Page 62 of Stolen Queen

"Like you care about your daughter," I say low enough under my breath that neither Rinella or Elio hears.

Elio shakes his head, and I recognize the look on his face. He's done with this conversation. "Let me give you some advice, Vincenzo?—”

"I don't need your advice," Rinella snarls, shrugging off Elio's attempt at a conciliatory pat on the shoulder.

"I'll give you some anyway. You're looking a bit unhinged… and I'm not the only one to notice. Caruso has as well."

That pushes Rinella to the edge. "Fuck you, Elio.”

Lazaro steps forward, his eyes glinting dangerously, but Rinella doesn't back down. Instead, he flips Lazaro off, a gesture so unexpected it almost makes me laugh.

I can't help myself. "Growing a pair, I see," I drawl, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rinella's face turns an even deeper shade of red. "Fuck you all," he snarls before storming out of the room.

As soon as Rinella storms out, the tension in my shoulders eases slightly.

“He really is unhinged,” Lana quips as she glances out the door in Rinella’s wake.

Elio’s eyes swing to me, his brows knitted in suspicion. "Matteo, do you know where Ava is?"

"What the fuck, Elio?” The guilt gnaws at me, but I push it down. "Look, Rinella's just being his usual asshole self. He doesn't give a shit about his daughter. She's just a bargaining chip to him, and now he's pissed because he lost his leverage."

Elio's gaze is still piercing, and I can feel Lana and Lazaro watching me too. I force myself to meet their eyes, to appear as nonchalant and irritated as I would if I really didn't know anything about Ava's whereabouts.

“It’s not like he doesn’t have other daughters,” Lana says. “Why are his panties all in a bunch over her?”

“The bigger question is why you keep putting up with his bullshit, Elio. We should just off the fucker and be done with it.” I know I’m overstepping but I can’t seem to stop myself. “Seriously, the guy's a loose cannon. He's more trouble than he's worth. Why are we still playing nice?"

"What's the matter, Matteo? Did Rinella piss in your cereal this morning?" Lana teases.

I roll my eyes. "Come on, Lana. You can't tell me you're not sick of his bullshit too. The guy's been a thorn in our side for too long. You’ve tried to appease and accommodate him more than he deserves."

"True," she concedes, "but you seem to have it out for him more than usual lately."

I shrug. "The man's insufferable. We've been putting up with his bullshit for far too long. I'm just saying what we're all thinking."

But even as the words leave my mouth, guilt from my lies churns in my gut. Elio, Lana, and Lazaro are more than just my bosses. They're my family. If they find out about Ava, if they discover what I've done, it could jeopardize everything. Not just for me, but for all of us.

Piper and Diana come to Elio’s office door, and he waves them in.

“Is everything okay?” Piper asks.

“Everything is fine,” Elio assures her, putting his arm around her and explaining Rinella’s latest tirade.

Lazaro leans over and kisses Diana quickly, as if he can’t help himself. I watch them with their wives, and a pang of envy rips through me. I want that too. I want it with Ava, but I can’t see a way forward to make it happen.

“It’s too bad you don’t have another brother,” Piper states after hearing what the commotion is about. “It could solve everyone’s problem if they married Ava.”

“Too bad,” Lana agrees.

“Matteo could marry her,” Lazaro says. “You told me you’d do it once, remember?”

I force my face into a mask of indifference and shrug. "Sure. She seems alright," I say, trying to keep my voice casual. "But I'm not a D'Amato."

The need to leave and check on Ava gnaws at me. “Listen, unless there’s something else, I have a meeting.” Another lie.

Elio nods, but the way he’s looking at me is a concern. Is it my guilt that has me thinking he can see through me, or can he really see that I’m deceiving him?

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