Chapter 7

7

MATTEO

V incent is far too predictable. I knew he wouldn't be able to tuck himself away in his father's home for long. He's got a thing for strippers and cocaine. Why else would he be at a strip club in the afternoon?

The place is surprisingly busy when we enter. The parking lot was half empty. The sound of music thumps softly in the background. I glance around the room and notice that everyone's attention is focused on the stages around us. The men are in a trance. It's pathetic, but I'm not one to talk. I'm slowly sinking into my own vice, one with fiery red hair and green eyes that cut through me.

Each night, I can't stay away. I promise myself I will, but I don't. I've been able to keep it to only a taste of her but my self-restraint is slowly slipping. My body craves her. I want to feel her tight little cunt wrapped around my cock again. Thank God the lights are off when I go to her. I wouldn't survive her if they weren't. If I had to stare into those emerald eyes, I'd get lost. I wish it didn't have to be like this, but it's the only way I'm still holding on to not letting her get too close.

I don't stop to talk to anyone. I know Vincent isn't going to be out here in the main room. Even though that's his usual style, to throw money around, trying to be a big shot, but today he doesn't want his daddy to find out he snuck out. It doesn't matter. I am going to get to Vincent one way or another. No one can hide forever.

Sergio already told me where the back rooms are. He was the one who got the tip. I'm sure he'll hand over a few grand to one of the girls here for her cooperation. I spot the door with the number two, throwing it open.

The two half-naked girls all over him have wide eyes, but they merely jump up. I step back, giving them room to get past me.

"Matteo, man." He stands. Not for long. I strike him with a blow to the kidney, causing him to fall over. He groans. "I haven't done anything," Vincent says around coughing. I grab him by the hair, pulling him back to his feet, and push him into the chair.

"Are you sure about that?" Vincent's bloodshot eyes widen, and his pupils are full-blown. I'm guessing he's done more than a few lines of coke on top of the alcohol.

"I don't think I've done anything."

"Mona." This piece of shit doesn't even deserve to hear her name.

"You can have her!" I jerk his head all the way back, pulling out my knife and pressing it to his throat. There's nothing more I want to do than slice him from ear to ear and watch him bleed out. His response shouldn't piss me off, but it does. Of course, I can have her. I wasn't asking. Never would. Especially not from some lowlife, wanna be gangster like Vincent. Still, it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that he'd so easily let her go, but she has me now. He's not worthy.

"Did you touch her?" I lean down close. "Taste her?" These are definitely not the normal questions I ask when I have somebody by the balls.

"No, I swear," he pleads. "Never even been alone with her!"

"Boss." I ignore Sergio; I know what he's asking. I believe him, but I still want to finish what I've started. It takes my phone going off before I release my hold on Vincent to pull it out. There's one alert going off. It's the one I have set for Mona and anything concerning her.

Sal sent me an alert that Emma was in my room. I grit my teeth. While I watch the footage of my little rabbit slipping out of our bedroom, Vincent keeps pleading. She says something to Sal, but he doesn't respond. Mona scrunches her nose but steps out of the room. I watch as Sal lets her go but follows her. I keep watching until they are out of sight. I need more cameras.

I suppose there isn't much he can do. I've been a dick this past week. My men have received the message to stay away from Mona unless the situation is dire.

"It's your lucky day. Mona just saved your life, Vincent."

I'll let this go for now. I have other things I need to handle. Like my little rabbit hopping around my home. I trust my men, but look at me, I've started a war over her. I never imagined I could be such a jealous bastard. Territorial, sure, but this is different.

The drive back to the estate takes forever. "You really pissed at Emma?"

"I told her to stay out of it." Emma gets away with more than anyone else ever would, but she never did anything beyond what I asked.

She gave me more of a tongue-lashing than anything. I took it. She was a mother figure to me growing up, but I told her this time is different. That Mona is different. I won't be questioned or pushed when it comes to her.

"You can't keep her locked up in your room."

"Did you forget who she is? Her little plan?" Even as I say the words, they don't sit right with me. It made sense for Aidan O'Haire to try and get me to go to war with the Rossis. He used his sister to do it, and she went right along with it. The fucked-up part is it worked.

"Matteo," he says as we pull through the gates.

"No, I don't fucking care at this point." I slam my hand down on the dashboard. "And that's the problem."

It goes to show how far gone I already am. I should care, but I don't. I'm still keeping her. She's staying with me. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make sure she's my future.

The second the SUV stops, I'm out, heading straight through the front door. I have a decent idea where she'll be. I'm almost at the entrance of the kitchen when I hear a soft giggle. I stop in my tracks and listen. Another one floats through the air, causing a mix of emotions to run through me.

I step over the kitchen threshold and see Mona at the kitchen island, preparing something with Emma. The moment Mona sees me, her smile drops. She goes utterly still.

"Rabbit."

"Cattaneo." She licks her lips.

"Matteo," I correct her, making her little nose scrunch up. When she doesn't understand something, she does it. "Leave us."

Emma is fighting a smirk. We'll talk later. That woman is lucky I love her like a mother. "Sal." I call him before he can go. "No eyes."

"Got it, boss," he says, leaving us alone.

"Ah, what are you doing here?" my little rabbit asks.

"I live here."

"Right." Mona worries her bottom lip between her teeth. "I guess I'll go back?—"

"You're not going anywhere." Her lips purse at my response.

"I know that, Cattaneo ." She practically spits out my last name. Oh, she's really pissed. That makes two of us. It doesn't matter what Mona does, I'm always hard for her. That also pisses me off. Never have I had a problem with control when it came to that area of my life.

"Don't think I won't turn you over that little stool and spank your ass, Mona." She takes a tentative step back. "Running would make it oh so much worse."

"Then do it." That chin of hers goes up again in defiance. That's all it takes. I'm on her in the blink of an eye. "Matteo!" She lets out a small scream. I lift her by her hips, sitting her on the island. Her fingers grip my shirt. My eyes drop to her mouth. I haven't kissed her since the first night she got here.

I sink my fingers into her hair, making her tilt her head back. Those damn green eyes of hers hit me fucking hard every time.

"This isn't a spanking." She goads me.

"No, it's not, Mona." I lean down slowly, showing my intention. She doesn't try to pull away; her eyes flutter closed when my lips brush hers. "Say my name again."

"Matteo." I groan at the sound of it, taking her mouth.

She slides her hands up my chest, wrapping them around my neck. My tongue strokes against hers. I push her dress up out of the way before guiding her to the edge of the counter. "Legs around me, rabbit."

Mona does as I tell her, making her pussy press up against my cock. I grip her hips and rock her to grind against me. I can feel the heat of her arousal through my pants.

"Oh," she moans.

I keep working her up and down my cock. My mouth moves down her neck. It would be so easy to slip my fingers into her panties and pull them to the side. Thrust my cock into her tight cunt. The thought alone is enough to make me come.

Mona lets out her own moans of pleasure, coming right along with me. I keep my mouth on her neck, not wanting to let her go yet.

"Is it time for you to tell me to be quiet and go to sleep?" I smile against her neck, thankful she can't see it. I don't know why. I should stop fighting it. I have lost already. I give her neck one last kiss.

"I thought maybe—" Mona's nose scrunches.

"What is this?" Pink and gold glitter is on her hands. Why the hell is she asking me? How would I know what it is? "It's on you." She brushes her hand on my shoulders, coming back with a little more but not much. "Oh." It's as though some sort of switch flips in her head.

She suddenly shoves my chest, and I only step back because of the expression on her face. "The hell?"

"You're such a jerk!" I can't deny that one. "You were with another girl, then you come here and do"—she waves her hands widely between us—"whatever this is with me." There's not only anger in her voice but hurt in her eyes. I have no idea what the fuck she is talking about.

"The fuck are you talking about?"

"I'm not stupid." She narrows her eyes on me. "I know you think I am." She shoots her shot, referencing something I said to her when I was pissed, and she hits her fucking mark. "But I grew up around men like you my entire life. I know what goes on behind closed doors," she continues.

"Mona." That one moment of anger I had is now biting me in the ass. "Calm down." How worked up she is this time is different from any other.

"Did you just tell me to calm down?" I might not be so good at this—whatever the fuck the two of us are. "You just stay away from me." She hops off the counter and tries to avoid me.

"That's not happening." I spin her back around and cage her in.

"Okay, then. Where were you before you came back here?" I notice she doesn't call it home. I don't fucking know because I'm losing my goddamn mind. "That's what I thought."

"A strip club." I realize how it sounded as soon as the words left my mouth.

"Right." I close my eyes and take a breath. "Move."

"You're driving me insane."

"Move."

"No."

Her lips part, and a pleading expression crosses her face. "Please." I step back. It's the last thing I want to do, but I think I might make this worse if I don't give her some space.

"Mona."

"It doesn't matter." Her head drops as she brushes past me. I watch her go, knowing one thing for certain. She matters more than anything and anyone else ever has.