Yellowstone: Wind in the Smoke

Many people have advised Dante that he trusts the system too much. They may be right, but if he didn't trust those around him, he wouldn't have gotten as far as he has.

After weeks away from home, it was time to say goodbye to London.

As planned, Eddie took over Stanley's business, while Susie managed her family's affairs until her brother fully recovered.

Dante, of course, couldn't stay another day—he was too exposed and needed to disappear for a while to avoid his rivals' watchful eyes. He wasn't ready to deal with the Jiménez cartel yet; that would require a discussion with Felipe Lobos's cartel.

…

The news of his return was shared with his family almost the same day he boarded a plane back to New York.

Everything happened so suddenly that they were surprised, as they expected him to stay abroad longer.

Dante was doing well overseas. Even with his business rooted in America, he could manage it from anywhere in the world without needing to relocate. However, he wanted to return home because he hadn't left on good terms.

He could easily sense that, except for Beth and Jamie, his family's behavior toward him had shifted.

Dante felt out of place, but as a Dutton, he knew things would smooth out faster than expected—and he wasn't wrong. To John, his youngest son now seemed ready to contribute more effectively to the ranch's interests.

The only thing that concerned him was whether Dante could bear the weight of his conscience. However, he didn't know his son well enough—Dante, in his siblings' eyes, was much more capable and did far more than he showed.

His brother Kayce had done a good job keeping his secret and had begun slowly building connections with the Sons of Anarchy. When they learned he was a veteran, they welcomed him into their club as a brother.

Kayce hadn't had the best time since witnessing his younger brother kill his brother-in-law. But being around brothers who had also served in wars made him feel stronger.

Taking care of his wife's brother's family became much easier after moving to his new ranch, which helped lighten his emotional burden.

…

In what felt like mere moments aboard his new private jet, Dante, now resting at the airport, received a message from James St. Patrick, saying he wanted to talk.

"I don't have time to see you now. Is what you need that urgent?" Dante stared out at the massive planes landing outside while taking a call from James.

"Things have become more difficult for me. I'm dealing with Felipe Lobos. Do you think there's any way to replace him?"

"Ghost, just accept my earlier proposal and hand your business over to me. Tommy and I can make it even bigger while you focus on a legitimate political career," Dante said, making sure no one was around as he outlined the best way to handle Felipe Lobos.

On the other end of the call, Ghost shook his head slightly and said, "You know I can't hand over New York because my partner, Tommy, wouldn't agree."

"I'll turn him into a true boss. You don't even have to worry about him."

"I've heard from outside sources that people are asking a lot of questions about Felipe Lobos. Be careful—if they find something on Lobos, we, his partners, will be targets."

Dante calmly replied, "Thanks for the heads-up. I'll keep it in mind."

After saying that, he hung up and blocked the number.

These phone numbers were temporary, so Ghost wouldn't use that contact to call him again later.

After handling everything in a few calls, Dante boarded a plane to Montana.

It didn't take long for him to reach Montana. Once there, he took a long nap until the next day.

While preparing his coffee, a voice came from behind: "Rough flight?"

"Um, Beth, has anyone ever told you that you appear and disappear unexpectedly?" Dante rubbed his forehead, feeling a pounding headache.

Beth approached with a bottle of pills and, handing them to Dante, asked, "Wasn't it you who left for London without saying a word?"

"Um, I remember you weren't home," Dante said, not even bothering to bid a proper farewell to his only sister, who had more grit than his brothers.

"That's what phones are for," Beth retorted, flipping him off as she walked away.

Dante smiled and shouted, "I missed you too!"

"Screw you, liar."

"What's all this racket about?" John asked as he entered the dining room, looking irritated.

"It's Beth. She seems hungover," Dante replied.

John shook his head slightly, not wanting to know more. As he sat down to read his newspaper, Dante, seated beside him, asked, "What would you think if I told you I'm planning to get married?"

"Cough…" John, who just wanted to enjoy his damn coffee in peace, spat it out upon hearing his youngest son's declaration. "Good Lord, Dante, are you even old enough to marry?"

"We could follow Indian tradition. Susie doesn't seem to have any prejudices," Dante said, seriously considering it as he looked at his father.

John reluctantly set the newspaper aside, scratched his neck lightly, and murmured, "Getting married at your age is crazy…"

"I won't have a child out of wedlock."

"Are you drunk?"

Dante shook his head slightly and said, "We'll talk later…"

As John watched his son walk away, he thought he should do things differently—but he still hadn't figured out how.