Dante

Today I meet with James and his family again as we discuss our next moves in overthrowing the Russian mafia. The meeting is supposed to be small. No outsiders. Only close and trusted people are to attend. All of the King brothers plus the boy Noah works with Max. The only people I am bringing is my second Enrico and my sister Tanya.

Tanya's a couple years younger than I am. I'm pretty sure she is the same age as Roman.

"Dante you ready?" Tanya shouts from downstairs. I leave my room and give her a nod before leaving our shared penthouse.

It's safer staying with your siblings.

We drive in silence for a bit until she looks over at me.

"How's James doing?" She questions me with a small smile. She has known about my crush on him for a couple years now and every time we meet up with the King brothers she always interrogates me afterwards. She also knows that I was there yesterday and that I didn't get home till 11 so she is pretty suspicious.

"He's fine." I don't want to tell her about the kiss unless I know he's okay with it getting out.

She huffs knowing she isn't getting any info out of me.

The Kings live about 30 minutes from my place so it's a short ride too their house. Enrico is right behind us as we pull up to their house.

Tanya wiggles her eyebrows at me before knocking on the door.

Noah opens it looking rather annoyed. "Oh it's you again." He says sarcastically to me.

"Yes, here I am back at it again. Now can we come in it is freezing." I grumble. He shakes Tanya's and Enricos hands while greeting them before leading us down into dining area of the house.

There sits the rest of the King Brothers. I make eye contact with James, his eyes soften for a second before turning back to business. The care free James last night was gone and his usual self was back.

"Take a seat we have a lot to talk about." He tells us.

We sit down and sit in silence for a minute. Tanya breaks the silence.

"We have been trying to track down Vadik since last year after he stole our shipment but we haven't got any sign of him in the unites states, that is until last week, there was a sighting of him in Manhattan." My sisters informs them. Vadik is the head of the Russian mafia. We don't know his last name though. He's always been known as just Vadik.

"That was when we got word that Margaret was with the Russians." Henry pipes up.

"Did Margaret ever know where you five lived?" I ask them. More specifically James. He looks pained.

"Yeah she does." He grimaces. "She came around two years ago begging for money. At the time we had no clue that she had Daisy. We let her in because she was our mother. Not even a day later I found her looking through papers in my office. We kicked her out with a heavy threat. I don't know what she was looking for but whatever it was she didn't get it."

"So that's how they have gotten your information because she gave them insight on your address." Enrico says. "You can have all the body guards in the world but they still know where you are and will forever pose as a threat to you guys and your sister."

"Speaking of where is she?" I ask. I knew Tanya and Enrico want to meet her and I know that she was going out but I still feel protective of her and I want to know where she is.

"She's Christmas shopping with our Grandparents." Roman answers. I smile. She's so precious.

"What are we going to do?" Xander finally speaks. All of us are quiet as we think.

"Should we go into hiding?" Noah asks.

"No. Daisy will be confused." James shuts down Noah.

"Her safety is more important James." Roman grumbles.

"No." James says with finality in his tone. Yup that's my boy. "We need to focus on tracking Vadik and Margaret down and eliminating them and then their mafia."

"We can get right onto tracking him down. But we don't know if Margaret is with him." Tanya mentions. "Now once we figure that out we can find their base and take them out. My opinion is that we don't do anything until they strike. Let them come to us, that way we can get information. We don't have to be totally blind. Everyone will be ready for their strike. We can't just go in blind you know?"

"I agree with Tanya we know nothing about them and it appears they know a lot about us. They haven't been any big threat yet. We gain information and then we take them down." Roman agrees.

I nod. There really isn't much to do anyways. Everyone but James seems to be on board with the plan. Although it isn't much of a plan on destroying them it will make us one step closer to that said goal.

"James?" I question. He looks at me but looks angry.

"We can't sit around and do nothing. Daisy's life is in danger. We need to get rid of them now!" He raises his voice at the end. James's mind isn't clear right now. He's too blinded by Daisy's safety to think rationally and clearly.

"James let's take a breather." I tell him with authority in my tone. Everyone looks exhausted and anxious.

James is still quite angry as he stands up and leaves the room. I follow behind him and give the others a quick nod.

We walk into what appears to be an art room. There is paint everywhere and drawings taped on the walls.

It's Daisy's art room.

I look to James and I see him hyperventilating. I rush to his side and lead him to the cream coloured couch.

"James I need you to breathe." I tell him. He looks at me panicked as he struggles to get oxegyn into his lungs. "Breathe with me... come on. Breathe in, breathe out." I try to help but it's going on deaf ears. An idea pops into my head and as quick as ever I smash my lips onto his. After a few seconds I feel him kiss me back. It's pure bliss. I can feel his salty tears on my cheeks. I pull away and wipe his eyes as I cup his face with my hands.

"I know you are scared for her. I know what she is too you. But you need to think clearly or else you are only putting her in more danger. Okay?"

He nods as he lets the tears fill his eyes again. "I can't lose her again Dante. I just can't." He whispers.

I pull him into a tight embrace. "You won't pretty boy. No one will let that happen."

He nods and chuckles. "I still hate that name." I laugh.

"You love it." He squeezes me tighter. After about ten minutes he has composed himself. We sit on the couch just looking at each other.

"Daisy asked me this morning if the three of us could go out tomorrow. I told her you might be busy but I'd still ask." He tells me with a small smile.

"That girl is growing on me." I chuckle. It's true ever since I heard of her return I have had keeping her protected on my mind.

"Thats just how she is. She has that effect on everyone." He smiles.

"I would love to spend time with you two." I tell him. I would love to get closer to both Daisy and James.

"Thank you for earlier."

"Don't mention it however it was nice to kiss you again pretty boy."

"Yea." He softly says. His phone pings and he looks at it and whatever is on his phone brings an instant smile to his face. He turns the phone around and sure enough it's Daisy at a restaurant eating a huge chicken sandwich. I laugh.

"That sandwich is bigger than her head." I joke. He nods with a smile on his face.

"Do you and Tanya want to stay around until Daisy gets back?"

"Hell ya. Gotta see the little munchkin again."

We go to stand up but before we reach the door he plants his lips back on mine and time stops.

For years I've wanted his lips on mine and I am so grateful that it is actually happening.

He pulls away and we leave the room with stupid smiles on our faces. As we reach the downstairs we see that they helped themselves to some Chinese food.

"Got enough for two more?" I ask.

"Yup got enough for all of us," Henry tells me. He looks over to James and puts his hand on his shoulder. "You okay brother." James nods as he goes to sit down. I look over to Tanya and see her giving me a look. I roll my eyes and light chatter gets passed around the table. Halfway through dinner Enrico had to excuse himself. So it was just the King siblings, Tanya, and I.

"When's Daisy home?" Xander asks James.

"Any minute."

We here a car pull up and the front door open. We all cautiously walk to the front foyer and see Mr. and Mrs King holding a million bags. Plus a sleeping Daisy.

"She had a lot of fun. These are the gifts she got you guys I'm going to put them in her room. No peaking." Mrs King whispers as she directs the last part of her statement to Roman. He smiles sheepishly in response.

James walks over to Mr. King and takes the sleeping Daisy out of his arms.

He totally looks like a father right now it's adorable.

"Everything okay out there today?" Xander questions Mr. King.

"I kept an eye out and didn't see much. Neither did the body guards."

We all let out a breath of relief. Thank god.

Mrs King comes back down. "Oh boys guess what." She says to them.

"What." They all say boredly.

"Daisy made a friend in the book store!" Well shit that got our attention.

"Who?"

"Was it a boy?"

"Was this person a threat?"

"I swear to god if they hurt her."

"It better have not been a boy."

They all say at once. Tanya looks at them and rolls her eyes. "You boys know that even if this said person was a boy that doesn't mean they can't be friends."

"No that's exactly what it means." Roman says with his hand on his hips looking at Tanya.

"Guys and girls can be friends."

"Can not."

"Can too."

"Morning guys." Daisy mumbles stopping the impending argument. James still cradling her like a baby. She's adorable.

"Morning Daisy." The boys say.

"Morning sweetheart." She looks at me and jumps out of James arms and tackles me in a hug.

"Hi Dante!"

"Hi hunny how was your day?" I ask her. I see James getting all antsy with her not being in his arms.

"It was great! We went to cool stores and I got a book and well I was in the book store I made a friend!" She rambles. Everyone including me listening intently to her talking.

"What's your friends name?" I ask her while getting the hair out of her face.

"Her name is Bailey she's fourteen too and she is so pretty." She rambles again.

"I'm glad you made a new friend Daisy." I say as I push her infront of Tanya who is smiling at her. "This is my sister Tanya, Tanya this is Daisy."

"Hi Tanya."

Tanya laughs. "Hi Daisy."

"Can I show you my art room?" Daisy asks her.

"Of course let's go and leave the smelly boys behind." Daisy laughs.

"Especially Noah." She giggles.

"HEY!" Noah whines.

The two girls run upstairs.

I look to the boys. "See her friend isn't a boy."

They all grumble.

After a while of relaxing and watching the football game Mr. and Mrs. King make their leave and I decide along with James that we should too.

We both go upstairs to the room we made out in earlier and walked in to see Daisy showing Tanya all her art works.

"Hey Daisy it's time for bed." James tells her.

She looks to Tanya and gives her a big hug and then goes to me. I give her a big hug and whisper in her ear that I will see her tomorrow. God she looks so happy.

We go downstairs and all say goodbye at the door way. I give James a wink before hopping into the car.

Nothing is better than spending the day with the boy I like and his family.

-

Hope you liked the chapter!

Things are heating up slowly!

I hope all of you have a great day. Lots of Love 💕