DANTE

Ivan woke up after two hours and asked for water because his mouth was dry.

"Shit, you scared the hell out of me," I told him when he laid his eyes on me. "Don't do that again, because if they don't kill you, I will for being an idiot."

"Thanks for the warm welcome," he replied with difficulty. He was exhausted, but he still smiled.

"Don't be a baby." I gave him a light fist bump on his leg, since his wound was on his abdomen.

"And why are you still shirtless?" he asked. I hadn't realized I was still naked from the waist up. "If you did it to seduce the medical staff so they would treat me faster, I assure you your plan worked."

"You know I don't need those strategies to seduce a woman. They just fall for me by looking at them," I said with a smile.

"You're a conceited idiot," he growled.

"Yes, a cocky idiot and lucky to attract the female sex," I winked.

"No kidding. Have you noticed how you've got that stewardess in love with you? Even her panties must be wet," he nodded toward the cabin where the woman had entered. "Poor girl, listen to her. The Devil never misses his prey."

"You know what I think of the staff."

"But if it's just a fuck and that's it, you're not going to ask her to marry you."

"That's the fucking detail—they get their hopes up, believing that because I'm with them, I'll ask them to marry me."

I snorted as my cell phone vibrated in my pants pocket, reminding me that I was still without a shirt. Damn, I had forgotten.

The first thing I needed to do was get a shirt. I scrolled the screen to take the call. It was Leo. He filled me in on some financial matters of business I had in New York. The head office of my companies was in that country, along with other matters of the DM organization, which was the name of the association my father formed in his time and that I had managed to maintain for these eight years.

I was 21 years old when I started to take charge of the organization and everything. At that time, my father had died, and I had no choice but to take his place. I had been preparing for years for that day.

Even before I was a teenager, he had already taught me how to use weapons and how to fight. I had known all that since my childhood. I used to fight at school with other classmates. It was in my blood.

My mother was always worried about me, but she understood that this was my world and that this was the future that awaited me because she knew who her husband was—the king of the Italian mafia—and I was the only one who would inherit everything.

My parents had no more children because my father said he didn't want to bring any more into this world to have a future like ours. He always had a rivalry with his younger brother because my grandfather left my father in charge since he was the eldest son, so the entire Italian mafia was left in his hands.

My uncle never agreed with what his father dictated, which is why he always hated us. There was always rivalry between them, and now there was rivalry between Bruno, my cousin, and me. He was a little younger than me, but even so, he was also good in fights, and not to mention his proficiency with a weapon. They called him the Raven for a reason. Even though they were my blood, I wasn’t hesitant to hit them back when they attacked me.

Several times, I competed with him in fights, and I always beat him. Although he was good, he still lacked polish. But since it was none of my business and I didn’t care, I smashed his stupid face in. He deserved it for continuing to mess with me.

As for business, they had already wronged us several times. Since his father, Giorgio, was in charge of a part that my grandfather left him, he would do anything to get me out of the way. But what he didn’t count on was that I already knew all his tricks.

I did not trust anyone but Ivan and Edgardo, who had been by my side for years. They were loyal and the only ones I trusted.

"Who was it?" my friend asked.

"It was Leo. I need to travel to New York urgently."

"Problems?"

"Something like that," I grunted, "but this time I’ll have to go alone."

"Are you crazy? You know you can't go alone. Someone from our group has to go with you," he looked at me, annoyed.

"It's something I have to do. I'm not asking for your permission." I looked at him with an annoyed gesture. "Besides, I have no other choice. Leo and Enzo are busy with other matters in Italy. They can’t accompany me."

"Then I'll go."

"I think someone else is crazy. You just got shot, and you want to go to work?" I glared at him. "When we get to Italy, you'll stay, and I'll go."

"Don't exaggerate, it was just a graze. I said I'll go with you.

"And I just said no. Are you going to disobey my orders? "I mumbled.

"Devil, it's my duty to have your back. It's my job and my loyalty as a friend.

"Yes, but you're in no condition. Besides, you're of no use to me, you'd only get in my way," he told him so I wouldn't insist. He would never get in my way.

"To a certain extent you're right. I don't want to be in the way. My job is to watch your back, not for you to watch mine," he snarled. I knew he was angry with himself. If nothing else, take the best men with you. You can't be left unprotected.

"Ivan, don't treat me like an idiot who doesn't know how to take care of himself and defend himself. Although you are the best hitman on the European and American continent, I am very good with my fists, just as you are with your guns. With them I have already killed several. I don't know if you remember.

"You said it, with your fists. "He smiled.

"I'm also too good with weapons, I just don't like to show off, since it would take away your title. "I winked at him.

The stupid grin was wiped off his face.

I guffawed as he gave me a dirty look.

Now I would have to go to America to travel to New York. I had very valuable business to take care of, but this time it would be without my trusted people. I would take with me my best soldier, Franco, the one who always walked by my side, and the team he had well trained and controlled. That was enough to make sure that no one would get close to us.