Matteo
There’s a certain type of stillness around me as I sit back against the plush seats of my car. Lindsay leans against my chest, making soft sounds as she sleeps. It almost feels like the rest of the world has stopped and everything has narrowed to this moment. Her in my arms.
We’ve been parked outside the house for a couple minutes now but I haven’t moved a muscle. I think about the events of the day. I wanted to confront her as soon as she got that text after breakfast, but I decided to be patient. I was curious and wanted to know who the fucker luring her out was.
I also really wanted to know how she planned to pull off sneaking out of the house. Safe to say she exceeded expectations. While my reflex reaction had been anger and irritation, I’d eventually grown amused. And a little bit impressed.
My Kitten never fails to surprise me.
When she shifts against my chest and a shiver racks through her body, I know I have to move her inside.
I manage to step out of the car and lift her into my arms, surprised when she doesn’t wake up.
She stirs slightly as I carry her into the house and up the stairs, gripping the material of my shirt, but her eyes still don’t open.
I take her to her bedroom and lay her on the bed before placing the blanket over her. She’s entirely vulnerable like this. And beautiful, so beautiful it hurts. I stare at her for a long moment before, eventually, I decide to leave.
“Matteo,” she suddenly calls softly, grabbing my hand.
I’m surprised by the alertness in her tone. I was sure she was asleep. I lower myself onto the bed. Her eyes are bleary and half open, meaning she’s not exactly conscious right now.
“Fuck me, Matteo,” she whispers. “I’ll even say please.”
My lips tilt up as I run my hand over her hair softly, brushing back the strands on her face.
“Not tonight, beautiful.”
I wait until she falls back into a deep sleep before leaving. I find Roscoe standing in the hallway beyond her bedroom door.
“What’s up?” I ask, walking toward my room.
He follows quietly, not speaking for several moments. I wait until he spits out whatever it is he’s got on his mind.
“She’s a lot of trouble, boss,” he finally says. “The prosecutor.”
I turn to look at him. “Trouble or not, she’s mine. So be careful what you say or think about her.”
He holds my gaze for half a breath before inclining his head. “Got it, boss.”
I enter my bedroom and shut the door, and then I’m left alone with the weight of all that’s happened and the possibility of all that’s to come.
Lindsay walks downstairs around 10 a.m., stepping into the kitchen. she looks like she didn’t sleep enough, despite sleeping for more than eight hours. Her hair is a mess, and there’s a faint crease on the side of her cheek from where it was pressed into the pillow.
It’s adorable.
“Morning,” she mutters, sliding into the chair across from me.
“Rough night?” I question, amused.
She shoots me a sharp glare, “I can’t believe you let me drink so much last night.”
“I’m sorry, let you?”
She doesn’t reply. She reaches for the coffee in the middle of the table waiting for her, taking a slow sip. I watch her over the rim of my own glass.
“Where’s Leonardo?” she asks, looking around.
“He got an early start to the day. Roscoe took him to his music lessons. He plays the piano,” I inform her.
“That’s nice.”
The cook brings a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast, placing it in front of her. Lindsay shoots her a grateful look before turning her attention to her meal. We eat in silence. It’s not uncomfortable. I spend most of the time on my phone, answering a couple of emails.
When we’re done eating, I stop her before she can return to her room.
“You need to shower and change,” I state.
Her head lifts, her expression growing curious.
“What?”
“Into a swimsuit,” I clarify. “We’re going swimming.”
She stares at me like I’ve grown two heads.
“Au contraire, Mr. Vitale. I can’t swim.”
My lips twitch. “I’m aware. Which is why I’m going to teach you. Leo asked me to.”
“I’m not getting into that pool.”
“You are.”
She inhales gently, opens her mouth, then closes it.
“You can’t make me, Matteo,” she finally says.
“Wanna bet?” I grin.
She exhales sharply, pushing her chair back and getting to her feet. “I have no interest in learning how to swim.”
“Why not?”
“Because…” she mutters.
“I won’t let you lose control, princess,” I say calmly, holding her gaze. “I’ll be right by your side the whole time. This is just one of the many fears you’re going to conquer. All you have to do is trust me.”
She doesn’t respond immediately. Doesn’t look away. She just watches me for a couple of seconds.
“Fine,” she says finally. “If I drown, that’s on you.”
“You won’t.
She huffs under her breath as she turns away.
“You have twenty minutes to get your ass down here, Kitten.”
I’m already in the water when she comes out thirty minutes later. The pool is still, the surface barely shifting as I move through it, the cool water grounding me.
The soft sound of a door opening and faint steps announce her appearance. I turn around and find her standing at the edge of the pool. There’s a robe wrapped loosely around her, her hair is still slightly damp at the ends from the shower she took.
Her gaze finds mine. Steady. And there’s a bright smile on her face I hadn’t been expecting.
“I have a proposition,” she says.
I don’t move. “Do you?”
Her hands move downwards. She unties the robe she’s wearing slowly, her eyes never leaving mine. She lets it slip off her body and fall to the ground.
I suck in a sharp breath and the air changes.
She’s wearing a black bikini that doesn’t leave much to the imagination.
Smooth, creamy skin on full display. Her tits are barely encased in the flimsy material of the top, and her ass practically spills out of the bottoms. My grip tightens slightly against the edge of the pool and the water suddenly feels too warm.
The edge of my vision darkens, everything narrowing onto her and only her. My cock twitches in my shorts, growing harder the longer I spend looking at her.
“What the fuck are you wearing?” I grit out.
“You like it?” She smiles, standing confidently while my eyes roam over every inch of her.
A growl leaves my throat before I can stop it. “I said to wear a swimsuit.”
“I heard bikini,” she retorts.
For fuck’s sake.
She tilts her head slightly, watching me the way she does when she thinks she has the upper hand.
“How about,” she says slowly, “instead of swimming… we go upstairs. To your room?”
There’s a pause. It’s tempting. Every inch of me want to carry her into my bedroom and tie her up with that flimsy excuse of a bikini. I’d fuck her hard until she’s a writhing, crying mess. Until she understands that the attitude just isn’t ideal.
But that would mean letting her win. And that’s not going to happen.
“Nice try, Kitten. Get in the pool.”
As long as she climbs in here, I get to eat my cake and have it too. Plus, the longer she stands on that edge, the more the rage beneath my skin bubbles. Especially when I think about the fact that any of my men could see her like that.
Her expression shifts, just slightly.
“Matteo—”
“Don’t be a coward, Lindsay. The pool isn’t even that deep.”
I swim over to the edge, rising to my feet in the water. It barely comes up to my chest. There’s a beat as she watches me.
“I hate this.”
She mutters something else under her breath I don’t catch as she steps closer to the edge. The water laps softly around me as I wait. She hesitates for a second before slowly stepping in, careful.
The moment the water reaches her legs, she tenses. I’m at her side immediately.
“Relax.”
“I am relaxed,” she bites out, shivering slightly as she stands in the water, neck deep.
“You’re too tense. Just breathe,” I say softly.
She exhales sharply, clearly fighting the instinct to bolt. My hand settles at her waist, firm and steady.
“I’ve got you, princess.”
Her gaze lifts to mine. “Why do you care if I learn how to swim or not, Matteo?”
“Because I want to help you conquer all your fears, beautiful,” I answer. “But to do that, I’m going to need you to trust me.”
She lets out a soft breath before nodding. I feel her slowly start to loosen in my hold, the tension in her body releasing.
“Okay. I’m ready.”
“Good girl,” I murmur. “Now I need you to lean back.”
Her body resists immediately. “Absolutely not.”
“Lindsay,” I say on a sigh. “Just trust me. I’m right here. I promise.”
The word “trust” hangs between us. She swallows. Then, slowly, reluctantly, she leans backward.
Her hands come up instinctively, gripping my shoulders as her body shifts, the water lifting her slightly.
“There,” I murmur. “I’ve got you.”
Her breathing is uneven, but she’s definitely calmer.
“All we’re going to do today is just try to float, okay?”
She nods. She tries and slips but my arms wrap around her hurriedly, keeping her steady. Determination clouds her expression and she shuts her eyes before trying again. It’s better this time.
“There you go,” I murmur.
Her grip on me loosens just a fraction. Then another. Until she’s floating. It’s not perfect but she manages to keep her body relaxed enough for a long moment. I hold on to her arm like I promised, ensuring that I’ll be right beside her in case she sinks.
She doesn’t. She smiles softly before the moment breaks and she slips once again.
“Hey,” I say, wrapping my arm around her waist. “You did it.”
She grins. “You’re a good teacher, Matteo.”
“Of course I am,” I say cockily. “Now, I’m going to give you a five-second head start.”
“What?” she says blankly.
“If I catch you, I’m going to punish you, Lindsay,” I say lowly. “You wore that bikini to fuck with me. Bad idea.”
My fingers slide into her hair and grip the base of her head. I pull her face to mine, my mouth so close to hers I can feel the heat of her lips. Her teeth are chattering slightly. But there’s no mistaking the look of pure desire in her eyes.