Chapter Five
Erin
Sunday arrives faster than I would have liked and I’m stepping out of the condo prepared to meet everyone at Lily’s home.
I decided to wear something comfy, so I went with stonewashed jeans, a black cropped T-shirt and black trainers.
I also left my hair hanging in loose waves down to the middle of my back, and put on minimal makeup.
‘I like your hair down. It looks like liquid gold.’
His voice ghosts through my head, low and rough. And like the day he said the words, the memory sends shivers down my spine. I shake it off. That was more than a year ago, it meant nothing.
I slide into my car and drive to Lily and Damiano’s villa.
When I arrive, the gate opens and I park in the driveway next to several luxury cars that make my old Toyota look like a relic.
The door opens and Lily comes bouncing out to greet me.
I have to hold back a laugh, thinking that if Damiano witnessed this, he might just shoot me to prevent Lily from risking tripping and hurting herself because of me.
“Erin, there you are! Come, everyone is already here.” She grabs my arm and drags me inside and into the dining room before I have time to compose myself.
Four of the six seats around the table are already taken. My eyes scan the faces, Damiano, Chiara, Lucas. Then my gaze lands on the last person I wanted to see this early in the day.
Matteo.
Of course he is looking sinfully good in a black suit—seriously, for Sunday brunch? His midnight-black hair is swept back with a single lock falling over his brows.
And, of course, the only empty seat is the one right beside him.
Just. Perfect.
Chiara rises to greet me with her usual warmth, pulling me into a hug. Lily sits down next to Damiano and smiles from across the table, glowing and oblivious. No one seems to notice the way my spine straightens.
“Hi, guys! Good to see you again.” My voice is bright and my smile even brighter.
Lucas lifts his coffee mug in salute. “Hey, Erin. Welcome back.”
Damiano gives me a nod, one corner of his mouth twitching upward. I’ve learned that it’s his version of a congenial smile.
As for Matteo, he doesn’t even bother to glance my way. His only acknowledgment of my presence is his clenched jaw and a quick sideways glance.
Fine, I can play this game, too.
I dial up the charm, aiming it straight at him like a beam of sunshine. “Matteo,” I say sweetly, adding a small, flirty wave. “Missed me, big guy?”
His eyes finally cut to mine, cold and unreadable.
Without waiting for a response, I slide into the chair beside him, chin held high. The air around us is vibrating with tension.
Let him scowl, I’ll smile harder .
Then his cologne hits me and my breath catches.
It yanks me back with such force that for a moment I forget where I am. The brunch, the chatter, the sunny dining room, everything around me fades.
I’m back at Velvet, the club music thumping through my bloodstream, Lily laughing beside me. I had begged her to come out that night. She’d resisted, wanting to lie low after running away from Damiano. But I’d begged until she caved, promising nothing would happen. God, I was so naive.
We drank, we danced, we had a marvelous time.
Then he appeared. Tall, broad-shouldered, with dark hair, dark eyes, and a swirl of black tattoos peeking from beneath his collar and cuffs.
He moved through the crowd like a panther through tall grass, graceful and focused.
And when he stopped in front of me, I couldn’t look away.
He murmured something low near my ear, I don’t even remember what, and I laughed flirtatiously. His cologne hit me next—warm and spicy and intoxicating. It coiled into my lungs like smoke and stayed there.
I didn’t know he was only keeping me busy while Damiano went for Lily.
I only remember his hands at my hips, the pull of his body against mine, how close we were dancing, how easily I leaned into it, how easily I gave in to the attraction I was feeling.
I should have paid more attention. I should have known better.
And he his hand gently but firmly around my throat and I froze.
My instincts flared, and I shoved back hard, but he banded his arm around me like a vise.
I remember fighting. I remember Lily’s face, full of panic.
I remember my heel slamming into his shin, and how he barely reacted.
I cursed him the whole way down that dark hallway while he dragged wrapped me along like a puppet.
He never said a word. Not even when we arrived in the office where Damiano cornered Lily and the whole trap snapped into place.
Eventually, Lily convinced them to let me go.
He was the one to escort me out. He loosened his grip just enough to steer me through the hallway and out of the club without hurting, but his silence was louder than a threat.
The car ride was tense. I was wired from adrenaline and tried to talk about anything and nothing, but he merely answered with silence, his jaw clenched and his face unreadable.
But every time I inhaled, that cologne enveloped me, caging me in with every breath I drew. I didn’t know who he was yet, and I could only guess what he did for a living, but I knew I was in trouble.
A chair scrapes against the floor and I blink, dragged back to the present, to the table where dishes are passed around and conversation flows easy and unstilted.
“So, how’s apartment life?” Chiara asks, passing me the fruit bowl.
I smile. “Oh it’s awesome, the landlord’s been super welcoming.” I cast a pointed sideways glance to Matteo, who remains silent. “The place is a bit cold and without personality, but I added flowers.”
Lucas laughs at my jab. “Please tell me you put a rainbow welcome mat at the door.”
“Tempting, but I didn’t want to risk being evicted in my first week.” I wink and everyone laughs.
“You’d be surprised what Teo tolerates. I once filled his penthouse with two hundred helium balloons for his birthday. He just…left them there until they died of their natural death. It took two weeks.” Lucas snickers and the table erupts into laughter.
“I was fucking busy,” Matteo says through gritted teeth.
“What was that?” I turn to him with a saccharine smile, pretending I didn’t hear him. His glare could melt any metal and everyone starts to laugh again.
“Hey, let’s go out tonight! Chiara found this karaoke dive bar that’s hilariously bad,” Lily exclaims enthusiastically. “But the patrons are great, and so are the drinks. They even make decent mocktails.”
I can’t hold back a squeal. “Karaoke? Count me in! I do a mean Britney Spears impression.”
Next to me I hear Matteo mutter, “God help us.”
Before I give in to my urge to strangle him, I turn to him with the brightest, fakest smile I can muster. “Oh, are you coming with, Mr. Landlord? I bet you’re a secret Elvis impersonator.”
“I don’t sing,” is his dry reply, and I dramatically roll my eyes.
“Tragic. All that intensity and no fun outlet?”
“Maybe he saves his fun for private moments.” Lucas snickers, which earns him a death stare from Matteo. Lucas holds up his hands, indicating that he wants no problems with him.
After an awkward silence, Lily helpfully tries to lighten the mood. “I’ll come and help you girls with the chorus.”
I turn to her and give her a thumbs-up. “You better. We need backup on Shania Twain.”
“You girls and your karaoke obsession.” Lucas chuckles.
“Well, you guys should come. Let loose a little,” Chiara chimes in.
“Yup, absolutely,” I say. “It would be fascinating to see if Mr. Landlord here is capable of fun.”
Matteo doesn’t react. His jaw tics slightly and a muscle near his eye twitches.
Faaaascinating, I just found my new hobby.
I send him my sweetest and most innocent smile.
“I dunno. I think his idea of fun involves glaring at people until they apologize,” Lucas mock-whispers my way and I snicker.
“Mmmh. Maybe. Or maybe he’s hiding absolute superstar potential. You know the type—quiet until the mic hits his hand, and then boom , he serenades tortured ballads in a growly voice.”
The warning gaze Matteo sends my way is blank but razor-sharp. I go on, ignoring him. “Picture it, the lights dim, smoke machine cranks up, and bam, he’s onstage with his sleeves rolled up, singing Ain’t No Grave like it’s a threat.”
Lucas cracks up. “Stop it, I’m picturing it.”
Matteo’s fork clinks gently against his plate when he stabs a piece of fruit and it amuses me to no end. I tease him some more, leaning into him and singsong in a syrupy voice, “Pretty sure this is your ringtone. Don’t be shy, you can tell us.”
There is a deadly pause, Matteo is grinding his jaw and looks straight ahead. Then he grits out in a low voice, “Skye, if you keep talking, I’ll make you shut up, and believe me, you won’t like that.”
Everyone freezes. Even Lily blinks.
But if he thinks I will back down he is sorely mistaken. I turn my upper body his way and playfully knock my fist on his biceps. “Oooh. Threaten me with a good time.”
The tension at the table coils tight. Matteo’s hand flexes around his fork like it’s the only thing keeping him from flipping the table. Okay, I admit I might have gone a bit overboard .
I turn back to my plate and cheerfully change the subject. “This coffee is amazing, where did you get it, Lily? I need some of it for my awesome coffee grinder at the condo.”