by Cora Reilly
I didn’t care what they said, but I’d never enjoyed myself at social functions and I doubted that would change any time soon. “I know, but I hate these gatherings. Everything about it is false. People who wouldn’t hesitate to thrust a knife into your back smile into your face if they hope to gain something from it.”
For a long time I’d thought I was anti-social and just didn’t like to be around larger groups of people but during my time on the run, I’d attended several parties and I’d never felt out of place. Even though I’d been pretending to be someone else then, I’d still felt truer to myself than I ever did around the people in our world.
“You’ll get used to them.”
“I don’t want to. That’s why I ran away.”
Matteo searched my face with a curious expression, then his lips twitched. “So you didn’t only run from me?”
“Don’t get your hopes up. You were definitely one of the main reasons,” I said.
“But not the only reason.”
I rolled my eyes and took another sip from my coffee. “Do I really have to attend the dinner?”
Matteo rose from his chair and startled me with a quick kiss on my mouth. “Yep. I won’t suffer through it alone now that I have a wife who can share my anguish. Just do what I do when I have to talk to idiots, imagine how it would feel to slice their heads off.”
Despite how often I’d pushed him away, Matteo seemed intend on making it work between us. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Couldn’t he finally grow tired of me and give me the chance to get away? “That’s easy for you to say, but not all of us make a habit out of killing people.”
Images of Sid wanted to anchor themselves in my brain again, but I couldn’t bear them right now and forced them away.
“Then imagine how it would be to watch me kill the people that annoy you. As your husband it’s my duty to kill your enemies after all.” Matteo smiled his cocky grin, his eyes lit up with humor. My stomach fluttered in a scary way and I quickly tore my gaze away from him and emptied my cup.
“I’ll go up to Aria and talk to her about going shopping. I need to be a good wife after all,” I said mockingly but somehow it felt wrong. My emotions were confusing me, everything about my new situation did.
“You should probably buy some new clothes for you,” Matteo said as he put his gun holster on.
“Is that an order?”
“I didn’t know it was necessary to order a woman to buy clothes. Isn’t that your favorite hobby?”
“Really?” I almost laughed. “Not all women are the same.”
“Oh I know.” There was that smile again.
My eyes lingered on his gun, trying to remind myself that this was who he really was. The smile that made my stomach do flips was only a mask.
I stood abruptly. “You and Luca will be gone all day again?”
“Why? Do you and Aria have another escape planned?”
“Haha,” I muttered, then raised the leg of my jeans, revealing the black ankle bracelet. “I can’t, remember?”
“It doesn’t stop you from making plans. Don’t tell me you’re not still thinking about escaping?”
I considered lying but instead opted for the truth. “Of course I am thinking about it. Did you think good sex and a ring around my finger would suddenly make me change my mind?”
“Only good, hm?”
I snorted and headed toward the elevator. Matteo joined me inside, his eyes resting on my hand.
“You are wearing your ring. I thought you’d throw it away the first chance you got.”
I peered down at the gold band with the fine line of diamonds. “Did you carry it the entire time you were hunting me?”
Matteo smirked as if he knew I was avoiding his question, and I was. I hadn’t even considered throwing the ring away. It seemed like such a waste. At least I hoped that was the only reason.
“Of course,” he said. “I always knew I’d catch you eventually and I knew I would have to make you my wife before you ran off again.”
His confidence was exasperating. It was also incredibly sexy. I was glad when the elevator doors slid open and I could walk away from Matteo’s smile and my own unwanted thoughts. Luca passed me with barely a nod and joined his brother in the elevator.
Aria’s welcome was much warmer. She was beaming all over her face as she headed my way and hugged me. “I still can’t believe that you’re living so close to me. I really missed having you as my confidante.”
“I suppose there aren’t many trustworthy women around here,” I said, my blood boiling when I remembered how Luca’s cousin Cosima had tricked Aria into walking in on Grace and Luca.
“Now that you are here, I don’t care.” Aria peered down at her elegant gold watch. “How about we head out for coffee now and then go shopping. Luca said we were all invited to the Bardoni’s Christmas party.”
I sighed. “Yeah. Matteo told me I had to attend.”
“At least we can suffer together. Believe me, Luca isn’t too excited about that invitation either. Bardoni wants his son to become Luca’s Consigliere because in the past the Consigliere has always been one on the Bardonis, but Luca wants Matteo and nobody else.”
“So this party is going to be even more awkward than I thought. Everyone is going to scheme against Matteo and me. Oh, joy.”
Aria smiled apologetically. “It won’t be too bad. Now let’s go shopping. I need some fresh air.”
Of course Romero accompanied us as we headed out to buy dresses. Maybe I would have enjoyed myself more if I didn’t have to be careful not to flash my stupid ankle monitor whenever I tried a dress on. From the look on the face of one of the vendors, I was fairly sure I didn’t manage to cover the bracelet with the hem at all times. I realized I’d barely thought about escape in the last few weeks. Too many things had happened. And then there was Romero’s constant surveillance whenever I went somewhere with Aria. Moreover, the ankle monitor was making it entirely impossible. I’d have to figure out a way to convince Matteo to take that thing off. Once that was taken care of, my desire to run away would probably return with full force.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
GIANNA
I’d known all along that the Christmas party at the Bardoni’s house was going to be a huge flop, but it was even worse than I’d thought. The only good thing about this ordeal was that Matteo had Sandro take off the ankle monitor so I could wear my cocktail dress without flashing that thing at everyone. That would have been the talk of the evening, no doubt.
The Bardoni’s lived in a townhouse, which had been decorated to an inch of its capacities. They’d even set up a massive angel, which had been carved from ice, in their front yard. The decoration was white and gold, expensive crystal baubles adorned the massive tree. It screamed money, and felt so impersonal that I was sure an interior designer had arranged it. Mrs. Bardoni didn’t appear as if she’d ever moved a finger for anything. She was also at least twenty years younger than her husband.
She and her husband greeted Aria and Luca first, and while their smiles hadn’t been exactly warm or honest, they turned positively fake and condescending when it was time to greet me.
I shook Mrs. Bardoni’s hand with a polite smile, or at least I hoped it looked polite. Her expression was as if an untalented sculptor had tried to carve a smile into a statue. The smile of the ice angel outside had been warmer than hers. When Mr. Bardoni turned to me, I had to suppress a shudder. He reached for my hand but while he’d barely brushed Aria’s skin, his lips pressed firmly to my hand and then his tongue darted out and licked my skin. The accompanying leer he sent my way almost made me punch him. I quickly retracted my hand, only barely managing not to wipe it on my dress, and only because the silk was too beautiful to come in contact with that asshole’s slobber.
Matteo was in conversation with Mrs. Bardoni who was introducing him to a young woman my age. It was obvious that the old hag was trying to set Matteo up with her daughter. Anger bubbled up in me but I knew
better than to show my emotions. When I finally turned my eyes away from the scene, I found Aria watching me with a worried expression. I gave a small shake of my head. Matteo tore himself away from Mrs. Bardoni and her daughter, and wrapped his arm around my waist. He scanned my face as he led me into the living room where the remaining guests had gathered. “You look pissed.”
I shrugged. If I told him what Mr. Bardoni had done, things would become ugly. “Looks like you have a fan,” I said instead, nodding in the direction of the Bardoni daughter whose eyes followed Matteo.
“Jealous?” he asked, smirking.
“You wish.” But was I?
We didn’t get the chance to talk more, because other guests approached us, and while most of them were acting polite, I could see in their eyes that they despised me. I had a feeling that they would show me what they really thought of me the moment Matteo wasn’t around. They soon got their chance. While Matteo and Luca joined the other men, Aria and I strolled toward the buffet. Of course we weren’t alone for long. Soon the bitch Cosima, Matteo’s stepmother Nina, as well as Mrs. Bardoni, and a few other women joined us. Aria’s presence still offered me some protection from direct insults, but none of the women bothered talking to me. It was as if I wasn’t even there. Even Aria’s attempts to include me in the conversation failed. I didn’t care. I hated these women, hated their fake smiles and nasty personalities. But the worst was watching Aria being polite to Cosima despite what that bitch had done.
Eventually I excused myself and headed toward the terrace door, which allowed a view into the small snow-covered garden. My reprieve was very short-lived however.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?” a high female voice said.
Nina Vitiello stood beside me, her mouth stretched wide in the imitation of a smile. She no longer wore black. Her husband’s funeral had been more than a year ago. She linked our arms to my utter disdain and led me outside despite the cold. I knew this wasn’t going to be pleasant. Even though she was Luca’s and Matteo’s stepmother, she’d never come to visit. I had a feeling she was scared of her stepsons.
The moment we were away from privy ears, she turned her back to the windows and faced me with a face devoid of any pleasantness. She reminded me of an ugly toad. “You might be parading around like you are one of us, like you belong in our circles, but if it weren’t for Matteo, nobody would invite you.”
I raised my eyebrows. Did she really think I gave a damn? I’d never wanted to be part of this world, that was why I had run away. It took immeasurable control on my part not to say what I wanted. Instead I tried to return to the party but Nina Vitiello held my arm, obviously not done. “A decent girl would have died from shame after being caught with another man. The only reason you’re still alive is Matteo’s good-heartedness. That boy is too dutiful. Although nobody would have blamed him if he’d discarded you like a dirty rag after what you did. If my husband were still alive, he’d have fed you to our dogs.”
Dutiful and good-hearted? That didn’t sound like Matteo.
Deep breaths, Gianna. Don’t cause a scene.
Again I tried to leave, but her fingers dug into my skin. “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? You’ve dishonored your family, and now you are bringing shame to the name Vitiello. Your mere presence is an insult to every honorable woman in this house. Your existence is sin.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Sin? You want to talk to me about sin?” I pointed toward the windows, behind which New York’s worst criminals were gathered. “That room breathes sin.”
Nina Vitiello lifted her chin. “Do us all a favor and kill yourself.”
I wrenched my arm away, shocked. “I won’t ever do any of you a favor.” I turned and headed back inside. Matteo spotted me from across the room where he was talking with a younger version of Mr. Bardoni, Luca and a couple of other men. I quickly looked away, hoping he wouldn’t approach me. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to him now. Aria was still where I’d left her, completely entrenched in conversation.
I crossed the room as quickly as possible, pretending I didn’t hear the whispered “whore” a couple of people called me. Despite my best attempts not to let those insults get to me, I felt relief when I finally left the living room and found myself alone in the front hall. I needed to find the bathroom to freshen up and clear my head before I entered that room again. I was seriously worried that I’d attack someone if I didn’t get a grip on myself. Taking a deep breath, I went in search for the restroom. I hoped I’d come across someone leaving the bathroom so I didn’t have to open every single door. I definitely wouldn’t ask Mrs. Bardoni to point it out to me. Unfortunately the only thing I found was Mr. Bardoni who must have been following me. The leer the bald idiot sent my way made me want to puke.
Matteo
If Bardoni thought I hadn’t noticed the way he’d eye-fucked Gianna when we’d arrived, he was even more stupid than I thought. If it weren’t for Luca, I would have plunged my knife into the fucker’s face right away. But Luca was a new Capo and couldn’t use any more trouble, so I had promised him to stay on my best behavior. As the party progressed I slowly came to the realization that I might have to break my promise.
Gianna was trying to put on a brave face but I could see how upset she was after a talk to my bitch of a stepmother. I didn’t want to know what the old goat had said to Gianna. She would never dare say something to my face. She was scared of Luca and me, had been for as long as I could remember.
Unfortunately, it took me a few more minutes before I could finally follow Gianna after she’d fled the living room. Luca’s warning glance almost made me want to laugh. I had no intention of doing something stupid, except for having a quickie with my wife to lift her spirits. What was wrong with that?
When I stepped out into the lobby, I didn’t see Gianna anywhere. I paused, listening closely, but the sounds of the party behind me were drowning out everything else. What if she’d run? I should have told Romero or Sandro to keep an eye on her at all times, but I hadn’t wanted to embarrass her further. People had enough to gossip about as it was.
I headed in the direction of where I remembered the bathroom to be, hoping I’d find her there. A deep voice made me quicken my steps and when I came around the next corner I found Gianna alone with old Bardoni. One look at her face and I knew she was on the verge of a freakout. She didn’t see me as I approached, her narrowed eyes directed at Bardoni.
“Why don’t you show me what you learned in Europe. I bet you’re very talented with your lips. That’s why Matteo was so eager to marry you, hm?” Bardoni said and reached for Gianna’s arm. Before she or I could react, he pulled her against him and fucking kissed her while groping her breast. My blood boiling, I stormed toward them, pulled my knife, shoved Bardoni away from Gianna and slammed my blade into the soft spot below his chin, piercing his fucking brain. Gianna gasped and stumbled back against the wall, her eyes darting from my knife to my face.
“Fuck,” I muttered. I chanced a quick glance around, then dragged Bardoni’s body toward his office, letting my knife in his chin so blood didn’t shoot out.
“You killed him,” Gianna whispered harshly.
“He shouldn’t have touched you.” I nodded toward the door. “Open that for me.” After a moment of hesitation, she stumbled forward and pushed the door open for me. I dragged Bardoni inside and Gianna quickly followed me inside before closing the door.
I put Bardoni down in his desk chair, then took a step back. This was bad. Luca would kick my ass when he found out.
“What are we going to do?” Gianna asked in a toneless voice from her spot near the door.
“We are going to make it look like I didn’t kill him.”
“Your knife is in his head.”
I grinned but sobered when I saw Gianna’s expression. It reminded me of the look she’d had after Sid had been shot. Sometimes I forgot that not everyone was as used to blood and death as me.
Slowly she came closer, gaze frozen on the
body. “Why did you kill him?”
“Because he was an asshole.”
Gianna stopped beside me and dead Bardoni. She looked like she couldn’t quite believe what she saw. She raised her arm as if she was going to touch the corpse to convince herself of its existence.
“Don’t touch anything,” I ordered a bit too harshly, gripping her wrist to stop her.
She stared up at me with huge eyes. After another moment, she nodded almost robotically. She looked like she was going into shock. That was the last thing we needed.
Ideally I would have gone in search of Luca but I couldn’t leave Gianna alone with the body. If someone came in, she’d have more trouble dealing with that person than I did.
I touched her cheek to bring her attention back to my face. “Go and get Luca,” I told her.
She hesitated.
“Go.”
“Okay.” She whirled around, crossed the room in a rush and slipped out. She closed the door silently. I really hoped she wouldn’t give everything away because she was so freaked out.
I lowered my eyes to Bardoni. I really loved the sight of my knife in his skull.
“Matteo?” I heard Luca’s quiet voice a couple of minutes later. I jogged toward the door and opened it a crack. When I saw Luca standing in the corridor, I ushered him in.
“What do you want? Gianna didn’t say anything,” he said, but shut up when his gaze settled on Bardoni behind the desk. “Oh fuck.”
“Bardoni had an accident,” I said with a shrug.
Luca gave me a look. “Fuck, Matteo, what did you do?”
“If you ask me, I think good old Mr. Bardoni killed himself,” I said.
Luca circled the body, then he glared at me. “It’s because of Gianna, isn’t it? Bardoni did or said something that annoyed you and you lost your shit. I knew the girl would bring nothing but trouble.”
“The asshole has been on your death list for a while. He’s been stirring up shit. You are glad he’s gone, admit it. We’ve discussed having him killed countless times. I decided to finally act.”