Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
GIO
“Iheard you had fun last night.” Alessio smirks as I walk into Matteo’s office. “Win anything big?”
“Nope, and if I did, I wouldn’t be telling you.”
Alessio snorts. “You wouldn’t have to. Dimitri has a big enough mouth for the both of you. He called Matteo as soon as you were in that room to let him know you were at one of his tables.”
Of course, he did. Like Matteo wouldn’t know what the fuck I was up to last night.
“He didn’t have a problem with you coming in unannounced?” Matteo asks from behind his desk.
“No.” I shake my head. “Funny thing is, there was an open seat.”
Matteo’s brows raise. “An open seat at that kind of table? I’m not buying it.”
“Me neither.”
“You think it was meant for Brian?” Alessio asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know for sure, but I don’t believe in coincidences like that.”
“I agree,” Matteo says as he twirls his tumbler around. “Did you find her dad?”
“I did.” I sigh. “He looks exactly how I would expect him to from what little Bronwyn has told me about him. From what I saw on the cameras when he came to her house, that was the cleaned-up version.”
“That bad?” Alessio asks with a wince.
“He looked like he was coming off a five-day bender and hadn’t showered in a week. And that’s putting it nicely.”
“How does someone like him afford a spot at a high-roller table?” Alessio asks.
“It’s simple. He borrows money from the Bratva to be able to sit.
The house always wins; therefore, he always loses, which makes him borrow more money from the Bratva.
Before he knows it, he’s in so much debt he has no choice but to work for them to pay it off,” Matteo states.
“It’s not a bad business to be in. Not one I would personally pick, but not bad nonetheless. ”
“And at that point, you’re essentially working for free and they have complete control over you,” Alessio concludes.
Matteo nods his head. “Exactly. It’s their way of owning people without them even realizing it, and when they do, they’re already in too deep to be able to do anything about it.”
“How much do you want to bet that Brian was working for them to pay off a debt and Dennis is heading down the same path to that life right now?” I ask.
“I think that open seat was Brian’s,” Matteo concludes. “It’s hard to say for sure without having more proof, but all signs are leading toward that. And I agree Dennis is heading down that path if he isn’t already on it.”
Shit.
Releasing a heavy sigh, I tip my head back.
Bronwyn is not going to like this. I had already decided before I stepped foot into the casino that I’m going to do everything in my power to shield her from this.
It’s obvious she’s lived her life without anyone in her corner.
She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s done carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. It’s time for her to breathe easy.
“Am I wrong to think that Dennis gave up information on his daughter to the Bratva to help with his debt?” I ask the ceiling.
“No, I don’t think you’re wrong to think that. As fucked up as it is, it’s looking like it’s one of only two options. And that makes me want to strangle Dennis myself because I can picture Viviana in Bronwyn’s shoes, and it makes me real fucking ragey,” Matteo says, his tone hard.
Alessio and I grunt in agreement. If some slimy ass motherfucker even thought about trying this shit with Vivi, he would be six feet under before he could blink.
“What’s the other option?” Alessio asks.
“If Dennis didn’t give up his daughter, then it’s highly likely Dimitri sent Brian to collect Bronwyn or at least scare the shit out of her for something.
” My fists clench as Matteo continues. I can’t stop thinking about what would have happened if I hadn’t seen him lurking on the camera.
He could have tried to hurt her or, worse, kill her.
“Which brings me to my next point.” Matteo pauses as he looks at Alessio and me both in the eye, his eyes hard.
“He knew where Bronwyn lived when he sent Brian. He knew she lived above the pizzeria. I want to know why he thought it was okay for him to send someone right to our fucking building to pull some shit like that.”
My thoughts exactly.
“I say it’s about time we call a meeting with him because he has to know that doing something like that isn’t going to fly with us,” Alessio adds.
“Did he say anything that seemed off to you last night?” Matteo asks me.
I shake my head. “No. He was acting as if we were long-lost friends, and he was happy to see me. He did ask if you two, Enzo and Aldo, were joining me.”
A funny look crosses Matteo’s face. “But there was only one open seat.”
“Is it possible he knew I would come looking for Dennis?”
“I don’t know if he’s that smart,” Matteo says. “If anything, he was probably trying to cover his ass because he knew we wouldn’t take what he did lightly.”
“I asked Wiz to look into Brian.”
“Good. Let me know what he says, and we’ll go from there,” Matteo says.
I nod as I stand up. “Will do. I’m going to head out. I want to check on Bronwyn. She handled seeing a dead body like a champ, but I want to make sure it’s staying that way.”
“Gio,” Matteo calls after me, the warning he gave me from the first incident lingering in his voice.
“Yeah?” I ask as I pause and turn around.
“I want you to hear it from me, but I paid Bronwyn a visit at her work today.”
What the fuck?
“Why?” I ask, unable to keep the anger out of my voice.
Matteo ignores it. “I wanted to make sure what she told you about Brian was the truth.”
“Are you saying you don’t trust me to be the judge of that?”
“I’m saying I think you’ve ignored my warning about not fucking her and have blinders on. I want to make sure we get all the facts without your vision being clouded by some pussy.”
“I haven’t fucked her,” I growl. “I haven’t ignored your warning, and it’s fucked up you went behind my back because you didn’t trust my judgement.”
“I’m going to butt in and play devil’s advocate here. I don’t think he meant any offense, Gio. He’s only looking out for your best interest,” Alessio says in an effort to keep the peace, but it’s too late. Tension is coming off my body in waves.
“How about I be the judge of that, yeah?” I say, my tone laced with anger, as I turn to leave. When I’m near the front door, I call over my shoulder, “Next time you feel the need to question my woman, you come to me first.”
The front door of Matteo’s house slams shut behind me as I prowl to my car.
He crossed the line today.
A line he would lose his ever-loving mind over if I pulled the same shit with Wren.
I don’t need him questioning my judgement. I know exactly what I have with Bronwyn and what it’s going to be. So, fuck him and his order to stay away. If he can do whatever the hell he pleases, then so can I.
During the drive across the city to her apartment, my phone rings. Looking at the monitor in my car, I see it’s Wiz calling.
About damn time.
“You got info for me?” I ask as I answer.
“Oh yeah,” Wiz’s voice fills my car. “Your guy Brian Hatchett is in debt up to his eyeballs all thanks to his little gambling problem. Owes the Bratva almost a million dollars.” I let out a low whistle.
That’s some fucking cake. “I don’t know what kind of idiot lends someone that much money, but that’s not all.
He’s signed over his house, his car, and all savings accounts to the Bratva, including the retirement he had. ”
Jesus Christ.
“So the man has nothing to his name?” I ask, unable to keep the shock out of my voice. How do you work your whole life for something all to sign it away like it’s nothing?
“Correct,” Wiz answers. “From what I’ve found through various records and accounts online, the Bratva essentially owns him.”
“Were you able to find out what he does for them?”
“Nothing that straight up says it, but from what I’ve gathered, he does low-level jobs that are beneath the ones affiliated. Basically, he’s an errand boy.”
Which is exactly what I thought.
“Any family or wife?”
“Not that I could find. He used to be married, but his wife left him almost ten years ago to the day when she found out he was on the brink of losing the house. Apparently she had no idea he gambled all of their money away. They never had any kids, which, after reading about him, is probably a blessing in disguise. No kid needs to be around shit like that.”
Kind of like Bronwyn.
She damn well didn’t need to be around that shit and still doesn’t, but her piece of shit dad makes sure she is.
“Why do they keep letting him dig a deeper hole?” I ask. At some point, even a loan shark will cut you off.
“My guess is it’s what they’re holding over his head to do the stupid shit they want him to do.”
Yeah, that’s what I thought too.
“You get any other bad vibes about him?”
“Not really. He has no history of violence. Only has been arrested once for writing a bad check at a casino. Ironically, it happened at Voron Casino,” Wiz snorts sarcastically.
“Oh wait, I found a record that he purchased a pistol a month ago. He put it on a credit card. I find it strange that the Bratva didn’t buy it for him or just give him one. ”
Probably the gun he tried to kill me with.
“They either don’t know he got one or they didn’t want their name associated with it. Thanks for finding all this shit out for me.”
“You can tell me to fuck off, but can I ask why?”
“He showed up outside the pizzeria the other day and was hiding in the back alley,” I answer, not wanting to give him the full details yet. I don’t need Bronwyn’s business out in the open for everyone to know.
“Shit,” Wiz drawls out. “You think they sent him or he’s doing a little solo mission?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out,” I answer as I rub a hand through my hair. “Thanks for helping me out.”
“No problem. If I find or hear anything else, I’ll let you know.”
As soon as I hang up with Wiz, I can’t help but wonder if she will tell me Matteo came to her place of work and questioned her.
Part of me wants to think we’ve built that type of trust by now where she can open up to me.
I mean, the only thing left to seal the deal is for her to literally see me kill someone, but I know people like her.
And that’s because I am like her.
I may have more people around me who show up, but they never truly know what’s going through my head.
Opening up and giving someone every tiny detail of your day is more intimate than fucking someone’s brains out.
It gives them access to know you on a level others don’t.
They learn your ins and outs. Learn your likes and dislikes, what annoys you, and what makes you laugh.
Before you know it, they’ll be able to predict your next move before you know what you’re going to do.
And that’s fucking dangerous.
It’s scary to give someone that kind of power.
But what Bronwyn doesn’t know is that the power is mine to have and hold. I’ll take care of it and nurture it until the day I die. She will never go another day feeling alone and isolated.
It’s something she would never admit to feeling because she’s strong. So fucking strong.
She had to deal with the cards life dealt her and still continues to hand her.
She’ll learn, though.
Because the next time her dad shows his face, I’ll be at her back.
My fist tightens on my steering wheel as I whip into my spot outside the pizzeria. I look up at the windows above it and see a small light in the bathroom window.
If I were a good man, I would have gone home first and cooled off, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. She needs to learn that the monster will only hurt her if she begs for it.
I cut the engine, letting the silence engulf me as I stare up at her bathroom window.
I’ve zoned out so completely that I have no idea how much time has passed.
Her naked body passing in front of the window snaps me out of it.
I should feel like a fucking perv for watching her like this.
My cock stirs at the thought of her not knowing I’m watching.
Her arms rise above her head as she towel dries her hair, giving me the perfect side view of her round breasts. They jiggle with every tussle she gives her hair.
My head slams back against the headrest.
Fuck, I knew they would be the perfect handful.
I open my car door and step out, rolling up the sleeves of my shirt, adjusting myself. I casually make my way to my destination.
It’s time for your monster to play, cara.