Stolen Queen (Dynasty of Deception #4)

8. Matteo

8

MATTEO

W ell, that didn’t go as planned. Not that I had any expectations. A fantasy, maybe. One in which Ava would be so grateful that I saved her from death and her asshole father that she’d throw herself in my arms again. I knew that was unlikely, but I hadn’t guessed she’d be ungrateful and act like I was the asshole.

Then again, she does have a bump on the head and she’s in a strange place with a man she barely knows. Perhaps I need to be more understanding. Maybe after some food and rest, she’ll be more reasonable. She’ll see that I’ve helped her, but in doing so, I’ve put us both in a precarious situation. One I'm not sure how to get out of.

I lean against the wall outside her door, closing my eyes. The image of her moving away from me, eyes wide with fear, haunts me. She looked so small, so vulnerable. And yet, even in her terror, that fire I admire burned bright as she prepared to beat me with a crystal vase.

Still, I'm protecting her, giving her a safe place away from that bastard father of hers. My jaw clenches as I remember the bruise on her cheek from her father's hand. What I'd do to chop it off and make him eat it.

But that's not how Ava sees it. She sees me as the very thing I'm trying to save her from, another man controlling her life, deciding her fate.

Fuck. How do I fix this? How do I make her understand that I'm not the villain here? That I only want to keep her safe?

I lean my forehead against the door, listening. I think I hear the clink of a utensil on the plate, and I’m relieved she’s eating. But then I hear the unmistakable sound of crying. It cuts through me like a knife, twisting in my gut. My fingers itch to turn the knob, to rush in to make her see the situation, make her see that I’m trying to be her hero. But what could I possibly say? Sorry I kidnapped you, but it was for your own good? Yeah, that'll go over well.

How did I end up here? One minute, I'm catching her unconscious body, and the next, I'm the bad guy. But what was I supposed to do, leave her there for her father to find? Let that bastard ship her off to New York to marry some fuckwad creep three times her age?

I close my eyes, remembering the way she looked on that balcony, ready to risk everything for a taste of freedom. That fire, that spirit. I can’t let it be snuffed out. But clearly, I'm not igniting it, either.

The sounds from her room quiet down. Is she calming down or planning her next move? I strain my ears, trying to gauge her state of mind.

Silence.

I should go in. Check on her.

No. I force myself to stay put. She needs time. Space.

Fucking hell. Here I am, one of the most feared men in Chicago, standing outside Ava’s room like a lovesick puppy, hanging on every little sound she makes. I resent the way she cuts me to my knees. And how she’s brought me to a situation that will likely lead to my death. I’m now caught between the Rinella family and my own.

Growing up, family was everything. My mother, a D’Amato, was the epitome of a Mafia wife. She married my father, who worked for Elio’s father. We were all close. I remember summers spent chasing Elio through the streets, getting into trouble. I'm older than him by a year, as was my mother older than his father, but power passes through sons, so when my grandfather died, Elio’s father became the leader and when he died, Elio did. But I don’t mind that power hasn't passed to me. I like being in the position I am. I don’t have the massive responsibility that Elio does, and yet, I have some influence, power, and of course, wealth.

Personally, I think Elio is a great leader. He can be a fucking bastard when he needs to be, but he’s also loyal and caring to those close to him. And now here I am, potentially starting a war with a family he's trying to appease because I can't stand to see Ava looking like she's losing her light.

Fuck.

If Don Rinella finds out I have his daughter… Christ, it'll be an all-out bloodbath. The delicate peace Elio is trying to forge will be forever gone. And for what? A girl I barely know?

I close my eyes, picturing Elio's face when he finds out what I've done. Will he understand? After all, he chose a woman over family duty. Surely, he'll sympathize with my situation.

Or will he see it as a betrayal of his attempts to fix the alliance with the Rinellas? For taking a woman I have no right to take.

The secrecy is killing me. Every moment Ava stays here, hidden away, the risk grows. If anyone finds out—Rinella, Elio, hell, even one of our own men—it could bring everything crashing down.

But I can’t send her back. Not to that bastard father of hers. Not to a future with Don Nardone. His sadistic reputation is well-known. What is Rinella thinking by sending her to him? Is he trying to punish her? Well, not on my watch.

I'm caught between a rock and a hard place, with no clear path forward. Whatever I choose, someone gets hurt, maybe even killed. It's just a question of who.

Deciding I don’t like being a pussy, I grab my keys and head back to work, hoping no one asks where I disappeared to for lunch. Ava is fed and safe, so I don’t have any qualms about leaving her again.

I drive toward the D'Amato house, trying to shut my mind up of the dueling thoughts and emotions running roughshod.

When I get back to the house, it’s a buzz of activity preparing for Lazaro and Diana’s wedding. I don’t get it. It’s supposed to be a small affair, but the energy in the house makes it seem like a royal event.

I make my way through the house to Elio’s office. I step in, noting he’s briefing several men including Lazaro. I’m late.

Elio catches my eye from across the room, raising an eyebrow in question. I force a grin, hoping it doesn't look as strained as it feels. He's one of those quiet but astute types. How long before he sees through my facade?

I go to his bar, pouring a drink, like I always do. Then I lean against the wall and listen, like I always do. See, I’m being my same normal self.

For a moment, I wonder if I can tell Elio what’s going on. How would he react if he knew what I’d done? Not just in taking Ava, but in failing to let him know she’d been in the club? That I’d served her even though she’s underage? That I’d kissed her back, and it was fucking fantastic? Would he understand, or would he see it as a betrayal?

The loyalty between us has always been unshakeable. But now, I’ve probably fucked that up. I've crossed a line, and there might be no coming back from it.