Princess

Chapter 43: Build-A-Son Mafia Edition

Ariadne

Offering myself up to my mob boss boyfriend's deranged nemesis who also happened to be the son of the rival family that ran New York and was almost certainly on the spectrum of sociopathy in a room filled with people during a ceremony which crowned my boyfriend the king of the underworld while he trained a gun on my captor's head and was forced to choose between his family and his girlfriend or move out of the state and give up everything he worked for and knew... was not exactly how I saw my evening going.

I was shoved out of the Hale estate in utter darkness. I tripped over bleeding bodies of dead security guards as I was pushed into a car, swallowing the bile that had promptly ascended into my mouth.

Matteo Giovanni sat beside me as I made myself small in the opposite corner. I had heard about Matteo, from Damon's rare moments of revelation about his life and his work. Damon had never been worried about people before, but Matteo instigated some sort of fire in his soul. The two had a history, I was sure, but Damon never spoke to me about it other than that he'd been rumored to have some sick obsession with Robyn.

Robyn had mentioned just earlier today that someone betrayed Anthony Hale so horribly which was why Damon was told not to trust people. But I never knew that the person to betray him was Matteo's mother. Bianca Giovanni's death was officially announced as a mugging, never connected to the Hale family. That happened years ago, when I was too young to connect the dots.

Hurting Maria or Robyn was not an option. Damon's family was not to be touched. I watched Damon's reaction when he saw them held with guns drawn, when Matteo touched Robyn, and it broke me beyond belief.

I loved him. I would never let anything happen to him. However far he would go for me, I would go even further for him. There was no question about it.

Besides, Damon had a better chance of finding me than finding them. Not because he cared more but because his head would be clearer. If Robyn or Maria were hurt, he would not be able to function. He'd spontaneously combust. With me, I hoped he would have a better grip of his senses.

Because I knew Robyn was right. He'd burn the city for me. I was confident of it. If he could do it ASAP, that would also be very much appreciated.

I knew I was supposed to be terrified, but I was a bargaining chip. Matteo needed me alive to hold something over Damon's head. So, at the very least, I had 24 hours. I had 24 hours to get myself out of here or let the Hales find me. Between Anthony and Damon Hale, they could start a world war while sipping martinis on a beach. They had every cop in the city in their pocket, and the ones who weren't could easily be bought out by Christian.

Oh God, my brother was going to kill someone. Not to mention Bella. She was tiny but she was fierce. A baby in her stomach would not stop her from mauling anyone.

I closed my eyes in silent prayer that my family and Damon's stayed untouched and safe. That Matteo didn't have any other tricks up his sleeve.

How the hell did he get past security? They still eyed me with concern and unfamiliarity even though I've been in and out of their house since childhood. Then again, I didn't storm in with guns.

So here I was, in the backseat of a car being whisked away to what I was sure would be a deplorable and very mafia-esque location. Matteo seemed like the kind of guy who would be into clichés.

How the fuck had this become my life?

"Not that I'm not into the ties, but you should take a girl out to dinner first," I said to Matteo, looking at him properly for the first time.

Matteo Giovanni was an annoyingly handsome man. His icy blue eyes and ever-present challenging smirk made me sure that whatever half of the women in this city Damon hadn't hit, Matteo compensated. Or maybe the same half since Matteo clearly wanted everything Damon had.