Entangled with the Mafia Don novel Chapter 15

Ezra's POV:

The heavy oak door to my private study, reinforced steel beneath the polished veneer, effectively muffled the cacophony of the Devil's Club, a low, persistent hum that usually faded into the background of my thoughts. Tonight, however, the intricate details of the upcoming shipment of… let’s just say "goods"... felt strangely insignificant, overshadowed by the vivid memory of Davina’s trembling form bathed in the harsh glow of the alleyway's flickering bulb. Andrea sat opposite me, his usual sardonic grin, the one that hinted at shared dark humor and years of unwavering loyalty, was replaced by a serious, almost worried frown. Marco and Luca, my two most trusted enforcers, stood like silent sentinels flanking the doorway, their faces grim, their postures radiating a quiet readiness for violence.

"They're making moves, Ezra," Andrea said, his thick finger tracing a clandestine route along the waterfront on the map. "The Rossi bastards. Word on the street, reliable sources, is that old man Rossi's arrogant little whelp, Alessandro, is back in town. Looking to pick up his daddy's tarnished crown, itching to reignite the old feud." Andrea trailed off, a knowing look passing between us. We all knew the messy, permanent end to Don Rossi's ambitions.

"Alessandro," I repeated, the name leaving a bitter, almost metallic taste on my tongue. The Rossi family had been a persistent, festering wound on the De Luca family's side for generations, their insatiable ambition a constant, irritating itch that needed to be scratched. "He's been quiet for far too long. I’d almost convinced myself the little snake had finally slithered back under his rock for good."

"Looks like he was just biding his time, sharpening his fangs," Marco grunted from his position by the door, his voice a low rumble that echoed the simmering tension in the room. "Heard he's been crawling out of the woodwork, making connections with their old crews, trying to drum up support, stirring the pot."

I slammed my fist lightly on the polished mahogany, the sharp thud a punctuation mark to my rising anger. "He wants a war? Fine. We’ll give him a goddamn war he won't forget. A war that will remind him why the De Luca family always comes out on top." I leaned forward, my gaze sharp and focused, the strategic gears in my mind already turning. "Andrea, I want every available eye on Alessandro Rossi. Every whispered conversation, every clandestine meeting, every twitch of his arrogant little nose. Luca, you and Marco round up the boys. I want our territories locked down tighter than a virgin's… well, you get the picture. No room for Rossi to breathe, no shadow for him to hide in."

The men nodded, their expressions hardening with grim determination, the familiar adrenaline of impending conflict sparking in their eyes. Within moments, they were gone, disappearing into the night to carry out my orders, the weighty silence of the study returning, momentarily broken by the click of the closing door.

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