“I like you, Constantino, even though I shouldn’t. You run the opportunity of coming here and claiming what I’ve worked so hard for.”
“I don’t want any of it,” I snapped at him.
“No?” He cocked his head at me. “Then why is it you’re building an empire with Lorenzo De Luca if you have no interest in this world?”
It was a question that rendered me speechless. I’d never considered why I did it. I didn’t want this life. I didn’t want Rosie to have this life either. So why was I helping to build an empire? Love for my friends? A love which could drive them to an early grave if shit went sideways. Suddenly, none of it made sense.
“It’s situational,” Anson said softly. “Fox loves Rosalie. Rosalie loves the horsemen. He’s there for her.”
“It’s always a woman, isn’t it?” Matteo mused. “Women will always be a powerful man’s downfall.”
We were all quiet for a moment. I noticed Alessio’s dark eyes on me. He looked sad. I had no idea what happened to Vincent’s mother. I figured it was probably similar to what happened to my mom. Murdered for being with someone she loved.
I swallowed hard at that thought. Everything was ringing too true in this fucking office. While I’d considered Rosalie being hurt because of us, the idea of her dying was making me so ill I thought I’d vomit. All of these men had wives who were gone.
I’d be another one of them.
I couldn’t let that happen.
Not to my Rosie.
Fucking hell, I needed to get out of there and go to her.
“Constantino,” Matteo called out. “Look at me.”
I snapped my attention from my lap to him. Something flashed in the depths of his eyes that made me hesitate. Maybe it was a moment of humanity shining through on him. It was difficult to tell, though. He was a mysterious, dangerous man.
“What do you want from your life?”
“I want to leave,” I said.
“And you will after you tell me your plans.”
“My plans are to leave.”
“We can go in circles all night.” Matteo raised a brow at me.
“Then you’re not understanding me. I want to leave. This life. I don’t want it. I don’t want an empire. I don’t want to worry about my girl. I don’t want to worry about my friends and whether they’ll come home at night. I want a normal life. I want to sweep my girl away and marry her like I’ve always dreamed of.”
“Then why don’t you?”
I shook my head and focused on a point over his head. How the fuck did I end up in Matteo De Santis’s office getting lectured and grilled about life? If someone would have told me I’d be here a week ago, I’d have laughed in their face.
“Your father knows how to leave a world behind. Perhaps you should talk to him about it.”
“The only way I’ll leave this world is through a body bag,” I said, knowing it was true.
“How sad.” Matteo drummed his fingers on the table. “I could offer you freedom if you worked for me.”
I snapped my attention to him. “What?”
“You want freedom, right? To take your girl away from this life. It would require sacrifices, but I’m willing to make them if you are.”
I couldn’t believe what he was saying to me.
Was he being serious?
“Father.” Anson cleared his throat.
