DEIRDRE
As Matteo strode towards me, I dashed to what I guess was the bathroom.However, I was not fast enough. He gripped my hair, flung me across his shoulder, and tossed me on the bed.I fell with a plop, and I stood abruptly as well."Kendall is mine, and we had no official dissolving of our marriage. I can prove that your body is still mine by fucking you this instant.""N-No, please!" I stuttered, pushing at his chest as he came down on me.My eyes rounded as he parted my legs, but I kept shoving him.I didn't think my punch affected him because he gripped my chin and forced me to stare into his cold eyes."P-please, I beg of you."Whether he heard me or not, Matteo didn't show it.He bounded my hands with the tie he had released from his neck."Tell me, Tesoro, do you think you can run away from me?" His grey eyes turned darker, and swiftly, he clutched the thong I wore, ripping it off me.My legs snapped shut almost immediately, attempting to cover up the rest of my dignity as his eyes stared at me maliciously.He clutched my legs, spreading them apart."W-what are you doing?!" I gasped as his hand neared my pussy.My throat tightened, and I felt a lump forming, making it hard to swallow. My palms turned clammy, and I could feel my body temperature rising. My mind raced with all sorts of irrational thoughts and fears, and I couldn't make sense of anything.Matteo positioned himself between my legs, making it worse, but I knew I had to keep fighting. With all my strength, I kicked at his chest, trying to push him off me.But it was no use. Matteo was too strong and determined. He pinned my legs and leaned in closer, his breath hot on my neck."Will you think me a monster if I do what you are afraid of?" He whispered, his eyes never leaving mine."Sei un mostro(You're a monster)," I spat at Matteo. "Nothing can change that.""I've always cared for you, but you chose to betray me by running away with my child. Did you know how my reputation dropped because of that? I become a laughing stock BECAUSE of you. A man who can't keep his woman in check." His hand gripped my neck, cutting off my air supply. I gasped, pounding his chest as he smirked."Go on, scream, darling," he taunted. "I love the sound of your screams. Your defiance turns me on."Gasping for breath as he released me, I saw the bulge in his pants and shook my head in disgust. "You don't care for me, Matteo. Your idea of caring is twisted, controlling, possessive, and obsessive."The memories of the torture he had inflicted on me surged through me, and I trembled with rage.Matteo put on his shirt, and he ripped off the tie binding my wrists; I winced at the red mark it left behind. "I have a better idea for punishment, Deirdre," he said."You can't take my child away from me," I whispered, my heart pounding."Our child," Matteo corrected me, his eyes narrowing. "And I don't intend to take her from you. But if you don't do as I say, I can rip her out of your hands."I exhaled, feeling a weight lift off my chest as he was willing to agree.I grabbed the duvet to cover myself as he stared at me."I have two options," he said, his voice low and measured."What are they?" I raised an eyebrow."Quit your whore job immediately and come with Kendall tomorrow morning, or meet me in court at eight," Matteo said, walking towards me and flinging some papers in my face.I snatched a copy, my lips quivering and my eyes widening as I read the heading: "Superior Court of Arcadia County."I glanced up at Matteo, who stared at me with an unreadable expression."I'll give you two hours to think it over. Not giving me an answer today means you're ready to face me in court," he said, turning to leave.As he reached the door, he paused and looked back at me."You can use the room for the night. I paid for it and for your time." With that, he disappeared through the door.Matteo walked out of the room, leaving me speechless. He didn't just hand me a court order, but he treated me like a prostitute. The arrogance and nerve of the man! However, I couldn't do anything about it, not for Kendall's sake.My hands shook as I crumpled up the paper and then threw it across the bed. I grabbed the pillow and screamed into it to mask my sobs. Frustration and anger boiled inside me like a volcano, suffocating me.I heard a knock on the door and stood up, wondering who it could be. The thought of Matteo returning to the room made me shudder, but I shuffled towards it.As I opened it, I saw Kelsey. She hugged me tightly without asking questions, and I burst into tears again."Shh... it's okay, I'm here now," Kelsey whispered, rubbing my back soothingly.I pulled away from her, wiped my tears away, and asked, "How did you know I needed you?""I had a feeling. And a tall man with eyes like Kendall told me to find you here," Kelsey replied with a weak smile. I never told Kelsey about Kendall's father, and she never forced me to. I guess now was the time to do so.We sat on the bed, and I told her everything that happened with Matteo. She listened patiently, anger flashing in her eyes."That jerk!" Kelsey exclaimed. "How dare he treat you like that? After all that you endured with him! ""I know," I said, feeling helpless. "But there's nothing I can do. I have to do what's best for Kendall."Kelsey sighed. "But you don't have to face this alone. We'll get through this together."I smiled, feeling a glimmer of hope. Although I could do nothing, even with her by my side, I was grateful for her support.DEIRDREThe following morning, I found myself inside Matteo's penthouse in Miraval. It took me thirty minutes from the Luxe Bistro and forty minutes from my modest apartment. I couldn't help but realize that Matteo had always been within my reach, but he had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.As I woke, I spotted Matteo's watchful dogs guarding the hotel. They were the first individuals I encountered, and they were not shy about telling me it was their boss's order. I left the hotel, and the worst part was that they followed me everywhere, making it difficult for me to breathe.Finally, I received a reminder call from Matteo, informing me that since I chose to remain stubborn and not call him last night about my decision, I should prepare myself for court. I knew he had the financial means and influence to sway the judge in his favour, which was why I didn't want to go to court but had agreed to his wish.As I entered the penthouse, I reminded myself it was all for Ke
DEIRDREI spent the entire day under Matteo's watchful gaze. I returned to the living room after checking in the room Mrs Smith prepared for me.Matteo never let me leave his side. When I mentioned wanting to pick up Kendall from daycare, he sent one of the watchdogs instead, making things even more difficult for me.Maybe I shouldn't have come to his penthouse in the first place. I shouldn't have agreed to his terms. Now, I was back to the suffocating lifestyle I had left behind. I never realized how stifling it was until now.I let out a sigh, fanning my face. Wiping away the sweat gathering on my forehead, I groaned and slumped into the seat. It wasn't the room's temperature making me feel hot. The air conditioning in the room actually made it colder than usual, but Matteo's eyes seemed to melt away all the coldness.They were intense, piercing, and smoldering, stripping me of what little dignity I had left. He made me feel exposed. It should have been uncomfortable, but instead,
DEIRDREAfter a long, soothing soak in the bathroom, I emerged. I had to admit, despite my initial reluctance, that Matteo's penthouse was on par, if not better, than a five-star hotel. The room prepared for me was far beyond my means, even if I emptied my savings to afford it. But I wasn't swayed by such extravagance. All I ever wanted was to provide Kendall with the best life.As I wrapped my hair in a large brown towel and secured another around my waist, I approached the wardrobe. However, upon opening it, I found nothing suitable to wear. My brows furrowed in confusion. The wardrobe was predominantly filled with lingerie. Hadn't Matteo mentioned that Mrs. Smith had gone shopping for me? Or had she not?I pondered if Matteo had done this on purpose, glaring at my now-soaked and ruined outfit on the floor. I couldn't wear it, but staying in the towel for too long wasn't an option either.The door swung open, and my attention snapped towards it. My eyes widened as Matteo entered, ac
MATTEOHaving climbed down from my car, I strode towards the entrance of the formidable building in front of me. Standing at the entrance, I touched the pendant on my chest. The door whined and swirled open, and as soon as I stepped in, it closed with a snap.A wince escaped me at the loudness of it. I should have been used to it, but then, it often startled me each time.I was at the La Fortuna Privé. It was a high-end casino with luxurious décor, glittering chandeliers, and an array of gaming tables. Located on the outskirts of Miraval, the La Fortuna Privé served as a front for money laundering and a source of revenue, which was mainly a hotspot of high-stakes gambling and discreet meetings for the Ferrovia Famiglia.The organization I belonged to."For fifteen years, you were here, Teo, yet you still flinched at the sound of the door?" Lucia said as she approached me with a raise of her slender brows.Lucia Rossi was a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties. She sported short brunett
MATTEO"Hey, Ice Queen!" Nicholas called."Shut up, or I'll make you, Ink!" Lucia retorted.Although I referred to Lucia as Lucy, most people in the famiglias knew her as the Ice Queen. It was due to her ruthlessness while carrying out her assignment that she was nicknamed that.As for Nicholas, he was called Ink because of the many tattoos he had on his body. While every one of us had a tattoo symbolizing our organization, Nicholas' tattoos covered 90% of his body. I wouldn't be surprised if he had one, even in the most private areas.I breathed out as Lucia stepped towards me, her lavender scent teasing my nostrils."Who's that, Bambina?" She questioned, leaning into me. "Giovanni said to remind you about the meeting."Of course, I hadn't forgotten about it. I had only just stepped out now and wanted some respite from everything that had been happening."Teo," Lucia called as I ignored her question. "You've been brooding, Sphinx, and this is the longest I've seen you lost in thought
DEIRDREIt was past eleven, and Matteo still wasn't home. I figured I shouldn't wait up for him, but I couldn't help myself."Mama," Kendall murmured.I looked down at her as she tugged at the hem of the robe I had on. It was Matteo's robe. I didn't have much choice in the matter as I found nothing suitable to wear."Why, baby?" I asked, bending down to her level. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"I ruffled her hair as she wrapped her tiny arms around me."I want Daddy to kiss me goodnight," she murmured, half-asleep.This wasn't the first time she'd asked about her father, but today, she'd been talking about Matteo nonstop, even though I hadn't mentioned anything about him being related to her. It puzzled me. Also, I kept wondering how Kendall, who couldn't stop speaking about Matteo, had called him a monster.Perhaps it was a misconception."I'll kiss you good night," I said, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead."No," Kendall shook her head emphatically. "You do that all the time. I wan
DEIRDREI paused by the doorway alongside Matteo, realizing we stood in front of what I assumed was his room.With my arms crossed, I spoke up. "I thought we were going to discuss this in the living room."Matteo turned to me, his gaze assessing me. He remarked, "I should be the one concerned, considering you're now wearing my things without permission. I can't predict what else you might do."The audacity!I clenched my teeth, unable to hold back. I shot him a glare. "You left me with no choice. And how dare you take my clothes? That was never part of the deal!""This is my home, my rules," Matteo stated firmly."This is a mistake," I muttered, shaking my head. He held the door open wider after entering.I was reluctant to step in with him, but it seemed as though if I didn't, he was going to make me.As I stepped into the room, Matteo shut the door behind us. I stood close to it, still holding onto myself as if it could shield me from whatever might transpire in this room.The space
DEIRDREThe next morning, I was awakened from my slumber by Kendall. She kept jumping on my bed, tugging at my robe.She wasn't the only one, although she was the major reason. I heard voices outside my door, making me wonder if there was a special visitor in the penthouse."Mama!" Kendall exclaimed, her hands tangled in my hair, and she pulled, making me wince."That hurts, Kenny," I groaned, gently removing her hand. I sat up straight as a knock followed by Matteo's voice sounded."Daddy has a woman over," Kendall whispered, making me frown."What do you mean he has a woman over?" I asked."There's a woman waiting for him outside," she said, her nose wrinkling.Kendall surprised me most of the time. For a child her age, she was much more eloquent than I would have imagined. Most of the words she used surprised me even more. I believe she learned them from her friends in the playgroup she attended, perhaps from one of her teachers."Darling," Matteo's voice called from outside my doo