Chapter 5 - The Woman Dante Trusted
Sofia revealed the truth in less than five minutes.
Victor Sanz had not built the conspiracy.
He had been invited into it.
By Dante’s uncle, Roberto Moretti.
A man Dante believed had retired to Florida six years earlier.
“He thinks you destroyed the family,” Sofia said.
Dante laughed without humor.
“I kept this family alive.”
“He thinks you turned it into a corporation.”
“I stopped bodies from appearing in alleys.”
“You also took control away from men like him.”
Adrian nodded.
“There it is.”
Power.
Not revenge.
Not honor.
Power.
Dante asked, “Where is Roberto?”
“I don’t know.”
Elena watched Sofia.
“You do.”
Everyone looked at her.
Sofia’s eyes narrowed.
“You’ve known her how long?”
“Long enough,” Dante said.
Elena stepped closer.
“You came here alone. You knew where Daniel would be. You knew Dante would come. And you’re not frightened.”
Sofia smiled faintly.
“You notice things.”
“It’s literally my job.”
“Cleaning?”
“Cleaning means noticing what people leave behind.”
Sofia’s smile disappeared.
Elena continued.
“You know where Roberto is.”
“Yes.”
“Why lie?”
“Because I needed to know what Dante would do with Daniel.”
Dante stared at her.
“You tested me?”
“I needed to know whether you’d become your father.”
Silence.
Dante’s voice became cold.
“And?”
“You haven’t.”
Sofia placed an address on the table.
“Victor is holding Daniel’s son here.”
Daniel grabbed it.
Dante stopped him.
“You don’t go alone.”
“That’s my son.”
“Exactly.”
Daniel’s voice cracked.
“You don’t understand.”
Dante stepped closer.
“Yes, I do.”
The room quieted.
“My father taught us that family meant obedience.”
Dante looked at Adrian.
“Maybe he was wrong.”
Then at Daniel.
“Maybe family means nobody goes alone.”
Elena watched him.
Something had changed.
Not softness.
Something harder to achieve.
Restraint.
---
Hours later, Daniel’s son was safely recovered after Dante’s people forced Victor’s men to abandon the location without a prolonged confrontation.
But Roberto remained missing.
That evening, Dante found Elena packing a suitcase.
He stopped in her doorway.
“What are you doing?”
“Leaving.”
His face hardened.
“You said you wouldn’t.”
“That was before.”
“Before what?”
“Before you called me the only person you trust.”
Dante stared.
“That makes you want to leave?”
“It makes me a target.”
“I can protect you.”
Elena zipped the suitcase.
“You can barely protect yourself.”
“That’s insulting.”
“It was supposed to be.”
She lifted the suitcase.
Dante took it from her.
“Give me that.”
“No.”
“You’re not carrying it.”
“Dante.”
“Elena.”
She released it.
He placed it down.
Then blocked the doorway.
“Move.”
“No.”
Her eyebrows rose.
“You’re learning.”
“Apparently.”
“Why don’t you want me to leave?”
“You know why.”
“No. I want to hear you say it.”
Dante looked genuinely irritated.
“You enjoy doing this.”
“Very much.”
He looked away.
Elena waited.
Finally:
“Because when you walk into a room, nobody gets to pretend.”
Her expression changed.
Dante continued.
“My men tell me what I want to hear. My family tells me what protects them. People smile because they’re afraid.”
He looked directly at her.
“You tell me my shoes are dirty.”
“That’s your argument?”
“It’s what I have.”
Elena almost laughed.
Dante stepped closer.
“When you found that second phone, you protected my house.”
Another step.
“When the lights went out, you stayed.”
Another.
“When I was about to destroy Daniel before hearing him, you stopped me.”
Elena’s voice became quieter.
“You’re responsible for your own decisions.”
“I know.”
“Good.”
“But you make me question them.”
“That sounds healthy.”
“It’s extremely inconvenient.”
She smiled.
Dante didn’t.
“I don’t want you to go.”
Elena studied him.
“Ask.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Seriously?”
“You’re getting better at it.”
Dante exhaled.
“Elena Cruz, would you stay?”
“Why?”
“Because I want you here.”
“That’s better.”
“Is that a yes?”
She looked at the suitcase.
Then at him.
“One condition.”
“Of course.”
“I’m still your employee.”
Dante frowned.
“And?”
“You don’t get to control where I go, what I wear, who I speak to, or what I think.”
“I never controlled what you think.”
“You tried.”
“It didn’t work.”
“Exactly.”
Dante nodded.
“Agreed.”
Elena held out her hand.
He looked at it.
“What?”
“Shake.”
“You want a handshake?”
“I want terms.”
Dante took her hand.
“Terms.”
Neither released the other immediately.
Then Marco appeared at the doorway.
He stopped.
Looked at their hands.
Then at the suitcase.
“I can come back.”
Elena released Dante.
“What?”
Marco’s expression was grim.
“We found Roberto.”
Dante’s face hardened.
“Where?”
Marco looked directly at him.
“He’s coming here.”
“When?”
A car engine sounded outside.
Marco looked toward the window.
May you like
“Now.”
---
