I stepped back suddenly, his words acting like a physical blow. “Excuse me?”
“What do you think it’s going to do to his psyche, being constantly exposed to the animosity between you and his mother? Especially when he’ll be surrounded by loving couples who made a conscious decision to break the cycle. If I were in his shoes, I’d resent the hell out of you.”
A bark of laughter spilled from my lips. “Oh, you think you’re better than me now? Because you fell in love? That makes you weak, Matteo.”
There was pity in the brown eyes, identical to mine, that stared back at me. “That’s where you’re wrong, brother. Having Summer stand by my side through the ups and downs this life has to offer has only made me stronger. I hope someday you’ll figure out how to pull your head out of your ass to see that for yourself.”
Arms folded, I tapped my foot. “Are you done yet?”
“Since there’s no point in talking to a brick wall, yeah.”
“Good, because protecting this family, securing its future, rests squarely on my shoulders.That’swhere my focus needs to be right now. Not on Rory and certainly not on a useless emotion that I’m firmly convinced was created to line the pockets of florists and greeting card companies.”
I didn’t give him the chance to respond, storming out of the warehouse.
Hopping into the driver’s seat of my SUV, I gunned the engine, tearing through the city, my mind racing almost as fast as my car.
Eliminating Dario was impossible if we couldn’t get him to step out of the shadows.
I could only think of one way to do that.
It was risky and would require the entire family’s cooperation.
But in my mind, there was no other choice. We had to try.
Either that fucker was going down, or I would die trying.
Chapter 16
Gio
“Familymeetinginfive.”
Rory set her book down beside her on the mattress where she was propped up on a mountain of pillows. “I just got out of the hospital this morning. I’m supposed to be resting.”
“And you can rest, feet up and all, in the living room while we have this meeting.”
Annoyance flared in the depths of her sapphire eyes, and she folded both arms over her chest. “I’m more interested in a nap, but you boys have fun plotting how to take over the universe.”
Without another word, I stepped forward until I reached where she lay, and I scooped my wife into my arms.
She batted at my chest, screeching, “Put me down!”
Ignoring her demand, I strode from the room, grunting with the force required not to drop her as she struggled in my hold. Through gritted teeth as we descended the stairs, I bit out, “Stop fighting me. We both know you won’t win.”
The minute the words left my mouth, I silently cursed myself. Because my wife was defiant to a fault.
True to her nickname, my little tigress began clawing at me, and I hissed at the sharp sting as my flesh was torn open, a warm trickle of blood rolling down my neck until it soaked into the collar of my shirt.
Thankfully, we reached the living room before she could cause too much damage, and I dropped her—gently; she was pregnant, after all—onto a chaise lounge.
Arranging her body into a more comfortable position on the piece of furniture, my wife huffed, “This is your family, not mine.”
“The baby in your belly with Bellini DNA would suggest otherwise,” I shot back.
Rory’s eyes narrowed, filled with murderous intent, as she stared up at me. “Right. Can’t forget that I’m practically your surrogate. An unwilling one, at that.”
I bent at the waist, leaning in to cage her in against the cushions. “That’s not how I remember it. In fact, if memory serves, you begged for my pierced cock, moaning like the dirty little slut you are every time I filled you up.”
