Chapter 50
MATTEO
After I pushed Rafaelle in the direction of the terrace I just ran out of the room, not daring to look back, not daring to see if my ruse would work or not.
It hadn’t.
Not entirely, anyway.
Ferro was with the men at the gate waiting for me to let them in.
Others came from the direction of the beach.
Thirty in total. It was more than enough to overpower the squad of bodyguards Codelli had at the Hamptons house.
We dealt with the ones that fought back in short order, Ferro swinging his tire iron like a sword.
I still say it’s a stupid weapon. But I can’t say it didn’t look formidable.
Legends and myths are sometimes more important than actual deeds…
especially for a guy trying to do what he’s trying to do—become the Capo dei Capi, the ruler of all.
And I’m sure everyone will remember him swinging that tire iron tonight, blood dripping from it as he cut down his enemies.
Both him and the tire iron were already covered in blood when they arrived.
It’s hanging by his side now, dripping into the grass, as Chiara screams at him.
Two of his men are holding her, gritting their teeth to keep her from lashing at him.
The fierceness on her face suggests she could kill him with her bare hands if she got the chance.
And he’s just standing there, taking it. And smiling.
I’m only noticing all that, because I have trouble meeting Goldie’s eyes.
Such hope welled up in them when she saw me. Such happiness. Devotion. Even love. I don’t think anyone’s ever looked at me like that before. Not that I can remember anyway.
And it all turned to the darkest of darknesses as she realized I wasn’t there to help her. As she realized I was the one who brought this carnage to her doorstep.
But at least she’s mine now.
“Chiara! Stop it!” she shouts at her sister, trying to run over to her. But I prevent it by grabbing her arm and pulling her close.
She’s mine. But I must protect her now. Must make everyone know it. Her especially.
The look she gives me is pure loathing and holds the same kind of rage her sister is spewing in Ferro’s direction. Only she’s not screaming, she’s keeping it all inside, and it’s so much more powerful because of that.
“He’ll kill you, stop screaming!” she tells her sister, who doesn’t listen.
“He won’t,” I tell her, although I have no idea if that’s true or not. But looking at the half-smile on his face, I’m pretty sure I’m right. “And I won’t hurt you either.”
She snaps her hate-filled eyes to mine. “I wish you would.”
This girl, this innocent girl who made me remember a time where blood and war and grief wasn’t something that could touch me, hates me worse than all my enemies combined now.
“Because I’ll never forgive you for this.”
“Yeah?” I ask, calling her bluff. “We’ll see about that.”
“Never,” she hisses.
“Let’s head out!” Ferro bellows, his voice loud so he can be heard over Chiara’s yelling and cursing. “Get the women to the house. We still have work to do.”
Three men I’ve never met come to take Goldie from me. Stark fear lights in her eyes and then there it is again, that look of hope and devotion and pleading thrown my way. Her eyes are begging me to keep her safe, even if her mouth is saying something different.
“You hurt a hair on her head, and I’ll murder you and your entire families,” I hiss at the men grabbing her from my arms.
And am rewarded by a flash of gratitude before her eyes turn dark and fearful again as she’s taken away from me.
Ferro walks to me, grinning, his face flushed and blood still dripping from his tire iron.
“You didn’t tell me the Codelli women were so wild and fierce,” he says looking after the still screaming Chiara. “I’m gonna have fun breaking that one in.”
“Yeah, same with mine,” I say and look at him pointedly. “Because Gianna is mine.”
There, I said it. If he says no, I’ll kill him where he stands and fuck his grand plans and my revenge. Neither seem as important as having Goldie all to myself forever—whether she hates me or not.
He gives me a surprised sort of look. “You actually fell for her? Is that gonna be a problem?”
I shake my head. “Hasn’t been so far.”
He slaps my back and laughs. “You go straight for what you want. I like that about you, Rovina. I like it a lot.” He slaps my back again. “Tell you what, you help me solidify my position after tonight and everything you want is yours. I already promised you that, didn’t I?”
“I’m your man.”
I already promised him that too. But it doesn’t hurt to say it again.
Especially since it means I’ll get my revenge and my woman now. And that’s even more than I dared hope for.
It’s just another way Goldie’s made my life better, richer, more worth living. Nothing can ruin that, not even my curse. And she’ll continue to do that for me, continue to make my life worth living for rest of our days.
Whether she likes it or not.