Dante's POV
"This is ridiculous!"
My body trembled with anger as I raged at the one man I expected to today, which was why I avoided him at all costs. I felt the tips of my fingers burning as I clenched my fists, waiting to hear an explanation from him because he was indeed being absolutely ridiculous.
"I'm not being ridiculous, I'm being wise. I am not having you retaliate just like that, you are young and inexperienced, you still have training to do, figlio."
"I have been training since I was sixteen, it's enough!"
"Figlio, trust me it's not enough. Five years worth of training is enough to get physical, you've yet to become wise about this." Constantino stressed as he tried to convince me, "Come along with me to the meeting I have with one of the partners, you can learn from me."
As my anger simmered down, I nodded my head at him in silence. It was true; as much as I didn't want to admit that five years was not enough training, I was not ready to get myself into a war. I was only twenty-one, preparing to live the life I was promised. I still need to build my way up to my mafia and carry my grandfather's name, because I was his only grandson.
It was once a dream to do this but now, it's become a challenge. A challenge that I decided to make with my father.
I was compelled. I needed to prove to him that I could do this.
After an hour of preparing for this meeting, dad and I finally left to reach the venue we were having this meeting in. When we arrived, I already knew who was on our side and who wasn't. It was something I inhabited when I was around dad, he taught me who was a rat by one stare.
"Since Milan is one of the popular cities of the country, it could jeopardise your progress." Constantino informed me,
"What does that mean then for me?
"It's wise to move away figlio, it's the only way."
My brows snap into a furrow as I glare at Constantino in disbelief, Milan is my home. It's where I was born and raised so how the fuck was I going to suddenly just abandon everything just like that?
Before I could protest, the couple of investors that he was dealing with entered the room, in their expensive suits and the excessive amount of papers of bullshit in their possession. They were prestige but they had no idea who we were.
"Constantinou, it's a pleasure to finally be able to work with you." One of the investors piped, "iniziamo, vero?"
"Sì. Before we do, I'd like you to meet my son, Dante Lombardi."
Both investors turned their attention to me and nodded their head before they looked away, like as if I was a piece of shit that was released from under their shoes. I clenched my jaws and felt my inner beast growling at them, ready to pounce on them without their knowledge but I suddenly felt Constantino hold me back. I knew that they were not really bothered about me because I was nothing to them. In their eyes, Constantino was just a generous benefactor and I was his rich, spoilt and obnoxious son. All they were here for as the money we were able to offer. What they don't know is that we were the fucking mafia, the only people in Milan that could end their business as well as their lives in just a fucking second.
Having this much privilege was powerful and I could only thank my grandfather but on the other hand, it was a fucking pain in the ass. I wasn't sure if it was a good or a bad thing.
After minutes passed of the three men conversing amongst each other whilst I sat next to Constantino, bored as fuck. I wanted to do something, have fun, fuck things up, ruin these men.
"I have a question for you Mr Regio," I cleared my throat as I sit back up on my chair and finally make eye-contact with one of the bastards, whoever was named Mr Regio. He rolled his eyes at me before he watched me with a raised brow, like as if he was doubting.
"I see Dante, and what may the question be?"
"If we allow your company to sell in our benefit gala, how much profit are we getting?"
"Well, why would you need the profit anyway? It's your products we are selling, we are also earning a few more investors for you, no? We are just doing our job and earning our money, so no you do not get anything."
"That was not my question." I said, "How much profit do we receive Mr Regio?"
He watched me in disbelief before he scoffed and glanced at Constantino who didn't say anything, and I was glad that he did because it made me believe that he truly did believe in me.
"Constantinou, Ti suggerisco di controllare tuo figlio, sta scendendo dai binari." He chuckled,
"Pardon me?" I raise a brow, "Me? Off the rails? May I remind you who you are speaking to Regio?"
His brows snapped into a furrow as he watched me in disbelief. There was no longer an ounce of amusement in his face and to be honest, I was living for it. This man had no idea who he was dealing with and I was ready to fucking show him.
"We're the Lombardi's. The Lombardi's. We have the power to do anything right now because you are not paying attention, it's simple. Speaking of, have you any idea how important it is to be attentive around people you barely know?"
"Constantinou, What is going on?" Regio queried to dad, who sat next to me with a straight face.
"Polo, c'era un motivo per cui ho portato mio figlio con me oggi così può manipolare le persone che lo manipolano." Dad finally said and I glance back at Polo Regio, the biggest fool in this room as his face falls into disbelief, "You really fucked up didn't you?"
Polo gulped as I stood up and grabbed the papers that were scattered on the table in front of us. He gulped really hard and then began to tremble under our scrutiny, while dad glared at him. I knew the type of person Polo was; rich, conniving, stupid and fucking useless, especially to us. We didn't need him, we needed his distributors and his buyers and the only way to do that was to manipulate him.
"You people are not here for business are you? You guys are the mafia." He quietly states like as if he was in disbelief, like he was trying to convince himself that he has been caught up in a cob of web.
"Oh that's old news for us but no, no. It's totally business Polo but not on the charity side, it's the mafia side." I nodded my head and sat on the table where he was.
Polo's eyes widened at the confirmation and in that instance, sweat trickled down his face. He gulped so hard that I heard it. It was obvious that he knew he fucked up, by deciding to do business with us but once we get into things, there was definitely no going back.
"beh, non voglio far parte di questo." He began to shake his head and stand up, "It's not what I signed up for!"
"Sit down Polo!" Dad growled, "You will sit the fùck down."
Polo definitely had pissed his fucking pants when dad's voice boomed in the room, the kind of authority he held was dangerous. My glance flicked between them before it settled on dad, who was glaring at me and I just knew what that look was.
I know it wasn't the time to pick up a fight right now but I had this burning desire to snap this motherfucker's neck, however I couldn't do that because dad needed him the most right now. Since I've done my part of the job, I had to leave now. Leave the rest for my father to deal with because he was an expert in this. He was going to deal with it, even if he has to kill Polo today.
I clenched my jaws as I glared at Polo before I stood up from the table and walked out, leaving dad to deal with the rest.
An hour passes by as I wait for dad, and in the hour all I was able to hear was Regio's pleads and cries. My stomach burned with passion as I heard this man cry for his life and for the first time in my life, I felt no kind of remorse because I hated the dick.
Dad stepped out of the room with a towel in his hand as he wipes his hands with it. His face was painted with anger as he sighed frustratedly.
"Is it done?"
"Sì. The job is done, we should be getting the distributors by Monday and the piles by Tuesday."
I nodded my head and stood up from the bench as it was time to leave but when a second vehicle pulled up behind the glass windows, I bury my hands in my pockets and sigh.
As the car came to a halt, a man in a black suit stepped out and that's when I realised that it was Destefano, one of dad's business partners.
"qual è il tuo patto con lui?"
"niente di importante." He cleared his throat and then discarded the bloodied towel, "He is just like Regio. Let's just hope that he doesn't end up like him."
"You're using him?" I raise a brow at him and as soon as I did, dad's brows snapped in a furrow.
"Sì, is that problem?"
"No, it's not. I just want you to be sure who you're getting yourself involved with."
"Figlio I've worked in this business for two decades. I know what I'm getting myself into, I can tell you that it is all mediocre business men that have no idea who they are dealing with."
My eyes widened at the realisation before I glance over my shoulder to watch dad.
"He has no idea who we are, does he?"
"I don't know and I don't care," he shrugged, "I will only make a decision based on his reaction today. If he is just like Regio, I will slit his fùcking throat and snatch every little thing away from him however, if he has a different state of mind, he'll be able to work with us. Anyway, I'm sure he knows who we are otherwise he would've been running by now."
I nodded my head at dad, agreeing to whatever he was saying as I return my gaze back to the car in front of us. I had no idea what dad's intentions were but I knew for a fact that they were not for a good cause. The very first day I met Destefano, I felt as though this was going to go really bad and I was correct, however something made me stay.
I could have easily convinced dad to let go of this one business deal as we have the opportunity to invest into something better but someone kept me from doing so. While dad was invested in his mafia and business, I was too busy investing into her and I couldn't stop. I had no control over it.
Now that dad's intentions were to use Destefano, where does that leave me?
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