Chapter 70: An Alliance

*Dante*

I sat in my study, my head in my hands as I tried to make sense of the chaos that had engulfed my life. Ever since the attack on Angela, ever since Layla had pushed me away and filed that restraining order, I had been lost, adrift in a sea of confusion and pain.

I had tried to reach out to her, to explain, to make her see that I had nothing to do with what happened to her mother. But she refused to listen, refused to even give me a chance to speak. And now, with the memories of our past together flooding back, the ache in my heart was almost too much to bear.

A knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to see Nicolo standing in the doorway, his expression grim and determined.

"Boss," he said urgently. "We need to talk."

I nodded, gesturing for him to come in and take a seat. "What is it, Nicolo? What happened?"