Page 147 of Phantom Mine

“Yes,” she agrees and I visibly see the weight lifting off her chest. She looks lighter, like she can breathe again.

“Then I’ll find a way to make it work,cara.”

Chapter Forty

Matteo

When I storm back into Firenze that evening, my father’s body has been moved inside. He was discovered last night, but I gave Enzo the order to act like he’d hadn’t and to leave him outside until the morning. If it were up to me, we’d hang his corpse from the outer walls and let it rot there until the end of time, but I have to show some measure of respect to the previous Don.

I look down at his hacked up body.

Da Silva really did a number on him. His face bears Joker-like cuts out of both sides of his mouth, his features mangled by days of beatings. That’s nothing compared to the way his carotid artery has been absolutely butchered. It was hacked at with a couple of dozen deep knife wounds, speaking to a level of rage I’m very familiar with for having felt it less than two hours ago.

Whatever my father said under torture, Thiago clearly didn’t like it.

“We’re going to need to retaliate,” Enzo says coolly, shoving dispassionately at my father’s corpse with the toe of his dress shoe.

“I know.”

“Regardless of the fact that da Silva unwittingly did you a favor, if we don’t send a strong message, the rest of the Underworld will think it’s open season on theFamiglia.”

“I know,” I repeat.

The two of us leave the basement where we’re keeping the body and head up to the bar. Every person we meet stops and inclines their head, whispering a respectful “Don” as I pass. The title is mine now. It sounds and feels as good as I always imagined.

“It doesn’t matter that he’s her brother, Matteo. You can’t let that affect your decision here.”

As soon as I walked into the club, I told Enzo everything that went down this morning, including Valentina’s true identity. I’d already trusted him with the little I knew about her up to this point—withholding only her name since she’d told me it wasn’t her real one. He’d raised a brow and only harrumphed when I told him Thiago was her brother, wisely choosing to keep his opinions to himself.

Sounds like he’s in the mood to share now.

“I’m well aware of that,stronzo. I don’t give a fuck that Thiago is Valentina’s brother, but I do care that he’s the current king of the Underworld and in a much stronger position than we are. I’m not risking theFamiglia’s future on an ill thought out quest to fake avenge my father’s death when what I should really be doing is shaking da Silva’s hand. I need to think about how to play this, that’s all.”

Goosebumps raise on the back of my neck, sending a delicious little shiver down my spine. I look up to see Valentina walk into the VIP area. My eyes track her as she stridesconfidently to the bar, hair swinging in a ponytail and hips swaying appetizingly from side to side.

“Maybe we should go after his wife,” Enzo suggests.

“No.” My eyes remained glued to Valentina as she sets her things behind the bar.

“Why not? We wouldn’t hurt her, just scare her a bit.”

“Because men don’t react particularly well to their wives being targeted, Enzo.” Valentina looks up and gives me the secret little smile she reserves only for me, the one that pumps air straight into my lungs. “I know I wouldn’t,” I muse as she comes towards me.

“Marina isn’t your wife yet.”

I slice a black glare his way, but my words are cut off by Valentina’s approach. He never misses an opportunity to remind me where my focus should be.

“Hi, Enzo,” she says, glancing uncertainly at him.

He nods at her. “Valentina.”

She looks quickly between him and I, her cheeks reddening. “I’m sorry for lying to you.”

Bending, Enzo takes her hand and brings it to his mouth, looking up into her eyes as he says, “I’m happy I’m finally going to get to know the real you.”

I shove him away before his lips make contact with her skin. “Fuck off, Enzo.”

He laughs and straightens, winking at Valentina and pulling a growl out of me. “As your best friend and cousin, I thought I’d at least be allowed to kiss her hand.”

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