Page 42 of The Cost of Corruption

And that sense of excitement only grew when I saw Matteo’s appreciation.

Even so, decades worth of habit pushed their way to the surface, and I couldn’t stop myself from saying, “No blasphemy, please.”

“Yeah, brother.” Gabriel, standing just behind his twin, said with a laugh. “Watch yourfuckingmouth around the penguin.”

“Gabriel,” I said, coldly greeting the older D’Angelo brother with a nod.

“Chastity.” He nodded back. “It’s good to see you.”

“Is it?” I asked pointedly, ready to get him back for thepenguinjab. “Your wife said you felt differently earlier.”

I had the satisfaction of watching his brows shoot up in surprise as his eyes shifted from me to Liv. She froze in place a few steps behind me on the stairs.

“Did she?” he said, his mouth tilting down.

But despite his frown, it was clear he wasn’t actually upset with her. I doubted that was an emotion he was capable of directing her way. The devotion shining in his eyes for the woman was obvious.

“I’m sorry if I gave that impression,” he continued. “I was just surprised to hear you would be our guest for a couple of weeks. It’s been a long time since you’ve been in town, hasn’t it?”

“Over ten years.” Even though he clearly knew the answer, I was willing to let him off the hook. For Liv’s sake, if not for his own. “But it’s good to see you too.”

Though it was clear that the older twin had done a lot of growing up since I’d seen him last, I could still make out some flashes of the brash, over-confident boy I’d known in school. But clearly, the years—and no doubt Liv’s influence—had tempered the worst of Gabriel D’Angelo’s unchecked bravado.

“So where are you taking her, Matteo?” Liv asked, finally coming down to stand at her husband’s side.

“I thought we’d start with dinner at Bianco’s,” he said.

“Wait.” I turned my attention away from him and back to Liv. “You two aren’t coming with us?”

“Not tonight,” she said, slipping her arm around Gabriel’s waist. “It’s been a long week, and we’re going to stay in.”

The hungry look in Gabriel’s eyes as he looked down at his wife made it clear that, while they might not be going out, they weren’t planning on arestfulevening.

I swallowed down my disappointment.

Spending time with Liv all afternoon had been the highlight of my day. She was easy to talk to and fun to be around—sodifferent from my cousins or the other sisters at the convent. I wasn’t sure what I would have done without her company.

She was well on her way to becoming my first true friend.

Given how she talked about Matteo and Gabriel’s social life, I’d assumed the couple would be joining us for dinner. I’d been counting on her company to help ease some of the stress of my new situation.

But it looked like that wasn’t happening.

I would be alone with Matteo.

Again.

I drew a deep, fortifying breath as he offered me his arm. I took it, only wobbling a little in the heels Liv had picked out for me. Even though they were short, I had never worn anything like them in my life. It wasn’t as if they were standard footwear at the convent, and my father never allowed me a pair.

“You look wonderful,” Matteo said as he guided me out the back door and toward his Jag.

“Thank you.” I raised my free hand to rub at the goosebumps quickly springing up along my bare arms.

I wish I could say they were solely from the chill in the night air, but that wasn’t the complete truth.

This was just my body’s reaction to his touch, it seemed.

Even the simple feel of his fingers against my skin was enough to set off a physical response in me. It didn’t help that I’d gone all day without seeing him. Anticipation had built up inside me, making me even more receptive to the feel of him.

---