Chapter 32
Chapter
Thirty-Two
MATTEO
I don’t think I’ve ever been so goddamn nervous in my life.
Gio would be laughing his ass off if he could see me pacing back and forth as I wait for Wren to come down the stairs.
I’ve taken hundreds of women on dates. They weren’t all to this degree, but still a date nonetheless. So what the fuck is wrong with me? Maybe it’s because I’ve never taken a woman here before.
The family restaurant, Bella Vita.
This means something to me.
“Fuck,” I say out loud before chugging the last of my old-fashioned. Just as I’m setting my glass down on the foyer table, I hear her heels clicking as they approach the top of the stairs.
I don’t move, too afraid it will make a noise. The only sound that can be heard throughout the house is her slowly descending the stairs. A sound that will forever be ingrained in my mind. My heart races faster as I count every step she takes, waiting until she’s three steps from the bottom before I turn around.
She’s fucking stunning, and I let her know.
I owe the woman at Saks a new car or something because she completely outdid herself. The way it hugs every curve of her body perfectly. The high slit in the thigh is showing off just enough leg that has me hoping the material will ride up slightly, giving me a better view. But that’s not what my eyes are glued to, no. My eyes are glued to Wren’s. Her blue eyes are practically glowing from the contrast of the emerald gown. They look sultry, and the way she’s looking at me is making it extremely fucking hard to refrain from flipping her gown up and fucking her until she doesn’t remember her name.
This gown was made specifically for Wren.
Tonight is all about honesty. I’m going into this holding nothing back. These past few weeks with Wren have made me realize I’m done tip-toeing around her. She knows what I am. Who I am. I’m not holding back anymore.
My hand doesn’t leave hers as I lead her out to the blacked-out Bentley Continental GT Mulliner.
“I see you got it replaced. How many cars do you own?” Wren asks, finally breaking her silence. If I hadn’t seen the heat in her eyes that I know matches my own, I would have been concerned.
“A few.”
“I think it’s more than a few. You’re in a different car almost every single time I’ve rode with you,” Wren says as I open her car door for her.
“Just get in the fucking car.”
Wren rolls her eyes as she slides into the car.
“You never told me where we are going,” Wren mumbles as I pull out of the driveway and head toward downtown .
“Bella Vita,” I answer. Wren doesn’t say anything, causing me to glance over. She’s picking at her nails, and her posture looks extremely tense. “What’s wrong?”
Wren opens and closes her mouth before she finally answers, “Bella Vita is really nice.”
“Yeah…” I trail off. I kind of thought she would have realized we were going somewhere nice based on the gown I left. “What’s wrong?”
Wren lets out a long sigh as she turns and looks out the window at the city passing by, refusing to look at me.
“Wren?” I ask as I place my hand on top of her thigh reassuringly. Maybe this date idea is too soon.
“I… it’s stupid.” She shakes her head.
“Now I want to know even more, but I promise you that it’s not stupid.”
She doesn’t say anything for a long moment. “People like me don’t go to places like that. I don’t want to embarrass you.”
My stone-cold heart shatters a little bit at her admission. How can she think she would ever embarrass me? Looking like how she looks right now?
“Stop. If I ever hear you call yourself an embarrassment again, I’m going to paddle that sweet ass. You belong wherever I am.” I give her thigh a light squeeze, making her turn to look at me for the first time since we got in the car. Wren gives me a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “This is our first date, tesoro . Do I need to fuck you over the hood of my car to bring that fire back into your eyes? Your tight cunt sucks me in so good.”
“Matteo!” Wren hisses out. I smirk as I watch her thighs rub together ever so slightly, trying to ease the ache that’s building.
“That’s an ache only I can ease, baby.” I wink at her .
“Are you really going to do this before we go into a 5-star restaurant?” Wren glares.
“I like my desserts moist, tesoro. ”
“I hate you.” Wren glares as I bust out laughing.
“No, you don’t,” I say with a laugh. “I bet if I slipped my hand up that pretty dress, I would find your pretty little cunt soaked.”
“We are not starting this now.” Wren’s cheeks are on fire, but that spark is back in her eyes.
“Stay put,” I tell her before opening my car door and handing my key to the valet; rounding the front of the car, I motion the other attendant back. If anyone is opening my girl's car door, it’s going to be me. Not some twig motherfucker that can’t fill out a suit to save his life.
All eyes are on her as she emerges from the car, looking like every man's wet dream. And she’s mine .
“Have a lovely evening, miss,” Twiggy says as I lead Wren away, begging for any sort of acknowledgment from her, but he’s left empty-handed because her gaze is on me. I don’t even think she heard him from the intensity of her stare. I have to clear my throat to contain the rumble of satisfaction that’s itching to come out.
My hand is resting on her lower back, just above the ass I haven’t stopped thinking about for weeks, as I catch Aldo’s eyes across the room.
“You are so fucked,” he mouths at me before laughing at the glare I sent him.
“This place is gorgeous, Matteo. Delaney and I always said when we landed sugar daddies, the first thing we would splurge on was a girl’s night out here,” Wren says after we’re settled in at our table. I requested one in the back corner that’s more intimate and not in the middle of others .
“A sugar daddy, huh? I’ve never been called that before, but I kind of like it.” I laugh.
“That’s not what I meant,” Wren rushes out, eyes wide. “I don’t think either of us would actually get one. It was just kind of a joke. Unless, you know, it was one where he just wanted someone to talk to and paid for the companionship.” She’s rambling now.
“Relax,” I cut in. “I wouldn’t care if you had one. You just can’t have one now.” I know she wouldn’t want it on her conscience that a man got killed because of her.
Wren narrows her eyes as her mouth starts to open. Just as she’s about to snap at me, the waiter arrives.
“Good evening. What can I get you two started with tonight?” he asks, barely making eye contact with Wren. Finally, someone who knows respect. It looks like I’ll only be firing one person tonight.
“We’ll have a bottle of Cabernet Franc and the Burrata to start.”
“Absolutely.” He nods as he whisks off.
“I hope it’s okay that I ordered for you.” Wren seems like the type that would be okay with it in this type of setting, but there’s always a huge possibility she’s about to chew my ass out.
“It’s fine. Cabernet Franc just happens to be my favorite red wine. But just so we’re clear, if I want a sugar daddy, I’ll get one,” Wren says coolly, looking around the restaurant, dismissing me.
I catch her wrist resting on the table, squeezing firmly. “You’re mine. That means I take care of you and that tight little cunt. And if I find out someone has been sniffing around what’s mine, I will cut his dick off and shove it so far up his ass. You with me? ”
The waiter drops off our wine without a word.
“I’m with you,” she breathes out, eyes wide.