Bloody City: Temptations

Chapter Nine

My father had engraved tradition in the minds of me and my siblings, though he'd failed to adapt, to mold but not abandon the traditions, and it had cost him the respect of his men. They'd seen so many of their friends, brothers, cousins God relatives, all get killed by my fathers order. They'd seen the distrust and many of them tried to schmooze their way higher which a few who truly were suited did. All of my men had my respect, even the female made members had earned my respect.

"And what has allowed someone to get under my icy brothers exterior?" Matteo prys sitting down and leaning back in his chair.

"We have mutual respect for one another Matteo, leave it as that, how are the clubs we own?" I ask sitting down in my own chair.

"The clubs are profitable, the private sessions are bringing in good money, though our VIP area still is visited by our top Made Men and other connected associates who have turned their eye to our actions," Matteo informs as I set down my glass of scotch that I'd been making while he spoke.

"Our made men make you and I several hundred thousand dollars a day Matteo, your Huracan in my driveway costs four hundred thousand there is your daily earnings and it doesn't mean anything to you or I," I point out, "besides I can't say I don't appreciate that it raises moral with our men".

Matteo laughed lightly.

"Our men get more action then you have in years," he remarks and I glare at him over the rim of my glass.

"That's because I follow all the rules of Cosa Nostra. You break the one referring to attending clubs," I say, "I'm also loyal, and having a wife creates a weakness that I have to protect. Arianna is strong and I know that she wants to learn about how to protect herself but I will only achieve harming her if I do," I explain.

"So you need bodyguards for her?" Matteo asks his brow furrowing as he stood and grabbed a bottle of Spanish whisky off of my liquor table.

"Yes I do, now put that fucking bottle back," I ordered and he shrugged before downing some of the liquid straight from the bottle.

"And how are you expecting to keep her protected when she gave Lino the slip to go shopping?" Matteo asks and I stare at him wondering how he knew that when I hadn't mentioned it to anyone.

"How the fuck do you know that?".

"I operate our clubs Alessio, word gets around. I also ended up crossing paths with her at one of the high end stores I'm assuming she purchased clothing at. She does have good taste. An elegant woman for a man many consider a monster," he smirks and I shut my eyes to keep from losing my shit at my brother who was the reason I even had self control after the nearly three decades of teasing.

"I know what I am Matteo, I will never be anything else and we both know that much," I seethe and he shrugs undeterred by my words.

"Don't close yourself off to a good woman. It wouldn't kill you to even let her in just a little". Matteo stared at me like he was the older of us, and there were certainly times that he was the wiser of us.

"I don't trust anyone but family for a reason, and before you remind me that I was the one who came up with the idea for her to live under my roof, this is for her and I to be used to one another," I say lifting the tumbler to my lips.

"Alessio, she is going to be your wife in four months time, and I can promise you that if you only seek her out when it is convenient, you will end up with a marriage like father's. Getting close to your future wife will be more benefit to you then holding her at a distance," his words were a passive confrontation, something I'd learned to expect from Matteo when he gave me advice, though he was also my closest advisor and the second in the chain of command.