Chapter 5 - The Secret Matteo KeptThe words hung in the damp air like smoke.
Arthur Vance narrowed his eyes, lowering his hand slightly as his thugs hesitated. "What did you say?"
Matteo stepped in front of Sophie, shielding her completely from the crossfire. His broad shoulders blocked out the threat, a human shield built of absolute loyalty and calculated power.
"You think I'm a fool, Arthur?" Matteo’s voice cut through the tension like a razor. "You think I didn't run a full background check on the woman I married? I knew about Kyle. I knew about the Mercer family games. I knew whose child she was carrying before she even stepped foot into my courthouse."
Sophie gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at the back of Matteo’s tall, imposing frame. "You... you knew?"
"I knew everything, Sophie," Matteo said softly, glancing back at her for just a second, his eyes softening with a tenderness the rest of the world was never allowed to see. "I knew you were running from monsters. I knew you were trying to protect an innocent life from the corruption of this city. And I decided that from the moment I put that ring on your finger, your past died. Anyone who tries to hurt you or this child answers to me."
Kyle groaned from the floor, wiping blood from his mouth, his face twisted in pure, unadulterated hatred. "You're insane! She's carrying my blood! She'll betray you the second she gets the chance!"
"She isn't like you," Matteo growled, spinning around to face Kyle.
Arthur Vance suddenly burst into dark, cynical laughter. "A romantic speech, Matteo! Truly touching. But sentimentality is a fatal flaw in our world. And right now, your romantic little sanctuary is completely surrounded. My men control every exit from this theater to the harbor."
Matteo’s lips curled into a slow, terrifying smile.
"Surrounded?" Matteo asked smoothly. "Arthur, look at your phone."
May you like
Arthur frowned, pulling out his encrypted smartphone. The screen flashed with urgent notifications from his compound across the city.
Color drained completely from Arthur’s face.
