Page 7 of My Ghost

Matteo.

Of course he is looking sinfully good in a black suit—seriously, for Sunday brunch?His midnight-black hair is swept back with a single lock falling over his brows.

And, of course, the only empty seat is the one right beside him.

Just.Perfect.

Chiara rises to greet me with her usual warmth, pulling me into a hug.Lily sits down next to Damiano and smiles from across the table, glowing and oblivious.No one seems to notice the way my spine straightens.

“Hi, guys!Good to see you again.”My voice is bright and my smile even brighter.

Lucas lifts his coffee mug in salute.“Hey, Erin.Welcome back.”

Damiano gives me a nod, one corner of his mouth twitching upward.I’ve learned that it’s his version of a congenial smile.

As for Matteo, he doesn’t even bother to glance my way.His only acknowledgment of my presence is his clenched jaw and a quick sideways glance.

Fine, I can play this game, too.

I dial up the charm, aiming it straight at him like a beam of sunshine.“Matteo,” I say sweetly, adding a small, flirty wave.“Missed me, big guy?”

His eyes finally cut to mine, cold and unreadable.

Without waiting for a response, I slide into the chair beside him, chin held high.The air around us is vibrating with tension.

Let him scowl, I’ll smile harder.

Then his cologne hits me and my breath catches.

It yanks me back with such force that for a moment I forget where I am.The brunch, the chatter, the sunny dining room, everything around me fades.

I’m back at Velvet, the club music thumping through my bloodstream, Lily laughing beside me.I had begged her to come out that night.She’d resisted, wanting to lie low after running away from Damiano.But I’d begged until she caved, promising nothing would happen.God, I was so naive.

We drank, we danced, we had a marvelous time.Then he appeared.Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair, dark eyes, and a swirl of black tattoos peeking from beneath his collar and cuffs.He moved through the crowd like a panther through tall grass, graceful and focused.And when he stopped in front of me, I couldn’t look away.

He murmured something low near my ear, I don’t even remember what, and I laughed flirtatiously.His cologne hit me next—warm and spicy and intoxicating.It coiled into my lungs like smoke and stayed there.

I didn’t know he was only keeping me busy while Damiano went for Lily.I only remember his hands at my hips, the pull of his body against mine, how close we were dancing, how easily I leaned into it, how easily I gave in to the attraction I was feeling.I should have paid more attention.I should have known better.And he his hand gently but firmly around my throat and I froze.My instincts flared, and I shoved back hard, but he banded his arm around me like a vise.I remember fighting.I remember Lily’s face, full of panic.I remember my heel slamming into his shin, and how he barely reacted.I cursed him the whole way down that dark hallway while he dragged wrapped me along like a puppet.

He never said a word.Not even when we arrived in the office where Damiano cornered Lily and the whole trap snapped into place.Eventually, Lily convinced them to let me go.He was the one to escort me out.He loosened his grip just enough to steer me through the hallway and out of the club without hurting, but his silence was louder than a threat.

The car ride was tense.I was wired from adrenaline and tried to talk about anything and nothing, but he merely answered with silence, his jaw clenched and his face unreadable.

But every time I inhaled, that cologne enveloped me, caging me in with every breath I drew.I didn’t know who he was yet, and I could only guess what he did for a living, but I knew I was in trouble.

A chair scrapes against the floor and I blink, dragged back to the present, to the table where dishes are passed around and conversation flows easy and unstilted.

“So, how’s apartment life?”Chiara asks, passing me the fruit bowl.

I smile.“Oh it’s awesome, the landlord’s been super welcoming.”I cast a pointed sideways glance to Matteo, who remains silent.“The place is a bit cold and without personality, but I added flowers.”

Lucas laughs at my jab.“Please tell me you put a rainbow welcome mat at the door.”

“Tempting, but I didn’t want to risk being evicted in my first week.”I wink and everyone laughs.

“You’d be surprised what Teo tolerates.I once filled his penthouse with two hundred helium balloons for his birthday.He just…left them there until they died of their natural death.It took two weeks.”Lucas snickers and the table erupts into laughter.

“I was fucking busy,” Matteo says through gritted teeth.