Chapter 33 Matteo
MATTEO
“Is the plan acceptable?” Santino asked, eyeing me in my office.
I nodded. “It is. I will speak to Alessandro and Bianca.”
“Do you believe it will cause a rift between you and your son?” Santino looked concerned as he stared at me.
“I… no. He loves another. It would free him to pursue her.”
“Rosalie,” he said.
I cast him a quick look. “Yes. Rosalie.”
“No worries. Evan told me all about it. He wants it to work out for the three of them and plans on bringing Alessandro into his relationship with Rosalie once they are reunited.”
I breathed out, relaxing. “Good. Good. I am happy for that. Do you approve?”
“I do.” Santino nodded. “Rosalie is the sweetest girl, and Evan loves her. He would do anything for her, including die, so his bringing in someone they both care for is not a surprise. I would never stop my son from his happiness. I am not our father.”
I swallowed. “I am glad.”
“Ask,” Santino said knowingly.
I chuckled at his intuition. “Was it you who burned down De Luca’s warehouse last night?”
Santino smirked. “And nailed a Russian to his front door? It may have been me.”
“Why terrorize them if your son is alive?”
Santino shrugged. “I never wanted my son to be wrapped up with the De Luca family, but I knew in my heart that they meant something to one another. I wanted my boy to carve his own path in life without my interference. Yes, I knew what Lorenzo De Luca was. I did not think he would join his father, since he seemed like such a carefree young man who wanted more out of life than a duplicate of his father’s.
So imagine my surprise when he turned into the ruthless little shit he is.
” Santino’s mouth turned down into a sour expression.
“So yes, I will continue to fuck with him. Evan has loved Rosalie since they were very small, so for Enzo to ask for her hand when he knew Evan dreamed of making her his wife… it did not sit well with me.”
I scrubbed my hand down my face. “I understand the pettiness.”
Santino laughed. “Pettiness? Is that what we’re calling it?”
“It is what it is, brother.”
He smirked. “Perhaps it is.”
We were quiet for several long minutes before I asked the question that had been really bothering me.
“Will you build my coffin?”
He slowly looked over at me from where he sat. “I have already built it, little brother.”
I nodded, my throat tight.
“And our father’s?”
“Completed long before yours,” he said. “And to anticipate your next question, I have the bitch’s done as well as a few others on standby.”
“Anatoly?”
He smiled. “He was my friend before he was yours.”
I chuckled at that. “I am aware. Now, anyway. He is missing.”
“Everett Church has him. That’s what I’ve heard.”
“It is what I’ve heard as well.”
“With the underground in disarray, and Toly still missing, I am going to say he gathered the prisoners that meant the most to him and ran. Everett anticipated this happening, and he was prepared. Of course, I don’t think he thought it would have come from the inside with his own son, but perhaps.”
“His son is not the monster he is,” I said. “At least, not the same kind of monster.”
Santino grunted.
“It has been nice to catch up with you,” I said, eyeing him. “I wish it were under better circumstances. Are you not afraid our parents will hear of your return?”
“I’m really fucking hoping they do.” A wicked glint lit up his eyes.
I nodded. “If it means they die, then I hope so as well.”
“That’s something I can drink to.”
Me fucking too.
“Did… Klaus talk to you?” Bianca ventured as we sat in her room later that evening.
She was on the couch, and I was in the chair, the TV playing some comedy she had on.
I’d brought her a dinner I’d made, and we both sat eating.
I didn’t make it a habit to watch TV and eat, but she seemed comfortable, so I didn’t push it.
“I speak to Klaus daily,” I said, watching as she glanced at me nervously. “You will need to be more specific.”
She took another bite and chewed quickly. “I, um, he came to see me today.”
“I asked him to check on you.”
She bit her bottom lip. “H-He has a girlfriend?”
“He has… a situationship, but I suppose for all intents and purposes, he does have a woman he sees regularly that he cares deeply for.”
“Levin… does he know?”
I raised my brows at her question. “I believe he is aware.”
“You’re a really good cook,” she murmured, placing her plate on the glass coffee table in front of her.
I finished my food and set the plate next to hers.
“Thank you.”
“Did you teach Dominic how to cook? He’s a good cook, too.”
“I did not. Not really. When he was a small boy, he would sit and watch me if I cooked, but it was a rarity that I ever did such things. Anything he learned about the kitchen, he learned from Anna.”
We were both quiet again. She was upset over something. She wasn’t typically this quiet.
“What happened today that has you in this… mood?” I gestured to her.
She widened her blue eyes at me before looking away quickly.
“I just… nothing.”
“Bianca, I cannot help you if you don’t help yourself.”
She visibly swallowed. “I didn’t know Klaus had a girlfriend.”
I eyed her. “You came onto him.”
She scowled at me. “It sounds gross when you say it like that. I-I didn’t. I was just trying…” her voice trailed off.
“Listen to me. I understand you feel trapped and angry, but you need to know that Klaus and Alessio are both loyal to me. You are trying to pull at the frayed strings of make-believe, which will not end well for you. Klaus is very much in love with his woman. And Alessio? He is also with someone. They will not falter. We are men, not boys who can’t control our dicks. ”
She nodded and looked at her hands. “I don’t even like Klaus like that. He’s a prick.”
I chuckled at that. “He is a good man. You just don’t know him well.”
“He hurt Levin. Levin’s entire life, Klaus hurt him—”
“That is a matter between Levin and Klaus, not you, Levin, and Klaus. I expect you to let them handle themselves. They’re working on things.”
She breathed out. “You’re right. It’s none of my business. I can only be Levin’s support system.”
“Good.”
“So, um, I’ve been wondering about my babies.”
“What about them?”
“What will happen to them?” she whispered, rubbing her swollen belly. “I know you won’t let me keep them.”
“You cannot keep them and keep them safe,” I said. “When Carmine shows up with Francesca, and they know that an heir impregnated you along with an Ivanov cronie, it will end very badly for all parties involved. The babies must be taken.”
“To where?” Her bottom lip shook as she stared at me. “What will happen to them?”
“Alessandro is handling it. Trust him to do that.”
“I need to know—”
“It is my understanding that he will have a plan. Perhaps the kings.”
She blinked rapidly at my words. “Really? T-They get to go home?”
I nodded. “That is Alessandro’s plan. It is his decision. I expect him to make the right one, but I cannot guarantee what his plans are.” I paused. “Then there will be a wedding.”
“And I get to go home?” She looked hopefully at me.
“I will still be alive, so the answer is no. You will not be returning home.”
She jumped to her feet, fury radiating off her. “Why? If I am Alessandro’s wife, I can leave! He said he’d set me free—”
It was now or never.
“It will not be so.”
She glared at me. “So what? I have to die? Are you going to kill me after the wedding? Fuck me first, as is your twisted fucking tradition? Just couldn’t fucking wait to put your cock inside me! You couldn’t get me with Dominic, so you’ll have to do it with Alessandro!”
I got to my feet and went to her. I cradled her face as she stared at me, tears slowly trickling down her cheeks.
“Listen to me. If I wanted to fuck you, I’d have already been buried inside your body,” I murmured. “I have other plans for you.”
Her jaw trembled. “What are the plans?”
“Dominic let you come to me with the plan that you’d get close enough to kill me. I have given you many chances to do these things, yet you didn’t. Tell me why?”
“I-I…” Her voice trailed off, and she tried to look away from me, but I guided her by the jaw back to me.
“Why?” I repeated.
“Because I don’t know if you’re the real monster here,” she finally whispered.
I closed my eyes and breathed out.
“Matteo? Are you playing me?”
“No,” I said, opening my eyes and staring down at her. “I… I want to go home, too.”
She crinkled her brows. “You are home…”
“No, I am in hell. Not home.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do you want to be queen?” I asked softly. “Do you want to rule everything? Dominic and the kings at your side?”
“I… I do.”
I nodded and closed my eyes again. I inhaled deeply before I opened them.
“Then I need you to do something for me. Something that will give you everything you could ever want and save so many people.”
“What?” She frowned.
I leaned down and brushed my lips against her jaw. She shivered against me, her hands on my chest.
“I need you to kill me.”