Page 108 of Shadows of Steel
A cold silence follows my statement.
Niccolò exhales sharply, then smirks. “Good. Makes me proud, little sister.”
I press on, my patience running out. “After he died, she thought it was over. But the notes started again. Whoever he is, he followed her, from Chicago to Palermo. And then the night of our engagement, her bedroom was trashed, walls smeared in blood. It looked like a fucking murder scene.”
Enzo curses under his breath.
I level them with a steady look, my voice controlled but ice-cold. “Now, he’s escalated. He got as far as Naples, into our bedroom.”
Giovanni’s voice cuts through like steel. “How the fuck did he get past your security? Into your own home, under your nose?”
That pisses me off, because he’s right. I should have been able to protect her better. She deserved better.
Darion watches me closely, his expression unreadable. “You said the stalker was in Palermo too?”
I nod. “He left a note at Enzo’s gym. Meaning he was in the fucking locker room.”
Enzo’s jaw clenches, his grip tightening around the edge of his desk.
I let my gaze sweep over the screen, my voice menacing. “Spread the word. Your men, my men, everyone is hunting this bastard. He’s careful, but he’ll slip. When he does, we’ll have him.”
Giovanni nods once. “We’ll handle our side.”
Michael exhales sharply. “We’ll look into it too.”
I nod in acknowledgment, then lean back slightly, shifting the conversation. “Now, onto another matter. The Albanians.”
Michael’s eyes narrow. “What about them?”
“They started something that I intend to finish. The last shipment from Calabria was seized. They encroached on my ports, millions were lost.”
Darion lets out a dry chuckle. “You pissed them off?”
I arch a brow. “Quite the opposite. If I fail to retaliate, I risk projecting weakness, which will only embolden them to escalate further.”
Giovanni’s fingers drum against the desk, his gaze thoughtful. “What’s your plan?”
“First is securing access to one of your ports, Porto Belladonna, to be precise. Calabria is not a viable option at this time.”
Giovanni inclines his head. “Consider it done.”
“And then I make my move.”
Michael exhales sharply. “Dante, this is going to bring a fucking war to your doorstep.”
I smirk. “Not if I put them in the ground first.”
Michael chuckles darkly. “Just don’t underestimate those fuckers.”
I smirk, but my mind is already shifting gears. “We’re prepared.”
Giovanni leans back slightly, his expression calculating. “Let’s talk business. Our alliance means nothing if we don’t strengthen our operations.”
Michael nods, his voice turning sharp. “Chicago’s casino operations are pulling strong numbers, but the Feds have been circling. We’re looking at offshore laundering options tokeep everything clean. You still have banking connections in Monteverdi, Dante?”
I tilt my head. “Of course. The channels are secure, but expansion needs subtlety. Ricci, your people move money through San Bastiano network. How much room do we have to manoeuvre?”
Giovanni smirks faintly. “Enough. The right hands are greased, and as long as the system profits, no one asks questions. If Chicago needs a backdoor, we can arrange something.”
