Chapter 133: I see red.

It’s a brand-new day and hopefully will be a good one.

Victoria’s transplant went well. According to Rocco, her body has received the kidney remarkably well. Almost as though it was meant for her. She’s stable, recovering, and finally out of immediate danger.....That’s one less thing for me to worry about.

For now, I have somewhere else to be.

My mother’s house..I’m going to retrieve my wife and sister.

Hopefully, Isabella hasn’t spent the entire morning running her mouth to Mother like she usually does. That girl has absolutely no understanding of the meaning of keeping things to herself or keeping a secret at all.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Mother already knows about the shooting, the explosion, the Hamilton brothers, and every other unfortunate event that has happened over the past few days.

And knowing her, she’ll have a lecture prepared for me.

Wonderful.

I climb into my car, settle behind the wheel, and drive out of the compound.

For some reason, the house felt unusually empty yesterday.

It’s strange cause I’ve lived alone for years. I’ve never needed anyone’s company to enjoy my own home. In fact, I prefer the silence. I like knowing that I can walk into any room without someone bothering me.

But yesterday, returning to an empty house felt different....Too quiet.

I didn’t hear Nerissa complaining about something, arguing with Linda, or making unnecessary comments about my existence. I didn’t have anyone leaving random things lying around.

And somehow i realized much to my chagrin that I missed it.

I shake my head and focus on the road. Perhaps I’m getting too accustomed to having people around or perhaps I’m simply getting old.

Fuck.

I don’t like either possibility.

My thoughts drift back to the Hamilton brothers.

Taking them down and acquiring their assets was inevitable. It was only a matter of time before I had to deal with them permanently.

Their businesses were valuable, but their docks were what interested me most. Transportation is one of the most important aspects of my operations. I need reliable routes, secure ports, and people who understand how to move goods without attracting unnecessary attention.

And unfortunately, the Hamilton docks were better than mine....Much better.

Their facilities were more efficient, their routes smoother, and their connections stronger. I hate admitting it, but they had built something impressive.

Now it’s mine and I intend to make good use of it.

The acquisition was also part of the agreement I signed with Nerissa’s uncle. The Lucianos needed access to the Hamilton ports as much as I did.

Which brings me to something I’ve been wondering about.

Why hadn’t Lorenzo approached the Hamiltons for a marriage arrangement with Nerissa?

He wanted the ports and he wanted influence. A marriage between the families would have been a convenient way to secure both.

It would have made perfect business sense.

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. The thought of Nerissa being married to either of those bastards leaves a particularly unpleasant feeling in my chest.

I don’t like it, not even a little.

I imagine Antonio standing beside her, touching her waist, calling her his wife.

My jaw tightens.

Then I imagine Salvatore doing the same.

Fuck.

I press a hand against my chest, rubbing the uncomfortable sensation as though that would make it disappear.

What the hell is this?

I know what anger feels like. I know what hatred feels like. I’ve experienced enough of both to recognize them without difficulty.

But this?

I shake my head.

Is that jealousy?

I stare at the road.

No. Absolutely not.

I’m simply annoyed by the thought of those two men anywhere near my wife.

That’s all.

I don’t need to give it another name.

I turn onto the road leading to my mother’s estate. The familiar gates come into view, and I feel some of the tension leave my shoulders.

Finally.

I pull into the compound, drive straight toward the main house, and park near the entrance.

A few guards greet me as I step out and I acknowledge them with a nod before heading inside.

The moment I open the front door, the smell of freshly prepared food reaches me.

Mother must be in the kitchen.

I loosen the first button of my shirt and make my way inside.

The house is unusually lively. I can hear voices coming from the kitchen.

I roll my eyes.

I should have called before coming. Actually, no. If I had called, Mother would probably have insisted on preparing an entire feast before allowing me to leave with them.

I’d rather deal with whatever surprise awaits me.

I follow the smell of food, passing through the hallway before making my way toward the kitchen.

"Isabella, if you’ve told Mother...."

I stop my words dying in my throat as a streak of dark hair catches my attention.

Nerissa.

She’s standing near the kitchen counter, her back slightly turned toward me. Then I notice the man standing in front of her.

He’s tall, with dark hair and broad shoulders. One of his hands is resting on the shelf above her head, while the other is positioned on the counter beside her.

He’s practically caging her in with her little body trapped between him and the kitchen counter.

He’s standing too close, much too close for my liking. He’s saying something to her, and she’s looking up at him.

I don’t like that, not one fucking bit.

My gaze travels to his hand resting above her head, then to the distance between their bodies.

Something inside my chest snaps, when he leans a little closer, saying something I can’t quite hear.

Nerissa tilts her head.

I clench my jaw.

The last time I felt this particular kind of anger, someone ended up in a hospital and judging by the way my blood is currently boiling, this man might be joining him.

I take another step forward.

All I can see is his body leaning toward hers, his hand resting above her head, and the fact that Nerissa is standing there with him practically wrapped around her.

I see red.