When the dance ends, Adelina looks at me with awe. “How do you know how to waltz?”
“I have some secrets, you know. I’m not always the gross biker you think I am.” An embarrassed expression crosses her face, and I wink at her. “Maybe you’ll share more secrets of your own with me.”
“I don’t have any secrets.”
“No? Well, there are things I want to uncover about you.” People join us on the dance floor, so I lean in close to whisper. “Like what noises you make when I kiss every inch of your body. Or how you feel when you’re close to orgasming. You know. Things like that.”
She gasps and swats at my chest. “Matteo, that is completely inappropriate.”
I step back. “I think you’re the only one who believes that. Whereas I can’t wait for this reception to be over.”
“Why?”
“Because then it’ll be our wedding night.” I give her another wink and leave her alone on the dance floor. Let her think about that for a bit.
I walk away, a smug grin on my face.
CHAPTER 7
Adelina
Itry to ignore Matteo for the rest of the night, but it’s proving tough. After our dance, all I can think about is his comment about our upcoming wedding night. Will he try to kiss me again? Will he try to do more?
And do I want him to do more?
God, no. I don’t want his hands anywhere near me.
I can still feel his lips on mine from when he kissed me during our dance. I wish I could stop thinking about it, but it keeps replaying over and over again in my mind. His lips are surprisingly soft. I found myself melting into the kiss, and when he pulled back, I felt doused with cold water.
Now, I’m torn between wanting him to kiss me again and wanting him to stay far away from me.
He’s still just a biker. I need to remember that. He even made me ride on his god-forsaken motorcycle. He tries to humiliate me in front of our guests.
Matteo is a sick man. And yet, I’m strangely drawn to him.
God, I hate this.
I watch Matteo dance with his friends as the music gets louder. Everyone is having a party on the dance floor, and evenSerafina is spinning around, laughing, having a fun time. I’m glad. I hate seeing her upset.
I’m sitting at my table, observing the crowd around me. One of Matteo’s friends, the man who pulled me into a hug earlier at the church, lifts a bottle of champagne and guzzles it back, then pours it into the mouths of a few women dancing nearby. It’s chaos. Matteo laughs at the scene. I shake my head, displeased by the inappropriate display. It’s my wedding day, not a frat party.
“You don’t look like you approve,” Dario says, sitting next to me.
“That’s because I don’t. Why did you give me to a man like that?” Matteo is now drinking from the champagne bottle as he dances with another woman, pressing his body into hers. The sight of him dancing with a woman makes me uncomfortable, though I’m not sure why. I told him that he could see other women. This is what I wanted.
“Because I believe you two can balance each other,” Dario explains. “Because this match will ensure Matteo’s loyalty. And because you’ve always been a good mafia girl. You’ll do your part. I just wasn’t expecting you to complain about it this much.”
I huff. “Am I not allowed to have feelings? Why am I always seen as the quiet, good one in the family?”
“Because that’s how you’ve always been. This new attitude is a surprise.”
I cross my arms. “I guess Matteo just brings it out in me,” I grumble.
“I want you to help keep him in line. Let me know if he has any plans to attack any of our enemies.”
“You want me to spy on him? I thought you two were close? Shouldn’t he be the one to tell you if he has any plans?”
“Yes, but it won’t hurt to have you there, keeping an eye on things. That’s all. I don’t want Matteo rushing off into dangerand getting killed. That would ruin all the work I’ve put into growing our working relationship. Make sure he stays smart about things. That’s all.”