13. Matteo
CHAPTER 13
MATTEO
S omeone is going to die tonight.
The more I look at Heaven’s face, the more that thought settles into my bones.
It distracts me from the uncomfortable way my concerned play on her feels real. We step out of the pub and onto the pavement in the cool night air.
Gio stands next to the truck, having already gotten the text I sent while waiting for my bride-to-be to return from the bathroom, and he opens the doors for us. He shoots me a curious glance when his eyes land on Heaven, but he doesn’t say a word.
Roman gets into the front seat, leaving me and Heaven to slide into the back. She doesn’t say anything, she just turns toward the window closest to her and settles against the leather seat. She lays her head back, and a deep sigh deflates her shoulders.
A strange urge to comfort takes hold, but it’s not the right time. Instead, I pull out my phone and shoot off a text to Alfie.
I want you and Philly in my office in an hour.
Barely a few seconds pass before I get a reply.
Sure, boss.
These assholes crossed a line, and I won’t have it.
I scrub a hand down my face, half-listening to Roman rave about some of the food on offer tonight.
“It was the best fucking beef and Guinness stew and Irish soda bread I’ve ever had,” he says in Italian.
“When was the last time you had either?” I ask in English, pushing my hair back and leaning against the headrest.
“Never, but if I had, this stuff would have beaten its ass, trust me. Fucking amazing. Hey, Heaven, can I hire your cook?”
Heaven turns slightly toward Roman, eyes narrowing. “You don’t need to hire her. She’s evidently marrying into your family, so there’ll be plenty for you to enjoy in the future.” She gives me a sharp look. “As I imagine cooking will be one of my wifely duties. Of course, I just might decide to poison Matteo.”
She turns back to the window.
Roman laughs and I somehow control my smile. I like her fire. And liking her makes it much easier for me to do what I have to. Nothing more, nothing less.
We arrive in SoHo at my loft. I have a few, but this is my primary one. My home is on the second floor, where I rarely have company. Downstairs is more for pleasure and business.
“Here?” Roman asks with a sudden frown.
“Hang tight,” I say. “I need you to stick around for a while.”
Gio helps Heaven out of the Escalade. She flashes a smile at him before walking around to join me. With a cold look up at me, she lifts an eyebrow, and climbs the metal steps of the stoop. She spins around once she’s reached the top. “Are you coming or what?”
I take the steps two at a time and key in the security code to shut off the alarm before twisting my key in all three locks.
“Great, I’m living in Fort Knox,” she mutters.
“You prefer an unlocked door?”
She doesn’t answer and pushes inside ahead of me, taking in the ground floor with a wrinkled nose.
“Not fancy enough for you, Heaven?” I ask, my tone mocking. There are a few lights on because I always like to look for any out-of-place shadows once I get inside. If people want to get to you, trust me, they will find a way.
I’m a pretty persistent person, so I know that from experience.
“So, you live here?”
“For now,” I say. “I have a few different places.”
“Where?” She narrows her eyes.
“Around.” I shrug. “Sicily, Miami, Rome, Vegas?—”
“How often do you travel?”
“Trying to get rid of me already?” I ask. “I’m here for the foreseeable future.”
“Lucky me,” she mutters, walking farther into the place. She examines every last bit of the first floor before she speaks again. “It’s…big. But it doesn’t exactly scream ‘married.’ It’s more of a place where you’d bring your bitches. Speaking of, that is a hard fucking no, Matteo. I don’t want this arrangement at all, but there is no way you’re going to have sidepieces prancing through here. Girls from your sex parties? Hell no. I’ve been humiliated enough.”
I bite back a smile. I like how fired up she gets. It must be that Irish temper I was warned about. “I’d never do anything here, Heaven.”
She storms right up to me and pokes me in the chest with her finger. “I’m not just talking about here,” she hisses.
“I didn’t realize you gave a shit,” I say. “You’ve made it clear that I disgust you, using a lot of different and colorful words.”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she says. “It’s not like I want it. I just don’t want anyone else to have it once the ball and chain has been attached to my ankle. This isn’t the Old World, paisano . What’s expected of me is expected of you.”
“And what is that? Fucking you is on my agenda.” I slide my hand down her back, drawing her stiffening body to me.
“You’ll die of blue balls.”
“No, amore mio , I won’t. And it’s good to see you know your place. My loving bride. Although, I’d prefer a closed mouth and open legs. Unless, of course, you open that gorgeous mouth of yours for other, more X-rated reasons…”
She tries to pull free, but I tighten my hold.
“Make no mistake, Heaven. From this moment on, you’re mine. A wedding is nothing more than a formality. What happened within the walls of that office with your father is what binds us. And you know it.”
“I should kill you where you stand.”
I shrug, lifting my other hand to trail my knuckles along her collarbone. “You can try.”
“Maybe,” she says, raising her face to mine, her eyes glittering, “you might want to sleep with one eye open.”
I shift, my cock twitching in my pants. Like this, she’s a warrior queen. We both know there’s nowhere for her to go, and if she wants her family to live, then as far as she knows, I’m the only thing standing between them and death. But she’s born to fight. And it gets my blood pumping. Christ, I want to tie her up so badly and fuck that venomous streak right out of her while she screams for me to give her what she wants.
I’m beginning to think one taste of that pussy wasn’t nearly enough.
I want more…need more.
I’ll have it. But I need to play it right. Because this is seduction—of mind, body, and soul.
I press her in against my hard-on and drop my mouth to her ear, tangling my other hand in her ponytail. “Or maybe this is your way of asking me to fuck you senseless, Heaven.”
“No.”
“I bet if I slipped my fingers up your thigh and into your panties, your cunt would be hot and wet and willing. Wouldn’t it?”
She doesn’t answer, but the sharp little intake of breath is more than enough.
“You’ll come to me, Heaven. You’ll beg me to take you, taste you. And you know how I know? One touch right now and you’ll come. And I haven’t even kissed you yet.”
“Bastard.” She pulls free and I release her. It’s a game I’m playing, and her fire ignites me.
“I fucking despise you, and I despise Conor.”
“It’s his fault. I’m saving you, even if you don’t know it.”
“No. You’re shackling me, and we both know it.”
“You chose the life.”
“I was born into it. I made it into something, and you, my father, and my brother are taking that from me.” She spews the words, hovering right within touching distance. “I’ve cleaned up his messes for years and my father knows it. Conor didn’t earn his place. He doesn’t deserve what he’s been given.”
“No, he fucking doesn’t,” I say. “And I’m not taking you from anything. You could, if you choose, rule by my side. Have all you want and more.”
I’m sweetening the trap.
Heaven goes completely still and stares at me. There are chapters upon chapters etched into her conflicted expression.
“What are you saying?”
“That you can have what you want. As can I. You’ll be mine, but you’ll rule your turf.”
Until, of course, I take it all. But a smooth transition is needed for what I want. When I step in, I’ll be keeping all their ties in place. With Heaven, I’ll be able to do that more easily. And then, well…collateral damage for the final phase.
It’s a pity, because once tamed, she’d make a worthy partner.
For a moment, I think she’s going to push me on this, but she doesn’t. “I’m tired,” she says. “Where should I sleep?”
I smile and run my gaze slowly over her. “The master bedroom is upstairs.”
She lifts an eyebrow. “I think I’d rather a guest room.”
“I’ll take the guest room,” I say. “I had the master made up for you.”
“What’s your game, Matteo?”
“I can wait for what I want. That’s all.” I gesture to the stairs.
Heaven rests her hand on the polished wood banister and slides it up as she slowly takes each step toward the second floor where the master bedroom is situated. With a glance back over her shoulder at me, she pushes open the door.
She stops short, letting out a low whistle. “Wow,” she breathes, stepping farther into the room.
I stand in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe while she takes in the space. The bedding is bright white with soft furry throw pillows in warm, muted tones scattered across the top.
Windows line the wall opposite the bed, and a view of the city lights up the dark night sky. I had the modern furniture in the room replaced with more plush pieces, and a thick, white fur rug now sits in the middle of the room to complete the look and feel of luxe comfort.
Heaven turns to look at me. “It’s lovely.”
“I’m glad you like it.” The urge to fling her into the center of the bed and strip her down takes hold, but it’s a fantasy for now, nothing more. I glance at my watch. “I have some place to be. I think you’re all set here, though.”
She walks over to a tall mirror in the corner of the room and loosens the rubber band holding her thick, lush hair away from her face. It cascades down her back, the highlights glimmering in the soft overhead lights.
“I don’t suppose you have any clothes I can borrow. I didn’t exactly have time to pack, you know,” she says dryly.
Clothes. Shit, I didn’t think of that. Maybe it’s because every time a vision of her appears in my mind, she’s naked.
Exactly the way I want her.
I walk over to a dresser and pull out a T-shirt and gym shorts. “I’ll get you anything you need tomorrow. In the meantime, wear these.”
“I thought you had somewhere to go.”
“I do.”
“But you’re…what? Waiting for this?” She unzips the dress and pushes it from her shoulders, letting it puddle at her feet.
She’s standing there in lace and high heels, sexy and sleek.
I want to devour her. My power play has flipped on me. If she’s intimidated, she’s not acting like it. Her gaze is a big “fuck you” as she stares at me and deliberately licks her lips.
I don’t move. I don’t breathe. I just watch, like some fucking psycho creeper who’s never seen a woman strip before.
Her lips curl upward and her eyes tussle with mine, challenging me to walk away and ignore the vision of erotic bliss in front of me.
She knows exactly what she’s doing to me, too.
I accept her challenge and close the space between us, standing right next to her, not touching, even though my fingertips tingle with the need to caress her creamy skin, to feel her tremble beneath them like she did the other night. With a narrow-eyed look, she unhooks her bra and lets it flutter to the floor. Her breasts really are gorgeous. The dark pink nipples peak, beckoning me to nip and tug at them with my mouth.
She gazes up at me from beneath her thick lashes, her tits brushing my chest, and my mouth waters, remembering how incredible she tasted.
“You look like a guy who’s never seen a woman naked before,” she says. “Enjoy the view, because this is all you’re getting for a long, long time.”
Heaven grabs the T-shirt and pulls it on.
“I don’t think so, amore mio . Your little show let me see just how excited you are. You want another taste.”
“I’m not a sadist.”
“I look forward to the next round, Heaven.” I go to the door. “My guard, Gio, will be here to protect you.”
“Yup, him, the alarm, and the fifty locks should keep me safe.” Heaven pulls on the shorts and gets on the bed, flipping onto her side, leaning up on her elbow. Her hair falls over the bruised part of her face as she stares at me. Her feet rub together, her bright red toenails a stark contrast to her white skin.
Her feet are unexpectedly beautiful. Erotic. I could suck each toe, work my way up her body… And how the fuck does she manage to make an oversized shirt and shorts sexy?
Fuck, I have to get out of here now .
“Call me if you need anything. There’s a burner in the drawer.” I nod to the nightstand closest to her. “The number is already programmed. It’s the only one you’ll need.”
“How lucky am I?” she says mockingly, clasping her hands together. “You’ve really thought of everything. I mean, except clothes .”
“Maybe that was on purpose.”
I pull the door closed and run down the stairs. I set the alarm and lock every entrance other than the front door before leaving. I have Gio standing guard, but it’s not enough, so I find my brother who’s in the living room.
“Ready?” he says.
“I need you to stay here and keep an eye on my reluctant fiancée. And that’s eye. Not hands. Be invisible but alert. I’m off to take care of today.”
I head outside to where Gio stands in front of the Escalade, and I clap him on the shoulder. “I’m going out for a little while.”
“You need a ride?” He pulls out the keys, but I shake my head, nodding toward my blacked-out Lamborghini Urus.
“Nah, I’m driving. You stay here. Keep your eyes on everything, Gio,” I give him a long look and he visibly shudders. “Roman will also be here.”
And I’m off. Heads will roll.
Twenty minutes later, I’m pulling into the parking lot in the basement of a building I own in the Meatpacking District. My blood boils violently as the vision of Heaven’s face flashes in front of my eyes.
I clench my fists around the steering wheel when I think about one of my own guys hurting her, disobeying a directive. It isn’t good for business to have my fiancée beaten up. It isn’t good for business to have these goons think they can color outside the lines.
After tonight, that’s not going to be a problem.
I have several ‘offices’ throughout lower Manhattan, but this is where I handle human resource-type issues, like beating the fuck out of a soldier who defied a direct order.
I straighten my coat once I get out of my car and pull open the door to the damp, dank concrete structure. This is where the ‘meat’ gets delivered. There are offices on the floors above, but I won’t need to visit them tonight.
A few minutes later, Alfie and Philly come shuffling into the room. They exchange a quick look, their shoulders relaxing when they see that I’m alone.
Mistake number one.
Never assume that because you aren’t greeted by an army that you’re going to escape unscathed.
“I’d like to go over the ambush on Patrick and Heaven Mulligan,” I say, my back stiff against the cold cinderblocks.
“Okay, boss,” Alfie says. He’s the more senior of the two, the one I expect the most from. “What do you wanna know?”
I push off from the wall, taking a few steps toward him. “I’d like you to repeat the instructions I gave you.”
He nods, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. “You, uh, said to rough up Patrick. Nothing major, just enough to send a message. And we were supposed to attack when they didn’t expect it.”
“And what else?” I ask quietly.
He swallows, more sweat beading. “To, ah, to stay away from Heaven.”
I nod. “That’s right, Alfie. Pretty much on target.” I look at Philly. “Who’d you cover during that attack?”
“I was supposed to hold Heaven back,” he says, his eyes darting everywhere but at me.
“Uh-huh,” I reply. “And how’d that go?”
He sneaks a look at Alfie.
“Don’t look at Alfie,” I snap. “I want to hear it from you.”
“Well, she, uh, she got away and got into their car. She was going for a gun, so I?—”
“So, you…what?” I close in, forcing him to back up until he hits the opposite wall.
“I grabbed her by the ankles,” he whispers.
“And?”
“I dragged her out of the car.” His eyes widen with panic. “But I swear I didn’t hurt her. She was going for a gun, and I was afraid if I didn’t get her outta the car, the cops would show up and fuck up the whole thing.”
“So instead, you roughed up the girl?”
“Backup hadn’t arrived.”
I pin him with a cold, hard stare. “Were you asked by me or Roman to have backup?”
“No, but it seemed like a good idea, and?—”
I raise a hand and his mouth snaps shut. I turn back to Alfie. “And you were supposed to ‘rough up’ Patrick. Your version of that almost put him in the hospital with two broken ribs.”
“Boss, he fought back hard. I was trying to keep him down?—”
And just at that second, my blood boils over and I launch a fist right at Alfie’s face. It cracks his jaw, and he crashes to the floor face-first with a loud yelp.
I shake out my hand. Fuck, that hurt. I’m not used to the enforcer role. I usually delegate that shit to Roman, but not tonight. I can fight with the best of them. Use my strength. I usually prefer a high-level game.
But these fuckers overstepped.
I kneel down next to Alfie and pull him up by the collar so I can see his face. Blood pours from his mouth, his eyes glazed with fear.
“You took the order,” I hiss at him. “You were in charge, and you deserve to take the punishment.”
He nods, his eyes dropping. “You’re right. I did. It won’t happen again.”
“You’re damn right it won’t,” I mutter. I let go of his collar and stand up, glaring at Philly. “And what about you? Do you think you deserve to be punished?”
“I, um, well, no.” He shrugs. “I had to protect myself, so?—”
“Wrong answer.” I shove him back into the wall. “You were supposed to protect her . If she pulled a gun on you, then your job would be to get it away from her. That’s why you were brought into this organization, Philly. To take orders and fulfill them, not to make up your own rules as you go.”
I walk toward him, closing my hand around his throat. “When she went for the gun, you should’ve gotten into the car and driven away with Alfie. This was supposed to send a message. That’s fucking it,” I say softly as I squeeze, his face getting more purple by the second.
He squirms against me as I grip his throat tighter and tighter, making him sputter and writhe against my hand. Blood rushes between my temples, my pulse throbbing as Heaven’s battered face wallpapers my mind.
Every shred of self-control I cling to fizzles away. I slam Philly back against the wall, his eyes bulging from the sockets.
“You didn’t fucking do your job.”
An explosion of sounds erupts from within the deep recesses of my mind—glass shattering, bullets popping, and the screams that have haunted my dreams ever since. My arm muscles tighten, a guttural roar bursting from my chest. His fingers dig into my hands, his nails clawing at my skin, fast and panicked and then slow and finally, not at all. And I stop. I blink fast, clearing my vision enough that I can see his lifeless face and vacant gaze.
I release my grip and Philly drops to the concrete floor like a bag of cement. I turn slowly toward Alfie. I take a few steps toward him.
He scrambles away, backing himself into a literal corner before struggling to his feet. “Please, Matteo, don’t. I’m sorry I didn’t follow instructions. I’m sorry I didn’t stop Philly from hurting Heaven. I’m sorry?—”
I hold up a hand. “Stop,” I snarl. “I don’t want to hear it. Consider that your message, Alfie. Take care of the body.”
And without another word, I walk out of the room. A faint bleeping in the distance amplifies with each step I take. It must be some far-off alarm buried somewhere in the basement of the building. But by the time I reach my car, my ears are ringing from the blaring sounds going off in my head.
Adrenaline courses through me as I slide into the driver’s seat and turn on the ignition. I grip the steering wheel tight, shaking it with the same degree of violence I just displayed back at the building.
I maneuver the car out of the parking lot. With a rocketing pulse, I drive through the darkened streets of Manhattan back toward my town house.
For years, I’d controlled that rage, kept it buried deep because I knew the damage it could do if it was unleashed.
Tonight, I let it all out. I let my emotions command me in a way they never should again.
For the first time in years, I freed them.
All because of Heaven. No, not her. The plan I have. Because of the plan, and she’s an integral part of it.
But still…she drove it. The rage, the fury, the passion.
The emotion I let take control.
And before tonight, only I knew how dangerous that could be.