My hands drift up the back of her calves, fingertips skimming along the insides of her knees and up her thighs.
“Matteo,” she breathes, the sound half a moan. “You’re a bad influence.”
I stare up at her. “I’m on my knees for you, Sunny baby,” I rasp. “If there’s anyone who’s influenced, it’s me.”
Her lips part and she inhales sharply as I slip my hands between her thighs, my fingertips skating over her pussy through her underwear. She lets out a heavy breath and I pull them away, slowly rising back to my feet.
Her eyebrows cinch closer together. “Rude.”
“We have to go, remember?” I say nonchalantly, pointing my thumb over my shoulder.
Her face settles into the cutest pout I’ve ever seen, brow furrowed and her bottom lip sticking out just a little. “What a tease.”
“I’ll take care of you later,” I promise, holding my hand out for hers. “Come on. I have a hot date.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
JADE
“The only way I could ignore the temptation for him was by distracting myself with another.” - Clara Foss, Painted Inferno
My arm’s linked through Matteo’s as we make our way to the front of The Hillford Country Club Clubhouse where the Gala is being held. A soft melody played on what sounds like a string quartet drifts from the front door as we approach the bottom of the marble steps.
The door pushes open and a beautiful woman in a red gown with her hair swept to the side gives Matteo and me a look through her elegant gold embellished mask.
“Finally!” she calls out, grabbing the bottom of her gown and lifting it before sweeping down the staircase. “I was about to send a search party for the two of you.”
When she stops in front of us, her gray eyes meet mine and I realize it’s Elena, Matteo’s sister.
“Sorry, kid,” Matteo says, shrugging his shoulders, slipping his arm from mine to give his sister a hug. “We got a little distracted.”
Elena looks me up and down, from head to toe. “Listen, I like men, but I too would be distracted by her.” A smile curves on her lips as she looks at me again. “Girl, you’re a fucking bombshell.” She pulls me in for a hug. “Making me question my sexuality and shit.”
“I’d gladly remind you of your sexuality,” Cam Shaw calls from the top of the stairs. I don’t know how long he’s been standing there. Elena releases me and gives him the middle finger.
“Watch yourself, Shaw,” Matteo warns, stepping beside me and his sister.
“A guy can dream, Ford. She’s your little sister. I’d rather keep the teeth I have.”
“You look rich,” I say to Elena, ignoring the guys.
Elena hooks her arm through mine. “Babe, I am rich,” she chuckles. “Come on. I see Matty forgot it’s a masquerade. I set two of the masks aside that they have inside, just in case.”
She leads me up the stairs with Matteo rushing past us. He stops beside Shaw and they both open the doors for us, letting us walk through first. To the right, just inside the foyer, is a velvet-draped table with ornate masks.
Elena crouches down, fishing out two masks from under the table. She hands me an ivory colored one, dusted in delicate crystals. For Matteo, she has a matte black mask with sharp gold detailing. He slips it on, a smirk tugging on his lips.
He looks dangerous as hell.
Matteo takes my mask, stepping behind me to tie it around the back of my head. He rests his hands on my shoulders and gently turns me around to face him, his gaze burning into mine as he lets out a shallow breath.
“Perfect,” he murmurs, brushing his fingers along the side of my face.
A bright flash blinds me from my peripheral vision. It happens two more times and Matteo turns, his glare murderous as he looks at one of the photographers.
“Can I get a photo of the two of you?”
My stomach does a somersault. What will they use the photos for? Does Matteo even want there to be evidence of us at an event together?
