Dive In

Chapter 44

•Giovanni•

Watching Nola stab Matteo to death was unexpected. He pushed her, talking about Rome like he did, so I wasn't going to stop her even if I hadn't been frozen to the spot in shock. She looked like a vengeful queen with Riots switchblade in her hand. Her eyebrows dipped, dark eyes shining and her jaw set in anger as she repeatedly sank the blade into his body. Riot must have also been as stunned as I was because he just stood there until he realized what she had done. She looked like she had seen a ghost as she stared at the blood on her hands. Although it wasn't technically her first kill it was the first that wasn't motivated purely by survival so I know it hit her differently than the others had.

I pull out one of the metal chairs and have her take a seat, her eyes focused solely on Matteo's body on the ground. Her shirt and jeans are marred with scarlet splatters and smears but I don't think she's noticed, if she had she would probably react in the same way she did with her hands covered.

"Why didn't you stop her?" Riot asks, his annoyance obvious.

He's so good at bringing people to the edge of death he gets irritated when others can't do the same.

"Why didn't you?" I counter.

His eyebrows raise. "Me? She's your... pet, not mine. Now what are we going to do?"

"Don't call her that." I glower at him. "We still have the address Kirill gave us. Call the capos and I'll call the dons, I want to move as soon as everyone can get together."

I'm not going to be upset with her for killing Matteo, he deserved what he got even if it was a quick death.

Riot crosses his arms. "Matteo knew we had Kirill though, I'm sure Mikhail is long gone by now. Matteo probably warned him as soon as you told him."

I nod. "Most likely but we're still checking things out to see for sure. I want the best men we have to replace Matteo and Angelo, you can take care of that right?"

And I'm going to drill her safety being the top priority into their heads until I'm red in the face.

"Of course. I already have two in mind."

"Who?" I question curiously.

He had to of already been thinking about it to have two men in mind.

"Dario and Marcello." He answers.

Both have been loyal and haven't caused any issues since they became made men. Dario was a SEAL, so that's reassuring and Marcello is family. When his Papà passed when we were young he even stayed with us for a while before getting on his feet.

"Perfect, send them to my house so I can talk to them after your call to the capo's." My eyes flick over to Nola who hasn't moved an inch in the chair, her gaze still focused on Matteo. "I'll take Nola home, make sure she's okay."

I catch Riot rolling his eyes out of the corner of my eye. "She's fine. She's resilient, tough as fuck. If her first kidnapping didn't make her spiral, killing a traitor won't. I like pushing her, pissing her off to see how much she can handle but after what transpired today I'm beginning to think she was born to be by your side, fratello. She hasn't even been with us for a full year yet and look at what she's done."