9. The Final Reckoning
Chapter nine
The Final Reckoning
Matteo
L uca always was a snake, slithering where others would tread cautiously. For months, I knew he was plotting something, but his betrayal runs deeper than I anticipated. How he managed to get here—into my office, into my sanctuary—speaks about his audacity. It started with whispers from the underworld, faint murmurs of a rat burrowing into my operations.
Luca was clever enough to cover his tracks, but his greed was his downfall. The stolen shipments, the failed alliances, the blood spilled —it all led back to him. Even now, as he sits in my office, smugness dripping from his every pore, I wonder how far his desperation carried him.
He didn’t break in, didn’t overpower the guards. No, he walked in, spinning a tale about wanting to “negotiate” his redemption. The guards let him through because they believed I would want to hear him out. I don’t blame them entirely; Luca was a friend once. To some, that bond still meant something. To me, it’s a liability I should’ve severed long ago.
I knew he’d show himself eventually. I left the breadcrumbs, just obvious enough for his greed to follow. A false promise of a meeting, a suggestion of vulnerability to lure him out of the shadows and into my grasp.
Now, the bastard is here, sitting in my chair, his arrogance radiating like a disease. The room is thick with tension, every shadow seeming to breathe with the weight of unspoken threats. I stand in front of my desk, my gaze fixed on Luca’s smug, defiant expression.
“Luca,” I begin, my voice cold and deliberate, “you’ve made a grave mistake.”
He smirks, leaning back in his chair as if this is all a game. “Mistake? I’d call it taking what I’m owed.”
I clench my fists as the urge to put a bullet in his head is almost overpowering. But I can’t let rage cloud my judgment, not now. “You’ve betrayed not only me but my wife. Your sister. You killed your own father’s legacy for what? A shot at power you’ll never have?”
His smirk falters, and I see the flicker of doubt in his eyes. “You don’t scare me, Matteo,” His voice lacks conviction.
“You should be scared. You should be terrified. You tried to destroy the one thing that matters to me and for that, you’ll pay.” I reply, stepping closer, my voice a low growl.
Luca’s allies shift uneasily in their seats, their loyalty wavering in the face of my fury. I’ve spent years building this empire, solidifying my power, and now they’re realizing the price of standing against me.
With a nod to my men, the doors open, and a stream of my enforcers file in, their presence a silent declaration of who truly holds the reins of power. Luca’s bravado crumbles as he looks around, realizing he’s outnumbered, outmaneuvered.
“You think this is over. This isn’t the end, Matteo.” he sneers, his voice desperate.
“No,” I say, my tone final. “It’s the beginning of yours.”
I give a sharp nod to my men, and they haul Luca to his feet, his body sagging between them. Blood drips from his temple where the butt of a gun struck him earlier, and his face is pale with the weight of his impending fate. Yet, somehow, he manages to summon a flicker of defiance.
“You can’t kill me. You think you can bury me? but there will always be someone ready to rise and take my place.”
I step closer, my hand resting on the back of his neck as I force him to meet my gaze. “And I’ll bury them, too.”
His defiance falters. He knows what comes after this. A life of darkness, of pain, of isolation. A fate worse than death.
“Take him to the warehouse,” I order my men, my voice cold and unyielding.
Luca thrashes weakly against their hold, but it’s futile. They drag him out of the office, his curses echoing down the hallway until the door slams shut behind them. The silence that follows is deafening. I stand in the center of the room, my hands resting on the edge of the desk. Luca’s betrayal wasn’t just personal, it was a threat to the foundation of my empire. I can’t afford to let the threat linger.
I glance at the bloodstained floor where Luca once stood, and a dark satisfaction curls in my chest. This is what it means to be king. To make the hard choices, to protect what’s yours, no matter the cost. The knock on the door pulls me from my thoughts. One of my men steps in, his expression grim.
“Luca’s no more and the cleanup crew is handling the mess.”
“Good. Double the security around Amelia. No one gets near her without my permission.”
He leaves, I get up from my desk, my mind turning over every contingency, every possible threat. Luca thought he could undermine me, that he could take what’s mine and walk away unscathed. He’ll soon learn that no one crosses me and lives to tell the tale.
I leave the office, the weight of my empire pressing on my shoulders, but my resolve is unwavering. Amelia will be safe. My empire will endure and anyone who dares to challenge that will meet the same fate as Luca. Because this isn’t just a game. It’s a war and I always win. The halls of the estate are quiet, my footsteps echo off the polished marble floors and for once, the sound isn’t accompanied by the rush of adrenaline or the whispers of scheming men. Luca is eliminated and everything is falling into place so I can keep my wife safe.
But as I approach where she is, a new tension coils in my chest. She’s not just part of my empire, she’s the one part I can’t control, the one piece that refuses to bend entirely to my will.
The guards stationed outside our bedroom door step aside with a nod, and I push the door open without hesitation. The room smells faintly of lavender, a soft contrast to the blood and gunpowder that still cling to me. Amelia is standing by the window, her silhouette illuminated by the golden glow of the setting sun. Her arms are crossed, as she’s staring out at the sprawling garden below, the same one she used to retreat to when she thought I wasn’t watching. She turns at the sound of the door, her eyes meeting mine.
There’s a flicker of something in her gaze—concern, curiosity, defiance—all the things that have drawn me to her since the beginning. I walk toward her, each step deliberate. The weight of what I’ve done, the choices I’ve made for her sake, hanging between us like a storm cloud.
“It’s done,” I say softly, stopping just a few feet away. “You’re safe now.”
Her brow furrows, and for a moment, I wonder if she’ll push me away, if she’ll demand answers, I’m not ready to give. But then she exhales, a slow, shaky breath, and some of the tension in her shoulders melt away.
“Luca?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Gone. He won’t hurt you again.”
She turns fully to face me, her arms dropping to her sides. “What did you do?”
The question is loaded, and I know she’s not asking for details, she’s asking about the cost, the consequences. I could lie, could shield her from the darkness I’ve waded through to protect her, but I don’t.
“I did what had to be done. To keep you safe.”
Her lips press into a thin line, and for a moment, I see the Amelia who fought me at every turn, the woman who tried to defy me even when she knew it was futile. But then something shifts. Her expression softens, and she steps closer, her fingers brushing against mine.
“Thank you,” she says quietly.
It’s not forgiveness, not acceptance, but it’s enough. For now. I reach out, my hand sliding around her waist as I pull her closer. She doesn’t resist, and the warmth of her body against mine feels like a balm to the chaos still swirling inside me.
“You’re mine, Amelia. No one will ever take you from me.” I murmur, my lips brushing against her hair.
She stiffens for a moment, but then she relaxes, her hands resting lightly on my chest.
“And you’re mine, Matteo,” she whispers back, her voice tinged with a dark resolve that sends a thrill through me. We stand here for a long moment, the sun starting to set, casting the room with a fiery glow.
There’s no going back now, no undoing the choices I’ve made or the lives I’ve taken. But in this moment, with Amelia in my arms and the world outside falling into place, I know one thing is for certain: I’ll burn down heaven and hell to keep her. I know I’ve crossed a line I can never come back from. Amelia isn’t just a part of my life now—she’s my entire world.
Later in the evening, as we sit in the quiet of my office, the weight of the day pressing down on us, I find myself thinking about the future. About the family I’ve fought to protect, and the one I’ve lost. Amelia’s hand rests on her stomach, a gesture so subtle I almost miss it. My chest tightens as I realize what she’s thinking, what she’s mourning.
“We’ll try again. When you’re ready.” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
She looks up at me, her eyes glistening with un-shed tears. “Matteo…”
“No. Listen to me. We’ll have the family we dreamed of. I’ll make sure of it.” My hand covering hers.
Her tears spill over them, as I pull her into my arms, holding her as she cries. My own grief is a heavy weight in my chest, but I bury it for her sake. In the shadows of my empire, I’ve found something worth fighting for, worth sacrificing everything for.
As I hold Amelia, I vow to protect her, to give her the life she deserves—even if it means burning the world to the ground to do it. The silence stretches between us, broken only by the faint crackle of the fire in the hearth. Amelia’s trembling subsides in my arms, her breathing evening out, but her grip on my shirt doesn’t loosen.
I rest my chin on top of her head, inhaling the faint scent of her hair, a mixture of lavender and something uniquely hers that grounds me.
“I don’t know how to move forward,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.
“We move together. Step by step, day by day. I’ll carry the weight if I have to.” I reply firmly, pulling back just enough to meet her tear-filled gaze.
Her eyes search mine, and I see the battle waging within her—the doubt, the fear, and the flicker of something more fragile. Trust.
“You say that like it’s so simple. But it’s not. Nothing about us is simple, Matteo.” she says, her voice bitter.
“No. It’s not. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.” I admit, brushing a tear from her cheek with my thumb.
The firelight casts shadows across her face, highlighting the sharp edges of her beauty. She’s been through hell, yet she’s still here, still fighting, still mine . The thought ignites something primal in me, something I can’t suppress even in the midst of our shared grief. I tilt her chin up, my thumb tracing the curve of her jaw.
“You’re the only thing that matters to me, Amelia. Don’t you see that?”
Her breath hitches, and for a moment, she looks like she might argue. But then, her lips part, and instead of words, she leans into me, her mouth finding mine in a kiss that’s desperate and raw. I pour everything into that kiss—my love, my grief, my unrelenting need to protect her. Her hands clutch at my shoulders, pulling me closer as if she can’t get enough.
I lift her into my arms, carrying her to the couch by the fire. She doesn’t resist, her head resting against my shoulder as I settle her onto my lap. For a moment, we just sit there, the weight of the day pressing down on us. But then, her hands trail up my chest, her touch igniting a fire I can’t extinguish.
“I’ve got you. I’ll always have you.”
I murmur, my lips finding the sensitive spot just below her ear. The world outside fades away as we lose ourselves in each other, our connection deepening with every touch, every kiss. It’s not just passion, it’s something more, something neither of us can put into words. I grab hold of Amelia tightly with one hand.
I rub my fingers down her silky-smooth skin and I see the goosebumps forming. I slide down her dress and remove her bra and panties all at once and I am just left there staring at her naked body. The firelight flickers off her pale skin entrancing me; how it dances across her beautiful breasts and down to her pussy.
“Don’t be afraid.” I tell her while I remove my clothes. “I will not do anything to harm you. Can you trust me?”
Amelia says nothing but only gives me a slight nod. That was enough for me. I remove my belt and make a loop. I grab her arms, tying the belt around them, I secure them through the side of the couch to a spring. To her outer leg, I make a makeshift rope out of my pants and secure that leg to the bottom of the couch. For her remaining leg, I push it down the inside of the couch, between the cushions.
I climb up on the back of the couch, lean over and dive right in. My tongue strikes her pussy and she inhales sharply as it slides into her hole. My finger finds its’ place above it directly on her clit. I tease her while my tongue continues to penetrate her. She begins to wiggle but she cannot go anywhere. I have secured her too well.
A few moments more and she can no longer contain herself and she squints her eyes shut as she frees her bottled up liquid. My face is covered with her squirting goodness. I am both shocked and highly aroused. I wipe off her pussy juices and walk up to her face and have her lick it off from my hand. I return back to the bottom of the couch and remove my underwear that is busting out the seams. I hop up in space between her and the edge of the couch and press my cock deep inside her. Amelia yells out in over-joyous pleasure, and I pound her ferociously.
My hands grab her tits and I squeeze them gently. She moans loud and cums hard on my cock. I cannot take it any longer, her pussy is just too good, too tight and I fill her with my cum.
When it’s over, I untie her and lie down on the couch and lay her on my chest. I can feel her still dripping on me from the both of us. We continue to lie together on the couch, the fire casting a warm glow over us. I run my fingers through her hair, smiling to myself knowing that I’m holding my beautiful wife.
“We will start over. Whatever it takes, Amelia.” I say softly, breaking the silence.
She doesn’t respond, but the way she curls closer to me, her hand holding mine, tells me everything I need to know. For the first time in years, I feel a glimmer of hope. It’s fragile, like glass, but it’s enough to hold onto and as I hold Amelia in my arms, I know one thing for certain: If it means going to war with the entire world. I’ll keep her safe.
Amelia stirs slightly in my arms, her breathing soft and steady. The faint glow of the fire highlights the curve of her cheek, her parted lips, the vulnerability she rarely allows anyone to see. My chest tightens as I watch her sleep, the weight of everything crashing down on me.
She’s mine. But it’s not enough. Not yet. The image of her swollen with my child flashes through my mind, vivid and consuming. It’s more than a desire—it’s a need, a primal hunger to solidify what we’ve built, to anchor her to me in a way that’s undeniable and unbreakable.
Amelia doesn’t realize it yet, but she was made for this life. For me . She’s already stronger than most of the men who serve me, and she doesn’t even know it. If I can just shape her, guide her, she could be the perfect mafia queen who is ruthless when necessary, compassionate when the moment calls for it.
But most importantly, mine . Completely, irrevocably mine. I brush a strand of hair from her face, my fingers lingering on her soft skin. She stirs again, her lashes fluttering as her eyes slowly open. For a moment, she looks at me with a softness that takes my breath away.
“Matteo?” she murmurs, her voice husky with sleep.
“I’m here, Always.” I say, my voice low and steady.
Her lips twitch, as if she wants to smile but doesn’t quite trust herself to. “What time is it?”
“Late. Go back to sleep my love. It’s alright.” I reply, shifting slightly so she’s more comfortable against me.
But she doesn’t. Instead, she sits up, her gaze searching mine. “You’re thinking about something,” she says, her voice laced with suspicion.
I lean back, a slow smile spreading across my face. “I’m always thinking about something.”
“Tell me” She presses, her eyes narrowing.
I hesitate for a moment, weighing how much to reveal. Then, I decide to give her a sliver of the truth. “I’m thinking about our future,” I say, my hand resting on her thigh, the touch both possessive and tender.
“ Our future,” she repeats, her tone unreadable.
“Yes. You and me. Building something stronger, something unshakable. A family.” I say, my voice firm.
Her breath catches, and I see the flicker of fear in her eyes. “Matteo, we just—”
“I know. But this doesn’t end here, Amelia. Losing our child was a tragedy, but it’s not the end. We’ll try again and this time, I’ll make sure nothing takes it away from us.” I interrupt, my grip tightening slightly.
She pulls back, her eyes narrowing. “You can’t control everything, Matteo.”
“No. But I can control most things and I will. For you. For us.” I admit, my voice darkening.
The tension between us thickens, a mixture of her defiance and my unrelenting determination.
“You’re talking about a family like it’s something you can just decide on. It’s not that simple.” she says, her voice sharp.
“It is. With the right protection, the right choices, it is that simple.” I counter, my tone hard.
She glares at me, her hands clenching into fists. “You can’t just—”
“I can, and I will,” I say, cutting her off. “This isn’t up for debate, Amelia. You’re mine, and you’ll give me what’s mine. A family. A legacy.”
Her eyes flash with anger. “I won’t be a pawn in your game, Matteo,” she says, her voice trembling but resolute.
I lean in, my hand cupping her chin as I force her to meet my gaze. “You’re not a pawn. You’re the queen of this empire. My queen. And together, we’ll build an empire that no one can touch.”
Her breath hitches, her defiance wavering as my thumb brushes over her lower lip. “You don’t get to dictate my life,” she whispers.
“I already do and you’ll thank me for it.” I reply, my lips ghosting over hers.
Before she can respond, I claim her mouth in a kiss that’s demanding and pouring all my obsession, my need, my twisted love into it. She resists at first, her hands pushing against my chest, but then she melts into me, her surrender only fueling the fire burning inside me. When we finally pull apart, both of us breathless, I rest my forehead against hers, my hands gripping her hips.
“This is just the beginning, Amelia. You’ll see. You’ll understand.”
Her silence speaks volumes, but I don’t need her words. Not yet. Because I know, deep down, she feels it too—the inevitability of us, of what we’re destined to build together and I’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen. Even if it means breaking her resistance piece by piece.