Chapter 10 - The Syndicate's Ultimatum
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The revelation of the kidnapping plot hung in the air like thick, poisonous smoke.
Dante handed the tablet back to Marco, his expression settling into an eerie, emotionless calm.
When Dante was furious, he shouted; when he was ready to kill, he became as silent as a graveyard.
“Does Don Antonio know about this wire transfer?” Dante asked quietly.
“Our informants say Antonio thought it was a standard tuition settlement,” Marco replied.
“Julian and Isabella orchestrated the mercenary contract behind their father’s back to secure their own power.”
Dante walked over to the mahogany desk, opening a small drawer and pulling out a heavy gold signet ring.
He slid the ring onto his finger—the ancient seal of the Rinaldi family used only for matters of blood.
“Antonio called a council meeting to demand my head,” Dante murmured.
“Instead, he is going to watch his own children destroy his dynasty.”
He looked up at Marco.
“Prepare the armored convoy for tomorrow evening at seven.”
“We are attending the council meeting at the St. Regis ballroom.”
“And boss?” Marco asked cautiously.
“What about Miss Sarah and the little girl?”
Dante turned his gaze toward me, his eyes softening with fierce, protective devotion.
“Sarah stays with Mia inside the panic room on the subterranean level.”
“If a single Romano soldier approaches the outer perimeter of this estate, authorize lethal force immediately.”
Marco nodded curtly and exited the library to mobilize the guards.
I walked over to Dante, my hands trembling despite my best efforts to appear strong.
“You're walking into a room full of your enemies, Dante.”
“What if Antonio doesn't care about the evidence?”
Dante stepped close to me, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
His touch was reverent, gentle, and utterly intoxicating.
“In our world, Sarah, there is one rule that even the most ruthless monsters respect.”
“You never target a don’s child.”
“Julian and Isabella broke the sacred code of the Five Families.”
“By tomorrow night, they will be outcasts, and Antonio Romano will have no choice but to bend the knee.”
He stepped closer, his thumb tracing the curve of my cheekbone.
“The only thing that matters to me is that you and Mia are safe.”
“You matter to me, too, Dante,” I whispered, tears shining in my eyes.
“Mia needs her father.”
“And what about you, Sarah?” he asked, his voice low, husky, and filled with raw longing.
“What do you need?”
My heart pounded so hard I was certain he could hear it beneath the silk of my blouse.
“I need you to come back home to us,” I answered honestly.
Dante leaned down, his lips brushing against my forehead in a lingering, tender promise.
“I will always come back to you, Sarah.”
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“Now go help Mia with her storybook.”
“Tomorrow night, we end this nightmare once and for all.”
