Page 38 of Happily Ever After
Once again, I wonder who told him. Who would betray Tiero's family?
"As to why I need it… it will help me legitimize my claim."
"Your claim… to the De Marco empire?"
"Exactly. And you will give it to me," he states with confidence.
There is no point denying that I know what he's talking about. I didn't mask my reaction earlier, and he read the situation accurately.
"I guess we don't have any other choice, do we?"
"No. It's no use to you anyway."
That might be true, yet handing over what we found feels like a betrayal to Tiero… to Mateo, who is the legitimate Don now, despite him being missing.
"Did you have anything to do with Mateo's disappearance?"
That diabolical laugh is back, and I can't even begin to describe how much I want to wipe the smug grin off his face.
I fully expect him to say, "Of course, I did," without an ounce of remorse. But he doesn't.
In fact, he doesn't reply at all.
Does that mean he killed Tiero's little brother?
My stomach drops.
No!
My throat closes over. Still, I need to know more. I need to hear it from Niccolo himself.
And then what?
What will I do with the knowledge? Avenge Mateo for Tiero's sake? It's not my nature, yet I'd want justice.
"Did you k…" I can't say it.
I swallow the lump that's firmly lodged in my throat and take a deep breath in.
"Is Mateo dddead?"
I'm sure I'm losing all the blood from my head. I'm light-headed and more than a little nauseated.
Niccolo cocks his head to the side, that grin confidently in place.
His eyes, though?
They're as cold as the Arctic.
"Some things… you're better off not knowing," he says cryptically.
He turns away from me and starts the engine. Signalling to the other guy to go ahead, he eases onto the sand.
My heart aches in a way that makes me want to crumble.
Was that an affirmative to my question? It sure sounded like it.
For a moment, my vision fades in and out. Good thing I'm wedged between two steely bodies or I'd slide right off this quad.
