Page 82 of Bellini Born

Lord, when he let his softer side shine through, there wasn’t anything he could ask that I wouldn’t agree to.

“Okay.” I stroked a soothing path down Serafina’s back.

He reached toward her. “May I?”

Heat flooded my cheeks at the reminder that I’d been monopolizing his baby. With a tiny nod, I replied, “Of course. She’s your daughter.”

“Maybe so. But she’s awfully attached to you.” Eyes staring a path straight into my soul, he added, “We all are.”

Pretending like I wasn’t on the brink of tears, I allowed Matteo to gently ease Serafina from my arms.

“I’ll, uh—” I averted my face, so he didn’t see me swipe beneath my nose with the back of my hand. “I’ll just get ready then.”

Hustling out of the room like my ass was on fire, I wasn’t quick enough to avoid overhearing him singing softly to his baby girl in Italian, and I about damn near fell in love with him on the spot.

Who was I kidding? I was already falling.

The only question that remained was how badly it was going to hurt when I crashed on the jagged rocks that inevitably waited for me at the bottom of that cliff.

After the world’s quickest shower and using an entire bottle of concealer to hide the dark circles beneath my eyes, I was seated beside Matteo in the back of a blacked-out SUV, wearinga stunning red silk dress that cost more than two months’ rent at my old apartment.

When I spied the Addy June insignia on the garment bag lying on my bed, I nearly fainted. The fashion label designed by a real-life royal was featured on red carpets around the globe, worn only by the rich and famous. I certainly didn’t fit into either of those categories, but the minute the fabric fell over my curves, it almost felt like I could pretend I was.

The car pulled into an industrial park, coming to a stop before a nondescript building that looked like a warehouse.

Confused, I turned to Matteo. “This is where your fancy event is being held?”

Dark eyes glittering, he said, “I need you to trust me.”

He’d given me every reason not to. The man had used money to manipulate me into taking a job that put me under his roof. Then we found ourselves at the center of a veritable sex scandal, and he fucking disappeared. When Serafina was sick and I needed him most, he couldn’t be reached.

My brain screamed for me to open my mouth and tell him that he hadn’t earned it. But even though it was sheer lunacy to admit it, deep down in my gut, I did trust him. I couldn’t explain it, and I didn’t want to try.

Taking the hand he offered to help me down from the vehicle, I whispered, “Okay.”

“That’s my girl,” Matteo praised, his palm scorching against the bare skin of my exposed back as he guided me toward the door.

A heavy metal door loomed before us. I peeked over my shoulder, scanning our surroundings. Other than the two guards who stood beside the SUV, arms crossed, there was no one else around.

Whatever was going down tonight, it was not your standard high-society function.

“Uh.” I shifted uncomfortably. “Do you need a key?”

A soft chuckle sounded from beside me. “Oh, sweet Summer, Iamthe key.”

“How—” My words cut off abruptly when he pressed some hidden button that brought up an electronic panel.

First, he touched his index finger on the smooth screen. Then, he leaned in for what appeared to be a retina scan. Finally, he spoke into a microphone, reciting his first and last name.

Like magic, the door unlocked and swung open.

Holy shit, that was some spy-level shit right there.

Or organized crime, but who’s counting?

“Biometrics,” Matteo explained when he caught me gawking.

A stunned exhale rushed past my parted lips, but there wasn’t time to dwell on the extreme security clearance required to enter this building, because when we stepped inside, my mind fucking exploded.