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"He told me that Dante was already gone. When I asked if he was ok, Mr. Romano told me it was none of my business and that Dante would now thrive in his new life. I don't know what the fuck it all means, Preacher. I just know that asking more questions would have had me dead. And you pushing this isn't going to help."
My hands went to the back of my neck. I squeezed tightly, begging my brain to remember something, anything that could have hinted at this coming our way. We'd been doing everything we'd been told and then some. Dante and I were beyond ready to take over when Mr. Romano retired in a few years. If he even waited that long. We'd both known he was eager to relax in his old age, though we didn't push. He'd let us lead with time.
And yet, here I was without a job anymore. Which, to be honest, didn't make much sense.
Our organization wasn't the kind to just fire people. You either caught a bullet to the head, or for those unlucky enough to get the easy road, you were beaten near to death to earn your freedom. I'd never considered either option at this stage of my life. And it didn't seem that I would need to.
"No beat out?" I asked Luca.
He shook his head. "Nothing. He just told me to let you leave. Your stuff is already packed in the car." He pointed to a town car waiting off to the side. The same one I'd taken to get here.
I didn't understand how it was possible. Sure, I didn't have much in the way of clothing and shit, but there was still no way anyone could have packed my entire room this morning without my knowing. All I'd done —
Fuck.
All I'd done was go eat breakfast with Melanie, the house chef. She'd distracted me with a stack of pancakes and stories about her grandkids in Europe. I thought she was just having one of her many reminiscing moments. I doubted anyone else would indulge her, so I would often let her tell me the tales up until I had to leave. It's not as if it hurt me to listen while I ate.
Plus, I knew Dante would want to sleep in. Ever since we'd been given different assignments two weeks ago, he'd been different. He'd been distant. Like he knew our time together was coming to an end, but he didn't want to tell me.
Did he know? Had he been warned by his father that I'd be sent away?
"I'll leave," I told Luca, my mind already made up. I knew there were only a few places in the city where Dante would go. Tracking him wouldn't be too hard, and once I found him, I'd spank his defiant ass for not warning me what was up ahead. He should have known I'd be right beside him to take care of it all.
"Good. Like I said, I'd hate for you to catch a bullet over this. The driver will take you wherever you want to go."
I nodded as I contemplated where to go first. I could have Dante in my arms within the next hour if I strategized this right. And once I had him, you could bet that he would be staying by my side for the foreseeable future. At least until I felt a little less panicky about the decision his father made.
"No need for a bullet. Besides, if I'm out, then that just means more time for me to focus on other shit. I might get a real job or something. I could be Dante's personal assistant, since that asshole thinks I do his bidding now anyway," I mused.
Luca frowned as he looked me over. "I think you're confused, Preacher. When Mr. Romano meant a new life for Dante, I'm pretty sure he meant away from here. I don't think Dante's in the city anymore at all."
Dread filled me instantly. No. No. That couldn't be true. I would know if Dante was gone-gone. I would feel it. Right?
He was my other half. The piece of my soul that was so good it made all the dark within me balance out. He was everything, so no, I couldn't believe he was gone.
"Where would he go? Dante is the heir to the organization. If he's gone, then who leads?"
"I don't think that's the issue right now. Mr. Romano doesn't appear to be stepping down anytime soon. And besides, he could always bring him back later. I doubt he banished him forever."
The more Luca told me, the more confusing the problems became. First, there was my issue of being 'released' from duty. It was something that had never been done, which meant I'd have to keep a low profile so as to not bring trouble to my new doorstep. Second, if Dante were truly gone, then I needed to find him in a different way. I'd been good about hunting people in my role with the organization. I just had to put them to use for tracking Dante instead. Lastly, and also the most frustrating part, was knowing what the hell had set this all off. Mr. Romano had a pretty secure routine of how he did things. For something this far off the path, it meant he'd found or heard something that made him need to change things.
"Thanks, Luca. I appreciate the honesty and patience you've given me this morning. Not many others would do the same," I admitted once I realized there wasn't much else I could get from him. He only knew what he'd been told and what he assumed. The latter wouldn't get me very far, so it was best I leave while I could.
Luca shrugged as he reached his hand out. I shook it as we did a half-hug sort of maneuver. This was as close to goodbye as we would get. Men in our business didn't really show affection, except to their children and wives. Anything else was unheard of.
Or done in secret, my inner voice whispered.
"I know how much Dante meant to you. I'm sure he'll reach out as soon as he's able. Maybe don't change your number just yet." He smirked as he pulled away and strode straight into the factory.
I watched him go before turning back to the town car. The driver opened my door, then moved into his seat once I was secured inside the vehicle. "Where to, sir?"
I thought it over for a moment, then gave him the address of a hotel near downtown. It would be a place I could stay for a few days while I made a game plan to get to Dante. Wherever he was, I would find him. No matter how long it took, I'd have my Dante back.
* * *
Two months pass with nothing.No calls or texts. No appearances from him or even a sign of life. It's as if Dante vanished.
I've been going out of my mind worrying about him. His father was a sick bastard on a good day. Who knows where he could be holding Dante or what he might be doing? Add to it that I don't have answers for the reason he made all these changes, and well, yeah, I've been a mess.
