Arrival at the Mansion
The Valentini Mansion was located at the outskirts of New Verona. It was like a black fortress with iron gates gasping open. Immediately, three sleek Maseratis purred up in the driveway. The crickets went silent, the wind stood still, trees swayed like the night itself was bowing before it.
As soon as the brothers stepped out, all the staff in the Valentini Mansion fell into a straight line, even the guards straightened up and slung their rifles at their sides, the maids lowered their heads.
"Master Luciano, welcome home.""Master Matteo.""Master Dante."
Respect rolled out their tongue but fear seemed to look heavier in their eyes.
Luciano smirked while adjusting his cufflinks like he had just stepped off the runway instead of a cocaine-stained dock. "Ah, home sweet fuckin' home," he muttered, as his voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Smells like old wood and father's bloody disappointment."
A maid walked slowly past, Matteo simply cracked his knuckles and snarled at her. "If one of you rats stare too long, I swear i'll gut you in the hall."
Dante, as usual said nothing. His gaze was enough to cut open their souls. No one evend ared look him straight in the eye.
The mansion was quiet, too quiet. No scolding voice from their father, Don Alessandro, no echoes of footsteps, just..... silence. In the Valentini household, silence meant danger.
The Empty Hall
Inside, the chandeliers dripped light over portraits of grim ancestors barefaced down from the walls. The brothers slowed, swapping glances.
Luciano chuckled under his breathe. "Fuck me.... did someone die? Don't tell me father finally tipped over mid-cigar because that would save us a lot of trouble."
"Shut it punk" Matteo barked.
Then a mid appeared at the edge of the hall, shaking nervously as she tried to steady herself by rubbing her hands together. "M-Masters.... your father...." she could not complete it, "Don't tell me he fucking died?" Luciano asked with a hint of seriousness in his eyes for once. Dante and Matteo looked confused, the maid was even more nervous now, she maintained her bow even lower this time.
"Speak up! Did he fucking die or not rat?" Matteo asked angry, his voice cut through her like a two-edged sword, she knew he could kill her at the spot.
"H-He is alive" she answered shaking.
"So where is he?" Luciano asked trying to stay calm. "He is in his study" she replied walking away slowly and nervously.
The brothers looked at one another. Dante stepped forward first, his voice flat as concrete."Then let's not keep him waiting."
The climb up the stairs was heavy, the silence punctured only by the polished shoes tapping wood. It felt like each step tightened a noose around their necks.
"Did you see the maid, she almost peed on herself" Luciano said almost bursting into laughter. "We shouldn't talk about that now Lucio, besides, we don't know what father called us this late for, so better save your humor for later" Dante said flatly with his voice cold as ever.
Luciano then mimicked his last words like he was mocking Dante's words.
Father's Decree
The door to Alessandro's study loomed tall and black, like a gate to hell itself. Dante knocked once.
"Enter," Alessandro's voice was as cold as ice and as flat as concrete but was as heavy and power overbearing as..... death.
They pushed the door open. The Don sat behind a grand oak desk, cigar smoke curling around his silver hair. His eyes were dark pits, swallowing the light.
The brothers took their individual seats awaiting what news their father deemed 'so important' that he had to summon them urgently in the middle of the night.
Alessandro leaned forward not wasting time, he first glanced individually at his sons enough to send a shiver running through their spines.
Then, when he was convinced they knew who was in control at that moment, he broke the news.
"You're all getting married."
For a second, silence. Then Luciano burst out laughing.
"Married? Jesus Christ, Father, what is this? A fucking fairytale? You gonna pick us out some glass slippers too?"
Matteo followed suit with Luciano and also burst into laughter, shaking his head. "Yeah right, I'd rather stick my dick in a gun barrel than have a useless bitch nagging by side all time."
Alessandro didn't laugh. He stretched into the drawer, pulled out a pistol, and slammed it on the desk with such force that the lamp rattled. His hand cracked it up, directing the barrel at his sons.
"You think I'm joking? You useless pieces of sh*t. If you don't marry, I'll blow your goddamn brains out right here and fertilize my garden with what's left of your skulls."
For a third time, silence. The laughter had died.
"What's wrong? Huh?! Idiots" Alessandro lashed out.
Now, even Luciano smirk cracked. "...You're serious."
"Dead fucking serious," Alessandro spat. "You idiots fuck whores, start fights, waste money like pigs!!!. You think this family lasts on charm? No. It lives on alliances. On blood. On fucking strategy. And right now, strategy means tying our blood to what's left of the..... Callus empire."
Matteo, now serious looking, clenched his fists. "The Callus? They're finished. Their empire's crumbling, their men are scattered, there is nothing useful left of them."
"Exactly," Alessandro cracked, smoke oozing from his nostrils like a dragon.
"Their empire's bones are fresh meat. You marry their daughters, and every scrap of territory, every mine, every last cockroach of manpower becomes Valentini property. By fucking them, you take everything. You three don't get wives—you get assets and maybe you could finally stop wasting precious Valentini blood on whores and start thinking of continuing or fucking legacy by producing heirs!!."
Silence stretched. Then Dante, calm as always, leaned forward."...So who are we marrying?"
Alessandro's lips curled into a cruel smile."Brittany. Belle. Bianca. The Callus daughters."
Brides.... or Bitches?
Alessandro simply stood, signaling his sons downstairs.
The brothers followed, and when they entered the sitting room, they saw them.
They were three women, sitting on velvet chairs; they looked nervous as lambs in a wolf's den.
Brittany, the eldest, composed but pale. Belle, hiding her hands in her lap, avoiding eye contact. Bianca, the youngest, eyes wide like a trapped bird.
Luciano smirked first while running his tongue slowly across his teeth. "Well… aren't we lucky bastards. Pretty little gifts wrapped in silk. And to think I would ever get married to some bitch."
Matteo groaned while looking at them like livestock. "Hope they cook better than they look, don't want some bitch wasting my time. I also hope she doesn't sleep like a log and keeps nagging like a...." Matteo wouldn't finish the statement. It would be a shame to....
Dante said nothing, but his stare made the girls shift uncomfortably.
Luciano leaned toward Matteo, voice low but crude. "I call dibs on the one with tits like that. Reminds me of that Romanian stripper—remember her?"
Matteo snorted. "Fuck off. You couldn't handle her. You'd bust in five seconds."
The brides exchanged nervous glances, shrinking into their chairs.
Died?!
Before Alessandro could bark them into silence, Matteo's phone buzzed in his pocket. He peeked at the screen, answered.
A cold voice on the other end:
"Target eliminated."
Matteo's lips curved into a wicked grin. "Good."
He hung up, slipping the phone away.
The room grew colder.
And just like that, the Valentinis' night of marriage turned into a night of blood.