Page 54 of The Italian Reckoning
“Answer me.”
“She’s right, it’s not what you think! I told you I would protect her because I owe her a debt, don’t you see? She saved my life at the gala and I can’t sit by and let her be snuffed out when she went above and beyond to bring me back to you!” Rocky speaks hurriedly, tripping over his words in his desperation to get them out in one breath. “And yes, I sat down with Cormac, but it was drinks as friends. You know we’refriends! He doesn’t hold a grudge about Noah and I’m keeping him sweet, checking in like you taught me. I promise, Dad. I promise it’s nothing sinister.”
Rocky isn’t telling him the whole truth. Why? Won’t Matteo care that some maniac is killing people under his wing? Or does Matteo not care for the smaller man?
“And the second body?”
All color drains from Rocky’s face but he keeps on talking. “I was getting to that. Evelyn, you know her. Cormac’s wife? One of her girls was found dead and she knew about Belle, okay? It’s all over the news, so she reached out. We compared notes, that’s all. The people are worried, so I took action, and I know you said not to do anything, to ignore it and forget it, but people are looking to us for help, Dad. So I acted, and everyone thinks I’m acting on your orders, so it’s a win for everyone! You look good to our families, and the Irish think you have a handle on things?—”
“Undermyorders,” Matteo repeats. “You go against me but tell me it’s fine because everyonethinksit’s my orders. But it isn’t my orders, is it, Rocky?” Matteo leans forward into his cane, pressing the tiny, narrow tip into Rocky’s throat. He only has a few inches of space to lean back and when he swallows, it’s painfully audible.
“No, sir.”
“And you.” Matteo’s dark eyes snap to me. “Nothing more than a fucking distraction. HowweakI look, letting my son run around with a cop.”
“Kill me, then,” I challenge fiercely, eager to take attention off Rocky. “Go on. I dare you. Kill the only cop who cares about your people getting murdered, the only one who’s trying to catch the real killer so there’s no mistaken identity and war on the streets. See how far that gets you because once my death is splashedallover the news, what will happen then? You think itwill just go away? You think the people I have back in Montana will give a shit about your payroll here?”
My words bleed confidence, but I don’t feel a single drop of it in my heart. I’m running on pure fear and adrenaline after my phone call with the killer. I have no one back in Montana who will care if I die, but hopefully, Matteo doesn’t know that. If there’s anything I can do to act like I have weight behind me, I’ll take it.
“She’s right, Dad!” Rocky drags attention back to himself once more as Matteo straightens his shoulders and drops his cane away from his son’s throat. “Without her, we would have started a war with the wrong people and then we’d be caught up in a bloodbath making mistakes we could never fix. We’d destroy our relationship with everyone, including all the families under us, because that’s what gives us power. You know that. And Sarah’s just…” His eyes dart to me for a brief second. “She’s a nobody, okay? Just a debt I have to repay likeyoutaught me. But I swear once this is over, I’m yours. Whatever you need from me, I will do. Whatever you want me to do, I am there. Because I’m ready to really learn and follow in everything you have to teach, but please, don’t let me be known as the Barati who doesn’t pay his debts.”
Something gets through to Matteo. It’s unclear to me exactly which parts of Rocky’s speech resonated with him, but Matteo takes a step back and with a flicker of his eyes, the guards around Rocky step back. The cocky, relaxed playboy Rocky seems to have been replaced by this serious, determined man who sounds like he’s signing away his entire future just to keep me alive.
Fuck.
I’m going to pass out.
Just a few hours ago, we were fucking like rabbits, and now I’m facing down certain death with Rocky at the mercy of his father. Their dynamic is painfully different from what Ifirst thought, and as Rocky’s shoulders sag, there’s a flicker of something in his eyes when he glances at me.
Defeat, I think.
“Fine,” Matteo says as if he’s speaking through clenched teeth. “I will not allow this to go unpunished.”
“Wait!” Rocky lurches upward as Matteo snaps his fingers. The three men around Rocky latch onto him and drag him backward toward the table where the black phone lies discarded and forgotten about. Something about the panic in Rocky’s voice is a spear to my heart, and I surge forward on instinct, only to be held in place by my guard while Matteo turns and stalks toward me.
“Wait, wait!” Rocky cries out, but he’s blocked from view by Matteo as he stands in front of me. Then, despite his shorter stature and build, Matteo’s hand clamps around my throat with impressive strength and lifts me clean off my feet.
Pain swells in my neck under the force of his squeezing fist, breathing becomes a thing of the past, and I choke painfully as pressure rapidly builds behind my eyeballs. I kick my feet and claw at Matteo’s wrist but he’s unfazed.
Through the haze that descends, I glimpse the shape of Rocky being forced down onto the table with those three men surrounding him. My heart beats faster and faster while tears leak from the corners of my eyes, and I kick out my feet once again. Matteo’s grip tightens and he brings me an inch away from his face.
“You are more trouble than you are worth,” he growls softly. “But if you serve as the tool I need to keep Rocky in line, then count yourself very lucky that I am a merciful man.”
“Wait, wait—please, no!” Rocky’s begging dissolves into a wail then suddenly, a sharp, agonized scream as the most sickening, gut-wrenching snap of bone echoes around the room.My stomach rolls in utter horror while Rocky’s screams of pain ring in my ears.
“If I ever see you in my territory again,” Matteo growls over the pained sobs of his son, “I’ll skin you alive, do you understand?”
I can’t think. I can’t breathe. My head feels like it’s about to explode.
Matteo shakes me roughly. “Do youunderstand?”
“Y–Yes!” I’m barely able to squeak the word out before the lack of air and my racing heart send me crashing into a smothering darkness.
24
SARAH
Crack.
