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I should lie to her about it being Angelo, but my heart shatters thinking about doing that. I don’t want her to see him, but I don’t want her to think he doesn’t want to see her. To feel rejected.
Isn’t that what I’ve been doing, though? Rejecting her.Our situation is different. This arrangement is a business transaction, but there’s no rule that says we can’t enjoy each other’s company. Maybe I’ve been going about this all wrong, keeping her away as much as I have. Pushing her directly into my brother’s hands. We’ll be husband and wife for the rest of our lives and instead of embracing it, I’ve been avoiding it. That’s all about to fucking change now.
“Yes, he was asking about seeing you,” I say to her.
She drops her hands to her sides. “This is perfect. I can see if he wants to have that dinner with Elena and Giuliana.”
“You’re not going.” She opens her mouth, surely to argue. “And that’s the end of that,” I say with finality. I go to walk past her, but just when I’m about to, she grabs ahold of my arm. Not too tight, but it still stops me.
She stares up at me with pleading eyes. “Please.” The single word squeezes my chest so tightly it hurts. “Let me do something.” She swallows deeply while she waits for my response.
I close my eyes and tilt my head up to the ceiling, letting out a long sigh. This is not what I want to do, but I say, “Fine,” and the excitement on her face is immediate. A smile pulls at her lips, and I love that I put it there.
“Thank you, thank you!” she squeals before reaching up to place a light kiss on my cheek. The act was so innocent, so comfortable for her, she didn’t even falter when she did it. “I’m going to go get changed,” she adds before scurrying back down the hallway that leads to her room, leaving Enzo and me in silence.
The silence is broken a few seconds later when Enzo claps a hand down on my shoulder and says, “Well, looks like you’re pussy whipped now,” before walking off toward the kitchen with a stark laugh. And at this point, I can’t deny it. But do I even want to?
19
LUXTYN
Iwas ready to go to battle with Matteo over this dinner with Angelo. He’s basically locked me up in this penthouse to do nothing, and I can’t take it anymore. If I can help figure out where my mom is, then I’ll do it. Plus, a part of me wants to get to know Angelo, Elena, and Giuliana. I have a half sister I knew nothing about. An entire family I knew nothing about. It makes me wonder what exactly my mom was thinking when she kept me away from them.
I brought a limited amount of clothes to NYC, so I put on the nicest outfit I packed: a pair of high-waisted skinny jeans tucked into the black combat boots I wore on the plane ride here, paired with a simple white T-shirt that ends just above the waistline of my pants. Topping it off, I add my cropped black leather jacket. The sun has set, so I’m sure the cool spring weather will comb the air outside now.
Checking my reflection in the mirror, I take my hair out of its messy bun and run my fingers through it, pulling the kinks out. I’m fortunate enough that after a few tosses of my hair, its normally straight appearance has more volume and some wavesto it after being up in a bun all day. After applying a touch of makeup—mascara, blush, and a cherry-tinted lip balm—I decide I’m ready to go.
I’m prepared to meet Enzo out in the living room to take me to Angelo’s, but am surprised to find Matteo standing there with his face buried in his phone. He hasn’t acknowledged my presence yet, so I take a moment to observe him.
He changed. He’s now wearing a black button-up with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his inked forearms. The fitted shirt stretches around his tight muscles, showcasing his impressive arms. Arms I’ve pictured wrapped around me since our kiss a few days ago.
“Did you let Angelo know I’ll be there for dinner?” I ask.
Matteo glances up from his phone and slowly rakes his eyes over me. Something flickers through them as he brings them up to meet mine. “I did,” he answers. “He’s expecting us soon.”
I raise a brow.“Us?”
He tucks his phone in his pocket, his gaze remaining only on mine. “Enzo’s been watching over you enough.” He walks up and stops before me, causing me to angle my head back to keep eye contact with him. “I think it’s time you and I start acting like husband and wife.”
His words give me whiplash. “But I’m nothing but abusiness transaction, remember?” I say, throwing his words back at him. Words that hurt me more than I care to admit. I thought I could withstand being stuck in a marriage with a man I mean nothing to, but I’m not so sure now. Especially when that man is Matteo. An overbearing, insanely attractive, making me question everything that I know kind of man.
He stares into my eyes, and the sincerity behind them is clear. “I think you and I both know those were just words, Little Lux.” He glances down at my lips, and I dart my tongue out to moisten them. “There’s something about you.Something that draws me to you. Something that doesn’t allow me to get you out of my head.”
His eyes follow the path of my tongue, excitement and need radiating through them as he leans over and wraps his hand around the back of my head. My heart rate picks up and the rest happens in slow motion.
Matteo’s lips brush over mine, and the taste of peppermint lingers as my body immediately reacts and I suck them into my mouth. A groan escapes him as I lightly tug his lips with my teeth, which has me wanting more of that feral sound.
I part my lips, eager to see if he’ll continue and take from me what I’m willing to give him or pull away and leave me like he did last time.
His tongue slips into my mouth, and I let out a whimper at the heat that consumes me, our kiss instantly becoming more intense. Placing a rough hand on my waist, Matteo pivots us and pushes me up against the wall. It wasn’t soft, but it was the way I needed it to be. I want to forget about the crap I have going on in my life and marinate in the arms of Matteo.When did this happen?
Locking his hands around my wrists, he brings them up above my head, trapping me against the wall as he spreads my legs with his knee. He leans into me, our kiss becoming more heated, like he needs this with every breath. Just like I do.
I arch my back off the wall to get closer to him when the clearing of someone’s throat interrupts us. Matteo hesitantly pulls his lips off mine but doesn’t look toward the sound. His nearly black lust-filled eyes stare down into mine as my hands remain pinned above my head.
A woman’s voice breaks through our haze. “So this is what’s kept you in the city this past week?”
My eyes widen as I take in the smooth, unfamiliar voice. She sounds young. I try to wiggle myself free from Matteo’shands, but he doesn’t let me go. He hasn’t moved. He continues to stare into my eyes as if the intruder hasn’t made herself known.
