Ok this is the first Lante story I have ever written and the first time I have published anything on . Hope you like! Please enjoy!

How did I end up here, I keep asking myself? I, Dante Falconari standing here, at the alter of a church ready to merry a spitfire like Leslie Lu Spencer. You see it started 24 hours ago.

"You wanted to see me boss?" Dominic says poking his head in Sonny's office door.

"Yea come on in, sit down." Sonny says gesturing to the desk chair adjacent his.

"Something wrong box?" Dominic says as he pulls out the chair to sit down.

Sonny slowly gets up and makes his way over to the brandy. "Nothings wrong. Would you like one?" He says gesturing to the brandy. "I called you here to discuss your future with the company."

Sonny picks up his drink and heads back over to his desk. After taking a drink he sets the glass down slowly and says to Dominic. "I've been thinking a lot about the future lately and my kids future. You know that Michael thinks he wants to be just like me and take over the business one day."

"Yea, I've heard him mention it a time or two."

"We'll that isn't going to happen. This is no life for any child of mine. So I've been thinking about it, about who would take over when I retire."

"Jason will, won't he?"

"No you see Jason already ran the business twice in fact and he hated it both time. No I need someone I can trust, someone that is loyal, someone a lot like me when I was his age, someone like you."

"Me? Boss I'm honored by why not pick someone like Milio or Max. Hell even Spinelli's probably a better choice them me?"

"Spinelli, are you nuts?"

"Sorry boss, I just, I guess I don't understand why me?"

"We'll you've proven time and time again how loyal you are to this organization. I see a lot of myself in you." Dominic starts to squirm a little in his seat feeling a little uncomfortable. "Dominic did I ever tell you how I got to where I am today?"

"No boss."

"I grew up in Bensonherst but you already knew that. Mike wasn't involved in my life and I lived with my mother and my no good stepfather, Zeke. Zeke was a mean son of a bitch you see he thought I was his punching bag."

"Why didn't you or your mother just call the cops, turn him in?"

"My mother was too afraid of him and the cops were at our house all the time but you see they were Deke's buddies because he was a detective on the force there in Bensonherst. So when I did I ended up in the hospital with a broken arm or ribs Deke's buddies would look the other way. I started spending less and less time at home. I would go over to Olivia's or the Sorilos. Whatever I could do to be away from home. I started running errands for Joe Scully. Joe and his boys started teaching me to fight back but before I could I ended up in the hospital home more time. I got home late one night from hanging out with Olivia. Zeke was drunk off his ass and ready for a fight. He ended up breaking my arm and 4 ribs. Then he started to strangle me. I remember right before I passed out seeing his partner walk in. Detective Andrew Paletti"

Dominic looks up in shock. Sonny has stand up and starts wondering the room. When I came to in the story the 2 had concocted was that I had tried to committed suicide and when they went to cut me down they lost their grip and I fell. After that night I never went home again. I started crashing with Joe, at the Sorilos or even the Falconeris when Olivia could sneak me in. I became loyal to Joe and moved up through the ranks."

"What happened to your stepfather?"

"We'll lets just say he got what he deserved and about 6 months later I no longer had to worry about him. You know I ran in to his partner about 4 years ago. I was in New York for a Yankees game and I ran in to him. I think he was undercover on some case because I had just seen him talking to some little gang bangers and when I went up to him he had no idea whom I was. I thought about confronting him right then and there but I didn't I walked away. While I was walking away I could hear gun shots. I found out later he was killed."

Dominic sits there talking it all in. Detective Paletti didn't mean Sonny killed him, he just realized who he was that he was talking too.

"Anyway I kind of got off track the main reason I started telling you this is because I see a lot of me in you and I think you would be good at running the business."

"Wow boss I'm honored but…"

"But what?"

"Well it's just a lot to take in."

"I understand why don't you think about it for awhile and maybe you should also talk to Lulu, see what she thinks."

Dominic stands to face Sonny. "Lulu??" Dominic says with a confused look on his face.

"Oh come on I saw the way you were looking at her the other night after the bomb explosion. Your falling in love with her."

"Love, me, with Lulu?" Dominic objects.

"Yea you with Lulu you can deny it all you want but you're in love with her and I think you should talk to her. If there is any chance of you and Lulu having a future you need to be honest about what I want you to do."

"Thanks, I think I will actually go talk to Lulu right now if its all right?"

"Remember Dominic I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't trust you."

"I know boss. I'll see you later." Dominic says before leaving.

As Dominic goes to leave he passes Michael going in and something about the look Michael gives him makes him decide to hang outside Sonny's. door was only open a crack but Dominic could make out bits and pieces of the father/son conversation.

"Cop."

"Told you."

"Paletti, you were right?"

"What now?"

"Dominic…pay."

Right at that moment Dante it was all a ruse to see his reaction when he mentioned Detective Paletti and Dante walked right in to it. His cover was blown. He had to get out of there.