Secret Crown

XXI. Twenty-One

Adrián

The high-table families gathered at Lombardi's house to prepare for our meeting with Luca. We had all just sat down and began our discussions when one of my messengers burst in through the doors, frantically running out of breath all the way to where I was seated. "Sir, we have a situation," he said as he caught his breath. "What is Maurice?" I asked as I looked up at him. Maurice was still out of breath and trying his best to control his breathing as sweat trickled down his forehead. Instead of wasting time catching his breath before he could speak, he chose to show me instead what had him so riled up. He placed a stack of photos in front of me. As I looked at the photos, he began talking. "You were right, sir; there was a bigger player behind them. Just like you had said."

"Yes, one that should be fucking dead." I said I was looking at the man in the photos coming out of a Maybach. He was walking into Luca's house, where Scarlett is being kept.

"Who is it?" Fernando asked, placing his whiskey down on the table. He ran his hand through his curly black hair while his gray eyes focused down on the stack of photos on my desk.

I placed a photo in front of everyone present at the table: Fernando, Saint, Callum, Elijah, Leo, and the twins Dominik and Tymon. Everyone looked up in shock. "Didn't Salvatore kill him?" Tymon asked, focusing his ice-blue eyes back on me. "That's what everyone in the underworld says," I replied. "It makes no sense. Vicenzo Catalano should be dead." Fernando rose from his seat. I've known Fernando since we were little. We attended the same schools together, and our families were tied through his parents being my nephew Rian's godparents, and this was the first time I had actually seen him in fear and worry. "The Red Dragon is alive." He said, "No wonder the fucking Romanos were acting so high and mighty, Adrián. They don't just have some lose strays trying to make a name for themselves, backing them up." He paused and said, "They have a whole fucking legion behind them. With one command, we Lombardi will lose control." He paniced.

"And what?" I raised my voice. "Is the great Fernando Lombardi cowering over a fucking old man?"

"If that's the case, then let me know, and I'll put a bullet in your head right here and now." I threatened as I rose from my seat with my gun in my hand, trying to snap him out of that rush of fear. The only fear Fernando and I were ever allowed to feel was one of us going rogue on each other—nothing more and nothing less. Saint rose from his seat and pulled his gun aimed directly at me in defense of his older brother, causing Leo, Callum, and the twins to rise from their seats with their guns drawn and aimed back at both of them. We had all come to a standoff that none of us wanted to be in but was necessary. Fernando's fear had to die right here and now. "Are you that afraid of someone who is ancient history? Then let's put you out of your misery; there is no room for it at the high table. You are a Lombard! I yelled, "Your family clawed its way to the fucking top! You aren't alone in any of this! You have three other families behind you willing to take down anyone who challenges you or us." Fernando relaxed as he was reminded of who he was. I could already sense whatever fear he had inside dying out as he looked up at me and grinned. "Thank you, Adrián." I put my gun away and sat back down with the rest of the men in the room, following suit. I couldn't blame Fernando for feeling that way, but I knew that what I did had helped pull him out of feeling it and turn it into something else. Vicenzo was a threat to the Italians; even after all these years that everyone thought he was dead, his name held a weight in our world. The kind of weight that, in a snap of a finger, could send all the Italians into turmoil, followed by everyone else like a food chain. It was something that was a risk, but things are different now. The Lombardi, Serafin, and Clarkes had each other's backs. If Vicenzo was the Red Dragon, then we are the fucking Slayer Crusade.

"So, what's the plan?" Fernando asked.

"We proceed as previously planned," I simply stated. " Scarlett went in search of a clue for her missing fortune. By now, Vicenzo has probably revealed himself to her and is going to order her to marry Luca. Vicenzo will show himself at this evening's meeting, where they will announce his return and the union between Luca and Scarlett.