Page 39 of Mafia King: Matteo
“Thank you.” His heels tap together before he leaves the room, and Gio sails into my room.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.”
“This is a ballsy move if I ever saw one,” he says with concern.
“Did a black cat walk in front of you today?”
“No, why?”
“You are brooding, and it reeks of pessimism. Do you doubt my ability to control my wife?” I turn away from the bureau mirror to observe him.
“No, I’m afraid she’ll be your greatest weakness,” he replies.
“I seriously doubt that. I find her body to be perfect for fucking. She’ll be moving in, so please make sure Federico has someone make the room look a bit less manly. I don’t know, maybe add some flowers or whatever shit women like.”
“Have you considered Alena’s safety? You could always get the building back by using negotiation or war, but she’s a liability that isn’t made of bricks.”
I turn and narrow my eyes on Gio. “I am aware of this. I’m the one who runs his hand over her firm and supple body. Everyone needs to know that I’m the only man who will fuck her until she’s limp and filled with my cum. She’s mine, and anyone who touches her will die.”
“In that case, I’m sure she’ll like it here. It’s not the dank museum she grew up in.”
I shudder at the memory. “That mausoleum needs to be torched, and if her father does anything to undermine me, I’ll torch it myself,” my voice rises in anger. The thought of seeing him again so soon is not a pleasant one.
“It will be a short dinner, I assume,” Gio states.
“It better be short. The only pretty thing in the house is Alena.” I turn on my heels. “She is the crown jewel. Who knows? Maybe in time, we will conduct business with the Russians.”
“Stranger things have been known to occur,” he grins as he strokes his goatee.
“Good. I’m glad you’re on board. We’ll make sure she has a guard with her at all times. Her days of gallivanting around the city like a cat in heat are over. As my fiancée, that behavior is… unacceptable. She has to pay more attention to her surroundings and realize she lives in a world where men will harm her to get to me. Her father had her on a long leash. If I have to, I will keep her chained to the damn bed.”
“I’ll have Antonio put someone on her.”
“No, I want Vito on it,” I snap, surprising myself.
Lately, I’ve thought more about Alena’s safety than my own. Damn. I can’t get enough of her. I spend half the night figuring out how to fit her into my next day without it appearing obvious.
“You don’t trust Antonio?” He’s always quick to discern what I’m implying.
“I do. However, his father is my uncle, and it would be an easy avenue to undermine me if Antonio didn’t know he was being manipulated. With my family, I have more questions than answers. For now, I’d rather err on the side of caution. I want someone who is removed from the clutches of Sicily. Vito is American-Italian, which makes it more difficult for someone back home to reach him.”
“That makes sense. I see you thought this through,” he replies tersely. I’m sure his nose is out of joint because he feels left out.
“It just came to me—honestly, I like the kid.”
“Exactly, a kid,” he points out.
“You’re getting up there, old man,” I tease.
Gio’s dark hair is shorter than he used to wear it, and silver is beginning to outweigh the darker hair on his head and goatee.
I nod in the direction of the door. “Time to get this deal finalized. Let’s go.”
CHAPTER 14
ALENA
