10. Matty
Chapter ten
Matty
I lead my beautiful woman back up the stairs and to the dance floor. I was nervous when Ben told me Rico had taken her into the basement. I know she knows what we do, but knowing about the underbelly of a city and seeing it are two different things. I was nervous she would get scared off, but the bright, hopeful smile on her face instantly set me at ease.
I lead Hannah through the crowd and onto the dancefloor of the first floor. It's smaller, and the DJ tonight is one of my favorites. He plays mashups of 90s hip-hop and modern pop, Latino, and even some country, but somehow he seems to make it work.
I spin her around to face me and wrap my hands along her lower back, moving us to the music.
She tells me excitedly about her plan to bring women to the boxing matches. I pick her up and spin her in my arms. "That's a great idea! I'm so proud of you, pretty girl."
I pause, waiting for her resistance. I've been calling her pretty girl in my head for years, but this is the first time I've said the words out loud. I wait for her to call me out, to push back against me, but it never comes.
The laugh and smile she gives me could set my world on fire. I set her back on her feet and continue to dance with her.
She rambles excitedly and beautifully. "We could call it book club so our husbands wouldn't know! Oh! We could hire some magic mike guys or male strippers!"
I frown.
I don't like the idea of my girl looking at anyone but us. Getting turned on by anyone but us. But I don't want to rain on her parade. She's happy and excited. I love this version of Hannah. She seems freer, younger than she has in a long time.
I spin her so her back is to my chest so she can't see my frown. "I'm so proud of you. It's an amazing idea." I say, breathing in the lavender of her shampoo. I need to find out what brand she uses so I can buy some and smell her all the time.
I hold her hips and pull her flush against me. I can tell the minute she feels me, hard, pressing into her lower back, because the air between us grows heavy. But she doesn't move away. If anything, she presses back into me.
Game. Fucking. On.
It's hot in here with all the bodies dancing and sweating, and I'm starting to sweat under my suit. I run a finger underneath her cardigan and run it gently over the bare skin of her stomach, testing the waters. I know she thinks I'm attractive, but I don't know how far she'll let me take it.
"You know I had a crush on you in High School, right?" I whisper into the shell of her ear.
"You did?"
"I did. You were always the one that got away."
"I'm sorry. I was so involved with my own stuff I didn't notice."
I shake my head. "You wouldn't have. I tried to keep under the radar. I just wish I'd had the balls to tell you then. Maybe the last ten years would have been better for you. And those kids would have been mine."
"You'd make a great dad. Jack already loves you. Aiden's shy, but he'll come around. Do you...do you want to be around them more?"
"I do. All three of us do. Seems like you're stuck with us, pretty girl."
She nods, seemingly thoughtful. "I like that."
We dance for another hour or so, Santiago and Rico watching our every move from the bar. She checks in with Amelia every half an hour. I know she's nervous about leaving her kids with Little PITA, but I'm so proud of her for taking a chance and putting herself first for once.
And now with an income, it'll be easier for her to leave her piece of shit husband and be with us.
Afterward, she grabs a water from Ben and decides to call it a night. Rico and Santiago head back to our condo while I drive Hannah home.
The drive home is nearly silent, except for Hannah absently humming one of the songs from tonight. "Dile" by Don Omar. I smile.
Loosely translated it goes:
Tell him I met you dancing
Tell him you wanna see me tonight
Tell him I kiss better than he does
Tell him you're going to see me tonight
Without thinking, she reaches over and begins to rub the back of my neck with her hand. I shiver at the contact. Fuck that feels good.
I rest my hand on her thigh in response. She instantly takes my hand in her right one and laces our fingers together. I take the long way back to her house. This is how it should be every day, every night. Everything about this woman feels right. We need to speed along her divorce so I can wife her.
"How do you feel about marriage?" I ask casually.
She starts, pulling out of her trance, and whips to look at me. She rubs her thumb along the back of my hand, gathering her thoughts.
"If I had to do it again? I don't think that I would. I think it complicates everything. The minute I became Alan's wife, it changed who I was. I wasn't Hannah anymore. I was Alan's wife. I think if two people love each other, they can live together, and be committed to each other without the legally binding document or changing who the other is, you know?"
That's disappointing to hear, but I understand where she's coming from. For her, marriage has only been a trap - another level of control she had to give up to fit into societal norms.
In a way, hadn't my dad's wife been trapped by the same thing? And isn't that why my mom was so miserable her entire life? Because Dad wouldn't leave his wife, and couldn't love my mom out loud. But what if he hadn't been married, he could have loved my mom out loud, and maybe his wife would have stuck around or not. Marriage definitely does complicate things.
I didn't need a piece of paper or a ceremony to wife her though. I need her by my side, in my home, with her kids. I need all four of them in my life, every day.
The ladies nights are a start, but I need to talk to Rico about speeding up the process. It could be weeks, or months before she feels financially secure enough to leave him.
I drop her back off at her house with a PG hug, because her kids were watching from the window. I text Little PITA a 'thank you' and Venmo her an extra grand because tonight had been the best night of my life.
Back in the condo, Santiago and Rico are waiting for me. Santiago's leaning against the windows, arms crossed, permanent scowl on his face. Rico's leaning against the kitchen island, sipping a bottle of water.
"How did drop off go?"
"Good. Had to keep it PG because the kids were watching." Santiago narrows his eyes at me further. I love getting under his skin. "But she needs a bank account in her own name. I'm going to set one up for her on Monday."
"How do you know she doesn't already have one?" Rico asks.
I simply smile and wink. The hacker isn't just looking into Vitale. I had him run everything on Hannah as well.
"Good. Do that and transfer a million into it." Rico says.
I scoff. "Only one?"
Rico looks between Santiago and me. "Three?"
Santiago holds up one hand, all five fingers spread.
"Fine. Make it ten. If anything were to happen to us I want to ensure she and the crotch goblins are taken care of for the rest of their lives."
Santiago nods his agreement before whipping out his phone and typing in his voice app. "She won't like just being given money. Can you set it up in a trust and send random payments to her? That way it'll look like income from the club?"
I smile at him. "Not just a pretty face. I can definitely do that. I'll work on the club contract tomorrow so I can give her everything on Monday. "
We say our goodnights and I head into my office. I've got a long night ahead of me.