Chapter 28: Elena's Revenge
Elena Ricci had waited for this moment.
For weeks, she had watched as Isla Romano, the woman who had infiltrated their world, wrapped Dante around her finger. It was disgusting. The great Dante DeLuca, feared and respected, was now compromised—because of her.
But Elena had power. Connections. And she knew exactly how to destroy Isla.
With one simple move, she would make sure the entire mafia world turned against her.
---
The Leak
The moment Elena sent out the information, it spread like wildfire.
In underground networks, in whispered conversations between crime families, the truth was revealed:
"Isla Romano—the woman Dante DeLuca has taken as his own—is the daughter of Emilio Romano."
It was the name that made men pause.
The Romanos had been powerful once. Before Antonio DeLuca had wiped them out. Before Emilio Romano had been executed.
And now, his daughter was sleeping in the enemy's bed.
The reaction was immediate.
Loyalists of the DeLuca family were outraged. How could Dante allow the daughter of a dead enemy to live, let alone be by his side?
Rival families saw weakness.
And those who had once followed Emilio Romano saw opportunity.
The streets of New York's underworld were buzzing. Some called for her death. Others whispered of an alliance.
But one thing was clear—Isla Romano was a threat.
And threats had to be eliminated.
---
The Shift
Isla felt it before she even saw the headlines.
The DeLuca mansion had changed.
The staff who once nodded politely now looked at her with uncertainty. The guards who let her pass without a word now lingered, watching too closely. Conversations stopped when she entered the room.
She wasn't one of them .
She was an outsider.
A danger.
She gripped the edge of the marble counter in the kitchen, her pulse pounding.
This was bad.
Really bad.
Footsteps sounded behind her.
Luca.
She turned to see him leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. But his eyes—those sharp, intelligent eyes—were angry.
"So," he said slowly, "looks like the whole world knows now."
She swallowed hard. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way."
Luca laughed, the sound bitter. "No? How was it supposed to happen, Isla Romano? Were you planning to slip out before anyone found out? Or were you waiting for the right moment to betray us all?"
She clenched her fists. "You know it's not like that."
Luca pushed off the wall, stepping closer. "Then what is it like? Because right now, everyone in this city is questioning Dante's judgment. They're questioning him because of you."
The weight of his words hit her like a punch to the stomach.
Dante.
She had put him in danger.
She had spent years planning her revenge, believing Dante was nothing more than his father's son. But Dante had never been the true villain in her story.
And now, because of her, he was the one being hunted.
---
Dante's Fury
The office door slammed open.
Dante stood there, his expression unreadable, his powerful frame filling the doorway.
But his eyes—his eyes—were filled with something she had never seen before.
Not anger. Not hatred.
Something darker.
Something dangerous.
"Leave us," he ordered, his voice cold.
Luca hesitated, then gave Isla a long, hard look before stepping out. The door clicked shut behind him.
And then—silence.
Isla's heart pounded. "Dante—"
"Not one word."
She froze.
Dante moved toward her, slow and deliberate. The tension in the room was suffocating, the air thick with something unspoken.
When he stopped in front of her, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. With a single flick of his thumb, he turned the screen toward her.
The words burned into her brain:
"Isla Romano—traitor, spy, enemy."
She clenched her jaw. "Elena."
Dante let out a low, humorless laugh. "Of course it was Elena. But that doesn't change what's in front of me."
He stepped even closer, his warmth an intoxicating contrast to the ice in his tone.
"Now, every crime family in this city is questioning my power. Because of you."
"I never meant for—"
"You never meant?" His voice was a deadly whisper. "You came into my world under false pretenses. You plotted behind my back. You stole from me. And now, you want to tell me what you didn't mean?"
She hated the guilt that twisted inside her.
But she met his gaze, unflinching. "Your father murdered mine, Dante. What was I supposed to do? Walk away? Forget?"
Dante's jaw clenched. "And now? Are you satisfied? Now that your name is out there, now that you've put a target on your back? On mine?"
The truth was, she wasn't.
Because despite every reason to hate him, despite everything she had done—
She didn't want him to die for her mistakes.
But before she could speak, he reached out, fingers gripping her chin, tilting her face up to his.
"I should kill you."
The words sent a shiver down her spine.
Because he meant them.
And yet, his grip on her wasn't cruel. It was possessive.
Dangerous.
"Dante—"
His thumb brushed against her lower lip. "Do you know what they're saying about me, Isla? That I'm weak. That I let an enemy crawl into my bed and live."
His other hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him.
"I should prove them wrong."
Her breath hitched. "Then why haven't you?"
His grip tightened.
And then—
He kissed her.
It wasn't gentle. It wasn't soft. It was war.
Heat surged through her as he claimed her mouth, his dominance undeniable. He kissed her like he was erasing every lie, every betrayal, every secret between them.
When he pulled back, his lips hovered over hers, his breath warm against her skin.
"Because you belong to me," he growled. "And if anyone dares to touch what's mine, I'll burn this city to the ground."
---
Elena Watches From Afar
From the balcony above, Elena watched the scene unfold.
Her plan had been perfect. She had expected Dante to turn on Isla, to finally see her for the enemy she was.
Instead—
He claimed her.
Her nails dug into her palm. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. Dante was supposed to destroy Isla. Not protect her.
But this wasn't over.
No, this was just the beginning.
And next time, she would make sure Isla Romano didn't survive.