Page 103 of Matteo
“Don’t,” he warned, an unspoken threat rolling off him.
“I don’t love you.”
The biggest lie I’d ever told.
I turned and bolted, unable to look back at him. I was too sickened, too scared that I’d cave if I stopped.
The man I knew… He smiled, he teased, he comforted. Yet with each step, I could almost feel him fading away.
I closed the distance to my car, my hands shaking so violently it took me several tries to start the engine. It wasn’t until I was far enough down the driveway that I dared to look in the rearview mirror.
Matteo was down on his knees, staring after me.
Shit. Shit.
How would I ever stop yearning for my sister’s fiancé? How could I kill these feelings that were throbbing in my chest, threatening to burst like a meteor?
There was one thing I knew for certain as I shuddered, my face wet with tears.
A piece of my heart was left behind with Matteo, and the rest of it was forever altered.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
BIANCA
Happiness was hard-earned for every couple.
Nico and I were no exception. Yes, we’d built a warm and loving home and had amazing children that made us proud. But every so often, something ugly would rear its head and interrupt our tranquility.
Just as it did a week ago when the engagement was announced and everything seemed to implode. Our daughters. My friend’s son. My husband.
I paced back and forth in the bedroom, waiting for Nico to wrap up his meeting and praying he didn’t kill poor Matteo. Or even the other way around. People did dumb things in the name of love.
And I had no doubt that Matteo loved our daughter.
It wasn’t until the incident at Luciano Vitale’s office that I saw it, plain as day. Honestly, I couldn’t believe we were all so blind to it up until that point.
Matteo watched Arianna the way Nico looked at me, the way Luciano looked at Grace.
I feared that, despite Hannah’s stubbornness, there would be no way around it. Matteo Vitale was his father’s son and nobody—not even God—would force that boy to marry her.
My phone rang and I jumped out of my skin, then flicked a glance at the screen.
“Grace,” I answered. “He’s here. They’re in the office.”
“Alive, I hope.” I could almost feel the tension across the line.
“He promised me nothing would happen to him.”
“Our husbands aren’t helping matters,” Grace grunted.
“Neither is Hannah,” I said reluctantly. “I tried talking to her, but…”Failed.
“Did you tell her it’s what Matteo wants?”
I sighed.
“No.” The truth was that I didn’t want to cause a rift between the girls. “I was testing the waters and tried to explain that there was a misunderstanding and that Matteo isn’t ready to settle. That he might be interested in someone else.”
