13. Matteo
CHAPTER 13
Matteo
After Aurora left, the weight of my mistakes felt like Atlas trying to balance the world on his shoulders. How did I let this happen? Why was I so careless? Her leaving had me reeling, torn between rage and a gnawing sense of regret. I had sent her countless texts and left multiple voicemails, but there was no response. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was.
I’m not used to being ignored.
How did it come to this? I am thirty-seven years old, and I have spent my entire life perfecting the art of control. Every move I make is done with precision, yet here I am, brought to my knees by the last person I ever expected, my wife.
Not only was I concerned about Aurora, but I was also infuriated. How dare she defy me?
It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. Of course, I had contingency plans, I always did, but none of them accounted for Aurora finding out about my plans for her father and leaving me. Not only had she found out my plan, but I had also underestimated her.
Aurora wasn’t a scared little girl who would sit by and do what she was told. No, she was fiery, independent, and passionate. I came to realize that I loved these traits about her.
A knock on the door had interrupted my thoughts. It was Marco with an update.
“Yes, Marco, what is it? Have you found her?” I tried to keep my voice calm but knew it betrayed me. I was anxious to find her, and it showed.
“Boss, we know where she is. We just got word that Mrs. Santoro is outside the city at her father’s house. Would you like me to go and retrieve her?”
I should have known she went to Dominic. Of course, she did. Where else would she go? I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of it.
“I’m going with you. I need to take care of this myself. Have the car brought around. I’m going to get my wife.”
“Yes, Boss.”
When Marco left, I walked to the bar and poured a shot of whiskey. Was it the most intelligent choice? Probably not, but I needed something to calm my nerves. It wasn’t just my life on the line; my heart was in danger, too.
The drive to DeSantis’s house was tense. I was angry but also afraid, afraid of losing Aurora for good and what her leaving could mean for my carefully crafted plans. I couldn’t let them slip away, not without a fight.
“Boss,” Marco said, interrupting my thoughts. “I don’t want to overstep, but are you sure about this? Going to her father’s house might make the situation worse. She’s obviously upset.”
My jaw tightened. “I know she’s upset; that’s why I need to fix this. But I can’t let her think she can run away from me. She needs to understand that I’m not the enemy.”
She heard you ordering her father’s murder, so to her, you are Public Enemy #1.
We arrived at the DeSantis mansion, and I was out of the car before Marco could fully park. Not giving a damn about his security team, I stormed into the house.
“Where are Mr. DeSantis and his daughter?” I demanded of no one in particular. A scared maid pointed me toward Dominic’s office down the hall.
My steps quickened the closer I got to the door. This was it, the moment of truth.
Like a bull in a China closet, I burst in and found Aurora in tears and Dominic looking stoic. I wanted to slap the snide look off his face. Hell, I wanted to do a lot more than that, but I didn’t. That’s what got me into this mess.
Dominic looked me over and took out a decanter and two glasses.
“Well, hello, Matteo. I’ve been expecting you. Would you like a drink?”
Ignoring him, I turned to Aurora. “Aurora, we need to talk. Marco is waiting outside to take us home.”
“What is there to talk about, Matteo? I heard everything.”
Unable to resist throwing a jab, Dominic gets lippy. “Looks like my daughter isn’t being taken care of very well, Matteo. Why else would she run home?”
That’s when I lost control. I pulled out my handgun and pointed it at Dominic. I wasn’t planning on pulling the trigger, not in front of Aurora, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
“This has gone on long enough, DeSantis. Either you hand over the tapes, or I kill you or Aurora. It’s up to you. Either way, your hotels will be mine because if I take her out, I’ll make it look like you did it. What’s it going to be?”
I had no intention of shooting Aurora, but I needed to call Dominic’s bluff. He had become too cocky and arrogant. I need Aurora to see him for what and who he is.
Dominic looked at me calmly, but I could see the fear in his eyes. He was scared shitless, exactly what I wanted.
It occurred to me that although I threatened to kill Aurora, I never pointed the gun at her. I couldn’t.
Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Aurora. To my surprise, I didn’t see fear; I saw anger and hatred. I wasn't sure whether it was directed at me or her father. I had a feeling it was both.
I knew I couldn’t risk getting lost in her eyes, so I focused on the man who had caused all of this. The man who didn’t seem to care about his daughter at all and sold her out for greed. He made me sick.
“Time is running out, DeSantis. Make up your mind.”
Dominic hesitated and that was enough for Aurora to turn all her rage on him.
Yelling but on the verge of tears, she pleaded with him.
“Give him what he wants, Dad. Or do I mean so little to you that you would let him kill me just so you can live out some Godfather or Sopranos fantasy?”
Glaring at Aurora, Dominic sighed in defeat, stood from his desk, and walked to a safe hidden beneath the floor. “From the time you were born, all you’ve done is cause problems. You never could leave well enough alone.”
Aurora was shocked. I could see the wheels spinning in her eyes. She had come here to warn and save him, and in return, she was met with cold derision.
He returned the tapes and handed them to me.
Inside, I was relieved, but I didn’t trust the son-of-a-bitch. I knew better.
“Where are the others?”
DeSantis tried to play stupid, but he had no idea who he was messing with. Only an idiot would have one copy.
“I - I - I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he stuttered as he tried to pour a glass of scotch.
The gun was still pointed at him as I seethed through gritted teeth. “I’m not stupid, Dominic. I know there is another copy. Where is it?”
Angry that his plan had disintegrated around him, he walked to the far corner of the room and opened another safe. He took out the remaining copies and threw them at me.
“Here, that’s all of them. Take them and go. And as for my daughter, take her as well. I needed her for one thing, and she couldn’t even do that. If it were up to me, she’d be written out for good, but her mother loves her and…”
“And you know I’d make your life a living hell before I killed you. You don’t deserve a daughter as incredible as Aurora. She’s beautiful, smart, and not a coward like you. She deserves the world, your precious hotels included, and I’ll see that she gets it. Just for the record, I never would have killed Aurora, but I wanted her to see your true colors. Now that she has, we will be going.”
I wanted him to understand how angry and disgusted I was with him, so I walked to him and grabbed him by the shirt collar.
“Let me make something clear, DeSantis. If you try anything to keep Aurora away from inheriting what is rightly hers or if you try to hurt her in any way, by the time I’m through with you, you will wish I had pulled the trigger and put you out of your misery.”
I put my gun away and walked to Aurora, who was shaking from shock. I gently grabbed her arm to break her trance. “Come on, Aurora, let’s go home.”
She looked at me, and when she did, my heart broke. She didn’t look angry or hurt; she looked lost.
“I have no home to go to, Matteo. I’m not welcome here, and we are only married legally. I’m not wanted anywhere, but I’ll find my way. I always do.”
There was no chance in hell I was leaving without her, not now. Not when we finally had a chance to start over. At least, I needed to believe that.
Making no room for argument, I calmly stated, “My wife is coming home with me where she belongs.”
Gently, but firmly, I grabbed her arm and led her out of the house. She was still too shocked to put up a fight. As far I was concerned, it would be the last time she ever stepped foot in her father’s home. Other than her mother, there was nothing there for her.
Marco was waiting when we arrived outside. I helped Aurora into the car and slid in beside her.
I tried to take her hand in mine, but she quickly pulled it away.
“Aurora, I know you’re angry and have every right to be. But please, talk to me.”
My plea was met with silence. Aurora looked out the window for the remainder of the drive, refusing to acknowledge my presence. It was worse than yelling. At least if she was yelling, I’d know what was going through her beautiful mind.
I had to make things right. I didn’t know how, but somehow, I would fix this. I couldn’t lose, not when the stakes were higher than they’d ever been. Because this time, my heart was on the line.