Chapter 23

Unspoken Desires - Chapter 23

Gabriella

I follow Matteo through the grand front doors of the Cattaneo mansion, and immediately I feel out of place. This… wasn’t what I expected.

Everything inside screams elegance; ornate gold-trimmed mirrors, carved crown molding, even the damn staircase looks like it belongs in a museum.

The air smells like fresh wood polish and old money. Definitely not where I pictured a man like Matteo growing up. He seemed more… dirty apartments and empty whiskey bottles.

He walks with purpose, barely glancing around, like he doesn’t even see the beauty of the place anymore. I trail behind him, trying to absorb it all without tripping over my own two feet.

We move down a long hallway, across marble floors, passing beautiful oil paintings and glass sconces, until we stop in front of two tall oak doors.

My comm crackles softly.

“Okay, Gabs,” Max’s voice says, smooth in my ear. “If you want to talk to us, just squeeze the button in your jacket pocket. That broadcasts your voice to the full team. Otherwise, only Damian and I can hear everything.”

I smile to myself, lips twitching. He’s trying to play it cool, but I hear it. That little possessive edge. He cares.

Before I can respond, Matteo speaks, his voice low.

“Don’t worry. I’m with her,” he says into the comm. “And I don’t plan on leaving her alone for long. Just let me know what Demetrius finds out about Cesare.”

We reach the end of the hallway, and Matteo holds out a hand, signaling me to stop.

Someone’s inside the study.

We both listen. A man’s voice, muffled but familiar, comes through the heavy doors.

“Don’t worry, Maria. We’ve got an ace in the hole. Miguel was devastated when he heard we suspected Connie of having an affair with Alessandro. The door to you becoming the Capo’s next wife is opening.”

Cesare. He keeps talking, unaware we’re on the other side.

“So tell me again, who’s this new assistant he hired? The one taking over for the dead one?”

There’s silence while he listens.

“Don’t worry,” he chuckles. “She’ll be fired once Connie turns up dead. You’ll be able to hire your own.”

Every word feels like a punch. I glance at Matteo. His jaw is tight.

Then Cesare continues, even smugger now. “Oh, I forgot to tell you, we’ve got another in. Remember that girl I used to date? Karen? From UNLV? She worked with you for a while too. Well… I was missing her last week so I gave her a call. She came back, for me. And guess where she’s working now.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. Oh, Lessia…

“Yup. Matteo’s office. I think she’s the one. I think I will ask her to marry me once Miguel makes me his Consiglieri.”

The wind almost got knocked out of me after that revelution. He really loves Lessia.

“Alright, enjoy breaking in your newbie. I’m still looking for the documents we need to cut ties with the Familia.”

Then the line goes dead.

Matteo pulls me gently back and around the corner, keeping his voice calm but tight.

“Hey guys, you get all that? And did Demetrius’s mic catch Maria’s side too?”

Damian responds through the comm. “Got it all. And yeah, we recorded everything. Good work. You two should head back soon, we’ve got a lot to sort through, and we need to keep Lessia safe on her dinner date.”

“Alya,” Matteo says to me, using my cover name. “You okay? You did great with Maria, but Cesare’s no fool. He’ll clock weakness. Stay sharp, yeah?”

I nod, swallowing my nerves.

He turns back toward the doors, and we head straight into it.

Matteo doesn’t wait. Doesn’t knock. He throws the door open and steps inside.

“What the fuck are you doing in my father’s office, again?” he snaps, his voice booming. “I told you to stay the hell out unless you were invited. He’s on his way to Montreal and I know he didn’t invite you.”

Cesare doesn’t even flinch. He casually closes a folder and looks up.

“Chill the fuck out, Matteo. Your dad wanted me to find some old contracts. Deals I wasn’t looped in on. He thinks I should be now.”

Then his eyes shift to me. Slowly, linger a little too long on my chest. Too long.

“And who’s this beautiful young lady?”

Matteo doesn’t miss a beat.

“This is the new assistant I hired for my mom. She’ll need her when she’s back. The last one… died.”

The way he says it; like it’s just another bullet point on a checklist. It sends a shiver down my spine.

I step forward, keeping my voice polite.

“Hi. I’m Alya. It’s nice to meet you… uh, Mr…”

“That’s Cesare,” Matteo cuts in sharply. “He doesn’t deserve your respect.”

Then he turns back to him, full fire in his tone.

“And you, when my dad personally tells me to give you anything, I will. Until then, get the fuck out of this house.”

Cesare stares at him for a long beat. Then, without a word, he gathers his things and walks out.

No retort. No smirk. Just gone.

I blink, tension still coiled in my gut.

“Wow,” I breathe. “That was intense.”

——————-

Matthew

Vincent hadn’t shut up once since Lessia took out her comms. He’s been swearing and ranting; mostly about protocol, but I could hear it. Beneath all the bravado and macho bullshit… was fear.

He cares. Probably more than he’s willing to admit. But I think he is finally realizing it.

Around 10 a.m., a black SUV rolled out. Windows tinted, hiding the people inside.

Once it was gone, we moved. Scoping out the perimeter from a distance. We didn’t notice any dogs, no working cameras. Just two overfed Russian guards sitting out front like they were on lunch break.

One of them was scrolling through his phone. The other looked like he was asleep. Too relaxed, too over confident. Like they really believe no one’s coming for the people inside.

By early afternoon, the same SUV rolled back in. A single guy hops out with a couple bags of McDonald’s, heads inside, and re-emerges maybe three minutes later.

That’s it. He was bringing crap food for the people inside.

“Hey guys, I think we found them,” I say into the comm, my voice low but steady.

“Go on,” Max’s voice crackles in, half-lost in static.

“That SUV came back with food. Dropped it off and left fast. I’m gonna try to get a closer look. If we’re lucky, we might be able to move tonight.”

“Awesome. Let us know what else you find,” Max says, always the optimist.

I glance at Vincent. He’s still pacing. Still burning holes into the dirt.

“Hey,” I say, nudging him with my elbow. “Wanna play cat and mouse?”

He looks at me, and for a second, I see a flash of the old Vincent. The one who’d race motorcycles through alleyways just for the thrill.

“There’s a house a block back with some ATVs,” I add. “Think you can hotwire one and get those guys chasing you?”

He doesn’t answer. Just takes off running.

Ten minutes later, he’s tearing down the street, kicking up dust, spinning figure eights like it’s a rodeo. The roar of the engine echoing through the canyon.

The guards lose it. Start scrambling, shouting in Russian, and chasing after him like a bunch of dumbasses.

I move fast, hugging the fence line and slipping around the side of the compound. Nothing much back here. A few grimy old windows, old doors with no handles and a rusted-out freezer.

I needed to get closer, so I jumped the fence and ran to the back of the building. Then I see something that may help get us in. A small door; heavy and old, chained from the outside.

I wanted to break through, but I don’t have bolt cutters.

I glance around, then crouch to wipe a thick layer of grime from one of the windows. It takes a second for my eyes to adjust to the gloom. I see shadows, shapes and some movement. It’s people.

“I see someone,” I whisper. “Can’t make out who yet.”

“Can you get in?” Damian asks over comms.

I try the window. It cracks when I pushed on it. Giving me an inch to look inside. I freeze.

Inside, movement shifts into panic. Someone gasps. Someone stumbles. A shape moves toward the window.

I can barely make out her face. Sophia.

Her eyes lock on mine, and I see the fear, the disbelief… and then the hope.

“Hey, gorgeous,” I say softly. “Someone ask for a rescue?”

She blinks, and tears well up instantly. Her fingers press to the broken glass, like she’s trying to confirm I’m not a dream. Like touching the window might make me real.

“Don’t cry, sugar,” I whisper. “Matteo’s tearing Vegas apart for that smile. Don’t make his job harder.”

She laughs, but I barely hear it. It’s soft, broken, but it’s enough.

She glances over her shoulder, then leans in closer to the window. Her voice is hushed, trembling, but quick. She tells us everything; who’s inside, what they’ve done, what they’ve overheard. All of it. Every word landing like a gut punch.

By the end, I feel sick.

“Alright,” I nod. “We’ve got you. Tonight, we’re getting you out of there.”

She holds my eyes, her jaw set now. No more tears. Just steel.

I pop the tiny pin from my jacket and pass it to her through the window.

“Take this, this one,” I say, handing her the pin, “clip it inside your shirt or the strap of your bra. When it’s on, it’ll let Damian and Maximus listen in on everything happening around you.”

Then I take out my tiny earpiece. “This goes in your ear. It’s not as sleek as the one the girls are wearing. Theirs are built into earrings, so no one sees it, but this’ll do the job. With this, you can hear us. I’m sure… a lot of people, especially Sareena and Matteo, want to talk to you.”

Her hand brushes mine as she takes them. No words. Just this look.

“I gotta go rescue Vin from the Russian’s but we’ll be back - tonight.” I say as I slowly pull away.