Page 77 of Bellini Bound

And for the first time since saying “I do,” I was optimistic about the future.

Chapter 20

Enzo

“Thefucktodoyou mean she’s dead?” Matteo roared.

I reclined in the chair opposite his desk. “General implication is that she’s worm food.”

My cousin’s eyes narrowed dangerously as he shot me a murderous glare. “I almost liked it better when you weren’t getting laid on the regular. Being backed up kept your sarcasm to a minimum.”

A smug smile crept onto my lips as I linked both hands behind my head. “Sorry, Boss. Just following orders. You told me to play nice with my wife, so I did.” The memory of last night—Allie tied up with multi-colored ropes, unable to escape the vibrator positioned against her cunt or my cock shoved down her throat—came to mind, so I amended my statement. “Okay, maybe we play naughty, but that’s beside the point.”

“Gathered that much from the night of the hockey game,” he muttered dryly before redirecting the conversation back on track. “I know what dead means, you moron. I want to know how it happened.”

The notary in Italy who’d signed off on the contract with the forged signature had been . . . eliminated, for the lack of a better word.

I began to relay all the information we’d gathered to this point. “Family filed a missing person’s report in mid-March. Three days later, her beat-up two-door was discovered at the bottom of a cliff a couple of miles outside Positano. Upon further investigation, it was determined that the brakes were faulty, not something uncommon in an older vintage vehicle that hadn’t been properly maintained. Cops deemed that there was no foul play, declaring it an accident.”

Matteo snorted. “Bullshit.”

“Had a feeling you’d say that, so I had our guys take a little trip to the junkyard.”

“And?” he pressed.

“Brake lines were sliced clean through, which leads us to believe the cops were paid to let it slide.”

Lips pressed together, he mulled over the information. “Okay, and the one who signed off on the report citing no foul play?”

Dragging in a deep breath, I let it out slowly. “Decided to try on his belt as a necklace. Wife found him hanging from the rafters in May.”

“Son of a bitch.” Matteo raked a hand through his hair. “Another fucking dead end.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “But the timeline is important to note.”

“What about it?” he huffed.

“We ran the Russians out of Chicago in early April. I can’t imagine the few who were left alive would be more concerned about covering their tracks over a stolen warehouse in a city they were forced to abandon than about the pressing need to survive and rebuild. It doesn’t make sense to waste resources on a fight you’ve already lost.”

Matteo scoffed. “Great, that’s just what we need. Another enemy lurking in the shadows.”

I shrugged. “You’re the king of Chicago. There’s always going to be someone who wants to topple you off your throne to claim it for themselves. The good news is it’s been quiet on the home front with the Russians gone. Whoever is responsible for the warehouse hasn’t made another move since taking out the notary and the lead investigator on the case of her ‘accident’.”

Pressing fingers into his temples, he sighed. “Only means they’re plotting their next move. Maybe I need to take a trip back over there myself, scare a few of the locals into coughing up anything strange that might’ve happened in the area last winter.”

“Not a bad idea.” I scrubbed a hand over my jaw. “Why don’t you take Summer with you since the two of you never got around to taking a honeymoon?”

Matteo hummed, considering it. “Not a terrible idea. Our wedding anniversary is coming up next month.” Locking eyes with me, he said, “You’re the only one I trust with the girls with us out of the country.”

I dipped my chin. “We’ve got them covered.”

He rose from the chair behind his desk. “Speaking of the girls, I need to get home. Summer mentioned something about wanting to go out tonight.”

Since I loved fucking with him, I pretended to crack a whip, making the accompanying sound effect.

My cousin let out an unimpressed grunt. “Just you wait.”

Shrugging, I remained completely unbothered by his warning, even if Allie already had me by the balls. “No kids. We are both free to come and go as we please.”