Stefan had chosen to stay. The door was unlocked but he wasn't leaving. That meant I needed to explain the situation to my partners before they found out another way and decided I'd completely lost my mind.
Which, to be fair, I probably had.
I called a meeting for ten AM. Told Stefan I'd be gone for a few hours and to help himself to anything in the room. He'd looked nervous when I left, like he thought I might not come back. Or that I'd change my mind about letting him stay.
I kissed him until that fear faded from his eyes, then headed downstairs.
Sandro, Elio, and Luca were already in the conference room when I arrived. All three looked varying degrees of annoyed at being called in on short notice.
"This better be important," Luca said. "I had plans."
"It's important." I closed the door and stayed standing. Easier to pace. Easier to leave if this went badly. "Stefan's staying."
Silence.
Then Sandro: "Explain."
"He's not a prisoner anymore. I unlocked the door. Told him he could leave. He chose to stay." I met each of their eyes. "He's staying voluntarily. Not as leverage. Not as a hostage. Just... staying."
More silence.
"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Sandro asked, his voice deadly calm.
"Yes," I said honestly. "Probably."
Elio leaned forward. "Are you sleeping with him?"
"Yes."
"Jesus Christ, Matteo—"
"Is this going to start a war with Giuseppe?" Luca cut in, practical as always.
"Probably that too," I admitted.
All three of them stared at me like I'd grown a second head.
Sandro rubbed his temples. "Let me make sure I understand. You kidnapped Giuseppe Romano's son. Kept him locked up for two weeks. Started sleeping with him. And now you're telling us he's staying voluntarily and we should just... what? Accept that this is normal? That this won't cause catastrophic problems?"
"Yes."
"Matteo—" Elio's voice was tight. "Giuseppe's already a problem because of the FBI cooperation. We're trying to contain that situation. Adding his son to our household makes everything exponentially more complicated. Every family in New York will hear about this. They'll think we're either using Stefan as leverage or that you've gone completely insane. Maybe both."
"I don't care."
"You should care," Sandro said. "The trial starts in five months. We need to be focused. We need to be strategic. We don't need you bringing Giuseppe Romano's son into our inner circle while we're fighting federal charges."
"Stefan stays." My voice was flat. Final. "Or I walk."
The threat hung in the air.
I'd never threatened to leave before. In twelve years working with Sandro, I'd never once suggested I'd abandon him or the partnership. But I meant it now.
If they made me choose between them and Stefan, I'd choose Stefan.
The realization should have terrified me. Should have made me question my sanity. Should have made me reconsider everything.
It didn't.
