Chapter 2
Matteo
”Sir, Orlando is here,” Gio, my right-hand man says.
”Bring him on over and anyone that he”s with. Cover all their food and drinks for the night,” I tell him and he heads off to do as I ask.
Gio makes his way across the club floor. I’m at Club Red, which is one I frequent often, and even have a room upstairs. It’s also the one that I love coming to because its security is the best. Another point in its favor is it”s a great place to find the one-night stands that seem to drown out everything going on in my life. Even if it”s just for a few hours.
I never expected to take over my family at the young age of thirty-one. Even though I always knew I was being raised to be the new head of the family, I thought I”d be in my forties before it happened. That”s when my dad took over. What I didn”t expect was for my father, who was the peacekeeper in the city of Chicago to be murdered, which forced me to step up. All of his advisors have stayed by my side, helping me learn the ropes. But they”re also encouraging me to get married, settle down and ditch the playboy reputation so that other families will take me seriously.
When I tell them that”s something I will worry about after I avenge my father”s death, they don”t like it. Right now, they”re trying to convince me to keep the peace, but there is no peace until those who murdered my father die.
That”s why my buddy, Orlando is here. Years ago, Dad took him under his wing and taught him what it was like to run his own family. Orlando had this intention of building his own empire for the girl that he loved in order to save her and protect her. Since my dad would do the same for my mother and because this kid was planning on heading home to Charleston SC, my dad didn”t see a threat in it.
His family has become one of our best allies outside the city of Chicago, and the moment he heard about my dad”s death, he was on his way here. Though we were friends growing up, it”s been a while since we”ve seen each other in person. It”s not like we can meet up for dinner once a month without drawing the attention of people with whom we want to stay under their radar.
When Orlando and his wife join me, I stand to greet them. This is the first time I will get to see them since their wedding almost two years ago. After his wife had been kidnapped, he was on one mission and that was to put an end to the family that dared to lay a hand on her. Not only was he successful, but he has earned a reputation with other families all over the country. Even though we may not be in the same city, we definitely know what”s going on everywhere.
”Are you sure you can get away like this? There”s not going to be any issues back home?” I ask. Wanting to make sure because the last thing I would want is for my friend to have problems because of me.
”Because you think of Charleston SC when you think of organized crime, right?” He laughs, shaking his head. ”My second in command is staying behind. Since they deal with him most of the time anyway, most people won”t even realize I”m gone. At least not right away.
I brought some of my best investigators. They aren”t known around here, so we”re thinking we might be able to do more digging than your men, who people know. Once we got here, they went their separate ways. They were given the code word that you gave me in case there was any trouble. Though I don”t expect there will be, as these guys are the best at what they do. Don’t worry, we’re going to find out who killed your father and we will avenge his death.”
One thing my father taught both of us was to never let your emotions show in your voice. Not ever. Because he trained us hard in it, we”re both good at keeping emotion out of our voices. But even I can tell that it”s as important to Orlando that my father”s death is avenged as it is to me. Orlando didn”t have a father and my dad was the closest he ever had. Besides, how many mafia dons would take their housekeeper’s kid under their wing and teach them how to create a family of their own?
For a little while, we sit, talk and catch up. The entire time my eyes are trained on the club, seeing who comes in, who”s talking with who, and my favorite, who is leaving with who. That”s why I noticed the moment the beautiful blonde walks in the door. Even though I”ve never seen her here before and I would remember, I”m drawn to her in an inexplicable way.
She looks familiar, so I call Gio over.
”Who”s that blonde in the red dress that just walked in?”
”That”s the Romano girl. Aria Romano.”
”Damn. She”s the one that”s engaged to Eric isn”t she?” I ask, trying to hide the frown at just the mention of Eric”s name.
”That”s her. I”m shocked her father let her out, much less to a place like this,” Gio says.
”If I had my guess, I”d say Daddy has no idea that she”s here. Have the guys keep eyes on her at all times even when she”s with me. Keep her safe at all costs,” I give the orders. Then I turn to excuse myself from Orlando and his wife.
”Whenever you”re ready, one of my guys will take you back to the estate. I have prepared a guest suite for you and you are welcome to any resources that you need while you are here. You have free rein of the estate, outside of my bedroom and my office. If you need anything, you”ve got my number. I”m glad you”re here, brother,” I tell him before making my way across the club to where Aria is sitting at the bar.
Does she have any idea just how much danger she put herself in the moment she stepped through my door? Danger in general, not just from me. Our families aren”t enemies, but we”re not exactly allies either. I start to second guess whether she”s here defying her father or if she”s here on a mission from her father. Either way, I”m about to find out.
”Can I buy you a drink?” I ask, sliding up beside her and sitting down. Then I motion for the bartender, who nods and hurries to make my drink ahead of everyone else.
”They must like you here to let you skip the queue, huh?” she says with a flirty smile.
I see no hint of recognition in her eyes, so either she doesn”t recognize me or she”s just that good of an actress. Honestly, I don”t care either way.
”So, what”s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” I ask. Wanting to see what she says, but also to see if I can pick up any signs that she might be lying.
After shaking her head, she looks up at me and whispers in my ear. ”You won”t believe me if I told you,” she says, pulling back to take a sip of her drink.
”Why don”t you try me, baby girl?” The nickname slips out, but judging by the flare in her eyes and the slight uptick of her breathing, she likes it.
”I”m to be married soon and not by choice. I don”t want to be a virgin on my wedding day,” she shrugs, staring at her drink like it”s an emergency escape.
”So why not tell your fiancé and just fool around with him?”
A somewhat evil smile crosses her face.
”My fiancé has the reputation of a playboy. Not only that, but the word is out he”s really shitty in bed. In all honesty, I”d like one night of really good sex before I commit to that.”
My cock is instantly hard. I can give her one night because that”s completely in my wheelhouse. If she”s here for a good time, then it will be with me and not anyone else.
Whatever game she thinks she”s playing, I’ve decided to play. We talk and flirt, have a few drinks and share an order of nachos. But as the night goes on, the crowd seems to only get louder and it gets harder and harder to hear her.
At this point, I”ve decided I want to get to know her more. Something about her captivates me in a way no other woman ever has.
”I have a room upstairs. If you want to come up and talk, it would be great as I can barely hear you,” I lean in to yell in her ear.
Smiling at me, she looks around for a moment and then nods.