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“This ends now.”
CHAPTER37
MATTEO
Iam so angry I want to tear this mansion apart. Of course it’s him. The fucking bastard. The most important thing right now is to head home and inform my brothers because we don’t have long before shit gets very real. Jefferson’s slate has been wiped clean, but I doubt he’ll survive long enough to enjoy it if word gets out he betrayed Mario’s father. Now it’s up to me and my brothers to end this shit once and for all.
I am surrounded by red fury as I drag Abi away from her protesting parents and step out into the sunlight, my soldiers crowding around us as a barrier against her parents, who shout, “Abigail, please, don’t do this.”
Abi is shaking as she slides into the car before me and her pale face peers at me with concern as the door slams behind me.
“What is it?”
“It’s important we return home.”
“No. The text. What did it say?”
“It’s business, Abi!” I yell at her because I will not bring her into this. She needs to be protected, and that includes blissful ignorance and so I say roughly, “My business is not yours.”
“Like fuck it is!” She yells and I turn and grip her by the throat, hating the alarm that sparks in her eyes as I hiss, “Don’t push me, princess, because you won’t like the man I become when business is involved. Go home, catch up on some sleep, and leave me to do what I do best.”
I release her and turn my attention to my phone, any earlier happiness destroyed by just one name and as Abigail shrinks away from me, I can’t even deal with the pain that creates inside me because I would rather she hate me, than live with the fear of what’s coming.
She is my number one priority, and I willnotinvolve her in this. If I’m sure of anything, it’s that and to protect what we have I must focus on business now. When I saw that name, I realized shit was getting real, and it struck me that since meeting Abi, I’ve never had so much to lose.
I dash out the appropriate text, and as we reach the jet, I waste no time. Abi takes her seat by the window and pointedly looks away, which suits me fine because it’s Cesare I need right now.
Most of the flight is spent speaking in hushed whispers and working out strategy because I’m under no illusions at all that we need a plan and fast.
I don’t even think about Abi fuming at the front of the aircraft. I don’t have that luxury because time is not on our side.
The one time I take a break, I move to her side, almost like a magnetic pull, and when I see her sleeping peacefully, my heart beats with so much love for my pretty princess. She sits curled up on the seat and without thinking, I reach for a blanket and drape it over her body, wishing like hell I could pull her into my arms and hold on tight. I’ve never wanted to protect anyone so much in all my life as this woman who has crashed into my world and blown it apart. She is everything to me and my reaction earlier was driven by fear—for her. I won’t lose her as soon as I’ve found her, but I must face the possibility it could happen.
For a good few minutes, I sit and watch her, savoring the sight of a woman who is so far out of my league it still shocks me that she is here at all.
I reluctantly tear my eyes from her and head back to business and as we discuss strategy, my mind wanders back to the front of the plane. I nearly lost her once, but I’m aware the battle isn’t over yet. If anything, the danger has increased because I have killed the son of a bastard and he won’t rest until he makes me pay.
We land and the usual cars are waiting and as soon as Abi is safely beside me and the door closes, I sigh heavily and say apologetically, “I’m sorry, princess.”
She shrugs and looks down at her twisted hands and I hate the distance that has grown between us, which is entirely of my own making.
Reaching out, I cover her hand with mine and say gently, “What happened back there was a reaction. The most important thing in my life is to keep you safe. The name I saw doesn’t keep any of us safe and the least you know of it, the better.”
“You don’t trust me.” She turns and the pain in her eyes makes me feel like the biggest bastard on the planet and I shake my head. “Of course I trust you. It’s the rest of them I don’t.”
I try to make a joke, but she isn’t laughing and neither, as it happens, am I.
I twist her face to mine and whisper against her lips, “You must let me protect you in the best way I can. Ignorance is bliss and I want you to be happy knowing I am in your corner fighting for you — for us.”
I sigh and whisper, “When this is over, I will take you away. A honeymoon of sorts and we can relax without glancing over our shoulders, wondering if we’ll make it through the day.”
“Is it really that bad?”
I hate the worry that clouds her beautiful eyes and I smile gently. “Not if we make the first move. It’s why we had to leave so I can meet up with my brothers and mark out our battle lines.”
“Are you in danger?” She looks so worried I lie to her. “Worry about the rest of them, princess. Nothing can touch me.”
She raises her eyes and I grin cockily. “Self belief. Try it, I recommend it.”
