Emma’s POV:
The office is swallowed in an ominous quiet, the tension hanging thick and suffocating in the air around us.
It feels like Matteo spends an eternity just standing there, staring at me with that unreadable look on his face, my harsh words echoing in the space between us. Harsh, but true. I know issuing ultimatums probably isn’t the most efficient way to go about this, but Jesus, what the hell else am I supposed to do at this point? I tried the police, running away, manipulating, sweet-talking — honesty is my last resort at this point.
“You’re not being reasonable,” Matteo says finally, his voice calm and measured. “This isn’t the magical fix that you think it is. People don’t just leave the Famiglia. The only way in or out is blood. Not to mention, if I give up control, all
