I lift my other hand to cup both sides of her face, shoving away the anger that flicks at my veins. “Jade. They were complete strangers. Delusional women. They don’t know me, or you, orus.” I pause, the muscle in my jaw tightening. “I know I have a track record that doesn’t look good, but things are different with you. I swear to fucking god, it’s never been like this with anyone else.”
She’s silent for a second. “But what if you get bored? What if you decide you want someone different? Something new and exciting.”
My heart sinks at her words. “Oh, Sunny baby,” I murmur, shaking my head at her. “I’ll never want anyone different. Out of all the people on this planet, you’re the one who’s got my heart.”
Tears well in her eyes and a shallow breath escapes her lips. “Matteo…”
She deserves to know the truth, even if it leaves me completely exposed.
“I’m in love with you, Sunny.” I let out a soft laugh, in disbelief that I just spoke those goddamn words. “And that’s something I’ll never be sorry for.”
Her lips part as if she’s going to say something, but instead, she closes the space between us, leaning over the center console and her lips find mine.
She kisses me with tenderness that used to feel safe, but now almost feels as if she’s saying goodbye. Her lips move with mine, sweet and slow, before we break apart.
“I don’t trust easily,” I whisper, leaning my forehead against hers as my eyes close. “My parents… they had a rough start. I was unplanned and unexpected. My mom couldn’t reach my father after discovering she was pregnant. We went five years without him knowing.” I pause, letting out a sigh. “I blamed my mom for a long time.”
“They’re together now, right?”
“Yeah,” I say, my voice still quiet. “They’ve been together since I was five and they’re still so in love. So much that I almost thought it was all a façade, like my father was constantly trying to make up for lost time.” I swallow over the lump lodged in my throat. “I didn’t understand it until you.”
She inhales sharply, her eyes flashing to mine as she pulls away. She searches my face, as if she’s searching for some hidden lie. A hidden agenda I’m not sharing with her.
Guess I’m not the only one afraid to let someone in.
My chest constricts as the silence wraps around us. I can’t force her to say anything. Hell, I don’t even know what I’d want her to say. I can see the hesitation in her expression. The things those women said are still in the back of her mind.
And I need to find a way to erase them.
“Do you want me to take you home?”
She shakes her head, igniting a spark of hope inside my chest. “Can I go back to your place instead?”
“Yeah?” I ask her, almost in disbelief.
A ghost of a smile dances across her lips. “Yeah.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
JADE
“What is obsession, but a matter of the heart?” - Clara Foss, Painted Inferno
Matteo backs me up against the side of the car, my heels scraping on the cobblestone driveway. His hands travel the length of my body, around the back of my neck before tangling in my hair. I reach for his waist, pulling him flush against me. “Fuck, Sunny,” he growls, leaning into me as his mouth finds mine.
His lips are hot and urgent, kissing me with a desperate need. His tongue dances with mine, tasting and teasing me. His mouth moves, trailing along my jaw and down the side of my neck, licking and nipping at my skin.
“Shouldn’t we go inside?” I pant, holding him firmly against me. My head tips back against the window, my eyelids fluttering shut as he runs his tongue along the side of my throat.
“No one can see us here,” he murmurs against my flesh. “My property’s lined with foliage thick enough to keep any wandering eyes away.”
The driveway’s lined with small lights, but it’s still dark here. Matteo’s hands abandon my hair, sliding down the length of my torso, curling his fingers around my hips.
“Goddamn, I’m addicted to you.” He pulls back, his mouth leaving the side of my neck as his gray eyes search mine. “I need you to know, this isn’t the only thing I want from you.”
My breath catches in my throat. I didn’t think we were going to talk about our feelings again. After our conversation in the car, I’m not so sure I trust myself with my words right now.
He told me he’s in love with me.
