Page 12 of Twisted Knight

Matteo Genovese, the capo dei capi—our boss, our king… Our self-appointed God ruled over all of us with an iron fist and inspired so much respect and fear despite only being in his mid-thirties.

He had his favorites—that much was clear—and Luca, luckily or not, was one of them, but it didn’t have to mean much with Matteo. Rules were rules; disrespecting him was a death warrant.

“Let’s get this over with,” Luca muttered, getting out of the car and adjusting his jacket. He glanced at his phone before putting it in the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

We knocked at the door and were let in by a security guy who gestured us toward Matteo’s office.

We entered the waiting room just in time to see a tall blond man leaving Matteo’s office. Russian… that much was sure.

Luca glared at the man, as I looked down at Enzo, Luca’s younger cousin, sitting behind a desk in the waiting room.

Matteo had given him a job as his assistant—not something he really needed or something that Enzo was qualified for really, but it was a way to keep him close, making sure he would not spill the beans on who killed his father and his brother because contrary to what was said within the famiglia, it was not the Albanians who killed the traitors. No, it was Matteo and me. Me because they had taken Cassie and that was worthy of death. Why did Matteo do it? I wasn’t sure but the reason had to be selfish; Matteo didn’t have a selfless bone in his body.

However, I knew that job was not necessary. Enzo didn't say as much but I knew he had loathed his father and his brother. They were always the first to bully and humiliate him. He would have probably paid us to do that.

“L-L-Luca, how are you?” Enzo asked.

Luca grunted, keeping his eyes on the Russian after he’d passed him and exited the room.

I rolled my eyes. Luca would always be a savage.

“Enzo, you look well.” And it was true. It looked like the kid had more color now, and he was not as painfully thin as he had been a year ago. Being freed of his poisonous home environment did do wonders for him.

Enzo smiled tentatively at me. “T-thank you, Dom. I’m happy,” he added, and I couldn’t help but notice that even his stutter lessened.

I looked at Luca who was still ignoring us, looking at the door the Russian had taken, a speculative look on his face.

I nudged him before turning to Enzo again. “Matteo asked us to come before the meeting.”

Enzo nodded. “Y-you c-can go right in.” He gestured to the door.

I elbowed Luca in the kidney, making him grunt.

He turned toward me, a dark glare on his face. “What the fuck did you do that for?”

I gestured to the door. “Move.”

I knocked once.

“Come in.”

“Was that Alexei Volkov I saw leave your office just now?” Luca asked as soon as I closed the door behind him.

Gianluca Montanari… Smoothness personified.

“Welcome.” Matteo gave Luca a small smile. “You know it was.”

“The capo dei capi colluding with the Russians? It’s bound to make people talk.”

Matteo's smile turned into a predatory grin as he reached for his zippo on his black desk and started to play with it. “I was collecting a favor. You know how much I enjoy collecting them, don’t you, Gianluca?”

Luca’s nostrils flared, and I knew Luca owed him something. I suspected it was to ensure his help in rescuing Cassie from Benny and Savio. I was just scared to find out what Luca had promised him in his moment of weakness.

Matteo sighed, gesturing us to the seats across his desk. Everything in this office was black and glass, cold and emotionless—a true mirror to its owner.

Matteo reached for his cigarettes on his desk and lit one. “I heard you picked up a new stray?”

Luca arched his eyebrows. “How? She arrived yesterday.”

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