Page 37 of Mafia King: Matteo (Borrelli Mafia #1)

MATTEO

I’m miffed. Sophia told me Alena was working late, but my fiancée didn’t. Doesn’t Alena know that her plans concern me? Doesn’t she value our time together? Does she have so little regard for our arrangement that she didn’t text me about this change?

I was heading to check out a business, but I had to see that she was okay. I suffer withdrawal when she leaves the room, so an entire day without her humbles me. I’m jealous others are with her—and I’m not. I’m happy she works with women and that Nathan is into men.

I’m irritated sitting in traffic and over Antonio’s botched overdose situation. I hope to God there is no evidence of our hit. I’ve never worried much about these things, so I guess there is a tinge of appreciation for my father, who carried the stress of the job for the rest of the family.

Without Alena, my dark world would creep into my soul and hold me as a prisoner forever. It would be a living hell. Am I being selfish in taking her?

Yes.

Am I selfish for wanting to have a family with her?

Absolutely. I’m fucking up her life and putting her in more danger. The funny thing is that she had no idea her father was putting her in the crosshairs. Would the don believe her father acted alone in his ploy of deceit?

She is my Angel and the light of my life. She makes me feel things I’ve never felt before. With her, I’m happy. I haven’t been happy since my mother died. Sure, I love spending time with my family, and we laugh and carry on like most, but Alena awakens feelings that have been walled off forever.

Perhaps the hatred for my father made me unworthy of love, and now that chapter is closed.

They say new doors of opportunity open all the time.

Ironically, it was a door to the sex club.

Our meeting was by chance, but now, I shudder at the thought that we might not have found each other.

She can resent my control, but she’ll never be free of me. I refuse to let her go.

I never thought my life would be a happy one. Alena is in danger every time I’m seen with her. Soon, my enemies will discover that she is my weakness. As much as I try to hide my feelings, I can’t deny my love for her as she consumes my thoughts.

The day passes as I work in my office at a warehouse. Alena texts me about the wedding date.

I need to hear her voice, so I call her.

“What is wrong, my Angel?”

“A month? I thought we discussed June for the wedding,” she exclaims. She’s upset. I assume a bride would be anxious, but this is deeper than wedding jitters.

“June is a perfect month for weddings, but we needed to move up the timetable. March will be great. We’ll have it in Florida, where it will be sunny,” I say, trying to finesse her into the timeline I’ve set. “I have a mansion on the beach.”

“Florida? How am I to plan this?”

“You aren’t. I hired a wedding planner. She planned some singer’s wedding—JLo or something like that. I can’t keep up with American pop stars.”

This causes her to pause.

“JLo?”

“That’s what I’ve been told. Only the best for you, Alena.”

“I don’t have a say in who I marry. Now, you have the wedding planned. Do I get to make any decisions over my life?”

“The most important one, yes.”

“The baby.”

“Yes.”

“You’re getting everything you want, whether I agree or not. Was it a request for a baby, or were you going to sabotage my birth control if I said no?”

Interesting. She’s managed to box me into a corner.

“I was hoping you would say yes.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” she continues.

“Can we discuss this at home?”

“Sure. And we’ll discuss Sophia as well. You never said I was working for your ex-girlfriend. Or that you are having dinner with her tonight.”

“My ex-lover, I don’t date.”

“Yeah, well, call it what you want. That woman is not nice.”

“That’s why you are wearing my ring—not her.”

Silence reigns for thirty seconds.

“Oh,” she whispers.

“Right. If that’s all, I have to go,” I reply.

“Okay,” she says and hangs up.

“The little woman is not happy with you.” Gio chuckles as he nods to the man with a face full of tattoos.

Juan, the leading gang member in my territory, is sitting. Otherwise, his pants would fall to his ankles. His jeans aren’t cheap, his sneakers are expensive, and the yellow color attracts attention. His organization runs our drugs.

His look is his brand. His subordinates respect him, and he loves to show off his wealth. We’re not all that different. I show off my wealth as well.

His teeth are capped, and the three gold chains on his neck are his trademark. He’s El Loco—Crazy Man.

“She’ll calm down,” I reply confidently. “What do you have for me, Crazy Man?”

“Addler owns a rental building. We’re always calling the city as he never does repair work, and it’s dangerous.

” His legs are spread as he slouches in the chairs.

His hands rest on his legs. “It’s not safe to live there, man.

We’ve seen his assistant talking to the city’s investigator.

He took an envelope, and no one came by anymore.

We call and call, but without an attorney, there’s nothing we can do.

Ain’t no one got money to fight him. I’d love to tap him. ”

“He’s a slumlord?” I state. Why is this surprising? I should have known.

“Are you sure, Juan?” Gio asks.

“Sure. I know who they are. I have pictures, too. I ain’t stupid. That’s how it works, man. They’ve not been seen lately, but all the Locos know it.” He pulls a jump drive from his pocket and steps forward. Gio puts his palm up so Juan will drop it into his hand.

I nod. El Loco stands, and I shake his hand. “Thank you.”

“We’re good?”

“We’re good,” I say.

“I gotta bounce,” he says, flicking his wrist to cause his chunky gold bracelets to jingle. He reaches the door and joins two friends who are waiting for him.

“Gio, print the pictures. I’ll use them to bribe the councilman. Strange. I expected Addler to have a mistress.”

“He might. Maybe we haven’t found her yet. I can have him tailed.”

“This is good for now,” I reply, sitting behind the stately desk. The office is tucked away in a corner of the warehouse we use to keep our drywall inventory. It’s out of the public’s eye.

Nothing much happens around here that isn’t mob-related. And for those who don’t belong here, they are looking for shit to steal. The locals know that if they steal from us, we’ll hunt them down and kill them. Stealing is against our code—we enforce it by any means possible.

This is another reason Mikhail Pasnov will be taken out. Alexsei is a smart man. Mikhail stole something that should have been taken on behalf of the Don. The deal was a crime of opportunity, but if I found him in a day, others could, too. It was too easy to trace his company to the title.

Pasnov needed help to do what he did, and I’m confident questions will be asked, and they will be tortured in the process. But rest assured, Pasnov will be implicated in the matter. He never dreamed I’d be in an alliance with the Russians. I can’t knock off the Don’s advisor, but the Don can.

I want him taken out before my wedding. Alena doesn’t want him to give her away. This would also be suspicious and lead to questions. I prefer it if we’re not involved. We won’t lie for him. Besides, I’d never risk my neck for that piece of shit.

After he inferred he’s suspicious of me, he’s on my shit list, too. I can be a patient man at times. And I know this is a situation that calls for restraint.

After paying bills and checking in with our accountant, who stopped by, Gio drove me to dinner to meet with Sophia.

I text Alena.

How was your day?

Fine.

You are working late?

Yes.

I’ll see you after dinner.

Got it.

I wish I were fucking Alena on the drive back from the city at this very moment.

My meeting tonight is for Alena. I have a solution to her work situation.

I anticipated Sophia would go off; since I didn’t know when the news would break, my timing was off.

I would have had the situation under control if I had had the details of the announcement sooner.

I’m obligated to tell Sophia in person about the office changes, and I need to do damage control. I don’t want her to become a problem.

Gio escorts Sophia to me. I stand, and we kiss each other on both cheeks as is our custom.

“Matteo, you didn’t have to pick such a nice place,” she eyes me hungrily.

“Of course I did. I know how you love to frequent the most popular places,” I reply as we sit.

I have my eye on the front door of the Oriental restaurant. Gio sits at the bar to run interference if necessary. I’m becoming increasingly nervous with each passing day that doesn’t contain a bullet meant for me. Am I overthinking the threat?

“You know me so well, Matteo. It’s why we’re perfect for each other.

I can look past your affair with Alena. She’s a kid.

You need a woman,” she purrs as she slips her hand through my arm, resting on the table.

A waiter delivers two Manhattans. I lift mine and take a sip. I needed this before I arrived.

“We’re not an item, Sophia. It’s been this way for some time. I only have eyes for Alena. She will be my wife and the mother of my children.” My voice is firm.

“Maybe this wedding is part of your scheme to obtain something. I know you’d never truly marry someone else,” Sophia nuzzles into my ear before she takes a sip of alcohol. “I’ve been your only lover over the years. It’s been off and on, but I know you always wanted me to be your queen.”

Her arms slide up my suit jacket.

“Sophia, I’m engaged. This is inappropriate.”

She chuckles and slides her foot up my leg. My God, she’s taken off her shoes. I’m unprepared for her hand to reach my cock, and between the smell of her overly pungent perfume and the fact that I never once considered her marriage material, my cock remains flaccid.

“What’s the matter? Do I need to get on my knees?”

“There will be no begging, Sophia. I am transferring you to our London office.”

She pulls away, and if her eyes could kill, I wouldn’t have to worry about dying from a bullet wound.

“It was implied. We’ve known each other for years. I gave you my virginity.”

“You took mine as well, if I remember correctly,” I reply calmly. Glancing around the room, I discover that some guests have been disturbed by her raised voice and are now looking in our direction.

I was never convinced she was a virgin. She knew too much at fifteen. A beautiful woman and an only child, her mother often looked in the other direction at her indiscretions. Sophia is self-centered. She’s used to getting what she wants as well.

She massaged my cock again, forcing me to grab her hand and place it on the table. “One more touch and you will lose a hand.”

Her eyes grow wide with shock. She begins to speak, but she has nothing to say.

“I’ve never been so humiliated in my life,” she finally spits out, dumping the cloth napkin on the floor as she stands.

I texted Alena to leave work now and have Vito bring her home. I don’t want her to be a sitting duck should Sophia return to the office.

Hearts can be pawns, but love is the ultimate checkmate.

Alena is my queen. I am her king.

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