CHAPTER 20
Adriano
I look up as Gennaro’s second-in-command, Federico, makes his way to my table. He bows his head, the strands of his short curly dark brown hair falling into his dark eyes.
“Take a seat,” I say, and he sits down across from me.
The bar where I agreed to meet with him is in the middle of my territory, and my men have made sure that Federico is all on his own and not dangerous in any way. The whole place is swarming with my men, so even if Matteo plans to pull something, he won’t be able to get to me.
The only thing that makes me uneasy is the fact that Chiara is at the safe house. She’s not alone and there are enough men to keep her safe, but I hate being away from her. I need to finish this conversation with Federico as soon as possible and go back to her.
“This is yours,” Federico says as he places a set of keys on the table. “Those are the keys to the main houses your father owned.” He taps one key. “And this is where you’ll find the safe with his will.”
Your father.
Those words sound weird, but Gennaro was officially my father.
“He left me a copy of his will because he wanted to be ready in case something happened to him,” Federico says as he pulls a folded piece of paper out of his pocket.
He slides it to me, and I pick it up, unfolding it.
So it’s true. Gennaro made me his one and only heir. There’s no mention of Matteo anywhere. It looks like he really didn’t think I might turn against him or that I might have different priorities in life.
But it could all be a trap.
“We’re all willing to do whatever you need us to,” Federico says. “Everyone who worked for Mr. Gaviani is in agreement that you are our boss now.”
“Despite what happened between him and me?” I eye him carefully.
He nods. “Your father would still want you to take over, or he would’ve put in a clause against it. He believed you were the right choice to be his successor.”
“All right then. I’ll send my men to take care of some things first before we merge the territories.” I don’t mind taking over Gennaro’s territory.
Refusing would be a mistake, especially because I might be able to get my hands on something that could lead me to Matteo. Who knows where he’s hiding? Gennaro must’ve known about more of his son’s safe houses, or he might have had information about the people working for Matteo.
I just need to find it, because I’m sure Gennaro didn’t just leave it lying out there for everyone to stumble upon. Hell, the super-secure contract room he showed me years ago probably still exists.
Gennaro had his secrets, and now I have a chance to uncover them. But I’m not going anywhere near any of his houses, just in case this is all Matteo’s setup after all. And I’ll wait to see who I can trust and who I can’t.
Uniting territories is a delicate process, especially when I was the one who killed Gennaro. I don’t know how loyal people were to him, though. He never treated anyone nicely. Even Federico calls him Mr. Gaviani, and he was Gennaro’s second-in-command. But I don’t know if Matteo has gathered any supporters after I was no longer living with them.
I don’t even care. All I want is to go back to my wife, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
As I make my way down the hallway, I can’t stop thinking about Chiara. She told me she loved me, and I just stood there like an idiot. What the fuck was wrong with me?
I wanted to tell her that I loved her too, but I’d never heard those words directed at me until then. I’ve never said them and meant them myself either.
Not many things scare me anymore, but saying I love you does. It’s ridiculous, but a part of me still expects Chiara will laugh and tell me none of it was real. Or that she was wrong about me and that she wants to leave.
No one ever wanted me unless they had some use for me. Is she really different?
As soon as I open the door to our bedroom, Chiara looks up at me from the bed. Her lips pull up into a smile, her eyes shining.
And it’s at that moment that I realize there’s no way she’s faking all that. Maybe she can really love me for who I am, despite all my faults.
She gets to her feet and I embrace her, pulling her as close as possible to me. Then I kiss her until we’re both breathless.
“I love you,” I say, even if it feels like a pit has formed in my stomach as those words leave my mouth.
A smile spreads across her lips. “Aw, I love you too.”
Hearing her say it again fills the pit in my stomach with excitement and happiness. Those words seemed insignificant before, but now they feel more important than ever.
“What happened with Gennaro’s second-in-command?” she asks.
“Nothing much. It looks like it isn’t a trap, but you never know. I’ll be careful. I’m in no hurry to make any moves.”
“Does that mean you can stay with me? I’m so bored.”
“Of course.” I run my fingers over her back. “I’m not leaving your side again.”
“But you might have to if something pops up.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t.” I want some peaceful time with my wife.
“What about Matteo? He’s still out there somewhere.”
“He is, but I might have a way to find him if everything works out. Gennaro might have known about all of Matteo’s safe houses or about the people who work with him. He always wanted to know everything, and it’s not like Matteo had much free time and resources to do something without Gennaro discovering it. Maybe it’s not all out in the open, but I’ll have my men search Gennaro’s houses for any clues.”
“I hope it works out.” Her lips pull up into a smile, and then she presses them against mine again.
It’s so easy to forget everything when I have her in my arms, and I like that.