Page 31 of Cavaliere

“It was late last night, no one was hurt, and I wanted to get more information out of Wren and get her settled.” That seemed to placate them for now. “After the piece of shit stopped shooting, he yelled at Wren that she shouldn’t have stopped to help me and then proceeded to call her a cunt.”

“So he’s a dead man,” Aldo concludes.

I let out a humorless laugh. “Oh, yeah. He’s going to wish I just shot him in the head and got it over with by the time I’m done with him.”

“Did you get a good look at him? I can ask around and call Brad to run a profile search,” Alessio says. Brad is the cop that we have in our pocket. We have most of the department, he’s just the one who seems to rack up the most debt with us.

“I didn’t get to see his face. I was too worried about making sure Wren didn’t get hit. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. He was driving a black town car though.”

“A black town car…” Alessio trails off to himself, the wheels turning.

“You know who still drives a black town car like it’s the fucking 70s, don’t you?” Gio asks.

“Christos,” I answer, trying to think of anyone else I know who still drives something like that, but nothing comes to mind. “It’s possible. Nicholas didn’t seem like he was lying, but that doesn’t mean it’s not them.”

“I’ll look into it more,” Alessio says. “I’m not liking how this seems to all be connected.”

“It’s looking that way.” I pause and make a point to look at Gio before I continue, “If any of you find him first, he’s mine.”

“Why are you looking at me?” Gio asks, offended.

“Because you’re borderline psychotic. You’ll have body parts cut off and shoved places before we even have a chance to get to you.” Alessio smirks.

“It was one time.” Gio scoffs, looking put out.

“One time, my ass.” I laugh. “Give Enzo a break.”

“Enzo likes cleaning up after me. It makes him feel more connected to the family.” Gio wags his fingers at us as he pushes off the wall. “I have shit to do.”

“I need to get back and make sure the escape artist is still in the same place I left her.”

“I’ve gotta ask; is this more of a ‘She’s at my house because I’m protecting her out of guilt’ or is it a ‘She’s at my house because she’s mine?’” Alessio asks after Gio leaves.

Aldo is all of a sudden way too interested in his phone, but that doesn’t stop me from seeing the smirk take over his face. Fucker.

“It’s the latter for me but the former for her,” I admit.

“I thought that was where your head was at.” Alessio pauses for a moment as he studies me. “I like her for you. She keeps you on your toes and doesn’t take your orders lying down. You’ll get her to come around. Don’t forget dinner at Ma’s,” Alessio calls over his shoulder, and he heads out as well.

I hope it’s as simple as making her come around. He is right about one thing: my tesoro does keep me on my toes.

Chapter

Twenty-Two

WREN

Aweek has gone by, and I’m still at Matteo’s with no chance of leaving in sight. Which also means I haven’t been to work. Delaney covered my shifts for me, but I still feel like I eventually need to tell Cain what’s going on. I’m just dreading that conversation. But if I’m being honest, it hasn’t been all that bad. I haven’t even seen much of him. He’s still gone when I go to sleep, and he’s gone by the time I wake up.

It might have something to do with the fact that I don’t wake up until closer to noon, but that’s what happens when you work in the service industry. Your internal clock is on an opposite schedule from the rest of the world. I’m also not a morning person in any shape or form. Delaney calls me her little demon if she sees me before noon.

The only reason I know he’s been sleeping next to me is because the first thing I smell when I wake up is his scent that’s still lingering in the air. Delaney would be laughing her ass off if she could see me snuggling and inhaling his pillow every morning. There’s just something about his scent that’s addicting. It makes me feel safe and horny all at the same time.

I think that’s also why I haven’t made more of an effort to track him down and demand to get back to my life. I know it’s not going to last forever, but for once in my life, I feel completely safe. Like if some sick fuck decided to break in to try take me again, they would barely make it past the entryway. Some might find that scary, but I find it so comforting. There’s just something about a man who will kill someone for touching you that makes my kitty tremble. Matteo definitely does that to me.

I mean, my god, I’ve dreamt about him stabbing the hotel receptionist's hand almost every night.

I need to shower and actually try to find Matteo today. I’m starting to feel a little stir-crazy. I haven’t even snooped around his house, and that is very unlike me. I’m the nosiest bitch I know.