The three of us sit in front of the fireplace and smoke cigars in silence. I can feel them staring at me, but I refuse to look at either of them. They are waiting for me to break, but I won’t give them the pleasure. Matteo Stone never breaks; deal with it.
“You came a long way just to sit quietly, Matteo.” Paolo ends the peaceful silence.
“I just need to be around family,” I reply.
“Bullshit,” my father snorts.
Glancing between the two of them, I realize that I am not going to be able to snow them. Family will call you out. It’s the reason I came here. I stand to walk toward the fire and still feel both of them staring at me. I need the truth, and I am going to have to swallow whatever they dish out.
“Have you ever felt like something is missing? I have everything I want, but I still don’t feel satisfied.”
My father sighs and Paolo start to laugh. What the fuck is funny about this? I quickly turn around to give him my death stare, and it doesn’t affect him at all. He only starts to laugh harder. This is family… they don’t scare easily.
“Matteo, you will never be truly satisfied in what this business offers you. It offers power and material shit, but not true happiness. I only found happiness when I was with your mother and you boys.”
“I don’t understand. This business was everything to you.”
“The business was how I took care of my family. There was a reason I put that damn clause in my will. I knew that the power you wanted would never make you happy.”
Paolo stands and walks next to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. “You were happy with Isabella.”
“She drove me crazy,” I reply.
“You fell in love and weren’t ready for it. It wasn’t what you wanted. Your focus was on money and power, not love.”
Do you know how it feels to get everything you want and not be happy with it? What is even worse is realizing you had something and let it go when you should have held on to it with both hands. As hard as it is to admit it, Paolo is right. I was so focused on money and power that I let what I need walk out of my life.
I spend the next three hours sharing how Isabella is now dating Nikoli. I think my father nearly has another stroke. He reminds me that Nikoli is bad news and how I need to have him murdered if he is still with her when I go back to Chicago. I also tell them how Tommy warned me against Sarah, but I haven’t caught her in any deception.
“If Tommy said she is up to no good, you need to listen to him. He is one of our most loyal people,” my father advises. I know he is right, but there is a little part of me that hopes he isn’t. After sharing more of what has gone on in the business, we eventually call it a night.
I spend the next few days with my father. I fly back home with Paolo, and he reminds me I need to keep what Tommy told me in mind. What the hell would he think if I told him about Sarah’s attempt to join the family?
It has been one month since my trip to see Paolo and my father. Do you ever feel like you need to press the pause button on life? The other families are starting to put pressure on me. They want to get involved with shit the Stone family doesn’t want to touch. We aren’t into prostitution and trafficking shit, but they want in since there is money to be made. Despite telling them no, they keep pressuring me to give the okay.
Sarah has practically moved in with me. We haven’t discussed this, but I have noticed more of her shit appearing in my house. I also noticed her mail has been arriving, too. Speaking of arriving, I haven’t seen much of Brutus lately. I know he has been watching Isabella, but I would think he would know to touch base so I know what the hell is going on. I guess it’s time to check in with him.
“Yeah, boss?” he answers.
“Boss? At least you remember who you work for. What the hell is going on? I haven’t seen you in weeks.”
“She has been busy, boss. You know I have been watching her twenty-four-seven.”
“What do you mean, you have been watching her twenty-four-seven? I thought Max was backing you up.”
“Boss, Max disappeared three weeks ago. I left you a message. Didn’t you get it?” he asks.
“What the fuck do you mean he disappeared? I didn’t get any message. This is the first time I have heard about this.”
“I left a message on your voicemail. I thought it was odd that Sarah called me back.”
Isabella
Staring at the white wall in my office, I play with the diamond pendant around my neck. Nikoli has been showering me with gifts lately. I still haven’t been to his house, and he still has his excuses. I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that something isn’t right. We are supposed to have dinner tonight, and I think I should demand answers. Will he be truthful or only tell me what I want to hear?
Hours later, we sit across from each other at the fancy restaurant he picked out. Have you ever watched someone’s mouth move and realize you haven’t heard a word they’re saying? Nikoli is smooth… too smooth. He has an answer for everything. I once again bring up going to his place, but he is having it painted. He doesn’t want me to inhale the fumes. I must look like a fucking idiot to this man. I smile and let him assume I am buying the bullshit he is trying to push off on me.
After dinner, he asks if we’re going back to my place, and I tell him that I have a headache. He opens my car door for me and gives me a soft kiss on my lips. The kiss feels different this time. It feels like I am kissing a stranger. Waving as he walks to his car, I pull out of the parking lot. Little does Nikoli realize that I am not going far. When he drives past the gas station that is two blocks over, I pull out behind the car that is behind him. I am going to follow him home to find out what the hell is going on.
It feels thrilling and scary at the same time as I follow Nikoli. What if he catches me? What will he say, and will I regret what I find? How many women have done exactly what I am doing right now? Maybe it’s only me that follows the man she is dating to find out what he’s hiding.
Nikoli lives thirty minutes away from the restaurant. He pulls into the driveway of a cute townhouse with a fence. He sits a few minutes before getting out of his car, and I start to worry that he caught me. When he finally does get out the car, he looks toward the sky as he slams the door shut. His head moves in my direction as I quickly duck so he doesn’t see me.
There is a light tap on my window as I try to hide. I turn to see Nikoli with a sour look on his face. I have been busted and have no idea how I’ll get out of this situation.
“Hi, Nikoli… I was just in the neighborhood.”
The muscles clench along his jaw. He pulls open my door and grabs me by the arm. “You’re here so you should come in,” he replies.
Nikoli practically stalks me as I walk around the lower level of his house. Everything in the house is black and sterile. He has a black leather sofa with black marble floors. There are no photos or anything personal in the living room. Does he really live here? There should be something that looks personal, shouldn’t there?
“Do you want a drink?” he asks.
I follow him into the kitchen and see the counters are black, too, along with everything else.
“Have you ever considered adding a little color?” I tease. Nikoli doesn’t find my question funny as he grips his beer bottle and takes a gulp.
“Why did you follow me?”
“We have been dating, Nikoli. Why is your home such a secret?” I ask.
“You’re right. There should be no secrets between us. You want to know the real me, I think it’s time.”
“The real you?” I reply.
“Yes… I think you’ll need a drink first. How about you go get comfortable and I’ll bring it out to you?”
I do exactly as he has asks. Why wouldn’t I? Kicking off my shoes, I curl up on the black leather sofa. I can hear Nikoli in the kitchen closing the cabinets and glasses hitting the counter. He comes out holding two glasses and passes me one as he kneels in front of me.
“Would you like me to rub
your feet?” he asks.
What woman doesn’t like her feet rubbed? I nod and drink the warm bourbon as I stare into Nikoli’s eyes. I softly moan as he hits every right spot. I don’t remember my eyes getting heavier. I feel myself being lifted as I try to force my eyes open. I must have been more tired than I realized. I sleep peacefully until I hear the voices.
“What the hell is she doing here?” the familiar woman’s voice questions.
“She followed me.”
“You need to get rid of her, Nikoli.”
“I don’t think so. We can use her to our advantage. He does still care about her,” he states with calculating coldness.
“Can you keep her here?”
“Have you forgotten who you’re talking too?” he answers.
Why can’t I open my eyes? I only had bourbon and it’s never affected me this way before. Why does that woman’s voice sound familiar? Who do they need to get rid of? Why do I feel so sleepy? I have never been a peaceful sleeper. Pulling the blanket around my neck, I turn to my side and my arm is yanked back. Why can’t I move my arm? I pull harder and feel something steel around my wrist as it clinks against the bedpost. Why the hell am I handcuffed to the bed?
Starting to panic, I yank and pull, trying to get loose, but I can’t. Where the hell am I? I am in an unfamiliar bedroom, and everything is black. Kicking off the black blanket, I realize that I am still in Nikoli’s house.
“Nikoli!”
“Nikoli!”
Minutes later, he walks into the bedroom, wearing only jeans. He is wet like he just got out of the shower. “What is going on? Why am I handcuffed to the bed?”
He sits next to me, and I pull away from him. His fingers trail down my temple. I have never feared Nikoli… until now. His eyes are cold and distant. I have a flashback of Matteo warning me to stay away from him. Why the hell didn’t I listen? “Nikoli, what is going on?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he says.
Matteo
“What the hell are you telling me?” I growl into the phone.
“She is inside Nikoli’s house, and I just saw Sarah walk in,” Brutus tells me, concern in his voice.
“You saw Sarah walk into Nikoli’s house?”
“Yeah. Hell, she had a fucking key,” he answers.
Why the hell would she be walking into Nikoli’s house? What is worse is she walks in like she owns the place. How can this woman have a key to my house and my enemy’s? I am going to find out what the hell is going on. I am not sure which woman I am angrier with; my wife for going to his house or my girlfriend for having the damn key.
“Give me the address,” I growl out.
“Wait a minute… she is leaving.”
“Who is leaving? Isabella or Sarah?” I ask.
“Sarah is leaving. She doesn’t look happy, but she is leaving,” he advises.
The minute I am off the phone with Brutus, I call Sarah. She answers on the second ring and sounds out of breath. I wonder what lies she will give me?
“Hey, lover,” she purrs.
“Hey… where are you?”
“Oh, I am actually at the market. I thought I would make us a special dinner tonight.”
“What is the special occasion?”
Go ahead, bitch… make something up.
“Do I need a special occasion? It’s for a special person.”
I bet I am a special person. Is Nikoli a special person, too? Why didn’t I listen to my father or Paolo about her? They never liked her and, apparently, they were right.
“I have a better idea. I am ready to call it a day. Come home right away. I have a very important question that I need to ask,” I tease.
I have a lot of business to handle, but I have business at home to take care of, too.
I can almost hear Sarah’s wheels turning. She has been all over me to propose. The minute I mention having an important question, I know that is where her mind went. She agrees to drop everything and head home. It doesn’t surprise me since she was lying about shopping anyway. Pulling open my desk drawer, I stare at my revolver as I think about the woman I am about to head home to.
Sarah is already at my house and waiting for me when I open the door. She has a big smile and is dressed in her satin robe. Her hair is thrown over her shoulder, and she is wearing blood red lipstick. She is obviously a woman on a mission, ready to attack her prey. It’s obvious that she is waiting for me to drop to one knee and ask her to be my wife. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself from saying what I really feel about her at this moment. The anger, distrust, and hate have to wait until I get to the truth.
“I am really excited about this, lover.” She tries to seductively walk toward me, and I think I see blood.
“You truly deserve this, Sarah,” I reply.
Her arms wrap around my neck, and she pulls herself against me. Her lips touch mine, and she suddenly pulls away. “What’s wrong?” she asks.
“This is a big moment. I never thought this day would come.” I don’t know if this is the truth or a lie. I guess it’s a little of both.
Placing her head against my chest, she wraps her arms around me. I pull her closer and move one of my arms around her back while the other hand moves toward the revolver. Within seconds, it’s pointed at her temple and she tenses in my arms.
“What are you doing, Matteo?” she whispers.
“Do you care to tell me why you were with Nikoli?”
Sarah takes a deep breath before trying to pull away, but I tighten my grip.
“I wasn’t with Nikoli,” she lies.
I sigh and move the revolver toward her forehead. “This really isn’t a good time to lie to me, Sarah. Isabella is being followed. She was followed to his house, and you were seen pulling out your own damn key and walking inside. I would highly suggest you tell me the truth before you die on this new rug that you purchased.”
I thought she would start talking, but instead, she starts to laugh. What did I say that was funny? I watch her as she pulls away from me, and I tilt my head in disgust. What did I ever see in this woman? I drop the gun and wait for her to talk.
“You want the truth, Matteo?” She laughs.
“Yeah, Sarah, do something new. Tell me the fucking truth.”
“The truth is you are going to marry me and sign over everything you own to me,” she announces.
“Why in the hell would I do that?”
“You will do it because, if you don’t, Nikoli will kill your precious Isabella.”
This time, I turn away from her laughing. Does she not know who the hell she is dealing with? She is in my house making threats? She’ll be dead before she finishes her next sentence. Lifting the gun, I turn around and point it in her direction, aiming straight for her head.
“You’re not going to kill me, Matteo. I already said that you are going to marry me.”
“I have news for you, Sarah. Tonight, you are going to die.”
“I have bigger news for you, Matteo. If you kill me, you will also be killing your unborn child.”
Have you ever played a board game and watched the other player make the perfect move? I hate games and never play them. I always have more important shit to do. Paolo always pulls out that damn chess board and talks into playing. I never can beat him. He has his men and I have mine.
Paolo explained to me once that the point of the game is to keep the king from being attacked. If the king is attacked, something must be done about it. The game I have been playing with Sarah has just taken a turn for the worse, and I am not sure which one of us should call Checkmate.
Epilogue
“I am going to fire Tommy,” Sarah tells me.
“I don’t want Jimmy fired, Sarah. He is loyal to my family.”
“Don’t you mean our family?”
She curls up next to my side as we lay in bed. Her hand is on my stomach, and I glance at the three-carat diamond ring on her finger. She picked it out herself, along with the new
bedroom furniture and other items she purchased for my house. She has moved in and taken over since we got married last month.
What choice did I have? If it isn’t bad enough that I have to protect Isabella from this woman, I now have an unborn child that she is carrying. After she dropped the bomb, she pulled out the pregnancy test and advised that I am never to mention Isabella again. She’ll be safe as long as she stays out of our lives.
You can imagine the look on my father and Paolo’s faces when I announced that we were getting married. They protested a little less when I mentioned the baby. My father nodded and said that we’ll do whatever we have to do to protect the baby. Once the baby is born, we’ll handle things differently. I am not sure what he’s insinuating, but until then, I’ll have to focus on the next six months.
Isn’t it sad that my love life involves countdowns?
“Matteo, are you listening to me?” she asks.
“I’m sorry, what were you saying?”
“I think, if the baby is a boy, we should make him a Junior. Wouldn’t you love that, lover?”
“There is nothing I would love more,” I reply.
Other than for my child to have a different mother.
I still can’t stop thinking about Isabella. I tried to have her followed, but she has disappeared. I don’t even want to think about what happened to her inside that house. There are only two people who know where she is, and I am in bed with one of them.
I used to love this business because it represented power and control. I love it for a different reason now. It’s my escape. Sarah spends less time at the office now that we are married. She comes in a few times a week to raise hell with Tommy and the others and then goes shopping. We had someone rip us off this week, and I decided I would handle him myself. I took great pleasure when I watched him cry before I cut out his tongue. He wanted to live, so I let him. He’ll never make another promise he can’t keep. After cleaning myself up and changing my blood-drenched clothes, I head back to my office.
Unholy Union Page 13
