Chapter 4

4

MONA

T he atmosphere around me feels different tonight as I enter the ballroom. I honestly don't know how the hell I'm going to make it through this. I take a deep breath to try to calm my nerves. Fake it until you make it , I remind myself. This is the absolute last place I want to be. My mind keeps racing with so many thoughts.

"Maybe you should try breathing." My sister elbows me in the side. I let out a breath. "You're breathing for two now." I snort a laugh because it's the worst time to joke about this, but the hell with it.

I should try to enjoy myself tonight to some degree. It could be one of the few left with my sister. The more that my new reality seeps into my soul, the more I know I have to protect this baby, and that means only one thing. I am going to run.

"Let's make our rounds and talk to people, then find a corner to hide in," I suggest.

"Incoming," Riley mutters under her breath. I turn to see Vincent heading toward me. I force a fake smile onto my face. Then my whole world flips on its head again. I almost can't believe my eyes. I'm frozen in place as I watch my baby daddy step in front of me, blocking everything else out.

"Rabbit." He calls me, closing in on the last few steps between us. My heart flutters when I hear him call me that. A range of emotions fills me, relief and happiness in the mix of them. Along with a side of fear of what my father will do if he finds out the truth.

"Rabbit?" my sister repeats, confused. "Oh, wait. Rabbit." She puts it together. I might not have given her every detail about my night with my handsome stranger, but I told her some.

"You can't be here." I glance around, wondering where my father and brother are. This is bad. Real bad.

"I can be anywhere I want." I glance up at his intense gaze. He's in an all-black suit. The same as the night we met. He easily towers over me and everyone else in the room. Without a doubt, he could take on anyone in this room. He could easily defeat my brother and father, but they don't always play fair.

"You don't understand," I try to warn him.

"Enlighten me." Yeah, he's not going anywhere, gauging the irritation on his face.

"Matteo," I hear Vincent say.

"Not now." The man in front of me doesn't bother to spare him a glance. Vincent lets out an awkward laugh.

"I see you've already met my fiancée." Vincent's words make me want to vomit.

"What?" The one word comes out low but is filled with warning. I will him not to say anything. To take the hint. He clearly knows who Vincent is. I don't want anything bad to happen.

"Yes, Mona O'Haire. She's mine." Vincent goes to step closer to me, his arm coming out to wrap around me.

"Touch her and you'll lose that fucking arm." Vincent freezes, the blood draining from his face. He's scared of Matteo. Who the hell is this man?

"You can't, ah—" Vincent stumbles over his words. "Be serious."

"Have you ever known the Cattaneos to be jokesters?" The tone of Matteo's voice gives me goosebumps in a good way. What the hell? This is so not the time for this.

My stomach drops at the realization of Matteo's last name. The Cattaneo name is one I know well. Everyone does. This is not happening. Only I would go out to have a night of fun and end up hooking up with one of the most powerful men.

"Listen." Matteo swiftly pulls out a gun. It's almost graceful how well he does it. That shuts Vincent up. I glance around the room, not seeing my father or brother still. Everyone else, however, is watching this all play out.

"We're leaving." Luca grabs my arm.

"I can't." I try to pull on it, but it's no use.

"Do not fight me. I promise you will not win."

Vincent's father rushes toward us but stops in his tracks when Matteo simply shakes his head at him.

"We'll talk later," he tells him before he's once again pulling on my arm. I have no choice but to go.

"No!" My sister is trying to pull on my other arm.

"Stop," Matteo orders her. I swear, the whole room does stop. No one is even taking a breath. You could hear a pin drop.

"It's okay, Riley." I try to reassure her, but she won't let my arm go. "Please," I plead before she gets herself hit or worse. Nothing she does or says will matter. We're women. It never does.

Finally, she releases my arm, her eyes filled with tears. It crushes me.

"Sir?" A man strides up to Matteo, leading me out of the ballroom.

"Not now." The man nods. I'm numb as I'm taken through the lobby and into a car. Matteo doesn't release his hold on me until we're pulling away from the hotel. I scoot all the way to the other side of the car until I'm pressed against the opposite door.

I can feel Matteo's rage. It's unlike anything I've ever witnessed before. I've seen my brother lose it before, but a Cattaneo could level a whole city if he wanted. I've overheard my family talk about Matteo before. He's not some low-level gangster like a lot of these other families are. He has real power and reach.

"Was this your plan?" Matteo asks. I sit there, thinking that he's talking to the man behind the wheel. "I asked you a question, Mona O'Haire." He spits out my last name as though it's left a bad taste in his mouth.

"What?" is the only word I can get out. It's in self-preservation, in fear of his deadly wrath. How is this the same man I met weeks ago? I hadn't feared him at all. I'm so na?ve.

"Don't play stupid. It's unfitting."

"I'm not," I rush to say, having no clue what he's talking about.

"Then maybe you truly are." I don't react to his words, even if they do cut me.

I'm proficient at not giving people the reaction they expect. If they know what hurts you, they'll use it against you. Growing up with a brother who terrorized me, I learned to play that game long ago.

The car falls silent again. I try to remember everything I might have heard about the Cattaneos. One memory comes rushing back.

I've been offered to him before. I remember my family discussing the offer. Matteo had turned it down. I suddenly realize what Matteo is thinking. When we pull through two giant black metal gates that close the second we've passed them, I snap from my thoughts.

We pull up a long driveway, stopping in front of a giant stone home. Well, the rumors of how wealthy the Cattaneos are no lie. This place is beyond impressive just from the outside.

Matteo steps out of the car. He extends his hand to me. I reluctantly take it. He pulls me out.

"Welcome home, little rabbit," he says, but his words are ominous. "Don't try to run again. You won't enjoy your punishment."

"I don't think I'll enjoy anything here at all," I snap back before I can change my mind.

A wicked smirk plays on his lips. He leans down closer to me. It takes everything in me not to pull away.

"If I wanted you to, trust me, you would. Don't forget, little rabbit. I have your scent." His nose brushes along my jaw, down to my neck. "Your taste too."

My stomach tightens. I'm uncertain whether it's due to fear or arousal. I'm pretty sure it's the latter.