Page 18 of Ruthless Match

I didn’t want it to slip away, but the harsh realities of my world – a world of power, control, and violence when needed were once again pressing down on me. In more ways than one, the honeymoon was officially over.

Suddenly, my phone rang, breaking me out of my reverie. I recognized the number immediately; it was one of my top sergeants, a trusted lieutenant in the Santoro organization.

“Matteo Santoro speaking.”

“Boss, everything is in place. We’re ready to move as soon as you give the word,” the voice on the other end said, low and tense. “It’s all set to look like an accident, just like you wanted.”

Just like I wanted, two months ago, I couldn’t wait to take Dominic DeSantis out, but now… now I wasn’t so sure. It wasn’t because I suddenly had a change of heart about the son-of-a-bitch. No, it was because of a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty slowly sneaking into my heart, whether I wanted her to or not.

I closed my eyes and gripped the receiver. This was it, the moment I had been planning for months. Taking DeSantis out would solidify my control and eliminate potential threats. Dominic DeSantis might now be as powerful as me, but he was an influential businessman and a loose end I needed to clear up.

Hesitation was not a feeling I was used to. Normally, I was confident when a threat needed to be dealt with, but the certainty that usually accompanied my decisions was absent. The image of Aurora and her smile lit up the room; how she had started making the house a home, her strength, and her vulnerability all played in my mind.

In my gut, I knew how devastated she would be if she ever found out I was responsible for her father’s untimely death. She’d never forgive me. But there was no backing out, not in my world. I’d have to make sure she never knew.

“Matteo? Boss?” the voice on the other end prompted, bringing me out of my thoughts. “What’s the call?”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. “Is everything in place? I don’t want any loose ends that can point back to us.”

“There won’t be. It’ll be clean. No one will suspect it wasn’t an accident.”

I nodded to myself as my resolve began to come back. “You have the go-ahead, but make sure no evidence is left. I do not want this hanging over my head, and under no circumstances can I be tied to the murder of Dominic DeSantis.”

“Understood, boss. We’ll handle it. I’ll personally make sure everything is taken care of. You have nothing to worry about.”

As I hung up the phone, I felt a weight settle in my chest. It was the right move. Wasn’t it? I had never questioned my decisions, but the thought of the pain I was about to cause Aurora made me pause more than I should.

Never before had I let personal feelings interfere with business, but it was different this time. Aurora was different. Somehow, she had become more than just a casualty in my plans. Without me realizing it, she had become important to me.

Just as I was about to lose myself in thought again, I turned my chair toward the door. Standing there, eyes wide with shock and pale as a ghost, was Aurora. She had heard everything. What the hell did I do now?

Tears welled in her eyes, and she threw her hand over her mouth as she turned and ran from me as fast as she could. Part of me couldn’t blame her, but I’d be damned if I let her leave without listening to what I had to say.

I had to make her understand. I wasn’t sure how to do that, but I’d find a way. I always did.

I was out of my chair at lightning speed, but by the time I got to the doorway and looked down the hall, she was gone. Surely, she couldn’t get that far. Right?

Immediately, I called my head of security, Marco, and ordered that Aurora be kept off the property under no circumstances.

“Do not allow Mrs. Santoro to leave the estate. Keep the gate locked and inform me the minute you see her. I will personally escort her back to the house.”

“Yes, sir. The gates have been closed, and no one is allowed out. I will contact you the minute I have information on her whereabouts.”

I hung up the phone and began walking toward the garage. My best guess was she ran straight to the new, sleek red BMW I bought her last week. That’s what I’d have done.

To my surprise, it was still there. Where in the hell could she have gone? I ordered the household staff to drop what they were doing and join the search, but luck didn’t seem to be on our side.

She had vanished into thin air. But where? She wasn’t in the house, and there was no sign of her on the street. Not only was I angry, but I was also worried, and I didn’t worry. Worry was an emotion that got people killed in my business.

After an hour of walking every inch of the estate, Marco called to let me know the team still hadn’t found her. But he saw women’s footprints in the mud near the fence by the back gate.

That had to be it. Aurora was smart. She knew I’d come after her, that I’d never allow her to leave in her car, and that trying to run down the main street would be too obvious.

After weeks of working on the house, she knew this property almost as well as I did, so she went in one direction, and she knew I wouldn’t look—at least not at first.

Immediately, I called Marco and ordered him to send a team to scout the area behind the estate.

“Send a team behind the left perimeter of the house. She’s on foot, so she can’t make it very far. I want her home before dark.”

---