Ruthless Monarch

It was only today that he agreed not to be with other women.

I don’t want to seem needy, which normally I’m not. In the past, I never cared to be in a relationship.

But for some reason with Matteo, I do care.

And I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Matteo stands from the couch and fixes his pants, zipping and buttoning them up.

With him busy for God knows how long, I make my way back to our bedroom. I need to shower and clean myself off after our impromptu romp.

When I’m out of the shower and clean, my phone chimes.

I walk across the room to where I left my phone on the side table.

There on the screen is a text from Julia.

Julia: I had a lot of fun today. I missed you. I’m sorry if I came off strange. This whole thing has been weird, but I’m happy for you.

I stare at the phone, and an audible exhale escapes my mouth. I didn’t realize how badly I needed her to say that.

Me: Thank you! I missed you too. You will always be family to me.

Julia: Can we see each other again?

Me: How about next week?

Julia: I’d love that.

Me: Me too.

I place the phone back down and go to get dressed.

Matteo is still not back, but I assume once he is, he’ll be hungry, and we’ll eat. However, with him, you never can tell. He’s just as likely to tell me we are forgoing dinner and moving straight to dessert.

Either way, I’m happy.

And that’s the craziest thing about everything . . .

How damn happy I am.

The thought is petrifying.

30

Matteo

* * *

Marco sits in front of me and nods his head as I speak, but he doesn’t say anything.

I can’t imagine that he will say no to me, but he could. I highlight all the details, being completely candid about the whole thing. He needs to know all the risks involved, but he also needs to know the rewards.

If he opens the Prohibition room to me to store the drugs, I will pay him a very handsome fee. His loyalty will not be forgotten either.

If he gets caught and something happens to him, his family will always be protected by me.

When I’m done speaking, I signal for him to talk.

“Yes.”

“Are there any questions?” I ask, since this is a lot to take in.

“I trust you, Boss.”

“I promise you, if anything—”

“I know,” he says with a smile. I stand and shake his hand. Marco has been with me for a long time. Before me, he was with my father. He’s been out of most of the business these days, but from what Lorenzo told me, his family has been struggling without the extra money working more for me would have brought in.

With that done, I leave my men and go in search of Viviana. After looking in all the rooms on the main floor, I find her in our bedroom.

The word “our” coming so naturally, it makes my feet stop.

You’re getting too comfortable, Matteo.

She’s in the corner, sitting in front of a vanity that my staff moved into the room for her. She’s placing lipstick on.

“Hi,” she says to me. She doesn’t turn around. Instead, she talks to me through the mirror.

I walk closer until I’m standing behind her and then lean down and place a kiss on her forehead. “Are you ready to go to dinner?”

“Go? Are we leaving?”

Tonight, I have decided to take us to Marco’s restaurant to check out the space.

With Viviana in tow, we head out. This time, to stay under the radar, we go out the back drive.

I can see that Viviana is confused. She’s peering out the window in the back seat. Her whole body isn’t turned, just her face, but as we drive out of the secret back gate, she looks in my direction.

“It’s our secret way out.”

“I can see that, but why do we need to go out this way?” Sometimes, I forget that Viviana isn’t like any other woman I have ever met. She’s well-versed in a public life. And although she probably understands going out the back door because of her father, I can understand why she seems worried.

“Did something happen that I don’t know about?”

I debate whether I should tell her the truth now or if I should wait until another time. I opt to wait. A small part of me still wonders if I can trust her.

“No. Nothing happened. But we can’t be too safe. My cousin has been quiet, but I wouldn’t put it past him to have someone watching the gates. Normally, I wouldn’t care, but since I have you with me, I’d prefer to be more careful.”

Viviana must like my answer because she turns her body fully toward me, unbuckles her seat belt, and scoots over. Now sitting in the middle seat, she refastens and then lays her head on my shoulder.