“You’ve already messed with the boy. That should be enough. Let her go, walk away and we can pretend this never happened. That’s the best outcome for both of us.”
I knew Matteo too well to miss the hidden threat behind his calm smile. His voice was soft, but there was true killing intent beneath it. Through all our years together, I had relied on him completely, drowning in his gentleness.
I had almost forgotten how many bodies he had stepped over to reach the throne he now sat upon. Instead of anger, I felt a wave of bitter humiliation. Grabbing his hand, I forced the muzzle of the gun to my forehead.
“Go on, shoot me!” I shouted.
“Matteo, you know my nature. If I walk out of here alive today, you’ll be burying your precious mistress here!”
The sharp sound of a bullet being chambered cut through the room like a blade. Matteo’s eyes turned bloodshot as he clamped his hand around my throat.
“Do you think I’m afraid of you?” he growled.
“I’ll spare the boy, but you will not lay a finger on her!”
“Victoria, don’t push me too far!”
I stared back at him without blinking. To him, my face was like an unreadable mask. The tense standoff was abruptly interrupted by the sharp ring of his phone.