Chapter 18 Matteo
MATTEO
“What is it?” I asked as Klaus stormed into my office that night. It was far too late for him to request a meeting, but he’d called me on the way here, his voice hoarse, asking if we could talk.
I agreed immediately because this behavior was out of the norm for Klaus. He was strong. No emotion. Ever.
Alessio turned up not long ago, and we sat in my office, waiting for Klaus. Neither of us said what we were thinking, but I knew he was in the mindset that the woman Klaus was seeing was involved. Maybe they’d broken up. Maybe she’d cheated. The list of the maybes was endless.
I only hoped I wouldn’t have to kill her for hurting my brother.
Klaus paced, his hair a mess, and his eyes bloodshot. I cast a quick glance at Alessio, who appeared concerned about how Klaus was behaving.
I waited, deciding pushing him right now was a bad idea.
Klaus stopped his pacing after a moment and let his head fall back before letting out a low exhale.
Then, he went to the bar in the room and poured three drinks, downed them in quick succession before slamming the final empty glass on the counter.
“Brother,” I said gently. “Talk to us. What has happened?”
“I was with… my girl,” he said thickly, his voice wavering. “We were having a good time. The best time.” His jaw quivered, and I sat forward at the same time Alessio did.
I’d fucking kill her if she fucked up. I would. Without hesitation, she would die. No one fucked with my family.
I knew Alessio well enough to know he was on the same page with me. In fact, he might beat me to getting to whoever she was, so he could do it first.
“She…She… fuck.” He twisted his fingers in his hair and tugged. That explained why his hair was a mess. I was surprised he hadn’t pulled it all out already.
“What did she do?” I asked softly. “She will pay, brother—”
“No.” He stared back at me with wild eyes. “She did nothing wrong. She-She…” He looked past us, and a tear snaked its way down his cheek.
Alessio and I were both immediately on our feet, going to him.
Klaus didn’t cry. Not even when his wife died.
I hadn’t seen him cry since Stefan died, and even then, he’d stood and walked away, more determination in a man than I’d ever seen before.
We were built to endure. To continue. But this… This was big.
“Talk to us,” Alessio murmured as we moved to stand with Klaus. “Whatever it is. We can’t help if we do not know what we are helping with.”
“She knows Stefan,” Klaus whispered.
I cast a quick look at Alessio, who frowned.
“Brother, they are roughly the same age, yes?” I asked gently. “If he had a relationship with her before—”
“He’s alive,” he choked out. “My son is alive. She spent time with him not long ago.”
I blinked rapidly at this information.
“Is she certain?” Alessio asked.
Klaus nodded. “She is sure. Levin even knows he’s alive.”
“She knows Levin, too?” I ventured.
He nodded and poured another drink. “I have not spoken to Levin. I-I don’t even know how to talk to him. He hates me, and that’s my fault. I made it so.”
I was quiet for a moment before I looked at Alessio.
“Please bring Bianca,” I said softly.
Alessio gave me a curt nod before leaving the room. Bianca would know these things if they were true.
“What else did she tell you?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Not much. All she knew was that he was alive, and Levin knew he was. That he is still with the Vasiliev girl. She doesn’t know where to find him, though. I-I had to leave. I couldn’t take looking at her.”
I swallowed and watched as Klaus drank again. He was hurting. I didn’t like it.
“You left because you felt betrayed that you’ve been with her and she knew he was alive and you were his father,” I said.
He shrugged and sank down onto the barstool and hung his head.
“I don’t know. I was hurt, yes, but I didn’t want her to see me this way.
Perhaps she worried for me, which is why she didn’t tell me sooner.
Or maybe she didn’t feel like she knew me well enough to trust me to tell me.
Either way, it hurts, but it is on me, not her. ”
“Do you want me to speak with her?”
He shook his head. “No. She is a sweet girl. I-I don’t want her to be scared. I am also not ready for you to meet her. Not yet. I need time to sort through all of this.”
“Of course,” I murmured. I told myself I wasn’t going to push this matter on who the woman he was seeing was, but I was really growing irritated at not knowing.
Alessio returned with Bianca in tow a moment later.
“Sit.” I nodded to a chair in front of my desk.
She frowned and took it, looking expectantly at me.
So fucking beautiful it hurt.
I pushed away these thoughts and focused on the task at hand.
“Where is Stefan?” I asked, getting to the point.
Her lashes fluttered for a moment before she licked her lips. “Stefan is dead.”
“Bianca, don’t try my patience. Where is he? We know he’s alive,” I said, moving to stand in front of her. I stared down at her, and she looked back up at me with those too-blue eyes.
“Stefan is dead,” she repeated.
“He is alive,” Klaus snapped, getting to his feet and going to her. He glared down at her. “Tell me where my son is. I know you fucking know.”
“Easy,” I murmured as Alessio inched closer. Klaus was a loaded gun when he was upset.
“Stefan. Is. Dead.” Each word that came out of her mouth was clipped with venom.
Klaus was lightning fast. He reached out, grasped her face, and squeezed.
“Tell me where my son is.” His voice was hoarse. “Bianca. Please.”
“I don’t know where your son is. Heaven. Hell. It doesn’t matter as long as he’s away from you, you fucking monster.” Her bottom lip wobbled as she glared back at Klaus.
Klaus released her and backed away, a man defeated.
“Klaus,” I called out as he stumbled to the door. He’d drunk far too much to go driving. “Klaus!”
He didn’t stop. He stormed through the door, slamming it behind him.
“I will see to it that he is safe,” Alessio murmured.
I nodded at him, watching him turn and leave the room, before I focused back on Bianca.
“You are a very bad girl,” I murmured.
“And you are a very bad man,” she replied.
I kneeled in front of her.
“We are all monsters, sweet princess, even you.”
Her jaw trembled as she stared back at me.
“Do you want to go home?” I asked softly.
“You know I do.”
“Do you want to see your dear Domenico? Vincenzo? Levin? Fallon?”
“I do,” she rasped, tears filling her eyes.
“Then tell me what I want to know.”
“I don’t know anything.”
I sighed. “Bianca, sweet girl, do not do this. I do not want to continue to be the monster in your story, but I will if it means getting the truth.”
“I want Anson,” she whispered. “Please. Call him. Tell him to come here.”
“Alessandro will not save you,” I said, studying her.
She was afraid. I both loved and hated that she was.
“Please. I want Anson,” she repeated.
“He does not love you. He loves another.”
“I want Anson,” she repeated once more, staring past me.
I sighed. “I am not bringing Alessandro into this mess. If you won’t tell me what you know, then I will simply take him away from you too.”
She widened her eyes at me. “No—,”
“Where is Stefan?” I asked again.
Her bottom lip wobbled. “He’s dead,” she whispered.
I nodded, knowing she wouldn’t give in. I had to hand it to her, her loyalty was unrivaled.
“That is fine. Drake can take your place. I’m sure he knows.” I held my hand out to her. “Come. It’s time for you to rest.”
She trembled, but slipped her hand in mine. I brought her to her feet and took her to her bedroom. She cried softly the entire way there. When I opened the door to her room, she stepped inside and turned to face me.
“Please don’t hurt Drake,” she whispered.
“Why does it matter? You do not care for him, right?”
She visibly swallowed. “Matteo. Please.”
The way she said my name made my heart stumble, but it was her coming to me and pressing her lips to mine that really got me.
She kissed me sweetly. Gently. She cradled my face like she gave a damn.
And me?
I parted my lips and kissed her back as she pressed herself to me, my hands on her little waist.
I broke the kiss off slowly, a moment later, and stared down at her.
“You play a dangerous game,” I whispered.
“Please…”
“But you do not sell your soul to a devil and expect to win,” I continued. “I am not a boy who is interested in games. The next time you make a move on me like that, I will fuck you into oblivion. Do you understand?”
Her cheeks flushed pink at my words, and she took a step away.
“Go to bed. The doctor is coming in the morning to see you. You will be alone for the next week. I suggest maybe reading a book during that time.”
“Please. Anson—”
I closed the door on her before she could beg me for my son again, the lock clicking in place.
It didn’t drown out the sound of her crying, though.
And I didn’t walk away.
I wasn’t sure what that said about me.