Chapter 40 Step one

Severin Anderson looked dreadfully malicious. The long leather trench coat added crisp to his already terrifyingly aura. Unlike days ago, he had a sly smirk plastered over his face. With a victorious smile, Silvio very well knew what did it meant.
"I'm glad you came...." Silvio's Italian accent was thicker than ever.
"I said I would..." Severin's eyes lingered on his rival's face for a moment.
Dante watched from the entrance of the terrace of Silvio's office, a glass wall separating them apart. Dante couldn't hear their conversation, but he could read the situation. Silvio had exclusively ordered him to stay outside, knowing how badly the situation he was in. On the other hand, Micah was in the basement, ready for Silvio's call, to pursue their plan further.
It was dangerous but effective.
"Let's skip to the important business now."
"Speak," Silvio said looking over him as he leaned forward whilst his elbows rested on the table differentiating them, the palms of his hands clasped together as the latter held his intimidating gaze.
"Speak? Is this how you treat your guests?" Severin said taping his fingers of the wooden table before continuing. "Or did your parents never teach you enough manners?"
Silvio's jaw clenched.
Severin smirked.
"Don't play with me, Severin. You know very well why you're here. So, you better start using that mouth of yours before I use my fists." Despite the angry words, Silvio's voice was calm. A lethal combination to his ethereal gaze. A template to verify the accuracy of Severin's words. He wanted to hear, to analyze the depths.
"Tsk...tsk..." Severin shook his head in disappointment, slightly leaning back and positioning his elbows over armrests.
"Don't make me regret coming here, Silvio. You know the weight of your words. Don't want a poor soul getting crushed because a grown-ass man couldn't control his temper." Severin raised his brow, a vicious glint glittered in his colored eyes. His fingers now drumming against the armrests.
Silvio reminded himself to control his anger. It was a familiar emotion, that's what he had been feeling since her disappearance. Silvio understood Silas's remarks, which caused delusions and led to bewilderment. He couldn't let it reduce his reasoning ability, which would lead to his destruction.
Anger is a destructive emotion, which causes nothing but destroys everything.
Silvio sighed.
Control.
If he wouldn't control his anger, it will control him.
"I meant to talk to you about something, that's why I called you here," Silvio said mimicking Severin's posture. Hands rested on either side of his chair as he leaned back.
"About something?" Severin mocked.
"Particularly someone. And I know you know whom I mean." Silvio narrowed his eyes, his icy grey eyes piercing through Severin's soul. For a second, the latter felt intimidated.
"I don't like to talk in puzzles. Let's get it straight." Silvio muttered. "Where's she?"
Severin's smirk widened.
"I thought you were too busy to notice her absence."
"I'm never too busy when it comes to her." Silvio leaned forward in his chair, resting his folded hands on his desk as he watched Severin calmly sitting back. He glanced at Dante through the window as he pointed towards Severin's phone.
"Last time we spoke, you said she was just a body to warm your bed," Severin said adamantly.
"She was. Until the moment she became a liability." Silvio glared at him.
Severin nodded his head as he curled his lips.
"I understand your infatuation, Silvio, but it's too late now." Just like someone had thrown an ice-cold bucket at him, he felt his heart contracting with passing second. Now that he was so close, he couldn't afford to lose her. She was too valuable to relinquish.
"But I can offer something. Tell me, Salvatore, are you sure to bet on your life for her."
"Anything for her."
Silvio had already said the words before he could realize. A satisfied grin danced over Severin's face whilst he acknowledged his words.
"My offer is still the same. Fight beside me or fight against me. The choice is yours." Silvio looked at him emotionlessly.
"What are you saying?" Silvio said trying to grab his words.
"Gerard Salvatore has sided with the enemy. Russians have set a remark to get your uncle's head. And it isn't hidden that the most powerful weapon machinery belongs to no one but you. To attack Gerard, I need your back. The time Gerard's head would be under my feet, she will be in your arms." Severin's expressions had changed to serious as he said the words.
"Why Gerard? He has done nothing to you or your family?" Silvio was curious. Despite he hated Gerard, he needed to know the reason.
"It's....personal..." Silvio saw uncertainty in his eyes. He thought for a moment. Weighing the situation, he concluded his options.
"Is that all?" Silvio knew Severin was a greedy man. He would never miss the opportunity. And he was right as Severin continued.
"Your New York empire along with your chain of hotels in Korea and Japan. Four shipments, twenty missiles. That would be all."
"Deal."
Severin looked startled.
"Everything for a girl? Do you think with your dick, Salvatore? Anyways." Severin laughed. Silvio was putting so much at stake.
"She's my woman, Anderson," Silvio smirked. This was exactly what he wanted. Now all he had to do was Severin to make a wrong move.
It was utterly smooth.
~~~
"Where's she?"
"She's sleeping..."
"Sleeping?.." Alejandro rubbed his chin pensively as he looked out the glass window to the city before him.
"Did she have her breakfast?"
"You mean drugging her...?"
Alejandro quickly turned around giving the man a deathly glare. "Don't be like this, son. I know what I'm doing." He muttered in his thick Italian accent.
"When will this madness stop, father?! I'm tired of this. All my life, I've spent either hiding or running away from that Salvatore! I want to have a life of my own too! A simple-"
"You'll get that. I promise you."
"When...?"
Silas scoffed while grabbing the vodka bottle and pouring the liquid into the glass. Alejandro watched before again turning back to the glass window in his home office. He thought back to many times he had said the same things over and over.
Silas immediately gulped the bitter liquid in one go. His mind was filled with thoughts, the lies he had been fed his whole life. Alejandro watched in the glass window as Silas poured another glass after gulping it down.
"It's enough, Silas." He slowly turned to face his son, casually leaning against the window. Stuffing one hand in his pocket, and other pulling the lack the cigarette from another pocket. He gave him a derisive look.
"It's bad for your health."
"For fuck's sake! Stop telling me what to do!" Silas sneered at him before gulping the liquid down. He was about to pour another when Alejandro snatched the bottle from his hands.
"Enough!" He gave Silas a scornful look.
"I'm not a child anymore, father. Just stop this, it sickens me." Silas said quickly and sternly.
"You are. You'll always remain my child. My favorite son." Silas immediately tensed up. His anger and annoyance quickly dissipated as he reassessed the situation.
Favorite.
Silas hesitated for a moment, searching Alejandro's eyes that seemed soft, representing the warmth he barely saw. He was holding his breath slightly, already melting with the words his father let out.
"Really...?"
Alejandro let out a sigh as he leaned back against the wall before putting the bottle down. Lighting the cigarette, he puffed out the smoke.
"Yes..."
"More than Severin...?" Silas asked unsurely. Alcohol getting to his mind.
"More than Severin," Alejandro assured.
Silas smiled. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. For years he had tried to hear that. God knows how distantly he had become. He wanted love, and now his father was ready to give me. Deprived of his emotions, he finally found himself useful.
"What do I need to do?" Alejandro smiled proudly.
"Blood for blood. Life for life."
Silas couldn't understand as he furrowed his brows.
"He had taken your sister away from you, one who was close to your heart," Alejandro muttered. "You take his heart away."
At first, Silas couldn't understand. Slowly image of his sister crossed his mind. Anger rushed through his veins.
Life for life.
Blood for blood.