Page 13

Dante

I knew this was going to be a hassle but we would just face the music, answer his questions then go home. As Oscar drove us into the parking garage, I pulled my cell out to have pizza delivered along with some moon pie for dessert to the house tonight. Smirking, I knew Della would laugh when the food came. I paused and wondered how I would sneak it in without Zia knowing. I knew she never liked us to do that for dinner.

Finally, the limo stopped.

“Please stay in the car until we make sure everything is clear,” Tito said over the speaker.

“Clear?” Della asked me.

“He means secure.”

Nodding her head, she reached over and took my hand.

“Della, don’t be nervous.” I could tell the fact that she was meeting my brother bothered her.

“I can’t help it,” she replied. “Luca is like the oldest and head of the family.”

“Doesn’t matter.” I shrugged. “You are very likeable and knowing him, he won’t even look at you too much. You have already been researched by his IT. Of that, I am sure.”

Della stared at me. “You mean he looked into my background?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry to say he more than likely did just that.”

Della tilted her head at me and said, “That’s kind of…”

I squeezed her hand and filled in the descriptions for her, “Creepy, overprotective, dramatic and an invasion of your privacy…Should I go on?”

She smiled. “No, I suppose it was necessary since I was dragged in by bikers after they found me passed out cold in a dead man's tomb while looking for a man who’d been kidnapped.”

I laughed. “Damn, that sounds like an episode of the Walking Dead actually. But no, it applies to anyone that comes into our lives. Either personally or in the Descalia business. They are immediately checked up and down inside and out, so to speak. Prima regola di ingaggio, my dad always calls it. First rule of engagement.”

Della nodded, then asked, “And the second rule?”

I stared at her and said, “Bust em up if they are dangerous.” I grinned at her. “The third is called fait accompli… I think that’s Latin for suck it up buttercup .”

We both laughed.

The limo door opened. “You two sure have fun together,” Tito remarked as he was again met by our laughter.

We stared at him then glanced at each other while wearing huge grins.

I shrugged and said, “We are still dating, cuz. So it is fun.”

“Does that stop at some point?” Della asked. “Like after a couple months of dates?”

I shook my head. “Not when you are with Dante Descalia, it doesn’t.”

Tito chuckled now. “Yeah, he and Romeo got into lots of trouble with their so-called fun.”

Della looked over at me again. “Oh?”

I tugged at her hand. “Never mind that. Let’s go.”

She laughed. “Oh, wow… This must be good. Tito is going to have to fill me in on this.”

“It would be my pleasure,” Tito replied as he moved back to escort us out of the limo. “There’s the beer pong story or even further back to condom balloons at the birthday party.”

I shook my head. “I wonder if she’ll want to hear about the chocolate cake incident?” I teased him.

Tito gasped dramatically while shaking his head. “Low blow, dude.”

“Yeah that was funny,” his brother Rocky said.

“Can’t wait to hear about it,” Della joked. “You Italians are so…” she paused.

“Yeessss, mia cara?” I asked as we walked. “We’re what?”

She smiled. “Funny. Laughing and teasing all the time. It’s just so different from…” She shook her head.

“What? Wasn’t Deacon humorous?” I asked her.

“Sometimes, but he stayed quiet mostly.”

“He jokes when he is on top,” Rocky said as he stepped in beside me. “Like most men do I guess?”

Tito was walking next to Della as he added, “Yeah, I noticed he was entirely silent while in the cells. Like it kinda gave me the willies to be honest. But Valencia said he was a different man after O died. He kidnapped one of the women from the Walker ranch, saying that O told him to keep their line going and he chose this girl named Jewel. Said she was perfect for him. Like to have his baby! Wow. Valencia tried to talk him out of it and she realized then that they weren’t close siblings like she’d believed.”

“Valencia told you, huh?” I teased him as I already noticed that he liked the girl.

Della huffed a little but didn’t say anything as my cousins led us toward the parking garage elevator.

She had a right to feel like that after what Valencia did, putting her in that crypt. It still made no sense. Valencia had been convinced it was the right thing to do for Della.

“Did you know Deacon well?” Rocky asked Della.

“I spent the last 2 years with him off and on. Before that, he was at college then the FBI academy, then working for the government. But I can’t say I knew him at all. Especially in light of the lie I was told and believed for ten years.”

“Just weird the way that O woman orchestrated people’s lives,” Tito said. “From what Glory told us, she messed with the Walkers for years and they never even knew it was her.”

“And all of that totally shocked me too. How could I not know she was a monster?” Della asked.

Holding hands, Della and I got into the elevator. “People can lie very convincingly, but she was also crazy, Della,” I told her. “Like smart crazy. You can’t blame yourself for not knowing as she never showed you that side of her. Actually, I am glad she never showed you because then she might have…” My voice faded away as I realized Della could have been killed.

Tito and Rocky got behind us in the elevator.

Rocky hit the top floor button. “That’s true and I agree with Dante. Not your fault.”

“This is a huge building.” Della stared at the panel with all the floors on it.

Nodding, I explained it in a mini tour, “The first ten floors are for the headquarters of the different businesses and subsidiaries we own. Then floors 11 to 14 are for sales departments, HR, banking and accounting .” I beamed at her. “Then 15 is for Lucas’ offices as President, then Amadeo is Vice President on that floor as well.”

The ride up was uninterrupted as this was a single use elevator just for the parking garage. Then the doors opened and Della paused.

Yes, the room was very large. In fact, it was larger than a person could take in from where we were standing. I took her elbow and escorted her out. We remained flanked by my cousins as we made our way through probably the richest, most luxurious office floor in the whole city.

“Wow,” Della murmured as she kept looking around.

“It’s a lot,” I agreed. “Too much for me. I like my moderately sized office and its normal accents.”

“Normal?” Della asked.

“Yeah, I’ll show you sometime soon.” I steered her to a huge lobby desk.

“Dante!” Roxie greeted me from the receptionist's desk.

“Roxie!” I greeted back.

She immediately swung her gaze over to Della.

“This is my girl, Della,” I introduced her before she could ask embarrassing questions. Roxie tended to be brave and forward….part of her charm as I saw it.

Roxie’s eyes rounded as she stared at Della. Looking excited, she came around the desk and swooped poor unsuspecting Della up into a hug. “Oh, my dear!” she exclaimed. “I am so happy to meet you!”

Della looked a bit stunned as the older woman hugged her tightly.

Roxie pulled back and looked at Della. “I am sorry to have startled you. But I never thought Dante would say those words.”

“What words?” Della asked in confusion.

Roxie finally stepped back and said, “MY GIRL!”

I laughed as I raised my hands up. “Ok, ok…”

“Truly,” Roxie went on. “Never a second date, never a steady girl.”

“Gee Roxie, you act like I’m a fifty year old spinster.” I rolled my eyes.

She laughed. “I’m just happy. Legend and Romeo, then now you.”

“Della, this is Roxie James,” I introduced the receptionist to her. “She has been with Descalia Corp since before I was born. She was my dad’s secretary back in the old days.”

“The old days!” Roxie rolled her eyes. “And how is Grumpy Moon?” Roxie asked.

We all smiled at the name she had for my father.

“Grumpy and dark as always, Roxie,” I told her.

Roxie smiled. “Good, means he’s healthy.” She finally stepped back behind the desk. “Well, Luca isn’t here. I am supposing that is who you are here to see.”

I paused, then looked over at Tito.

He shrugged. “I called his cell. I didn’t know where he was when he answered.”

“Why would he make us come here if he isn’t even here?” I asked.

“Because I was on my way, baby brother.”

We all turned to see Luca coming in. “I knew I’d make it as we used the copter.”

Amadeo was right beside him as he gave us a wave.

We had a landing pad on the roof of the Descalia building along with a well maintained helicopter.

“Thanks Roxie,” Luca told her. “Come on guys.” He motioned at us and headed away.

I shook my head and took hold of Della’s hand again. We followed him down the large glass encased hall.

Amadeo waved and told us, “I’m gonna see about getting us some expresso.” He then veered off into another room.

I smirked. He acted like an assistant and I knew why. He hadn’t wanted to be VP of Descalia. He liked being a pilot in fact, he was the one who flew our copter as well as maintaining it. He was also an IT, best of the best in tech. VP material he wasn’t. But as per usual, our father made him one anyway, saying that family members had to take the top positions to protect Descalia.

Della didn’t even seem to notice he’d left as she kept gawking at the design of the office floor. All brass and glass everywhere.

I tried to see it through new eyes like hers. It did look ostentatious I suppose? I think the interior of the building, if I remember correctly, cost a couple of million. Our father said it was a cheap deal for what they received. He’d been owed a favor or two.

We arrived at Luca's office.

It seemed to be less gregarious than a person might expect considering the surroundings. I had seen it only a few times as I didn’t come up here often. Simple and elegant. A large mahogany desk, 4 comfortable leather chairs. Some books in a bookcase, some plants, a couple of very nice paintings, some of his degrees on the wall and a huge window. He also had another desk and chair on the far side.

“Have a seat.” He waved his hand at us as he made his way around his desk. He sat in his plush desk chair, steepled his fingers and released a breath.

Della and I sat down in the leather chairs. My cousins remained standing. I knew they wouldn’t sit if they were on duty.

Luca stared at me and got right to it, “What the hell happened?”

I shrugged and replied, “I took Della to Neversmiles. Like on an app tour. Then some guy came up to us—”

“Petrov,” Della spoke up.

Luca looked over at her as his eyes narrowed. “You knew him?”

Nodding, she explained, “He was security in our offices and elsewhere.”

“Our?” he repeated at her.

“He was Deacon’s security officer,” she clarified.

“So you knew this guy,” Luca stated.

Nodding, Della tried to explain, “I didn’t want…” She waved her hand at our cousins. “Tito and Rocky to hurt him.”

“So you also liked the guy?” Luca accused.

“I did and it was because he—”

Luca raised his hand at her, cutting her short and turned his gaze to me. “She knew this guy?”

“Yes, she did, Luca.” I now glared at him. “And you know what?”

He raised his chin at me and asked, “What?”

I stood from the chair and took her hand in mine. “I don’t like the way you are talking to Della or treating her.” I tugged on her hand and led her to the door.

“Dante!” he called to me.

“Nah, man. She’s not the enemy.” I kept walking. “Your attitude is pure shit.”

Out in the hall, my cousins were right next to me and Della in less than a minute.

“Damnit, Dante. Get back here!” Luca was in the hall now.

I refused to listen or look at him anymore today or I might just punch him right in his fucking face. It pissed me off instantly when he started to rudely interrogate her like she was in on the attack or something.

“Dante…” Tito spoke softly.

“No man, would you let anyone talk to your girl like that?”

He bit at his lip and gave me no answer.

“He doesn’t have a girl, ye t,” Rocky teased. “But I gotta say, if anyone, even Luca or your dad, talked to my Rosie like that? I would have punched him.”

“You are not helping, brother,” Tito groused.

“Dante?”

I slowed a bit and turned to see Amadeo coming up behind us.

“Where are you going?” he asked as he looked concerned. “You just got here.”

“Home. Luca can ask us about what happened today when he learns some manners.”

Amadeo laughed. “That means he will never get to ask.”

Tito and Rocky snickered.

I looked over at Della. “Are you okay?”

Nodding, she raised up on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “That was wonderful of you to do. And I do think he was a little careless but… really, I’ve met his type more than a few times in my work. CEO’s, serious as hell and they have no time for what they consider being careful about people’s feelings.”

I stared at her and said, “I don’t care if he is the CEO of the effing world. I won’t sit by and listen to that tone in his voice or the way he disrespected you.” I took her hand and again headed for the elevator. “You can relay that message to him, baby brother,” I called back to Amadeo. “When he is ready to be respectful and polite, we can then answer his questions.” I stopped at the elevator and tapped the button.

Amadeo nodded and he looked pretty pleased about this too. “I will tell him that. Can I add the word butthole and maybe douchebag?”

Della burst out with laughter.

I smiled for the first time since Luca’s office. “Yes, you may.”

Tito groaned. “Man, you brothers are always at odds.”

“Since when?” I asked him as I moved Della into the elevator.

“You serious with that question?” Rocky asked me in disbelief.

“Yeah,” Tito agreed as he got into the elevator as well and tapped the garage button. “You and Romeo up against big bro Luca. It has only happened twenty or thirty times.”

I scoffed. “His ego gets too big every once in a while, and then one of us has to deflate it a bit. Same as when we were kids. Yeah, so now, he’s what, the Cappo? The capo dei capi, boss of all the bosses? Well, I don’t fucking care. He’s still my brother and puts his pants on the same way we all do. So he can shove his interrogation where the sun don’t shine.”

My cousins said not a word. They knew he’d crossed that line, just like I knew. The only one that didn’t seem to know this was Luca himself.