I enter the quiet foyer of my mother’s Long Island estate, the soft click of my dress shoes on polished marble echoing in the silence. I’ve spent most of the day tamping down my anger, scheming how best to retaliate against the Lombardis for last night’s actions.
Now, I need her perspective.
A staff member leads me through the halls to the lavish sitting room where my mother waits with her usual unflappable grace. As I enter, she sets aside a porcelain teacup, fixing me with a level gaze.
“Dante,” she says, motioning for me to sit beside her on a plush sofa. “You look like you’ve been chewing nails. Come.”
I manage a tight smile as I slip out of my coat. “Believe me, I’ve considered it.”
She arches a brow, gesturing for the staff member to pour me tea. I’d prefer whiskey, but I know better than to alter her hospitality.
“Tell me everything,” she says simply.
“I tried to speak with Gianni Lombardi. Extend an olive branch, so to speak. His father intervened. They cornered me outside my apartment last night.”
She pales slightly, though her expression remains stern. “How bad?”
I shrug, rolling a shoulder to test the bruise left by one of Gianni’s goons. “Nothing I can’t handle. They threatened me. Held a gun to my head in front of innocent bystanders—kids, older folks, neighbors. Lombardi Sr. demanded I back off or he’d escalate.”
Her lips purse. “Vito. That old bastard.”
I nod, my anger seething just below the surface. “I was tempted to make an example of them right then, but there were too many civilians around. If I’d opened fire, it would’ve turned into a massacre.”
She frowns. “The Lombardis knew you wouldn’t risk collateral damage. They used the knowledge as leverage.”
“Exactly.” I recall how close it came to turning ugly. “I want my pound of flesh, Mother. This is the second time they’ve insulted us—first the wedding, now ambushing me on my own turf. I’ve tried to keep it civil, but I’m running out of patience.”
She nods slowly, gathering her thoughts. “I remember you telling me you’d attempt diplomacy for that girl’s sake. Eva, is it?”
My chest tightens at the mention of Eva. “Yes, but it’s not just about her. I want this city stable. Eva hates bloodshed, and I promised her I’d try to be better than the savage rumors she’s heard about me.”
She casts me a quick, knowing look. “You’d do well to keep her trust, but you cannot appear weak. People like Lombardi see kindness as a sign of frailty.”
“I need to retaliate, but in a way that avoids unnecessary bloodshed. I’m trying to avoid a war, but Lombardi is making it difficult.”
She sighs, picking up her teacup and taking a measured sip. “I know the Lombardi’s. They’re proud, but their finances are precarious. We’ve seen that over the years, haven’t we?”
A ruthless smile tugs at my lips. “We have. But old man Lombardi’s cunning. He might find new investors if I start seizing his assets.”
Her expression hardens. “Let me talk to him. Officially, we’ve been at peace for some time. If he hopes to maintain that, he’ll at least listen.”
I lean back, unconvinced. “And if he doesn’t?”
Her eyes flash. “Then we starve him. Financially, physically, mentally—whatever it takes. That man would rather see his entire family fall to ruin than admit he’s lost. I’ll show him he already has.”
I rub my jaw, tension creeping into my neck. “I appreciate it, but in all honesty, I’m out for blood. Lombardi orchestrated the attack at the wedding. He had his men ambush me at my home. He’s crossing lines.”
She sets down her teacup and reaches over to lay a hand on my knee. “We’re not in the days of the War of the Black Roses, Dante. You remember that time—you and I stood side by side, burying your father and your two brothers. We nearly burned the whole city down back then.”
Dark memories flash in my mind—the nights spent hunting our enemies, the endless funerals, the wave of guilt that never quite left my soul.
“You were the one who told me no mercy, Mother,” I say quietly.
She inhales sharply. “And I stand by that for those who show none. But this is different. We have dominion over the syndicate, and the city’s fragile equilibrium depends on us not turning every street corner into a war zone. If we want to keep our power, we need to be smarter.”
“Smarter,” I echo. “Fine. But if the Lombardi’s push me one more time—”
“You’ll do what must be done,” she finishes, voice clipped. “But not until I speak to them. Understood?”
I give a curt nod. “Understood.”
She relaxes a fraction, smoothing out her dress as she sits back in her chair. “Good. We’re going to handle this carefully, rationally. Besides, you have more going on in your life right now than the Lombardi’s.”
I tense, anticipating her next words. She never asks outright, but I see the curiosity burning in her eyes.
“Before anything else, I want to meet this Eva Smith.”
My chest tightens. “Why?”
Her eyebrows arch. “Because she’s important to you, obviously. And I don’t trust outsiders without assessing them myself.”
“She’s not part of our world,” I say firmly. “She doesn’t need to be dragged into our politics.”
She gives me a pitying smile. “Dante, if you’re this invested in her, it’s already too late. She’s part of your life, which means she’s involved in our world whether she likes it or not. Don’t insult me by pretending otherwise.”
I blow out a breath, frustration mingling with a protectiveness for Eva. “Fine. But don’t interrogate her. She’s not like Linda. She’s got integrity.”
Nonna laughs. “Integrity, you say? You do love a contradiction, don’t you?”
“Is it wrong to want someone untainted by the worst of what we do, unaware of the horrors we’ve seen and committed?”
Her expression turns thoughtful. “No, and I do understand. But I am curious about her. She works for you, but she’s also your companion, yes?”
The question hits harder than I care to admit. “Yes,” I say quietly. “And I trust her. She’s brilliant with computers, hates senseless violence, and she keeps me grounded in ways I never expected.”
My mother’s lips curve with something akin to pride. “That might be exactly what you need, figlio mio. That’s all the more reason for me to meet her. Invite her to dinner. It can be a cosa di famiglia.”
A family thing. That means Luca, Sarah, and Linda.
Great.
I hesitate. “You sure it’s wise to include Linda?”
She waves her hand through the air dismissively. “Oh, I can handle Linda.”
My mother’s stubbornness may be annoying at times, but it’s also comforting. There’s no one better at controlling a situation than her. “All right. I’ll talk to Eva. But if she’s uncomfortable—”
“I’ll behave,” she promises, though the mischievous glint in her eye belies the saintly tone. “We’ll have a nice family meal. You, me, and your Eva. If Luca and the rest decide to show up, so be it.”
A low growl escapes my throat. “Luca’s been a problem in his own right.”
She waves that off too. “He’s all bark right now. Let him sulk. If he decides to confront your new girlfriend, well, it doesn’t sound like Eva’s the type to roll over.”
A small smile tugs at my lips. “Far from it. She doesn’t tolerate nonsense. That’s one of the reasons I—” I catch myself before finishing the sentence.
One of the reasons I love her. The words stay locked in my throat.
My mother’s gaze sharpens, missing nothing. She simply says, “Hmm, indeed.” She doesn’t press any further. Instead, she merely folds her hands in her lap before changing the subject. “So, we have a plan, yes? I’ll meet with Vito, see if I can’t talk some sense into him before you blow him off the map. And you’ll bring Eva to meet me. The rest, we handle as it comes.”
I nod, though my jaw still aches from clenching my teeth due to pent-up anger. “Yes. Thank you, Mother.”
“Don’t thank me yet. You know how these things can go. The Lombardi’s have never been rational.”
I allow a slight chuckle. “True. But I’ll handle it.”
She stands and pats my cheek—an uncharacteristically affectionate gesture. “Of course you will. You’re my son, after all. Just remember to keep a clear head. We can’t let old feuds cost us everything we’ve built.”
I stand up as well. “I’ll keep a clear head.” In the back of my mind, though, I feel the vow I made to myself simmering. One more move—if they hurt me again, if they threaten Eva, if they so much as breathe wrong in her direction—I’ll show them exactly what I’m capable of.
As if sensing the violent thoughts swirling in my head, she rests a hand on my arm. “Dante, you do realize your father and I once said the same about the Petrovs. It led to tragedy.” A flash of remorse crosses her features. It’s rare to see her unsettled. “What happened with the Petrovs, let’s just say I carry those choices with me every day.”
I level her with a steady look. “We both do.”
She breaks eye contact. “Enough. We must be smarter now. And you must think of Eva, the promise you made to her.”
My heart lurches at the mention of Eva’s name. “I am. That’s why I won’t let the Lombardis run unchecked.”
“Then we’re settled. I’ll arrange a meeting, see if old Vito is open to reason. You do your part—keep the violence on hold for now.”
A muscle in my jaw twitches. “Fine. But if he’s not open to reason—”
Her smile is thin, knowing. “Then we proceed with a heavier hand. But not yet.”
I breathe deep, reining in my impulses. “Not yet,” I echo.
For a few moments, we stand in silence. Finally, I run a hand through my hair, my gaze drifting to the ornate grandfather clock in the corner. The conversation’s drained me.
She picks up her teacup again, gesturing for the staff member to refill it. “Stay for dinner?”
I shake my head. “I have a prior engagement with Eva.”
Her eyes glint. “As I said, invite her next time. I’d like to see this woman for myself.”
I resist the urge to sigh. “I will. Soon.”
“Good.” She sits back down with the posture of a queen and waves me off. “Go, then. And Dante?”
I pause, halfway to the door, glancing back. “Yes?”
A rare softness in her expression. “Don’t lose yourself in anger. Remember, sometimes we catch more flies with honey.”
I smile softly. “My jar of honey’s run out, but I’ll see if I can scrounge some up.”
She smirks, lifting the teacup to her lips. “Just don’t forget your stinger if that fails.”
As I exit the estate, a swirl of conflicting emotions tangles in my chest. The Lombardi’s have forced my hand more than once now and I’m tired of playing nice. I know my mother is right—I need to wait for her to sit down with Vito before making a move.
If an innocent bystander ends up taking a bullet because of my carelessness, I’ll never forgive myself. And Eva would see me for the monster everyone thinks I am.
I climb into my waiting car and nod to my driver. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out and see Eva’s name flashing on the screen, and my chest tightens with a strange warmth. I answer on the second ring.
“Dante?” Her voice is cautious, threaded with concern. “Are you okay?”
I close my eyes for a second, letting the tension slip from my shoulders. “I’m fine, Eva. Just coming back from a visit with my mother.”
She hesitates. “Oh. Everything all right?”
I can’t help the small laugh that escapes me. “As all right as it gets in this line of work.”
She sighs. “Guess that means you’re not up for dinner then.”
I stare out the window, the city lights flickering by. “Actually, dinner sounds great. If that’s still an option.”
A beat of silence then, “Sure. My treat. I know a quiet place near the office.”
I picture her face, her brilliant smile, the focus she brings to everything she does. “I’ll meet you there in half an hour.”
We hang up. The driver glances at me in the rearview mirror, his expression politely unreadable. I lean back, letting out the breath I was holding.
Isabella wants to meet Eva soon. I’ll have to bring her into that tumultuous world. I wonder how she will handle it, meeting the woman who shaped me, the one who taught me to be ruthless yet regrets it every day.
A small part of me wonders if I can keep the peace. If I’ll be able to resolve this Lombardi fiasco without bodies piling up, proving to Eva I’m not just a cruel man in a suit. But if it comes down to it, if they threaten her safety…
I clench my fists, ignoring the faint ache in my knuckles. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
For now, I’m going to enjoy dinner with Eva. A moment of normalcy, if I can lie to myself that the city around us isn’t standing at the edge of war.
I glance at my phone, reading her text—an address to a small bistro. A smile lifts my lips.
We’ll make do with the illusions we have.
“Take me downtown. I have a date,” I say to my driver.
I let my mind drift to Eva—her fierce intelligence, her warmth, the way she looks at me like she believes in me, believes I can overcome being the demon I’ve been.
God help the Lombardis if they try to take her away from me.
