20. Matteo

20

MATTEO

A fter going through security, we pull up to Mancini's impressive estate, which has a grand three-tiered stone fountain in the middle of the circular driveway. I had Rocco drive us in case I need backup, so he'll wait in the SUV until we're ready to leave. Mancini and I might be working together, but it would be lazy of me to not practice the same level of security I would with anyone else.

I lace my fingers with Luxtyn's as I pull her out of the vehicle, then make our way up the steps to the front door. A man dressed in a butler's uniform greets us before we're able to knock, gesturing for us to come in.

Walking into the grand foyer, the butler takes our coats before showing us down the hallway lined with small marble statues on top of pedestals. I notice Luxtyn's hands tremble as we round the corner into the dining room, so I grab her hand with my own and give her a soft squeeze to remind her I'm here. She gives me a small smile in return.

"Ahh, you've arrived. Perfect timing. Dinner is just about ready to be served," Mancini says as he walks around the table to greet us. He takes my hand into his and gives me a firm handshake before embracing Luxtyn in a hug she wasn't prepared for. Her eyes widen over Mancini's shoulder, but she reciprocates the endearing act.

With his arm still placed firmly on her back, Mancini directs her toward Elena and Giuliana. I watch closely as the introductions are made.

"Elena, il mio tesoro , this is Luxtyn," he says before turning to Luxtyn. "Luxtyn, this is my wife, Elena, and our daughter, Giuliana."

Elena holds out her hand with a blank expression on her face. "Pleased to meet you, dear," she says, but her tone says the opposite.

Luxtyn puts on a smile and shakes her hand. "You too," she says, matching her unenthusiastic tone. Elena raises her drawn-on eyebrow in response. She didn't like that, but I sure as hell did.

Luxtyn turns her attention to Giuliana who's wearing high-waisted dark jeans, black thigh-high boots, and a tucked in, tight red shirt that has her cleavage on full display. She looks like she's about to have a night out in the city versus a quiet family dinner at home. The scowl that's pasted on her face as she takes in Luxtyn tells me we might be in for an interesting night.

"Giuliana, say hello to your new half sister." Elena gives her a small nudge, causing her to reluctantly step forward and extend her limp hand out in greeting. Luxtyn gives her a questionable shake before dropping it.

Giuliana slides her predator-like eyes over to me and a smile breaks free on her face as she rakes her gaze up and down my body. Pushing her shoulders back, she raises her chin, and a dark gleam springs from her eyes. "It's so nice to see you, as always, Matteo." The seductive tone in her voice doesn't go unnoticed by me.

Did her father not inform her about the change in our contract? Or is she purposely being disrespectful?

"Please, let's all take a seat," Mancini says as he makes his way to the head of the grand dark-oak table.

Giuliana gives me one last look, biting her lip with a mischievous smile. The desperation rolling off her has me immediately grateful we didn't end up stuck in a marriage.

Ignoring her, I turn to Luxtyn whose gaze is narrowed in on Giuliana, and I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the jealousy she's displaying. I place my hand on the curve of her back, drawing her attention to me, and give her a reassuring smile.

When Giuliana realizes I'm not giving her the reaction she wants, she lets out a scoff before turning around to take her seat on one side of her father. Her mother takes the other, leaving the other head of the table and a seat next to Elena open for Luxtyn and me.

Leading her over to our seats, I slide out the tufted brown leather chair before Luxtyn has a chance to. "Let me get that for you," I say. She smiles and thanks me before taking her seat.

I take the spot next to her at the opposite end of the table as Mancini. An intricate crystal chandelier hanging from the two-toned coffered ceiling with branches extending and curving their way around each other to form an extravagant centerpiece is the only thing between us.

"Let's dig in," Mancini says after the server brings out our first course, a caprese salad. Only the occasional clanks of the silverware against the salad plates fill the air around us. I keep an eye on everyone as we continue eating our food in silence.

Mancini might not think Elena knows anything about Luxtyn's mother disappearing, but I'm not so convinced. If her brother is behind the abduction, then Elena must know something, but if she does, she's playing it off a lot better than I'd expected.

When Mancini introduced her to Luxtyn, I looked for a tell, any sway in her step or a falter in her expression, but there was nothing. Sure, she was cold, but Elena Mancini has never been known to have a charismatic personality. And even now, as we sit here, quietly enjoying our salads, Elena remains focused on the food in front of her. She's not giving me any kind of sign that she knows.

"So, Luxtyn, what have you been up to all week?" Mancini asks, finally breaking the silence.

She clears her throat and wipes her mouth with her napkin before speaking. "Oh, nothing much. Just been at the penthouse," she says as she brushes her hair behind her ear.

Mancini's eyes light up as he tracks the movement of her left hand, which reminds me, I never told him about us tying the knot. I've been so distracted with Luxtyn and her mother, that I haven't even clued him in on that important piece of information. The port that was so important to me, that's still important to me, has suddenly found itself knocked out of that number one spot on my list of priorities.

"Is that what I think it is?" Mancini asks, his eyes settled on her ring finger.

Luxtyn glances over at him and follows his line of sight to her wedding band. "Oh, yes," she says as she holds her hand up to him. "Matteo and I got married."

Giuliana drops her fork onto her salad plate with a loud clank . "Excuse me?" she shrieks, the pitch so high I'm surprised it didn't crack the glass in the chandelier.

I guess that answers the question of whether or not Angelo told them about the change in the contract.

"Angelo?" Elena questions .

"Daddy, the marriage was supposed to be between me and Matteo. Not that ." Giuliana gestures to my wife with a crinkle in her nose as if Luxtyn's nothing more than the dirt on the bottom of her Louboutins.

My jaw drops open as I go to step in, the anger consuming me at the disrespect Giuliana is showing Luxtyn, but before I'm able to, a soft, warm hand covers the fist I hadn't realized I'd formed on the table, almost immediately putting out the raging inferno. My gaze finds its way to Luxtyn, who's focused on Giuliana.

"The marriage that was supposed to be between you and Matteo was a business transaction. I'm sure Angelo can find you another one, but until then, you should probably learn to control those emotions of yours. Your future husband doesn't need a ticking time bomb attached to his name."

Giuliana's eyes widen and her mouth falls open as she lets out a frustrated gasp. She snaps her head to her father's. "Daddy, are you just going to let her speak to me like that?"

Mancini eyes me, and I raise my chin slightly, intrigued to hear how he responds. Because if it's not what I want to hear, I won't hesitate to hammer the nail in so Giuliana understands where she belongs.

"The contract has been signed, Giuliana. And I'd appreciate it if you and Luxtyn got along. She is your sister, after all, which means you need to treat her with the same respect you expect her to treat you with."

Giuliana lets out a huff as she folds her arms in front of her and throws herself back in her seat like a sulking child that didn't get her way.

Luxtyn starts to pull her hand from me, but I catch her fingers with mine, holding them. Not wanting to let them go.

Her eyes drift to mine, and I give her a wink. A small smile breaks out on her face, and my lips form the same, proud of my wife for sticking up for herself.

"I'm a little less than impressed with the lack of rock on your finger, but I'm glad to see the joining of our families finally," Mancini says, interrupting the moment.

With an unimpressed look, I bring my gaze up to his smirking one. "That wedding band on my wife's finger is a family heirloom. One that's been passed down for several decades now, the most recent inhabitant of it being my deceased mother."

A small gasp comes from Luxtyn as she learns the fate of my mother for the first time. It's not exactly how I imagined her finding out, but it was bound to come out at some point.

"It's worth far more than that overly lavish chandelier of yours," I say, raising my gaze up to the monstrosity above us before settling back on Mancini who looks like he's about to croak. He covers it up with a laugh before wiping his mouth with his napkin.

"I see. . . well, I just want the best for Luxtyn."

She gives my hand a firm squeeze, and I can tell by the look in her eyes that she's trying to silently console me for the death of my mother. It's a small gesture, but the fact she's giving it to me means more than she could know.

We all go back to eating, and the rest of the meal goes smoothly, with barely any conversation being had. The tension about our marriage remains stagnant in the air.

"Matteo, come join me for a nightcap, yes?" Mancini asks as we stand from the table.

"Of course," I say before turning my attention to Luxtyn. I pull her into me and whisper, "Are you okay with Elena and Giuliana while I speak with your father?"

"Yes. Will you ask him if he's heard anything about my mom though, please? "

"Of course." I lean down and place a light kiss on her cheek, which causes her to hiss a breath in. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

I follow Mancini to his study where the walls are lined with full bookcases. Closing the door behind me, I track his movements toward a small table that holds a crystal whiskey decanter set. Without glancing back at me, Mancini speaks. "Care for a drink, Matteo?"

He pours the amber liquid in a glass as I say, "Sure."

Grabbing both glasses, Mancini walks over and hands me one.

"So I see you've upheld your part of the contract." He stands there, swirling his glass in one hand while his other hand is shoved into the pocket of his charcoal slacks. "You haven't requested I uphold my end of the contract yet."

"I've been busy trying to locate your ex-lover." He winces upon hearing me describe her that way.

"Too busy to take control of my port?" Angelo tsks me, raising an eyebrow. "Wasn't that your plan this entire time? Take over the port so you can eliminate Giuseppe's access to it?"

Yes, but my priorities have shifted a bit.

"Luxtyn agreed to marry me because I promised I would help her find her mother. I'm surprised you wouldn't think that's important enough to be my top priority."

"Of course it's important. Just make sure you treat my daughter well, Matteo. Because I'll be here if you don't." He takes a sip from his glass, letting his threat hang in the air between us. He's lucky it regards my wife's safety, or I'd kill him right now with the gun strapped to the inside of my ankle.

"You have nothing to worry about when it comes to your daughter, Mancini. She's my wife, and I take care of what's mine. Very good care. "

His jaw clenches, and I love that I struck a chord with him with my suggestive comment.

"We'll talk about your port after we find Luxtyn's mother. Finding her is the priority right now."

Mancini perks up. "Have you discovered anything of importance in regard to Char's disappearance?" His dark eyes lighten in anticipation.

I ignore him and walk over to the brown leather couch to take a seat. I hike my foot up, resting it on the opposite knee, and let my arm hang along the back of the couch.

"I have not," I answer, holding his gaze, and pause for a moment before continuing. "It's strange, actually. Silvestri isn't known for keeping secrets. Someone would've either heard about a woman getting kidnapped by now, or you would've heard from Silvestri in regard to her." Whether that be as a threat to keep Angelo in line or to show him what happens when Silvestri thinks he's going behind his back.

"It's a possibility," Mancini says, the intrigue lighting up his eyes even more. "What are you saying, Matteo?"

"I'm saying I've paid men to threaten and beat the shit out of people within the Silvestri organization. Yes, lower-level associates, but even low-level associates have ears. None of those men have brought any useful information to me."

"You paid your men to beat up Silvestri's men?" he asks, dumbfounded, as it's typically not a wise thing to do. It could start a war going after his men like that. Especially with no solid proof of a good reason to do so.

"Of course not. I hired some street gang members to do it." I take another sip of the whiskey and revel in the burn as it slides down my throat. "You and I both know I can't have my name tied to that."

Mancini takes a seat in the leather chair across from me and lets out a small sigh .

"I'm assuming you haven't heard anything from Silvestri?" I ask him. "What about Mauricio? What's he been up to these days if he's not following you around?"

"I have him busy doing menial tasks. Distracting him so he's not out doing more dirty work for Giuseppe."

"If he was out doing dirty work for him, wouldn't that be good for you? You could get an inside look at what Silvestri's doing. Maybe he'll slip up and give you some intel on Luxtyn's mother's kidnapping."

He shakes his head. "No, he's never that loose lipped around me. We need to do something more drastic. Too much time has passed since she's disappeared. There's no telling if she's even alive at this point."

"We both know that no body means she's still alive."

He downs the remainder of his drink. "Fine, she might still be alive, but that doesn't mean she's unharmed." He stands up and slams his glass down on the table before turning back to look at me. "You and I both know that Giuseppe Silvestri doesn't care what he does to people."

He's right. Her mother might not be dead, but she could be wishing she was, and we're not any closer to finding her than we were at the start of this. I can't be responsible for the death of my wife's mother. She doesn't deserve to feel the pain of losing a parent.

I have to figure this out quickly.

For Luxtyn.

I promised her I would find her mother, and I've always been a man of my word.

"I'll think of another plan," I say before downing the rest of my whiskey and standing.

Mancini holds out his hand to retrieve the empty glass. "Let me know what I can do to help."

"She's torn up about it. She might seem like she's holding it together, but that's because the hope of the search is distracting her. If we can't find her soon, or there isn't some kind of hope that she'll find her, I'm not sure what will happen with her."

Walking toward the door, I'm about to exit when Mancini calls out from behind me, halting my steps. "I'll see what I can find out on my end."

I give him a nod over my shoulder before pulling the door open to go find my wife.