Chapter 8 - The Underboss’s Scorn
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"Marco, lower your voice. My son is sleeping," Dante hissed, stepping protectively in front of me.
Marco Rosselli, Dante’s younger brother and the syndicate’s ruthless underboss, did not look intimidated. He holstered his weapon but kept his hand resting casually on the grip. His dark eyes, so similar to Dante’s but entirely devoid of warmth, burned holes into my skull.
"You brought a rat into our home, brother," Marco sneered, pointing an accusing finger at me. "My intel just confirmed it. Elena Valdez wasn't just a mid-level operative. She was the Falcone family’s chief accountant twenty years ago. She stole millions from them and vanished. That’s why she erased their records."
"She’s Isabella’s sister," Dante stated, the revelation dropping like a bomb in the quiet nursery.
Marco froze. He looked at me, really looked at me, and I saw the horrifying realization wash over his face as he recognized the familial resemblance. But instead of softening, his expression twisted into pure, unadulterated disgust.
"Isabella is dead," Marco spat viciously. "And this girl is a liability. The Falcones don't just want the money her mother stole. They want to wipe out the entire bloodline to send a message. They want Leo dead, and now they know the sister is here."
"I didn't know!" I cried, stepping out from behind Dante. "I didn't know about any of this! I'm just a waitress!"
"You're bait," Marco corrected coldly. "And my brother is a fool for bringing you inside the perimeter. You need to hand her over to the Falcones, Dante. It’s the only way to prevent an all-out war."
"I will never hand her over," Dante roared, his voice echoing off the vaulted ceilings. The sheer, overwhelming power in his tone made the two armed guards at the door take a subconscious step backward.
Dante turned to me, his gray eyes blazing with a fierce, possessive fire. "You are blood. You are family. And no one touches my family."
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"She will be the death of this syndicate," Marco warned, turning on his heel and storming out of the room.
I stood trembling, realizing that the monsters weren't just outside the gates. They were walking the halls of the estate.
