Page 22 of Savage Heart

I smile at him, enjoying how eager he is. This is almost too easy.

I pour the two of us our drinks and slowly push his toward the edge of my desk. He grabs it before it falls off and raises his glass into the air.

“To the merger that will change the Amalfi Coast for good!” he says with far too much cockiness.

For good, indeed. That’s downright laughable, but he has no idea of what’s in store for him.

“To the merger!” I respond before taking a gulp of my drink.

Setting my glass down in front of me, I say, “I expect her to be dressed in something far more appropriate than the rags I saw her in the other day. She needs to look like she belongs in the Angeloni family.”

Matteo doesn’t sense the change in my tone or my subtle dig at his family. Instead, he nods his head again and smiles, happy to tell me what I want to hear.

“Not to worry. I can assure you I’ve taken care of everything. Sienna will be nothing short of the most beautiful woman here tonight. I’ve spared no expense.”

I silently scoff at the thought that his sister could ever be the most beautiful woman in my home on any day. For God’s sake, the women serving food to my guests will likely be more beautiful.

“Good. I’m happy to hear that. I look forward to showing her off to my guests, so knowing you’ve handled all the required details to make her look like she belongs here puts my mind at ease.”

Matteo takes another sip of his drink and stands to leave. “I better get going. I have an entire family to handle today. I look forward to the party, Lucius. Tonight’s been a long time coming.”

I stand to shake his hand and smile at how prophetic his words are. “Indeed it has. Too long, but everything has a season. I’m happy we’ve finally reached this one.”

His smile tells me he’s unsure of my cryptic message, but no matter. He’ll find out soon enough what it all means.

“Until tonight, Lucius,” he says before turning around and walking out.

“Until tonight.”

Antonio comes back into the office a few minutes later. “I saw Matteo Rossetti leave. He looked happy. I was a little surprised to see that.”

I throw my head back in laughter. My righthand man so often tends to be too serious. “We can allow him a little happiness today considering what’s in store for him. Let him smile. It will make what I have planned even more fantastic when he finally realizes he’s fucked with the wrong man.”

“It’s been a long time coming, Lucius. I don’t know how you’ve stayed so patient. I wouldn’t have been able to be that calm.”

I study Antonio for a long moment and decide he’s telling the truth. He’s far too combustible for revenge. He would have struck at Salvatore Rossetti two days after his betrayal. The idea of waiting years to get back at that family is something entirely foreign to him.

Not everyone can be as cold-hearted as I am. That’s why I have all I want in the world, and he works for me.

“Time is almost up for Matteo and his family. The sins of the father will indeed be visited on the son and on all of Salvatore’s children. I bet he died thinking I was one of his closest friends, as ridiculous as that sounds.”

Antonio shakes his head and sighs. “You can’t help stupid, I guess. The fact that he could even think you two were anything other than sworn enemies after what he did to you is unbelievable.”

I shrug, happy to know my vengeance is coming soon now. “A man will believe what he wants to believe when he has the world by the tail. Unlike his father, though, Matteo Rossetti does not control this coast anymore. As soon as his father was found slumped over his desk, I knew my time had come. Patience is more than merely a virtue, my friend. It’s an absolute necessity when you’re dealing with villains.”

He laughs because he knows I’m every bit as much the villain as those I hate. But there’s one difference between all of them and me.

Patience.

CHAPTER NINE

Alaric

While I enjoy a midday drink at the hotel bar, I listen for information about the party Gideon told me about earlier in the day. Lucius Angeloni plans to throw a big event tonight, no doubt to announce his intended wedding to Sienna, and I plan to be there.

I just don’t know how yet.

The one good thing I have going for me is that no one here knows me. While Gideon and I clearly resemble one another, I’m a stranger here, for the most part. I plan on using that to my advantage to get to Sienna and take her away from this madness her brother set in motion.

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