She laughs to cover her annoyance.
“What the hell is so funny?”
“You’re angry.”
“Aren’t you? I have a lot riding on this marriage,” I remind her.
Her lips thin with irritation. “No, you are angry that she’s gone. You’re not acting like a man that will lose out on the family fortune. You’re acting like a man that lost his wife.”
A chilled black silence surrounds us.
“This was only a business deal,” I say coldly.
“You’re right. She backed out of the deal, so I’ll make a few phone calls.”
I grab her arm when she turns to walk out. “No, you won’t. If anything happens to her, I will hold you responsible.”
“Are you threatening me, Matteo?” she asks.
“Leave her alone,” I reply sharply.
Sarah stares at me as if she has never seen me before. When she leaves, I pour a bourbon and make a call. I need to make this right. I don’t know how she did it, but she paid back the money. I breathe a sigh of relief until it hits me. I am in love with my wife. She is mine, and I want her back.
Isabella
A thrill of frightened anticipation touches my spine. It’s been three months since I have seen him. He’s called and left messages, but I’ve ignored all of them. I even hid in Simone’s spare bedroom when he came over to talk. I know I should have talked to him like a grown woman, but I couldn’t. If he had any remorse, I would have jumped in his arms and left with him. The best way to deal with Matteo Stone is from a distance.
I have been so depressed since I left. It feels like a piece of me is missing. I miss our date nights, late night chats, and the way he looks at me. Despite the pain, I know I can’t have what I want with him. If dreams could come true, he would wake up and realize that he’s in love with me. How can something so fake feel so real? I already realize that Chicago isn’t big enough for both of us. The minute the divorce is final, I am leaving the city.
Today, we are scheduled to meet with the attorney. I don’t have one since I didn’t come into this marriage with anything. I don’t know how I will sit in the same room with him. I can feel his presence before I even see him. My knees go weak at the sight of him. The unwelcome tension stretches ever tighter between us.
His dark eyes feel like they are staring into my soul. I try to look away, but he’s holding me in a trance. Matteo’s attorney reviews the paperwork and advises that he’ll go over the terms.
“Excuse me? What do you mean, terms?” I ask. My chest feels as though it will burst as his eyes never leave mine.
“Mr. Stone is offering a settlement,” he informs me.
I become increasingly uneasy under his scrutiny. Is he trying to pull something? I didn’t ask for or want a settlement. “What kind of settlement?”
“Isabella,” he whispers.
I’m halted by the tone of his voice. He sits up and leans against the table.
“I am giving you twenty-five percent of the companies. You won’t have to do anything. You’ll get a monthly income.”
“Why would you do that? I didn’t ask you for anything.”
“I know you didn’t. You lost your job because of this shit. I want you to be comfortable. It will make me happy knowing you’re taken care of,” he replies.
“I won’t take it.”
His eyes narrow, and he asks to speak to me alone. My thighs tremble at the thought of being alone with him. His lawyer nods and leaves. We sit silently for a long time. He sits forward and looks at me intently.
“What did we need to discuss?” I ask.
“You look beautiful.”
“Matteo…”
“I’ve missed you.”
I lean back and close my eyes.
Isabella… breathe. Don’t let him get to you….
“I can’t do this,” I reply.
“You can’t do what, baby?”
“I can’t take your money or compliments. I just want this to be over.”
“Is that what you really want?”
I give him a small nod. Is this what I want? No. It is what has to happen.
Matteo sighs and slowly stands as if he is in pain. He gives me a sad, small smile before walking out and gently closing the door. A few minutes later, his lawyer returns and asks me to sign the final divorce papers. My heart breaks when I see Matteo’s signature. The lawyer advises that he is giving me everything I want… nothing.
The only problem is I am leaving with something. A broken heart.
Matteo
“Have you lost your damn mind?” Paolo yells.
This is the fifth shooting victim that I’m bringing to the hospital. My temper has been getting the best of me, and I have shot a few people that work for me. I just hate paying people that aren’t carrying their own fucking weight.
“Can you just take out the bullet, Paolo? I don’t need another lecture,” I warn.
“I don’t need the staff wondering why I am I spending most of my time in the basement either.”
Brutus groans as Paolo works to fix him up. This is the second time he’s ended up at the wrong end of my gun. Once he removes the bullet and patches him up, he nods for me to walk with him.
“What the hell is going on with you, Matteo?”
“Nothing… business has been good. I just need to work on my patience.”
He narrows his eyes, and I look away. I don’t like seeing the pity in them. I know exactly what he is about to say. He has been saying it a lot lately.
“Why don’t you go talk to her?”
“Talk to who?” I ask. I know who he’s referring to. I just don’t want to face it. I don’t feel like a whole man since I signed those damn papers.
“You know who I am talking about. It’s been three months, and you haven’t been yourself since you ended the marriage.”
“Do I need to remind you that the marriage wasn’t real? I got everything I want.”
“You got the business. I don’t think you got everything you want. It turned real for you, Matteo.”
I start to reply when a phone starts ringing. I reach into my pocket and realize it’s not mine. A few seconds later, Brutus advises that there is a problem at the State Street Market. I hug my brother and sneak back out of the hospital. I sit in the back of the black town car as Brutus zips between traffic. Closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose, I think about her. I will never admit it to him, but Paolo is right. I didn’t get everything I want.
When we finally reach the Market, I hear her screaming the minute I open the car door. She always makes her presence known, and even more now that I am running the business. Her eyes widen when she notices me standing in the doorway. She runs toward me like she is the victim. I know her enough to realize, if there is trouble, she is behind it.
“Baby, he isn’t following my instructions!” she whines.
“I don’t work for this bitch!” Tommy shouts.
Sarah rushes toward him with her hand lifted, but he shoves her away.
“Baby, will you tell him that he needs to start listening to me?”
Is there any wonder why I have been shooting people? I am already agitated, and she keeps hitting every possible button I have.
“What’s going on, Tommy?” I ask.
She sighs and tosses her hair over her shoulder. “You’re going to ask him and not me?” Sarah replies.
Ignoring her, I wait for him to give me the lowdown.
“What’s going on is she keeps sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong. I have worked for your family for almost ten years. I know my job and don’t need her looking over my damn shoulder.”
“Maybe someone needs to remind you that you have a new boss. Shit changes,” Sarah announces.
“I know who my boss is, and it’s not your skanky ass,” he snarls back at her.
“Can you two shut the hell up? Tommy, please go back to work.”
He nods, and we both quickly glance at the a
ngry blonde. “Is your car here, Sarah?” I ask.
“You are not taking his side, are you?”
“We can talk later,” I reply.
Sarah walks to the back of the Market for a few seconds before returning with her purse. She rolls her eyes at Tommy and bumps into me as she walks past. This is going to be a fight later; I’ll just get prepared.
“I can’t deal with her, boss. I don’t know how you do it, but I don’t get paid enough,” Tommy tells me.
I nod and assure him that I am the only person running the business. He doesn’t need to listen to anything she tells him. I start to walk away but notice that Tommy isn’t moving. His eyes close and reopen and he shakes his head.
“Is there something else?”
“Yeah, there is. I probably should just keep my mouth shut, but you need to watch your back with her.”
“I know who I am dealing with. Her bark is worse than her bite.”
“How do you know she won’t have someone else doing the biting?” he asks.
“Is there something you need to tell me, Tommy?”
He rubs his face and looks at me with tortured eyes. “Yeah… I think there is. Can we go to your office?”
My father always told me to keep my friends close, but my enemies closer. When Tommy sits across from me, I have no idea what he is about to tell me. His words should shock me, but they don’t. The woman who I have been casually fucking for years is working to fuck me over. I stare into his eyes as he shares what he has seen and what he thinks is about to happen.
Who do I trust when everyone has something to gain? The only person with anything to lose is me.
Tommy has been a loyal employee, but what if he is feeding me this information for a bigger payoff? I won’t kid myself into thinking Sarah can’t be persuaded to turn on me. It’s time for me to find out exactly who I can trust and who needs to be eliminated.
“Are you sure about this, Tommy?”
He sighs before he nods. “I love your father like he is my own. I owe you my loyalty.”
“Thank you for telling me this, Tommy.”
I believe every word he said. I have to find out what the hell is going on with Sarah. I don’t know how long I sit in the office after Tommy leaves. Pouring myself a glass from the bottle of bourbon I keep in my desk; I just sit there and stare at the clock.
The hard knock on my office door lets me know who is on the other side… Brutus.
He comes in and asks if I need anything else before he heads out. I do need something else, and he is the only one who can do it. His eyes narrow when I advise that I am putting him on another job. I can see the distrust, and I can understand why… He just had a bullet pulled out of him from my gun. I promise him that he will be well compensated. He nods and walks out of my office. It’s time to find out if I need to end things with Sarah.
When it’s finally time to head home for the night, I take my usual route. It’s out of the way and takes twenty minutes longer than it should. I wonder if this is considered stalking? Every night, I sit in front of Isabella’s condo. It’s on the first floor and in plain view. It took a lot of work to get her in it, but it was well worth the money. What would she think if she knew I have been behind everything that has come into her life?
When I found out she was looking for a new job, how could I not help? It doesn’t hurt when you have people all over the city. When she walked out with that application, I did the only thing I could think of. I found out who the hiring manager was. After we watched him for a week, it wasn’t hard to figure out he was cheating on his wife. People will do anything you want when their back is against the wall.
When I looked at her application, I noticed she was still living with that bitchy friend of hers. I found the perfect condo for her. It has two bedrooms and is ten minutes from this office she wants to work at. I can’t have her, but at least I can still take care of her.
Isabella
No matter what good things have come my way, I still feel empty. I should be thankful that I found a new job. It pays better than the bank, and I hit jackpot with the benefits. Every night, I go home to my new condo, which I should also feel thankful for, but I don’t.
Something is missing or, should I say, someone? I can’t stop thinking about him. I know I was forced into the marriage, but the feelings I felt were very real. They are still very real.
While I lie in bed staring at this damn ceiling fan, I realize they are probably cuddled up sleeping soundly. I wish I could hate them, but I only hate her. I can never hate Matteo, no matter how hard I try. I still feel him and, in my mind, he is so close.
Why can’t I just move on? I watch the clock, and when it’s finally morning, I decide to take a walk. I have never been a fitness buff, but walking helps calm my mind. It’s still a little dark out, but there is plenty of traffic in the city. I walk past a few other walkers and avoid making eye contact. The last thing I need is to meet new people. That didn’t work out well for me the last time.
The aroma of coffee hits me, and I check my pocket to make sure I brought cash. I have enough for a tall latte. The coffee shop is already busy, and it immediately brings me back to my time here with Matteo. I knew he was too perfect.
“What can I get you today?”
The barista snaps me out of the brief reminder of the past, and I smile and walk up to the counter.
“I’ll have a Cinnamon Shortbread Latte.”
She smiles, takes my name, and I walk over to the side to wait for my drink. Have you ever felt like you were being watched? Glancing around the small coffee shop, I don’t see anyone that I recognize. It has to be all in my head. A few minutes later, the barista calls me and I walk over to get my coffee. As I grab my drink, she calls out another name that is too familiar.
“Drink ready for Nikoli.”
I nearly bump into him as he grabs his coffee and smiles. “Isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” he says with a smile.
“Hi,” I reply. I try to walk around him, but he blocks me.
“How have you been?”
“Good.”
“Are you in a rush or can you sit and chat?”
“Nikoli, I…”
He cuts me off and places his hand on my arm to move me away from the counter. “Isabella, you’re not married to Matteo any longer. It’s okay to sit with me.” His eyes lift and I nod.
I feel a little uncomfortable sitting with the man that Matteo considers a sworn enemy. I also have to remind myself that, like he said, I am no longer married. It doesn’t matter what my former husband thinks. Nikoli questions me on how I am doing, and if I am adjusting to the single life. He has no idea that the marriage was never real to begin with. It hurts when I tell him of the unholy union, but he doesn’t act surprised.
“Matteo has always been ruthless when it comes to the people in his life. Just be happy you made it out alive.”
“Matteo would have never hurt me.”
“You don’t think forcing someone into marriage doesn’t hurt? Or was that for your benefit?” he spits.
I decide I have had enough of him and the conversation. I am not going to sit here while he bad mouths Matteo.
“Wait. I’m sorry, Isabella. He just isn’t one of my favorite people. Can I take you out to dinner?”
The hair on the back of my neck stands as I glance into his eyes. I have never made the best decisions when it comes to answering this question. I should just say no.
“I don’t think that is a good idea,” I answer.
“Please,” he begs and tilts his head. He looks so innocent; what could go wrong? Nodding, I give him my address on a napkin, and he says he’ll pick me up at eight. Nikoli offers to walk me home, but I assure him that I need the quiet time alone. I hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass. Rushing back to my condo, I shower and quickly get dressed for work. Hopefully, it will keep my mind off my date with Nikoli.
The day goes by fast, and we are able to go home early since it’s Friday. I
never got that perk working at the bank. I believe that nothing is a coincidence in life. There is a reason I went for a walk today. There is a reason I ran into Nikoli. There is also a reason there is a traffic jam, and I have been sitting in front of this church for the past twenty minutes.
Pulling into the parking lot, I stare at the front door. It’s been years since I have been inside a church. Maybe the universe is giving me a sign to go in and repent? It feels so peaceful inside. There are a few older ladies at the altar kneeling, and there are candles lit around the large room. Do I belong in here? I turn to run out and again I bump into a hard chest. His hands wrap around my arms as he looks me in the eyes.
“Did you find your answers?” the minister asks.
“Excuse me?”
“You came in looking for something. Did you find it?”
“I wasn’t looking for anything,” I reply.
He tilts his head and closes his eyes. “You wouldn’t have come inside if you weren’t looking for something. I can assure you that someone wanted you to come inside and you listened.”
It feels so familiar being inside this church. This man is familiar, but I don’t know him. I don’t know what this is that I do feel, but I have to get out of here. “I shouldn’t have come in. I’m sorry.”
I turn to walk away, but he places his hand on my shoulder. “You should never be sorry for coming into our father’s house. You are loved here.”
I don’t know why the first tear drops now. I wipe it away and glance back toward the altar. The women are now gone. My eyes move to the cross hanging in the front.
“Can you pray for me?” I ask.
He takes my hand, and we sit at one of the pews. I listen as he spends the next five minutes praying for me. I don’t know why I felt the need to ask for it, but I feel much better once the words are said.
Matteo
This woman is either the best damn liar I have known or Tommy was dead wrong. I haven’t been able to trip up Sarah at all. It has been a month since Tommy told me that she is working against me. Everything she has done has appeared to be legit.
Unholy Union Page 11