The Devil's Vow

Chapter 22 - Dante Russo

Rain had started by the time Sofia and Alessandro reached the address Luca had given them.

It wasn't heavy.

Just a thin, persistent drizzle that covered the city in a silver haze.

Sofia stared through the windshield at the building ahead.

An old warehouse.

Three floors.

No sign.

No lights.

"Are you sure this is where he is?" she asked.

Alessandro checked the message again.

"Yes."

"And you're sure Dante Russo is the man who can tell us what happened that night?"

"No."

Sofia looked at him.

He sighed.

"I know he was supposed to help you escape. I know he disappeared before he could. And I know he has been hiding for eleven years."

"That's enough for me."

Alessandro turned toward her.

"You don't have to come inside."

She gave him a look.

"We've had this conversation."

"I know."

"And?"

"I still don't like it."

She smiled faintly.

"You'll survive."

"That's what I'm worried about."

Her smile disappeared.

She understood what he meant.

He wasn't afraid for himself.

He was afraid for her.

That realization warmed something inside her that had nothing to do with the car's heater.

Alessandro opened his door.

"Stay close."

"I will."

They stepped into the rain.

---

The warehouse door was unlocked.

That immediately made Alessandro stop.

Sofia noticed.

"What?"

"Too easy."

He drew his weapon.

Sofia's heart began beating faster.

They entered carefully.

The building was almost completely empty.

A few wooden crates.

An old desk.

A broken chair.

Nothing else.

"Dante?" Alessandro called.

No answer.

They moved deeper inside.

Then Sofia saw something on the desk.

A photograph.

She picked it up.

Her father.

She recognized him immediately.

But he wasn't alone.

Dante Russo stood beside him.

And between them was a much younger Alessandro.

Sofia stared.

"Alessandro."

He took the photograph.

His expression changed.

"I don't remember this."

"How old were you?"

"Sixteen."

"That's the second photograph of you from that year."

"I know."

Sofia looked at him.

"Why would Dante have it?"

"Because he was there."

A voice came from the darkness.

"Because I was there for all of it."

Sofia spun around.

A man stepped out from behind the crates.

Older.

Grey at the temples.

A scar ran from beneath his left eye toward his jaw.

Dante Russo.

Alessandro raised his weapon.

"Dante."

Dante's eyes moved to Sofia.

For a long moment, he simply stared at her.

Then something changed in his expression.

"You have your father's eyes."

Sofia swallowed.

"You knew my father."

"I did."

"You knew my mother."

"Yes."

"And you knew Alessandro."

Dante looked at him.

"Better than you think."

Alessandro's jaw tightened.

"Where have you been?"

"Surviving."

"Why disappear?"

"Because staying alive required it."

Sofia stepped forward.

"Did you know my father was going to disappear?"

Dante's expression became serious.

"Yes."

Her heart dropped.

"When?"

"That night."

"Then why didn't you stop it?"

"I tried."

"Did you fail?"

"Yes."

Sofia's eyes filled with anger.

"You were supposed to get me out."

"I know."

"You promised my father."

"I did."

"Then why weren't you there?"

Dante looked at her.

"Because I was betrayed."

"By who?"

He glanced toward Alessandro.

Sofia noticed.

"Don't look at him. Look at me."

Dante's eyes returned to hers.

"I don't know who betrayed me."

She frowned.

"But you know someone did."

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I never discovered his name."

Sofia's shoulders dropped.

"Then why are we here?"

"Because I know what happened after you left the harbour."

Alessandro stepped closer.

"Tell us."

Dante hesitated.

Then he said,

"Your father was alive."

Sofia's heart stopped.

"He survived?"

"That night, yes."

She struggled to breathe.

"What happened to him?"

"I don't know."

"You're saying you don't know?"

"I followed the men who took him."

"Where?"

"An abandoned estate outside the city."

"Which estate?"

Dante looked at Alessandro.

"The De Luca estate."

Alessandro went completely still.

Sofia turned toward him.

"Your family's estate?"

He nodded slowly.

"Yes."

Dante continued.

"But by the time I arrived, your father was gone."

"Then who was there?"

Dante's expression hardened.

"Your father's closest ally."

Sofia's stomach tightened.

"Matteo?"

"No."

Dante looked at her.

"Your father's lawyer."

Sofia's heart sank.

"Samuel."

Dante nodded.

"Samuel Hart."

Alessandro stepped forward.

"You're certain?"

"I saw him."

"Doing what?"

"Talking to your father."

Sofia stared at Dante.

"You said Dad was gone."

"He was."

"Then how could you see him?"

Dante's eyes darkened.

"Because your father was being taken away."

Sofia felt the room spin.

"By Samuel?"

"No."

"Then who?"

Dante's voice lowered.

"I never saw his face."

Sofia clenched her fists.

"Everyone keeps saying they don't know."

"Because the person behind this made sure nobody knew."

"Then what do you know?"

Dante reached inside his coat.

Alessandro raised his weapon.

"Slowly."

Dante pulled out a small envelope.

He handed it to Sofia.

Her name was written across the front.

She stared at it.

"Who gave you this?"

"Your father."

Her breath caught.

"When?"

"Eleven years ago."

"Why did you keep it all this time?"

"Because he told me not to give it to you until you were ready."

Sofia looked at Alessandro.

"Ready for what?"

Dante shook his head.

"To learn the truth."

She opened the envelope.

Inside was a single sheet of paper.

Her father's handwriting.

Sofia,

If you are reading this, then Dante finally found you.

Her eyes filled with tears.

She continued.

There is one thing I need you to understand.

I did not abandon you.

A tear slipped down her cheek.

Alessandro moved closer but didn't interrupt.

Everything I did was to keep you alive.

The person who betrayed me knew that you were the only thing I would never sacrifice.

Sofia's hands trembled.

Then she reached the final line.

And stopped.

If you want to find me, don't search for the man who took me.

Her heart pounded.

She read the final sentence again.

Find the man who helped me disappear.

Sofia looked up.

"What does that mean?"

Dante shook his head.

"I don't know."

Alessandro took the letter.

His eyes moved over the words.

Then he noticed something Sofia hadn't.

A small symbol at the bottom.

Not the serpent.

Not the Covenant.

A simple black rose.

His expression changed.

"What?"

He turned the paper toward Sofia.

"Your father used this symbol before."

"Where?"

"In his private correspondence."

She frowned.

"With whom?"

Alessandro looked at Dante.

Dante answered quietly.

"Your mother."

Sofia's heart stopped.

"My mother helped Dad disappear?"

"No," Dante said.

"Then what does it mean?"

Dante looked toward the warehouse entrance.

His face suddenly tightened.

"We need to leave."

Alessandro immediately noticed.

"Why?"

Dante's eyes moved toward the windows.

"Because I wasn't the only one who knew you were coming."

A car engine sounded outside.

Then another.

Sofia's pulse raced.

Alessandro grabbed her hand.

"Dante, back exit?"

Dante nodded.

"Through the storage room."

They ran.

Behind them, the warehouse doors burst open.

Men entered.

Gunfire erupted.

Alessandro pulled Sofia against him as they raced through the darkness.

Her fingers tightened around his.

For once, she didn't feel afraid.

Because whatever waited on the other side of the door—

she knew she wasn't facing it alone.