by Cassie May
“Okay. I’ll go out with you, Matteo.” She smiles shyly at me and I feel my own smile widen.
“Good. I promise you, it’ll be a great experience. Way better than this evening is going to be.” I wink at her and enjoy her carefree laugh. I know it is going to be one of the last for this evening.
I stop in front of the big building my brother owns on the Fifth Avenue and toss the keys to the valet before helping Valerie out of the car. I don’t miss the appreciative glance the valet gives her and glare at him behind her back. He hurries to my car and never glances in our direction again. He should know better than to check out one of our women. With my hand on the small of her back I guide Valerie to the elevator after nodding to the concierge. Taking a deep breath I push the button for the penthouse and look down at the woman in my arm. She grabs my hand and presses it affectionately. “Everything is going to be okay. Don’t worry. I can behave myself. Even in front of the mob.” She winks at me and I exhale heavily.
“I don’t doubt that, cara. I doubt my family.” Before she can answer the elevator door opens and we exit in the glamorous hallway. The door to the penthouse is open and soft music mixed with voices comes out. Valerie inches closer and her hand tightens around my arm. Taking a deep breath we enter the apartment and I know immediately that it was a mistake to bring Valerie with me. Clara rushes to us and wraps me in a cloud of perfume. She stays in my arms much longer than necessary and I try to extract myself out of her claws.
“Matty, I am so glad that you are here. There is someone I want to show you. An old friend of mine surprisingly showed up for a visit and she is eager to meet you.” I see Valerie shrinking back in herself and curse my brother for not looking after his wife. Damn that bitch. When I see her triumphant grin I know exactly what she is doing. She fears the competition a real woman like Valerie is to her and wants to immediately set the boundaries that she is the queen here. But I am not having that. Tonight no one is more important than Valerie and I am going to show her that.
I push Clara back as gently as possible and shake my head. “Thanks, but no thanks, Clara. I want you to meet Valerie. She is my date for today and I hope she sticks around afterwards as well.” I pull Valerie closer to me and wink at her. Her cheeks turn slightly pink and she extends her hand to Clara. I know this must cost her, because Clara looks exactly like the Barbie girls that bullied her the day before. Clara raises one eyebrow and looks at the extended hand.
“I would say nice to meet you, but I don’t make the habit of learning much about Matty’s sluts. They change so much, I hope you don’t mind.” Closing my eyes I take a deep breath. How dare she? That stuck up bitch!
Taking Valerie’s hand in mine I pull her after me to look for my brother or Luca. One of them has to take this fucking woman on a leash. “I hope you know that she lied, cara. I never brought women to the family before. She has never met any woman I know.”
A very unwomanly snort escapes her and she claps her hand in front of her mouth her eyes wide in horror. “Oh my god, I am so sorry. But yeah, I know that. I know women like her. They see every other women as a threat. You never had anything with her, did you?”
Now I can barely hide my snort. “Hell no. She is my brother’s wife. I hate her. She is a stuck-up bitch. I never understood what my brother saw in her. He doesn’t know it either anymore, but that is his problem.” Finally I see my brother and his bodyguard and start to head over to them.
“Matteo, not so fast!” Valerie pulls me back and glares at me. After I turn around to her she motions up and down her body and finally points to her high heels. “This woman is wearing high heels. They are not made for running. Apart from that it is damned rude to just run through these people without greeting them. What is wrong with you?”
“Problems, brother?” Without me noticing, Federico and Luca came closer and are now standing next to us. Valerie whirls around and her eyes widen when she sees my brother and his bodyguard. I understand that they are intimidating for someone who never met them, hell sometimes even I am scared of the things my brother is able to do and Luca is a MMA champion in his free time. He is built like a brick wall and at the moment he looks like he wants to eat Valerie alive. And not in a sexual way, that is. He doesn’t like new people, especially not if he wasn’t able to do a background check on them.
Shaking my head I put my hand on the small of Valerie’s back to show them that she is off limits. “Not at all. Valerie this is my brother Federico and his bodyguard Luca. Luca, Federico, this is Valerie my date.” This time her hands get shaken when she extends it to them.
“Nice to meet you. I would say I have already heard so much from you, but actually we don’t know each other that long. We haven’t had the family talk yet. You have a nice apartment by the way. I am going to shut up now.” She blushes adorably and I see Federico hiding his smirk.
“Thank you. I like it here. So what do you do for a living, Valerie?”
Valerie
I can’t believe what is happening right now. After nearly getting mauled from the wife of his brother Matteo dragged me all over the penthouse to meet said brother and now we are making small talk? I can barely hide the giggle that threatens to come out of my mouth. I bet it would be a bad idea to laugh at the head honcho of the mob in New York. Masking my giggle with a short cough I answer his question. “I own a small bakery next to the New York University. That’s where I met Matteo actually. He saved me out of a bad situation and then invited me to this party. I am sorry if I intrude.”
Why the hell can’t I stop the rambling coming out of my mouth? I am standing here in front of the scariest looking men I have ever met. Luca is surely 6”7’ with shaggy dark hair and grey eyes. He has scars on his hands and one over his right eye and I bet he has more under his clothes. He looks as if he never leaves a fight as the loser. Matteo’s brother is a totally different kind of scary. His dark green eyes are cold and calculating as if he wants to find out how he can use me for his purposes. Involuntary I take a small step closer to Matteo. Even though he is dangerous and scary as well he seems to be the safest choice right now.
“That is actually quite impressive. How old are you?” Federico sounds truly impressed and a small smile curls his lips. Well, I think it is a smile His left corner tilts about two millimeters up for a second. That’s it.
“I am 23 and yes, I know that I am very young concerning the fact that I own my own business, but it is working. I am working very hard for my success.”
Now he is really smirking and wow. This changes his whole face. He looks friendly and open and finally I can see the resemblance to Matteo. It doesn’t last long, though. A slender arm sneaks around his waist and Clara appears next to her husband sending me a murderous glare. What is it with that woman? She already has a man, so why is she caring about what I do with Matteo? The second she touched Federico he turns to ice. His eyes lose the warm shine completely and his whole body tenses. Seems as if he doesn’t like her anymore. But why don’t they get a divorce? Well, actually it is none of my business and I try to think of something to say.
“Darling, dinner is ready, would you like to tell our guests that they can be seated?” Clara’s voice sounds like fingernails on glass and I can barely suppress my shiver.
Federico grimaces and nods courtly. “Of course.” He knocks on his glass with his ring and everyone turns quiet. “Ladies and Gentleman. My wife informed me that the dinner is ready, so please follow me to the dining room, so we can celebrate this lovely evening.” Even though his voice is warm and gentle the gentleness never reaches his eyes. He is still the cold calculating man that would kill you without a second thought if you cross him. Of that I am sure now. Does this mean that Matteo is like this as well? Would he kill me when I break it off with him, because I know too much? Because I have seen all this people that are obviously connected to the mob in one way or the other? I feel the panic rising in me again and wish that Jess is with me right now.
“What i
s wrong, cara? Do you want to leave? Are you uncomfortable here? I am sorry if my brother was rude to you.” Matteo whispers in my ear while guiding me to the large dining room where a beautifully set table is already waiting for us.
Shaking my head I turn to him. “I have to use the bathroom. Can you show me the way?” His dark brown eyes lock with mine as if he searches for something. Obviously satisfied with what he sees he nods slowly.
“I don’t believe you are telling me the truth, cara, but it is okay. Just don’t forget that you promised me to stay here with me till you want to go. We can leave as soon as you say the word.”
I can’t resist the urge to put my hand on his cheek for a moment. “I know, Matteo. I just have to gather my courage again. It is a little overwhelming for me.” He nods again and closes his eyes for a moment.
“I am proud of you, cara. Don’t leave me alone too long, okay?” I nod again and finally he lets me go pointing down the hallway to a closed door. I hurry along and pull my phone out the moment I turn the lock.
Jess answers immediately. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? Did he do something to you? Is it scary?”
Now I can’t stop the giggle cry that escapes my throat. “Oh my god, Jess. You should see this. His brother lives in a penthouse on the Fifth Avenue, well I don’t know if he actually lives here, but the party is held here. It is stunning. And Matteo is great. He doesn’t leave my side. His brother is different though. He is scary, Jess. I don’t doubt that he would kill me without a second thought when I cross him the wrong way.”
“But you don’t, Val. So what’s bringing up all the panic right now? There is something you are not telling me, isn’t it?”
I nod even though she can’t see this. “His brother is married and this woman. God, Jess you can’t imagine what a bitch she is. The moment we entered the penthouse she was on Matteo, completely ignoring me. She wanted him to hook up with a girlfriend of hers, even though it was crystal clear that he is here with me. She even refused to shake my hand because she doesn’t want to make the effort to get to know the bitches Matteo meets, because they don’t last long. Her words, not mine.”
For a moment Jess is so quiet that I take the phone from my ear to check if she’s still there, then she explodes and I can hear her screech without putting the phone back. “She said what?! Okay, that’s it, I am coming over and I am going to tell her that no one speaks to you like this. Tell me the exact address, girlfriend. What did that so called man of you do when she said that?”
Grinning I put the phone back on my ear. “Don’t worry, he made it clear that he’s with me and told me afterwards that the bitch never met one of his woman, because he never brought one of them over to meet his family. He hates her, really hates her and I think his brother hates her as well, but how can that be? I mean she is his wife, after all.”
Jess sighs. “I don’t know, if you want to know this you have to ask I think. Maybe it was an arranged marriage? Maybe they were forced to be together. Or she played him and now he is stuck with her.”
A sharp knock on the door makes me flinch. “Jess, I think someone has to use the toilet, I have to go. Thank you. Love you. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye girl and don’t let that bitch walk all over you. If Matteo is on your side you can tell her where she can stuck her behavior.”
“I will. Bye, Jess.”
I end the call and open the door to come face to face with Clara who seethes already. “You know it is not very polite to hide in the bathroom while the rest of us is eating, do you? Not that you need to eat any more than you already have as fat as you are.”
Lifting my hand I stop her rant before she can go further. “Listen, I don’t know what your fucking problem is with me since we never met, but let me tell you one thing. I am here with Matteo, not because I wanted him to take me here, but he wanted me to accompany him that is more than you can say about your husband, isn’t it? I don’t care what more you have to say to me and frankly I don’t want to know. I just want to enjoy this evening with Matteo, so leave me the fuck alone.”
She rears back and I know that I have made an enemy for life now. “Don’t you dare you fucking whore. Don’t you dare telling me what to do in my own home. I know more about these men and the scene they are in than you will ever know. I was born in this life, born to be the wife of the capo and you are not going to take this from me. It takes a special kind of character to put up with these man and I can tell you that you are not made for this. It is not in the blood of these man to be faithful. I don’t know how many women my husband has fucked while being married to me and I don’t care about this as long as he comes home to me. You seem to be a woman that needs her man to be faithful forever and this is not happening with any of these men here. They are ruthless and don’t care who they hurt on their way.”
Shaking my head I cross my arms in front of my chest. “Matteo is not like this. Matteo would never cheat on a woman while being in a serious relationship. Not that we are and I don’t know why I should tell you if we would be in said relationship, but I know that he would never cheat.”
Clara smirks and something akin of pity gleams in her eyes. “Is that so? Well, ask his whores if he was faithful to them. I think you might be surprised about the outcome of all this.”
“He told me you never met one of them, so I don’t believe you. Well, I know that he was no saint, but this is not my problem and it is not yours, either. Why do you care?”
She tosses her hair back and barks out an evil laugh. “Well, for one I know of them. I might not know them personally, but it is enough for me. And then there is the tiny little fact that he even tried to fuck me one time, even though I am married to his brother. That should tell you all about the faithfulness of Matteo Luciano, don’t you think?”
Now I have to hold back my laugh. I know for a fact that she is lying right now. Matteo would never betray his brother like this. I might not know him long, but I know that his brother is more important to him than anybody else. Still it doesn’t make sense why Clara is so determined to make me leave. I try to come up with a fitting response, but before I can open my mouth a booming voice makes me flinch and jump in the air.
“Clara! What are you doing here, harassing our guests like this? You should be at the table with the others, entertaining them while I take my call. And now I find you here, molesting our guests. Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
Federico rushes over and yanks his wife away from me. It has to hurt, but Clara doesn’t even flinch. Instead she changes her whole aggressive behavior and blink at him. “I don’t know what you mean, Federico. I found her snooping through our stuff. I think your brother set her up to this. He wants to take over for you like I told you so many times before or has he found the snitch in the clubs, yet? He is stealing from you, from us and now he is even bold enough to do so in our home. Darling, you have to punish him and her as well.”
I flinch back. This is bad. I don’t have anything to defend myself and even though I don’t think Federico would punish his brother, I am sure that he won’t hesitate to punish me. Bye Jess, I am sorry I couldn’t help you with your problems. Please don’t let them find you and don’t go to the police. They will kill you as well. My thoughts whirl in my head and when strong arms circle my waist I scream in fear.
“Shhh, cara. It is okay. I’ve got you. Nothing will happen to you, I promise.” Matteo’s voice is soft and calming on my ear till he lifts his head and glares at his brother and Clara. “What’s going on here? Everybody could hear you screaming, Rico.”
“I think it will be better if you take her home now. I have to talk to my wife about boundaries and her place in this world. She can’t accuse my brother or his girl just because she is a hateful bitch. Valerie, I am sorry to force you out like this, but I think this is for the best. Don’t worry, I don’t believe a word this woman is saying. I know that my brother would never betray me and I don’t think you would be capable of something like this
.” Federico can barely contain the hatred toward his wife that drips from every word and I exhale. My legs feel like jelly from the sudden adrenaline low and Matteo can barely catch me in time.
“Fuck, what happened here? Clara are you crazy? You accused her of betraying my brother? You don’t even know her! I hope my brother is giving you what you deserve you fucking bitch. We are out. Bye Rico.”
Without another word he turns around and carries me out of the penthouse. In the background I hear Clara screeching at Federico. “You believe him and her over me? You stupid asshole…” the rest I can’t hear anymore, because the elevator doors close behind us and we ride down.
Chapter 4
Matteo
I am sitting behind the wheel and can barely contain my rage. I expected the evening to go not well, but this is a clusterfuck I was not prepared for. I don’t even want to think what would have happened if Federico believed Clara what she was saying about Valerie. I should have never brought her with me. Should have never let our two worlds collide. She deserves more, better than me and I want to be damned if I pull her in even more. I drive mechanically and try to come up with something to express how sorry I am for what happened. Her small hand on my arm pulls me back into the reality of my car.
“I am sorry, Matteo. I really did not want the evening to go like this. I am sure you would have preferred to stay with your family.” Her brown eyes wide and worried she looks at me.
Is she serious? She is apologizing to me? “Cara, don’t worry. What Clara did is unforgivable and you have nothing to be sorry about. I can’t even imagine what would have happened to you if my brother believed her. I should have never put you in danger like this. I hope you can forgive me for dragging you into this whole mess.”
