11.

M ATTEO

With our hands joined, I led her out of the private room toward the hall that only high rollers who were welcomed guests in the five-star wing used along with residents who made their home here like I did. Some guests lived here year-round and others used their suite only occasionally. My brother and I kept a handful set aside for our friends and family to use when they were in Las Vegas.

I couldn’t seem to keep my hands off Bella as Salvatore, Rocco, and I escorted the women upstairs. Of course, I hoped that Bella would be sleeping with me in my suite, but I had reserved a room for her along with a separate one for her friend just in case she wasn’t comfortable with that idea just yet.

However, it was still early in the afternoon, so I had plenty of time to convince her.

When we arrived on the floor where the suites that I had requested be prepared for the ladies, one of the permanent residents who lived on the floor was waiting for the elevator. He greeted me with a nod, but I saw his eyes widen when he spotted Bella’s friend Cydney.

“Teddy!” Cydney said cheerfully. “I haven’t seen you in ages! How have you been?”

“Cydney, darling,” the man said as he reached for her extended hand. He held it in his for a second before he bent at the waist and kissed her knuckles. “It’s always a pleasure to see you. It has been too long.”

“Bella, Matteo, this is a business associate of mine, Mr. Teddy Haynes,” Cydney explained. Bella let go of my hand to shake his, and I managed to do the same while I thanked God for my practiced poker face. I took Bella’s hand again as I listened to Teddy and Cydney talk about mutual friends for a short time and wondered just exactly how anyone in Bella’s close circle had become associated with a man like Teddy.

But then again, there would be plenty of people who wondered how a woman from a small town in Texas got together with a mafia boss from New York, so I had no room to judge.

Finally, Teddy reached out and pushed the button to open the elevator door and said his goodbyes to Cydney and Bella before nodding at me. Once the doors shut, Bella voiced the question I’d been trying to figure out how to form by asking, “How do you know him?”

“He and his business partner have known my grandmother for years.” I was able to mask my gasp at that information with a cough and saw Cydney wink at me as Bella looked at my face with concern. The little devil knew the same information I did, she just wasn’t sharing it with Bella. However, I had to wonder just exactly what kind of woman her grandmother might be since she was affiliated with a high-class madam - my father’s friend Maylee and her partner, Teddy.

She haltingly explained, “My grandmother started a clothing line for exotic dancers and . . . other clientele. Teddy and his business partner also have a lingerie line.”

“He seems like a very nice man,” Bella said as she looked over at her friend with a smile. “Is his business partner his partner in everything or is there room for you to . . .”

Cydney laughed before she said, “Teddy and I have the same taste in men.”

“Maylee is friends with my stepmom,” I told Cydney. “And her husband is very close friends with my father.”

“What a small world,” Cydney said with a mysterious smile. “I’m glad to hear that that is how you know Teddy.”

I burst out laughing and said, “I’ve never used his services if that’s what you mean.”

“Services?” Bella asked. Her brow furrowed as she said, “He designs lingerie.”

“That’s just his side hustle. His day-to-day business is running a very high-end escort service,” I told her with a smile.

Bella’s brow wrinkled in confusion as she asked, “High-end?”

“I’ve never hired one of his companions, but I hear the going rate is about a thousand dollars an hour or even more, depending on what you want.”

“We’re in the wrong profession!” Bella said in shock.

Cydney and I started laughing, and she said, “He’s an awesome guy. I love chatting with him.”

“Wow. I guess I never . . . That’s legal in Vegas, right?” Bella asked.

I winced and said, “To an extent, I suppose.”

“Admit it, Matteo. For a minute there, you thought I might be a call girl,” Cydney teased.

“I never admit to anything until I’ve spoken to my lawyer,” I quipped.

Cydney and Bella burst out laughing before Cydney asked, “How did you find a Texas King that’s from New York?”

“What are the odds?” Bella asked through her laughter.

I wasn’t fond of being the brunt of a joke so I asked, “What am I missing?”

“Cydney’s dad belongs to the Texas Kings MC. Let’s just say that they’re really good at keeping secrets and they’ve kept Marcus Hamilton, their lawyer, busy for years and years,” Bella explained.

“A good lawyer is important in all sorts of lifestyles,” I quipped as I started walking toward their suites. Cydney was behind us, but Bella walked at my side with her hand clasped in mine as I said, “I’ve reserved separate accommodations for both of you. They’re a couple of our one-bedroom suites as I thought that would be plenty of space for you since this is such a short visit.”

“You booked me . . . us rooms?” Bella asked.

I looked down at her and said, “I was hoping you might want to stay with me, but I had a room prepared for you in case that made you uncomfortable.”

“He’s racking up points right and left,” Cydney mumbled. When I looked over my shoulder, I found her smiling, and I smiled back when she winked.

“I’d like to stay with you,” Bella said firmly. She was a little more hesitant when she said, “If that’s okay with you.”

“That’s what I was hoping for.”

“Do you think they’ll give you a refund?”

“For what?” I asked.

“The room. I can only imagine how much it must have cost.”

“These are two of the rooms we keep available for friends and family,” I explained.

“You and your brother . . . Hold on . . .”

“We own the hotel, Twang.”

“Holy shit,” Bella whispered in shock.

“We also own one called The Castello in Manhattan.”

“That’s the one Bernadette talked about.”

“You talked to Bernadette about New York?” I asked as I stopped in front of the suite I had originally picked out for Bella, but since she’d be staying with me, I thought it would be nice to let Cydney stay there instead. I scanned the badge I kept in a small sewn-in pocket of my suit coat, and the lock clicked. When I pushed open the door, both women gasped.

Bella let go of my hand and rushed into the suite with Cydney close behind her. They hurried across the room to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling window that looked out over the strip. They started pointing excitedly as they saw landmarks they recognized, and I looked around to make sure that everything was as it should be as Rocco came in behind me with their bags.

While the women chatted about places they wanted to visit and explore, I told Rocco, “You’ll stay with Cydney while she’s here.”

He nodded and then asked, “Any restrictions?”

I looked over at the women and thought there were probably many things left to learn about Bella’s friend before I shook my head. “She’s a grown woman. Just make sure she stays safe. It might be best if she doesn’t realize you’re guarding her.”

Rocco laughed before he said, “She seems pretty on top of things. I’m not sure how she’ll miss me.”

“Show her the sights. Take her wherever she wants to go.” When Rocco raised his brows in question, I shrugged and said, “She can take care of herself and make her own decisions. I just want her to be safe while she does that.”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

Bella left Cydney at the window, her phone held aloft as she took a video of the view, and walked toward me. With a sassy grin, she asked, “Where will I be staying?”

“With me in the penthouse.”

“I can’t wait to see the view.”

She understood my smile when I said, “I can’t wait to show you.”

◆◆◆

BELLA

It felt good to hold Matteo’s hand. I’d wondered if we’d have a connection when we finally saw each other again after weeks of talking on the phone. I worried that our meeting would be awkward, but he blew that notion away with that kiss.

The kiss that sent electricity all the way down to my toes and then straight back up to pool between my legs, leaving me so turned on in a room full of people that I couldn’t help but wonder how they weren’t affected by the heat Matteo and I were putting off.

Before we left her room - no, her suite that included a kitchen, dining area, a lush bedroom, and a master bath with a tub big enough to swim in, I told Cydney that I’d be back soon to meet up with her so we could go sightseeing. She’d waved me away and assured me that she had no interest in seeing anything other than the cabana by the pool and maybe a few slot machines. When I argued with her, she scoffed and asked, “Why are you still here, and why isn’t he naked yet?” Matteo laughed, but when I looked at him, I realized Cydney was right.

I wanted him alone and naked with his hands and mouth exploring my body just like he’d promised would happen on our video call last night, and if I had to go sightseeing with my friend, that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.

“With so many people downstairs, I would have thought the hallways would be much busier,” I said as I looked from one side to the other and then at Matteo who was staring at me.

“This is a private tower.”

“But that man . . . Teddy . . .”

“By private, I mean that some people live here permanently and others have homes here that they only visit on occasion.”

“Like an apartment complex?”

“No, like condominiums for the very wealthy.”

“I guess since you own the place, you get to live in this tower,” I mused as the elevator doors opened. As Salvatore swept past me into the elevator and then turned to hold the doors open for us, I looked back toward the suite where I’d left Cydney. Rocco was standing outside the door, so I tugged on Matteo’s hand and said, “Shouldn’t we wait for him?”

“He’ll be staying with Cydney while you’re here.”

“He will?Why?”

“Because Vegas isn’t the safest place for a beautiful woman alone, especially if someone happens to find out that she’s my personal guest. Consider him her personal tour guide.”

“First of all, Cydney is more than capable of taking care of herself,” I said as I let him pull me into the elevator. As Salvatore scanned a card across the screen, I looked at Matteo and smiled. “However, I think it’s sweet that you’re looking out for her safety and I’ll feel better knowing that she’s not alone.“

The more I thought about it, the more concerned I became when I considered what he’d just said. As the elevator accelerated farther up the building, I realized that Matteo thought Cydney might be in danger just because of her connection to him. What did that mean for me? If I was part of his world, which wasn’t a conversation I was ready to have quite yet, would I be in danger too? What about my family? Could my connection to him draw the wrong kind of attention to them? Would they be unsafe because of me?

As the doors slid open, I noticed Matteo watching me. He put his hand on the small of my back so we could follow Salvatore out. There was another man standing across the hall, and he smiled cordially as Matteo introduced him as Gabe, yet another guard.

Gabe opened the door, and I followed Matteo inside. While I stood rooted in the entryway trying to take in my surroundings, I heard the door close behind me. As I stood stockstill, I heard Matteo chuckle as he walked up to stand beside me.

“Do you want a tour, or are we just going to stand here for a while?”

“I just . . . It’s nothing like I expected. It’s like a home.”

“It is my home when I’m here. I have another suite that I use when I’m entertaining business associates for the occasional informal meeting, but nobody sees this place but family.”

“It looks so comfortable.” I walked into the sunken living area that led toward a balcony that I knew would look out over the Strip. There was a sectional couch that looked as puffy and soft as a cloud and a recliner that seemed like the perfect place to take a nap or watch your favorite television show.

The only indication of the wealth that Matteo must hold was the size of the television on the wall and the extravagant view.

“You’re nothing like I have ever imagined someone so . . .”

“Stunningly handsome and full of personality?” Matteo asked after my voice trailed off.

“I was going to say loaded, but the other two descriptions work as well.”

Matteo started laughing and casually pulled me into his arms. He hugged me close and I relaxed against him, enjoying his warmth as I took a deep breath and let his unique scent envelop me.

“I’m glad that the amount of money I have and the position I hold doesn’t impress you, Twang.”

“Can I be honest with you for a minute?”

“Not just a minute. Always.”

“Your money scares me worse than your . . . job.” I burst out laughing and said, “I don’t even know what you really do! You own two hotels and . . .”

“Actually we own this hotel. The one in New York is a shared property with the other three families. It’s a neutral location where we can focus on our partnership without having to worry about physical and imaginary boundaries that separate our parts of the city.”

“That sounds like a very pretty way to say that y’all can’t have a gang war in your hotel.”

Matteo laughed again before he leaned back so he could look down at me. “Are we going to stand here and talk about my finances, or are we going to enjoy your limited amount of time here in Vegas?”

“Is this a booty call?”

“I don’t know. Is it? You’re the one who traveled to see me, so I guess that’s up to you.”

“That’s not the only reason I came to see you.”

“But that’s part of it, right?”

“Yes.”

“If I don’t get my mouth on you soon, I’m gonna combust, Twang. But if you’re not ready for that and need some reassurance that what’s between us is more than just sex . . .”

“It is more. I want it to be more. I want . . . I want . . .”

Matteo leaned down and kissed me to stop my stammering and then murmured against my lips, “What do you want, Bella?”

“Everything.”

Suddenly, my back was against the door and Matteo’s mouth was on mine again. I felt his hands on my hips before they slowly slid up my ribs, exposing my skin to the cool air. He leaned back just long enough to pull my shirt over my head so he could toss it aside and then unhooked my bra by the front clasp.

“Let it fall,” Matteo ordered as he pulled me away from the door. I let my bra fall to the floor and then my back was against the cold wood again as Matteo hit his knees in front of me. He pulled my leggings down slowly, uncovering my skin inch by inch as if he were opening a long-awaited gift, until they were around my ankles. He lifted my right leg and pulled off the shoe and sock before he took the leggings all the way off and then did the same thing on the other side, leaving me naked in front of him. I watched his face as his eyes roved over my naked body and felt like I was on top of the world when he said, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Thank you,” I whispered uncomfortably. When Matteo smiled up at me, I said, “You’re still dressed.”

“And I’ll stay that way, at least halfway, because once my pants come off, I won’t be able to resist pushing inside you and staying there for days.”

“We’ve only got one day,” I reminded him.

“No, Twang,” Matteo said as he ran his hands up the outside of my thighs and then back down to my knees. “We’re on a time limit, but what I’m feeling for you right now will take years to explore.”

Feeling a little sassy, I said, “Then you should start.”

Matteo smiled wickedly before he pulled one of my legs up with his hand on the back of my knee. Before I realized what he had planned, it was over his shoulder and I could feel his breath on my pussy. He was whispering something I didn’t understand, and I realized it must be Italian, which sounded beautiful even though I wasn’t sure what he was saying.

Time stood still as he slowly used his thumbs to gently expose my clit and then leaned forward to press his tongue against it. When he pulled it between his lips and hummed, I let out a frustrated yelp because I wanted more. My hands in his hair tried to force him closer in the hopes that he’d not just continue, but use his hands and fingers. When I heard his soft chuckle and felt his breath against my thigh, I knew he was toying with me on purpose.

I decided that I wouldn’t complain about him teasing me, vowing to get him back in much the same way as soon as I could - however, I needed to feel more now. Right now.

“You’re going to pay for this, Matteo,” I threatened. He laughed again and finally slipped one finger inside me, when he pushed two in at the same time it was almost enough to give me some relief, or at least I thought it was until he held them perfectly still. Without any conscious thought, I started moving my hips, fucking myself on his mouth and hand to find that sweet spot that would give me the orgasm I craved.

I worked my body until I felt the first flutters deep inside, my main focus on finding release, until Matteo burst into action and took over. He furiously licked at my clit as he fucked me with his fingers, rubbing against a spot inside me that I’d only ever read about.

Obviously, it did, in fact, exist, and when Matteo pushed his hand against my lower belly at the same time he rubbed deep inside me, I exploded, writhing against his mouth as I held onto his dark hair as if it were the only thing tethering me to the earth. I was still coming when Matteo jerked his fingers out of my body and leaned back, but I didn’t have enough time to complain before he yanked me down to straddle him.

I didn’t have time to wonder how he’d managed to free his cock before he was pushing into me as gravity pulled me down. The stretch was almost painful, but somehow, it just added to the orgasm that was still pulsing inside me. When he started thrusting up, I screamed again.

With my shoulders braced against the door and my hips in his grasp, Matteo moved me up and down as he thrust his hips, almost pulling completely out before he slammed deep again. One orgasm flowed into another, and my moans mingled with his grunts and groans until I felt his cock twitch deep inside me. He kept thrusting, riding out my orgasm and his own, until his pace finally slowed down and he let his head fall forward to rest on my chest as he tried to catch his breath.

As I basked in the afterglow of such a glorious release, I ran my hands through his hair and down over his shoulders, back and forth as much for his pleasure as mine. His softening cock was still inside me, and I squeezed my muscles to clutch at it, causing Matteo to let out a loud moan before it twitched again, releasing more of his seed deep inside me.

“As much as I love that you can’t . . .” I pulsed my muscles again, and Matteo gasped. “Not again, Twang. You’ve gotta give me a minute to recover, and I can’t do that when my body is trying its hardest to get my cock hard enough to fuck you again.”

“Would that be a bad thing?” I asked, not caring about the mess we must have already made.

“I tried like hell not to think about being inside you so I could make sure you were ready before I . . .”

“Oh, I was ready,” I interrupted.

“However, fucking you against the door when we haven’t even gone five steps into my house never even crossed my mind.”

“It crossed my mind the second we were alone,” I admitted.

“Okay, maybe it did, but I thought I’d do the whole romantic lay you down in bed and worship you thing before I fucked you senseless.”

“I’m down for that.”

“And now that we’re all messy and sated, I want to be that gallant gentleman and carry you into the bathroom so I can tend to you while we shower and then take you to bed.”

“That sounds fantastic.”

“There’s just one thing stopping me from doing exactly that.”

“What’s the problem?”

“My feet are asleep, and I can barely feel my legs.” When I burst out laughing, Matteo lifted his head and grinned. As he pulled me closer, letting all of my weight rest on him, he said, “But I have a better idea.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

He didn’t have to use words to explain because in the next second, he spun around and laid me on the floor beneath him before he lifted my legs up in a wide V and thrust deeper inside me, his cock no longer soft in any way - it was hard and eager again, and I enjoyed every single inch of it.