Page 16 of Matteo

“You look just like her,” he says softly as he continues to stare at me.

Matteo clears his throat, making me realize he’s stepped out from behind his desk and is standing next to me. “Maybe you should introduce yourself. She’s been quite the headache since I retrieved her from the airport for you, so I’d appreciate it if wecould get this show on the road. Doc is here and ready to take your DNA samples.”

“Excuse me?” I peer up at Matteo. “I’m not giving you any DNA.” What the hell is going on here? Nothing is making sense, and this is a waste of time when I could be going to the police about my mom.

Matteo looks down his nose at me, like I’m some petulant child he doesn’t want to deal with. “Relax. I’m not trying to clone you or whatever dramatic situation you’ve drawn up in that mind of yours. The DNA sample is just to prove whether you two are related.”

“You two,” I repeat, glancing back at the older gentleman. “As in him and I?” I point between the two of us.

“That’s right, Luxtyn,” the older man says. “I knew your mother, Char. . . or Charlotte.” He chuckles to himself. “I used to call her Char back when I knew her. I’m not sure if she still goes by that.”

She does, but that’s beside the point. Who the hell is this guy?

“I know this is going to be difficult to hear, but I believe I’m your father, Luxtyn.” He takes another step closer as I rise out of my chair, not sure how to respond. Not sure how toreact. “My name’s Angelo Mancini.”

Angelo Mancini.

That name.

Why does it sound so familiar?

Wait . . .

Angelo . . .

Heat floods my face as recognition hits me.

I know that name.

9

MATTEO

Luxtyn lunges toward Mancini so fast I almost miss it. I wrap my arms around her while Enzo leaps from his chair, prepared to help where needed, but I nod to him, letting him know I have it handled.

“You!” she screams at Mancini while trying to tear herself out of my grasp. I try not to tighten my grip on her, in fear that I’ll hurt her unintentionally, so I let her thrash in my arms.

“What did you do to my mother?” she screams, and her hair whips me in the face, showering me with her sweet scent.

I shouldn’t be thinking about her intoxicating aroma, especially at this moment, yet I can’t help but notice the citrus and vanilla scents emanating from her, blending to create an enticingly sweet but not overpowering fragrance.

Get it the fuck together, Teo.

I release a nearly undetectable groan, trying to rein in that ridiculous thought and keep my body from reacting to Luxtyn squirming in my arms.

Enzo gives me one of his shit-eating grins, surely reading my mind, which is not what I need right now.

She is a means to an end.

A business transaction.

Exactly what Giuliana was going to be.

And that’s it.

Mancini holds up his hands, with his eyes wide and locked in on Luxtyn. “That’s why I’m here. I don’t know where she is, but I think I know who took her.”

“Liar! You’re the one who took her! I know you did!” Luxtyn sinks her sharp nails into my forearms in an attempt to break free from me.