Unwanted Marriage with the Mafia Boss (Mob Boss’s Unexpected Twins Duet #1)

8. Matteo

CHAPTER 8

Matteo

“What the fuck is he doing?” I whisper under my breath as I study the latest reports on Adriano’s movements.

He’s up to something, and it’s not anything good. He’s been buying properties in all the wrong areas, and there are strong whispers about his special Gaviani project, or whatever the fuck he calls it.

I don’t know what he intends to do. The area he’s focused on is close to the sea and right next to his territory. Building anything there would be great because of the view and closeness of the city center.

It’s perfect, but it’s also highly problematic and that’s why no one has ever tried to control that area. The neighborhood is very peaceful, quiet, and old, and everyone knows everyone there.

Trying to send someone to spy on Adriano and his men would be complicated—although not impossible—and he’s making his moves right from his territory. He’s only crossed over a little bit so far, but I’m sure he’s going to expand.

Will people sell their homes to him? It’s a risky investment and it could catch a lot of attention, but that’s exactly why Adriano wants it. If he has his way, he’ll get richer and more powerful, maybe even become the biggest boss in town. I can’t let that happen.

I grit my teeth. I shouldn’t have let Adriano keep his territory and my family name. Now I’ll have to go through his territory to find out exactly what his plan is.

Maybe I should let him handle the complicated neighborhood and set it up for business. Once all the pesky people are gone, I’ll defeat Adriano and take everything that’s his. Let him do the dirty work for me.

A soft sound in the hallway makes me close the laptop on my desk and turn around. My father enters the room. His gray eyes are narrowed, and his gray hair is starting to peek out from under the dyed black strands.

“Why are you still here?” he asks, raising his eyebrows at me.

“And where am I supposed to be?”

“I don’t know. Out there. Doing something!”

“Maybe I would be... if you finally let me take control of things.” I push my lips up into a smile that I don’t feel.

My father is getting old, but he still wants to be the one to rule the Gaviani territory on his own. He keeps saying I have to wait for him to retire or die to become the boss, but I’m running out of patience.

At first, I thought that working for him and doing what he wanted would make him see that I was ready, but now, I no longer want to jump every time he barks. His decisions are stupid anyway. He didn’t let me go after Adriano, and that was his biggest mistake.

Now things are more difficult for us, but there’s still time to salvage the situation. The only question is, does my father want that? He’s always had a soft spot for that street rat he found. I can’t believe that he used to call Adriano his son, even though Adriano has zero Gaviani blood.

“You? Take over?” My father laughs. “Not with that again. You haven’t shown me a single thing that would make me think you’re worthy of taking my place.”

I scoff and start for the door, but he gets in my way. We’re face-to-face as he stares into my eyes. It used to terrify me when he’d do that because I knew bad things were coming, but not anymore. I’m taller and stronger than him. If he thinks he can scare me, he’s wrong.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks.

“Didn’t you just say I should be out there? If you don’t think I’m worthy, then maybe I should leave, and you won’t just have Adriano as your enemy.” I glare at him.

“Don’t be dramatic. You don’t even have your own territory.”

I tilt my head. “What makes you think I wouldn’t just take yours?”

“Because you’re not Adriano.”

I curl my fingers into fists. It takes all my willpower not to punch him. “If you love that asshole so fucking much, then why don’t you help him with his new project? Ah, wait, you can’t. He would put a bullet in your head because, despite what you think, he’s not your real son.”

He presses his lips into a tight line. That’s it. My father can’t handle the fact that I’m his heir and not his precious Adriano.

“I want you to go there,” he suddenly says.

“Go where?”

“Check out the neighborhood he’s planning to buy. Find out what people there think and what they know.”

“If I want to get there, I’ll have to go through Adriano’s territory... or the Ciprianis’.”

The Ciprianis are a strange family, but they stick to their territory and don’t deal much with anyone else. They’re not a threat, unless you enter their territory without permission. We don’t need a war with the Ciprianis, which only leaves us with one possible path.

“Yes, you’ll have to go through Adriano’s territory. Is that a problem?” My father stares at me. “Are you so incompetent that you and your men will get caught?”

“No, but you know what that neighborhood is like. Everyone will know I asked around, including Adriano, and I don’t think those people will tell us anything useful. We already know many of them are not happy about Adriano’s plan and they’ll refuse to sell, unless he finds a way to convince them.”

“I want him to know we’re on to his plan.”

I furrow my brow. “Then fucking send him a letter.”

“No. He needs to know we can pass through his territory whenever we want and that we’re ready to interfere with his business.”

“You want to put some pressure on him?” Adriano works best under pressure, and my father knows that. Great. It looks like he wants to help Adriano.

“Stop asking so many stupid questions and just do it. Go. I don’t want to see you here until it’s done.”

He doesn’t want to see me in our home until it’s done? Wow. He’s going to bring over some women to fuck while I’m gone, like he always does.

“Fine.” I’m not going to argue with him this time.

It’s a waste of my time and breath. I’ll do what he wants me to do, but I need to come up with my own plan. There has to be a way to get rid of Adriano and my father at the same time. I just need to be careful about what I do.

Then I won’t only defeat Adriano and have his territory but I’ll also take my birthright. Before the life drains out of my father’s eyes, he’ll realize Adriano is weak and should’ve never been given the Gaviani name. He’ll realize he’s been underestimating me my whole damn life, and he’ll have regrets.

But that’s not my problem. I’ll laugh last.