Still, is what Matteo and I have love or just care? Does he see me as his partner or just another possession, like everything else he owns? He cares, I’ve never doubted that but…I want his love too.
I'm still thinking about it when my sisters and I part ways. I think about it the entire walk to work, and I’m so lost in thought that I don’t notice the man standing by the entrance until I bump into him.
“Sorry,” I mutter, trying to walk around him but he steps back in my path. I try for the other side, but he follows, forcing my gaze up. The annoyance on my face quickly smooths into a smile when I realize who it is. “Oh, hello, Bruno.” I’m a bit confused about what Matteo's stepbrother is doing outside my building.
Getting to meet all of Matteo’s brothers and stepbrothers, and memorizing all their names and faces, wasn't difficult considering how many people live in my own home. Bruno struck me as the quiet one and sort of a black sheep of the family. He didn’t appear as close to his stepbrothers, but wasn’t ostracized either.
“Sofia,” he says sharply, and I notice for the first time that he appears nervous. A thin sheen of sweat covers his forehead, and a panicked look flashes in his eyes. “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting here for an hour.”
My brows knit in worry. “Is something the matter?”
“It’s Matteo,” he says shakily, and my heart leaps to my throat. A cold fist clenches in my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs as all kinds of horrible thoughts cross my mind.
I grab his arm as the fear pierces through my chest. “What happened, Bruno?”
“God, it was so horrible," he pants, and I catch the smell of alcohol on his breath. "We were at a warehouse downtown, and then everything that could go wrong did. There was so much blood and… Christ." He shakes his head as if to shake off a memory before grabbing my arm and pulling me away from the entrance. "They took him to the hospital. He’s been asking for you, Sofia.”
My limbs feel heavy, and the ground beneath my feet doesn't feel quite as steady as the thought of Matteo, my strong and beautiful husband, hurting. I know—knew before I married him that some of the things he does are not legal and often dangerous, but I never worried about it. I trusted that he would be careful and safe but now…
“How bad is he hurt?” I whisper, letting Bruno drag me down the steps and to his car. “Why didn’t anyone call me? Bruno, please tell me that he’ll be okay!”
“He needs you, Sofia,” he says, opening the back door for me. I slide in quickly and buckle the seatbelt in. Bruno closes the door behind me and rounds the car to the driver’s seat. He starts driving. I quickly text my manager about an emergency, so they don't wait for me before I dial Matteo's number.
"Please pick up," I mutter under my breath, hoping to hear my husband's voice so I can be assured of his safety, but the call sends me straight to voicemail. I dial the number again and get the same result. I type a text just to assure him that I’m on my way, and when I’m done, my finger hovers on the send icon. A part of me wants to add that I love him at the end, but I hesitate, second-guessing myself.
“What are you doing?”
Bruno snatches the phone from my fingers before I can decide whether to add those three words to the text or not. I look up to find Bruno glaring at my phone, fingers tapping furiously to delete my text. “I was just texting Matteo to let him know we’re on the way.”
Those eyes lift to mine, and I suck in a sharp breath when I see the threat in them. I watch with shock as his face transforms from heartbreak to pure, undiluted anger. "You’re not fucking going anywhere," he hisses and then rolls down his window. I watch with horror as he tosses my phone out.
“Bruno!” I press my face to the window and watch as another car drives over my phone, shattering it. I turn back to my brother-in-law, confused by what the hell is going on. “Why did you do that? I was only texting Matteo to see if he was alright.”
“That son of a bitch is as healthy as a bull,” he growls, eyes on the road.
“W-what? Then why…”
My voice trails off as I slowly register what is happening. I'm being kidnapped. By my own brother-in-law. But why? I've only met Bruno a handful of times, and we barely spoke on those occasions.
"It’s not fair. It was supposed to be me. I should be the heir. He and Leonardo stole everything from me," he says in a voice filled with rage. “Matteo always gets everything. The golden Rossi child who can do no wrong.”
"You’re brothers," I whisper, still confused by this animosity and very terrified of being stuck in a car with a madman.
“That son of a bitch is not my brother. Just because my mother married that thieving bastard Leonardo, does not make us brothers!” He takes a sharp turn that has me gripping my seatbelt tightly. “That traitor stole everything from my family and gave it to his sons. I am older than Matteo. It’s me who was supposed to marry you and become the next don!”
I didn’t know Bruno was older. I always figured Matteo was from the way he carried himself and commanded respect and attention from his brothers and everyone around him. Still, I stay silent as Bruno continues to rage.
“Leonardo took advantage of my father's death. I was too young to inherit his empire, so that bastard seduced my mother and stole my birthright. He promised to return what was rightfully mine once I was ready!" he roars, punching furiously at the steering wheel. I sink into my seat in fear when I spot the blood on his knuckles.
“I’m the fucking oldest. Everything Matteo was given belongs to me. Me, not him!” He stops for a second, and his eyes meet my terrified ones. “Now he’s going to see what it feels like to lose.”
Oh God.
“No,” I whimper, my heart racing with fear, knowing that this man means to hurt me. It’s written all over his face—his eyes.
And Matteo… Christ, I should have sent that text. Now he’ll never know that I’ve fallen in love with him.
Chapter Seven
