Page 342 of Rosetti Family New York
"And she loves you enough to give up everything she's worked for?"
"She saved my life and now she faces execution because of it," I say.
"So what now? You keep running? Hide while the family hunts you both?"
"I keep her alive," I reply with complete certainty. "No matter what it takes."
Matteo sighs, full of frustration. "You know Dom issued a kill order."
"Yeah, you mentioned."
"Multiple teams. Full resources." His tone becomes cold. "They're not messing around, Emilio. This isn't about bringing you back, it's about getting rid of the threat she poses."
"I know." My hands form fists. "That's why I need your help."
"My help." He repeats, the coin flipping faster in his hand. "Why would I risk everything to save you? After watching you choose her over us for months?"
"Because you're my brother," I say softly. "Because deep down, you still care about what happens to me."
"That's a risky assumption."
"Is it?" I look him in the eyes. "Because you're here, Matt. You came when I called, despite everything. That has to mean something."
Silence lingers between us as the waves hit the concrete below. When Matteo speaks again, his voice is calm and steady.
"I have a place. But it's not what you're expecting."
"What kind of place?"
"The kind that brings trouble you won't like." His jaw tightens. "Remember Sophia Reyes? My ex from last year?"
A chill runs through me. Sophia is intense, smart, and dangerous in a way only hurt people can be. She had loved Matteo deeply but was pushed aside when his family needed him elsewhere.
"The art dealer."
"The art dealer I messed up when Dom needed me to focus on the Callahan situation." His words are laced with shame. "I left her in the lurch on a deal that cost her a lot of money and time. She's held a grudge ever since."
It becomes painfully clear. "And now you want to ask her for help."
"She owes me," he says, but he doesn't sound sure. "An old debt from before things went bad between us. She has a place in Queens, off the books, no family ties."
"And she hates you."
"She hates me." He confirms what we both know. "Which means she'll probably hate you too. But she sticks to her debts, even if she'd rather destroy everything."
The harbor wind brings salty air and city grime, adding to my unease. Trading one danger for another.
"What's the downside?"
"The downside is she's unpredictable. Unstable. She might decide helping you isn't worth it and turn on me later." He flips his coin nervously. "Also, the neighborhood isn't fancy. It's industrial Queens, with sirens every night and a place where fancy cars get taken apart for parts."
"How long can we stay?"
"Few days, maybe a week if you're lucky and she doesn't get bored." Matteo's expression hardens. "After that, she'll either kick you out or do something that draws attention you can't afford. She's not stable, Emilio. This isn't a solution, it's just buying time."
His harsh truth lingers between us. Not a rescue, just delaying the unavoidable. Trading one problem for another.
But it's time to think, plan, and find a real solution that doesn't involve endless running or dying in a dramatic blaze.
