The Godfathers

TE'

our pride is worth more

e stretch between them and his fingers tapping idly against

ger man's jaw, the way his fingers cur

his chair, studying Emi

he first word that

insult. It was

ff his slim frame, not the kind built

k eyes too full of fire, his lips too soft for a man who dealt in blood and power. Even the way his hair fell just sl

here h

his jaw, the smoothness of his skin, the way his fitted black shirt hugge

lio held himself with quiet confidence,

ld. Ruthless. The kind of man who built an empire with

ith his sharp tongue and p

ure if he was im

end up in charge?" Dante muse

eyes flashed. "S

lio's hands, resting on the table. Strong, but not like a man who had spent

thing, his jaw tightened. "My

huckled.

etween them for a mom

't doubt that Emilio had earned his place-he wouldn't have lasted this

re like Dante.

he was som

he said again, sm

unnecessary bloodshed. Just two

s throat tightened, how his fists curled slightly before he forced the

id

them like a blade balanced on the edge of a fingertip. One wrong move a

rning. A threat w

t afraid. If anything, he was weighing his options, deciding whether to

st hoped h

just to see how much resistance he could take before he finally snapped

anything tangible th

ited, guns heavy at their hips, ready to spill blood if a single word demanded it. But in

the words, Valencia.

r a moment, Dante thought he might do it, might give in and offer som

and what he said instead made Da

e in apologies th

ve, not reckless-just a

ng darker. He should have been angry. He should have seen this as an insu

felt something m

Instead, an impasse had formed, a line neither was willing to cross. Dante could see it

s. His mood filled with anger and he felt insulted

then set it down with deliberate ease. His fingers tapped against the

s our men watch might solve

as an opportunity for the others to do the same thing

to put this youn

lightly, skepticism moving

nives and in a ring." He let the pause linger, savor

clearly thrown off

easy. Men draw their weapons, and the outcome is always the same someone bleeds, someone wins. Pred

watching him, wor

etween them. "You want to play the game without going dow

ante saw the battle of conflict in his expression. The ref

atisfaction moved

oon, Emilio would regret eve