22
The phone buzzed in the middle of the night and woke Matteo up. He’d taken Marie to bed and wrecked her one more time before they fell asleep together. They hadn’t even pulled the plug in the tub. They’d just fallen asleep twisted around each other. Now, his new phone buzzed. He looked at it to see it was Petey on Skype.
“Hey boss, sorry to wake you. I know it’s still night there but I have news.” The voice on the other end sounded tense, so tense Matteo sat up in bed.
“Okay. Tell me.”
“It’s her, your aunt. I have her in my sights, boss. Just tell me and I’ll end her.” Matteo could hear a gentle wind over the line and knew Petey was outside somewhere in Italy. With a sniper rifle, ready to earn his pay, however his boss told him to earn it.
“You’re sure?” he asked, anger ice in his veins.
“Yes, I’m sure, Matteo. Got the document she put out to prove it.” Petey sighed, not judging, just passing information.
“Okay. Let me make a call. Hang on, don’t hang up.”
“Sure, boss. I’ll be right here. She’s sunning herself by the pool, she ain’t going nowhere.”
“Okay.”
He picked up his laptop, opened it up, and used his Google Hangouts number to call Celeste in Italy. It called her new cellphone number there, and he wasn’t surprised when she picked it up.
“Matteo, I didn’t expect to hear from you.” She didn’t sound pleased about the call. He was about to make that displeasure even worse.
“You fucking sick bitch. I have proof it was you. And before you hang up, let me tell you, there’s a sniper with your head in his sights right now. He can turn your head into a blown-up watermelon in seconds. So, don’t hang up.”
“Okay. I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but I’m listening.”
“You put the contract out on Marie, and then apparently me because Fiona fucking shot me.” He growled and nearly lost his control, but it snapped back into place when Marie shifted, still asleep, but easing an ache.
“Matteo, she needed to go…” she started but he stopped her.
“Fuck you. You have two options, Aunty.” He sneered the title at her. He hated her, he hated her so very much. “Either you take your medicine and eat a bullet for your lunch, or you leave the family, forever. You can have some of the money, your bullshit villa in Italy, and you leave us alone. We never see your face again. Any of us. I’m the king of this family now and you are done. Got me? Because if you go back against your word, your head will explode the second I find out about it, am I clear?”
“Yes, Matteo. I’ll have the paperwork sent to the lawyer. It’s all yours. I guess I did well. You’ve taken what I wanted to give you. Keep your little strumpet. I’ll stay over here and enjoy my retirement knowing you’re the man I raised you to be. Well done, my boy.” She tittered out a laugh, but he could hear the way her voice shook. She was terrified.
“Fuck you. Don’t come near any of us again and call off the contract. Now. If my man doesn’t see you on the phone in the next five minutes, you’re dead, understand?”
“Yes, Matteo. I’m, I’m sorry.”
“Again, fuck you. Goodbye.” He cut the line and went back to the phone where Petey waited for his orders.
“Well, what’s she doing now?”
“Apparently, pissing herself and screaming for a phone.”
“Good, watch her. I’ll wait.” It was almost over. Relief flooded through him; it was almost done. Marie would be able to walk out in public again. Thank fuck, this was almost over.
He felt his entire body begin to shake but took a deep breath and pushed away his body’s response to relief. His free hand went to Marie’s hip, held her, and took comfort from her presence.
“She’s calling someone. Hang on, my other phone is ringing.” Petey answered the other line, and Matteo could hear him. “It’s done, is it? Canceled? Good, she gets to live then. Smart woman.”
He said a few things more, told the man to get the info to America, quickly, as in now. He didn’t care who had to be woken up, get the contract canceled. “Boss, you still there?”
“Yes. It’s done then?” He loved technology in that instant. The news would travel in minutes now. Around the globe at the stroke of a key. Fucking awesome.
“It’s done. You can come out now.”
“Actually, I think I might take my wife on a little bit of a real vacation.” He chuckled and thought about the RV. Anton could go home, but he might stay if Matteo asked him to, as security while they traveled in Mexico.
“You do whatever you want to, boss. You can now.” Petey laughed. “I’ll call you later on. Get back to sleep now, knowing she’s safe.”
“I will, Petey, thank you.” Matteo slid down in the bed as the call ended, and he pulled Marie into his arms. “It’s over, my love.”
“What?” she asked sleepily, her head on his chest. She snored again and he laughed softly.
“Come on, baby, wake up a little. Celeste has called off the contract. We can come out of hiding now.”
“What? What time is it?” She sat up and looked at the clock on the nightstand. “It’s 6 am, Matteo, couldn’t you let me sleep an hour more?”
“No, not really. I probably should, but it couldn’t wait. I’m going to get Anton up too. Our plans might change.” He called his bodyguard and the man came to the room at once.
“Does he ever sleep?” Marie wondered as Matteo opened the door.
“It’s done. Petey found out it was Celeste, got her in his rifle’s sights, and she called it off. It’s being spread now, the word that it’s over at least.”
“That’s great news! We can go back to New York.” He smiled and looked at them both with happiness. “Or are we heading to Mexico for a week or two anyway?”
“I thought, while we were down here, we might as well, right?”
“Right. Totally right,” Marie agreed and jumped out of bed. “I’ll call room service.”
“And I’ll call that lady with the taxi.” Anton checked the time. “Does eight sound good? We can all eat, shower, whatever, pack up, and be downstairs by then.”
“That works,” Matteo answered as Anton went out to arrange for the taxi on the balcony.
Marie put the phone down, the breakfast she’d ordered for them all this morning a little healthier, and grinned at Matteo. “We’re free.”
“We are. Both of us.” He took a deep breath and sat down with her on the bed. “How do you feel?”
“Like the world has been lifted from my shoulders,” she sighed out; her eyes closed. “Like I can think again without every thought being formed from fear.”
“You’ve been so brave, Marie. Braver than you should have had to be. I’m so proud of you.” He kissed her, but Anton came back in, so they parted with secret smiles. Later, they’d continue that kiss.
“Taxi will be here at eight on the dot and I just saw the room service trolley come out of the elevator.” A knock at the door proved him right. He let them in and two trollies rolled in, with bowls of cut fruit, oatmeal, and toast.