AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Just like everything else he said in Italian, I had no idea what he meant. But it sounded soft and sweet. It made me sigh in pleasure.
I braced my hands on his chest, ready to get up. But he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer. His nose ran along my neck as he breathed me in.
“Not yet. Please, I—I can’t let you go again.” He sounded so broken. Devastated that we’d lost time together. “Just stay with me for a minute.”
I tugged on the hair at the back of his neck. He got the message lifting his head. I could see the emotion in his eyes. But I didn’t ask questions. I just pressed my lips to his.
I fed him all the emotions swirling in me. The sorrow. The hope. The confusion. The kiss was soft and twinged with sadness. It felt like it lasted forever but also ended too soon as his phone rang.
He grunted as he reached for it in his pocket. His eyes flicked to mine when he saw the name on the screen. “It’s my sister. I have to take this.”
“Sure.” My mouth turned down as I stood, sadness washing over me as I picked up my shirt.
“Mila.” I didn’t even pretend not to eavesdrop as I put my clothes back on, and he did the same.
“I need your help.” I heard her voice before he stood, turning his back to me as he whispered.
My chest felt tight as I gave up listening. I walked into the small kitchen, grabbing a water from the fridge. A few minutes later, Matt stood in front of me as I leaned against the counter.
He ran a hand through his hair. “I have to go.”
I nodded. “Okay. You’ll call?”
His gaze locked with mine as he lied. “Yes.”
We both knew the truth. But it didn’t stop it from hurting. From making me wonder why. But I wouldn’t ask. I’d save my pride.
“Before you leave.” His eyes raked down me as I walked towards him. I felt it like a physical touch. My body hummed as I grabbed an envelope off the table and handed it to him. “The photos.”
A ghost of a smile crossed his face as he flicked it open, skimming through the pictures. I felt glued in place as he stared at me again, an unreadable expression on his face. ““Seiunraggiodisole.” You’re a ray of sunshine.
Without another word, he left, and my heart broke.
11
Matteo
Ibreathed deeply, inhaling Emma’s scent that lingered on my skin. It steeled me. Reminded me I was making the right decision. I felt calm as I gripped my sister’s arm and dragged her into my uncle’s office.
“No!” An agonizing scream ripped from her husband’s throat. But he was bound to a chair in the middle of the room, unable to do anything except make the chains rattle as he pulled on them.
I wasn’t even sure how he had the strength to fight. Blood poured from various cuts on his face. The rest of his skin was black and blue. His nose looked broken, and he had a gunshot wound in his arm. But still, he struggled to try and reach her.
“I swear if you don’t let her go, I’ll gut you.” He jerked so violently in the chair it rattled and scraped across the floor. “I’ll rip your heart out of your chest and squeeze until I’ve wrung all the blood from it. If you think what you’ve done to me is bad, just wait until I get my hands on you. You’ll be so bloody not even God will recognize you.”
I smiled as I dragged Mila to my uncle, pawning her off as our ticket inside the Vancinis. “See leverage.”
My uncle tilted his head as he stared at us. His gaze assessed the rough grip I had on her arm. The rope that was tied around her wrists. “You’d hurt your own sister?”
She’d called me for help. And I was helping. I was making the choice my uncle wanted me to. Deciding what was important to me. Family name or Blood. Deciding if I was a good man like Emma claimed I was or just the monster I knew myself to be.
“You raised me,zio. You know I’d do anything for this family.” My voice was completely calm as I raised the knife to her neck. “Shall we demonstrate?”
“Don’t! Don’t.” Leif screamed. The pain in his voice scratched across my heart, made it bleed for him. “I’ll do it.” Shock stilled my movements. He was going to throw his family under the bus to save my sister. He really loved her. “Mila, look at me. It’s going to be okay,la miaanima. I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
“I’m glad you’re not the disappointment your sister turned out to be.” My uncle ignored his pleas. His gaze was completely devoid of any emotion as he waited for me to kill my sister. He almost looked proud as the blade rested on her pulse.
“And what makes me a disappointment?” Mila asked, her eyes narrowing on the man who’d been like a father to us. The one who’d taught us everything we knew.
