Chapter 13
Present
Hawaii
“FRANCESCA,” A SOFT VOICE NUDGED at the edge of my dream.
I blinked my eyes open to see Natalia smiling down at me, her hand lightly brushing my arm. “We’re about to land,” she whispered. Then she floated away, tucking herself back into her seat beside Trevor.
I sat up slowly, adjusting the blanket still tangled around me. The cabin lights had dimmed to a warm amber glow, the sky outside streaked with faint purples and oranges as we dipped lower toward Hawaii. For a moment, everything was hushed and golden – until the sudden awareness hit me.
I was alone on the couch.
The space beside me, where his warmth had anchored me, was empty.
My eyes darted instinctively across the cabin, searching – and there he was. Matteo, on the other side, stretched out in a wide leather chair opposite Tony. They were talking in low tones, heads angled toward one another, the conversation sharp in that way business always was with them.
As though sensing me, Matteo glanced up. His eyes caught mine across the cabin, steady, unreadable.
And then he looked away.
Heat flared across my cheeks, sharp and humiliating. My chest tightened as the realization set in – I’d let him touch me, let myself lean into him, fall asleep against him like some lovesick girl. And now? He couldn’t even hold my gaze.
Probably thought I was obsessed with him.
This – this right here – was exactly why I kept my distance from men. Why I’d taught myself never to show weakness. Never to soften. Matteo Di’Ablo was the perfect reminder: a jackass, a fuckboy, the type who only wanted to prove he could have me because I made it clear he couldn’t. Nothing more.
I pulled the blanket off, folding it neatly on the seat beside me, as though erasing any sign of what had just happened. The embarrassment still pulsed through me, but I forced my shoulders back, forced steel into my veins.
I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me flustered. Not now, not ever.
Fine. He was an asshole. End of story.
I’d avoid Matteo for the rest of this trip if it killed me.
And maybe – maybe the Hawaiian sun, the ocean air, and all the island’s beauty would burn this strange heaviness out of me. It had to.
The jet’s tires kissed the tarmac with a soft jolt, and the sudden roar of engines reversed woke the cabin from its golden hush. I pressed a hand against the glass and peered out, and for a fleeting moment, the sour weight in my chest lightened.
Hawaii spread out beneath us like a painting come alive – velvet mountains in the distance, jagged and lush, their peaks misted with low clouds.
The airport itself was small, open, palms swaying like they belonged to another world entirely.
Beyond it, the sky blazed in hues of rose and tangerine as the sun sank toward the ocean’s edge, the water shimmering as though it had swallowed fire.
When the door opened, a rush of warm, floral air spilled inside, replacing the recycled chill of the jet. It wrapped around me instantly, soft and heavy with hibiscus and salt. For the first time in hours, my bones no longer ached from cold.
Kali appeared at my side like clockwork, Zane trailing just behind her, his sharp eyes sweeping the runway with the kind of vigilance I was too tired to copy. The three of us descended first, my Louboutins clicking down the narrow stairs, the humid air curling against my skin.
Behind me came Nat and Trev, fingers laced like newlyweds who hadn’t yet learned to come up for air, followed by Maria and Zach – her laugh carrying across the breeze as he whispered something into her ear.
I didn’t look back. But I felt him.
The weight of Matteo’s presence lingered, even when I refused to acknowledge it. He exited last with my brothers, their broad frames and sharp suits a dark contrast against the sunset’s softness. Their voices carried low and clipped as they spoke, but Matteo’s silence was louder than all of them.
He didn’t look at me. Not once.
A chauffeured line of glossy black SUVs idled just beyond the stairs, engines humming, windows tinted to obsidian. A driver in crisp island whites opened the first door for me, and without hesitation, I slipped into the cool leather interior with Kali and Zane.
The others followed in their own pairs, laughter and chatter spilling into separate cars.
And when Matteo reached the last SUV with Tony and Gìo, he climbed in without even a glance in my direction. As though I hadn’t existed on that flight at all.
My jaw tensed.
Fine. That’s how it was going to be. Okay.
The door shut, sealing me in with the soft hum of air-conditioning and the faint trace of plumeria. Outside, the Hawaiian evening burned brighter than any city lights. I fixed my eyes on the horizon, determined – absolutely determined – to let the island’s beauty wash him out of my system.
If anything could.
The boutique smelled faintly of leather and jasmine, clean and decadent, just like everything in Chanel. Morning sunlight spilled through the wide glass windows, catching on sequins and soft silks, making the entire store shimmer like some gilded dream.
We moved between racks of gowns, fingers brushing delicate fabrics – blush satins, ivory chiffons, pearls embroidered into bodices so delicate they looked like they belonged in a museum.
Maria broke the silence first, her voice lilting and sharp all at once. “So… Crazy tension between you and Matteo. What did he do?”
I blinked, pretending to focus on a row of floor-length dresses. “What?”
Natalia stepped closer, lips quirking. “Come on. You really thought we wouldn’t notice?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I muttered, tugging one hanger free only to shove it back too quickly.
Kali folded her arms, her sharp eyes narrowing with amusement. “Everyone can tell something happened. I mean, you two weren’t exactly friends before. But now…”
Maria filled in. “You’re mad at him. Why?”
“I am not mad at him. I do not care about him. That’s it.” The words left my mouth clipped, too quick, too defensive.
Natalia raised a perfectly arched brow. “Then why are you upset?”
I exhaled, my voice low and sharp. “Because he’s a manipulative, egotistical asshole who uses people without any regard for their feelings!”
The three of them exchanged a look over my head.
“Okay…” Kali drawled, the smirk tugging at her lips betraying her amusement. “What did he do? I know Zane is his oldest friend, but I bet I could convince him to put Matteo back in his place.”
Maria laughed softly, shaking her head. “Mhm. I’m sure you would.”
Natalia and I covered our mouths with our hands, trying – and failing – not to let our laughter slip.
Kali narrowed her eyes, though the smirk never left. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Natalia answered for us, teasing warmth in her voice. “He’s clearly into you.”
Maria nodded, her grin mischievous. “I’m pretty sure he’d do anything you asked of him.”
Kali tilted her head, dangerous amusement flickering in her dark eyes. “Speaking from experience, you two?”
“Please,” I scoffed, eager to turn the attention away from myself. “How many times have Zach and Trevor checked in with you since we’ve been here in the last hour?”
Maria pursed her lips. “Just once…”
We all gave her the same look.
“Fine. Twice.”
Natalia burst into laughter.
“And you, Miss Natalia Su?” Maria pressed, nudging her gently.
Natalia smiled at the sound of her new name, soft and proud. “Three. It’s cause I’m pregnant, okay?”
Kali arched a brow, dripping sarcasm. “Sure. Cause my brother was ever chill about you before.”
We dissolved into giggles, the chiffon skirts swaying as we leaned into one another, while Natalia rolled her eyes with fond exasperation. Trevor had been obsessed with her since college – everyone knew it.
Kali shook her head, finally turning away, pretending to study a rack of black silk. “Anyways. There’s nothing going on between me and Zane.”
I couldn’t help myself. “Not yet…”
She rolled her eyes, but the smile that slipped across her lips betrayed her.
All of us exchanged a knowing look, the kind that bound women together in mischief.
And for the first time since stepping off that jet, I let myself relax. Their laughter was a soft shield, drawing the heat away from me. They’d forgotten about Matteo. Thank God.
An hour later, soft silk rustled against my skin as I adjusted the hem of the soft pink dress.
The color was warm, delicate, like the faint blush of a seashell.
When I caught Maria and Kali in the mirrors, both of them dressed to match, I almost laughed – three tough women in gowns that made us look like flowers.
But then the curtain pulled back.
Natalia stepped out.
The air shifted, hushed, reverent.
We all froze. For a heartbeat, none of us spoke.
Her Chanel gown was soft, fluid, almost weightless, the perfect white silk that seemed to glow against her golden skin.
The fabric skimmed over her curves, flowing down in layers that moved like water when she walked.
Delicate straps rested on her shoulders, and the neckline was simple, elegant – timeless. A quiet, perfect kind of beauty.
“Nat…” Maria breathed first.
Kali pressed her hand to her mouth. “Oh, my God.”
My chest squeezed, unexpectedly tight, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.
“This is the dress,” I whispered, and the words felt holy. “You look beautiful, Nat.”
Maria nodded fiercely, blinking rapidly. “So beautiful. Like it was made for you.”
“Like a goddess,” Kali added, her smirk softened into something rare, tender.
Natalia’s smiled that beautiful, soft, sweet smile of hers that always melted everyone around her. Her hand smoothed down the front of the gown as though she couldn’t quite believe it herself. “So… you like it?”
We all laughed with her, our voices wet with tears. “We love it. This is it.”
I stepped forward first, and the girls followed, until the four of us were wrapped up in each other, silk and perfume and laughter mixing with tears. We hugged tight.
In that moment, I forgot about everything else. All I saw was Natalia, radiant in her dress, and my friends, the closest thing to sisters I’d ever had.
Back in the dressing room, the spell of the gowns broke as we slipped out of silk and into our own clothes. Still, my heart hummed with the afterglow of it – the way Natalia had lit up, the way we had all cried together like fools.
When we came out, Maria was already at the counter, tucking a black card back into her wallet.
“Ri,” Natalia’s voice softened, catching sight of the bags being gathered by Chanel staff. “You didn’t have to.”
Maria only smiled, her eyes warm, her chin lifting with that stubborn grace of hers. “Of course I did. It’s my pleasure as Maid of Honor. And Zach’s, as best man, to supply the card.”
We all laughed, leaning in to give our ex-assassin turned lover girl a ‘thank you’ hug for the dresses.
We collected our bags, adjusted our sunglasses, and swept out through the glass doors into the brightness of the early Hawaiian afternoon.
And there they were.
The men were waiting for us, lined up casually near the curb.
Armani shopping bags at their feet, probably filled with sharp suits.
Trevor and Zach were the first to peel away, their gazes locked straight onto their women.
Maria and Natalia practically floated into their arms, radiant in the sunshine, disappearing into soft laughter and kisses.
I hung back, my bag hooked over one arm, when Kali tugged me closer.
“You know,” she said lightly, her eyes darting over me like she was sizing me up. “Your skin is ridiculously soft. It’s unfair.”
I snorted. “You’re insane.”
“No, I mean it,” she insisted, brushing her fingers over the back of my hand, testing the silk of it. “Smooth. Like you’ve never worked a day in your life.”
“Girl, please!” I teased, leaning in, “ Says you. We have to exchange the entire routines at the hotel.”
She laughed, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder. “You’re crazy, I love you.”
I pulled her into a hug, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek and leaving a faint mark of my red lipstick. “I love you more.”
Kali’s perfume still lingered faintly when we pulled back, both of us laughing under our breath. I smoothed the hem of my sundress, ready to follow the others – until I looked up.
And froze.
Matteo was across the sidewalk, hands tucked casually into his pockets. But it wasn’t his stance that held me. It was his eyes.
This time, he didn’t look away.
His gaze locked with mine, sharp and unrelenting, the kind of look that stripped me bare even in the middle of a crowded street. There was something in it – hungry, burning, as though the space between us was a thread he could snap with a single step forward.
For a heartbeat, everything else blurred – the chatter of my friends, the sweep of palm trees in the wind, the golden sunlight painting the storefront glass. It was just him. That look. That impossible pull.
My chest tightened, heat flooding my cheeks in betrayal. I hated it. Hated the way his attention seared through me, the way it made my skin feel too tight, my pulse too fast.
I looked away first, my jaw tightening as I forced myself back into the group. Still pissed.
“Alright,” Maria announced brightly, as though nothing in the world was tense.
She and Zach, maid of honor and best man, gathered up the shopping bags with ease, ferrying them toward the waiting SUVs.
Natalia fussed over Gìo being annoying, Kali teased Zane, and everything slipped back into its usual rhythm.
Without sparing Matteo another glance, I slid into the cool leather interior of one of the cars, pulling the door shut firmly behind me.
I told myself the faint flutter still in my chest was nothing but the Hawaiian heat.