Page 119 of Red Retaliation
“YOU THOUGHT I WOULDN’T find out about the traitorous shit you’re part of, dear sister?” Matteo spits his words out like poison.
His thick black hair and the deep tan gained from the recent months in South America on business for Papà makes the unusual deep blue color of his eyes more noticeable. And they glow with spite and resentment.
I’ve never been close to my brother. Him being the oldest of us three siblings and the only male, me and my sister never had much of a bond with him. I didn’t have as much of a bond as I’d have wished witheitherof my siblings, but Matteo, although always civil, always held us girls at arm’s length.
Me, especially.
I’ve always understood that males and females in families such as ours are treated differently, but differences aside, over the years Matteo has morphed into an unknown person. From what I’m seeing now, more so than ever. What is Papà thinking by allowing this? Snatching me away is all to serve my punishment for a perceived betrayal that doesn’t exist?
Tears sting the back of my eyes. “Whatever Papà has said, he doesn’t need to make you do this. He doesn’t need to take me away. I...”
“He makes me do nothing! This has got nothing to do with that senile old bastard!”
If I wasn’t at the very back of the car, I’m sure the words spitting between Matteo’s lips would shower me with physical hatred. “How can you talk about him like that?”
“You think I’d sit around the rest of my fucking life while he farts about with this, that and whatever? The business ismyinheritance, and I won’t hover in the wings any longer.” Matteo’s eyes narrow into slits. “He’s past his prime. I’ve waited far too long, and I’m calling things in.”
“Wh-What are you saying?” I splutter, unable to comprehend the horrific thoughts inching into my reasoning.
“You’re not listening, sister,” Matteo growls. “Papà told me about you stabbing our family in the back with that inbred cockney twat. He’s very upset about it. We’reallvery upset about it, yet he’s done fuck all to rectify it!”
“It’s not like that! I did what I did so that...”
“Listen, I don’t give a shit who you shack up with or why. Your existence has always been irrelevant, except now you finally get to be useful.”
My knuckles whiten around the handle of my bag. “You know nothing abo...”
“Your actions have made the Galvatore name a fucking laughingstock. Especially after Roberto’s demise. The minute I heard he’d been offed and you’d married his killer, but nothing was being done about it, I knew I must step in.”
“You’re wrong. I didn’t marry th...” I tail off, realizing the futility of my words. Matteo’s hatred towards me is so fierce he looks possessed. He’s the one person whose face has always been closed; bereft of anything relating to human emotion, he’s impossible to read. He never listens either, so there’s no point telling him it was me behind Roberto’s death, rather than Red. He’s made his mind up that Red is responsible, as has everyone, and nothing I can say will change that.
My initial fear of being hauled off to face Papà and the Bristonis diminishes, replaced by a silent numbness of something worse that I hadn’t considered.
I’m almost scared to ask because the answer will define plenty, yet I think I already know. “Is Papà aware you’ve taken me?”
“Ha!” Matteo sneers. “He’s aware of nothing. Bristoni’s no better. That idiot lost the plot the second his son carked it. Euthanasia was the best solution for him! As for Papà, well, he’s stuck in the past where everything boils down to honor and traditional values. Waste of fucking time!”
I glance at my phone in Matteo’s hand, wondering how I’ll get it back while the brick-headed man stares at me, his eyes not moving or blinkingand haven’t done since I got in this car.
How I wish I hadn’t got in here. But at least Red will see where my phone is. I initially resented that app being there to track my whereabouts, but now I couldn’t be more grateful.
And what did Matteo mean by euthanasia“was”the best solution? Is Edoardo dead too?
But there’s something else here - something which didn’t add up, but now drops into place. I can’t believe I’ve only just worked it out. “It was you!” I gasp. “You sent that text with the code knowing I’d get in the car!” I stare wide-eyed as my brother chuckles, his white teeth bright in his tanned face. “How did you get this number? How did you know what code to give? How did you know I was...”
“Too many questions, Arianna! I notice that my time away in South America hasn’t done anything to increase your intellect, even if it gave me the ability to arrange things to work in my favor whilst our dear father thought me lining up investors overseas.” He continues to chuckle, his face handsome in twisted mirth. “I, more than most, know looks can be deceiving...”
“Who is it?” I scream, my head spinning with the sudden revelation. “Who is it at Red’s firm that’s working for you?”
“A-ha!” Matteo taps the side of his head. “Thereisa slow-reacting brain in that pretty head of yours after all! Let’s just say there are a couple of people in your filthy new husband’s organization who are finally cashing in for time served.”
CHAPTER
87
Arianna
SWEAT POURS DOWN MY BACK, my throat constricting.Oscar and Liam?Red’s brothers are traitors? I didn’t want to be right with my suspicions about them; I really didn’t.
