Page 87 of Matteo
The party was in full swing, but my attention was on the foyer entrance that Arianna would walk through at any moment.
“We should liven up this party,” Nikola suggested, taking a sip of his drink. “I can’t handle the oldie music and constant chatter.”
“You mean like you’re doing right now,” Gabriel deadpanned.
“Fuck you, motherfucker,” Nikola said, puffing his chest. “At least I’m not standing there salivating.”
Unlike most of the guests, he’d opted for a black T-shirt and jeans. Suits weren’t his thing, and I was fairly certain that he’d suffocate wearing one.
I smirked. Now there was a thought.
“One of these days, Nikola…” Gabriel’s attention darted to the opposite side of the ballroom as the Kingpins of the Syndicate strolled in with their entourage that consisted of a blended, fucked-up family.
Nikola chuckled. “Yeah, I didn’t think you’d finish that statement.”
But Gabriel was already checked out. There was a woman among the crazy DiLustro crowd who captivated him: Amara Brennan, the daughter of Killian Brennan and Emory DiLustro.
The girl’s gaze traveled around the room, landing on Gabriel at last. My friend inhaled a deep breath while Amara’s eyes narrowed with distaste. She was the only girl on this planet who couldn’t stand the sight of Gabriel Santos. Reasons unknown.
“Buddy, it’s best you let that one go,” Nikola muttered. “Those diabolical twins will never let you near her.”
Gabriel reached for a glass ofAguardientefrom the tray that the waiter passed around and muttered, “Too late for that.”
Nikolai shrugged, raised a shot, and downed it. “Sorry, buddy.”
Gabriel downed his drink in one go, too. “I swear, I’m going to murder those fuckers one day. Jet and Elira are the bane of my existence.”
“Those fucking shits,” Nikola supplied, ready for action. “We’d have to drug them, of course. I don’t want the entire DiLustro and Brennan clan on me.”
“Don’t forget the Volkov clan,” I reminded him. “And Cortes.”
“That family,” Nikola grumbled. “It’s fucking complicated.”
“Tell me about it.” Gabriel reached for a shot glass. “You have eyes on your back, front, sides—and then something fucking hits you from the air.”
“That’s oddly specific,” I pointed out.
Gabriel flicked a glance our way. “True fucking story.”
It was safe to say we’d reached the point in our friendship where there was zero judgement, but I was so fucking happy that I didn’t have Gabriel’s problems. Nico Morrelli had agreed to my arrangement, and soon, the world would know.
“For fuck’s sake,” Nikola muttered, his eyes exploding with rage that rippled from him and toward… Ahhhh. There she was.Skye Leone. Dressed in a long blue dress, she strutted like a queen, ignoring Nikola. But then she turned around, scratched her nose with a middle finger, and flashed Nikola an arctic smile that would make the Queen of Narnia proud.
Nikola’s posture stiffened and he tried to ignore the mane of dark hair and blue eyes, his fingers twitching by his side.
It was almost funny because Dante Leone, who followed right behind his precious daughter while glaring at Nikola, didn’t make my buddy flinch at all. Only the girl who peered at him through her thick dark lashes could push my friend to disastrous decisions and nefarious ends.
But soon my friends and their love struggles were completely forgotten as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
I slowly turned around, sweeping my gaze across the room for the woman I’d been waiting for my entire life.
I sucked in a breath as my eyes widened at the sight of her.Bellissima.A fucking vision, she was. Like a goddess made just for me.
My friends forgotten, I made my way to her through the crowded room, every so often stopped by guests, but my gaze remained firmly on the woman I couldn’t wait to touch again. Her curls cascaded down her back, brushing against her creamy skin. Our gazes met, and despite the fact that she’d showered and changed, she still looked freshly fucked.
Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes were shining. And if you looked closely, there was a faint mark around her neck in the shape of my palm.
I knew it was wrong, but Iwantedeveryone to notice it and be suspicious of it. Was I going a bit overboard? Possibly.
