Us.
The word weakens something inside me. Something vital that needs to stay strong.
Because…because…Ilovehim. And he betrayed me.
No. I can’t love him.
I shake my head. “I thought you’d leave me to your brother now that he’s caught up w-with me.”
“And why would I do that, angel?” he asks as he slowly rises and prowls toward me.
I don’t realize I’m backing away from him until my back hits the glass. I hold out my hands in desperation. “Please.Please…”
He freezes and makes a noise, like a wounded animal. “You think I’m going to hurt you?”
There’s a note in his voice that’s almost…anguished.
I shake my head at my own foolishness.
Believing he was kind and charming and considerate was what had landed me here in the first place.
Thinking back to everything he told me, I’m stunned by how gullible I was. Hell, I even caught a hint of his accent this morning and ignoredthatvital sign.
I have no one to blame but myself if things go even further south than they have already.
But I’m not going out without a fight. “I have no idea what you’re going to do, since I don’t have a clue who you are.”
He doesn’t like that. At all.
His eyes glint at me in the semi-darkness and his jaw flexes. But to my surprise, he nods. “I deserve that. But we’re not going anywhere. You’re staying here and we’re going to talk this out, angel.”
“Don’t call me that,” I snap back, my hands frantically searching for the door handle.
Again he visibly reels in his control. “Sit down, Aria. And stop trying to open the door. You’re not leaving. I’m not going to let you go.”
My heart bangs against my chest. “Oh no? What happens if I try to walk out of here, Matteo? Is someone waiting downstairs to put a bullet in my head?”
In the small pool of light illuminating into the room, I see his face clench in horror. “Jesus! No, they’re not. Not if they think they can get past me first,” he growls. “And definitely not if they want to live to see their next sunrise. You saw me almost kill my own brother for daring to point a gun at you. I know you suspect what I did to those assholes back at the bar who tried to come near you. What do you think I’m going to do to some random fucker who dares to hurt even a hair on your head now that you’re mine?”
My heart somersaults in my chest but I ignore it. It’s been an idiot so far. It’s done shit and bupkis to keep me safe.
I’ll never trust my heart again.
“Those are just words to get me to lower my guard again.”
He rests his hands on his hips, his eyes intractable laser beams. His pose is relaxed but I don’t let that fool me.
He’ll be on me like a rash the second I twitch a muscle.
“Is it? Let’s explore that a little. Lower your guard so I do what exactly? I first saw you almost a week ago. You already know you can trust me. You’re just too scared to admit how much you do. Or maybe you think the right response is to feel like a fool for letting your guard down. But, baby, you don’t need to feel that way. Your instinct told you trust me because I wouldneverhurt you.”
I’m a little weirded out by how accurately he deciphers my feelings. But I fight anyway. “No—”
“Yes.” His jaw clenches for several ticks before he sighs. “Baby, I admit I’ve done some…unsavory things in my past. But that was for blood and family. Always. And now you’re the most important thing in my life? I’ll do them all over again, and more, to keep you.”
The naked blade of threat in his voice makes me shiver. And I’m ashamed to notice it’s notallwith panic.
I’m turned on by the promised violence in his voice. Good God, what’s wrong with me? “I’m not your blood.”