89. Chapter Eighty-Nine
Chapter Eighty-Nine
Mateo
“ W elcome home, Mr. and Mrs. De Marco,” Romeo greets us with a cheeky grin as we step off the helicopter onto the rooftop of the De Marco headquarters in Catania.
He pulls Mari into a hug before I can stop him, and I shoot him a warning glare that only makes his smirk wider.
“Congratulations are in order,” he says, releasing her. “Though I’m sorry you’re stuck with his sorry ass now.”
Mari chuckles. “Thank you, I think.”
Rom barks out a laugh and claps me on the back, harder than necessary.
“Where was my invitation? I expected to be best man. Had a speech prepared and everything.”
“Must still be in the mail. So sorry you missed it.”
I slide my hand to the small of Mari’s back and guide her toward the rooftop door.
“What did we miss while we were gone?”
Romeo’s smile fades. His expression turns serious, and I brace myself for what’s to come. He hesitates, then glances at Mari, as if debating how much to say.
“I hate to be the one to bring this up the second you’re back from your honeymoon, but your father…” He exhales sharply. “He’s been found dead.”
Act surprised, I remind myself, but God, I’m no actor.
Mari’s step falters, and I know she’s thinking the same thing.
She stops walking, turning toward Romeo, her face noticeably paler. “What? How?”
I force my voice steady. “What happened?” I need to hear if my ruse worked.
Rom’s jaw tenses. “His house in Rome was attacked. Everyone inside was dead. Either shot or gassed. His body was found in the river a few miles down.”
“Who’s responsible?”
“The way he… umm, looked,” Romeo hesitates, his gaze flicking to Mari with clear concern. “Probably the Bertucci.”
Perfect.
“Brief me in full later.”
I turn away, hiding my relief.
Placing a gentle hand on Mari’s back, I urge her forward again.
“Does my family know?” she asks as we descend the stairs to the second level.
“Yes. Your mother was informed yesterday when his body was recovered.”
Mari exhales slowly. “I better go to see her right away.”
I nod. “Of course.” Turning to Rom, I say, “Arrange for a team to take Mari anywhere she wants to go. Coordinate with Santino about her permanent guards and report back with names.”
“Will do. Santino is waiting in your office. There’s a lot to go over.”
I sigh, already hating this day. Just hours ago, we were wrapped in the perfection of our secluded escape. Now reality crashes back with full force.
“Oh, and Sofia Molinaro escaped.”
Mari and I both snap our heads toward him. This time, our surprise isn’t an act.
“What do you mean Sofia escaped?” Mari asks.
Rom shifts uncomfortably. “Looks like she took advantage of the chaos. With Tiero gone and you guys away, she probably figured no one would come looking for her.”
“But how did she get out?” I press.
Mari exhales knowingly. “A guard helped her, right?”
Rom nods. “Yeah. Davide is missing too.”
I arch a brow at my wife, who scrunches her nose.
“She seduced him,” Mari says, unsurprised. “Last time I saw her, he was walking out of her room.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I ask, my voice harsher than I intended. “I made it clear no men were allowed near her.”
I knew Mari spent time with Sofia, but I let it slide, understanding her need to talk to someone her own age. But not telling me my guards were going against my orders?
“I’m sorry, Teo,” Mari replies quickly, and I immediately regret my tone when I see her expression.
She’s clearly blaming herself. “With everything that was going on with Tiero, it totally slipped my mind.”
I reach for her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze.
Rom just shrugs. “What do you want to do about it?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose, recalling Antonio’s dying words.
‘You will never win. You haven’t seen the last of the Molinaros.’
He couldn’t have meant Sofia. How could she possibly pose a threat? He must have been talking about Marcelo, the youngest Molinaro son. But he’s only fourteen and has escaped to Chicago. I’ll have to keep an eye on him.
“Mateo?” Rom prompts when I don’t answer. “Are we going after her?”
I shake my head. “No, we have bigger fish to fry. I was going to let her go anyway. After her father’s death, there wasn’t much point in keeping her, but Tiero thought it was premature. Anyway, it’s one less thing to deal with.”
“True. No shortage of problems,” Rom mutters.
I stop walking and lift an eyebrow at him. He gets the hint and takes a step back. “Right. I’ll go organize Mari’s ride.”
When he disappears down the hall, I finally exhale and turn to my wife. For a few precious moments, it’s just us.
“I’m sorry I snapped at you just then.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry for not telling you,” she says, remorseful.
“Forget about it,” I sigh.
“You okay?” she asks, stepping closer, her arms sliding around my waist.
“Yeah. I just can’t wait for this day to be over.” I brush my fingers along her cheek, letting them trail down her arm. “After you’ve seen your mother and sisters come back here. We haven’t even talked about where we’re going to live.”
Her brows pull together. “Oh. I hadn’t thought about that either.”
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I have a place nearby and another in Palermo. Or we can find something new. Whatever you want.”
She tilts her head, considering. “Your place nearby makes the most sense, given you need to be close to here. And I’d rather be where you are.”
I let out a breath, relief settling in my chest. “No matter where we live, I don’t want you stepping into our home for the first time alone.” My fingers trace the curve of her jaw. “All your firsts belong to me, this one included.”
I cup her face, my thumb grazing her lower lip before I lean in, kissing her softly. It’s slow, lingering like we’re both trying to hold on to the last couple of days a little longer.
“And a groom always carries his bride over the threshold of their home.”
When I pull back, she stays close, her forehead resting against mine, her smile warm and sweet. “I love that you love all these traditions.” Her voice is barely above a whisper. “I’ll see you soon.”
I nod, but no matter how soon, it won’t be soon enough.