Matteo had made sure to hide her hands. Actually, he’d cut them off.

But why would he kill a doctor? Probably to get information on me, and when that didn’t work, he killed her. I don’t know why he thought she’d know something. It’s weird.

He was looking for me, and he got to the hospital too late. Maybe he was mad he couldn’t finish me off and she didn’t know where I went, so he took out his anger on her.

She shouldn’t have suffered like this. Not because of Matteo and me.

“I guess he wanted me to take care of the body for him and tell her family.” I sigh.

And that psycho still has my wife. What will his sick mind come up with next? Will he torture her? Kill her?

I grit my teeth.

Why doesn’t he make his demands already?

I’d give it all to him. I’d give whatever he wants in exchange for Chiara. Isn’t that perfectly obvious to him by now?

“Chiara will be fine.” Rocco places his hand on my shoulder. “Matteo clearly wants something, and he knows that if he hurts her, you’ll never give him anything. You have to be patient.”

Patient? I don’t know how.

It fucking hurts.

Every breath. Every second without her.

It all fucking hurts too much.

But Rocco is right.

“We can’t stop looking for her. Now weknow it’s him who’s behind all this. We know how he operates. We’ll find him,” I say.

Is Gennaro behind this too? Is he using Chiara and me as some kind of test for Matteo? Or is Matteo all on his own in this?

I don’t know, but I’m going to find out because that’s an important piece of info. Matteo might be doing this without his father’s permission to try to impress him. I’d even be willing to accept Gennaro’s help at this point. Make any kind of deal.

Anything for my wife.

CHAPTER 4

Matteo

A knock brings my attention to the door of my office.

“Come in,” I say.

If one of my men is willing to disturb me, then it has to be something important.

“Sir, your father wants to speak with you. In person. He says it’s urgent.”

I scoff. Someone must’ve told my father I wasn’t where he expected me to be, and now he wants to see me so he can control me. Well, I’m so fucking done with that.

“Ignore him.” I focus my attention back on my computer screen.

“Sir, he warned me you might say something like that. He’s threatening to disown you unless you—”

“Come running to him?” I chuckle. “Tell him to fuck off.”

“But sir—”