“Make yourselves comfortable,” I said. “I can order some pizza and we can watch a movie? Might take your mind off everything.”
“Sure.” The helplessness in Alessia’s eyes gutted me. She loved her dad, loved him something fierce. If anything happened to him…
I shook the thoughts away. Uncle Toni would pull through. He had to.
The girls got settled while I grabbed a menu from the noticeboard. I might not have had anyone to lean on, not the way Enzo had Nora and Nicco had Ari, but I could do this for my cousin. I could be her person.
“What movie are you thinking?” I asked, diving onto the couch beside Bella.
“Scemo,” she muttered, and I chuckled. “How do you feel about Magic Mike?”
“Oh hell no. I’m not watching a bunch of dudes get naked and dance.”
“Insecure about your sexuality, brother?”
“Pulce.”
“Fine, we’ll pass on Magic Mike. How about the latest Marvel film then?”
“I can get on board with that.” I kicked up my feet and set about ordering the pizza.
At least entertaining the girls would keep my mind off Caitlin.
“Matt,” Bella’s voice trickled through my subconscious. “Matt…”
“Yeah?” I bolted upright. “Huh, what—”
“Your cell phone, it’s ringing.” She thrust it at me, and I blinked rapidly, trying to get my bearings.
I was half-draped on the couch, my neck stiff and my eyes weary. I must have dozed off during the film.
“What time is it?”
“Late; a little past midnight.”
“Shit. Where’s Sia?” I glanced around.
“She went to bed hours ago. You fell asleep and I was watching Magic Mike, but it just finished. Who’s calling?” She motioned to the phone still in my hand.
It had stopped vibrating, but sure enough, there were two missed calls.
Luis.
“I need to take this.” Stumbling off the couch, I went over to the kitchen and dialed his number. The second he answered, I breathed, “What happened?”
“Shit, Matteo. I’m sorry I called. She’s awake now. She’s—”
“What. Happened?” I ground out, instantly going on high alert.
“She was having a nightmare, a real bad one, and I couldn’t wake her. I panicked and I didn’t want to disturb Nicco, not since Antonio is… and I tried Enzo, but it rang out. So I called you. But everything is fine, she’s fine.”
Yeah, fuck that.
I let out a weary breath and glanced over at my sister who watched me intently.
“I’ll be there soon,” I said.
“Matt, I’m not sure that’s a good—”
“I’ll be there soon.” I hung up and pulled up a new message, texting Alessia’s bodyguard. The building had its own security, but I wasn’t prepared to leave the girls without someone I trusted watching them.
“You’re leaving?” Bella asked.
“Yeah, I need to go check on… a friend.”
“A friend, right.” Her brow quirked. “What’s her name?”
Jesus. Bella always had a way of seeing straight through me.
“You don’t need to worry about her.”
“She’s got you all tied up in knots. Seems like I definitely need to worry, Matt.”
“Jay will come watch you while—”
“We don’t need babysitting, Matt.” She huffed.
“I know you don’t, but Nicco would have my balls if I left Alessia unsupervised.”
“Fine, whatever. Will you be back?”
“I… I don’t know. But I’ll text you, okay?”
“Okay.” She stood up and came over to me, looping her arms around my waist. “You’re a good big brother, Matt.”
“I’ll always keep you safe, pulce.”
“I know.”
It was my promise to her. I’d seen what this life could do to people—how it could tear families apart. Arabella was innocent, and she deserved a future. She deserved to chase her dreams.
The idea that she could one day be used as a pawn or collateral against the Family terrified the shit out of me.
A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts and I eased Bella out of my arms, striding across the apartment to let Jay in.
“Mr. Bellatoni.”
“Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.” He nodded stiffly. “It’s what Mr. Marchetti pays me for.”
“Hey, Jay.” My sister gave him a small wave.
“Miss Bellato—”
“How many times do I have to say it, Jay? Call me Bella.”
“Very well, Miss Bellatoni.”
She grumbled, throwing her hands up in frustration. A smile curved my lips. Arianne was just the same with our security team. She preferred to keep things on a first name basis, but our men weren’t used to it.
“I need to go out for a while,” I said. “Bella is about to go to bed, so you won’t need to entertain her.” I gave her a pointed look.
“Ruin all my fun, why don’t you.”
“I’ll check in with you later.” I turned my attention back to Jay.
“I’ll handle things here,” he said.
“Thanks.” I grabbed my jacket and keys.
“I hope she’s worth it,” Bella called after me, her words hitting me square in the chest.
I didn’t look back as I left the apartment with only one thing on my mind.
Getting to Caitlin.
It took me too fucking long to get to the cabin. By the time I pulled up next to Luis’s SUV, it was almost one-thirty.
The cabin was steeped in darkness, only a faint, flickering amber glow coming from inside. I padded up the steps and knocked quietly. Nothing. Pulling out my cell phone, I dialed Luis’s number.
“Matteo?” He groaned. “Tell me that’s not you—”
“Open the door,” I said.
“Cait doesn’t want—”
“We both know I’m not leaving until I’ve seen her, Luis. So do yourself a favor and open the fucking door.” I hung up and a second later, the lock unlatched and the door swung open.
“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” He glared at me.
“Where is she?”
“In bed… asleep.”
Some of the panic coursing through me abated. “I need to see her.” I barged past him, but he grabbed my shoulder.
My eyes met his and he blew out an exasperated breath. “Seriously, Matteo, this is a bad idea. I shouldn’t have called.”
“What happened?”
Relenting, Luis closed the door and ushered me over to the couch. I wanted to go to her, to see with my own eyes that she was okay. But maybe he was right. Maybe I had been too hasty.
Jesus.
I was a mess.
All over a woman who had made it perfectly clear she wanted nothing to do with me.
“Here, you look like you could do with this.” He handed me a beer.
“She’s okay?”
“She is now.” He ran a hand down his face and sat opposite me in the armchair angled toward the open fire.