CRIMSON LOYALTY

CHAPTER THREE

HIS POV

“What’s our next step?” Dante, my cousin, asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know.”

He smiled slyly. “At least we’ve burned down three of his money houses.” Dropping his fork, he leaned back. “That’s bound to bring him out of hiding.”

Burning down those houses had been a dangerous move, but I didn’t care. I’d do anything to avenge my father’s death.

“Fratello, we’ll do this together, okay? It’s us against the world,” he said, his smile unwavering.

Dante was the best older cousin anyone could ask for. He didn’t judge me for chasing revenge like my mother did. He always stood by me, loyal and steadfast. He was one of the few people I trusted completely.

“Antonio,” my sister Guilia called as she stepped out of the kitchen, holding a tray of cupcakes. “I know you two are talking about Matteo again.”

“Gee!” Dante grinned. “These cupcakes look amazing.”

“No!” She smacked his hand away. “Stay away from my treats, you glutton. And you…” she turned to me. “Why not leave Matteo alone? Just let sleeping dogs lie.”

“You know I can’t do that,” I said through gritted teeth. The last thing I needed was yet another person trying to question my decision.

“Just focus on your companies and houses. Leave Matteo alone.”

My anger flared. “Guilia, leave matters concerning Matteo to me. Don’t get involved.”

“Why? Because I’m a woman?” Guilia scoffed. “Let this business die with Father. Don’t continue it.”

Hearing the word die in the same sentence as my father made my blood boil. “Weren’t you the one who was raging mad when Dad was killed? What happened—have you suddenly become a p***y?”

“Well, she does have one,” Dante quipped, but Guilia and I shot him sharp glares, silencing him.

“I was angry when Dad was killed, no question about that,” Guilia admitted. “But this won’t solve anything. You could die, Antonio.” She sighed, her voice softening. “Look at how much this has cost you already. For instance, Ada-Rosa.”

Hearing the name of the woman I loved— still love—was enough to momentarily calm me.

“This is madness,” Guilia pressed. “Please stop.”

“Boss,” Dom interrupted, striding in with urgency. “I need to speak with you.”

******

I couldn’t believe my ears.

“According to your spy, Matteo isn’t in his penthouse. We searched the place—it was completely empty,” Dom reported.

“How could that happen?” I demanded, pacing the room. “How could Matteo know about our plans?”

“This isn’t the first time,” Dom sighed, sinking into a chair. “Remember the drivers and the accounts? It’s almost like he’s always two steps ahead of us…”

“…and knows our plans before we even carry them out,” I finished, the pieces clicking into place.

“There’s a traitor in our midst,” Dom said grimly. “Someone is feeding Matteo information about our every move.”

“Who could it be?” I asked, though I knew no answer would come.

“Sir, you need to take extra precautions,” Dom urged. “Don’t let anyone know your next move. At this point, you can’t afford the luxury of trust.”

I nodded. It was sound advice. I wasn’t afraid of Matteo—Brooklyn was his turf, but I ruled all of New York. He would regret ever crossing me.

But the question lingered, gnawing at me: Who would have the audacity to betray me?

Who is the traitor?

******

“Are you done with that?” Bella asked, gesturing at the shirt I was ironing for her.

“Not yet, ma’am,” I replied, silently wishing I could yank out her long, silky black hair.

“You better hurry up,” she snapped. “You still have seven more waiting.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said.

“Don’t ‘yes, ma’am’ me—get to work!”

I bit back the urge to say it again just to irritate her.

“Antonio!” she called, getting up from the bed.

Antonio.

Sometimes I wondered how different my life would have been if I hadn’t seen him put a bullet in that man. We might have been married with kids by now. And I would have been blissfully ignorant of his true identity—believing he was just a CEO, not realizing his tech empire was a front for the mafia syndicate he led.

What would I have done if one day his lifeless body was delivered to my doorstep, just like they had done with his father’s?

“I’ve been waiting for you for ten minutes,” Bella pouted.

Ten minutes indeed! She had been texting another man the entire time!

"Just to inform you, I’m heading to my nail appointment.," she leaned in and whispered in his ear (though not quietly enough, as I heard every word), "sexy nails as a treat for you tonight."

She giggled. "Bye!" And just like that, she was gone.

The room felt smaller all of a sudden. I could feel Antonio’s eyes on me, his gaze drilling into my body.

Iron, fold, iron, fold. I worked in silence, not looking up.

"So you're just going to ignore me?" he said.

"Hmm?" I feigned ignorance.

"Take this," he handed me his clothes. "Iron them too."

I took the clothes from him. They still carried the same scent—rich, smoky, and unmistakably masculine, like leather and wood with a hint of spice.

Snap out of it, Rosa! He's someone else’s man now.

"Yes, sir," I muttered.

"And make sure they don't get burnt," he said.

"Yes, sir," I repeated.

"Can you stop with the 'yes sir' business?" he snapped.

I replied, "Well, you are my employer after all."

He didn't answer but walked to a wall in his room, pressing a button. The wall slid open to reveal a rack of weapons—guns, rifles, AK-47s, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, carbine... you name it.

Panic surged through me. Was he going to kill me?

“Yes, I am your employer. I agree that our dynamics have changed,” he said, pulling out a small gun and wiping it down with a handkerchief.

My voice trembled. "What are you doing with that?"

"It’s a Beretta 8000," he said, facing me with a smirk. "Say hello to my baby."

"I don't want to know the models of your guns, Antonio. Please, just put that away!" I pleaded.

Seeing him with firearms triggered a flashback of when I witnessed him kill people—a completely different Antonio. The ‘family man’ I once knew seemed to vanish, replaced by a cold, ruthless monster.

"So, you can call me by my name now?" He smirked, stepping toward me.

I stumbled backward, cornered between him and the wall. Holy moly donuts, he was a towering 6'4"! He loomed over my 5'8" frame, his disheveled jet-black hair making him look oddly homely yet intimidating.

"So, you can call me by my name, right?" he smirked, stepping closer.

I kept backing up until I was pinned between him and the wall. Holy moly, this guy was a towering 6'4"! He loomed over my 5'8" frame. His jet-black hair was tousled, giving him a rugged, almost disheveled look.

I met his dark brown eyes. They were captivating. I wanted to reach out and brush the strands of hair from his face, trace the contours of his muscular body. I longed to feel his toned frame against mine, stirring desires I couldn’t suppress…

God, my cheeks were burning. Antonio’s smirk deepened, clearly pleased to know he still had that effect on me after all these years.

“The cloth!” I started to move away, but Antonio yanked me back against the wall.

“Leave it,” he said, his voice calm.

I wasn’t calm. “Those are for Bella. She’ll kill me! Oh my God, I’m dead.”

“You look beautiful, Ada-Rosa,” he said. That wasn’t the response I needed, but it had the desired effect. I found myself pulled back into the depth of our intense connection… again.

"Very beautiful," he murmured, his voice low, deep, and undeniably seductive. Using the tip of his gun, he trailed my body; from my cheek to my jawline, then down between my breasts, lingering at my navel before stopping at my core.

"Uhhhh," I moaned.

"Don't deny it," he murmured, his voice still low. "You want me."

I whimpered, unable to deny it—my body craved his touch.

"...and I want you," he added, his darkened eyes piercing into my soul.

Before I knew it, we were locked in a hot, passionate kiss.

It was a kiss full of need and longing. I tasted blood, but I didn’t stop—I craved him desperately. I needed him inside me.

As if reading my thoughts, he tore the white gown from my body, leaving me in nothing but my pink lacy panties and bra.

******

HIS POV

Her moans were the only encouragement I needed as I rammed into her wet inviting p***y with deep thrusts. She felt so good, just like I remembered. She hadn't been with any other man, she was so tight. It made me feel Alpha, no other man is allowed to touch her or be with her, including her boyfriend. I was sure to leave enough hickies in her body to let him know she was mine and mine alone.

“Antonio!!” She suddenly cried out, her body trembling as her p***y walls clenched, releasing his d**k in rhythmic waves, pulling him deeper as she shuddered through her climax.

“f**k!” I let out a guttural sound as I found my own release.