saw a flash of sparks as she stubbed out her cigarette. “I won’t tell you what I truly think, but I will say I don’t see this marriage ending well, for any of us. You chose wrong. I’ll leave it at that. You may go.”
Just like that, she dismissed him - done with him, for now. He turned and left the room, quietly closing the door as he made his exit.
That went better than he’d hoped. Dread had turned his stomach into knots for months now as he waited for the summons that he knew was coming, but now that it was over, he felt… better.
A lot had changed since that first moment when he laid eyes on Marie. He didn’t like the way she made him feel, not at first, because he took it for weakness. Any sign of caring for another human being was something your enemies could use against you and should be avoided at all costs, that’s what Celeste had taught him. Now? Now, he liked the way she made him feel.
He was her protector and that gave him power and a purpose, unlike anything he’d had before. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe, to give her happiness, and to make sure the light stayed gleaming and bright in her eyes, even if that meant defying his aunt. He’d defy the world for Marie.
Matteo glanced down as he got into the car to drive home. His hands shook as his heart raced and the blood surged through his veins as he thought about her. He might just love that woman, he realized. He wasn’t sure he was actually capable of something such as love and happiness, or maybe even… having a family of his own.
No, he wasn’t ready for that, not babies and diapers, and doctor appointments. No puppies or kittens, or even turtles and hamsters. Not yet. He was only now getting used to the idea of having a wife.
She was sitting up in the bed when he got home, ready with a hug and a kiss as he sprawled out beside her. “How did it go?”
“Well, she may have a contract out on me now, if that tells you anything.” He tucked the tips of his toe into the back of the shoe on his other foot to kick it off before he did the other one. She’d kill him if he got dirt on the bed, which was something else that was new to him.
He was a clean person and wouldn’t be happy if he got dirt on the bed either, but she fussed at him. Actually fussed when he did something without thinking that would make a mess. It was adorable to him that she did it. He knew a lot of men complained about their wives nagging at them about their shoes, or making messes, but he loved it. She cared about their house, their home, not just him, and that meant she was happy with him.
“I’ll scratch her eyes out if she does.” She rolled to him, her leg over his as she looked into his eyes. The way her eyes narrowed and her jaw went tight told him she was serious, but then she grinned to wipe the thought away. “But I doubt she’d do that. She needs you, Matteo. Otherwise, she’d have thrown her fit long before now. She’s been plotting I’d guess, trying to figure out how to get rid of me and has decided she can’t.”
“I think Trina might have had something to do with that. She said Trina told her you were nice. So, she probably also told her you’re stuck with me because I’d walk through fire for you and even my cousin can see it.” He pulled her close to lightly press his lips to her as he wrapped his arms around her waist. “Anyone could see it if they just looked at me when I look at you. I’m sure it’s written all over my face.”
“Maybe.” She tucked her face into his neck, something that always made him shudder with pleasure before she finished. “I just know that I’d do the same, so I think we’ll manage to deal with your aunt, somehow, won’t we?”
“I think so, baby. Now,” he paused to slap her bottom gently before he pushed her away, “do we have brownies and ice cream? I’m starving but I don’t want dinner.”
“I had dinner earlier. I’ll see if we have some brownies, I think we