Chapter Seven

Mattia

The moment Aurelia descends the stairs in that black, shimmery dress from the shop, I know I'm fucking doomed. It clings to her thick curves like it was made for her, stopping well above mid-thigh and leaving little to the imagination. The puffy sleeves frame her shoulders, and the top plunges between her full breasts. She looks like a fairy goddess stepping into our world for one night only.

"Jesus Christ," I groan, my dick going rock hard at the sight of her. "You're too beautiful in that dress, cara mia." I stride over to her, pulling her into me by her waist and pressing a hungry kiss on her lips while palming her ass. "I'm supposed to let you leave the house like this?"

"Yes." She smiles up at me, clearly nervous, but excitement lingers in her eyes too. She's been quiet all day, but she's looking forward to this. I won't ruin it for her now.

"Are you ready?" I ask, studying her intently.

She bobs her head, the anxiety in her eyes growing.

I squeeze her hand reassuringly. "Everything will be okay, little mouse. I promise."

"Okay," she whispers.

I kiss her again, and lead her out to the SUV, keeping her tucked against my side. The sky is a riot of oranges, pinks, and reds as the sun slips below the horizon. A hint of rain lingers in the air, masking the usual smells of the city.

I help her into the passenger seat and buckle her in before kissing her again. She smiles up at me sweetly.

"Fucking beautiful," I mutter, making her blush.

As we drive, her curiosity gets the better of her. "Tell me about my brothers," she pleads softly.

"None of them wanted the life they have," I begin, keeping my eyes on the road. "Nico was supposed to take over for Vincent, but he was always meant to do something else with his life. Rafe knew it. Everyone but Vincent knew it. Vincent wasn't going to let him go, though. So Rafe sacrificed his future and agreed to swear the oath to free him. When he did that, Luca and Gabriel made the same sacrifice, determined to keep as much of the family together as possible."

"That's so sad," she whispers.

It's a fucking tragedy. They may have sworn the oaths, but doing it tore them apart. They've only recently begun to find their way back to one another. It's taken a helluva long time and a whole lot of pain to get them there.

"They all hate this life, but they honor the oaths they made because they're determined to keep one another alive. They're honorable men in a world that's forgotten what honor means." I glance at her, seeing her listening intently, soaking up every word. "Gabriel was in a bad accident a few years ago and nearly died. He's struggled since then, but he's finally happy."

"I read about that," she whispers, a shadow passing through her eyes in the shifting light. "Someone died."

"Yeah, topolina. Someone died in the accident. He hated himself for it for a very long time."

She sighs sadly.

"Rafe nearly died years before you were born," I murmur. "He was shot the day their mother was murdered."

"I didn't know that."

"It took him a long time to work through it. He finds it hard to trust anyone, and he protects women fiercely because of it. His wife, Amalia, brought him peace for the first time in his life."

"What about Luca?"

"Luca is Luca," I say with a smile. "He's laidback and easygoing on the surface, but underneath, he's complicated. He's a beast when it comes to his wife. She's pregnant. A little girl."

"Are they happy?"

"Yeah, cara mia. They're happy."

She nods thoughtfully.

"None of them are perfect, but they're good men. Complicated like the rest of this world, but that doesn't mean evil."

She nods again, taking in this new information about her family with quiet determination. I can practically feel the wheels in her mind turning as she fits it into place with what she already knows about them.

"Tell me about their wives," she says after a moment.

"You'll love them," I promise, reaching for her hand. "You have a lot in common."

"Like what?"

"You and Amalia are both principessas who didn't grow up in this world, for starters. Your father murdered her parents when she was a baby. She grew up in hiding," I say, not hiding the truth from her. She knows who her father was. I won't lie to her about it or try to sugarcoat the truth and make it more palatable. He abandoned her, leaving her defenseless. He doesn't deserve to have his reputation protected now.

"He m-murdered them?"

"It's complicated, topolina," I sigh. It's always fucking complicated in this world. "Her father had his wife killed. But that doesn't absolve your father for what he did. It doesn't justify it, either. Vincent started a war in a quest for power, and innocent people paid the price, including Amalia."

She nods, looking stricken.

"But that isn't what you asked. You asked about your brothers' wives. Amalia grew up in hiding because of Vincent's actions. Rafe found her, and they fell in love despite every reason they had to hate one another."

"That's kind of beautiful, Mattia."

"It is," I agree. "Luca and his wife have a complicated story, too. The Valentino and Genovese family were on the brink of war when they married. Callandria can be just as fierce as you are. And Gabriel's wife, Genesis, knows her own mind like you do. She didn't grow up in this world. If you're worried you won't fit in, don't be, little mouse. They're going to love you."

She glances at me, her blue eyes filled with uncertainty. I don't think she's ever had many girlfriends or many close friends at all. The thought that these fierce, loyal women might like her sounds foreign to her because she's never had that. But she will.

She has a family now. Everything Vincent stole from her when he abandoned her, I'm giving back to her. Piece by fucking piece until she realizes that she was always worthy. He's the motherfucker who wasn't.

I lift her hand to my lips, pressing a soft kiss to her fingers. "Trust me," I whisper, my gaze locked on hers.

She takes a deep breath to steady herself. "Okay," she whispers.

The Valentino mansion is a cold, lifeless mausoleum built by Vincent not to be a home but a glaring reminder of his power. No matter how hard Amalia tries to turn the place into a home, warmth, and life refuse to penetrate the walls.

Aurelia shivers as she stares up at it.

"Grim, isn't it?" I murmur, leading her up the deep steps toward the door. "Vincent had a flare for the dramatic."

She leans into me as if seeking warmth or comfort.

Ricci, one of Rafe's men, meets us at the door. "Boss," he says, nodding at me. His dark gaze drifts across Aurelia before he respectfully glances away.

"Ricci," I murmur to him, ushering Aurelia inside. She glances all around, taking her first peek at the home where her brothers grew up. The home where she was conceived. The home where she should have been raised.

It's elegant, beautiful even. But the unrelenting chill refuses to abate. This home has no soul. It never has. Not when Rafe's mother was alive. Not even with Amalia here. It'd be better for everyone if Rafe tore the place down and started fresh, but I understand why he doesn't. This is the only place where traces of their mother remain. He clings to those memories the same way I do mine. My family was murdered in my home. And still, I won't give it up.

"Mattia, you're here!" Amalia says, hurrying into the foyer with a bright smile for me and Aurelia.

Aurelia trembles against me. I run my hand down her arm, silently soothing her. Amalia can be fierce, but she reserves most of that fire for Rafe…and for us when we piss her off. She's sweet and warm. She brought heart and softness to this family.

Aurelia is going to love her.

"Rafe is on my last nerve," Amalia complains, watching us. "You should really do something about him."

"That's your job now, reginetta," I say, chuckling as she steps forward to fling her arms around me in a hug…which we both know she does only to piss off her husband. He's a possessive beast, especially when she's pregnant. And I suspect she's pregnant again if she's calling us for reinforcements. He drove her insane when she was pregnant with their son.

Right on cue, he steps into the foyer behind her, scowling when he sees my arms around her. "Keep your hands off my wife, Mattia," he growls.

Aurelia goes rigid beside me, her gaze locked on her brother. I slip my hand into hers, offering her comfort.

Amalia immediately spins to face her husband, a string of Spanish flying from her lips. I only catch about half of it, but it sounds like she's telling him to mind his business and his manners.

I watch the two of them, grinning. Once upon a time, no one told Rafe Valentino what to do. They wouldn't dare. This entire city lost sleep worrying about the Capo dei Capi and what he might do if they crossed him. That was then. Before Amalia. She tamed him, changed him. Healed him. Her fire is precisely what he needed to breathe life back into him.

She has my loyalty not because she's our queen but because she saved my oldest friend. I'd kill for her simply because she'd kill for him.

Aurelia's completely still beside me, tense and nervous, her eyes still locked on Rafe, watching him and Amalia interact. I gently nudge her forward to introduce her.

"Rafe, Amalia, this is Aurelia," I murmur. "Aurelia, topolina, this is Rafe and Amalia Valentino."

Introducing her simply as Aurelia twists my insides with guilt and frustration. It's not what I want. I'm in love with this woman, and hiding the truth is fucking killing me. She deserves a proper introduction. So does Rafe.

But now isn't the time. If I force the issue, I lose what little trust I've gained. And we're right back where we started.

I can't allow that. I won't allow it.

I'm caught between competing loyalties, and it's fucking killing me here.

"Hi," Aurelia whispers, taking a small step forward. "It's nice to meet you both. I've, um, heard a lot about you."

Rafe's gaze flickers to mine over her head, a question in his eyes.

I don't get a chance to answer it. The front door swings open, the room exploding into chaos as Gabriel and Luca arrive with Callandria, Genesis, Domani, Diego, Coda, and their wives in tow.

The noise and movement only serve to heighten Aurelia's anxiety, but she stands her ground, a testament to her strength.

I pull her into me anyway, holding her close and offering her a little of my strength.

"You're doing well, little mouse," I breathe, my lips against her ear.

She sighs softly, resting her head against my chest.

Dinner is lavish, with everyone gathering around the long table, laughing and talking. Unlike the rest of the house, the dining room is full of warmth, as if the laughter and secrets shared here over the years have actually penetrated through the cold, breathing life into the room.

Aurelia is quiet, her eyes darting around as everyone laughs and jokes, their masks off here in a way they never are outside these walls. Here, we're family, free to be ourselves. There are no pretenses here, no enemies.

We've spilled blood and shed it together, made war and forged alliances. We're unbreakable.

Or at least we always have been.

I'm unsure how much longer that will hold true. When Rafe, Gabriel, and Luca find out who Aurelia really is to them, the truth might shatter what steel forged. If I live long enough to regret it, it's going to sting like a motherfucker.

But I won't take it back. Not now. I made my choice. I'll live with it.

Amalia notices Aurelia's silence and attempts to draw her into conversation as we linger over drinks. "I've heard enough about these big idiots to last me a lifetime," she says, her smile inviting and genuine. "I want to hear all about Aurelia."

Aurelia fidgets in her chair, clearly nervous, and I notice Coda watching her intently from across the table. She hesitates for a moment before answering, her voice soft. "Um, there isn't much to tell, really. I was born and raised here in Chicago."

"What about your parents?" Amalia asks. "What do they do?"

"My father died before I was born," she whispers, slipping her hands into her lap. "My mother ran a cleaning service before she retired."

"Are you close?"

Aurelia nods, glancing down at her hands. "We've always been really close."

Something about the way she says it, or perhaps the way her voice shakes when she does, sends a sick sense of dread washing through me. She hasn't talked about her mother once since we've been together. She hasn't asked to call her, hasn't asked to see her. She hasn't mentioned her at all, in fact.

If they're so close, why hasn't she brought her up? Wouldn't her mother want to hear from her?

Something isn't right.

I share a look with Coda, who seems to understand my unspoken request—find out where her mother is, because something isn't adding up. He jerks his chin in a nod, his expression grim.

The baby monitor suddenly crackles to life, a tiny wail slipping through the room.

Amalia hops to her feet, inviting Aurelia to join her in checking on the baby.

Her gaze flickers to me as if seeking permission.

"Go ahead, little mouse," I encourage her, wanting her to know that I trust her and that she can trust Amalia. Nothing will happen to her inside this house. Every man inside would die to protect her.

The rest of the women immediately decide to join them. Chairs scrape back as they rise to their feet and slip from the room, chattering back and forth.

The atmosphere shifts as their voices fade in the distance.

Rafe turns his piercing gaze on me. "She suits you," he says.

"She does." I take a sip of brandy.

"She's quiet."

"She is."

Everyone watches us, smirking as Rafe repeatedly tries to pry for more information about her and our relationship but my lips remain sealed.

There's plenty I'd like to tell him—like the fact that his father is a stone-cold prick. Or the fact that his sister is extraordinary. Or the fact that I'm madly in love with her and willing to break any oath and fight any battle to keep her. But there's nothing I can say now.

"Maledizione, Mattia! You're a tight-lipped bastard," Rafe chuckles eventually, shaking his head in mock disbelief before raising his glass in a congratulatory toast. "But seriously, I'm happy for you."

I nod my appreciation but remain silent, the truth chafing like fucking chains around my wrists.

Aurelia deserves better than this. Goddammit. She deserves better.

A few minutes later, she reappears in the doorway, her face pale and eyes rimmed in red as if she's been crying.

My heart clenches at the sight of her distress. I rise from the table, crossing to her.

What the fuck happened?

"Can we go now?" she whispers, her voice trembling.

"Of course," I reply without hesitation, tipping her chin up until she meets my gaze. "Are you okay?"

She nods, averting her gaze.

I sigh, pressing my lips to her forehead before I glance back at the table. "We're leaving," I mutter, catching Rafe's eye.

He nods, his gaze flickering to Aurelia.

Coda catches my gaze, a question in his eyes, but I don't have an answer for him. I don't know what the fuck happened.

I intend to find out, though.

"We have business to discuss tomorrow," Rafe calls as I usher Aurelia out, worry gnawing at me.

Once we're inside the SUV, I can't hold back any longer. "What's wrong, little mouse?" I demand, turning to her. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she lies, avoiding my gaze. The stubbornness in her tone sets my teeth on edge.

"You're lying to me," I growl, gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"I'm fine, Mattia."

She's lying again.

I snap, frustration boiling over. I reach for her, dragging her out of her seat and into my lap despite the confined space.

"Mattia, stop," she growls. "I said I was—"

I silence her with my lips on hers, my kiss hard, punishing…possessive, as I try to draw the truth from her lips.

"Don't fucking lie to me, Aurelia," I warn, my voice a rough growl. "Not right now. You aren't fine. You were crying."

I'm ready to rip my fucking skin from my bones at the thought of her tears, and she's lying about them. I can't fucking stand the thought of her upset enough to cry. I need to know what happened so I can fix it. I have to fix it.

She stares at me for a moment before leaning forward and biting my lip, defiance shining in her eyes.

"Is that how you want to do this then?" I snarl, ripping the front of her dress down, baring her perfect tits to my hungry gaze. "You want me to fuck the truth out of you, cara mia?"

"What do you think?" she challenges, her hand slipping between us to grab my already hard cock. With her, it's always fucking hard. Always aching. Dio. He knows he belongs to her.

I should tell her no, force her to talk to me. But I don't. Of course, I don't. I'm incapable of denying her anything. From the moment I set eyes on her, I've been hers to command. Whatever she wants, whatever she needs, I'll give her. Even if it leads me straight to hell.

I pinch her nipple hard, making her throw her head back and cry out in pleasure. "Take my cock out, then. Fuck me right here in the driveway of your brother's house, Aurelia. Let them hear you scream my name."

Her eyes widen at the suggestion, but she scrambles to obey, unzipping my pants and freeing my cock.

My fingers find her wet cunt beneath her dress. I rip her panties, tearing them off her. I can't help but groan as her heat sears my skin. I play with her, thrusting two fingers inside her while she shifts around, trying to straddle my thighs.

"That's it, topolina," I growl. "Straddle me like a fucking good girl right here."

She wastes no time in sinking down onto me, gasping I fill her, stretching her tight little body.

"Fuck, Aurelia," I hiss as she starts to ride me, each movement driving me deeper into her. My hands clamp around her waist, helping to lift and drop her.

The windows fog up with our desperate breaths as we fuck. I know we're playing with fire—not just by fucking in the middle of the driveway like this but from the secrets and lies between us. But in this moment, all I can focus on is the way she feels around me, the way her body responds to mine as if we were created for one another.

Cristo, I think we were. She was always meant to be mine. Vincent may have delayed the inevitable when he abandoned her, keeping her from me, but one way or another, I was always meant to find her. To claim her. To possess her.

"Mattia," she moans, clinging to me as we rock together in the dim light of the driveway.

"Say it louder, Aurelia," I command through gritted teeth as I thrust up into her, making her cry out. "Don't fucking stop saying it until you're screaming it."

I drive into her again and again, leaning forward to attack her breasts with my lips and teeth. It's a carnal assault, one I know she can't withstand. I pour everything into making her scream for me, determined to make her forget everything but my fucking name and how much she loves saying it.

"Mattia!" she screams, her body trembling as she comes undone around me.

I pound into her, her body quivering with each thrust. Her nails dig into my shoulders as she sobs, overwhelmed by sensation.

"Mattia…" she breathes, desperation lacing her voice.

My heart aches at the sound of my name on her lips and at the way she shakes around me. At how fucking perfect she is. In this moment, I don't give a damn about anything but her and the love threatening to consume us both.

Whether she realizes it or not, she feels it. I know she does.

I lean in close, giving her my truth as I follow her into oblivion. "Ti amo, little mouse. I love you."

Her body tenses at my confession, another sob breaking from her perfect lips. Tears stream freely down her cheeks as she buries her face in my shoulder.

I wrap my arms around her, holding her as tightly as I can, trying to convey the depth of my feelings through touch alone. Trying to let her know, no matter what, I've got her. I'll always have her.

"Everything will be okay, cara mia," I promise softly, stroking her hair. "No matter what, you're going to be okay."

Her sobs grow quieter, but she doesn't loosen her grip, instead clinging as if I'm the only thing rooting her to reality. My mind races with thoughts of our future together, of how I can protect her when I'm not entirely sure what I'm protecting her from.

What the fuck does Brio have on her?

"What if it won't be okay?" she whispers against my skin, her voice barely audible. "W-What if I break everything, Mattia?"

"Then we'll take the broken pieces and build something new together," I murmur, my voice firm. "We'll fight, every step of the way. I refuse to let anything tear us apart, not now that I've found you."

She lifts her head, meeting my gaze with tear-filled eyes. "You mean that, don't you?"

"You know I do, little mouse. You're mine. No matter what, you're mine."

"I've never belonged anywhere."

"Neither have I, but now we belong right here together."

A small, fragile smile tips her lips up, awe and hope lighting her eyes. "Alright. We'll fight together."

"Sí, cara mia, together."