Page 147 of The Bad Wedding Date

Matteo.

His face looked to have aged dramatically in just two months, but that didn’t stop his confident smirk from rising as he took me in, his body calm, while mine started to shake beneath his arrogant gaze.

My lips parted, and all the horrible thoughts I’d had of him since Fraser had told me what he’d done to his mother floated through my mind.

All the things this man had done—the lives he’d ruined.

Now, he looked at me like he wanted to ruin mine, too.

“My sweet Charlotte,” he said, his voice poison to the air I breathed.

“Matteo,” I croaked, quickly clearing my voice before straightening my shoulders.

“You look surprised to see me.”

“I… I didn’t know you were invited.”

“I’m the groom’s godfather, no?” he raised a brow.

“Yes.” I forced a smile, realising quickly that we were alone with no witnesses around.

No Fraser.

His handsome face flashed before my eyes, warning me to be careful, reminding me of all the ways he’d taught me to defend myself.

“Of course,” I added, waving a flippant hand through the air. “But I could have sworn my father told me who was coming tonight, and he never mentioned your name. In fact, I thought he’d said you’d left England soon after the wedding.”

Matteo released a low hum in thought as he studied me before he took a step towards me, closing the gap. “Your father told you that, or that man you were sleeping with who had his hands around my throat told you that?”

My head spun instantly, and I felt my face turning pale as I stared up at him.

I’d never been good at keeping my emotions hidden, especially not when they were heightened, and right then, all that ran through me was a kind of fear that didn’t make sense… because this guy was older. His body wasn’t built like Fraser’s. He didn’tlookintimidating, and he certainly didn’t look capable of ruining my life… but that didn’t stop me from knowing he could, and probably would, given the way he stared at me now. He oozed confidence, very aware that he had me cornered and surprised.

I remained silent, taking in the way he changed in front of me.

Matteo no longer felt the need to hide who he was, and I saw that in his eyes now.

He knew I knew everything about him.

I tried to take a step away, but my back came up against a wall, leaving Matteo in prime position to cage me in.

“Do you miss him, Charlotte?” he asked, his voice low. “Do you miss Fraser? The man who used you to get to me. The man you fell for, even though he never wanted anything from youbutme.” Matteo’s smirk grew colder. “What a silly, silly girl to have thought that one night with him meant something more. Not that I’m surprised. It’s a thing with you women, isn’t it? A need to turn sex into some grand romance. A need for a connection that runs deeper than a man being inside a woman.”

“Matteo, stop,” I forced out, trying to hide my obvious nerves. “Enough. You don’t get to speak to me like that.”

He closed the gap, so close to me that when he pressed his hand against the wall behind my head, I could feel his breaths upon my skin. “You know you’ll never see him again, don’t you?”

“What the hell does that mean?” I frowned up at him.

He huffed out a laugh that made my toes curl. “He’s been on a fool’s errand for months now. He doesn’t want you, Charlotte.” He leaned closer, whispering in my ear, “He wants me. He’s only ever wanted me. He used you to get me, and when he had my neck in his grip, he was too weak to see it through to the end. That’s the kind of man you let get close to you.”

“Stop,” I growled, anger rising in my stomach, turning my vision red.

“And now he’s gone, chasing false leads that I planted all around the world, while I’ve been sitting pretty in a lovely little estate in Essex minding my own business, playing and beating him at his own game. Tell me, did he really believe Penn and those men were the only threat to you? Did he not see how I had turned his attention elsewhere so I could do whatever the hell I wanted, when I wanted? He doesn’t sound like much of a hero to me.”

My nostrils flared, and I pushed against Matteo’s chest angrily, making him stumble back a step or two until there was enough distance between us for him to stare back at me in surprise. But that satisfied smirk of his never faltered.

“You’re going to pay for everything you’ve ever done,” I told him, my breaths heavy. “And I’m going to throw a party and invite everyone you know to celebrate.”

---