Page 18 of Beautiful Sinner

I can’t stay in this house another minute. Not after what I did last night. Not after experiencing a bit of freedom for once in my life.

So, after Grigori leaves, I tell Inessa I’ll be in my room and don’t want to be disturbed but what I really do is wait for her to leave the house with one of the guards while I sneak out the backyard again. I head straight for Central park. A good walk in a beautiful park is just what I need to clear my head.

I find a park bench to sit on and stare out at the people passing by. I could have asked one of the guards to take me here but I didn’t want someone hovering over me. I just wanted a moment to think for myself.

“Julia?”

With a gasp, I turn to my left and see Matteo standing there in the path.

“Matteo?” I scramble to my feet. Instantly, I feel excited that he’s here then worried. Is he here with Dante? Am I in danger?

“What are you doing here?” he asks.

“Needing space to think. You?”

“Same,” he admits.

“Are you here by yourself?” I glance around to make sure no one is watching us.

“I am, don’t worry.”

“So you didn’t purposefully look for me?”

“Afraid not.” He takes one step closer to me and I don’t step back. In fact, I wish I could move closer. “I think it’s just coincidence that we’re here in the park in this exact area at the same exact time.”

“I struggle to believe in coincidences, especially in our world.”

“I agree but I wouldn’t lie to you.” He says it with so much sincerity that I believe him right away. He nods to the bench. “Do you want to sit?”

“You’re the one who said we can never see each other again.”

“I know but I promise you, Julia. I didn’t seek you out. It was just…”

“Fate?”

His small smile makes him even more handsome. “Yes. It was. I would hate to waste the opportunity that fate is providing for us.”

“I can’t argue with that.” I nod to the spot next to me. “We can sit.”

Matteo’s body warmth makes me want to sit even closer to him but I resist the urge. I need to stay away from this man as best as I can but fate keeps bringing us together.

“So, why did you come here?” I ask.

“I needed to clear my head. With all of this war stuff going on, I just needed a moment to relax. You?”

“Well… my brother is considering marrying me off to this man and I had a meeting with this man today and I just needed to get out of the house.”

It doesn’t escape my notice that Matteo tenses. “You’re getting married?”

“No. At least… not yet anyway.”

“What’s wrong with this man? I’m assuming you don’t like him if you had to get out of the house after meeting up with him.”

“Oh, he’s… old. I don’t really want to marry a man who could be my grandfather.”

“I can’t believe Viktor would actually marry you off. He never seemed open to the idea.”

“He’s not,” I say. “But he has to consider it. He needs the money.” I snap my lips shut. “I shouldn’t have said that. I can’t spill my brother’s secrets to you. You could use them against him.”