Page 19 of Twisted Knight

“So, Did you find out anything?”

He twisted his mouth to the side, clearly not overly happy. “Either Volkov is playing me, or this man was pretending to know more than he did.” He walked to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. He took a long sip. “He said the man they spoke with sounded young and from New York.”

“I see… That narrows it down.”

He rolled his eyes. “At least it was what I expected—it wasn’t Benny or Savio. He said the man called himselfMano Vendicativa.”

“The vengeful hand?”

We both grimaced; that was beyond cheesy.

“He never met the man. He was careful and only spoke with different burner phones. He said he had a plan that the famiglia would fall, and when he’ll be on top, he’ll remember.”

“Um, so we don't have much?”

He shook his head sharply. “No, but apparently there’s a guy named Hoxha—also known as the ‘living ghost.’”

“Do you know who he is?”

“Not yet but it’s only a matter of time, and when I do…” His nostrils flared, the only physical sign of his irritation. “Nothing will be able to save him.”

“I have no doubt.” And it was true. Matteo was like a hunting dog. Once he was on his trail, I would not want to be this living ghost.

The oven pinged and I jerked my head toward it. “Want some?”

He shook his head. “I’ll go shower. You can stay here tonight, it’s late. There’s a room ready, first floor, second door on the left.”

I had not expected his concern—this was not Matteo at all—and despite everything, I couldn’t help but ask. “Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you helping us with all that?”

He turned around slowly, meeting my eyes. “Having a smart rat in our rank is not good.”

“He is not against you.”

“He is taking out the famiglia without my authorization. He is against me. He is smart and cunning. I can’t have that acting against us.”

I looked at him silently for a second. “Is that all there is?”

“What else could it be?” He shrugged. “Sono l'uomo dal cuore di ghiaccio.” he added before leaving the room.

I looked down at my lasagna… The man with the heart made of ice… And for the first time since I’d met Matteo Genovese, I was wondering if it was not all pretend.

Chapter Five

INDIA

I was twenty-seven years old and yet I felt like a teenager about to meet the asshole bully she had a crush on. Except that I was not a teenager, and Domenico was neither my crush nor my bully, and yet I checked on my outfit and hairdo three times before going to look for him in the manor.

I made sure to wear my best pair of jeans, the ones that really made my ass look good and my red top that revealed just enough to entice.

That man was truly a mystery with two so different sides of him. I saw his little attentions toward Cassie, his gentleness and good humor. I heard him speak on the phone with Jude and it had been beyond cute and yet, as soon as I entered the room or appeared in his line of vision, he turned to ice. I could almost see the wall being erected around him, and it rubbed me the wrong way.

It might have been the psychologist in me, but I needed to understand why he was going out of his way with me when it was clearly not in his nature to be cold and dismissive. Did he think I was a threat to his family?

He had to see the truth. I’d been here over a week now and except for the forced conversation we were having during dinner or when forced together, he had not warmed up to me, and I didn’t like it.

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