Page 70 of Twisted Knight

Luca and Matteo kept looking at me as if I just grew a second head.

Matteo turned to Luca. “È meglio che la sposi. Perché non troverà qualcuno migliore.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “If he asks me, I’ll say yes.”

Luca looked at me with wide eyes. “You speak Italian?”

I nodded. I always loved learning languages, thinking I would one day travel the world with my mother.

“You never said!”

I shrugged. “You never asked.”

Matteo let out a dark laugh. “Lei mi piace.”

He liked me? Again, I was not sure if it was a good thing.

“Nice try changing the subject, Genovese, but we’re not done talking about—” Luca looked positively murderous, but he was interrupted by the vet.

“I’m done,” the vet huffed, removing his gloves and his mask before sitting heavily on his stool.

Luca turned to him. “Is he going to be okay?”

The vet ran a weary hand over his face. “I did the best I could with what I had. I think I stopped the hemorrhage, but he will need real medical attention soon.”

“The ambulance with our team should be here any minute and we’ll be out of your hair.” Matteo's eyes turned colder. “And it’s because I appreciate what you did that I'm granting you the benefit of the doubt and I'm letting you walk away.”

I looked at him, mouth agape. Was he actually threatening an innocent man who just saved Dom’s life?

I was ready to tell him to get fucked when Luca spoke.

“Matteo…” He turned toward the vet who was pale as a ghost. “Nothing will come to you. You’ll be rewarded handsomely for your help.”

The vet shook his head. “I don’t want your money. The only reward I want is for you all to go and never come back.” He turned toward Matteo. “I won’t say anything to anyone, as far as what happened here tonight. An animal was injured and I patched him up.”

Matteo nodded approvingly. “Perfect. As long as this remains your story, we would not have a problem, and it’s not that far from the truth actually.”

“Hey!” I couldn’t help but call out.

He sent me a side-look. “Defensive? Good to know.”

I crossed my arms on my chest and looked away. At least part of me was grateful for him; while I was being annoyed at him, I was not worrying about Dom.

The vet removed the machine from Matteo’s arm. He stood up, swaying a little.

Luca took an instinctive step toward him.

Matteo raised his hand. “No, Gianluca. I’m fine. I don’t need help.”

I didn't need to be a psychologist to know that this man was cocky and full of himself to the point of impertinence. He would never ask for help even if it cost him greatly.

He grabbed the sandwich I left for him and bit into it, grimacing as he chewed. “It’s just plain ham? Not even pastrami?” he asked the vet. “What are you? A monster?”

I couldn’t help but let out a little bark of laughter. This seemed like being in another dimension, the cruel Mafia boss drawing the line at a ham sandwich?

At that moment, three men came in with a stretcher.

“Ah, the team is here.”

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