Mattia Di Lauro is the son of the most ruthless and dangerous criminal, Marco Di Lauro. After his father was imprisoned, Mattia took over the family business. He inherited his father's temperament - not only cruel, but also bloodthirsty, especially with those who owe him. Because of that, an old client who has been in debt for months gets a visit from Mattia and his men. Seeing the debtor filthy and desperate, Mattia still demands what he's owed. The poor man, having nothing left, in a desperate attempt to save himself, offers his only daughter as payment. Mattia laughs at first, but soon realizes the man is serious. That's when Emma enters - a beautiful and sweet young woman. The moment Mattia lays eyes on her, he is captivated by her beauty. He then orders her to pack her things and go with him. Confused and resistant, she tries to defy him, but eventually gives in and goes with him. He promises to give her a queen's life and says nothing bad will happen to her. At first, they don't get along - she refuses to accept this new life. But slowly, something begins to grow between them, something they can't control. Will Emma be able to fit into this new world? And can a man as cruel as Mattia fall in love with someone like her?
I stepped out of the hot tub, my mind still lingering in the shadows of the deals I was finalizing. Water trickled down my body as I wrapped myself in a soft white cotton robe, the gentle scent of soap still hanging in the air. Each step on the cold bathroom floor echoed against the walls, the silence reigning, broken only by the faint sound of water swirling down the drain. The apparent peace wouldn't last long.
I walked over to the bed - sheets perfectly stretched, the king-size mattress dominating the center of the room, just the way I liked it. My phone vibrated insistently, flashing a missed call from Riccardo. I sighed. What did he want now?
"Riccardo, what's the problem?" My voice came out dry, almost impatient, as I sat on the edge of the bed, still adjusting the robe around my body.
"Took you long enough to answer, Mattia! I've been trying to reach you for a while!" he grumbled on the other end, in a tone that, to others, might have sounded like desperation - to me, it was just irritating.
"I was in the shower. Calm down and talk. I hope it's about the shipment I'm waiting on."
My hand slid through my wet hair, brushing away the drops on my face. I caught my reflection in the distant mirror, the cold gleam in my eyes staring right back at me.
"It is about that." Riccardo paused. "The merchandise arrived. All as planned."
I stood and walked slowly across the room. The gold-framed mirror caught my image, and I paused, observing myself for a moment. That reflection reminded me of the power I held - how everything was always under control.
"Good. Bring it here so I can see it. And don't forget my cut of the money and the notebook. I want to go over the numbers myself."
My words came sharp and fast, leaving no room for objections. Something in Riccardo's silence, however, unsettled me.
"Riccardo?" I called, my voice lower now, but laced with threat.
"Yes... I'll bring everything."
His hesitation was obvious, but I had no time to entertain uncertainty. I cursed silently and hung up the phone with a swift, harsh movement.
I got dressed. A black silk shirt, tailored pants, and a leather belt completed the flawless look. There was no room for mistakes - not even in appearance. Just as I was about to leave the room, I heard a knock at the door. I opened it to find Giulia, the maid, her eyes lingering a little too long on my chest.
"Giulia?" My voice sliced through the silence, snapping her out of her trance.
"Yes, Mr. Mattia. Riccardo and the others are here, they brought some boxes." She pointed downstairs.
"Good. Tell them I'm coming and prepare a coffee." I ordered with a quick wave of my hand. She nodded and hurried off. I closed the door with a soft click and adjusted my tie in the mirror one last time.
As I descended the stairs, muffled voices reached me before I saw them. There they were - Riccardo and the others - standing like proper soldiers around a stack of boxes in the center of the living room. The room's opulence was overwhelming to anyone not used to luxury - dark-toned furniture, heavy curtains, and the golden throne in the corner, my favorite seat, gleaming under the soft light.
"So, where are the beauties?" I asked, my voice calm but laced with anticipation. Riccardo nodded and walked over to the stack, lifting the lid off one of the boxes carefully.
Inside, gleaming, were the rifles. I grabbed one with both hands, feeling the balanced weight of the weapon. I smiled. It was perfect. Every detail screamed precision and power. I unlocked the rifle, spun it fluidly, and aimed it directly at Andrea, one of the guys who worked for me.
"Imagine the damage this thing can do," I said, my tone almost playful - but the sharp focus of my eyes made Andrea pale. He raised his hands.
"Put it down, boss. Please," he said, voice trembling.
"Coward." I laughed, tossing the rifle back to Riccardo, who placed it back in the box. "It's unloaded, idiot."
I kept laughing as I walked toward the golden throne and sat down, crossing my legs. I always enjoyed testing the limits of my men - seeing who could really take the pressure.
At that moment, Giulia entered, carrying a tray with coffee and a freshly baked cake. She placed everything carefully on the coffee table, but before I could say a word, the men were already diving into the food like they hadn't seen cake in years.
"HEY!" I shouted, my voice slicing the air like a blade. "Don't you guys have any manners?"
The men froze, mouths full, like kids caught stealing.
"Sorry, boss. But Giulia's cakes are..." Riccardo tried to explain, still chewing.
I gestured for Giulia to leave, and she quickly disappeared through the door. The men finished eating in silence, and finally, we got back to what really mattered.
"Now that your bellies are full, let's get to business. Riccardo, hand me the money." I said, extending my hand as he pulled out a stack of cash and placed it on the table in front of me. The sight of the bundled bills brought a smile to my face. I picked up the first wad and began to count.
It took about ten minutes to go through every stack. After taking my cut, I distributed the rest to the guys, reserving the biggest portion for Riccardo, as usual. He was my right hand - loyalty needed to be rewarded.
What really made me smile, though, wasn't the money. It was the absolute control I had over everyone around me.
"Now that everyone's satisfied, bring me the notebook. Riccardo, now." I signaled for him to hand it over. Riccardo hesitated for a second before opening the folder and placing the notebook in front of me.
I grabbed it and flipped through the pages quickly. Sales were good. The cocaine was flowing like water, and money was pouring in - but something made me stop.
My eyes locked on a discrepancy.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" I exploded, leaping from the throne with the notebook in hand, my eyes blazing at Riccardo. "WHY IS THERE FIVE GRAND MISSING HERE, RICCARDO?"
The room fell into deadly silence. My chest heaved with rising rage. I marched over to Riccardo, who was now sweating, visibly nervous. He tried to speak, but the words caught in his throat.
"Mattia, I... I can explain..." he began, but I wasn't listening anymore.
"Then explain." My voice came out in a deadly whisper.
Other books by Lanny Domiciano
More