Page 41 of King
“What do you want me to do?” I ask even though I’m not sure at this point if I can do what he wants me to do.
“I need you to meet my brother,” he says with a straight face like I wouldn’t be risking my life. “I’m going to kill him.”
My eyes widen and my mouth drops open. “You can’t be serious?”
“I want to take the family in a different direction. I was never on board with all the human trafficking bullshit. With the Feds after Alonzo and Matteo, it’s my chance to take over the family. We’re weak and for the family to continue someone who’s not vulnerable needs to lead.”
“And you need to kill Matteo to do that?”
He smiles and it makes him look so innocent. While I don’t think he’s as bad as his brother he isn’t a good man either.
“I do.”
Emilio has always been handsome. He’s younger than Matteo. His complexion is much fairer than his brother’s. And although their hair is the same length, Emilio’s is not quite blonde, but a beautiful wheat brown, whereas Matteo’s is as dark as midnight. While I didn’t get to meet their parents because they didn’t agree with our relationship, I’ve seen plenty of family photos. Emilio looks more like their mother with more delicate features, and Matteo has their father’s chiseled, hard features.
“You come when I call and make sure your biker comes too. Then let me take care of the rest.”
“Emilio…”
“Listen, Alana. I’ve always liked you. Did my best to protect you when I could. This is the only way you’ll be able to live in peace. If he goes to prison, the bounty will still be on your head. Only if I’m in charge can it be lifted.”
“What about Alonzo?”
Alonzo is the head of the Bianchi’s. He holds the power, not Matteo. I don’t see how if Matteo dies that frees me if Alonzo is alive too.
“Alonzo is nothing more than a figurehead, Alana. While to the outside it seems like he holds power, Matteo has been making a play for the top for a very long time, slowly taking Alonzo’s power. The men follow Matteo now, not Alonzo. And once Matteo is out of the way, they’ll follow me.”
“That’s a lot of trust you want me to put in you, Emilio. How do I know this isn’t a trap?”
He laughs like I made the funniest joke he’s ever heard although I’m dead serious. He might be setting this trap for Matteo, delivering me to him with open arms. Despite what he says he wants to do with my help, I’m not under any illusion Emilio doesn’t love his brother and Matteo loves him just the same. So, what’s this really about?
“We’ve been circling the block for the last fifteen minutes. If I wanted you dead, I would have done it by now, and delivered your body to the Sinners in pieces.”
A sliver of fear skirts down my spine. I didn’t even realize where we’ve been at this entire time. That’s what makes Emilio and Matteo so dangerous. They look like the boys next door, but they’re nothing short of cunning and ruthless. They can be slitting your throat while smiling in your face.
“But I wouldn’t do that to you,” he says, pulling me out of my thoughts. “You know he didn’t deserve you.”
“What?”
“You’re a very beautiful and intelligent woman, Alana, but you’ll never be a part of our world as much as Matteo led you to believe you could be. My father would’ve never allowed it. And for this reason, he was never going to marry you despite the life he appeared to build with you.”
“What do you mean?”
My chest tightens. We made so many plans throughout our relationship. We even talked about marriage on multiple occasions. He never tried to brush it off, and he often initiated the conversation. A few weeks before I made the decision to leave, he took me to the family jeweler to have my engagement ring designed even though I believe it might have been a last-ditch effort to save our relationship. I had been pulling away from him. The motherfucker even bought me a house as a gift. Who does that shit if they’re not invested?
“He’s already engaged, Alana.”
My eyes widen in shock. “You can’t be serious.”
“He was introduced to his future wife the day she turned eighteen.” A look of pity crosses his face. “The wedding was set for next month.”
I’m speechless. My entire life with him has been a lie. Nothing’s real.
Rather than feeling any kind of hurt he lied to me, anger is all I feel. We created a life together around a lie. Something that wasn’t even possible for us to have anyway. What the hell was the purpose? If he couldn’t spend his life with me, why the hell didn’t he just let me go?
“So, this entire time, I’m the other woman?” I ask with disbelief and embarrassment in my voice.
Emilio looks at me with pity and nods. “He spent most days with her whenever he wasn’t with you.”
