Deadly Devotion

Chapter Eighteen: Under Attack

I spent three days at the cottage alone.

Dante called me every few hours. Checking in. Making sure I was okay. Each call was short. He couldn't talk long. Too much happening.

"How are things there?" I asked during one call.

"Tense. We're on high alert. Everyone's watching. Waiting to see what the Castellanos do."

"Have they done anything yet?"

"Small things. Testing us. A fire at one of our warehouses. Threatening messages. They're building up to something bigger."

"Are you safe?"

"I'm at the estate with the family. We have security. We're fine."

"You don't sound fine."

He was quiet for a moment. "I'm worried. My plan was supposed to avoid violence. And now we're headed straight for it anyway."

"That's not your fault. You did everything right. They're the ones escalating."

"Doesn't matter whose fault it is. People are going to get hurt. Maybe killed. And I could have prevented it by just doing things my father's way from the start."

"You don't know that. Your way still worked. You took their territory without bloodshed. That's what you wanted."

"Yeah. And now they want blood in return."

"Dante..."

"I have to go. Another meeting. I'll call you later."

He hung up before I could say I loved him.

Day four, everything went wrong.

I was making coffee when my phone rang. Marco.

"Turn on the news. Now."

"What happened?"

"Just turn it on."

I grabbed the TV remote. Turned on the local news.

A reporter stood in front of a restaurant. Police cars everywhere. Yellow tape blocking off the area.

"...explosion at the DeLuca family restaurant in midtown Manhattan. Early reports suggest a bomb was planted in the kitchen. Three people were injured. No deaths reported yet but two victims are in critical condition. Police are investigating but sources say this appears to be connected to ongoing tensions between organized crime families..."

My hands started shaking. "Oh god."

"They bombed one of our places," Marco said. "During lunch rush. Customers were inside. Our people were inside."

"Is anyone dead?"

"Not yet. But it's bad. Really bad."

"Where's Dante?"

"At the hospital. Two of the victims are family friends. He's with them."

"I need to come back. I need to be there."

"No. Absolutely not. It's not safe. The Castellanos just proved they don't care about collateral damage. You stay where you are."

"Marco..."

"I mean it. Dante would lose his mind if something happened to you. You stay put."

He hung up.

I stood in the cottage staring at the TV. At the destruction. At the people being loaded into ambulances.

This was because of Dante's plan. Because he'd tried to do things differently.

And innocent people got hurt anyway.

Dante called two hours later.

"Did you see the news?"

"Yes. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. The two critical victims are stable now. They'll survive."

"Thank god."

"Yeah." His voice was hollow. Defeated. "My father was right. I should have handled this his way from the start. Fast and brutal. Before they could retaliate."

"This isn't your fault."

"Isn't it? I took their territory. Destroyed their operation. What did I think they'd do? Just accept it?"

"They could have come after you directly. At the family. Instead they bombed a restaurant full of innocent people. That's on them. Not you."

"Tell that to the woman who's in the hospital because she was having lunch at the wrong place at the wrong time."

I didn't know what to say. He was right. She was hurt because of this war. A war he'd helped start.

"What happens now?" I asked.

"Now we hit back. My father's way. No more strategy. No more trying to be smart about it. Just pure force."

"What does that mean?"

"It means people are going to die. It means we're going to war."

"Dante, no. There has to be another way."

"There isn't. Not anymore. They crossed the line. They hurt civilians. We have to respond or we look weak. And if we look weak, every other family in New York will try the same thing."

"So you're just giving up? Becoming exactly what you didn't want to be?"

"I don't have a choice!"

He'd never yelled at me before. Not like that.

Silence on the line.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I shouldn't have yelled."

"It's okay. You're under pressure."

"That's not an excuse." He took a breath. "I have to go. Family meeting. We're planning our response."

"When can I come home?"

"Not yet. It's about to get very ugly here. I need you safe."

"I want to be with you."

"I know. But I can't protect you and fight this war at the same time. Please. Just stay where you are. For me."

"Okay."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

He hung up.

I sat on the couch and stared at nothing. Feeling helpless. Useless. Miles away while the man I loved prepared for violence.

There had to be something I could do. Some way to help.

Then it hit me.

Chen. The FBI had an informant in the Castellano family. Maybe they knew what was coming next. Maybe I could get information that would help Dante.

It was risky. Talking to the FBI. They'd try to use it against me. Try to pressure me into cooperating again.

But if I could get intelligence that would save lives, wasn't it worth it?

I picked up my phone and called Chen.

She answered on the third ring.

"Mia. I didn't expect to hear from you."

"I need information. About the Castellanos. About what they're planning next."

"Why would I give you that?"

"Because people got hurt today. Innocent people. And it's about to get worse. The DeLuca family is planning to hit back hard. This is going to turn into a full war unless someone stops it."

"That's not my problem."

"Yes it is. You said you didn't want a gang war in New York. Well, it's happening. Right now. And you can help prevent it."

She was quiet for a moment. "What do you want to know?"

"What are the Castellanos planning? What's their next move?"

"Why should I tell you? So you can run to Dante and warn him? Help him win?"

"No. So I can convince him there's another way. So maybe, just maybe, we can end this without more people dying."

"You really think he'll listen to you?"

"I don't know. But I have to try."

Another pause. "The Castellanos are planning another hit. Tomorrow night. At the DeLuca estate. They're going to hit the family directly this time."

My blood went cold. "How?"

"We don't have details. Just that they're moving on the estate. Multiple shooters. Professional team. They want to send a message that nobody's untouchable."

"You have to stop them. Raid them before they can do it."

"We don't have enough evidence for a raid. Our informant can't give us specifics without blowing his cover."

"Then warn the DeLucas through official channels. Send police to patrol the area. Something."

"We can't do that without revealing we have inside information. It would compromise our source."

"So you're just going to let it happen? Let people get killed?"

"I'm warning you. What you do with that information is up to you."

"You're using me. You want me to warn them so your informant stays safe."

"I'm giving you a chance to save the people you care about. Take it or don't. Your choice."

She hung up.

I sat there holding the phone. Processing what she'd just told me.

The Castellanos were coming for the family. Tomorrow night. At the estate where Dante, Marco, Salvatore, Isabella, everyone was gathered.

I had to warn them. Had to tell Dante so they could prepare.

But if I did, I was helping criminals. Using FBI intelligence to protect a mob family.

I'd officially crossed the line. Become exactly what Chen accused me of being.

A criminal's girlfriend who put love before law.

I called Dante.

He answered immediately. "Mia? What's wrong?"

"The Castellanos are planning to hit the estate. Tomorrow night. Multiple shooters. Professional team."

Silence. Then, "How do you know this?"

"I called Chen. Asked for information. She told me."

"Why would she tell you that?"

"Because she doesn't want a war either. And because she's using me to protect her informant. If I warn you, she doesn't have to do anything official that might expose her source."

"Fuck." I heard him talking to someone else. Probably Marco or his father. Then he was back. "Okay. Thank you. This gives us time to prepare. To be ready when they come."

"Or you could leave. All of you. Just get out of the estate. Go somewhere safe."

"We can't run. That's weakness. They hit us, we hit back. That's how this works."

"Even if it means people dying?"

"If we don't stand and fight, we lose everything. Respect. Territory. Power. Everything my family built."

"Is it worth dying for?"

"Yes. Because if we don't fight, we die anyway. Just slower. Other families taking piece after piece until there's nothing left."

I understood. In his world, backing down wasn't an option. Showing weakness meant destruction.

But that didn't make it hurt less.

"Be careful," I said. "Please. Don't be a hero. Just survive."

"I will. I promise."

"I love you."

"I love you too. And Mia? Thank you. For calling Chen. For getting this information. I know what it cost you."

"It didn't cost anything. You're worth it."

We hung up.

I sat in the cottage knowing I'd just helped plan a defense against an attack. I'd used FBI intelligence to help a criminal organization prepare for violence.

I was officially an accessory now. A criminal myself.

And I didn't regret it.

Because Dante was alive. And I'd do anything to keep him that way.

Even break every law I'd ever sworn to uphold.

Even become everything I'd once fought against.

Love had made me a traitor. To my country. To my oath. To everything I'd believed in.

But I'd make that choice again. A thousand times.

Because losing Dante would destroy me worse than any prison sentence.

The next day was the longest of my life.

I tried calling Dante. No answer. He was probably preparing. Getting ready for the attack.

I tried Marco. No answer.

I was completely cut off. Alone at the cottage with no idea what was happening.

Evening came. The sun set over the ocean. Beautiful and peaceful.

While in the city, men with guns were preparing to kill each other.

Nine o'clock. Nothing.

Ten o'clock. Still nothing.

Eleven o'clock. My phone finally rang.

Marco.

"Is he okay?" I asked immediately.

"He's fine. We're all fine. They came. We were ready. It's over."

"What happened?"

"They showed up with six shooters. Professional team like you said. But we had double that. Plus we'd moved everyone to the safe room in the basement. When they broke in, the house was empty except for our security team."

"Did anyone get hurt?"

"Two of their guys got shot. One of ours took a bullet in the shoulder but he'll be fine. The Castellanos ran when they realized it was a trap. Police showed up ten minutes later. Arrested two of them."

"The police came?"

"Anonymous tip. Someone called in shots fired. By the time they got there, most of the shooters were gone but they got two. With the weapons. Clear evidence of attempted murder."

"So it's over? The war?"

"For now. The Castellano family just lost six men. Two arrested, one dead, three injured. They're done. They don't have the resources to keep fighting. They'll back off."

Relief flooded through me. "Can I come home?"

"Yeah. Dante wants you back. He's asking for you."

"I'll leave first thing in the morning."

"Good. He needs you."

Marco hung up.

I sat in the dark cottage and finally let myself cry.

Relief. Fear. Exhaustion. It all came out at once.

Dante was alive. Safe. The threat was over.

We'd survived.

For now.