Page 135 of Matteo
If nothing else had come of our daughters’ recent disappearance, it had broken down walls between generations. Pooling our resources, we had been able to piece together some of what had been happening. Including the fact that Marco King had a son who was working behind the scenes with others to resurrect what we ended two decades ago.
But there were bastards roaming this earth who were hellbent on revenge and destroying our families. Our legacies.…
After our incident at Havre de Grace, I checked all my intel, and sure as fuck, the dark web was buzzing about it. Just like the doctor insinuated. The first auction had been kicked off in Albania years ago. Then it moved to Serbia, Poland, Turkey, Russia, Italy, and a few other countries before it shifted to the States roughly six months ago. Six fucking months!
I would’ve been putting all my focus on the matter—if only I could locate Arianna and Hannah. As it was, for now, we were all working overtime to protect our territories while Luciano andI multitasked. We were either monitoring online chatter, or at each other’s throats while our old friends played mediators.
What?You can’t blame me for making Luciano pay for his son’s mishaps, ultimately causing my daughters’ disappearance. They were both running from him and there wasn’t a soul on this fucking earth that would tell me otherwise.
My brothers-in-law thought I went a bit overboard, tearing into Luciano’s assets as my revenge. First my daughter stole from him, then I started wiping out one asset he owned each day. I started with the nightclub in which he met his wife, and I would end with the Sicilian villa he gifted her when they found their happily-ever-after.
The fucker could afford to lose a few buildings, and at this very moment, someone or something had to pay, regardless of our long-standing friendship. Judging by his reaction after losing the nightclub, the sentimental value of that Sicilian villa would hurt him, so he better deliver his son on a silver platter.
He wasn’t good enough for my Arianna.
Of course, nobody was, but that was neither here nor there.
I stroked my wife’s waist soothingly, the movement relaxing her and comforting me.
“Better, cara mia?” I asked in a soft voice.
“Yes. Now let’s get through this,” she sighed.
We greeted the DiLustros, then moved on to the Ashfords, before we stopped to chat with the Nikolaevs. Our children were all around, yet they managed to steer clear of us, as though we embarrassed them.
“How are you doing, Bianca?” Isabella, Vasili Nikolaev’s wife, asked. “You’re pale. Are you getting enough?—”
“I’m fine,Doctor,” Bianca said, playfully rolling her eyes. “Just tired.”
Isabella flashed us a sympathetic look. “Understandable. If there is anything I can do…” Her voice trailed off, knowing full well this was beyond any kind of medicine she could offer.
Vasili extended his hand, and I shook it. “Anything I can do, just let me know.”
“Is it true that Arianna stole from Luciano?” Sasha’s shadow appeared out of nowhere, probably waiting for the opportune time to stir up more shit. It was his forte after all. “I’m so fucking impressed. If she ever needs a job?—”
“She doesn’t,” I cut him off.
Bianca sighed, but unfortunately, Sasha continued talking. “Nikola and Arianna would make such a lovely couple.”
“Shut up, Sasha,” Vasili hissed, his expression tight.
Unfortunately, lack of sleep made it impossible for me to keep my cool.
“Nikola better stay away from all my daughters.” My voice hardened, all his attempts to rile me up working too well. “You’re fucking crazy if you think I’d ever allow my daughter to be with?—”
“Now wait a minute,” Sasha drawled, smiling like a fucking lunatic. “Are you saying your daughters are too good for our Nikola?”
My jaw clenched and I took a step forward to get into his face, but my wife’s hand on my chest stopped me.
“Nikola is wonderful. Nico is just overprotective,” Bianca assured him with a sigh, playing the diplomat. “Right,husband?”
“I see the party started without us.” I turned around to find Luciano with his hands in his pockets, Grace looking annoyed next to him.
“I swear to God if you start shit, you’re sleeping in the guest room for the foreseeable future,” she hissed, plastering a smile as she glanced around to face the spectators.
“Nobody is starting shit,” he drawled, smiling at me smugly. “Right, buddy?”
Note to self: wipeallhis assets.
