Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 43928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43928 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Or maybe it is time.
It's a dangerous game to play, but perhaps meeting them is precisely what she needs. Because I can talk until I'm blue in the face, but until the costs are real to her, I'm not sure it'll make a difference. She needs to see for herself exactly who her brothers are and what they're about. God knows, Brio probably hasn't been honest with her.
Whatever lies he's fed her, whatever bullshit he's sold her…the only way to undo it, is for her to meet her brothers and see for herself that they aren't the enemy here. Brio Cascella is.
"I'll be there," I say to Rafe. "But I'm bringing someone."
"You're bringing someone? Who?"
"A girl, motherfucker."
His silence speaks volumes. It usually does. He isn't the type of person who has to say much to be heard.
I know him better than anyone, though. I know where his head is at. Not that long ago, our family was a whole lot smaller than it is now. We didn't have women to protect or families to defend. We fought simply because it was what we were born to do.
Now, everything is different.
One by one, we've changed. One by one, we've fallen. And one by one, we've found something worth fighting for. I never thought I'd join the ranks of happily coupled-up motherfuckers, but Aurelia has me twisted in fucking knots. I see that shit in my future, and I want it. I just need her to want it, too. I need her to want to fight for it, too.
"I guess things really do change, don't they?" he finally asks.
"Yeah," I say quietly. "I guess they do."
"You going to tell me about her?"
"Nope. You can meet her tomorrow."
"Vaffanculo," he says, chuckling. And then he pauses. "Can we trust her, Mattia?"
That's the million-dollar question, isn't it? Can we trust her? Do I dare?
"Yes," I say with absolute conviction. Regardless of anything else, I realize it's true. I trust her.
Chapter Six
Aurelia
Iglare at Mattia as we drive back to his place, still fuming over the fact that he bought the dress I was admiring in the shop. The price alone makes me sick to my stomach. Eleven thousand dollars?
"That's insane. You're insane. Oh my god. I'm married to a crazy man," I mumble, unable to help myself.
Mattia chuckles, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he places his hand on my thigh. "Aurelia, little mouse. Do you have any concept of how much money you have right now?"
"Yes," I snap, my temper flaring. "Two thousand, nine hundred eighty-six dollars and forty-three cents." At least, that's what was in my account before Brio invaded my world and turned everything upside down.
"No, topolina. Try adding several zeroes to that."
My heart skips a beat, and I can't help but stare at him incredulously. "I don't have that much money, Mattia."
"You do now," he smirks, his grip on my thigh tightening just enough to make me squirm. "We're married, Aurelia. My money is yours. And I have more than enough of it."
"That's…you…I…" My mind races as I gape at him, my vision blurring slightly. I feel like I might pass out, but instead, I blink back the dizziness and focus on breathing. Yes, breathe. I can do that.
The car rolls to a stop at a red light, and Mattia glances over at me.
"While I'm making your head spin, I have something else to tell you," he says, giving my thigh another gentle squeeze.
I wave my hand weakly, motioning for him to continue. Might as well go for broke, right? Not that I'll be broke anytime soon, apparently.
Several zeroes? Good grief!
"We're going to dinner at Rafe's tomorrow," he informs me, his voice steady and matter-of-fact. "Gabriel and Luca will be there, too."
The news hits me like a ton of bricks. I struggle to process it, my mind reeling. I'm meeting my brothers tomorrow.
The thought both excites and terrifies me. I've wanted to meet them for so long. But I never dreamed it'd be like this—with the threat of Brio hanging over my head like a sword. I haven't had time to figure out a way out of this mess. All I know is that I can't—I won't—follow through on what he wants. One way or another, I have to find a way to save my mom and myself without my brothers ever finding out the truth. If they do, they'll never trust me. No one will.
"A-are you sure that's a good idea?" My voice wavers with uncertainty.
Mattia's gray eyes pierce through me as if he can read every conflicted thought in my head. "Yes," he replies firmly. "But there's a catch."
I roll my head to the side, eyeing him cautiously. Even without the words, I know what he's getting at. The truth is written all over his face, etched into the lines around his mouth and the furrow between his brows.