THE DON’S BRAND

Danger Lurking

The line outside Salvatore’s wrapped around the block. Neon bled across wet Chicago streets. Bass thumped so hard. Emilia felt it in her teeth before they even reached the door.

Derrick stood at the front gate. Black suit. Fake smile. The kind of guy who owned half the campus all of it secrets.

He was welcoming everybody like a king receiving his subjects.

Then it was their turn.

His eyes met Victoria first, then Nora. Then they landed on Emilia.

And his whole face changed.

“ oh my flicking world… “ Derrick breathed, steeping forward. “ My queen is dressing the most tonight.”

Emilia rolled her eyes so hard that it hurt.

“ Don’t start, Derrick:”

She slipped past him with Victoria in one side and Nora on the other. Both of them in killer dresses— Victoria on red satin that cut to her thigh, Nora in black leather and gold.

Heads turned. Phones lifted. Whispers followed.

Three heiresses. One apartment. Trouble.

Inside, Salvatore’s was a different world.

Crystal chandeliers. Black marble floors. The air smelled like expensive cologne, vodka, and sun.

DJ booth pulsing. Bodies moving. Money everywhere.

Emilia immediately found a high-top table in the corner and sat.

“ I’m not dancing ,” she said, taking a glass from a pawing waitress and drowning it in one gulp.

“ I’m just watching.”

“ watching is boring, Hart,” Nora said, already stealing fries from a vip table.

“ Come vibe with us later,” Victoria winked, dragging Nora to the floor.

So Emilia watched.

And that was when she saw him.

Clone Stanford

Her long-term crush. Campus golden boy. The one she’d hand posters of in her head since first year.

He was leaning against the bar, laughing. And draped all over him was some girl in a red dress, fingers in his hair, whispering in her ear.

Emilia’s chest caved in.

It wasn’t like clone was enjoying it. He looked bored. But he didn’t push her off either.

And Emilia knew how this would always ended. Parties ended in rooms. Rooms ended in things she didn’t want to think about.

She grabbed another drink from a tray. Then another. The burn helped. The ache didn’t.

God knows what could happen after this party, she thought, staring at his hands on that girl’s waist.

The pain in her chest was sharp. Stupid. She didn’t even have him.

“ Emilia!”

Victoria was back, sweaty and glowing. “ Get up. Dance or I’m gonna die of secondhand sadness watching you.”

Emilia stood. Because sitting there was worse.

The dance floor swallowed her. Lights strobing. Music vibrating through her bones.

She moved because she had to. Because if she stopped. She would think.

Her white silk dress clung to her. Back completely bare. Legs flashing every time she turned.

She was smiling. But it didn’t reach her eyes.

She was pissed. Jealous. Free. Trapped. All at once

A ripple went through the club.

Music didn’t stop. But conversation did. Head’s turned.

Because two Men in black suits had just walked in.

No one stopped them at the door

No one asked for ID.

Emilia pauses mid-dance, frowning “ why is everyone staring?”

Nora turned back to see “ oh. Oh shit.” Nora muttered as she see them.

“ who are they?”

“He’s getting like… all the attention.”

Xander Morett.

6’2. Built like wall. Scar over his left brow from when he was 14 and took a knife for Leonardo.

And behind him__

Don Leonardo Moretti.

The club got cold.

He wasn’t yelling. He wasn’t making a scene.

He was just walking. Slow. Suit worth more than the cars outside. Hands in pockets . Eye like a gun sight.

Bruce an older man who is supposed to be the Club Manager-was already sweating as he got to them. Boeing half-way.

Manager: Don Moretti. Underboss Xander. Right this way. VIP is cleared. Just for you.” And the other job you instructed I handled undercover… have been done.

Xander didn’t smile. Just nodded.

Leonardo didn’t say anything at all.

Emilia watched them walk.

Through the crowd that parted like water.

Up to glass stairs to the VIP

Like they owned the air.

“ Don?”

“ who’s Don Moretti?” Emilia asked quietly.

Victoria froze. Her Face went pale

She grabbed Emilia’s arm hard.

“ Don’t look at him. Don’t. Don’t look at him” Vicky whispered.

“ Victoria you’re scaring me. Who is he?” Emilia was not ready to backdown from her curiosity.

“ Leonardo Moretti. My dad talks about him. All the time. And never in a good way.” Victoria’s eyes still remains in the stair as she spill.

“What do you mean?”Emilia jumped in.

“ He runs half of Chicago’s construction.Nights club. Shipping. The other half he “ taxes”

“ My dad said he started as a young boy at 7. Killed his first man at 9. Took over his family business at 19 when his dad retired to LAKE MICHIGAN.”

Vicky voice was below a whisper as she spoke.

Nora shudder.” “ they call him Ghost. Because you never see him coming. And when you do it’s already too late.

“ And the other Guy.” Emilia swallows.

“ You mean Xander?” Nora asked with her brow up.

Yeah That’s what the manager called him awhile ago. Emilia said as her eyes followed them up the stairs.

“ Xander. His right hand. He has always been with him since childhood. If Leonardo is the brain, Xander is the knife.” Vicky finished.

“He didn’t even look like that.” Emilia said softly

“ Like what?” Vicky asked.

“ I mean like a monster. He just look tired.” Emilia said.

Victoria stared at her for. Moment.

“ that’s what makes him dangerous. Em. Monsters don’t wear horns they were suit. And that smile.

Shiver rant through Emilia spine as she immediately took her eyes down concentrating in the dance now.

* DON LEONARDO POV *

We walked through the crowd that parted like water.

Passed bottles. Past girls taking videos they’d end up deleting later. As long they passed through the security.

Up to the glass stairs to the VIP

The manager hovered. Nervous.

Drinks! Girls? Anything you need, Don. It’s all on the house.”

“ Whiskey.”Leonardo said.

The manager blinked. “ Whiskey. Yes sir.”

As soon as the manager left, Leonardo’s eyes started moving.

Not on the dancers. On angles. On axis. Exits. Cameras. Faces.

Xander stood besides him. Arm crossed.

But his eyes were scanning too.

Then his earbuds crackled.

“VOICE IN EAR”

🗣 “__ El Diablo and his crew just arrived

Being excorted through the underground parking.”___

Xander’s jaw ticked.

His eyes swept the floor below.

And there he was.

El Diablo.

White shirt. Gold chain. Laughing with young girls

Looking too comfortable

Like he owned the place.

Always been reckless.

“ Seems like the Naive manager didn’t eat us out. Like he would dare. Xander said as he stared at the professional manager who was speaking with El Diablo obviously taking him to a section save for discussion.”

Leonardo didn’t react

He was scanning. Slow. Methodical.

Like he was ticking where to start the war.

“ How many came with him?” Leonardo said.

Listening to the earbud. Six. Two inside. Four in the parking.

Spies outside they have been watching for over a minutes .” Xander said.

A young waitress walked towards them swaying her waist in the process. She dropped the whiskey, posing her Butt towards Leonardo.

“ Should— should I pour the drink for you? She asked opening the cap as she massage the top just like she would do to a c**k.

Leonardo’s nodded obviously not in the mood.