Page 18 of Monster's Claim
“There’s no need to get angry, little bird.You’ve dug your hooks deep in me, too.I needed to know you’restaying out of your own free will.”
“So, you’ll let me help you in findingSkip?”she finally asked.
Matthias nodded.“I don’t like it, but it’llspeed up cleaning this mess.Then we can finally focus on what todo with the rest of our lives.”
Her heart sped up at those words.“I’d likethat.”
Chapter Ten
“What kind of magic does this woman possessthat she managed to wrap you around her little finger,brother?”
The moment those words came out of Marco’smouth, Matthias wanted to punch him in the face.He didn’t care ifthey were in Paolo’s, that the other tables were occupied by othermembers of the Familia.No doubt everyone was curious as to whattheir meeting was about.Matthias hadn’t made an appearance intheir father’s restaurant for years, but everyone there probablyknew who he was.
Realizing he touched the handle of thebutter knife next to his plate, Matthias let it go.Violence didn’tsolve anything, not in this situation.Paolo’s wasn’t his dungeon.It was Marco’s playground.He noticed even the older Mafiosi, thoseloyal to their father like Gino, eyed their interaction in thebackground, despite pretending to play cards.None of the men madea move.They didn’t dare to.They were probably uncertain whichside to take, because they were both sons of the old boss.Marcomight be the head of the family now and that meant power, butMatthias was the bogeyman of the Familia.Those who didn’t respecthim, feared him, and fear was as good as respect in hisopinion.
Matthias took deep breaths, trying to cullhis anger, but fuck.He’d been the Familia’s best torturer foryears.
“Do you think I’m so weak-minded that I’dlet anyone do that to me?”he asked his brother in a carefulvoice.
Marco lighted a smoke and regarded him.Matthias could see it in his brother’s eyes.Marco was about totell him to fuck off.He knew how this meeting would go down.Marcodidn’t like being told what do to.Like him, his brother likedbeing in control far too much.
If Matthias didn’t tidy up this loose end,then Marco would send someone else to end Lara’s life.It was agood thing he’d left Lara back at home with Sky.Even if Marco senthis men to his house, they wouldn’t dare make a move, not withtheir pregnant adoptive sister there.
Matthias had no other weapon on him.Hisknife and his guns were confiscated before the meeting, one of theiron-clad rules of the Familia when meeting with the boss.Conversations faded away.Matthias could do plenty of damage with asingle butter knife and would be able to position that patheticblade against his brother’s throat before anyone knew what washappening, especially when most of them remain conflicted aboutwhat to do.
He didn’t intend to kill Marco.Matthiaswasn’t that crazy.If he did that, he and Lara would be hunted downby the Familia for the rest of their lives.Despite his issues withhis brother, the anger he felt all those years for taking Marco’splace and falling under the torturer’s knife, Marco was still hisbrother.Blood.
Always and forever.Their father taught themthat.Family above everything else, but Matthias would break allthose rules for the woman he loved.He understood where Marco wascoming from.That if their positions were reversed, he might alsoquestion his brother’s sanity.No one fell in love that easily, butMatthias knew the moment he sighted Lara that she was born to behis.He finally found a woman who saw past his scars, someone whoaccepted all his flawed, dark parts.
“Matthias, it's been such a long time,” avoice interrupted.
Seeing their father, Matthias let go of theknife.Giovanni might be retired, but the old man always had sharpeyes.Giovanni placed one hand over his fingers, the ones that heldthe knife.
“Won’t you give your father a hug?”Giovanniasked with a smile.
Matthias stood and awkwardly embraced hisfather, slightly taken aback when Giovanni patted his back andpulled up a chair to join them.
“Now, I don’t want to see my two boysarguing,” Giovanni said, waving over a Familia member.“Doubleespresso, Jon.Thank you.”
“Father, you don’t need to interfere,” Marcosaid tightly.
“I might be retired as the family head, butI’m still the Familia’s consigliere,” Giovanni said simply.
Jon returned with Giovanni’s espresso.Theirfather lifted the cup and took a sip, eyeing them both.Matthiascould remember all those times in their childhood Giovanni had satthem both down for a talk when they were about to fight.They wereno longer kids however, but selfish adults.
“I assume this meeting is about that woman,Lara.”
Matthias gritted his teeth.“Not you, too.Iintend to keep her, no matter what the Familia says.”
Giovanni raised an eyebrow at him.“I’vespoken with Ryker and Sky.Sky seems to have nothing but goodthings to say about your woman, Matthias.”
“Father,” Marco said tightly.“This womanknows too much, has seen Matthias’s dungeon.Faces of Familiamembers she could identify to the police.”
“Lara won’t do that,” he said.
“So sure of that, brother?”
“Being the boss, has made you paranoid,Marco.”
