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I want to relish this news. I couldn’t be happier. I got her pregnant. Now she really is mine. The thought alone turns me on thinking about her belly growing with our child. But she’s been hiding it. Why hadn’t she come to find me when she found out?
“Matteo,” Sergio says when I walk back into the room. I ignore him.
Mona smiles when she sees me. “I can’t believe you did this for me.” Both she and her sister stare at me with smiles on their faces. I try to say something, but words don’t come. I always say the wrong thing when it comes to Mona. Mona's smile starts to falter. “She told you.” Mona glances down to the floor.
“Why didn't you?”
“It would have come out.” Mona starts to clam up. Her voice drops to a whisper.
“But you didn’t tell me.”
“I was scared, okay?” She blurts it out. In a protective move, Riley steps closer to her.
“Have I ever harmed a hair on your head, Mona? Hell, you fucking yell in my face without consequence. There’s not another human being that walks this earth that would get away with that.” I don’t include that I’ve killed men for less.
“You can hurt people in other ways. You won’t even have sex with me since you found out I was an O’Haire!”
“I was taking my time with you.” It was bad enough that I kidnapped her. I wasn’t going to force myself on her. I was waiting for her to come to terms with the reality that she is mine.
“Oh, yeah.” She rolls her eyes, starting to get worked up. Yeah, she’s not fucking scared of me. “Your men won't even talk to me because of who I am. I heard what they said about me.”
“Whatwhosaid?” Mona's eyes widen slightly; she hadn't intended to say that. I step closer to her. Riley tries to move in front of her. “I will have you removed. Don’t get it twisted. You do not have the same liberty as Mona.”
“Don’t be mean to her.” I clench my fists against my side.
“Tell me who said something to you, or I’ll remove everyone from this room until you do.”
“You’re threatening me?” She’s damn right I am. I will not tolerate any disrespect from my men toward her.
“Mona, in this, it’s not a game.” I grab her, pulling her so her body is flush with mine. “If one of my men said something, I need to know.”
“I overheard two of them talking.” Her cheeks turn pink, and I have an idea of just the nature of this conversation.
“Both of you stay inside this room.” That was all I needed to know.
“Matteo.” Mona calls after me, but I’m too livid to stop. I close the doors behind me.
“Round them up,” I tell Sergio. “And call Church.”
12
MONA
“He’s intense,” Riley says the second the door falls closed behind Matteo. We are truly alone for the first time.
“I don’t know what he is.” I sit back down on the bed. “I still can’t believe you're here.”
“It was insane. His man just came and took me.”
“I guess he has a style.” Matteo doesn’t hold anything back. He says what he thinks and does what he wants.
“Are you okay?” She grabs my hand.
“I don’t know.” Unable to help myself, I tell her most of what has happened since I’ve been here.
“Aidan thought he'd kill you to stop the marriage or marry you himself.” I don’t want to ask which of those options my brother was hoping for.
“He’s not going to marry me.”