Dinner with the Mafia ✔

Chapter 9

Two weeks passed, and I was finally released from the hospital. My recovery took longer than anticipated due to the poison, but I was free. However, my mind was preoccupied with Atlas' schemes at that time. He literally scared me for life, and dad was restless because of him. Dad even searched for Atlas almost everywhere he could reach with the help of his friends but could not uncover not a single drop of information on him. Atlas was a brilliant ghost hacker, which made it harder for us to find him.

"Bambi,"

"Yes, dad?" I replied as I put the spoon in my mouth. My eating manners were unsightly, but I was too hungry to care about etiquette. After I got released from the hospital, I insisted on visiting the company, and good thing I did. It was chaotic since we were not there for a long while. As much as I wanted to count on Pheobe and the board members, they could not handle the pressure of the sudden power thrown at them, which was understandable. Dad and I stayed there for two days straight without going home and sorted everything back to normal.

"Bambi, I been thinking about your safety and realized that Dario Romano's offer was our best bet to keep Atlas away from you."

I stopped eating, suddenly feeling full, and looked at him in confusion. "What? Are you serious, dad?"

He grabbed my hands and squeezed them. Dad was worried about me, and I understood his feelings, but his motive for accepting the offer did not sit right with me. "Atlas will strike again if we don't find him soon, and I looked everywhere for the past two weeks, and we still can't find him. So, if you go to Sicily and open a branch of our company with Dario, it will give me more time to find that bastard. You will be safe there because I trust the Romanos. Besides, they are the mafia. They can protect you. He can protect you."

"How are you so sure Dario won't mistreat me? After all, he is a mafia don. I don't want to judge someone before I meet them, yet I cannot help but wonder about his lifestyle."

Dad chuckled, but I did not sense any humor in his laugh. "Don't worry, Bambi. I will make sure he treats you well. After all, he needs us, and now, we need him. It's a fair deal if you ask me," he explained, and I decided to trust his judgment and go along with it.

~~~

Dante

"Now, pack your things, and I will call Dario. Good thing he wrote his number in his last email. Go, my Bambi. Everything will be alright!" I kissed my daughter's forehead, and she went to her room upon my request.

"Now, let's call little Dario and see what he's up to." I grabbed my phone, dialed his number, and waited. He was probably asleep since we had six hours of time difference, and it was two in the morning in Sicily. My call was redirected to his voicemail, so I tried again. This time, after four rings, he picked up.

"Who is this?" I expected an Italian male accent, but it was a woman's voice instead.

"Hello, is this Dario Romano's phone number?"

"Yes, I am his sister. To whom am I speaking?"

"Dante Hansley. I am an old friend of your father's, Paolo. Enola, it's been a while since I last heard your voice. Do you still remember me?"

I heard her gasp, and I smiled. "Uncle Dante! Oh my God! How have you been?" she asked. It had been 25 years or so since we last talked. She must be 33 years old now.

"I have been better. That's why I am calling Dario. I need his help. Is he around?"

"Yes, he is bathing my baby boy..." She stopped talking to me, and I waited. Why was he bathing a baby at two in the morning? Babies needed sleep, but he could be sick and need a warm bath. "He's here, but we must meet someday and catch up, uncle Dante. Oh, and before I go, how is Jolene?"

I smiled at the mention of her name. "She's great, but I don't think she remembers you."

"It's understandable. Joe was, what? Two, three when we disappeared from her life?"

"Yeah-"

"Enola, give me the damn phone, and never answer my calls again." A man demanded on her end, and I assumed it was Dario.

"Hold your horses, damn! Anyway, it was nice talking to you, uncle Dante. Bye," she said, and I felt her place the phone on a counter.

"Hello? Sir?" Dario's Italian accent reminded me of Paolo, and I got emotional. He was my best friend.

"I hope I didn't bother you at this hour," I said.

"Not at all. What is the matter? Or have you decided to accept my offer?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. However, there is a pretty good reason for that; otherwise, I would not send Jolene to your den."

"Ok, I'm listening."

"I need Jolene to stay with you until it's safe to return to New York. There are a few hurdles here, and I want her to be happy and in a secure place until I handle the situation. I will not disclose the matter to you. It's her story to tell, but I assume you would understand because danger is your forte. Dario, I need you to take care of my daughter while you open a new branch of our company. It's business as usual, but with extra security. Can I count on you, son?"

My heart was heavy because I had to let her go. "Even without her complex situation, any guest of mine is treated like royalty. Do not worry. I will not let anything bad happens to her. As soon as she lands in Italy, she is my responsibility. However, she must know that we are the mafia, and the environment might not be what she expects. It's not dandy at all. I hope she is not a spoilt brat." Dario's words irritated me, but I held back my anger.

"Son, I can assure you that she is far from being a spoilt brat. She had everything growing up but did not let money blind her from being humane. On the contrary, she is independent, caring, and a badass. So you better not piss her off while she's in your custody. And, she does know that you are a mafia don, so there is no need to worry about crushing her expectations. She is fully aware of the situation on your end. Therefore, your job is to protect her while I am not there. If I know that she had been harmed in any way, I will not hesitate to kill you. Understand, son?"

He chuckled. "As I said before, any guest of mine is treated like royalty. You don't need to worry. I will protect her and always keep her by my side. So, the deal is on?" Dario asked, and I sighed.

"Yes, but no funny business with my daughter. Only professional business. I will oversee the branch's stats from here." I stood up once I saw Bambi get out of her room with two suitcases and one back bag. "Jolene will leave tonight at ten, so she should arrive in Sicily at seven -New York time, which is one in the afternoon in Italy. Be there when she lands."

"Roger that, sir. Goodbye."

Dario might be the don in Italy, but I am the chief regarding Jolene's safety and happiness. She is my whole world.