Chapter 15 Matteo
MATTEO
“Kill him,” I said, nodding to Klaus.
We’d grabbed some of Ivanov’s men trying to get into one of my facilities. That wasn’t going to fly with me. My men captured them and called me.
Ivanov liked to do this. Send men in. Test me. Then let me know my sins wouldn’t go unpunished. This had been going on for many years.
Someday, I hoped to put a bullet in his head. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that my father allied with him to kill Delilah and Gianna.
Someday, I’d have my revenge.
Until then, I’d settle for taking out his random rats.
I turned my back and heard Klaus’s gun go off and him telling the men to clean it up. Alessio was busy with Fox, or rather, Evan.
I went outside and stared into the distance, my mind on Bianca. She was a plague on me, it seemed. I didn’t like it. I didn’t hate it either, and I suppose that’s where the problem was.
“Your mind is far away,” Klaus said gruffly as he joined me outside.
“It would seem so,” I murmured, tearing my focus away from a squirrel scurrying about with his cheeks packed full of seeds.
I turned to see Klaus stuffing his gun back into his jacket.
“Does she know?” I asked, nodding to the spot where his gun was now hidden.
He was still avoiding discussing this woman he was spending so much time with.
I knew I could find out everything about her, right down to her favorite color, but I opted to let him have his privacy.
I trusted he would come to me when he was ready.
We never kept secrets, and if we did, we never kept them for long.
I suppose when I consider it, I was keeping Fox being alive from him on Sylar’s orders, so I couldn’t really get mad at him for something like a woman who likely wouldn’t last past the month.
“She knows what I do,” he answered, looking past me, knowing exactly what I was talking about.
“And she’s OK with it?”
“I wouldn’t say that. It’s not something we openly discuss.” He sighed and looked at me.
“Still not going to tell me her name?”
He shook his head. “I’m not ready. I don’t even know if this is going to go anywhere. For now, I am simply enjoying her company.”
“What do you two do when you’re together?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Talk. Laugh. She tells me about books she’s read, and I tell her about things I’ve done.”
“And sex?” I prompted.
He shifted, and his Adam’s apple bobbed. “I-we… we’ve only done it once. I think I went too fast in that respect, so I’ve backed off. She wasn’t ready. She’s been through a lot.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do we need to take care of the ones who harmed her?”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. “She would not like that. She’s a sweet woman. Even if she’s been hurt, she still cares about others. It’s quite admirable.”
“She sounds like a good one.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “I look forward to meeting her.”
“She cooks,” he said as he opened the door to the SUV. I got in behind him and settled against the leather seat.
“Yeah? Is she good?”
“She’s incredible.” His blue eyes glittered. “I have never had anything so amazing. I truly am honored for her to even look twice at me, all things considered.”
I smiled at my friend. He’d had a rough go of it, much like Alessio and I had.
I wanted the best for both him and Alessio, but life kept knocking us down.
I was under the impression that Klaus had stopped looking for love.
Although I was sure he never started. To see his eyes sparkle as he spoke about someone was… different. I was happy for him.
“And the sex?” I prompted.
He shook his head and looked at his hands for a moment. “It’s incredible. She is so… surprising. But, as I’ve said, it was only once.”
“Surely you have done other things,” I said.
He nodded. “Yes. She is simply amazing, Teo. I would give this woman the moon and stars if I could.”
I studied him to see the sincerity on his face. Klaus rarely smiled, but I could see the light dancing behind his eyes. She was giving him a reason. That meant a hell of a lot in our world.
“You sound as if you have fallen in love, my friend. It has not been long, no?”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he looked away. “I am not in love. I am in like. I like her. That is all. We are two lost souls passing one another. That is all.” A sad look washed over his face. “I am not good enough for her. I know this already.”
“I think she gets to decide that, not you,” I said as Frank got into the front. He’d been helping to supervise for us. I liked to send him in sometimes. He seemed to like doing it, and it gave him a reason to get back behind the wheel for me.
The SUV pulled out of the long dirt driveway and back onto the road as I watched Klaus in silence.
“It does not matter. I am merely content to be considered,” he murmured, his focus on the passing scenery.
It was more than that. He cared for this woman, and if she left him, he would break.
I’d only seen him break once, and that was when Stef was murdered.
He didn’t even break down when his wife had killed herself.
He simply kept his emotionless mask on and continued with life.
Alessio and I knew he hurt because, while tough on the exterior, all Klaus ever wanted was a family.
He was a complex creature, that was for sure.
Klaus’s phone buzzed, and I watched him pull it out. A tiny smile graced his lips as he typed back.
“Is that her?” I asked.
“Uh, yes. She is going to make me dinner again.” He sent his message before putting his phone away.
I nodded but didn’t say anything. The entire thing was quite domesticated and tame for Klaus.
But if he could smile about it, then so could I. But if she hurt him? Well, no one hurt my family without paying for it.
That much had not changed over the years.
“You’re late,” I said as Sylar sauntered into my office the following day.
“Am I? I don’t recall giving a time.” He gave me a smile.
“You requested my time,” I pointed out as I settled back in my chair. He took up residence across from me, the smile still on his face.
“I assure you that I did not. That was Mirage.”
“Either way, you’re here. What is it you need?”
He shrugged. “I came for a chat with Evan. I figured he was bored.”
“Don’t lie,” I said, eyeing him.
He smirked as Klaus took a seat at the bar in my office, Alessio next to him.
“I am merely checking in.” He crossed his leg over the other and turned his attention to me.
I raised my brows at him. “Yes? On what, exactly?”
“Little of this. Little of that. Seeing what sort of tricks Daddy Matteo has up. His. Hat.” He waggled his brows at me. “Talk to me. Have you done what I told you?”
“No.” I caught Alessio’s eye. He frowned. Neither Klaus nor Alessio had any idea what Sylar wanted me to do. I gave them excuses when asked. It simply wasn’t the time. It didn’t help that I was still deciding on which path to take.
“What if I told you that I’ve seen something really messed up?” Sylar’s voice lowered, and he went from the playful psychotic he was to someone serious.
I leaned forward in my seat. “Tell me.”
He glanced at Klaus and Alessio. “Alone.”
I narrowed my eyes at him for a moment before giving my guys a curt nod. They both hesitated for a moment, but I raised my brows at them. I could handle myself.
They left the room, leaving me alone with Sylar.
“Speak,” I commanded.
“Marry the girl. You know it’s the only way… out.”
I grunted. “Alessandro is marrying her. I do not wish to put a rift between my son and me.”
“Anson is an idiot.” He rolled his blue eyes. “You know he has a thing for Rosalie. They’re… destined.”
I sighed. “You say that, but the current circumstances tell a different story.”
He cocked his head to the left. “When have I ever steered you wrong? We’re family. I would never.”
I studied him for a moment. “You are not telling me everything.”
He nodded and pulled out his fork. I watched as he twirled it between his fingers.
“I kissed sweet Rosalie. I touched her. She’s quite responsive.”
I breathed out. “What?”
He nodded, a tiny smirk on his face. “Oh, yes. Do you think she is single because the horsemen couldn’t keep her?” He laughed softly. “I made it so. Not only can I see it, but if I want it, I make it happen. You are the same. So make it happen. Trust me.”
“So you have not seen it all?” I frowned at that information.
“No.” He shrugged. “I’m good at guessing games, though. Besides, we make our own destiny.”
I settled back in my chair. “Do we? Then what is this business with all the things you’ve seen?”
“Magic.” He waved his hands, laughing softly. “I don’t know. It’s all bullshit, you know? Voices and all that.” He pointed to his head with his fork. “I’m not the most insane member of the family.”
“No, I suppose you’re not. Carmine and Francesca give you a run for your money.”
“I was thinking more like Silas.” He twirled his fork some more. “But whatever.”
He wasn’t wrong. Silas De Santis was truly a madman.
It was why he was locked away at Stillwater Asylum.
I was under the impression that his key was tossed into the river, and he would never see the world because of his issues.
A true psychopath. A danger to society. But really, who wasn’t these days, especially in our world?
I watched as he scowled and muttered something, clearly communicating with his voices.
“So if I do this, all will come together?”
He shook his head and focused on me again. “Yes. It’s likely. You can shake me like an eight ball if you’d like to make sure.”
“I will certainly shake you if you’re wrong,” I said, my voice gruff. The implications… fuck.
“There is gold at the end of every rainbow, even in our world. You will love this type of gold, cousin.”
“I hope so,” I murmured. I was tired and needed a break from this life. Maybe long-term.
“Klaus. How is that going?” he asked after a moment.
“It is going well, so he says. He seems happy. Why? Do you know the woman he’s falling for?”
He smirked at me and twirled his fork again. “Maybe. Maybe not. It’s not important yet.”
I nodded. I’d accept that.
“Klaus has a very different destiny than you do. It’s quite incredible, really.”
I raised my brows at him.
“It’s a story for another time.” He got to his feet. “I assume Evan is alone and waiting?”
“He is.” I gestured for him to leave. He did so, walking to the door. He paused when he got there and looked over his shoulder at me.
“Matteo?”
“Yes?”
“When he tells his truth, be kind and gentle. Take things slow and let the smoke settle. For he will be punished in pain and solace. But that’s the price to pay for being so… lawless. You’ll know what I speak of soon enough. Have a good day, cousin.”
And with those words, he opened the door and left me sitting there, feeling just as lost as I was before he came into the room.