19. Fox
NINETEEN
FOX
C oming here with Anson had been a mistake. I knew it when I was beating the women off me at the bar, and the feeling had only grown over the past hour.
I couldn’t remember if I’d turned off my GPS tracking on my phone or not, but I really fucking hoped I hadn’t because if I came up missing, Enzo and the guys needed to know where to find my body.
If there was even a body left to find. Knowing Matteo De Santis, he’d probably harvest the good parts and sell them to Everett Church before feeding the rest to his dogs.
Anson was on edge. I knew he didn’t want to hurt his father, but I could see the wheels spinning in his head. He was planning on the steps to take when this shit went south.
He wasn’t alone in that respect.
“Tell me this,” Matteo said. “What would you do if tonight were the last night of your life?”
“I’d fight my way out and take a few fuckers with me,” I said fiercely.
Matteo smirked at me. “Truly? You think so?”
“I know so.”
“I admire the fight the most, Constantino. It’s how you really get to know someone. How you plot, plan, and overcome is the true mark of a man.”
“Is that what you did?” I asked, knowing I was about to push some very big buttons. “You lost what you loved, so you became a madman and a monster?”
Instead of coming out guns blazing at me, he let out a soft snort and shook his head.
“Do you believe monsters are born or created?” he asked.
I noted Anson sitting forward, eyeing his father.
I felt bad for him. While I knew he wanted a good relationship with the man, I was having trouble processing any of it.
I assumed Matteo was the sort of man to put a bullet into your head without the commentary.
In this instance, he seemed to be all ears.
If I were making a guess, I’d say Anson was surprised, too.
“Created by circumstance, I suppose,” I answered.
Matteo nodded. “So by that line of thinking, you’d agree I had to become what I am due to my circumstances and survival.”
“I suppose so.”
“So then, how can one blame a monster for being a monster? Should we not blame the one who forced them into it?”
“Where are we going with this?” I demanded. “If you want to get philosophical, fine, but just so you know, I’m walking out of here in ten minutes, so make your story quick.”
Matteo let out a soft chuckle. Anson shot me a warning look to cool it. I was always cool, but the thought that I’d not make it home to my Rosie was making me a little pissed off. The idea that she’d wait for me gutted me.
“I like you, Constantino, even though I shouldn’t. You run the opportunity of coming here and claiming what I’ve worked so hard for.”
“I don’t want any of it,” I snapped at him.
“No?” He cocked his head at me. “Then why is it you’re building an empire with Lorenzo De Luca if you have no interest in this world?”
It was a question that rendered me speechless.
I’d never considered why I did it. I didn’t want this life.
I didn’t want Rosie to have this life either.
So why was I helping to build an empire?
Love for my friends? A love which could drive them to an early grave if shit went sideways. Suddenly, none of it made sense.
“It’s situational,” Anson said softly. “Fox loves Rosalie. Rosalie loves the horsemen. He’s there for her.”
“It’s always a woman, isn’t it?” Matteo mused. “Women will always be a powerful man’s downfall.”
We were all quiet for a moment. I noticed Alessio’s dark eyes on me. He looked sad. I had no idea what happened to Vincent’s mother. I figured it was probably similar to what happened to my mom. Murdered for being with someone she loved.
I swallowed hard at that thought. Everything was ringing too true in this fucking office. While I’d considered Rosalie being hurt because of us, the idea of her dying was making me so ill I thought I’d vomit. All of these men had wives who were gone.
I’d be another one of them.
I couldn’t let that happen.
Not to my Rosie.
Fucking hell, I needed to get out of there and go to her.
“Constantino,” Matteo called out. “Look at me.”
I snapped my attention from my lap to him. Something flashed in the depths of his eyes that made me hesitate. Maybe it was a moment of humanity shining through on him. It was difficult to tell, though. He was a mysterious, dangerous man.
“What do you want from your life?”
“I want to leave,” I said.
“And you will after you tell me your plans.”
“My plans are to leave.”
“We can go in circles all night.” Matteo raised a brow at me.
“Then you’re not understanding me. I want to leave.
This life. I don’t want it. I don’t want an empire.
I don’t want to worry about my girl. I don’t want to worry about my friends and whether they’ll come home at night.
I want a normal life. I want to sweep my girl away and marry her like I’ve always dreamed of. ”
“Then why don’t you?”
I shook my head and focused on a point over his head. How the fuck did I end up in Matteo De Santis’s office getting lectured and grilled about life? If someone would have told me I’d be here a week ago, I’d have laughed in their face.
“Your father knows how to leave a world behind. Perhaps you should talk to him about it.”
“The only way I’ll leave this world is through a body bag,” I said, knowing it was true.
“How sad.” Matteo drummed his fingers on the table. “I could offer you freedom if you worked for me.”
I snapped my attention to him. “What?”
“You want freedom, right? To take your girl away from this life. It would require sacrifices, but I’m willing to make them if you are.”
I couldn’t believe what he was saying to me.
Was he being serious?
“Father.” Anson cleared his throat.
Matteo held his hand up to silence Anson, who snapped his mouth closed, clearly rolling it all over in his mind.
“Here is my proposal.” Matteo pulled out a cigar and lit it up before taking a few puffs of it. The sweet smell hung in the air around us. I glanced at Anson, who still wore a frown on his face.
“My son has made it clear he wants what you have. Rosalie. He was recently tricked into thinking it would happen by Lorenzo. That actually really pisses me off.” Matteo offered me a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“I’ve spent years looking for my family, so I will do anything to make up for that time, including offering my brother’s son a position within my ranks if it means my heir can have the woman he loves. ”
“So you’d want me to move Rosalie from one empire to the next? And to betray my own family?” I shook my head at that. “Not happening.”
“You misunderstand me. There is no betrayal in the sense you’re thinking. I’m simply offering you a freedom Lorenzo De Luca cannot offer you. Tell me yes, and I’ll give you certain protections. Tell me no, and we will continue as if you’re still my enemy.”
I was quiet as I contemplated his words. I knew Matteo to be a bad man. A dangerous man. Here he was, though, offering me something that could save my girl from a life that could take her away from all of us.
“What would I need to do?” I asked, needing the details just so I didn’t beat myself up over them.
“It’s simple. My son wants Rosalie. I want him to have her. You want her to be safe. And the sacrifice.”
“What’s the sacrifice?”
“Your life,” he answered simply. “You die. It solves a great many problems for all of us. Rosalie gets her safety. Alessandro gets the woman he loves. You get freedom, and out of this world you don’t want to be in.
I get you out of the way so you can’t take Alessandro’s birthright away.
You’ve already made the deal with Alessandro, so why not put it into motion? ”
My stomach twisted at his words, pain washing over me at the thought of dying.
“Father, no,” Anson snapped. “That’s insane. I don’t want her like that.”
“It is the only way for all sides to come out on top. Well, except Constantino. I daresay he’d be in a grave, but it’s as little sacrifice as there can be.”
Matteo and Anson went back and forth while I sat dumbly in my seat, rolling over his words.
He was right. I had to die if I ever wanted Rosalie to have an ounce of freedom and safety.
She’d never leave this life or us any other way.
I already had her word that if something happened to me, she’d run.
I knew Anson well enough to know he’d protect her in my absence.
He’d keep her safe. Make her really smile again.
Take away all the fear and stress she was under daily.
The guys would be fine. They’d let her go then.
I knew they would. They’d finally see how dangerous everything was and how she’d always be a target if she remained with them.
It hurt. Fuck did it hurt, because this wasn’t what our life was supposed to be.
Enzo wasn’t supposed to fall into this role for years, if he ever even did.
I’d always hoped that his old man would just grant him a pardon and let the business die when he died.
We’d talked about it at length in high school.
We were so fucking dumb and naive to think we’d overcome all this shit.
The thought of Rosalie falling into the hands of the enemy flooded my mind. She’d survived once, and it had nearly killed us. I still had the ugly images in my mind. If something more happened to her like it had with Bianca, or worse, I’d never forgive myself.
This was the only way.
My death would take her away from it all, like we’d always talked about.
“How would I die?” I finally broke in. “When it’s time. How would I go?”
“It would be simple enough. A quick shot to the head. Lights out. No pain. Just fast and easy. Alessio is an excellent shot. He could take care of everything.”
“It would be painless. I never miss,” Alessio’s deep, accented voice called out.
I swallowed thickly as Anson let out a soft curse.
“Fucking no, Fox,” Anson said. “Don’t even fucking think about it?—”
“Yes,” I said, my voice shaking.
Anson gaped at me.
“Yes. I’ll die for her safety.” I scrubbed my hand down my face. “When?”
Matteo reached into his desk, pulled what appeared to be a coin out, and slid it across the wood at me.
I lifted it and frowned. It really did look just like a coin.
“What is this?” I asked, looking from the coin to him.
“It tracks you. When you’re ready to die, hold it firmly between your thumb and finger for three seconds. It’ll alert me to your location, and Alessio will arrive. You get control in all of it, right down to the location and time.”
I stared down at the coin in my hand.
“Why?” I whispered.
“Because I’m merciful,” Matteo answered softly. “And you’re family. Family helps one another.”
I nodded, my heart aching, and wrapped my hand firmly around the coin.
“You may leave.” Matteo sat back in his seat, looking calm.
I rose to my feet with Anson, my guts churning, and followed him to the door. The way Anson was slumped forward let me know he wasn’t happy about my decision.
“I’ll be seeing you,” Alessio called out as we stepped past Klaus. I paused at the door and looked over my shoulder at him.
“Soon,” I said thickly.
Alessio inclined his head at me. I glanced at Matteo to see him studying me, a peculiar look on his face. Maybe if I’d have known him better, I’d have been able to place it.
It didn’t matter anyway.
Only my Rosie did.