Page 18

Matteo picks me up and places me on the bed. There’s a silent understanding between us that we won’t have sex. I can’t lose my virginity yet, not when there’s so much uncertainty between us. But that doesn’t mean we can’t explore in other ways.

He sits back and looks at me with his dark eyes as he pulls my dress off. Somehow, his eyes darken when they take in my bra and underwear. I made sure to wear a nicer pair tonight. I want Matteo to like what he sees.

“You are beautiful,” he murmurs, running his hand over my stomach. Goosebumps break out on my skin.

“I want to see you,” I admit.

His smile is gentle and easy as he stands up and pulls his shirt off. The sight of his bare chest makes me weak-kneed so it’s a good thing I’m lying down. All hard muscle and defined ridges and lines. It’s like he was sculpted out of stone.

I cannot deny the lust I feel for Matteo. He’s awoken something in me that I’ve never felt before.

“I need to touch you again,” he says in his gruff voice that sends shivers over my body.

“Yes.”

This time, he takes my bra off and his hands gently roam over them and between them. I gasp when he cups my right one and bends down to give it a kiss. Arousal flares between my legs. This is wrong to be doing but I don’t want Matteo to stop for anything in this world.

His lips wrap around my nipple before he lets it go and pleasures my other breast. I never knew my breasts could be this sensitive. Without even realizing it, my legs press together to seek some friction for the growing arousal inside of me.

“I want to touch you too.”

Matteo sits back so I can place my hands to his chest. He shudders a little bit when I move my hands up and down, touching every inch of his hard muscles.

“You must really work out.”

He smiles and it makes him look even younger. More boyish. “It’s good to stay in shape in my profession. Strength and endurance help in case I ever end up in a fight.”

My hands still. A fight. I hate the idea of Matteo being in fights and risking his life but I know that’s the world he lives in.

It’s the world I live in too.

He places his hands over my own. “You can keep touching me. Don’t be scared.” I know he’s talking about multiple things at once.

I find the strength to move my hands again and they go lower, closer to the top of his pants.

Matteo hisses slightly when I skim my fingers along his lower abdomen.

Just below his waistband is his penis. He’s seen all of me.

I want to see all of him but I’m worried if we go there, we’ll end up having sex.

Matteo seems to want to keep his penis inside of his pants for that exact reason.

“You’re going to kill me,” he says in a breathless voice. I love knowing I have an effect on him. With Viktor, nothing can shake him. With Connor, I can’t crack him.

But with Matteo, I can see all of him.

“Touch me again,” I whisper.

His eyes darken. “With pleasure.” His lips find mine in a kiss so passionate, I can feel it all the way down to my toes.

He leans over me, pressing our bare chests together. I never want this to end. My hands grip his back shoulder blades, needing to pull him in closer, needing to feel more of him. All of him.

I gasp when Matteo presses kisses down my neck and upper chest. It’s such a simple act but one that lights my body on fire.

My hips arch up, seeking friction, and I know that’s dangerous.

The more Matteo touches me, the more comfortable I’m going to get with him, and the more comfortable I am with him, the more I’m going to fall in love with him.

His fingers find the edges of my panties and pushes them down. I moan softly when his fingers touch me between my legs. It’s the friction I’ve been looking for.

Matteo looks me right in the eye as he runs his palm against my nub. I gasp and arch my back and pant like a wild woman and I don’t even care.

His fingers move down to my entrance and stop. “I want to touch you here.”

I can’t even speak so I nod. Matteo slips his finger inside of me and the sensation is better than I ever thought possible.

I grip his arms to steady myself.

“It’s ok,” he murmurs. “I’ve got you.”

Gently, he thrusts his finger in and out of me. While he does that, his palm rubs against my clit, sending waves of pleasure through me. Nothing could be better than this.

“Matteo,” I gasp, arching my hips up.

“Just feel it, baby. Feel all of it.” He keeps his steady pace, letting me get there in my own time.

My legs clamp down on his forearm. It’s all too much. Too much.

Matteo looks down at me like I’m the most beautiful woman in the entire world. It sends shivers through me. I’ve never felt this special in my entire life, having been cooped up in my brother’s home for years. To finally get to experience this freedom is like nothing I’ve ever had before.

I gasp when his finger moves deeper into me. There’s no pain, only pleasure.

“Matteo,” I say again. “Matteo.”

“I’ve got you, baby. You can let go. Come for me. God, I need to see it.”

His words give me the permission I’ve been looking for.

My lips part but no sound comes out as the wave of pleasure rolls over me. My hips buck against his hand, needing more and more and more.

Matteo continues to hold and pleasure me through it all.

Once I’m finished, he removes his finger from inside of me. “You are perfect.”

I blush. “I don’t know what to say to that.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” The soft kiss he gives me sends pleasure straight down to my toes.

I know I am falling in love with this man and that’s dangerous. He’s not mine and yet, he is mine. How is that possible?

A knock at the door pulls us apart.

“The maid?” I ask.

“I’ll send them away.” He slips his shirt on and peers through the peephole. I can tell my Matteo’s reaction that whoever is on the other side is not the maid. He jerks back and rushes to my side.

“Get dressed.”

“What’s happening?” I quickly slip my clothes back on. “Matteo?”

“Connor is out there right now.”

“Open up, lovebirds,” Connor says through the door.

There’s no other way out of this room except for the door Connor is standing in front of.

I grip Matteo’s hand. “What do we do?”

“You stay hidden. I’ll handle him.” He grabs his gun from the nightstand and motions me to hide behind the curtains. I do as he instructs and watch him go to the door. From this angle, I can just barely see him.

Matteo cracks the door open. “Connor. What do you want?”

“I want to know if my bride is in there.”

“Your bride?”

“Julia.”

Matteo scoffs. “Julia is not here. Now, you need to go.”

“I don’t think so.” He shoves the door open, making Matteo stumble back. Matteo has his gun pointed at Connor before Connor can do anything else.

“I will shoot you.”

Connor goes still. “Right here? In this nice hotel? You’d get blood stains everywhere that you wouldn’t be able to clean up and even you can’t get out of a murder charge, no matter who your connections are.”

“Leave.”

“Where’s Julia?”

I try not to move behind the curtain or it will definitely draw Connor’s attention.

“She is not here. So leave,” Matteo hisses. “Before I fucking shoot you.”

“She’s still here. I know it. My men watched her leave her house and come right here. They’re still outside the hotel and they never saw her leave. She’s here.”

“And? What does this achieve? Are you going to tell Viktor? Because if you do, then you have nothing to hold over Julia’s head and she’ll tell her brother how you hurt her and then you’ll be dead. Unless you came here, hoping to kill me. Is that it?”

Connor only smirks.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Matteo shakes his head, pretending to be more calm than he actually is. “Leave. Right now.”

“I know she’s in here.”

“If you take one more step, I will shoot you.”

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. ”

It’s a threat, that much is obvious to me.

Connor winks and lets out a whistle as he walks past me. I still can’t seem to say anything.

My life is happening before my very eyes and I can’t do anything about it.