Ties of Blood (Book One)

Chapter 31 ~ Matteo

Matteo Morreti

I slammed my fist into Marcos face again, the stings I had felt faded into nothing and all I could see was dark red all over me. Two of his teeth popped out but I paid it no mind. 

"F-Fuck! Please, Matteo!" Marco whimpered, barely with his remaining teeth and bloody tounge. 

He said my fucking name? Who gave him the fucking right to say my name, "What makes you think you can speak my name?" I growl lowly. 

I would usually shoot my victims and get it over and done with but this was another matter, one that had cost me the woman I love. 

"Sorry! Just-Just please don't kill me!" He cried again but there was no one to hear it. 

Marco was now lying on the floor, with a mixture of blood and sweat. The air felt cold and tense in that old, abandoned warehouse. The silence was deafening as he begged me not to kill him and repeatedly apologizing for trying to undermine me. 

It was crazy he thought that was what I was furious about, I gave negative shits about my empire right now. All I could think about was Gianna and where she was but all I could see was the reason for her absence.

Granted he wasn't the entire reason but I needed an anger release and he deserved it regardless. 

I kicked him back to the floor when he attempted to get up. 

"P-please! Please, Ple-ahhhh!" I punched him again, square on the jaw. I punched his stomach till blood was pooling in his mouth. This was oddly violent, even for me.

He opened his mouth but it was cut off with a bullet to the balls. I was done with him. We had been at this for the last 4 hours and he was pretty much a dead body. 

Marcos body lay limbless on the ground yet I didn't get a single thrill out of it. I scoffed, motioned to my men and told them to clean up my warehouse. 

Alonso drove me home in silence. I went to my room. Slammed the door, sank into my couch and stared at the ceiling. Didn't even bother to shower the blood off me.

The first taste of alcohol burned my throat, I didn't drink often but since Gianna left yesterday my day consisted of work and drinking and more drinking.

I cut off all contact with everyone, my father didn't bother and I didn't give a fuck. Alessandro texted me non stop but I didn't answer any of them.

They say alcohol brings you numbness but since I didn't get drunk easily, I drank and drank and drank until I found that numbing feeling my soul craved.

I'd always used to be alone, fuck, I'd craved the feeling but now, going to bed was a bitch. I hadn't slept at all last night and the bags under my eyes could carry groceries.

I lay there, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing through memories and regrets. The silence in the mansion was oppressive, amplifying the ache in my chest. The emptiness of the place seemed to mock me, a stark reminder of how hollow everything felt without Gianna.

I tried to numb the pain with more alcohol, hoping to drift into oblivion, but sleep eluded me. The more I drank, the more restless I became.

During the day, I'd stumble through work, my focus shattered, my interactions robotic. I was just going through the motions, too exhausted to care about anything.