16
It had been months since I’d left Lorenzo behind–months since I walked away from the mess, the betrayal, and
the shattered illusion of a love I had once believed to be unbreakable. I gazed at the sky, the golden and auburn hues
of the Sicilian sunset making me smile. I’d always loved this time of day. The sunsets here were magical, bathing the vineyards in rivers of molten gold. The kind of beauty that made you feel like everything was going to be okay.
I kept watching the sky, waiting for Matteo when my phone buzzed. I glanced down, thinking it would be him, but instead, I saw Lorenzo’s name. Great. Just what I needed.
Lorenzo had found a way to reach me again. Changing numbers, new devices–nothing stopped him. He had the
resources to find anyone, anywhere. I’d ignored his earlier messages, but once his persistence turned into threats, I figured I should respond. Not because I was scared, but because I knew he was truly desperate. Poor Lorenzo
I stared at his name on my screen, and his voice echoed in my mind–angry, desperate, venomous. Just as expected, the conversation had been nothing short of toxic
“You’ve ruined everything. Aletta!” Lorenzo’s voice was low and furious. “The Corvinos, the Volantes–everything we built is crumbling because of you!”
I let him rage, his words washing over me like a storm I refused to get caught in. The old me might have crumbled under his accusations, but not anymore. When he finally took a breath, expecting an apology or a plea, I calmly responded with a touch of mock sweetness.
“What’s wrong. Lorenzo?” I said, letting the words drip with sarcasm. “Did Stefania’s charm finally wear off? Or are you realizing she’s not the prize you thought she was?”
The silence on
This wasn’t over.
1–ended the call, stepping out onto the terrace. The cool evening breeze brushed my skin as I gazed at the sea of vineyards stretching before me. Just as I was taking a sip of wine, my phone buzzed again. Expecting it to be another desperate plea from Lorenzo, I hesitated before looking down. But it wasn’t his name on the screen.
MATTEO: I’ll be there soon.
A smile tugged at my lips, and warmth bloomed in my chest. Matteo. The man who had become my rock. If Lorenzo had been chaos and destruction, Matteo was my calm, unshakable anchor. The thought of him made everything feel right.
When Matteo arrived, his engine rumbled through the driveway, and I couldn’t help but smile. He stepped out of the car with the kind of quiet confidence that demanded attention. The air around him seemed to buzz with an undeniable energy as he walked toward the terrace. His piercing gray eyes met mine, and in that moment, he didn’t need to say a word. The way he looked at me made my heart race.
He stopped just a breath away, his hand reaching out to brush a strand of hair from my face. The gesture tender, yet possessive in a way that made me feel safe, cherished
e was s
“What’s on your mind, Amore?” he asked with that sexy, lopsided grin of his, his voice low and steady. It was a question that invited honesty but also held a hint of seduction.
I took a deep breath, torn between keeping my thoughts to myself and letting him in. “Lorenzo called again,” I admitted, watching his expression carefully.
His jaw tightened, and a shadow flickered in his eyes. “What did he say this time?”
SO
“The usual,” I said with a shrug. “Blamed me for everything that’s wrong in his life. He doesn’t get it–he’s the one who’s ruined everything
Matteo’s lips pressed into a thin line, his silence heavy with unspoken resolve. What Lorenzo didn’t know was that Matteo had been the invisible hand dismantling both the Corvinos and the Volantes. Matteo had orchestrated their downfall with such precision that their mafias were crumbling, and while Lorenzo might point fingers at me, the
truth was far more complicated.
Tv
I watched Matteo with a swell of pride in my chest. He was patient, calculated, and ruthless when he needed to be. And more than anything, he was mine. The thought of life without him was unbearable.
“You don’t owe him anything, Aletta,” Matteo said, his tone firm “Not your time, not your thoughts, and especially
not your guilt.”
I looked away, glancing at my wine glass. “I know.”
Matteo gently lifted my chin, tilting my face toward his. “I love you. And that’s all that matters.”
T
A lump formed in my throat as I nodded, too moved to speak. Matteo had been my protector in more ways than
I could count. Even when I hadn’t fully realized it, he’d shielded me from the world, from the darkness. And in turn, I had come to accept his world, flaws and all.
We stood there for a moment, the air thick with unspoken truths. Finally, Matteo broke the silence.
“Let’s go inside,” he said, slipping his hand into mine. “Let’s cook something and relax for once.”
I grinned, following him without hesitation. There was no place I’d rather be than with him.
“Oh, and by the way,” he said, grinning mischievously. “Where’s your mom?”
“America. She won’t be here until next month.”
G
*So, we have the house to ourselves,” he said with a playful glint in his eye. “Nice. Guess what, Damsel? You’re in debt to me. You owe me a lot tonight.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to be pregnant, Matteo…” I said, teasing him. “I’m fertile. So, we’re not doing anything tonight.”
I rolled my eyes. Toon
anything tonight.”
“Really?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
I nodded, a sly grin on my face.
“Well, that can be easily solved,” he said, flashing me a grin. “Let’s just get some boxes of protection.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “You never change.”
“Nope,” he said with a wink. “And you love
