Matteo

Chapter 18 Matteo

MATTEO

“Speaking of problems …” He eyes the edge of the staircase behind me. “Was that the girl?”

“What do you mean?”

He wriggles his brows. “The girl you stole.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Marital problems are always complicated, Matteo.” He laughs.

My lips part. “How did you—”

“Know you married her in Lucio’s stead?” He makes a tsk sound. “You should know better than to question Dad’s methods to infiltrate important … meetings.” He takes another big sip of his drink.

Hmm … That Costa mole sure knows a lot about Agostini business. No wonder they’re always fighting.

“She’s my wife, yes,” I say, glancing at the staircase for a second. “For better or worse.”

“Sounds like she’s quite the firecracker.”

“If only you knew,” I reply.

He licks his lips. “You should go talk to her.”

“She already hates me. No need to add fuel to the fire.” I turn to look at him again. “And since when is the eternal playboy giving me advice on how to deal with women?”

He grins. “You’re talking to the family Casanova.”

I nearly snort up my drink. “Wow. That’s rich, even from you.”

“I’m just saying, I know a thing or two about how to make them happy.”

“Happy enough to jump your dick.” I snort.

“Same thing. The point is, you need to keep them content to get what you want.”

“Life is all a transaction to you, isn’t it?” I mutter. “She’s a human being with a heart.”

“And you want to make it yours,” he says.

I lower my drink. “I never said that.”

“You don’t need to say it. It’s clear as day that you like that girl.”

I roll my eyes, but all he does is take another arrogant sip of his alcohol.

Am I that easy to decipher?

“What’s your point, Angelo?”

His face gets all serious out of nowhere. “Talk to her. Apologize.”

“Already did tha—”

“Try again, and this time … offer her something she really wants, more than anything.” He sets his drink down in front of me.

There is only one thing she truly craves, and that’s her freedom. I couldn’t possibly give her that, because it would ruin all of my plans with Lucio. He’d snatch her off the street, make her his wife, and get everything he ever wanted. I won’t allow it.

“No, that won’t work,” I tell him.

“Something other than her freedom.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “How did you know?”

He taps his forehead, then points at mine. “You and I think alike, Matteo.”

“Right, you always were a pest, even when we were younger and still lived with our parents.” I snort.

“Spare me your anger and direct it at Lucio,” he replies. “I’m just here to help.”

I’ve been rummaging in my pocket nonstop to play with the ring burning a hole in it.

“What have you got there?” he asks.

I hold it up and show him.

“Is that hers?”

I nod. “She threw it at me.”

“What did you do to piss her off so badly?”

A smirk forms on my face. “Left her in the shower after I gave her an orgasm.”

He tips his imaginary hat. “I’m impressed. I wasn’t aware you had playboy genes.”

“You learned from the best,” I tell him.

“And now the student has surpassed the teacher,” he jokes.

“You wish.” I take another sip while smiling, but the smile slowly dissipates whenever I think of Stella locked up in her room, all by herself, still seething somewhere in a corner. She’s probably thinking of more ways to escape. “What am I going to do with her?” I mutter to myself.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.” He puts down his glass. “I gotta run. Dad’s waiting for me to return and report.”

“You do that. Tell him I said hi. I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.” I wink.

“I will,” he says, winking back as he waltzes off. “Good luck making things right again with that newly found girlfriend of yours.”

“Wife,” I stress. “And I certainly will.”

“Call me if you need me.”

Sarah closes the front door behind him, and I sit down in my seat in the living room to give our conversation some thought.

Stella deserves to have things made right for her. I’m her husband. I should care for her, nurture her, be there for her, mentally, emotionally … physically.

And I’ve failed on all accounts.

I’ve never felt so goddamn powerless in my life.

Women.

I grumble to myself as I pace about, wondering how I’m going to fix this, how I’m going to cure myself of this poisonous hatred for the Agostinis that’s seeping into my soul, staining everything it touches.

No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, she’ll never forgive me …

Not until I give her a reason to.

I pause and stare at her door.

If I give her the one thing she wants more than anything, maybe she can see me as less of a monster and more of a man. Her man.

I walk up the stairs and head straight for her room, but when I grab the doorknob, I pause and knock instead. I don’t want to bust into her room uninvited.

Planting my head against the wood, I wait and listen for a sign.

“Stella?”

Stella

His voice calling my name makes me look up at the door immediately.

I should ignore him since all he wants to do is use me to his own heart’s content just to avenge his mother, and I refuse to be a pawn in his game. Yes, I tried to use my body against him, but he stole my hand and made me his wife. Fight evil with evil is what my momma always taught me.

But somewhere down the line, everything became blurry. And my heart doesn’t know what it wants anymore.

He knocks on the door again, and I get up from my seat in the corner of the room and walk over to open it myself.

His hand is still midair when our eyes meet, mine stained with tears, and I swiftly brush them away.

“What do you want?”

I’m done playing nice.

“Can I ask you … a favor?”

I roll my eyes, turn around, and walk away, disappointed that all he came to do was ask for more from me.

How much more can I give until it’s enough?

Before I can get to my seat, he grabs my wrist and forces me to stop.

“Come with me,” he says.

I frown at him. “Why?”

He swallows. “I want to show you something.”

I grimace. “And why would I be interested? Give me one good reason.”

“I don’t think I can tell you. Not yet, at least,” he adds, as if he’s scared I’ll run away again.

Should I?

He looks down at me with half-mast eyes, begging, “Please.”

And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t do anything to me. My heart squeezes, wishing to give in so badly, but all this man has done is trap me in his web of lies. I sigh and avert my gaze.

“I promise I’ll make it worth your while,” he says. “Please give me a chance.”

I bite my lip, then gently turn to face him again. “Fine, but this better be worth it.”

He smiles as his hand slowly lowers from my wrist to my hand. When he laces his fingers through mine, my core heats. “That’s my girl.”

And for some reason, butterflies just fluttered throughout my belly.

I let him take me away, out the front door, and to his expensive car parked in the garage. He lets me sit in the passenger’s seat while he crawls behind the wheel. This is the first time I’ve actually sat beside him instead of behind him.

His driver swiftly runs up to him and mutters something through the closed window, so Matteo rolls it down. “Sir, I can drive for you.”

“No need, Brian, I’m taking her out myself this time for some privacy.” Matteo adds a smile. “Feel free to take some time off until we return.”

“Thank you, sir,” Brian says.

Matteo rolls up the window again and gently drives away, across the path through the sprawling front yard, toward the gates that surround his property, and the road beyond.

I can’t believe we’re out of the mansion again.

Just like that, I’m right back where I was when I ran away from him.

Only this time, he’s right there beside me, throwing glances every once in a while, like he’s checking if I’m still okay.

But I’m not ready to face him yet or the anger still boiling beneath the surface because of his inability to understand that he can’t just lock me up like a puppet.

It has severe emotional consequences for both of us, so I turn my head and look out the window instead, admiring the beautiful landscape.

When the car finally comes to a stop after a long drive, and Matteo steps out, I’m too stunned to speak … because we’re at an actual cemetery.

What the hell?

He circles the car and opens my door like a real gentleman, then holds out his hand until I finally take it after eyeing him up and down. There’s a devious smile on his face, and I don’t understand.

“Why are we here?” I ask.

He brings his finger to his mouth like it’s some big secret, and he whispers, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

I don’t get it, but I sure as hell hope for his sake that it’ll become very clear to me soon, because otherwise I’m definitely never leaving my room again.

Matteo guides me toward the gate and into the posh-looking cemetery. We walk along the pebble path lined with graves until we reach a stone marked with a certain name. Viviana De Silva, age fifty-seven, with a date of death of just a few weeks ago.

Oh my God.

Is this his mother’s grave?

I look at him, but he’s already averted his gaze and sniffs as he brings his hand to his face and wipes away a few tears.

He lets go of me and kneels in front of her grave, touching the stone like he’s attempting to touch her even though she’s already long gone. Something about that breaks my heart.

“Mi manchi,” he says, and it tears me apart because I know he’s speaking to his mother, who is no longer here because of the Agostinis.

“I … I’m sorry,” I mutter, not knowing what else to say.

He sighs. “This is the only place where I can come and rest my mind, where my men don’t have to flank me twenty-four seven to keep me safe.”

I can totally understand.

“But I brought you here for a different reason.”

He pats her grave again, but then a familiar voice behind me makes me turn my head.

“Stella?”

I suck in a breath when my mom walks up the same pebbled path we just walked, the mere sight of her bringing tears to my eyes.

“Mom?”