Chapter 12

MATTEO'S POV~







"Someone was definitely watching..."









Sitting in my office, facing the screen in front of me. I smirked as I watched the figure struggle to climb a figure. It was a laughable mistake for her to have thought it would be that easy to escape me.



"Boss," Ermanno called, entering the room with some men behind him. "I have finished assigning them to their duties," nodding my head still not taking my eyes off the screen. She had finally succeeded in climbing the tree, she was now shifted on a branch looking around her.



"Markov wishes to speak to you."



"The same fool that threatened me?" I asked, still not looking at him.



" Yes, Matteo. That same Markov," he replied sarcastically "I think it's about the device and..."



I raised my hand, cutting him off Immediately. I knew he hated whenever I acted like this to him, especially in front of the other guys. I mean he is my second in command and all but that didn't mean I couldn't boss him around. Finally, I looked up to see him eyeing me with a look of discontent.



Laughing cynically I said, "that won't be necessary, just tell him I will return the device. There's no need to call any meeting." I was too busy to sit in a room full of Russians and exchange words. I never liked them in the first place. It was dad who convinced me to do business with them to have their support.



Apparently next to us, by us I mean not just the Italians but my main family, they are the second strongest. The failure of this deal just increased my dislike for them.



"But..."



"No, buts, Mikhail!" I snapped. "Leave it at that and do as I say. I don't like repeating myself." I watched as his jaw ticked as stared down at me for some time before finally backing down. The other guys shifted uncomfortably behind him, aware of the tension between us. Mikhail and I have had our fair share of misunderstandings over the years but we have been careful to not fight in front of our Juniors. I didn't encourage arguments between my men so it would be hypocritical of me to do so in their presence.



Just then, the door of my office burst open. In came Tom with a fearful look in his eyes.



"Boss, the girl is missing," he started looking anywhere but at me.



" What?" hissed Mikhail angrily. "What were you doing? And how did she get past our security so easily?" Tom shifted uncomfortably surprised at Mikhail's reaction to this. I mean he hasn't even officially met the girl so why was he being dramatic about it? Unless he is still not over what transpired earlier between us.



"And why are you both still standing here?" He was now addressing the other guys. "Go, and you must find her.."



"That won't be necessary," I cut him off, again. "As a matter of fact I have the situation under control," and that was true. I looked back at the screen to see some of my men already dragging her back to the house. I couldn't hear anything but from her actions, I knew she was protesting as she struggled to get out of their hold.



I didn't notice that Mikhail was nowhere beside me staring deadly at the screen. We watched as the men dragged her through the long driveway way before disappearing through the front door.



"Tell them to take her to the cells this time around. I don't want to hear any excuses," I said looking at the tall dark guy at the front whose name is Jonny, he stared back at me in confusion. After that, I dismissed the men but not before giving Tom an earful of how careless he had been and that he needed to sit up. There's no room for mistakes here. If I hadn't expected this and prepared in time for it. She would have succeeded with her escape.



The room was silent after they had all left, leaving Mikhail with me. I could feel his stare on my head but I chose to ignore it whistling to myself. I half expected him to start cursing me out for my attitude toward him but when I got nothing. I leaned back on my chair, finally catching his eye.



"What is it?" I questioned quietly at him. He took in slow breaths as if trying to calm himself, I rolled my eyes at that action looking away from him.



"Who is the girl?" He questioned shocking the hell out of me. That wasn't the question I was expecting from him. Shrugging my shoulders, I kept silent, not giving him a reply.



"That girl... is she the redhead from the casino?" I sucked in a breath as he reminded me once again of that shameful day. He didn't know what happened between Hazel and me but I knew he had his suspicions.



"You haven't still told me all that happened that night," he reminded me raising an eyebrow.



"Nothing happened, okay? Now stop with the interrogations and help me pull this shit out." I grumbled as I tried opening the cabinet on my desk.



"You can deny it all you want. Bear in mind that I will surely find out," he promised before helping me to pull out the drawer.



That is Mikhail for you. Always poking his nose in my business like it was his. It's like he lived off the drama in my life, I can't blame him though who wouldn't want to be with someone like me? I thought smirking to myself.

A few minutes later I was down the cells entering one of the dark rooms she was being kept in. Tied to a chair.



"Boss," Jamie started a look of worry on his features. "Her left arm is broken, she needs to be attended to before it worsens," Tom stood beside him nodding his head in agreement. Mikhail was also standing there not saying a word, I saw Jamie elbow him as if urging him to say something.



"Don't involve me in this case, guys, I don't even know the girl," he stated raising his hands in defense.



I smirked at that before turning to face her. She was silent the whole time watching me as I approached her.

"Let me start by telling you all about the next few minutes," I started still smirking at her. "You, my dear, will tell me everything I need to know, you will answer my every question, give me all the names I need, and by the end of it all..." I paused leaning down at her. I saw her flinch at that action, closing her eyes. Before she opened them, blinking at me, choosing to ignore that I continued. "You will wholeheartedly work for me. Following my every instruction, no questions asked."



She broke into a burst of harsh laughter, surprising me and everyone else in the room. She has a nice laugh even if it lacked humor but I wasn't going to tell her that.



"What makes you think I will be doing all that?" She asked, still smiling. "Why don't you start that next few minutes now? I sure would love to see an episode like that."



" Me too," Mikhail agreed from behind me. Annoyed as I was, I chose to ignore him.



"Darling, I don't think you realize who is in charge here," I gestured to her bound wrists. She followed my gaze before scoffing.



"I'm not sure you are aware but it takes more than an organized kidnapping like this to bring me down," she stated confidently holding my gaze. "I actually thought you were from them. I made myself believe that you weren't like those egotistical, manipulative idiots out there only for me to now see you are not so different. In fact, you are even lower than them," I knew she was trying to get on my nerves and clearly it was working but I calmed myself controlling my emotions.



"You talk of manipulation when you are the only manipulative bitch here."



" Stronzola!( asshole)." She hissed.



"Vaffancula (go fuck yourself)." Mikhail burst into a fit of laughter clutching his stomach. Jamie and Tom coughed out a little trying to hide their amusement. I too couldn't help but laugh at her little attempt to speak Italian. Seems like someone has been doing their homework.



"Is that not what he said?" She asked, looking behind me. Mikhail replied by giving her a thumbs up as if this was a competition or something.



"I like this one," he said smiling at her "I think we should keep her. Don't you think so guys?" He asked the quiet men beside him. Jamie looked like he was going to say something but paused when he saw me staring at him. Raising an eyebrow I dated him to say whatever he was thinking.



"Uhmm...Uhmm..." he mumbled. "Boss we will be waiting outside," he finally let out dragging Tom out of the room and closing the door behind them.



"You sure do have a sharp mouth," I started grabbing her jaw. "But watch what you say to me darling, I know people who can make you disappear." I sneered with a deadly look.



" Well..." She said almost immediately. "Good thing I know people who can find me then," she finished smiling at me. Mikhail was suddenly on his knees unable to hold in his laughter.

"T-that was a.... hiccup... good one,"

"I know right," she added almost immediately, laughing with him.



"You can laugh all you want now, dolcezza but I don't know if you are going to be doing the same soon."



"Do your worst," she sneered. "Figlio di puttana(son of a bitch)." the whole room became suddenly quiet, even Mikhail knew not to laugh. At this moment I stared at her, a storm brewing inside me. I hated being addressed that way and although I was going easy on her all this while. I decided to change my course of action.



"Speaking of mothers," I said with a calm voice. "Does this picture ring a bell to you?" I asked pulling up a picture of a certain red-haired woman. Her expression changed immediately, morphing into an angry one.



"Don't you fucking do anything to her or else..."



"Or else what darling?" I asked, smirking. "I did warn you about this next few minutes whether you chose to believe me or not was entirely up to you. Besides, you were the first person to bring up mothers. I only returned the favor."



Mikhail stepped closer grabbing the phones from my hands, I watched as he stared at the phone before looking at Hazel finally figuring out the main hand.



"So will you be saying anything or do I have to go to the length of bringing her over for a family reunion?" I asked, smirking at her angry expression. This is going to be one hell of a night.