Page 58 of Beautiful Sinner

Connor sneers before he slowly nods. “Fine. But I will catch you two one day.” He leaves the room and Matteo quickly shuts the door and locks it.

I stumble into his arms. “What are we going to do? He’ll be waiting for me outside. I know it.”

“Then I’ll make sure you make it home. I’ll drive you.”

“But he could be waiting in the hall.”

“Then I’ll kill him.”

“Matteo, there’s cameras in the hall. You can’t do that.”

“Then I’ll knock him unconscious. Either way, I am getting you out of here.” He gives me a quick but rough kiss. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes.” I don’t even hesitate to say it.

“Then we have to go. Now.”

He holds my hand and his gun as we walk down the hallway, waiting for Connor to strike but he never does. We make it into the elevator and down to the main lobby, where Matteo has to hide his gun back in his jacket pocket. No one attacks. Connor is nowhere to be see.

We leave out the back entrance of the hotel and get to Matteo’s car. It’s only when we’re driving that I start to feel safe.

“Why didn’t he attack?” I ask.

“I’m not sure. But I don’t feel good about it.”

We’re silent the rest of the drive. I’m sure Matteo’s mind is spinning just as hard as mine is. What is Connor up to?

Matteo stops his car down the street. “Stay safe. Please.”

“And you do the same.”

We share a final kiss goodbye before I get out and sneak around the back and into the house without anyone noticing.

I don’t get any sleep that night.

Connor is in my living room when I get up in the morning. “What are you doing here?” I ask.

He stands up with a stretch like he has nothing better to do. “Just spoke to Viktor.”

“And?”

“And the wedding has been pushed up.”

My insides turn to ice. “What?”

“I suggested to Viktor that it would be better if we got married sooner rather than later. As a sign of strength to Dante and Erik. He agreed.”

“What?” It’s all I’m capable of saying, it seems.

“The wedding has been changed to no longer be in a month. It’s going to happen this weekend.”

“But I… I don’t even have a dress. I… nothing will be ready.”

“Viktor said all of that and I told him he’s capable of doing anything. If he wants the wedding faster, he’ll make it happen. Of course, he told me he needed to talk to you first but I figure you won’t object to it, seeing as you don’t want me to tell Viktor where you were last night, do you?”

My mouth snaps shut. This can’t be happening. I thought Matteo had time to kill Connor and now…

He laughs – it’s a spiteful, dark sound. “We’re getting married this weekend. When Viktor asks if you’re ok with it, you will say yes or I will tell him all about Matteo and I know you don’t want that. So cheer up, Julia. You seem like a girl who likes a little bit of danger. Well, I can give you all of that. Trust me.”