporarily.
I catch Victorio's gaze across the room.
He gives a shrug as if to say this is a shitshow.
I glance over at Alessandro, and understanding passes between us.
We might disagree on everything, but we both know that someone's trying to destroy our family, and neither of us will stand for it.
"Everyone stay calm," Alessandro commands. "Security, seal the exits. Nobody leaves."
“We need to meet,” I tell Alessandro, not caring if he’ll think I’m overreaching my authority by telling him what to do. Luckily, he gives a curt nod.
The four of us, Alessandro, Adriano, Valentina, and I, along with Uncle Salvatore, file into our father's study.
"That wine was meant for you," I say to Alessandro, watching his face carefully. "Uncle Matty just happened to drink from the wrong glass."
Valentina paces. "The gall of someone. To kill one of us in our own home. First Father and now this attempted hit on Alessandro."
"Someone wants the Dantes gone," Adriano mutters, leaning against the desk.
“It confirms that Pyotr wasn’t working alone. And whoever this is, they’re close enough to know our movements, our security protocols. Someone we trust."
Alessandro's jaw tightens. "And I want them found yesterday."
"I'll find them," I promise. "And when I do, they'll wish they'd never heard our name."
Alessandro drops into our father's chair. His face, usually composed, betrays flickers of fear.
Not for himself. Alessandro has never feared death. But for what this means for our family.
"I was distracted, talking to Adriano," Alessandro begins. "Otherwise, I might have noticed Matty took my wine.”
The room falls silent as the ramifications of Uncle Matty’s mistake take hold. It could be Alessandro dead in the dining room.
Fucking hell, what a nightmare that would have been.
Not that Matty’s death isn’t tragic, but Alessandro is the Don.
His death would create problems I don’t know that the Dante family is ready to handle.
Adriano isn’t quite ready to lead. I’d probably be blamed.
"By the time I realized what was happening, he was already on the floor. Foam coming from his mouth. His eyes…" Alessandro stops, composing himself. "It was fast. Whatever he took, it was fucking instantaneous."
I suppose that’s a good thing. Matty didn’t suffer long.
“Like I said, when I find who did this, they'll beg for a death as quick as Uncle Matty's."
“What if it was in all the wines?” Valentina asks with a shudder. “What if everyone was the target?”
“It’s possible,” Adriano agrees. “I’ll have it all tested?—”
“I’ll go make sure everything is untouched,” Uncle Salvatore, who’s been strangely quiet so far, says. “Let’s hope whoever it is hasn’t cleaned it up yet.”
Alessandro shakes his head. “They'd better not. I said not to touch anything.”
