Chapter 144

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-Four

Matteo grasped his phone tightly in one hand, while in the other, he held a fragile fragment of his world. He hadn’t anticipated the sonogram image to resemble anything more than a tiny peanut-shaped blur — that’s how it always appeared in movies, after all. As they waited for the x-ray machine to become free so they could assess the severity of Genevieve’s fractured cheekbone, an obstetrician had entered the room to check on her pregnancy. Though Gen was only about seven weeks along, they were still able to capture an image. But first, they listened to the heartbeat. That rapid, steady thump echoed in Matteo’s ears, lingering there even as O’Brien’s frantic voice buzzed through the speaker on his phone.

Hearing the heartbeat of his unborn child had already shaken him to his core, but witnessing the glow on his wife’s face and the tears shimmering in her eyes shattered him completely. The words she had whispered, gripping his suit jacket with desperate intensity, would remain etched in his memory forever.

“We have to protect him, Matteo. No matter what it takes.”

No matter what it takes. That phrase echoed relentlessly in Matteo’s mind. The moment he returned to their apartment, while everyone else gathered in the living room to eat pizza and unwind after the chaotic events of the past months, Matteo began making calls. He wanted the world to know he was out of prison, back in control, and done playing games. Failure was no longer an option.

What had happened with Giovanni—the catalyst for this entire nightmare—could never happen again. Another blind spot like that was unacceptable. It simply wouldn’t be allowed. Every single member of Accardi Industries and the Accardi family would be thoroughly re-vetted as soon as possible. Any attempt to claim his organization would be crushed before it even began. He planned to embed one of his trusted men within every family across the state, ensuring they had ears everywhere. The deaths of his mother and brother haunted him still. He glanced down at the sonogram, determination hardening his gaze. He would make sure everyone in every circle understood just how far he was willing to go to protect his family—his growing family. There was no room left for doubt, for weakness, or for lowering his guard. There was only her, and this tiny life they had created together.

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