Page 106 of Broken Deal

I grin, draping my arm over his shoulder and giving him a playful tap. “You’re just bitter because you’re the only single one left.”

He glares, shoving my arm off. “You just had to figure out you’re a relationship guy the day before we go to Las Vegas, didn’t you?”

Damian, ever the voice of reason, raises an eyebrow and adds dryly, “Have youactuallytried talking to Isabella instead of sulking like an idiot?”

Matteo huffs, shaking his head like Damian’s suggestion is the most absurd thing he’s ever heard. “Do you think I have a death wish? I know better than to get near her. My plan is to stay as far away as possible.”

“See,” I say, barely hiding my grin, “that’s going to be a challenge, since this is a combined bachelor and bachelorette party.”

Matteo’s eyes narrow as he turns to Damian. “That reminds me... Really? You couldn’t have said no?”

Damian shoots him a glare. “No. Because I loved the idea. That way, we didn’t have to spend any time apart.”

“Pussy-whipped,” Matteo mutters under his breath, and I can’t help but snicker. Damian responds by smacking the back of Matteo’s head.

“Motherfucker,” Matteo hisses, rubbing the spot. “You really have to stop doing that.”

“I’m not pussy-whipped,” Damian says with a deadpan expression. “I just love hanging out with her.”

I snort, unable to hold it back. Hearing my cousin—the grumpiest man alive—use the words “pussy-whipped” is too funny. “You kind of are.”

“Get off that high horse, because you’re following his footsteps,” Matteo fires back.

“Never said I wasn’t.” I wink at him before walking to the check-in counter.

Honestly, if I could scream from the top of my lungs how stupidly in love with Sophia Evans I am, I would. In a heartbeat.But I want to take it slow. The last thing I want is to scare her away. Now that I have her, there’s no way I’m letting her go. Hell, if I could marry her right this second, I would.

The idea sounds crazy—like, certifiably insane, almost—but what can I say? I’ve never felt this way before. And it feels...good. Too good. Maybe even too good to be true. But I’m done doubting everything. I’m done feeling sorry for myself.

I’ll do whatever it takes to hold onto this, hold ontoher.

We grab the keys to our rooms, and I head to the room quickly to set up something I planned at the last minute. It may or may not have been my idea for the girls to go have a spa day; that way, I could have time to set up. As I’m on the floor, contemplating why the fuck I decided to do this, there’s a knock on my door.

Opening the door, I find Matteo. “If you’re here to keep sulking, at least help me with this.” I tilt my head, letting him come in.

“Dude, what the hell are you doing?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” I say, sitting on the floor and grabbing another piece of paper, knowing damn well I’m going to fail even though I’ve watched the tutorial about a million times. “Are you going to help or not?”

He rolls his eyes, sitting next to me. “Only because you look like an idiot and you’re doing it wrong.”

“Okay, Mr. Genius, have at it.”

That was the wrong thing to say, because Matteo, on top of being a know-it-all, loves a good challenge. So almost two hours later, we’re pretty much done with an hour to spare. We’ve mostly been silent, something Matteo hates most of the time, except when he’s stuck in his head.

“So,” I break the silence. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He doesn’t look up from his task, biting the tip of his tongue and frowning in concentration. “No.”

“It’s not healthy to bottle things up,” I press.

Matteo shoots me a glare but remains quiet. He knows better by now that nothing will stop me, not even his death glare.

“Why don’t you talk to her? It’s been so long, I’m sure if you explain?—”

His head snaps, his cold blue eyes finding mine. “Drop it, Mancini. I mean it. Just because you finally found someone to understand you and be with you, doesn’t mean the rest of us are as lucky,” he spits, standing abruptly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve had about enough of this project of yours and the opinions no one fucking asked you for.” He stalks out of my hotel room angrily, slamming the door behind him.

I sigh, shaking my head. He’s my best friend, and God knows I love him, but goddamn can he be stubborn.

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