ARIA’S POV
Rubbing my temple, I groaned lowly. It ached. Matteo looked pissed from the look of it all. I begged Rosalie to let it go, but she refused, forcing me to steal Matteo’s keys when he wasn’t looking. It was a good plan. I mean, I could do anything for ice cream, and I did. Going against Matteo was the most daring thing I’d ever done. I winced when my head ached again, and from my side eye, I saw he turned to me. He was stealing glances but somehow managed to keep his eyes on the road. We finally got to the mansion and Mrs. Fletcher ran towards the moving car. I jumped down immediately it came to a stop and wanted to make a run for it, but my lovely husband grabbed me by my waist and held me to him.
“…and where do you think you’re going?”. He growled in my ear as he tightened his hold, and I winced.
“You have to pay for running away with my car”. He said.
“Matteo?”. The old lady called
Matteo scooped me up in his arms and began running towards the building. I started to scream, terrified that he was going to take me back to that room. The thought of being locked up again, without any freedom, filled me with dread. I struggled against him, but it was no use. He was too strong. I knew I had to find a way to escape.
“Matteo?”. I heard her call out again, but my husband quickened his steps, running up the stairs as fast as he could with my body held against his.
I cried and screamed when I saw the door to the room in my view. He was really taking me there.
“Matteo please, don’t do this”. I whispered, with tears falling freely down my cheeks.
Matteo unlocked the door and pulled me inside, then gently laid me on the floor. I clutched at his leg, begging him not to leave me there. The room was windowless and dark, and I felt a wave of panic wash over me at the thought of being trapped there alone again.
“You brought this upon yourself again”. Matteo’s voice was full of bitterness and anger as he spoke. His words were like venom, dripping with malice and spite. I could feel the hatred in his voice, and it made my heart sink.
“Matteo please”. I begged again, and my sobbing was uncontrollable, but my cold-hearted husband made a turn to leave.
“Dennis is my ex-boyfriend!”. As soon as I yelled, Matteo froze in place. He clearly hadn’t been expecting that. I took advantage of the moment and tried to get his attention. It seemed to work, and he crouched down to my level, his smirk giving way to a more serious expression. I could tell he was considering what I had to say.
“And why do you wish to see him again?”. He asked randomly
“Cause I wanted to “. I looked straight into Matteo’s eyes as I spoke, but his expression remained impassive. However, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t pleased with what I was saying. His face may have been blank, but his eyes betrayed his true feelings. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I braced myself for his reaction.
“So you want to get back together with him”. He asked, his voice the calmest I’ve heard him say.
I gulped
“Yes”. I worded.
My husband rose to his feet and sighed loudly
“Shit!”. He whispered.
Matteo hoisted me up off the floor and carried me out of the room. I had no idea where we were headed, and I held my breath as he strode through the dark, twisting hallways. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel my palms begin to sweat. Finally, he came to a stop, and I felt the floor beneath my feet again. It was his room. I remembered from the dark interior and shadiness. Matteo relaxed on one of the chairs, a smile on his face and his fist folded.
“Tell me, what is he like?”.
“Dennis?” I asked, only realizing how foolish my question was after I said it.
He gave me an odd look before answering. “Yes.”
“Well… we met when I was 17.” I started, a bit hesitant because of his intense dark gaze on my face. “He was a senior in my school, his father and mine were friends, so we hung out a lot, and one thing led to another we -”
“Do you still love him.” he cut me off
“No, I mean, I don’t know. I don’t know.” I whispered, confused by my own emotions. Matteo stood up and paced in front of me, I stared at him with hopes of trying to understand what he was feeling. He brought his hand to the hollow in his neck and opened the first button on his shirt and then the one below it and then the other.
“W-what are you doing?” I stammered as he took off his shirt, leaving his bare torso for my gawking eyes.
“Keep going, Aria.” He ordered, walking towards the black bean bag and dragging it to face me from where I sat on his bed. He walked to the bar in his room and poured himself a glass of goldish-brown liquid.
He sat on the bean bag, and I tried not to pay attention to how his muscles flexed when he took a sip of his drink. His hair fell over his eyes as he looked at me. His lips were wet from the drink he had. I averted my eyes.
” So uhm.” I cleared my throat.
“It’s good to maintain eye contact when speaking, Aria.” Was that amusement I heard in his voice?
“R-Right.” Matteo pushed his hair from his eye, only for it to fall back down again.
“You were about to tell me how you fell madly in love with Davis.”
“You mean Dennis”. I was quick.
“Yes, Dennis.”
I let out a sigh. “The thing is I had to stop talking to him because of the wedding. He doesn’t know that”
“That what?”
“You know what, Matteo.” I whispered.
“That you still love him, right?” He asked, standing up abruptly from the bean bag and pacing furiously.
“Doesn’t know I’m married”. I whispered. I leave the bed and stand in front of him. “He doesn’t know”
“And do you love him?”. Matteo asked
“I don’t know”.
“How, how could you not know Aria?!” He half yelled.
“Because!” I shout, unsure if I should express how I felt.
“Because what?” He asked, his voice a little softer and his eyes less harsh.
“Because I’m so confused right now. I don’t know what I’m feeling.” My voice reduced to a whisper. He is closer now, and I can smell the alcohol on his breath.
“Tell me, Aria.” His arm snakes round my waist and pulls me closer. I melt into his chest.
“I don’t know what I feel anymore”. I pause, thinking of the right word to explain the feelings that Matteo seemed to ignite every time.
His soft gaze is on my face, and his eyes shift from my lips to my eyes and back.
“I don’t even know me anymore”. I said, licking my lips.
“What makes you think so?”. He whispers, and without wasting much time, I close the space between us.
The alcohol in his breath travels down my spine, electrifying me. Our lips move together in sync, and my hands tug at his hair. A groan escaped his lips as his arms grip my hips, roughly pulling me closer to him and grinding myself on his body. I moan in response. He lifts me up, and I wrap my legs around his waist.
“Maybe we should…” I say, pulling away from the kiss and looking into his hooded lust-filled eyes ,”Stop.”
Matteo looks at me like he just realized what he was doing. “Fuck.” He whispers. “I think you should go to your room now, Aria.” He says, dropping me gently on the floor.
“I don’t understand. Wh-.”
” Aria. Just go.”