Allegiance

Lady Vengeance

Dante 

4 days. 

4 fucking days Juliette has stayed in her room. 

No yelling. No fights. Nothing. 

4 goddamn days. 

As if I don't have enough to worry about. No, I also have a crazy chick, living in my house, probably plotting my death as we speak. 

This is not what I had wanted. I thought the whole kidnapping thing would have shaken her up enough that she would just give me what I want without fuss. A little bit of info on her father's safe house, or friends he would turn to, anything. But no. It just can't be easy with her apparently. 

I've had my best men on this, for weeks, fruitlessly scouring for traces of him. My brother Lucas, genius little tech kid, can usually find anyone, anywhere. He's got nothing. Enzo has been reaching out to all our contacts and partners, both in legal and illegal dealings, asking for any information on Pierre fucking Beaumont. Nothing. 

The only thing I've heard since he went silent over a month ago was from my arms supplier, he works with pretty much anyone and refuses to maintain loyalty to any specific mob. Apparently he heard rumours of Pierre and the Russians, working on some deal or something. 

Fucking snake. I knew I shouldn't have trusted him. 

And in this world, there are no second chances. 

So I had been stretching the truth slightly when I told Juliette that I wanted to get the deal back on track. That's not what I want. I want her father dead. And I want to do it with my bare fucking hands. 

You don't get to my position, or stay alive in it, without a reputation for ruthlessness. I had taken over this role when I was barely 18, having to learn as I went. There was no room for mercy, or weakness, or kindness. All that did was ensure you'd end up dead. I did not have the luxurity of morality.

The second Beaumont went behind my back and fucked me over, he told everyone else in the underworld that they could too. He needed to be dealt with. Soon. 

But all my leads are dead ends. I can't exactly ask the Russians seeing as we've been on the edge of war since I took over this role. It was times like this that I wish my grandfather was still here. He had replaced my father in the role of raising me when I was only 7. Not just as a man, but shaping me into the perfect fit for the job of being of Don. He was ruthless, unforgiving, cold. But he made who I needed to be to survive. 

I love my Mama and my family, but they're softer, they were allowed to be, because of the role that I was chosen to fill. And with my Papa gone, it falls to me to protect them . 

I rouse myself from my thoughts at the sound of a knock on the heavy wood door of my office. Enzo enters, carrying a thick leather folder stuffed with papers. 

"Capo this is the stuff you wanted on the deal with the Allisters in Chicago. You've got the call with them in 20 minutes." 

I nod my head as he places the file on my desk. In the 12 years since I took over, I've expanded the family exploits beyond the underworld, daring to venture into the realm of legitimate, legal business. Admittedly, using money from my less scrupulous arrangements, but nonetheless it went into construction and properties all over Italy and now, hopefully America. 

The Allister family owns a huge block right in the heart of Chicago, exactly where I have decided to start the expansion of my empire. Now I just had to convince them to sell. 

The phone call passes smoothly, ending with an agreement to have our lawyers draft up an initial proposal and agreement. 

 As soon as I've hung up I hear yelling outside my window, so I jump up and walk out of the office.