Page 10 of Savage Empire

We aren’t friends. Not even close. But the message gets to him either way.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he says, voice devoid of any hint to his reaction or emotion. “Rayna and Yordan are released to you, and Federico’s family will be handled. You should remember to tread carefully. She’s a traitor’s daughter, she has more to fear than an abusive husband.”

Judging by the fact that she was so willing to be shackled to him, and her utter lack of trust in men, I’d say he might be right. But does he know more than he’s letting on? Has someone actively tried to harm her from the outside? What were the circumstances that led her and Yordan to being in Casa Nostra custody?

Like fuck if I’m going to fish for information through Abramo.

I’ll have Remo start sleuthing for everything I need, and reach out to a few friends for details.

“I’ll keep it in mind. Ciao.”

I hang up the call before he can return the goodbye.

Blowing out a breath, my shoulder’s drop. I expected a lot more pushback, but I’m not entirely surprised our conversation went smoothly. Abramo may be a hot head, but he’s also smart enough to know that if I want something, I have the power to take it—with or without his approval.

I still can’t believe his father had the absolute gall to submit a marriage proposal for Jade on Abramo’s behalf. I would sooner wage war between our families than hand my little sister over to that horrid family.

“Something you’d like to discuss with me, son?” The unmistakable sound of my father’s voice meets my ears from behind.

“Eavesdropping in your old age, are you?” I drawl, spinning on my heels to meet his gaze. “Did you need to turn your hearing aids up to hear my discussion?”

Dante Moretti would never allow a man to speak to him with such blatant disrespect—joking or not. But I’m not simply a man to him, I’m his first child. Hisheir.

For me, he chuckles. “You get that snark from your uncle, and he’s not even here for me to smack him for it.”

Uncle Cesar has been gone for over a year now, and his loss still stings all of us to different degrees. Only recently has Dad been able to speak about him in such a casual, humorous manner. He’s learning to live without his brother after over four decades of existing side by side.

The fact that Cesar made it to forty-one before passing as an enforcer who dealt in blood and risk daily, is impressive. But in a family like ours, where mafia life doesn’t typically take a lethal toll, it was still shocking. Since we’ve been established for countless years, and have existed mostly in peace with the syndicates surrounding us, death doesn’t often come for us.

“I’m sure you could find someone willing to be smacked around bytheDante Moretti if you tried.”

“Funny,” he deadpans, crossing his arms. “Tell me what you’ve done, son.”

He speaks like he hasn’t already been updated. My brothers can’t keep their mouths shut. Dad isn’t upset, though. I don’t need to ask his permission to make a move, not when I’m years away from taking his place as Capo. He expects me to act on the instincts and values he’s instilled in me. He simply wants to hear the words come from me.

“I took in a couple strays.”

Arching a brow, he tilts his head. “And dropped a body in the process.”

Aworthlessbody.

“He hit her.”

“Mmm,” my father hums. “And thisher, are you interested in more than protecting her?”

I should have expected this line of questioning. There isn’t anything Dante Moretti wants more for me than a wife and a child. My lack of interest in rushing the process stresses him out to no end.

“She just became a widow twenty minutes ago.”

“And you rescued her from him,” he comments, smiling.

“She yelled at me for that very act.”

Surprise lights up in his eyes. “She did? She must be very brave, this…”

“Rayna,” I finish, knowing that he’s fishing. “Rayna and Yordan Todorov.”

His brows hike up. “Damyan Todorov’s children?”