5. A Dangerous Discovery
Chapter five
A Dangerous Discovery
Matteo
C ontrol. It’s the foundation of everything I’ve built, the cornerstone of my life. But with Amelia, control feels like a fleeting concept, slipping through my fingers like water no matter how tightly I try to hold on.
This morning, she was in my office—pushing boundaries she knows better than to cross. The fire in her eyes when I caught her rifling through my things was enough to set my blood alight. She challenges me, defies me, and yet, I can’t bring myself to stop her. Not entirely.
Now, as I sit in the same office, staring at the empty space she occupied, a faint pang of something unfamiliar twists in my chest. Guilt? No. Guilt is a weakness I’ve long since banished.
Amelia doesn’t understand the world she’s in, and maybe it’s better that way. If she knew the full truth about her father, about me, it would destroy her. The door creaks open, as Nico steps in. He is loyal to a fault and sharp as a blade, carries an expression that tells me whatever he’s about to say, will upset me.
“What is it?” I ask, leaning back in my chair.
He hesitates, which is unlike him. “We’ve been monitoring her brother, Luca.”
I arch an eyebrow. “And?”
“There’s something you need to see.” He hands me a tablet, the screen glowing with a series of surveillance photos and documents.
I scroll through them, my jaw tightening with every passing second. Luca Ricci, Amelia’s golden brother, is far from the paragon of virtue she believes him to be. His hands are as stained as mine, his alliances tangled with people who’d slit his throat the moment it suited them and then there’s the proof that Luca was involved in the chain of events that led to their father’s death. The bastard sold him out.
My grip tightens on the tablet, the screen threatening to crack under the pressure. This changes everything. Amelia’s hatred for me has always been rooted in the belief that I’m responsible for her father’s death. If she finds out the truth, that her own brother betrayed their family...
I exhale sharply, shoving the tablet back at Nico. “Destroy this.”
Nico’s eyes widen. “Are you sure? This could—”
“I said destroy it.” My tone leaves no room for argument.
Nico hesitates but nods, slipping the tablet into his jacket. “And Luca?”
“Keep an eye on him. If he makes a move, I want to know.”
He leaves, and I’m alone again, the weight of the new revelation settling heavily on my shoulders. Protecting Amelia has always been my priority, but this... This is a new level of complication.
Later in the evening, I find her in the library. She’s curled up on one of the leather armchairs, a book in her hands, though her eyes are distant. She doesn’t notice me at first, and I take a moment to study her. The delicate curve of her neck, the way her lips press together in thought, the natural curves of her body. It’s infuriating how much I want her. When I step closer, the floor creaks, and her head snaps up. The guarded look in her eyes is immediate, a reflex that stings more than I’d like to admit.
“What do you want?” she asks, her tone sharp.
“To talk,” I reply, keeping my voice calm.
“Talk?” She closes the book with a snap, setting it aside. “That’s a first.”
I ignore the jab, taking a seat across from her. “You’ve been quiet today.”
“Is that your way of saying you’ve been watching me?” she retorts.
“Always. It’s my house. I notice things.”
She rolls her eyes but doesn’t press further. The silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words.
“Why are you doing this? Keeping me here, controlling every part of my life. What do you gain from it?”
The question catches me off guard, though I hide it well. What do I gain? It’s not a simple answer. Protecting her, possessing her has become more than just a matter of power or obligation.
“I’m keeping you safe,” I say.
“Safe? From what? The world or you?” Her laugh is bitter.
I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “You think you’re clever, Amelia, but you don’t understand the dangers around you. If you did, you’d thank me for keeping you alive.”
“Alive but not free,” she counters.
“Freedom won’t mean much if you’re dead.”
Her eyes flash with anger, but she doesn’t argue. Instead, she stands, the defiance in her posture undeniable. “I’m not some pawn in your game, Matteo. You can’t just keep me locked away.”
I rise, closing the distance between us in two strides. “You think this is a game? Everything I’ve done, every choice I’ve made, has been to protect you. Even when you make it damn near impossible.” My voice is low and dangerous.
She glares at me, and for a moment, I think she’s going to slap me. But instead, she surprises me. “You’re so sure you’re the hero in this story. But you’re just as much a villain as the people you claim to protect me from.” she says, her voice trembling.
Her words cut deeper than I’d like, but I don’t let it show. Instead, I reach out, my fingers brushing against her cheek. She flinches but doesn’t pull away.
“I never said I was a hero,” I murmur.
The tension between us is palpable, the air thick with unspoken emotions. I want to kiss her, to claim her, but I hold back. Not yet.
“Go to bed, Amelia. This conversation is over.” I say, stepping away.
She doesn’t move at first, her eyes searching mine as if looking for something she’ll never find. Then she turns and walks away, leaving me alone with the weight of my secrets and the knowledge that protecting her might mean breaking her.
The silence she leaves behind is deafening, but my mind is anything but quiet. The revelation about Luca gnaws at me. I’ve handled betrayal before—rivals, allies, even family—but this is different. Luca’s treachery is a knife aimed at Amelia’s back, one she doesn’t even know is coming. The thought infuriates me. Not because of the danger it poses to my position or my power. No, it’s because of her.
I pour myself a drink, the amber liquid swirling in the glass like the storm in my head. The fire burns as it slides down my throat, but it doesn’t drown the restless energy coursing through me. She doesn’t understand the world she’s in. She doesn’t see the predators lurking in the shadows, waiting for a chance to pounce. I’d burn the entire city to the ground before I let anyone hurt her. But how do I protect her from a truth that could shatter her? A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts. Nico steps in, his face unreadable as he closes the door behind him.
“Is it done?” I ask.
“Yes,” he says. “The files are gone.”
“And Luca?”
“Still quiet. For now. But Matteo... he’s not stupid. He’ll know we’re watching him.”
“Good,” I reply, my voice cold. “Let him squirm.”
Nico nods but doesn’t leave. He lingers, his gaze heavy.
“What?” I snap.
“It’s her, isn’t it?” he asks, his tone uncharacteristically soft.
“What about her?”
“She’s getting to you.”
The accusation is so absurd I almost laugh. Almost. “You’re mistaken.”
He tilts his head, unconvinced. “You’ve never been one to ignore an advantage, Matteo. But with her, you’re not thinking clearly.”
I slam the glass down on the desk, the sharp sound cutting through the room. “I don’t need your advice on how to handle my wife.”
He doesn’t flinch, which only irritates me more. “Just be careful,” he says before turning to leave.
As the door clicks shut, I exhale slowly, trying to rein in the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. Nico’s wrong. Amelia isn’t a weakness. She’s confusing, yes, but I’ll manage. Still, his words linger, unwelcome and unsettling.
After a few hours pass, I find myself outside our room. The hall is quiet, the mansion wrapped in an unnatural stillness that mirrors the storm in my chest. I don’t knock. I don’t announce myself. I simply open the door and step inside. She’s sitting by the window, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. She doesn’t turn to look at me, but I know she’s aware of my presence.
“What do you want, Matteo?” she asks, her voice tired but sharp.
I close the door behind me. “I wanted to see you.”
Her laugh is bitter, her shoulders stiffening. “What’s so special about tonight?”
I move closer, stopping just behind her. The tension between us is a living thing, thrumming in the air like an unspoken challenge.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry for demanding you to come in here.” I say.
“I’m tired of fighting,” she replies, though there’s no conviction in her tone.
I place my hands on her shoulders, leaning down until my lips are near her ear. “You don’t strike me as the type to give up.”
She turns her head slightly, her eyes locking with mine. There’s defiance there, as always, but something else too. Something raw and vulnerable.
“Maybe I’m tired of you,” she says, though her voice wavers.
My lips twitch into a smirk. “Liar.”
Her breath catches, and I know I’ve hit a nerve. She hates how well I know her, just as much as I hate how deeply she’s managed to burrow under my skin.
I move to stand in front of her, crouching down so we’re eye level. “Tell me the truth, Amelia. What are you so afraid of?”
She glares at me, her jaw tightening. “I’m not afraid of you, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Maybe not. But you’re afraid of something. Yourself, perhaps. The way you can’t help but respond to me.”
Her cheeks flush, her defiance faltering. “You’re insufferable.”
“And you’re intoxicating,” I counter, my hand brushing against her cheek. “Even when you drive me mad.”
She swats my hand away, standing abruptly. “You don’t own me, Matteo.”
I rise to my full height, towering over her. “Don’t I?”
The challenge in my voice is deliberate, and the way her breath hitches tells me she feels the pull as much as I do. I step closer, my hand circling her wrist.
My lips are brushing against her ear. “But you can’t deny this. The way your pulse races when I’m near. The way your body responds to mine.”
She’s trembling now, though whether it’s from anger or desire, I can’t tell. Probably both.
“Let me go,” she whispers, though there’s no strength behind the words.
I loosen my grip but I don’t move. Instead, I tilt her chin up, forcing her to look at me. Her eyes are glassy, her lips parted slightly, and in this moment, she’s the most exquisite thing I’ve ever seen.
“Tell me to stop,” I say, my voice hoarse.
Her lips part, but no words come. And then, in a heartbeat, she surges forward, her hands fisting in my shirt as her lips crash against mine. The kiss is fire and fury, a clash of wills that leaves us both breathless. It’s raw, unrestrained, and completely consuming, just like everything about her. I take her to the bed, and open up her robe. It falls, exposing her completely naked body standing before me.
“You’re mine.” I say with a low growl. Not letting her respond, I grab the back of her neck with my hand and give a firm squeeze. I draw her face back to mine. I suck on her lips and then the side of her neck.
I bring her body down onto the bed. Amelia’s legs squirm as I place my hand underneath her arms and throw her whole body backwards. I pounce and pin her down, immobilizing her legs and arms. With one of my hands, I hold her arms still and then I peruse her body with the other.
I gingerly rub my fingers down her slender body starting at her neck, around her tits , down her stomach and then down to her pussy. Two fingers suddenly find a home inside her pussy and my mouth on her nipple. She gasps and arches her back somewhat. Amelia still tries to move her legs but mine are keeping them in place until I notice them stop all together. Her soft moaning changes to a loud exclamation of pleasure as she cums. I get up slightly to free my legs but I do not give her excess to her arms.
I remove my trousers and boxers with my free hand and guide my cock to her dripping wet cunt. I slam it deep inside of her as she screams out. I am so far into her that I am pushing through her engorged cervix. I can visually see her stomach raising with every thrust of my dick. Amelia is moaning very loudly and is struggling to free her hands. Suddenly her hands slip out from my one so I grab both arms and pin them to her side. I take her petite body and pull it down further onto my cock and she screams in an intense orgasm. I feel her throbbing pussy gripping my massive cock with all her intensity. I lean up to her face and whisper breathlessly in her ear, “Not this time Amelia…”
I grab her shoulders and keep her from getting free from my dick and I cum hard, deep inside of her. I sit there for a moment releasing my entire load, draining my balls inside her. When I pull out, a huge amount of my cream pie flows out of her sweet red pussy.
I roll over to my back next to her. I slow my breathing enough to tell her, “Don’t ever forget that you are mine.”
She remains silent and doesn’t protest. I expected her to but I can see her from the corner of my eye, that she probably couldn’t. I pop my head up a bit and I can see a tiny smile form on her face. I smirk and lay back down.