Page 24 of Matteo

“Anything out of place?” Matteo asked.

“No,” shaking my head, I sat my purse down.

“Well, let me look your place over. Just make to make sure.” He insisted, already about to start walking towards my back rooms.

“No,” I said. “No, I just need a shower.”

My protest came off sounding meek, but I didn’t care. My mind was racing, and I just wanted him gone.

And to snort a line to take the edge off,the thought hit me like a ton of bricks.

It was the only thing that was going to help me fight off remembering that I’d just witnessed a fucking murder less than five hours ago.

“Rain, it’s the least I can do since you won’t go somewhere safe.”

Throwing my hands up in heavy defeat, I watched as Matteo’s perfect mouth curved up into a cocky fucking grin. He was a relentless motherfucker and was probably getting off on this in some sort of way because I’d never fuck him.

As he walked swiftly down the hallway, my cell phone started to ring. Fishing it out of my purse, I saw that it was Nora.

“Fuck,” I muttered before answering.

My heart sank a little at hearing how frantic and upset she sounded.

“Rain…” the worry and panic was apparent in her voice. “Rain?”

“Yes, I’m here,” I took a deep breath.

“Are you okay? It’s all over the news about Cassie…” Nora sounded like she’d been crying or she was out of breath one.

“What?” My heart seemed to speed up at hearing her words.

“Yes, Mornings with Seattle had it on first thing this morning. You weren’t with her were you? You went straight home after the bonfire.”

Inhaling sharply my hand seemed to tremble while holding the phone to my ear, the need to snort that line really over took me. “Nora, I’m fine. Look can I call you later. I promise I will.”

“Okay, I was just really worried. So good to hear your voice, love you.”

Coming back up the hall, Matteo offered me a smile. “It seems that everything is in order.”

“You didn’t go through my underwear drawer, Agent? Did you?”

As his face began to become scarlet, I couldn’t help but laugh at him. “I wouldn’t do that…”

Trying to catch my breath, still amused I replied. “I didn’t think that you would. Well, am I safe?”

A sheepish grin spread over his faceHe nodded but then his cellphone started ringing from somewhere on his person.Holding up a finger, he answered and began to speak. It was a brief call that spanned nearly just a minute. When the call ended he turned back to me.

“Hey I’ve got to get running,” he stated as if I should care.

Really, I just wanted him out of my space.

“Okay,” I nodded.

“Rain, I don’t think I need to tell you that you shouldn’t leave the country or anything.”

“Excuse me?”

He sighed, already reaching into the back pocket of his slacks. His brown wallet looked small in his hands and he pulled out a his business card, emblazoned with his name. Special Agent Matteo Zacharra.

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