Chapter 412: Collateral

Alessandro was stunned in place. The room grew quiet with only the sound of the fire crackling in the fireplace. His daughter intended to stay at their enemy's lair, and he was still trying to wrap his head around it.

Gael was pissed. He could not believe this was happening. After everything that happened, his sister still ended up with the Morellis. He snapped at his sister over the phone, "Gabby, what the hell do you think you're doing? J's body in the morgue is not even fucking cold yet. And you're telling me you got married to the family who killed him? To a man you don't even know? You think you're saving our family? Have you lost your mind?"

"That's exactly why I'm doing this!" Her voice raised an octave higher. "Don't you get it? J's dead. He's not coming back." She sobbed, pain apparent in her gasps. "And it happened all because of this stupid war between our families. We've lost a lot in the past few months.. We've buried family many times in the past decades. I won't be able to take it if I lose you, or Dad and Mom, Zio, Seb… Everyone. I can't watch everyone I love around me die every day. This has got to stop. I'm ending this. I finally found something I could do for all of us."

Gael clenched his hand into a fist so tight he was shaking. He recalled the night he promised his sister once again that he'd get her out of this mess. It was the same night Mariano paid her a visit, and the thought of it all enraged him even more. "I promised you."

"I know. And you did everything you could. I'm so grateful for that. You've always been there for me."

"But you can't do this, Gabby. You don't have anyone there with you. You're all alone—we're too far to protect you. If that fucker lays a hand on you—"

"I already married him. It's done. The marriage is final. I'll be fine. I won't let anyone lay a hand on me. All of you raised me. I can take care of myself. I'm an adult now. Don't you have faith in me?"

"Gab—"

"I have to go now. I'll call again soon. Papa…" Gabriella called, knowing her father would hear her. "I love you. Please tell Mom I'm sorry."

The call got disconnected before Alessandro, and any of them could even respond. Gael turned to his father who was now sitting in his office chair. The older man rested his elbows on the desk, staring at nothing in particular with an unreadable expression. However, there was no mistaking that anger radiated his entire body. 

"What are you going to do, Dad?" he asked.

The room remained quiet. No one dared to speak, waiting for the Don to give out his orders. If he decided they would go to war right this instant, they would all be ready.

Alessandro got to his feet and faced the dark tinted windows overlooking the streets of Brooklyn. "Everyone leave. All of you. Get out!"

His deep and grave voice shook the whole room. Everybody left quietly, even Gael and Giovanni, closing the double doors behind them.

The soldiers were afraid to make a sound even in the common room that's connected to the dining room and kitchen on the ground floor. Some were at the table, sipping espresso and talking in hush sounds, the others cleaning their weapons, and the rest were huddled in groups—all of them mourning for J's death and angry that the Morellis took Gabriella.

Gael and Giovanni were at the stainless steel counter in the middle of the kitchen with Trigger and Salvatore. Rick placed a bowl of bolognese in front of them, and he told Gael in an almost pleading tone, "Boss, you should eat. You haven't eaten for days."

Gael looked at food, the parmigiano reggiano already starting to melt. He couldn't remember when his last meal was as he hadn't even thought about eating since J died. "I'm sure I've eaten someone's granola bar."

Giovanni snorted. "First of all, that was yesterday night. And second, that granola bar was mine. You're welcome."

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Right at that moment, Gael's stomach decided to growl. Only then did he realize that he was hungry. Everyone in the kitchen was already eating while standing, leaning against the wall or the counter. The smell of spaghetti bolognese wafted his nose and he decided to eat. Rick always made the best pasta dishes. Gael devoured his bowl until he was full.

He went outside with Giovanni to smoke—well, his uncle smoked, and he just stood. It was cold, and they bundled up in thick coats and scarves. Gael felt so lost at the moment. It was as if everything had been turned upside down. Angela left, J was gone, and Gabby married the enemy. Nothing seemed to go as planned—except buying out Morgan's share from Kline and Morgan Holdings.

Gael observed his uncle. Giovanni seemed to be handling the situation better than he did. Of course, Giovanni's girlfriend didn't leave him just recently, and his foster son didn't just die. Though Giovanni also had Lia troubles and his niece married the enemy—still, he looked like he was holding himself okay. Gael asked, "You believe Mariano isn't after us?"

Giovanni blew out a cloud of smoke into the air. Then his jaw tightened. "I don't know. But I'm certain his father and Filippo aren't going to sit still."

"There's a lot going on in that family. Gabby said Mariano put his own father in a cell. There's bound to be someone loyal to Marino who would try to get him out of there. When that happens, they'll have an internal war."

"What are you thinking?"

"Gabby is already in danger by Mariano keeping her as collateral. What if Marino gets out? And I'm not done with Filippo yet, but I can't do anything to him now in case he retaliates through my sister."

"I thought the same thing. They're using her for insurance. I don't like this any more than you do."

Gael thought about Gabby. No matter how many times she'd say she's already an adult, to him, she would still be his baby sister. It just wasn't right that she was married to the enemy. She was supposed to live a happy life and grow old with the man she loves—not stuck with a manipulator. "We have to get her out of there."

***

Gael was back at his brownstone in Brooklyn. Although Angela stayed there for a couple of days, he didn't have as many memories of her there compared to his apartment in Manhattan. The house was still the same as when he left it, minus the dust as it was regularly cleaned by one of his guards.

He specifically asked for the guest room to be left out though as Angela still had some of her stuff left there. After leaving the Bunk at dawn, he went home but was unable to sleep in his own bed. He shouldn't have gone to her room, but he couldn't help himself. It felt as though she was slipping away in his head and he was desperate to cling on to whatever was left of her in his house.

Surprisingly, her scent lingered in the guest room—a mixture of her mild yet intoxicating perfume that had hints of floral and citrus and her shampoo that smelled like coconuts. Damn it. How was he growing hard even without her here, save for her scent?

Gael dove in her bed with a groan, nuzzling his face against the pillow—also still smelled like her. Fûck. And that's how he fell asleep, dreaming about having her right next to him.

In the morning of Saturday, January 19, the ringing of his phone woke him up. It was his father calling. Alessandro informed him that he had contacted Mariano and arranged a meeting. Mariano 'politely declined' to meet on J's burial the next day. And he was right to refuse because he would be overpowered even if he brought his men to a place full of De Lucas. In the end, the two Dons agreed to meet in two days in Pennsylvania. 

"What do you need me to do?" Gael asked.

Alessandro paused for a beat, and then with certainty, he told Gael, "When Val gets back from her mission tomorrow, tell her she's coming to the meeting on Monday. If Mariano doesn't give me my daughter back, I'll send back one of us with him to Chicago."

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