MATTEO’s POV
I pulled into Charles’ compound, my eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. Aria’s hand was still clenched around mine, her eyes fixed on the rearview mirror as if she expected the figure from the mansion to appear at any moment. I parked the car and turned off the engine, my gaze locking onto Charles, who was waiting for us, his cigar smoke curling into the air. I could sense his tension, his eyes narrowing as he took in our disheveled appearance. I was wearing only my shorts, and Aria was clad in my t-shirt, her legs bare and her hair disheveled. I knew we looked like we had just fled a war zone. I got out of the car, my eyes never leaving Charles’ face.
“What happened?” he asked, his voice low and serious. I glanced at Aria, who was watching us with a mix of fear and uncertainty.
“We need to talk,” I said, my voice low.
“Inside.” Charles nodded, his eyes flicking to Aria before returning to mine.
“Let’s get you both sorted out.” He turned and led us into his house, his expression grim. I knew we were in for a long night.
Charles took Aria to a room for her to relax in, and he led me to his study. When he closed the door behind us, he began laughing.
I raised an eyebrow, taken aback by Charles’ sudden outburst of laughter.
“What’s so funny, Charles?” I asked, my tone serious. Charles’ laughter died down, and he walked over to his desk, pouring himself a glass of whiskey.
“You, Matteo. I can’t believe the Matteo Marino was chased out of his home by some man with a knife.” He shook his head, chuckling. “You were scared or something?.” I frowned, my mind still reeling from the events at the mansion.
“Charles, focus. What’s going on? Who do you think it was?” Charles’ expression turned serious, and he set his glass down.
“How the fuck will I know who it was. He made you leave your home half naked Matteo and you couldn’t do shit cause Aria was there cause I know Matteo Marino. You would have gouged his eyes out! And killed him with my bare hands!!”
I clenched my jaw, my eyes fixed on Charles’ serious expression. “I walked into Mrs. Fletcher’s room, and… she was lying there. Dead. Her eyes were open, and she was stabbed countless times.”
My voice was steady, my words concise. I wouldn’t show weakness, not even in front of Charles.
“I checked for a pulse, and I realized she was gone.” My gaze never wavered, my tone firm. “That’s when I saw the figure, watching us from the shadows. I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed Aria and got her out of there as quickly as I could.” Charles’ expression turned grim, his eyes narrowing.
“You did the right thing, Matteo. But now we need to figure out who’s behind this.” I nodded, my mind already thinking of a plan.
“And Alonzo?”. He asked as I stood and looked at him.
“That son of a bitch!”. I yelled as I made my way out of his study but he ran after me reminding me Aria was around and she shouldn’t know what I was.
Then, we saw a car pull up right outside Charlie’s house, and we saw Ben step out of the car. He made his way to the front door and slowly pushed the door open with a smile on his face.
Ben hugged me tightly, a broad smile spreading across his face.
“Now we’re all here. Can we talk about how Matteo was almost killed tonight?”. Charles asked, and Ben chuckled.
Ben swirled his wine, his eyes gleaming with a strategy. “Here’s the plan, guys. Antonio’s got a weakness – his precious golf game. Every Sunday, he leaves for the course with his goons. We hit his place the moment he’s gone.”
My eyes lit up with understanding. “And we’ll be waiting for him when he gets back.”
Ben nodded. “Exactly. We’ll have the upper hand. But we need to be smart – Antonio’s got a small army at his disposal. 150 men, to be exact.”
Charles whistled low. “That’s a lot of firepower.”
Ben’s smile was cold. “Which is why we’ll need to be precise. In, and out with more men. ”
I watched Ben, his eyes clouded with a mix of concern and determination. He spoke of Antonio with a reverence that sent a shiver down my spine. “He’s not just dangerous. He’s… twisted. He doesn’t kill out of necessity. He kills for sport.”
My mind raced with the implications. We were dealing with a monster, a man who enjoyed causing pain and fear. I felt a surge of adrenaline, my hand instinctively reaching for my weapon. Charles’s voice broke the silence, laced with unease. “We’re doing this, aren’t we?”
Ben’s nod was curt, his gaze locked onto mine. “We are. But we can’t back down now. We need to take him down for our own survival.” I steeled myself, knowing that we were in this together. We’d face Antonio and his twisted games head-on, no matter the cost.
When I found my hands shaking, I forced a laugh, trying to play off the tension, but Charles’s eyes saw right through me.
“Ah, come on, Charles. I’m just… anticipating the fun ahead,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. But Charles’s chuckle turned into a knowing smile.
“Matteo, you’re not fooling anyone. Least of all me. I’ve seen you take down men twice your size without breaking a sweat. But now, you’re shaking like a leaf. What’s got you spooked?”
I clenched my fists, trying to steady myself, but Charles’s words hit too close to home. Antonio’s reputation was legendary, and for the first time in my life, I was facing a foe who truly scared me.
Ben’s voice was calm and reassuring. “Hey, Matteo, it’s okay to be scared. Antonio’s not a man to be taken lightly. Every man should be spooked when facing someone like him. It’s a sign of intelligence, not weakness.” He paused, his eyes locked onto mine. “We’re all scared, but we’ll face this together. We’ll watch each other’s backs and take him down together.” Ben’s words were a balm to my frazzled nerves, and I felt a surge of gratitude towards him. Charles nodded in agreement, and in that moment, our bond grew stronger.