36. Matti
Matti
W hen Siena drops the saw, I step away from Franco and turn fully toward her.
Her whole body is trembling like she’s in shock, but her jaw is tight, her spine straight.
She tears her gaze from me and glares at Franco with a cold murderous look I’ve never seen from her before, her hands clenched into fists.
Is she fucking pregnant?
I can’t move. I can’t speak. I can’t do anything but stare at this beautiful, strong woman. Holy fuck, if she is carrying my child, our baby is going to take over the fucking world.
Franco is chortling with laughter, ranting endlessly, but I can’t even hear what he’s saying. Siena turns toward me so slowly, it’s like she’s moving through water, her dark brown eyes huge. When our eyes meet, her strength seems to falter, replaced with something that looks like… fear.
Holy shit. That’s what happened with the doc today that she didn’t want to tell me. My girl is scared of what I’ll say about our baby.
“You fucking disgusting cunt,” Franco snarls.
“You’re right. I should have fucking killed you first. I thought Emily would be the first one to have kids, kids who would grow up to be Demonio soldiers.
Who knew you’d be the fucking slut who got knocked up first?
And by the fucking underboss-in-waiting for the entire Demonio family. What the fuck!”
I can’t take my eyes off of Siena. I want so badly to hold her, to take her in my arms and kiss her so that she can understand how much I fucking want her, want this baby, want the family that she’s bringing into my life in a way that words just can’t convey.
But I don’t move. This is her moment, her announcement, her time to call the shots.
Her eyes glaze over, her lip twitching into a sneer, as she turns back to Franco. “You would have killed Emily even without the flash drive, wouldn’t you? Or killed her kids if she had them. Why? What did you think was going to happen?”
Franco stops laughing and shakes his head at her. “I am the one taking over this family. The Bellamorte name will live on through me and me alone. I’m going to spawn a fucking army, wipe every fucking Demonio and Demonio associate off the face of the earth, and take back my fucking birthright!”
Siena’s voice is like ice, deadly. “Are you delusional, Franco? Do you not see where you are?”
I can’t stop staring at her—this badass, gorgeous woman standing tall, radiating power. This is not the angry, erratic woman I first saw at the lake in South Carolina. She’s intelligent, calculating, and ruthless. It’s hot as fuck. I’m blown away that this woman is mine.
Franco’s laugh is maniacal, like he’s lost all touch with reality. “I will take you out, your fucking demon baby, and anyone else who gets in my fucking way. There are plans in place that are bigger than you, bigger than me. The Bellamorte name is destiny.”
“I can’t allow you to threaten my family, Franco.”
Siena extends her hand in my direction, palm up, eyes never leaving Franco.
I know exactly what she wants. I go to the cabinet above the sink in the corner and pull out a box of ear plugs.
I drop a pair into her outstretched hand and place some ear plugs in my own ears, then draw my gun, leveling the barrel at Franco.
“No.” I can barely hear her over the ear plugs, but Siena’s voice is determined.
She holds her hand out to me again. I don’t know if this is the right thing for her, if I would choose this.
This is more than getting answers, and I’m more than willing to take the burden of her brother’s death from her.
In fact, I want to do it. But I place my gun in her hand anyway.
Franco’s laugh falters, his eyes going wide just before Siena levels the gun at his knee and pulls the trigger.
The shot rings out, his leg buckling beneath him as he releases a piercing scream.
“FUCK! You fucking cunt! You fucking whore cunt! You think this will stop the storm coming your way? You fucking stupid cunt! You have no fucking idea.”
Siena shifts slightly and fires again. Another shot, another scream. Franco’s body jerks, his other knee giving out as he hangs from his wrist and neck shackles, choking and writhing in pain.
“FUCK YOU! I hope your baby dies in your poisonous womb, you fucking cunt! I hope our mother sells your fucking demon baby into slavery! I hope Aurelio rapes you in front of your fucking little boy toy — ”
Siena closes the distance between her and Franco before I can move. She flips the gun in her hand, gripping the muzzle, and yanks his head back by the hair. Without a word, she beats him with the handle of the gun, slamming it into his face over and over.
Teeth crack. Bones shatter. Cartilage tears. Blood pours from his mouth, his nose, splattering across her beautiful face and chest, but she doesn’t flinch.
I don’t know if it’s the fact that she’s carrying my child, her ruthlessness in this moment, or watching her protect her family, protect our child, but I’m more fucking in love with her than I’ve ever been. I didn’t think it was possible to love her more.
Siena keeps going, beating him long after he’s unconscious, long after his face is a pulpy, unrecognizable mass of flesh and bone. She beats him until she’s sobbing, her body crumpling beneath her.
Adrenaline spikes through me. I’ve never seen my girl cry before.
I pull out my ear plugs and step in behind her, pulling her back and gently taking the gun from her shaking hand. As she falls into my arms, I remove her ear plugs.
“I’ve got you, baby,” I whisper as I hold her, smoothing her blood-dampened hair, rocking her as she shudders in my arms, absorbing all her pain. “I’m right here.”
When she’s ready, she steps back, wiping a trembling hand across her face. She surveys Franco, hanging from his shackles, passed out, unrecognizable, and bloody.
“Is he dead?”
I scan his chest, searching for movement, then step forward and check his pulse. It’s faint, but it’s there. “Not yet. ”
Her voice is firm. “I need him gone.”
I nod. “Do you want me to—”
She shakes her head, cutting me off. I hand her the ear plugs, and she puts them in then holds out her hand for the gun.
I place it in her palm and step back, giving her space, as I reinsert my ear plugs and cross my arms over my chest. Without hesitation, she empties the magazine into Franco’s chest. Each shot slams his body into the wall, the impact reverberating through the room.
She continues pulling the trigger, until it clicks, then drops her arms to her sides, her face blank, eyes unfocused. I pull out my ear plugs, and go to her and gently tug her ear plugs out before taking the gun out of her hand.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbles, so softly I can barely hear her.
At first, I think she’s speaking to Franco. But then she turns to me, lifting her chin, her hand settling protectively over her stomach.
“I’m sorry,” she repeats, her gaze dropping to the bloody concrete floor. “I was stupid. I thought my implant was effective for longer than it was, and I didn’t sleep with anyone before you for years so—”
“Siena, stop.” My voice comes out harsher than I want it to and she jerks away from me and takes a deep breath.
“I know you don’t want a baby right now. You have plans—”
I curse under my breath and work hard to soften my tone.
“Baby, stop. Life happens. Plans change. I had plans until I met you, then my plans changed. Now that we’re having a baby, our plans will change.
” Saying the words out loud is humbling.
“I am fucking honored that you are carrying my child. Fucking honored, Siena.”
I hold out my hand to her. She chews on her bottom lip, her big brown eyes filling with tears as she lifts her gaze to meet mine.
She stumbles forward a step, and I drop to my knees on the bloody concrete in front of her, wrapping my arms fully around her body. Sitting back onto my heels, I run my hands up her torso, lifting her shirt so that I can press my forehead to her bare stomach.
My baby is in there.
Siena’s hands tangle in my hair, pulling me up on my knees so that we are practically on eye level. She feels smaller than usual right now, fragile.
“Matti,” she whispers, her voice cracking. “Thank you.”
I’m floored. “I don’t know what you’re thanking me for, kitten. I should be thanking you.”
Gently, I pull her face down to mine, my thumbs smearing Franco’s blood across her skin. I kiss her lips softly and slowly, over and over again, cupping her cheeks in my hands.
She kisses me back, tentatively at first, then harder, more desperate. Tugging my hair, deepening her kiss, and moaning into my mouth. “Matti…”
Without thinking, I stand, dropping my hands to her ass and lifting her. She wraps her legs around me as I carry her toward the door, pressing her back into the wall and moving one hand to palm the back of her head so that I can drink her in.
She’s kissing me voraciously, devouring me, digging her fingernails into my shoulders and pressing her chest into mine.
“Matti…” She’s as breathless as I am.
“Yes, kitten?” I drop kisses down her neck, sucking little marks into her skin, trying hard to restrain myself, mindful of the life growing inside of her.
“I want to be your whore.”
I lift my head from her neck, my cock hardening against her heat. Her brown eyes are almost black with desire, blazing with intensity.
Fuck.
“Are you sure, kitten?”
She silences me with a kiss, grabbing my hand as I go to open the door. “Matti, make me your whore. Right here. Right now.”