Chapter 4 - The Man Who Wanted Me Dead
Matteo Bellini had been waiting for me for sixteen years.
At least that's what we eventually discovered.
He had followed my family.
Tracked my mother.
Watched me.
And waited.
But why?
The answer came from a photograph.
My mother had once worked for Bellini Security.
She had been a bookkeeper.
My father had protected her.
Then Matteo took over.
He wanted the ledger.
My father refused.
My father staged his death.
But the ledger vanished.
Matteo believed my father gave it to me.
He was wrong.
I didn't have it.
Not until now.
Dominic wanted to destroy the microfilm.
I refused.
“It can clear my father's name.”
“It can start a war.”
“Maybe the war already started.”
He looked at me.
“You don't know what you're asking.”
“Yes, I do.”
“I could lose everything.”
“So could I.”
He went silent.
Then he said:
“Stay beside me.”
I did.
Not because I was ordered.
Because I trusted him.
The next attack came at the charity gala.
I was bartending.
Dominic was at a private table.
Matteo's people entered through the service entrance.
The first gunshot shattered a champagne bottle.
People screamed.
Dominic pulled me down.
“Stay low.”
We crawled behind the bar.
I saw a familiar face.
Samantha.
My former manager.
She had been working for Matteo.
She pointed at me.
“There!”
Dominic fired.
She ran.
The gala became chaos.
Afterward, Dominic found me.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He touched my face.
“Don't ever do that again.”
“Do what?”
“Run toward gunfire.”
“I wasn't.”
“You were.”
“I was trying to save someone.”
“You are not expendable.”
I stared at him.
“You were worried.”
“Yes.”
That was the first time he admitted it.
He kissed me.
Quickly.
Almost angrily.
Then he stopped.
“I'm sorry.”
I touched his jaw.
“Don't be.”
It was the first time we crossed the line between fear and something else.
Love.
We didn't call it that yet.
But it was there.
Matteo attacked again two days later.
This time, he took my mother.
I received a call.
“Bring the ledger.”
I told Dominic.
He immediately said no.
“We don't give them anything.”
“They have my mother.”
“I'll get her.”
“How?”
“His weakness.”
“What is it?”
“Pride.”
We created a trap.
We told Matteo I would bring the ledger alone.
I didn't.
Dominic surrounded the building.
I entered.
My mother was tied to a chair.
Matteo stood behind her.
He smiled.
“You look like Daniel.”
“Where is my father?”
“Dead.”
“You're lying.”
He laughed.
“Your father betrayed the family.”
“Why kill him?”
“I didn't.”
That stunned me.
“Who did?”
Matteo smiled.
“Ask Dominic.”
I turned.
Dominic had entered the room.
Matteo laughed.
“You still don't know?”
Dominic's gun was aimed at him.
“What?”
Matteo said:
“Your father killed Lena's father.”
Silence.
I looked at Dominic.
He went pale.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“No.”
Matteo laughed.
“Your father ordered the hit.”
Dominic lowered his gun slightly.
“My father was dead before Daniel.”
“Yes.”
“Then who carried it out?”
Matteo looked at me.
“Dominic.”
My heart broke.
“No.”
Matteo smiled.
“Not the man you love.”
“The boy he was.”
Dominic stared at the floor.
He remembered.
At nineteen, Dominic had followed his father's orders.
He had been sent to retrieve Daniel.
He had not pulled the trigger.
But he had been there.
He had watched.
He had thought Daniel was dead.
I looked at him.
“Tell me.”
Dominic's voice cracked.
“I was there.”
My mother began crying.
“You didn't kill him.”
“No.”
“But you knew.”
“I didn't know he survived.”
I stepped away.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't remember his name.”
I stared at him.
“That's convenient.”
He looked destroyed.
Then Matteo laughed.
“This is why love is weakness.”
Dominic raised his gun.
Matteo continued:
“Shoot me.”
Dominic didn't.
Instead, he lowered the weapon.
“Take him.”
His men dragged Matteo away.
I stayed frozen.
Dominic approached.
“I should have told you.”
“Yes.”
“I didn't know.”
“Yes.”
“I would never hurt you.”
I looked at him.
“I believe you.”
“But?”
“But I don't know if I can forgive you.”
He nodded.
May you like
“I understand.”
Then he walked away.
