Page 20 of Matteo

He exhales slowly. “I promise you, no matter what, he will never get close enough to hurt you and Layla ever again. As far as him getting custody, I won’t let that happen. His family connections will never be better than my family’s. Does that change your mind about staying with me?”

I believe him. This man would put himself between Danny and me and Layla. Except he didn’t need to. He had the kind of money to build a wall between Danny and us. Yet, that’s not the reason I shake my head. I don’t want to leave here—him. I’m not sure why I feel so safe with him. Maybe it’s the memory of him carrying me. Maybe I still have a fever. All I know is I’m not ready to leave this place or Matteo.

Something happens low in my tummy at the relief on his face. “Good. Now give me her so you can get back to bed.” It’s an order as he holds out his hands for Layla.

“I’m fine.” I try to argue. Layla, the traitor, goes right to him.

He exhales what’s almost a laugh. “Yeah, right. You look like you’re about to fall over. Just a nap for an hour or two.”

I’m ushered down the hall, right up to the door. I want to argue. Except I ruin it by yawning.

“Tell Momma, night night.” He waves to me. Layla laughs as she waves.

Annoyed with them both, I close my door harder than I have to. He’s bossy as hell. Then again, he probably has to be as a doctor. I yawn again as I climb back into bed. This is ridiculous. I’m not going to sleep for another hour or two again after all the hours I already slept.

I’m so grateful he didn’t blink at my admission of hiding behind him. Behind his hard ass and his strong, broad chest—stop thinking that way. That will only lead to embarrassment because a man as gorgeous as he is doesn’t want someone like me. No matter what he said.

It’s too bad I couldn’t bring myself to agree to pretend to be his girlfriend. That’s as close as I would have gotten to being the girlfriend of a man like him. Pretending would be bad for me. I have a feeling he would make me want things I can’t have.

As darkness takes me over, I sigh at what might have been.

Matteo

I’m holding Layla long after she’s fallen asleep. Holding her is more for me than for her. Amy called me a liar. How she knew I was lying when she barely knew me shocked both of us.

It was fucking spooky. She told me she didn’t believe me because I was hot. I smile at the way she said exactly what she thought of me. Only I knew it wasn’t why. Her knowledge came from the same crazy connection telling me that she’s mine.

In the left brain—the part that rules logic—every neuron is screaming to abort fucking mission. This is all insane. Except it’s not even the right brain ruling right now. It’s something I laughed at before I laid eyes on Amy. It’s kismet, fate, all that stuff that exists in the ether somewhere not ruled by anything other than feeling. It can’t be denied. It won’t be denied.

She felt it, too. That’s why she chose to stay with me when I offered her other options. Every word hurt to say, but it didn’t feel right not to give her choices. After everything she’s been through, Amy deserved the right to have a choice of what her safe space would be.

I was certain she would choose her own apartment. It didn’t matter that I had no idea where the apartment would be. As I said it, I imagined her in a cozy two-bedroom nearby. I felt compelled to offer up my mother’s home, as my mother had wanted to take her home. There was no doubt Mom would happily accept Amy and Layla staying with her.

The moment she said she wanted to stay, I wondered if I was only hearing what I wanted. It was the moment Layla laid her head on my shoulder all over again. Just like then, I wondered where the twisting came from in my chest.

The small, hopeful smile affirmed her choice. She might have said she was hiding behind me, but I’m aware that’s not the only reason. The only question I have is, is she also aware?

A twinge of guilt hits me for lying to her when she clearly had a distaste for lies. Her ex had done more than hit her body. He hit her soul and her trust in men. Yet she felt the connection between us—the desire simmering beneath the surface. If she pretended to be my girlfriend, it would give us both the freedom to explore the desire.

Except she wasn’t ready to even pretend. She needs time to heal, not simply from her illness but from what he put her through. I don’t mind waiting. For her and Layla, I’ll wait as long as she needs.

Then again, maybe she won’t need an excuse. She looked sad when she said no.

CHAPTER 7

Amy

I’m seriously annoyed to find I didn’t sleep for an hour or two. I slept for four hours. Four freaking hours. Matteo, with his bossy, hot ass, better not be one of those people who gloats when they’re right.

This time, I find him asleep on the couch with Layla on his chest. Layla is awake, chewing on her fingers. Lord, his chest is so wide. He’s wearing a long-sleeved plain cotton shirt in black to match his black sweats. It’s seriously unfair how gorgeous he is. How could a man like him possibly need a fake girlfriend?

Layla sees me and gives a happy giggle and reaches for me. “Mama.”

I melt at how happy she is to see me. I get my hands under her, but Matteo’s arms tighten around her, not letting her go. He’s awake, and brown eyes find me. Once his eyes meet mine, his arms fall away from Layla.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” He asks as he sits up.

Now I feel bad for thinking he’d rub in being right. I shrug. “I got four more hours. I feel better than when I woke up earlier. My throat only feels like I’m trying to swallow a small marble now instead of one that didn’t want to go down at all like it did before I took a nap.”

---