Chapter Fifty-Seven: Keep It

“So, you will kill me?”

I ask again, hoping he will change his words, but before he can answer, I change my question.

“Matteo, do you love me?”

The look on his face says it all.

I have never seen a more visual ‘in your dreams’ in my life.

“But you love me, don’t you?”

He asks, turning the question back to me, causing me to recoil at his audacity visibly.

“What?”

"You love me.”

He repeats.

For the first time in ages, clarity washes over me.

I’m back to being a doormat.

Maybe it wasn’t Vincent’s fault for walking all over me. Maybe I just gave him that right, like I gave Matteo by telling him I loved him.

Love doesn’t exist; why do I keep relearning that lesson?

To keep him from noticing how my hands tremble at the shock washing over me, I fix my bra, button my blouse and pull up my pants before pushing him out of my way and stepping out of the car.

“Olivia.”

He calls, so I look up at him.

“Yes.”

“You love me, do-”

The front door opens, and a man carrying two black sui