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It was stupid. This beautiful, put-together man was not interested in the hot mess who spilled coffee all over him.
But to my surprise, his fingers flexed on my elbow, pulling me closer before he dropped his hand. “I don’t have a wife.”
I sipped my coffee casually as my insides danced with happiness. But I kept my tone neutral. “Girlfriend?”
“Nope.” He leaned forward slightly until only I could hear what he was saying. “And you didn’t ruin anything. I think this might be the best thing that’s happened all day.”
My heart sang as he gave me that crooked smile again.
4
Matteo
“Ihope you call, Matt.” I stood as Emma did. She was so tiny her head barely reached my chin. I had the overwhelming urge to tuck her into my chest. To press my lips to her forehead as I held her close. But I resisted, instead holding the door to the coffee shop open for her.
“I will.” Her smile made my chest tight. It was the brightest thing I’d ever seen. So easy and full of life.
Her red hair caught the setting sun just right, making the freckles on her cheeks more pronounced. She had the cutest freckles and the sweetest heart-shaped face I’d ever seen.
That’s what she was, sweet. A ray of light. So different from the people I saw every day.
That’s what had drawn me to her. It’s why I’d sat in this coffee shop listening to her angelic voice for over an hour. Getting to know a girl I would never see again.
Her blue eyes sparkled before she turned. My gaze traced down her body. Following the soft dip in her waist before her hips flared out. Her perfect ass swayed as she walked away from me.
It begged for my touch. For me to ruin her a little bit. To taint her light with my darkness.
She was so gorgeous I ached. I’d fought the monster inside me as I sat next to her. Trying to keep my gaze from dropping to her perky tits. It took every bit of control I had, considering she wasn’t wearing a bra under that thin pink tank she’d worn. Just from a quick glance, I could tell they would be the perfect mouthful.
My chest tightened as she turned the corner and disappeared. I pushed my hands into my pockets as I moved in the other direction. My fingers ran over the business card she’d given me with a number on it I would never call. I shouldn’t have taken it. Shouldn’t have sat there talking to her.
All I’d done was torture myself with things I would never have. Nothing could happen with the beautiful girl who was too sweet for what I was.
Vinny pushed off the car as he saw me coming. His long dark hair flopped in the breeze as he stomped out his cigarette and opened the back door for me. “Seems you got distracted.”
My jaw clenched as I glared at him. I knew my uncle assigned Vinny to protect me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that his job was actually to track what I did. “It was nothing.”
“You’re going to be late for your meeting with the boss.” His voice carried to me as I climbed into the car.
My hand shot out, stopping him from closing the door. Anger simmered low in my gut. “I’m your boss too. I’d hate to think you might need reminding.”
Both our eyes fell to his missing pinkie finger. I wondered if he still had phantom pains or if the year since I’d cut it off had rid him of the feeling. He gave a curt nod before getting behind the wheel and driving away. I leaned my head back against the seat, staring at the city as we made our way to my uncle’s house.
Sayton City looked like any other metropolitan area. Professionals in suits hustled down the sidewalk past skyscrapers and parks. Tourists lingered at landmarks, enjoying the boardwalks and museums. Unaware of what really happened here. Of what dirt covered these streets. The darkness that I lived in.
I’d been born in the criminal hub of the Midwest. My family’s roots extended deep within this city. We weren’t the only mafia or crime syndicate here, but the Gallos controlled an entire portion of it. We sold drugs, ran guns and women, basically anything that would make us money.
It was all I’d been raised to do. From birth, I’d been trained to rule here. But that right had been taken from me years ago. When the Vancinis had decided that the city was theirs. When they’d killed my father and mother to make it happen.
I wished I could say I was surprised. That their deaths shouldn’t have happened. That it was tragic and unforeseeable. But it wasn’t. Sadly it was just another day in the mafia.
I didn’t wait for Vinny to open my door as we parked in front of my uncle’s house. It was more of a compound in the heart of the city. Ten-foot-high walls surrounded the two-story brick house. Guards walked the perimeter, constantly working on a varying rotation so no one could time them. The only people allowed inside were the ones who lived there.
The faint sound of screaming reached my ears as I walked into the mansion. Some might not have noticed it. But it was a sound that was so ingrained in me that I felt like I could hear it from miles away.
My fists clenched as I made my way to the basement. To the torture chamber, my uncle and sister had designed.
I couldn’t begin to count the number of hours I’d spent here. Learning everything I could about death and torture. The knowledge was now deeply embedded in my bones, making my soul thick with its darkness.
