"Dante, Lucien has been kidnapped and it's all part of his plan to take down Vincent, his stepbrother."
Salvatore cut straight to the point, his voice low and hard.
"I trust you won't run your mouth about this, yes?"
Dante blinked, stunned. He had always known his cousin as a ruthless strategist, cautious to a fault.
But to let himself be kidnapped by two rival mafia groups?
That was borderline suicidal.
No wonder the Don was panicking. The plan hadn't even properly started, and it was already going off the rails.
"But… why?" Dante finally asked.
"Wouldn't they kill him? I mean, they hate us, don't they?"
Especially Crimson Diablo. If anyone would make Lucien suffer before killing him, it would be him.
"They won't kill him… I think."
Salvatore's hesitation was rare and unsettling.
"But don't worry, our game will begin soon."
Dante's eyes narrowed as realization began to click into place.
"Don't tell me…"
The old man smirked. "Yes. Let's move to our new office, son. The chaos is already waiting."
---
In the Lucero family's main manor, an emergency meeting was called just two hours after Lucien vanished.
Hound's men had spread the word: the Don hadn't arrived at his destination, and neither he nor his entourage could be reached.
Questions spread through the ranks like wildfire.
The capos were gathered around the massive mahogany table, each sitting on plush velvet chairs, yet not a single man looked comfortable.
The head seat—Lucien's—was empty. No one dared to break the tense silence.
Then the door burst open. Vincent strutted in with his men like he already owned the place.
Without hesitation, he marched straight to the head of the table and dropped into the Don's chair, crossing his legs with smug satisfaction.
He didn't even have time to breathe before Velour barked at him.
"The fuck do you think you're doing?"
Velour was known for his discipline and appropriate use of words compared to the rest, but Vincent had always been one of the few who could truly get under his skin.
"Obviously," Vincent drawled, "I'm your new Don. The last one is dead. You'll never find him."
Laughter broke out among the capos.
"You think he'd die that easily?"
Velour sneered. "He's not like you, you mangy dog."
"And even if our Don were dead," another capo added, "what makes you think you could sit on his throne?"
The mockery rolled over him, but Vincent didn't flinch. He had planned to reveal Lucien's status as an omega, but after hearing their reaction, he realized it wouldn't sway them.
They would never accept him on words alone.
"Don't worry," Vincent said coolly. "I'll take it from you, whether the easy way or the hard way."
He raised his right hand. Instantly, his men—positioned behind the capos—drew their guns and aimed them at the table.
But even with cold steel pressed against their backs, the capos' faces remained arrogantly defiant.
"Young man, didn't you learn anything from Versei when he rose to become Don?"
Velour's voice was calm, almost lazy. He struck a match and lit his cigar as if they weren't surrounded by armed men.
Vincent blinked. Of course he remembered, it was all blood and retaliation. Lucien had cut down everything in his path to the throne.
"Do you think attacking us in our own home was part of it?"
The question came from Twilight, the eldest capo. His golden-hazel eyes glinted against his dark skin, his long braids tied neatly behind him.
"I just know he drilled bullets into everyone in his way," Vincent replied, leaning in, his voice low as his gaze swept the room for any hidden threat.
But he found nothing, only the capos' heads being pointed at with guns.
"But not us, right?" Twilight grinned.
The grin barely left his lips before his elbow smashed into the gut of the man beside Vincent.
The guard staggered, then Twilight's hand clamped onto his jaw and slammed him down.
In one fluid motion, Twilight snatched the fallen pistol and opened fire.
The room erupted. Gunshots rang out as the capos drew their weapons. In seconds, Vincent's men were on the floor, their coup crushed before it could begin.
Vincent reached for his pistol, but Velour was already in front of him, pressing the barrel of his gun against Vincent's forehead.
"So you know," Velour said, grinning, "Versei was a step ahead of you."
"He didn't tell us about your betrayal directly, but the moment you stopped being his right hand, we put the pieces together fast."
"You underestimated us, Vincent," Twilight added.
"We might be old, but our senses are sharper than most of you pups."
"And you underestimated our famiglia's loyalty."
The voice came from the doorway. Salvatore strode in, cane in hand, white jacket draped over his shoulders.
The sea breeze rushed in through the windows, carrying the salt in the air, making his entrance feel like the arrival of a final boss.
Hound, Obscura, and Dante followed close behind.
"The capos here have served the De Luca family longer than you've been alive," Salvatore said coolly.
"Did you really think they'd kneel to you just because you brought guns?"
Twilight let out a booming laugh. "Youngsters these days. They think we're old, frail, and easy to pick off. Someone like you could never be a Don, Vincent."
Vincent's teeth ground together. "Is it because of my blood?! Because I'm not a De Luca?!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Salvatore's eyes narrowed. "Yes, you're an outsider, a stray dog we picked up off the street. The son of the group we destroyed."
His cane tapped once against the floor.
"But that's not why you can't become Don."
He leaned in slightly, voice dropping like a blade.
"It's because Lucien is better than you."
Hearing those words, Vincent's jaw clenched tight as Lucien's voice echoed in his mind:
"You'll choke beneath my shadow, too blind to notice until everything collapses around you, dragging you down with your own ego."
He didn't resist when Salvatore's men closed in. Cold steel locked around his wrists, forcing him to his knees.
The old man's voice droned on, lecturing about what it truly meant to be a Don, but Vincent barely heard him.
His mind was fixed on Lucien.
Even now, with only his shadow looming, Vincent had already lost to his omega stepbrother.