21. Matteo

Chapter 21

Matteo

The early morning light filters through the curtains, casting a soft, golden glow over Leo’s sleeping form. I can’t help but stare at him. The way the sunlight catches his face makes him look so peaceful. It’s a nice change from the chaos of the past few days.

We share a dorm room one level up from Frankie’s. Leo likes to imagine that she is directly below us, but she isn’t. I’ve traced the shadows and checked. She’s a few rooms to the left—a fact I keep to myself, not wanting to burst his bubble.

I’ve always been up with the sun, thanks to my parents’ strict rules growing up. Being an only child, I didn’t have much choice but to fall in line. Leo, on the other hand, could sleep through an earthquake. It’s just one of the many differences between us that somehow make us fit together perfectly, like two complementary pieces in a complex puzzle.

As if sensing my thoughts, Leo stirs, his eyelids fluttering open. A slow, lazy smile spreads across his face as he focuses on me. “Morning, handsome,” he mumbles, his voice rough with sleep.

I can’t help but smile back, my expression softening. “Morning, sleepyhead. I was beginning to think you’d hibernate all day.”

Leo stretches, his lean muscles rippling under his skin in a way that makes my breath catch. The sheet covering him slips low, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of his happy trail and the morning erection straining beneath.

“Some of us need our beauty sleep, you know,” he quips, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “We can’t all wake up looking like Greek gods who’ve been strategizing all night.”

I roll my eyes, but I feel warmth spreading through my chest. I never thought I’d have this—the jokes and comfort of just being together. I can’t help but try to remember every little detail, like I’m saving them up for later.

“Your sisters would agree,” I tease, knowing how much his family means to him. “They’d say you need all the help you can get.”

Leo laughs, the sound full and rich. “Yeah, well, growing up with five sisters teaches you to have thick skin, and to always lock the bathroom door.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, making me chuckle despite myself.

As we lie here, basking in the quiet morning, I can’t help but reflect on how different our childhoods were. As the only child of strict, traditional parents, I always strove for perfection. Leo was surrounded by a boisterous family, never lacking for love or laughter. It’s weird to think about how different we are, but somehow it works. Maybe that’s why we click so well.

They accepted me easily, something I’m thankful for every day.

“What’s going on in that big brain of yours?” Leo asks, propping himself up on an elbow to look at me, his expression curious and open. “I can practically hear the gears turning.”

I hesitate for a moment, then I decide to voice my thoughts. “Just thinking about us and how we ended up here together. The improbability of it all.”

Leo’s smile fades a bit, and for a second, I can see past his usual happy-go-lucky act. “Having second thoughts?”

“Never,” I assure him, reaching out to cup his cheek. “Just… marveling at how different we are, and yet how well we fit. It’s like a perfectly balanced equation.”

He leans into my touch, his eyes never leaving mine. “Maybe that’s why we click. You’re the brain, and I’m… well, let’s just say I bring the charm,” he adds with his trademark grin that never fails to light up the room.

Yeah, we’re pretty different. My brain’s always working overtime, while Leo just goes with his gut. I’m the quiet one, and he’s the life of the party. Somehow, it just works.

“Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t both come to Shadow Locke? The alternate timelines and paths not taken?” I ask.

Leo’s brow furrows slightly, a rare moment of seriousness crossing his features. “Sometimes, but then I think about everything we’ve been through here, and everything we’ve discovered about ourselves and each other, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. It’s like it was meant to be, you know?”

I think about the night we first met and how something just clicked between us, and then I think about Frankie and the connection we both feel with her. The variables in our equation suddenly multiplied.

“And where does Frankie fit into all this?” I ask, finally giving voice to the question that’s been gnawing at me for weeks.

Leo’s eyes light up at the mention of her, his usual playful demeanor returning. “Frankie,” he says, his voice filled with affection and concern. “She’s something special, isn’t she?”

“She is,” I agree, feeling a surge of protectiveness. “But she’s been through so much. Sometimes I wonder if we’re doing the right thing by pulling her into all of this. The potential outcomes are… daunting.”

Leo sits up, his expression serious but still carrying that underlying warmth. “We’re not pulling her into anything, Matteo. She’s at the center of it all, whether we like it or not. The best we can do is be there for her and support her. Sometimes, even you have to let go of the calculations and just feel.”

I nod, knowing he’s right. “It’s just… I’ve always been taught to plan, but with Frankie and everything that’s happening, it feels like we’re flying blind. The data set is incomplete.”

Leo’s hand finds mine, his touch grounding me. “Maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Sometimes you need to trust your instincts and go with your heart. That’s how I ended up with you, after all,” he adds with a wink. “Best impulsive decision I ever made.”

I look at him, the man who’s become my partner in every sense of the word. “Is that what you did with me?” I ask, a rare moment of vulnerability seeping through my usually composed exterior. “Just… went with your heart?”

His smile is soft and full of love. “Every single day,” he says, leaning in to kiss me.

As our lips collide, a familiar warmth ignites within me, threatening to consume my entire being. The kiss intensifies, and I am in awe of how Leo can simultaneously make me feel secure and electrified. With every breath, I dissect the sensations, reveling in the plushness of his lips, savoring his taste like it’s the elixir of life, and relishing the way my heart races with every touch.

Our bodies meld together, generating an inferno of heat between us. My hands roam hungrily over Leo’s sculpted physique, tracing each ripple of muscle. In response, he emits a throaty moan that sends a jolt of desire down my spine. His fingers tangle in my hair possessively, pulling me farther into his molten embrace.

“Matteo,” Leo murmurs against my lips, his voice husky with desire. “I want you. Gods, I want you so much it hurts.”

I pull back slightly, meeting his gaze. My voice drops lower, taking on a more commanding tone. “Tell me what you need, Leo. I want to give you everything.”

Leo’s eyes darken with desire, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. “Why don’t you put that big brain of yours to work and figure it out, Mr. Mastermind?” he teases, always pushing my boundaries.

Brat.

I raise an eyebrow, accepting his challenge. “Very well. I predict that if I do this…” I trail my fingers down his body, noting each shiver and gasp. “And this…” I wrap my hand around his cock, applying precise, calculated pressure. “You’ll be begging me within two minutes.”

Leo’s breath hitches, but his grin widens. “Bold claim. Care to test that hypothesis?”

“With pleasure,” I growl, my controlled demeanor slipping as I slink down his body and devour him.

I taste the sharp tang of salt as I eagerly take him deep inside my mouth, savoring the sensation of his thick tip hitting the back of my throat. Leo’s hips arch off the bed, and I push him down, lapping at every inch of him with fervent hunger. My entire being is consumed by the taste and feel of him, and wild desire takes over as I devour him with reckless abandon.

Leo’s fingers tangle in my hair, gripping tightly as I work him with my mouth. His breathing grows ragged, interspersed with low moans that send shivers down my spine. I can feel him trembling beneath me, fighting to maintain control.

“Matteo,” he gasps, his voice strained. “Oh God, Matteo, please…”

I glance up at him, noting the flush spreading across his chest and the way his head is thrown back in ecstasy. My internal clock tells me it’s only been one minute and thirty-seven seconds. I smirk around his length, doubling my efforts.

Leo’s hips buck wildly, and I have to hold him down. “Please,” he whimpers. “I need… I need…”

“What do you need, Leo?” I ask, pulling off him with an obscene pop. “Tell me.”

“You,” he moans. “Inside me. Now. Please, Matteo, I’m begging you.”

I grin triumphantly, pressing a kiss to his inner thigh. “One minute and fifty-two seconds. I win.”

Leo lets out a breathless laugh. “You and your damn calculations,” he says, his eyes dark with desire. “Now are you going to claim your prize or what?”

I smirk, reaching for the lube in the bedside drawer. “Oh, I intend to.”

I coat my fingers generously then circle his entrance teasingly. Leo whimpers, pushing against my hand impatiently. I take my time, savoring every gasp and moan as I methodically work him open, reveling in the way he falls apart under my touch.

“Matteo,” he groans, trying to sit up. “Stop teasing. I need you now.”

With a growl, I push him onto the bed, my usually meticulous nature giving way to raw need. I calculate the perfect angle and the exact pressure needed to wring the most pleasure from Leo as I wrap my fingers around his shaft. I oblige, pumping his length in sync with the movement of my hips, grinding against him.

“Patience,” I murmur, adding a third finger and crooking them just so. Leo cries out, his back arching off the bed. “I want you ready for me.”

When I finally deem him prepared, I slick myself up and line up with his entrance. I pause there, drinking in the sight of him. He’s flushed and panting, and his pupils are blown wide with lust. “You’re beautiful.”

Leo’s eyes soften for a moment before that familiar mischievous glint returns. “And you’re a tease,” he retorts.

I push in slowly, savoring the feeling of his tightness around me. He gasps, digging his fingers into my shoulders as I inch deeper, filling him completely.

With a possessive snarl, I begin to move, thrusting in and out in a steady rhythm. Leo’s moans fill the room, spurring me on as I pick up the pace. I slam into him harder, each thrust sending shockwaves of pleasure through my body.

Our bodies move together in perfect harmony, a primal dance of lust and desire. I reach down and grab his cock, stroking it in time with my movements, feeling him swell in my hand. “God, Matteo,” Leo says. “You feel so good… It’s like you’ve got it down to a science.”

Leo’s body is a perfect canvas, each muscle defined and flexing with every thrust. I can’t get enough of him, my desire for him consuming me completely. He moans my name over and over again, urging me on as I pound into him with unbridled passion. Our bodies are slick with sweat, our breathing ragged as we approach the edge together.

I can feel the tension building within me, a coiling heat in my core threatening to explode. Leo’s body tenses beneath me, his muscles clenching around my length. I know he’s close.

I’m getting closer and closer to climax as well, the heat in my stomach spreading throughout my body. I don’t want this moment to end, so I slam back into him with an animalistic growl and lean over him, his cock pulsing against my stomach as I nip his ear.

I remain absolutely still inside him. “Imagine Frankie’s lips wrapped around your cock while I fuck her from behind, filling her with every inch of me.”

The air between us crackles with electricity. I watch Leo’s chest heave with anticipation, his cock twitching at the mere thought of Frankie joining us in bed.

Leo groans, his mind racing with the erotic images I’m painting. He reaches down to palm his erection, squeezing it as he imagines Frankie’s mouth on him.

“She’s right here, on top of you,” I murmur, my voice low and controlled, “and the two of us pumping inside her hot wet cunt.”

Leo’s moans increase, his pupils dilating with lust. “Gods, Matteo, I can see it,” he says between breaths. “I can feel her with us, between us.” Leo groans again, his mind racing with the erotic images I’m painting. “And what about you, Matteo?” he asks, his voice husky with desire. “What do you want?”

My eyes blaze with lust as I lean close to Leo’s ear. “I want to watch you fuck her,” I growl. “I want to see you lose control as you fill her with your cum.”

Leo’s cock throbs at the thought, little beads of precum spilling from his tip.

My lips crash against Leo’s, our tongues tangling together as our hands continue to explore. I feel the heat building between us, my cock aching for release.

I drag my hand up and over his body, my fingers ghosting over his throat as his ass tightens around my cock. I can feel my body coiling tighter and tighter, but I don’t want to come, not until Leo loses all control and begs me.

He will beg me. It’s a foregone conclusion, a data point I’m certain of.

I lick his neck before nipping his ear and dragging my teeth over his skin. “Imagine Frankie choosing us as her pack,” I whisper, my tone dark with desire. “Marking you, marking us both.”

Leo whimpers, his cock throbbing against my stomach. “Gods, Matteo, I—” He cries out as I bite harder, leaving a mark.

“Say it,” I growl, my control slipping.

“Yes! Yes, I want it. I want her to choose us. I want to be yours, Matteo! Always!” Leo screams, his body arching beneath me.

I can feel how close he is when I wrap my hand around the base of his cock, feeling him pulse and vibrate with need. I hold him there, on the edge, marveling at the power I have over him in this moment.

Leo reaches to his side, clenching in the sheets, his eyes blinking open as he struggles not to come, but he can’t, not with the grip I have on him.

“Matteo,” Leo moans, his eyes dark with desire. “I need… Please…”

“What do you need, Leo?” I give a little thrust, his dick bouncing in my hand. “Tell me. Be specific.”

“You. I need you to fuck me, to move inside me. I need… I need to come. Please, Matteo.”

I lean over him, my lips brushing his ear. “And Frankie? Do you want her here with us too?”

“God, yes,” Leo murmurs, a hint of a smile in his voice. “You, me, Frankie—it just feels right, you know?”

His words send a jolt through me, and I can feel my control slipping. “Then come for me, Leo,” I growl, releasing my grip on his cock and slamming into him hard and deep.

Leo cries out, his release spilling between us as his body clenches around me. The sight of him coming undone, combined with the delicious pressure around my cock, sends me over the edge. I come with a shout, pouring myself into him as waves of pleasure crash over me.

We lie together for a moment, panting and trembling in the aftermath. Leo’s fingers trace lazy patterns on my back as I slowly come back to myself.

“Holy shit,” he says beneath me, his voice filled with awe. “Fuck, I want to do that again.”

I chuckle breathlessly, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder. “I aim to please and exceed expectations.”

We clean up and settle into bed, neither of us quite ready to face the day yet. Leo curls into my side, resting his head on my chest.

“Leo,” I whisper softly, my voice trembling with emotion. “You mean everything to me. You know that, don’t you?”

He meets my gaze with unbroken love and unwavering trust. “And you mean everything to me, Matteo. You and Frankie both.”

Leo’s words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. I feel a tightness in my chest, a mixture of love and fear that threatens to overwhelm me. I’ve always prided myself on my ability to predict outcomes, but this… this is uncharted territory.

“Do you think she feels the same way?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. “About us, I mean.”

Leo’s hand finds mine, intertwining our fingers. “I think she does,” he says softly. “The way she looks at us and gravitates toward us, it’s like she’s drawn to us just as we’re drawn to her.”

I lean down, pressing my forehead against his. “We’ll take it slow and follow her lead,” I promise. “I don’t want to pressure her or mess this up.”

“Of course,” Leo agrees, his usual playful smile returning. “We have all the time in the world, and hey, if anyone can figure out how to make this work, it’s you, Mr. Mastermind.”

“We should probably get ready for class,” I say reluctantly, always the responsible one.

Leo groans dramatically, burying his face in my shoulder. “Five more minutes? I promise to make it worth your while,” he adds with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.

I chuckle, running my fingers through his hair. “Fine, five more minutes, but then we really need to get up. I don’t think Professor Blackwood would appreciate us showing up late, no matter how good our excuse is.”

“Spoilsport,” Leo mumbles, but there’s no heat in his words. He snuggles closer, his hand clenching my hip.

“Leo,” I warn, my eyes closed.

“Five more minutes, Matteo.” He nips my skin as his hand closes over me.

I’m going to want more than five…