Chapter 12 - GABRIEL’S BLOOD
The dead brother returned through blood.
Not body.
Not miracle.
A sixteen-year-old boy.
Matteo explained.
Gabriel had loved a woman before Enzo killed him.
She was pregnant.
Gabriel never knew.
The woman left the city.
Raised a daughter.
That daughter eventually had Marco.
Years later, Nico found them.
Marco’s mother died when he was six.
Nico took the boy.
“Why?” Dante asked.
Nico said nothing.
Matteo answered:
“Because he needed a son with Romano blood.”
Dante looked at Nico.
“You stole him.”
“I raised him.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
Nico’s face hardened.
“She was dying.”
“Did she give him to you?”
Silence.
Marco looked at Nico.
“Did Mom?”
Nico finally answered.
“No.”
The boy’s face changed.
“You told me she asked you.”
“I saved you.”
“No.”
Marco stepped backward.
“You lied.”
Nico reached for him.
Marco flinched.
Dante saw it.
Nico saw that Dante saw.
“Don’t.”
Dante’s voice was quiet.
“Touch him?”
“You don’t get to protect him.”
Nico laughed.
“He’s mine.”
Matteo closed his eyes.
Dante felt old rage wake.
Ownership.
Again.
Always.
He walked toward Nico.
“He is not property.”
“You think because you learned softer words you’re different from Enzo?”
Dante stopped.
Nico continued:
“You still have guards outside your children’s doors.”
“Yes.”
“You choose who enters their lives.”
“Yes.”
“You decide where they live.”
“They are children.”
“So is Marco.”
“Sixteen.”
“Still mine.”
“No.”
Dante looked at the boy.
“Ask him.”
Nico frowned.
“What?”
“Ask whether he wants to go with you.”
The room went silent.
Nico’s expression changed.
That possibility had never existed in his system.
Choice.
He looked at Marco.
The boy was terrified.
“Come here.”
Marco did not move.
Nico’s face hardened.
“Marco.”
The boy stepped behind Matteo.
Nico went pale.
Dante understood.
In one second, the empire inside Nico’s head cracked.
Not through violence.
Rejection.
Nico looked at Dante.
“You did this.”
“No.”
“You poisoned him against me.”
“I met him twenty minutes ago.”
Nico knew.
That made it worse.
Matteo spoke quietly.
“You became Enzo.”
Nico struck him.
Fast.
Matteo staggered.
Javier grabbed Nico.
Nico shoved him away.
Dante stepped between them.
“No more.”
Nico laughed.
“You think you can command this?”
“No.”
That answer stopped him.
Dante continued:
“I can only decide what I do.”
Nico looked disgusted.
“Coward.”
“Maybe.”
Dante looked toward Leo’s absent place.
“But my son will not spend thirty years recovering from what I call strength.”
Nico’s face twisted.
“You think Leo will respect that?”
“I don’t know.”
For the first time in his adult life, Dante could say it without shame.
“I don’t get to control what he thinks of me.”
Matteo looked at him.
Something almost like pride.
Then a shot sounded outside.
Anthony’s voice shouted.
Lights went out.
Dante moved immediately toward the children—
Then remembered.
Leo and Mia were not here.
Safe at estate.
Different danger.
Another shot.
Window shattered.
Marco dropped.
Javier pulled Matteo down.
Nico disappeared through the side door.
Dante followed.
Outside, a black car accelerated from the rear drive.
Anthony fired once toward a tire.
Missed.
Nico’s car vanished.
Dante turned.
“Where’s he going?”
Anthony looked at his phone.
His face changed.
“The estate.”
Dante’s blood went cold.
Nico had never expected Leo to come here.
He had expected Dante to leave Leo behind.
May you like
The old house was bait.
The real target remained Dante’s son.
