Page 75 of Cavaliere

“Oh, that’s the spiedini!” Camilla announces before she flounces out of the room. The class that woman oozes is unmatched.

“Relax, tesoro,” Matteo murmurs as he rubs small circles on my back. “She already loves you. Sit. I’ll get you a drink.” He applies a small amount of pressure on my lower back, leading me over to the massive couch.

As much as I’ve grown to be as comfortable as I possibly can at Matteo’s while this shitstorm that is my life keeps happening, I still can’t help but feel way out of my league here. It has nothing to do with them being stuck-up, rich snobs like I always thought people on this side of the city were because this family is not. In fact, once you get past the broodiness of every male except Gio and Aldo, they’re the best people I have ever met outside of Delaney and the Dirty Devils.

They’re the type of guys that would lay down their life for you over the smallest thing because no one fucks with what’s theirs. And that? That’s more comforting than any gun, security, or guard dog. Just knowing the fact that a man will avenge you over someone looking at you the wrong way makes my kitty tingle.

But even with all of that, it still doesn’t change the intrusive thoughts that enter my fucked up mind. I don’t belong. I didn’t grow up with money. In fact, this kind of money wasn’t even a dreamland for me. I knew where I came from and knew what I would be. Did I strive to make my life better than what I came from? Obviously. But I’m also fucking realistic. Delaney doesn’t call me a pessimistic bitch for nothing. I learned from a very young age that if you don’t set your expectations high, you won’t be disappointed. The good moments will be like a little pleasant surprise.

“You okay?” Aldo asks from his end of the couch, breaking me from my thoughts. Turning to look at him, I find him studying me.

“Oh, yeah,” I answer quickly. Too quickly, apparently, because his brow furrows even further.

“I know this is probably extremely overwhelming for you. Coming from not really having much family to being thrown into this one.” He nailed that one on the head.

“Yeah…” I hesitate before finally just going for it. There’s no sense in sugarcoating it when it seems like he can read me like an open book. “It’s just all very new. I’m not used to having so many people in my business and caring about what happens to me.” As soon as it’s out of my mouth, I wish I could take it back. “I don’t mean it in a bad way. I know it comes from a good place.” I try to weakly recover.

“I know you don’t.” Aldo softly smiles. “Hell, even I get overwhelmed with them sometimes. If you ever need anything, let me know. I know I’m not Matteo, but I’ll help any way I can.”

How is this man single? From the first day I met him with a busted-up face in Matteo’s bedroom, he’s been nothing but a fucking sweetheart.

“Like there’s something you can do that I can’t,” Matteo interrupts as he sits down next to me, shooting a glare in Aldo’s direction.

Aldo chuckles. “Relax. I wasn’t trying to take your girl. We all see the way she looks at you. She’s all yours.”

Uh, what?

“I don’t⁠—”

“Here they are!” Camilla flounces back in, setting the food on the large coffee table that’s already set up with small plates and napkins. “Wren, come help me in the kitchen! Lord knows we need a break from these boys.” She doesn’t wait for a response before she’s gone again.

“Go on. I’ll be right here if you need me.”

I would have given anything in the world to stay right where I am, but Matteo’s warm eyes are what make me go.

He looks so happy, and I’m not about to be the one who ruins it for him.

Chapter

Forty-Four

MATTEO

“Ma loves her,” Gio states what all of us have been thinking as soon as she leaves the room.

“I knew she would.” As much as Wren likes to think her hard personality and resting bitch face turns people away, it doesn’t. It does the exact fucking opposite. People want to know what’s underneath, and if they’re anything like me, they’ll spend their entire lifetime peeling away the layers until they’re buried so deep that there’s no way out.

“You’re so fucked.” Gio laughs, and this time, I laugh along with him because, yeah, I am fucked.

That raven-haired beauty in there has owned my heart since I found her beat to shit in that sleazy-ass motel room. She just doesn’t fully understand yet, but she will.

“Does she know you’re leaving yet?” Alessio asks as he takes a sip of the bitch drink Gio made for him. He bitches about them at every family dinner, but I think he secretly likes them. He never turns Gio down when he makes him another. Once, I even caught him asking for a new umbrella.

“Not yet,” I answer. I still don’t know how she’s going to feel about it, and if I’m being honest, I don’t feel comfortable leaving her alone with Rob. “I’m going to tell her tonight. I kind of sprung this dinner on her.”

“It’s only for a week.” Alessio waves it off. Of course he wouldn’t think it’s a big deal. Everyone thinks I’m the cold-hearted bastard when really, Alessio is the coldest. People always underestimate him because of it. “She’ll be fine. If she wants to be in this life, she’s going to need to get used to it.”

Which I fully agree with, but… “I’m not too keen on leaving her alone with Rob right now.”