Page 135 of Matteo

He's not as tall as Matteo, a few inches under six foot, but formidable, with his stocky build. At first sight he can come across as scary with his dark hair, and light stubble, though there are more grey hairs now. His eyes are sharp, constantly shifting without giving anything away.

Even I was a little daunted when I first saw him, having only spoken to him via the forum. I'd never seen what he looked like because his avatar was just the letters ‘VV’ on a black background.

Butterflies skitter in my stomach as I make my way to the bar. This is the most opulent hotel I've ever been to and when I catch sight of a couple coming out, my anxiety spikes. The man is white-haired and distinguished looking, the woman young enough to be his daughter, only she isn't, judging by the way they're holding hands.

Looking at her short cocktail dress, and big, shiny jewelry, I’m suddenly worried that I might get turned away for being too underdressed.

I hear music playing, just as I walk in. Floor-to-ceiling windows abound here also, overlooking the Adriatic. Amber sconces adorn the walls, and small shimmering chandeliers glitter above my head. This is the glitziest bar I've ever been to.

Vlad sits directly in the center of the windows, staring out. One arm resting casually on the dark velvet armrest of his chair.

My nerves jangle, and I try to calm myself, for his questions. That protective streak in him is always there. He'll want the low down on Matteo, but I'm not keen to give it.

He raises his hand to summon a waiter, and sees me, then gets up and walks towards me, moving with the same controlled confidence I've always known him to have.

He reminds me of Matteo, I think suddenly. Matteo has that same easy manner of moving, while also being a little aloof.

Vlad wraps his arms around me and hugs me. “Mala. It's been too long.” He kisses the top of my head, and I breathe in his slightly overpowering scent. He pulls away, but his hands bracket my arms.

“Good to see you, mala. It means a lot to me that you came.”

I give a nervous smile. “I wouldn't have missed it for the world.” I’m not usually nervous around him, but being here with Matteo has me acting differently.

We walk to the table, and I sit across from him.

A server appears. “Sir?”

“Get me another bottle of water,” Vlad says, then turns to me. He doesn’t drink. Never has.

“I’ll have an orange juice, please,” I say, feeling guilty about wanting something alcoholic, even though I could really do with a drink to take the edge off.

“It’s been three years. I am so happy to see you again.”

“Same. You seem ... well,” I say, carefully choosing my words. “The chauffeur, then the beautiful suite. This hotel. Thank you for putting us up, but you really didn't have to.”

“Is it to your liking?”

I almost choke at that. “It's the most expensive place I've ever stayed in. How can you afford this?”

How can he afford this? We'd been the outsiders. The ones fighting the system. Now he's sending chauffeurs to collect guests from airports and paying for suites that cost more per night than my monthly rent.

I don't understand it.

He's never told me what he's been up to since he left the country, and I don't ask, but surely, now that I've seen this, he must know I have questions. Surely he knows I've noticed the change.

“How, Vlad?” I push, when he doesn’t answer.

He shrugs, leaving me none the wiser, and even more curious.

I force a chuckle. “If I'd known you were booking this, I would’ve told you no.”

“You're worth it. I won’t have you staying anywhere else.”

I hesitate, wondering if I should keep pushing, because he looks so good. I’ve noticed the expensive watch and the tailored suit. He watches me closely, mouth firmly closed, like he's holding himself back from saying too much.

“Thank you, again, but it's too much, Vlad, Really, it is. You didn't need to—”

“Enough, Elizabeth.”