Chapter 52: Do you plan to make her your wife?
Dante’s POV
I walked into the hall, Gianna’s hand laced tightly in mine. Holding her like that was deliberate, a claim no one could mistake. The moment we stepped in, the entire hall went still. Every man, every clan member, every hanger
Fon froze as soon as we entered. For a heartbeat, it was silent enough to hear breathing.
Then, as if a switch had been flipped, the hushed voices began.shoulders leaning toward each other, eyes darting from me to her.
I scanned the room in one slow sweep, Faces I’d known for years, some still carrying the shock of back the throne, loyalists, their smiles tight with approval, doubters, watching me like vultures to see if I would stumble,
And then their eyes moved to Gianna.
ke
ing
The surprise, curiosity, and hunger were obvious. She was a stranger in their world, now dressed like a queen by my side,
I felt her tense up as their stares cut into her. She was walking into a cage full of wolves. If she wanted to survive this life, she’d need to be tougher. But I had no doubt. She’d faced me. She could face them all.
We moved through the crowd toward the head of the long table. The low murmur rose and fell around us nonstop. My thumb brushed across her knuckles, a small, subtle reassurance that she had nothing to fear.
She looked up at me then and smiled.
Something in my chest twisted hard. It felt like the first genuine smile she’d ever given me. Fuck. Why did a bloody smile mean this much to me?
Then Bruno stepped forward from the edge of the crowd. His voice rolled out, deep and clear:
“Silence. Everyone.”
The room quieted at once. All eyes turned toward me.
Bruno looked around at the faces gathered, his hand cutting the air once. “The true Mafia King has been restored….” his voice was filled with pride. “He has called this gathering as is our tradition, to show you, with your own eyes, that he has taken his rightful place….. and to give us hope for the future.”
He turned toward me, voice rising like a drumbeat. “All hail… Mafia King…. Dante De Luca!”
For a second, nothing. And then the hall erupted. A roar broke out, echoing off the walls. Chairs scraped back. Men stood.
“All hail Dante De Luca!” they shouted. Over and over.
Again and again. Men cheering and pounding fists on tables Glasses raised.
Every shout, every chant sank into my skin. For the first time, the crown wasn’t just mine by blood. It was mine by force. By fire.
And no one in this room would dare forget it.
Bruno stepped back to give me space.
1 stepped forward. With a simple wave of my hand, the room went silent again, just like that. One gesture and they obeyed.
“Leaders of the clans,” I began, my voice even. “I welcome you all to not only witness history, but to be a part of
Do you pa to nae hel your wife
+25 Bonus
I took a breath and let my eyes sweep across the room. “Over five years ago, an injustice was carried out against my family. It forced me into exile. But as I promised, I am back, as your true leader.”
I paused, scanning the crowd. “To those of you from the leading clans down to the lowest members of this community who fought by my side to see this day, I do not take your sacrifice lightly.”
Nods and murmurs of agreement passed through the room. Heads bowed. Someone from the Luther clan lifted his glass. “The De Luca bloodline is our bloodline. Long may it rule.” Another voice from the back: “Our loyalty is yours, Don.” A third voice: “We stand behind you.”
I reached for a glass on the table beside me, raised it slowly.
“And to my enemies,” my tone hardened, “those who plotted against me in the past, take this as a warning. Any opposition against me will be crushed without mercy…. in blood.”
The silence that followed was heavy.
Then a voice cut through it.
“A Mafia King who threatens his people on his own day.”
Of all the scum, it had to be Augusto.
“Augusto,” I drawled.
الاء
I stepped forward, the space between us closing. Bruno’s eyes met mine over the heads of the crowd, a silent warning, don’t lose it. But I needed to make a statement.
“Augusto,” I said again, my voice echoing off the walls, “you were one of the men who betrayed my family, and this entire brotherhood. The only reason you’re still breathing is because of the mercy I chose to show. Don’t think for one second that if you try to overthrow me like Lorenzo did, I won’t wipe out your entire family. Because I will. So before every member of this room, where does your loyalty stand?”
His face paled. Fear and confusion flashed there as he started to step back. He hadn’t expected me to put him on the spot. I’d caught him off guard.
“My…. my clan is always loyal to the crown,” Augusto stammered, his voice shaking with anger he couldn’t hide properly.
“Good.” I let the word sit, then looked over the room, meeting eyes one by one. “You have pledged your allegiance. Any act of betrayal will be treated as treason.” I let that settle, then added, “And know this, any family who dares to try what Lorenzo did….” my voice dropped lower, darker, “….I will obliterate his entire bloodline. Even your secret families overseas. The ones you think I don’t know about. This time, there will be no mercy for secret traitors, not like I showed Lorenzo.”
I extended my hand. “Gianna.”
She looked at me shy and uncertain, but she eventually stepped forward slowly, placing her hand in mine. Her fingers were soft and shaky.
“This,” I held her firmly, turning slightly so every eye could see her, “is Lorenzo Giovanni’s only child. The last of his bloodline. And before you get clever…” my lips curved faintly, “….trust me, I scoured the earth. There is no hidden heir.”
The room broke into laughter.
“Gianna Giovanni,” I went on, “is now under the De Luca family. You’ve all heard the word, every bounty on her head and every debt her father owed will be paid by me.”
Glanna straightened beside me, then spoke. Her voice carried, dear and sure
“Don Dante De Luca could have killed me. But he spared mife. In return, I pledge the Giovanni are powin favor of the De Luca name. And to my father’s allies and supporters still listening, my father side wind‘ belong to him and Don Dante De Luca has always been the fe Mafia King and he deserves that loyalty ow?
I stared at her in amazement. Inside, I was surprised. She’done better than 1 could have imagined. She hat just played her role, she’d called her father’s allies to back the publicly
“Welcome,” I raised my glass high, my voice ringing, out, to a new era
I let my gaze sweep over them all. “Drink, Celebrate, But know this, the De Leca crown is restor never fall again.”
“We’ve missed this, Capo!” someone shouted from the back
Another voice called out, “Lorenzo brought us pain and tears, now you’ll bring us peace!”
The words hit me harder than I expected. They weren’t just shouting for a king, they were shouting for a savior.
Bruno’s booming laugh rose above the noise. “Let’s show him how we celebrate!”
The crowd surged toward the long, tables. Servants moved quickly, setting down silver trays, wine, and bread. Plates were loaded, glasses filled. Men clapped each other on the shoulders, faces lit with a relief I hadn’t seen in
years.
I glanced at Gianna. Her cheeks were still flushed under the low lights, her hands knotted in her lap as if she was holding herself from falling apart. I reached for her, guiding her toward the long dining table where servers were already laying down steaming dishes and polished silver.
I guided her into the dining hall, my hand firm at the small of her back, keeping her close. At the table, I pulled out her chair and eased her into it, making sure she was comfortable. For a moment, she just stared at me, like she couldn’t quite believe it.
Her eyes searched mine, wide with shock, and I almost laughed. Did she really think I was incapable of simple civility? What kind of monster did she take me for? I held her hand a moment longer, softer this time, before I let go and walked to the head of the table where I belonged.
Then, as the first plates were served, it was Augusto, of course, who leaned forward, his voice cutting through the clatter of cutlery.
“De Luca,” he said, tone heavy with challenge. “I have a question.”
I sat back in my chair, already bracing for his mouth. “Go on.”
He gestured pointedly toward Gianna. “You’ve claimed her under your protection, yes. But under what terms? Is she your mistress?”
I met Augusto’s stare, my voice even. “Whatever place Gianna Giovanni holds in my life is L No one else.”
veen the two of us.
He gave a thin smile, shaking his head. “I beg to differ. Loyalty pledged in words is one thing. But true unity between families can only be sealed through marriage. So tell us, Dante… Do you plan to make her your wife?”
