“Fuck! Fuck!” Matteo said repeatedly as he slammed the chair against the wall with a force that shattered it into splinters. He was standing in the middle of the room, his heart pounding and his head filled with anger and hurt.Marco’s betrayal cut deep today. The Vitallo had used him, turning him into a pawn to reach Dante. Matteo had believed he was in control, but now he saw he had been manipulated all along.He sank onto the floor, staring at the broken chair pieces. “Fuck!” he muttered under his breath. Every piece of wood on the ground reminded him of how his trust had been shattered. In that moment, he felt as if his whole life was splintered like the chair.Outside, the sound of a car approaching made him sit up. He went to the window and pulled the curtain aside just a little, careful not to be seen. In the parking lot, he could make out Dante’s figure alongside two others.Rico, who always tried to be strong, looked barely able to stand, while Gio and Leo carried their ow
Dante adjusted his suit jacket as he stepped out of the vehicle, inhaling deeply in a futile attempt to steady himself. The night was thick with the scent of rain on pavement, but the air felt heavy—oppressive. Rafael Gambino had set up this meeting, calling it a negotiation over his grandmother’s release and the so-called deal. But Dante knew better. This wasn’t a discussion; it was a power play. The club loomed before him, pulsating with deep bass, the neon glow painting shadows along the brick walls. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and sweat, the scent of expensive liquor mixing with cheap perfume. The bar was bathed in shifting colored lights, illuminating crystal glasses filled with dark amber liquid. Strippers moved languidly, their bodies twisting around poles, their laughter dissolving into the music. Dante barely noticed any of it. His throat was dry, but he wasn’t here for a drink. His mind was locked on one thing—Nonna. He forced his shoulders to stay relaxed as
She hadn't known about them.Not about the men her daughter had become entangled with. Not about the choices that had led them here. All she knew was that she had been searching—searching for a daughter who had vanished into the shadows of a world she never understood. The family business had crashed not long after their mother left but through it all she had loved the boys. Took them in and shown them the love that had been lacking all their lives. Everyday she had told Matteo about their mother since he had been too young to remember her.Not long after moving in with Nonna, Dante had left for New York. He needed something more, something solid to hold onto and it wasn’t long before he met Rafael. The Gambinos had always been powerful. Dangerous. A name that made men lower their voices and watch their backs. Rafael’s father ran the family back then, with his older brother next in line. But Rafael wanted his own legacy. So did Dante. They had been just two young men, desperate
Dante“Cut the shit." I said acidly.I was done playing games.Rafael sat across from me, lounging in his chair like a king on his throne. The dimly lit VIP lounge smelled of expensive cigars, whiskey, and power. Outside, the lounge throbbed with life—bodies moving to the heavy bass, laughter and shouting blending into the music. But in here, it was just the two of us. A battlefield made of velvet seats and polished wood.Rafael smirked, taking a slow drag from his cigar. "Damn, Dante. You haven’t changed. Always so serious.""Cut to the chase, Rafe. You know why I’m here." I said through clenched teeth.Not long after we split, Rafael merged his growing operation with his family's empire. And conveniently, a few years later, his father and brother died in a plane crash, leaving Rafe as the head of the Gambino family.I knew exactly how far he was willing to go to get what he wanted.His smirk deepened. He leaned back in his chair as he puffed out a cloud of smoke. "Oh yes. Nonna." He
DanteThe air in the lounge was thick with tension. Rafe’s men had their guns drawn, their fingers twitching over the triggers. But Rafe wasn’t hiding behind them—no, he was right in my face, gripping my collar so tightly I could feel his breath against my skin. “I could kill you right now and take that video,” he growled, his eyes locked onto mine. I let out a sharp, amused laugh. “You haven’t changed a bit, Rafe. Still predictable. Still incapable of thinking outside the box.” I yanked myself free from his grasp, straightening my suit with deliberate ease. “And that, my friend, will always be your weakness.” I finished.I let the words sink in before raising a brow. “Do you really think that’s the only copy?” My smirk widened as I watched his jaw clench. “This is evidence you don’t want getting out.” Rafe’s knuckles went white as he gripped the table, his eyes burning with rage, but he didn’t say a word. “So, this is how you do business now?” he finally ground out, gestur
She had thrown herself in front of me. I could still hear the gunfire echoing in my ears, tormenting me. Two to the chest. One to the abdomen. I could not stop my hands from shaking as I applied more pressure to the wound.Matteo was sitting against the car, his knees pulled up while his face was buried in his hands. Useless. He was always useless in situations like this. I called his name, my voice barely breaking through the thick haze of my panic. “Matteo.” I called loudly but there was no response. He wasn’t there. Only his body was, and his mind was somewhere else entirely.“Matteo!” I shouted, shaking him from whatever daze he had fallen into. His head snapped up. “Dante…” He responded finally but his voice was distant, his eyes glassy like he wasn’t actually seeing me. Nonna stirred in my arms, her breaths were coming in short, labored gasps. She lifted her weak and trembling hand to my cheek, cradling my cheek. Her fingers left warm streaks of blood on my skin and
The man tugged his baseball cap low over his face, while steadily avoiding the cameras. He looked down the corridor to make sure there was no one around before slipping into the room.The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Nonna lay still, her eyes closed with a tube in her mouth. The lights were dim which casted soft shadows across the sterile white walls.He stood by the bed, his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his dark coat. Minutes ticked by as he kept watching her, almost refusing to let go. The woman who had raised him when no one else had cared to.The woman who had wiped his tears when he was a child, she had taught him how to say his prayers and how to survive in a world that had no softness for people like them. And now she was here, trapped in a bed, her frail body covered in tubes and wires. A ventilator forced air into her lungs with an unnatural hiss. Her chest rose and fell, but it wasn’t real breathing. Machines were k
Gabriella“Arghhhhh!!” I ducked under the dinner table, my breaths shaky as the door to the family room was shot down and three men walked in spraying bullets in the air.“Where is my money Antonio” one of them yelled, his eyes sweeping the room, hungry for blood. My chest tightened. “Will this be my last day on earth?” I covered my mouth with my hands, peventing the sobs from escaping.“I— I don't have your money yet” father stuttered from his hiding place beneath the table.The man who had spoken stepped closer, his voice like ice. “You said you had something for me.” chills chased themselves down my spine as I heard my father sobbing. “I’m sorry!” father cried as the man pulled him out from beneath the table by the scruff of his neck.“You know how much I hate games Antonio” he said as he pointed his gun at father’s head with a steady hand. “Wait! Wait! Please!” father cried. I saw the fear in his eyes from my hiding place but nothing prepared me for his next words. “I-I don't
The man tugged his baseball cap low over his face, while steadily avoiding the cameras. He looked down the corridor to make sure there was no one around before slipping into the room.The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Nonna lay still, her eyes closed with a tube in her mouth. The lights were dim which casted soft shadows across the sterile white walls.He stood by the bed, his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his dark coat. Minutes ticked by as he kept watching her, almost refusing to let go. The woman who had raised him when no one else had cared to.The woman who had wiped his tears when he was a child, she had taught him how to say his prayers and how to survive in a world that had no softness for people like them. And now she was here, trapped in a bed, her frail body covered in tubes and wires. A ventilator forced air into her lungs with an unnatural hiss. Her chest rose and fell, but it wasn’t real breathing. Machines were k
She had thrown herself in front of me. I could still hear the gunfire echoing in my ears, tormenting me. Two to the chest. One to the abdomen. I could not stop my hands from shaking as I applied more pressure to the wound.Matteo was sitting against the car, his knees pulled up while his face was buried in his hands. Useless. He was always useless in situations like this. I called his name, my voice barely breaking through the thick haze of my panic. “Matteo.” I called loudly but there was no response. He wasn’t there. Only his body was, and his mind was somewhere else entirely.“Matteo!” I shouted, shaking him from whatever daze he had fallen into. His head snapped up. “Dante…” He responded finally but his voice was distant, his eyes glassy like he wasn’t actually seeing me. Nonna stirred in my arms, her breaths were coming in short, labored gasps. She lifted her weak and trembling hand to my cheek, cradling my cheek. Her fingers left warm streaks of blood on my skin and
DanteThe air in the lounge was thick with tension. Rafe’s men had their guns drawn, their fingers twitching over the triggers. But Rafe wasn’t hiding behind them—no, he was right in my face, gripping my collar so tightly I could feel his breath against my skin. “I could kill you right now and take that video,” he growled, his eyes locked onto mine. I let out a sharp, amused laugh. “You haven’t changed a bit, Rafe. Still predictable. Still incapable of thinking outside the box.” I yanked myself free from his grasp, straightening my suit with deliberate ease. “And that, my friend, will always be your weakness.” I finished.I let the words sink in before raising a brow. “Do you really think that’s the only copy?” My smirk widened as I watched his jaw clench. “This is evidence you don’t want getting out.” Rafe’s knuckles went white as he gripped the table, his eyes burning with rage, but he didn’t say a word. “So, this is how you do business now?” he finally ground out, gestur
Dante“Cut the shit." I said acidly.I was done playing games.Rafael sat across from me, lounging in his chair like a king on his throne. The dimly lit VIP lounge smelled of expensive cigars, whiskey, and power. Outside, the lounge throbbed with life—bodies moving to the heavy bass, laughter and shouting blending into the music. But in here, it was just the two of us. A battlefield made of velvet seats and polished wood.Rafael smirked, taking a slow drag from his cigar. "Damn, Dante. You haven’t changed. Always so serious.""Cut to the chase, Rafe. You know why I’m here." I said through clenched teeth.Not long after we split, Rafael merged his growing operation with his family's empire. And conveniently, a few years later, his father and brother died in a plane crash, leaving Rafe as the head of the Gambino family.I knew exactly how far he was willing to go to get what he wanted.His smirk deepened. He leaned back in his chair as he puffed out a cloud of smoke. "Oh yes. Nonna." He
She hadn't known about them.Not about the men her daughter had become entangled with. Not about the choices that had led them here. All she knew was that she had been searching—searching for a daughter who had vanished into the shadows of a world she never understood. The family business had crashed not long after their mother left but through it all she had loved the boys. Took them in and shown them the love that had been lacking all their lives. Everyday she had told Matteo about their mother since he had been too young to remember her.Not long after moving in with Nonna, Dante had left for New York. He needed something more, something solid to hold onto and it wasn’t long before he met Rafael. The Gambinos had always been powerful. Dangerous. A name that made men lower their voices and watch their backs. Rafael’s father ran the family back then, with his older brother next in line. But Rafael wanted his own legacy. So did Dante. They had been just two young men, desperate
Dante adjusted his suit jacket as he stepped out of the vehicle, inhaling deeply in a futile attempt to steady himself. The night was thick with the scent of rain on pavement, but the air felt heavy—oppressive. Rafael Gambino had set up this meeting, calling it a negotiation over his grandmother’s release and the so-called deal. But Dante knew better. This wasn’t a discussion; it was a power play. The club loomed before him, pulsating with deep bass, the neon glow painting shadows along the brick walls. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and sweat, the scent of expensive liquor mixing with cheap perfume. The bar was bathed in shifting colored lights, illuminating crystal glasses filled with dark amber liquid. Strippers moved languidly, their bodies twisting around poles, their laughter dissolving into the music. Dante barely noticed any of it. His throat was dry, but he wasn’t here for a drink. His mind was locked on one thing—Nonna. He forced his shoulders to stay relaxed as
“Fuck! Fuck!” Matteo said repeatedly as he slammed the chair against the wall with a force that shattered it into splinters. He was standing in the middle of the room, his heart pounding and his head filled with anger and hurt.Marco’s betrayal cut deep today. The Vitallo had used him, turning him into a pawn to reach Dante. Matteo had believed he was in control, but now he saw he had been manipulated all along.He sank onto the floor, staring at the broken chair pieces. “Fuck!” he muttered under his breath. Every piece of wood on the ground reminded him of how his trust had been shattered. In that moment, he felt as if his whole life was splintered like the chair.Outside, the sound of a car approaching made him sit up. He went to the window and pulled the curtain aside just a little, careful not to be seen. In the parking lot, he could make out Dante’s figure alongside two others.Rico, who always tried to be strong, looked barely able to stand, while Gio and Leo carried their ow
The high-pitched ringing in his ears drowned out everything else.His vision swam, a murky blur of smoke and shadows. His fingers trembled as he reached up to wipe the blood from his forehead, but even that small movement sent a wave of nausea crashing over him. What the hell had just happened? The memories came in jagged flashes—Rico behind the wheel, his knuckles white on the steering column. The sudden lurch of the vehicle as they lost control. The sickening crunch of metal against concrete. Then nothing. Coughing, he tried to move, but the seatbelt bit into his chest wickedly. He gritted his teeth, blinking rapidly as the smoke thickened, curling around him. Instinct took over.He fumbled with the buckle, finally freeing himself. He tried the door, shoving with all the strength he had left, but it wouldn’t budge. Through the haze, he noticed movement. He heard feet crunching against broken glass and debris. Strangers. Dante’s pulse spiked. He strained to focus, but his vis
DanteThe room was empty. Completely empty.No Nonna. No signs of her. The only item left behind was a chair tipped on its side and the faint smell of smoke lingering in the air. Behind me, Gio’s voice wavered. “Boss…what now?”I didn’t answer. My jaw clenched, my mind racing as I stared at the emptiness before me. Something was off. I could feel it before I even heard Luca’s panicked voice crackle through the comms.“B-Boss, we’re taking fire!”I swung into action immediately. “Move!” I barked to my men and we bolted from the room. Smoke was already seeping in from beneath the main door. My stomach sank. They’d trapped us.Aldo was pacing, wide-eyed, breathing hard. The big guy didn’t handle tight spaces well. “Boss,” he muttered, his hands trembling. “I can’t—”“Messa a fuoco!” I snapped, gripping his shoulder. “Focus. We get through this, or we don’t get out.”I pulled out my gun. “Stay behind me,” I ordered. Three quick shots to the lock, and then I kicked the door open. Smoke b