Page 101 of His Savage Ruin

"Something like that." I press my lips to the top of her head, careful to avoid the wound, and watch the city lights blur past the window as Rafael drives us home.

We're both covered in blood and bruises but we're alive, we’re together, and the Morettis are dead.

For now, that's enough.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Matteo

Dr. Reeves finishes wrapping the bandage around my arm and starts packing up his medical kit. The bullet graze isn't deep but it bled enough to make a mess of my shirt, and the stitches pull when I move.

"Keep it clean and dry for the next few days." He's talking to me but looking at Alessia sitting in the chair across from us. "She needs rest and monitoring."

"I'll take care of her." I stand up and my arm protests but I ignore it. "Thank you for coming so quickly."

He nods and leaves, closing the door behind him quietly. Isabella hovers near the window looking like she wants to say something but doesn't know where to start.

"I'm fine, Isabella." Alessia sounds tired but alert. "Just a bump on the head."

"You're not fine, you're concussed and covered in bruises." My sister crosses her arms. "But at least you're alive."

I close my eyes and draw in a long breath. The war is over. Emilio and Lorenzo are dead. The Morettis have been wiped out and there's no one left to challenge my claim. But there's still one more thing I need to do before I can really call this finished.

Romeo.

The bastard who sold us out for a year needs to die and I need to be the one who does it.

A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts. Enzo's voice comes through. "They're ready for you."

I look at Alessia and she's watching me. "What are you about to do?"

"Cleaning up." I don't elaborate. "Stay here with Isabella. I'll be back in twenty minutes."

She doesn't argue and I follow Enzo out into the hallway. We walk in silence down to the basement level where we keep people who need questioning. The room is cold and smells like concrete. Romeo is zip-tied to a chair in the center with two of my men standing guard.

His head comes up when I enter. "Don Romano, please, I can explain?—"

"There's nothing to explain." I pull my gun and check it. "You fed information to the Morettis for a year. You helped them take Alessia. You betrayed everyone in this family."

"They threatened my sister, they said they'd kill her if I didn't?—"

"Everyone has someone they love." I raise the gun. "That's not an excuse. I would have helped you and your sister had you asked."

I fire three times and he slumps in the chair, blood spreading across the concrete. I should feel something but I don't. This is what happens when you betray the family.

"Clean this up." I tell the guards. "I don't want any trace of him left by morning."

Enzo follows me back upstairs. "You good?"

"Yeah." The war is over and the traitor is dead and Alessia is safe. "I'm good. You can go home and rest, I know you and the boys’ve been more here than your own houses."

“Are you sure?” He pats my shoulder.

“Yes, but we can drink whiskey later if you’re free.”

“Sounds like a plan,fratello,” and with that he leaves.

Isabella is gone when I get back and Alessia is sitting on my bed looking wiped out. There is still blood in her hair and there are bruises forming on her face but she's here and alive and breathing.