Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27953 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
I don't want to get married, but it's not like anyone has asked my opinion on it. I'm just an ornament for a powerful mob boss, nothing more. But I grab one night of freedom before my doom, and that night is the best of my life. It's where I meet him. And our first meeting is one I'll never forget.
Matteo Cattaneo
A woman walks into a bar--that's the start of a joke for some; it was the start of a new life for me. This woman is mine. I know it in my bones, and I show her just how serious I am about my claim. But then she disappears. I scour the city to find her, only to happen upon her at her engagement party. Too bad for her would-be groom, she belongs to me now and forever.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
MATTEO
Iwatch the blood circle down the drain as the warm water runs over me. It does nothing to help ease the tension I feel throughout my body. I swear, it’s always one thing or another. Can I have one Saturday night without having to deal with this bullshit?
I turn off the water and grab a towel to dry off. When I step out of the cold metal shower, Sergio is standing there with a fresh suit for me to wear. He's already removed the blood-stained suit I was wearing. I take the fresh one from him.
“Everything has been cleaned. I just need to know where you want us to drop him.”
“Don’t drop him anywhere yet.” Sergio's brows lift. “If they know I got my hands on one of their men, it might spook them.” This will give me a few days. I’m sure they’ll notice he's missing at some point.
“Rat squealed like a pig.” Sergio spits on the concrete floor.
That was an understatement. My head still throbs from the headache the little shit gave me. I can’t be too mad, though. I got more information than I could have hoped for from him. I knew a war was coming. It was only a matter of time.
The O'Haire family had been getting too close to another family that should be my ally. The Rossis. They all have some big balls on them. Did they really think I wouldn’t notice? That I’d just stand by and allow them to do whatever they wanted?
Once upon a time, my great-grandfather would have called the Rossis family, but those days have long since passed. I sometimes forget they even exist. Their territory is not big enough to give a shit about. I let them be out of respect. That ends today.
The head of the O'Haire family is slowly losing his mind; the alcohol has taken its toll. His next in line, Aidan O'Haire, is downright insane. Add in that Irish temper and he can be unpredictable. I’m sure warming up to the Rossis was his idea. I knew I’d have to handle the O’Haires soon enough. I just didn’t bank on them trying to tie themselves to the Rossis.
Aidan is a greedy fuck, not only for money but also power. He has no right to possess or manage such power. It appears that he is not as stupid and arrogant as I had previously believed. He's aware that he is unable to fight me alone. He made the first move, and now I’ll finish him.
"What is your plan?" Sergio asks.
"I want more information." I get dressed. I thought the days of marrying one family to another out of loyalty were over. It was something I sure as hell avoided.
"You really think a wedding will unite them?" Sergio asks, having the same thought I'm having.
"The O’Haires don't play well with others." They tend to keep to themselves. I stay out of their city, and they stay out of mine. Or at least they used to. It appears they might be weaker than I realized. What other reason for this sudden desire for more?
“Maybe they’ll kill each other and do us all a favor.”
“Maybe,” I agree. I think they eventually will. The thing is I’m not willing to wait and see how big their path of destruction will be in the meantime. “But not before they try to kill me.” I know without a doubt that the moves they’re making are to target me.
“Try,” Sergio repeats, clenching his fists at his side. I should have let him go a few rounds with the rat. It would have been like old times. Sergio’s been at my side for ten years. Loyal as they come. Obviously, since I trust him with my life. Let’s just say he can be uptight with my security. So much so that I get annoyed by it sometimes, but I know I shouldn’t take his loyalty for granted. They don’t make good men like him anymore.