Matteo

Chapter 1 Matteo

MATTEO

My fingers play with the cold metal of the gun in my pocket while I stare at the men coming into the room.

Finally, those wretched men from the Agostini family decided to join me.

I’ve never dealt with more disgusting filth than them, but my business with them is still unfinished, and I would rather die than let them win.

They scan the room, probably to find cameras or hidden microphones, but I don’t play those kinds of games. They might think I’m a rat, but it only adds insult to injury.

I clear my throat. “Sit.”

The men stop abruptly and look at me, just from my command.

They know not to taunt me.

Finally, they grab two chairs, pull them back, and sit down in front of me.

This private room at Club Triton is perfect for handling all our business.

I pay the owners a large sum of money to keep it quiet and make sure no one comes snooping.

The owner of this place knows the type of underground things happening at his clubs—the drugs and the guns that I deal in—but he doesn’t care as long as I pay well. And I do pay very fucking well.

I pick up my glass and take a sip of my bourbon, still staring those nitwits down. They’re merely the henchmen of the man I’m really looking for, and I’m pissed that he sent them in his stead.

“Where is he?” I ask.

“Uh, he’s on his way, sir.”

My nostrils flare. Of course, Lucio is late. He knows my business is only with him, and he’s stalling.

He thinks he can play with me after what he did?

I lunge across the table and grab the guy who spoke by the shirt. “You tell that fucker to come in here right now, or I swear to God I will put a bullet in your puny brain.”

Their eyes flutter to my pants, and the pocket in which I keep my gun. They know I’m not fucking playing around. I’m ready to lay waste to everything they hold dear. The Agostinis owe me everything.

The one on the right grabs his phone and dials Lucio’s number, so I let go of his friend and shove him back into his seat.

When Lucio finally picks up, he yells, “What?”

“Did you forget our deal?” My growl booms through the room.

“I’m coming, don’t fucking sweat it.”

“You have one minute, or I’ll put a bullet in both of your men.” I pick up my glass, and I waltz out the door, slamming it shut behind me.

Those two can stay there for all I care. I will be there when Lucio finally grows the balls to show up. He knows better than to taunt the beast.

I walk to the balcony at the far end of the club and look out at the city beyond while I take another sip of my bourbon. The peace and quiet here is a breath of fresh air, calming my roaring heart.

I don’t want to deal with those assholes, but killing them now would do nothing.

It wouldn’t solve my rage, it wouldn’t take away the fucking pain, and I want Lucio to suffer for what he did.

I nearly crush the glass in my hand.

Suddenly, a girl waltzes out of the dance floor and onto the balcony, sniffing loudly. In a fit of rage, she rips an expensive pearl necklace off her neck and chucks it over the balcony while screaming out loud.

Her blond hair flutters in the wind, gorgeous blue eyes clashing with mine, and my God, I am fucking obsessed already.

She stares at me in shock, almost as if she didn’t even realize I was here until it was too late.

What would possess her to throw the necklace? A necklace like that must have been expensive as hell.

“What are you looking at?” she barks.

A smile tugs at my lips.

Spicy … I like it.

But she doesn’t know who she’s talking to.

“Just admiring your rage,” I respond.

She sucks in a breath. “Oh.”

She sounds surprised.

I swirl my glass around and take another sip, while she stares out across the city with me.

“Is there a particular reason you threw those? I’d love to hear it.”

“It means nothing to me. It’s just a goddamn necklace,” she replies, hatred seeping into her voice.

My brow rises. “The man who gave it to you was not a man worthy of your attention.”

She sucks in her breath and looks at me like I just took a peek into her life. I can’t help but wonder where this man is who allowed her to so casually throw away her love for him. It must not mean a lot to him.

“He’s a goddamn prick,” she says. “And I’m so fucking done with him.”

Tears well up in her eyes, but she’s strong enough to keep them at bay.

I smile. “I like that attitude. If a man doesn’t see your value, he means as much as the pearls you just threw away. Because to me, judging from this one second since we’ve met, your value seems priceless.”

My hand lifts to brush away the single tear that rolls down her cheek. Her chest rises and falls, her cheeks flushing with heat from the soft attention of my thumb.

“I ...” She steps back. “I have to go back.”

She takes a few more steps back, and I clear my throat.

“If you’re frightened of whoever gave you those pearls, come find me.” I take another sip of my drink.

Her lips shudder. And then she runs off, back inside, through the crowd until she disappears from my sight.

But my God, did she leave an impression, just by looking at me with those gorgeous ocean eyes.

Those pretty red lips practically begged to be kissed by a man who wouldn’t take her love for granted.

I sigh out loud when my phone begins to vibrate, and I pick it up. “Yeah?”

“Lucio just entered the building, two guards flanking him. Do you want me to take the shot?” Franco, my second-in-command, asks.

“No,” I reply. “You know I want him to pay. Blood isn’t going to be enough.

Death is an easy way out for a fucker like this.

Follow him inside, and let me know when he reaches the safe room.

I’ll be there, and we will make the fucking deal.

” I end the conversation, lower my phone, and march off, tucking it into my pocket again.

Everywhere around me, people are dancing, oblivious to the deal about to go down between two rival families, a deal stained by blood.

I head straight for the bar to order another bourbon while I scan Club Triton, looking for Lucio.

Within a minute or two, I spot him zigzagging through the crowd with his two henchmen by his side, headed straight toward the room we agreed to meet in.

But his henchmen are carrying guns. That wasn’t the agreement we had.

Goddammit.

I rub my chin.

“Here you go, sir,” the bartender says.

I swiftly pick up my drink, take another sip, and march off. I fish my phone from my pocket and call my second-in-command. “Plans have changed. Bring me more guns.”

“On my way, sir.”

I close my phone again and put it back in my pocket.

A few seconds later, Franco appears by my side.

In the darkness, he swiftly tucks two extra guns into my belt without anyone noticing.

The music and disco lights are enough of a distraction to the people around us, so they don’t know what’s going on.

“My men confirm he’s in there,” Franco says. “Are you going to do it?”

I take another gulp of my bourbon, the burn preparing me for what’s to come. “This is just a precaution.”

“Do you want me to go in there with you?”

“That won’t be necessary,” I reply. “Lucio knows what will happen if he tries anything on me.”

Franco looks me in the eyes and nods. He knows as well as I do that Lucio wouldn’t dare touch me.

I’m the head of the biggest Mafia empire in this city.

If there’s even so much as a scratch on my face, my men will hunt him and his guys down and destroy any semblance of their existence.

He won’t risk it, and we both know it. He didn’t bring those guns to hurt me.

He brought them for his own protection, because he’s afraid of what I’ll do to him.

“Are you ready?” Franco asks.

I take another sip of my bourbon, then shove the glass into his chest. “Stand guard behind the door. Don’t let anyone leave until I’m ready.”

He nods, and we both head toward the room.

I don’t even knock before I barge inside.

Franco positions himself at the door right behind me before it closes.

My men are all around the club, watching, waiting to make a move.

We’ve got this place surrounded, and Lucio isn’t going anywhere until I have what I came for.

But my eyes do a double take when I spot the same girl who just threw her expensive pearls over the edge of the balcony, sitting on the couch in the corner of the room right behind Lucio.

It’s her.

What is she doing here?

Her eyes widen when she spots me.

Well, well. This is a surprising turn. That red-lipped beauty is Lucio’s girl?

Suddenly, it all makes fucking sense.

Stella

The rough-looking man who just entered the room makes my heart pitter-patter immediately.

Oh my God, it’s him.

The guy from the balcony.

His darkened eyes settle on me, and I feel very small in the moment, like I just want to hide away in the corner and pretend I’m not here.

But his chiseled jaw and those thin lips as he gently licks them into a smirk make it so hard to look away.

He must be at least five years older than me, if not more, yet out of all the people in this club, he has to be the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.

Even now, I can’t take my eyes off him, no matter how hard I try.

I shouldn’t be looking. Lucio will kill him. Look away, Stella, goddammit.

I avert my eyes swiftly, praying he doesn’t recognize me. I shift in my seat, hoping I can hide myself in the darkness. After all, this is Lucio’s deal, not mine. I have nothing to do with any of this, but he involves me anyway because he won’t allow me to leave his side.

But who is that man?

I don’t dare to look, but my heart is still chasing the beat, remembering his words about Lucio and me being worth more than the hell he put me through.