I drop to the floor and hug my legs, burying my face into my knees as memories of that night come flooding back.
“Give me the fucking painting, Alessandro, or I’ll kill your entire family. Your wife and both your daughters!”
I whimper, moving deeper into the corner.
Chapter Eight
Luca
“Calm down, boy. We’re almost there.”
I tap a finger restlessly over the steering wheel, counting the seconds until the light turns green before pressing my foot on the gas. It's unreasonable, I realize, to worry about leaving Matilde all by herself when all these security features ensure no one gets to her… but I can't help but worry.
Every time I am forced to leave, my heart is always in my throat, worried that someone could get to her before me.
The thought of losing her… No, I can’t think like that.
“You really love her, don’t you?” my mother asks, and I can feel those sharp green eyes watching me. “I’ve never seen you this way with anyone before.”
“Matilde is it for me, Mamma.”
“I see that,” she muses before turning to look at the road ahead. “It gives me peace. Watching my babies fall in love and thinking about settling down.”
"We haven't been babies in a long time, Mamma," I say, taking the corner. and a sense of calm settles over me when I see Matilde's bakery from a distance. It’s still standing, and thereisn’t a ball of fire coming from it. The relief lasts for as long as I park the car and climb out, vanishing the moment I hear a crash come from somewhere in the building, followed by a loud yell, clearly male.
Matilde.
My heart is in my throat as I grab my gun, but my focus is slightly pulled away from the building when I see my mother climb out of the car. “No,” I yell. “Get back inside, lock the doors, and call Matteo.”
And then I’m off.
All I can think about as I take the stairs, two at once, is getting to Matilde. Christ, I shouldn't have left her alone tonight, no matter how many times she insisted I go. This dinner could have waited. There's nothing more important to me than making sure she's safe.
I promised her she’d be safe with me!
Please. I pray as I’ve never done before to whatever deity is listening to protect the woman I have fallen in love with.Please.
I rush up the stairs, following a man's yelling voice and the only thought in my head is to get to Matilde. I grip my gun harder, the voice growing clearer as I get closer. I’ve heard that voice before—at family gatherings, at Sofia’s wedding, demanding and entitled. Giovanni Marino.
Of course he's involved in this.
After what Leonardo told us about the heist, it wasn’t hard to connect the dots. I wondered if Giovanni might have had anything to do with the murder of his brother and sister-in-law, but I didn't want to plant that seed in Matilde's mind until I was certain. For all Giovanni's sins, he could have been innocent of that one. To be fair he wasn't the only other person involved withthe heist… But lately, I've been hearing rumors. Talks on the street that maybe the rich and powerful Giovanni Marino isn't so rich and powerful anymore—hasn’t been for a while now, and it’s all been a show.
But would he still kill his brother and sister-in-law for money?
Whatever the case, I'm not letting him lay a finger on Matilde. I’ll kill him with my own hands if that’s what it takes to stop him.
The front door to her apartment is open, so I storm in, gun in hand and ready to tear Giovanni Marino to pieces. I…miscalculate. In my hurry to get to Matilde, I didn't stop to think that maybe Giovanni might not be alone, and I realize a second too late when I hear it. A click and the sharp press of metal against the back of my head. My blood turns to ice, and I curse myself for being a fool.
Stupid.
Fuck, I am usually smarter and clearer-headed than this. I didn't become acapoby making such reckless decisions. My worry for her…my love—it’s clouded my thoughts. Still does.
I push down my own irritation and assess the situation. I study the seething man standing outside of Matilde's bedroom, banging on the door. Giovanni is not armed. Figured he didn't have to be with his muscle around to do all the dirty work for him.
“Drop your fucking gun and get on your knees,” a hard voice behind me grinds. “Now!”
The banging stops, and Giovanni turns around, grinning when he sees the turn of events. The wicked grin on his face tells me all about his next intentions. “Come out, little niece,”he drawls, grinning as he raps on the door. “You'll never guess who decided to join us. Now come out before we shoot your boyfriend. Do you think I won't do it?”
