Kissed by Fire (Book 5 of Wolves of Milano)

10.Deadlines and time

“Good morning, love.” Mateo smiles at Lyana.

“Sorry. I don’t have time. Nina is not coming to work today and we have no one else to fill her shift,” Lyana says. She grabs a croissant off of the table in passing.

“Oh, no you don’t!” He exclaims. “Sit down, eat your breakfast. I’ll drive you.”

“But…your bike is in storage.” She stammers. He always wraps his bike up for the winter. Even when there’s no snow like this year.

“I can have it out in five minutes.” He glares at her. He doesn’t like it when she skips meals. “Eat your breakfast and I’ll dig out the bike.”

“Thank you.” She smiles at him.

Mateo knows Lyana is not a fan of his sleek and fast Honda, but she will make an exception to get to work on time. He could trade in the Honda for a chopper just for her. Or put his favourite bike in storage at the mansion and then get a new one that she likes a bit more. A compromise of sorts. But, choppers are not fast. He likes to fly over the streets. He likes the thrill of the speed. He shakes his head before he opens the small garage attached to the house. It’s used for his bike and her gardening utensils. Having a car in Milano is expensive. There is no such thing as free parking space. He can buy a car for her when he tells her about everything. He can even get her a parking pass if she insists on working at the hospital.

He wasn’t lying to her about the time it takes to get the bike out. It’s covered with a tarp, but otherwise, it’s in good shape. He rolls it out of the garage and grabs their helmets on the way. He’s ready by the time Lyana comes out of the house. She has one croissant in her hand and a bag of them in the other. He smiles at her. She is gorgeous in the morning. And with this emergency at work, she gave him another day to think. She probably knows it. That’s why she doesn’t say anything.

Lyana gives him a kiss when he drops her off at the hospital: “I left you a few croissants. I know you actually like those.”

“Thanks, love. Call me if you want a ride home.” He tells her. He is sure she will take the bus, but he offers anyway.

“We’ll talk in the evening. Don’t think this gets you off the hook.” She winks at him.

Damn! She got him. She knows exactly what he was thinking. He will have to beg her for more time. He’s not ready. He doesn’t know what to say. He can’t just blurt out everything. He has to ease her in slowly. Or does he? She might be overwhelmed by all the things he needs to tell her. Not to mention his wolf. How does he explain his beast? He is not looking forward to “the talk” at all. He’s scared, but he can’t admit that. Fear is not something wolves admit easily. Alpha wolves don’t do it under any circumstances. Never admit fear. Never give any indication of a weakness to anyone. Lyana knows she is his weakness. She never exploited that till now. This is what her ultimatum means.

He drives back home to get the croissants she left. He hates it when they go all stiff and chewy. He takes a few pieces of old bread and jam for Vito. He doesn’t deserve the croissants. The old bastard is alive out of spite. He should be half dead by now. No wolf does well in captivity, and he doesn't eat either. Why does he go to the trouble of feeding Vito? He should just let him die. He should end his misery and save everyone from his madness.

‘Damn the consequences. Just kill him.’ His wolf smirks.

‘Back to killer thoughts? Are we?’ Mateo inquires.

‘What else is there? Don’t tell me you have feelings for Vito?’ The wolf tilts his head.

‘No. But I do have the consequences in mind. Who would lead? What would others say? What would Lyana say? Can we pull it off without getting in trouble?’ He answers. The most troubling thought is the penalty for murder if he gets caught. Getting executed would be counterproductive.

‘That would be bad. Don’t get caught.’ The wolf shrugs.

Taking advice from his wolf is not good in any way. He needs an outsider. He needs an ally. There is only one he can think of. And the guy is invested in this. He would hate to lose Allegra, just as Mateo would hate to lose Lyana. He doesn’t know the details of what is going on, but how hard would it be to find out? The gossip mill is working, he just needs to swing by the fire station for a few hours. Allegra might be in hiding, but she was seen at college and work. She is smart enough to give any enforcer a slip. If Elio is helping her stay under the radar, she can keep it up indefinitely. She can have a normal life, and the idiots, his father calls enforcers, will never catch her.

He sends Elio a text to meet him at the mansion. He will test the guy to see how observant he really is. Then he checks on Vito. He’s got the time. He even slides the breakfast he brought into the cell. Not that Vito ever ate anything. But he will break. Everyone does, eventually. Not even the old stubborn fool can survive without food. Mateo turns off the lights in the cell. The thermal camera will alert him to any movement.

He goes back up. He decided he’s going to wait for Elio outside. The mansion is mostly empty, but the other guy doesn’t need to know that. And he especially doesn’t need to know about Vito. Mateo has to see if he can trust him first. So, he sits on the front stairs and watches the fountain. It’s all covered up for the winter. The statue is old and brittle. He will need time and a lot of money to restore Venus. He could do it himself, but he doesn't want to cause more damage. Finding an expert that his aunt doesn’t know is the problem. Having relatives in the museum business is a pain. Getting antiques online is easy. Getting an expert? Not so much.

“Well, Colonel? How’s your new job treating you?” Mateo chuckles as Elio parks his bike to the side of the driveway.

“You know about that?” Elio wonders.

“I know everything.” Mateo winks. He likes this guy. “The problem I’m facing is what to do with all that knowledge?”

“The new job is great. I get to boss kids around and they cannot object. It’s just like being back in the army.” Elio winks back. “You should try it.”

“Nah. I like to have a low profile. I’m more of a guy who lurks in the shadows.” Mateo answers. “I like to know about things, not participate in them.”

“I see.” Elio nods. “But there is something you had better participate in. A little blond birdie told me she was ready to skip town.”

“Damn!” Mateo sighs. She didn’t say anything about talking with Elio, just that she gave him his number. “I just want to hold on to her a little while longer. She’s gonna dump me when she finds out all my secrets.”

“Maybe she won't’? She doesn’t seem the quitting type to me, but you have to give her something. She is not waiting around for you for much longer. Her patience is running out.” Elio answers.

“You think so? How long have you known her?” Mateo inquires. He knows Lyana keeps to herself because she was bullied as a kid. She doesn’t have friends.

“For about one hour. I have never seen her before in my life.” Elio smiles. “But I have seen her type before. In some ways, I’m just like her.”

“I’d invite you in, but the house is empty. My office is the only room with any furniture in it.” Mateo scoffs. He can trust Elio with a few things. It’s practice. “I’m waiting for Lyana to decorate the place, but she doesn’t even know about it.”

“How did you manage that?” Elio gapes at him. “How did you keep this a secret from her? Just talk with her. She is a reasonable woman.”

“And I just tell her? Hey, babe. I have a mansion. We could live there instead of in this tiny house. I have the money you could only dream about, but I was an ass who freeloaded off of you for years. I have a million and one problems, but I love you.” Mateo says all cynically. The sarcasm-loaded statement floors Elio. He can see the surprise on the guy’s face. Did he say too much?

“Maybe use a little more finesse, but yeah. Something like that.” Elio nods. “Just come clean about everything. She’s gonna leave you if you don’t.”

“Since when are you a shrink?” Mateo scoffs. He shakes his head at the guy, but opens the door to show Elio an empty foyer and a grand staircase. The office has a desk, two chairs, a sofa and a bookcase. And an amazing view of the gardens.

“I’m not. I spent a decent time in therapy with a few of my army buddies. And lately with Allegra. I tend to pick up stuff.” Elio shrugs.

“All right. I will try it. Just remember, I’ll come looking for you if it fails.” Mateo nods.

“Always interested in a good sparring session. Can you give me more than those cadets I’ve been tricked into teaching?” He answers.

“You will be surprised.” Mateo laughs. “But that is for some other time. I know you’re searching for my father. Why?”

“We need closure. Marra needs confirmation. She can’t be a true Alpha if we don’t know what happened to Vito,” Elio explains.

“I don’t know anything about him. Where he is. What he does. What’s his angle?” Mateo shrugs. “I could never figure out my own father.”

“I’ll pretend to believe you. It’s not in anyone’s interest that he’s actually found.” Elio nods. Then he surprises him with: “What do you know about your grandmother?”

“Huh? What has that got to do with anything?” Mateo sputters. He does know something. His mask just fell, he got caught in a lie, so Elio smiles at him.

“Your grandmother was half witch. Her powers skipped a generation, but some manifested in yours. Kara, Teo, even Allegra. I wonder what abilities you inherited?” He starts: “Don’t deny it. I know you know. I know you can do something more than just straight out lie.”

“How?” Mateo blanches white. He can feel the suspicion. Elio knows something. Can he read him? Is he that good? How does he know that Mateo straight out lied to him?

“I can read you. I can see under your mask. I know there is something there, I just don’t know what. I’m not psychic. It’s all just training for me.” Elio smiles. “But I can help you.”

“Think well and long about that. You might get into more trouble than it’s worth if you come to my side.” Mateo smirks. “It’s dark and very complicated.”

“I have seen darkness. You have nothing to fear. You are in control. You’re not like your father,” Elio tells him. He sighs, like he’s deciding what to say next: “I’ll tell your aunt and your mother that you don’t know anything, but you have to talk to Lyana. She is your rock. If she leaves, you’ll end up like your father.”

“Aunt Marra might believe you, but mother won’t. She knows me. She remembers now. Whatever Veles did to break her mate bond, brought her memories back. Maybe it’s good? Who knows? But she’s more herself than she was in a long time. I just wish she would drop her mask.” Mateo shakes his head.

“What mask? Your mother is the most open person I know.” Elio wonders.

“Mom is a fantastic make-up artist. You have never seen her real face.” Mateo scoffs. “No one has for the last fifteen years.”

“And you know this? How?” Elio demands. It might be harsh to influence Mateo with his Alpha voice, but he wants to know.

“Alpha? Nice.” Mateo chuckles. “It doesn’t work on me. That’s one of my powers. I’m discovering the rest, slowly.”

“Please, tell me?” Elio inclines his head.

“I’m the reason and the solution to my mother’s mask. She was attacked by a rogue when I was sixteen. I saved her, but just a bit too late. Her face was clawed up. That i***t had poison on his claws. She never healed, so she covers it up. Her memory of the event was altered.” Mateo smirks. “Yeah. I could do that at sixteen. I messed with her head. I implanted knowledge about make-up. I made her believe that she had killed the rogue. That she was defending me. She knows the truth now.”

“She hasn’t outed you. She cares.” Elio says.

“I know. We are talking now.” Mateo nods. If you can call that talking, he thinks to himself. She calls, but he never gets the chance to speak.

“Good,” Elio smiles. “I can help you make a strategy, but you have to decide if you want the job. Marra is just filling in. She would make a great Alpha, but you could make this pack great. You can do things to make the pack formidable, to make it something more. You can fix what your father broke.”

“You really think so?” Mateo looks at him in suspicion, like he doesn’t believe a word Elio just said.

“Yes. But you do need help.” He nods. “Teo is in training with Veles. If you don’t trust the gods, there are alternatives. You just have to ask for help. It all starts there.”