THE CONSUMED Series: BOOK 2
Danté
Being the youngest son of Luciano Matteo DeLuca-the infamous Sicilian Mafia kingpin-meant my fate was sealed from birth. My father ensured my brother and I were groomed to uphold his empire, leaving no detail unchec...
Beth and I had no tangible evidence to link to Sal, nothing substantial enough to press charges during our covert investigation. As frustration gnawed at me, I was left with no choice but to involve my crew. Besides, they were a reliable and cohesive team—individuals who had supported me in dismantling challenging crime rings in the past. We'd get Sal, too. It would only be a matter of time.
I laid out everything we had, minus my past involvement, and pushed them to brainstorm ways to cripple the Italian mafia. As always, we crafted exceptional strategies and explored various avenues to infiltrate them, but it was a lengthy endeavor.
Surveillance had been set up. The mission was simple but relentless: track every move of the Italian Mafia, be the shadow to their steps, shut their operations down wherever we could. But weeks had passed, and the silence from Sal's crew was suffocating, as if every lead dissolved into thin air. It was like trying to grab hold of fog—tangible one second, gone the next. Even Xavier, remains tight-lipped.
Every day, the lack of progress chips away at my motivation, like a persistent hunger. But the only consolation that I have is knowing that Mia is safe here with me. Although that arrogant bastard believes he's separated us by assuming I sent Maggie and Mia off together.
Let him believe that.
While I ache to take her out, to see the world outside these walls, she seems perfectly content. She never even complains, always finding a way to pass the time. Her quiet presence is soothing me in ways I never thought possible. It's as if the chaos swirling round us fades into the background whenever she's near, allowing me to exhale, to let the weight of the day slip off my shoulders.
But this... this isn't the life I imagined for her—for us.
Despite slipping a stunning platinum solitaire with a brilliant 3-carat diamond onto her finger, a symbol of my commitment, we're stuck.
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Our engagement feels incomplete and we can't even begin to plan the wedding. It's as though we're trapped in an invisible cage, unable to move forward. Our future, every plan—every moment that once seemed ours, now frozen, stuck on repeat.
Living in this constant state of limbo is unbearable. We need to escape. Just for a moment. To feel the sun on our skin, to breathe again, free from these walls.
After much contemplation, I've come up with the perfect solution—a way for us to break free and immediately get the ball rolling.
Once I secure the required reservations, I delegate my duties to my second-in-command, shocking everyone when I announce I'm taking two weeks' paid vacation. In all my years on the force, I've never taken a break, never stepped away from the job. With my record impeccable, my attendance is nearly flawless.
