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His lips quirk. “It isn’t an actual hospital. It’s off grid.”
Fantastic. Matteo’s network spans wide and over many industries. He even has a medical team on his payroll that make bullets disappear without anybody ever knowing a trigger got pulled.
“When we get to your apartment?—”
“When we get home, kitten. It’s home for now.”
I draw in a shaky breath. “When we get home, can I have my phone back? I want to call my dad.”
“Dominic has it. I’ll get it from him in the morning.”
It’s late, and Matteo doesn’t offer me his phone to call Dad either. We’re quiet the rest of the drive to his apartment block, and even the elevator ride to the penthouse is quiet, what with the bodyguards that we have with us for now. As soon as we reach the foyer that leads to his front door, Matteo disarms the alarm, and the bodyguards bid us good night.
I’m not nervous but going back inside this apartment will flood me with memories I’d rather avoid. I don’t think I’d be able to sleep here if Matteo weren’t with me.
“Do you need anything?” he asks as we walk inside.
“No, I’m good.” The flight was catered with delicious food, and I’ve wanted for nothing. “I’m just tired.”
Matteo studies me in the soft light coming from the entry hall. “This isn’t how you imagined your wedding would go, is it?”
“No.” Why lie, it’s not going to change anything.
He hasn’t let go of my hand and squeezes it as he tugs me deeper into the apartment and the open plan area with the living room and execution square.
I burst out laughing when he switches the lights on and even Matteo chuckles. Giant helium balloons in white and gold are everywhere and floating gold letters that spell out Congratulations!! are tied down to the sofa. A bottle of champagne waits on the coffee table with two glasses and what looks like hundreds of red roses everywhere.
“Who did this?” I ask, somewhat stunned.
“Rosalia,” he murmurs as he pulls me into his arms. As if on cue, music starts to play—Thinking Out Loud, the wedding song of all wedding songs. “She loves doing this type of thing.”
Now I don’t know if this was Matteo’s idea or Rosalia’s and I don’t ask. Ignorance is bliss. All I know is there’s been no mention of love. Even our vows at the city hall where a bleary-eyed clerk did the necessary only included an unconvincing to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health till death do us part. We somehow skipped the love and cherish part altogether. Stupid, insipid vows.
They’re better than nothing. In his arms, I feel safe. I’ll see less of Dad, but one thing is certain: Matteo won’t kill his father-in-law. I bite back tears, refusing to be weak in this moment where I can hide against his chest.
“The wedding might have been a disappointment,” he murmurs in my ear, sending a spark of desire down my spine, “but the wedding night won’t be.”
No, it won’t. I smile and inhale deeply, taking in a calming breath of his scent I’ve come to love. If nothing else, we have off-the-charts chemistry. It’s the perfect distraction and I can live off that alone.
For now.
53
TASHA
I wake up alone. From the bathroom comes the splatter of water. Matteo is in the shower.
Alone. Without me…
Sneaky. I slip out of the bed and head that way, but the water turns off. I peek into the bathroom only to see him tug a towel off the rail. Water droplets glisten on his chest, making the dragons’ scales sparkle and bringing his tattoo to life. I could stare at him the whole day.
As if he senses me, he looks up. “You’re supposed to sleep in,” he says as he wraps the towel around his neck.
My gaze drops. I can’t help it. He has zero body confidence issues. Doesn’t need to have.
“Like what you see, kitten?” he asks as he saunters over.
I bite my lip. “Hmm, yes?”
