Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

BELLA

M om has her hand on one of mine. Emily's is on the other, and both hold me with warmth and support. There's a small voice whispering in me to text Matt, to tell him I want to see him, but I have to be strong for Mom. After I told her what happened, she freaked big time. Maybe I should be freaking, too. Perhaps I am, deep down, but it hasn't hit me yet.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can get you?" Mom says.

"I'm fine," I murmur. "Honestly. I don't think you need to take time off or anything."

"You don't think I need to take time off ?" Mom says in disbelief. "You were mugged …"

"I wasn't mugged."

"Attacked, threatened … I knew that man was bad news."

Mom still doesn't know what I told the police. Neither does Emily. As far as they're concerned, the police know everything I do. They know that the wannabe tough guy mentioned Matt. They don't realize I covered for him.

Mom flinches when there's a loud knock on the door. "What is this now ?" she groans.

"I'll get it," I say on instinct, making to stand up.

"You will not ."

Mom rushes to the door, her loud footsteps telling me that whoever this is might regret interrupting us. "Uh, hello …"

I turn, my breath catching, when I see Matt standing there looking like a demon straight out of hell. His shirt is crumpled, and his whole body is heaving in time with his breath. I've never seen somebody look so wild before—so ready for blood.

"I'm sorry, Mrs Rossi," he says, "but I have to come in."

"You're Matt, yes?" When he nods, she snaps, "Then you have no business?—"

"Mom!" I walk over to them, trying to keep my voice steady and not let all the emotion from last night wash over me. Be strong . Folding my arms, I look at Matt. "I told you?—"

"The situation has changed," he cuts in. "They know where you live."

"Who's they ?" Mom hisses.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I really am. I wish I could treat you with the respect you deserve, but you have to come with me now. All of you. We'll have time for answers after."

Mom turns to me with her mouth hanging open. After a pause, she hisses, "Can we believe anything this man says? We have to call the police."

Matt takes a small step into the room, his hands hanging at his sides like he's ready to use them. There's something different about him. It's not just that his hands are scraped up from apparent violence. It's not just the fire in his eyes. His whole aura has changed like he's an instrument out of tune.

"Please don't do that," he says darkly.

"Or what? You'll stop us by force? Is that it?"

"All I want is to keep you all safe," he says in the most emotional voice I've ever heard from him yet—husky and genuine. It draws me closer.

"Safe from what?" I ask curiously.

Mom begins to move in front of me as if she's going to block me.

"There's a man tied up in the alleyway outside. He had a gun. He was going to kill me."

"A gun?" Mom gasps. "Where is it now?"

Matt taps his pocket.

"Oh, God, who are you?" Mom groans.

"Please." Matt is looking at me now, looking deeply like he did last night, as if nothing and nobody else exists or matters. "Just trust me. If I wanted to hurt any of you, I could do it right now. Nothing is stopping me, but believe me when I say that I'd die before I did that."

"You just expect us to trust you?" Mom protests.

He turns to Mom. "I know I'm asking a lot, ma'am. I wish I didn't have to."

"We can't just go with him," Mom says, glaring at me. Maybe she can tell I'm coming around to the idea.

"I think we should," I say quietly.

Mom throws her hands up. "What?!"

"Mom, clearly, Matt is involved with some bad people, but they know where we live. If we stay here, we won't be safe. If we go with him, we will be."

"You don't know him."

I lick my lips, knowing this is going to sound crazy. "I may not know him, but I trust him."

As nuts as that statement is, and I know it's beyond nuts, it's also the truth.

"What if we refuse?" Mom snaps.

Darkness cloaks every inch of Matt. He sighs and walks deeper into the apartment, causing Mom to back away, almost like he's some wild animal, and she's afraid to get too close.

"I'm sorry. I really am, but if you don't come willingly, I'll be forced to take you. Three dead women … I refuse to have that on my conscience."

"Dead," Mom repeats, shuddering.

"These are bad, bad people," Matt says. "The lowest of the low. You'll be lucky if all they do is try to take your lives." Matt stares at me, eyes intense, as if imagining all the evil things that might happen. "You'll wish that's what the sick fucks did if they get their hands on you. Just kill you. I don't want to scare any of you, but I have to. It's the only way. I'll give you a couple of minutes to make your decision. It's the most I can offer."

Mom quickly walks over to me, taking both my hands in hers. "You can't seriously be considering this?"

"What other choice do we have?" I hiss.

"We should call the police."

"They won't get here for an hour. Even if they did, what would we tell them? They already know about the guy who threatened me. If Matt says we're safer with him, I believe it."

"But why ?"

The question is absurdly complicated to answer, at least in a way that would be reasonable to Mom. She's going to think I've let my common sense slip if I say, "I feel close to this man. I feel like he wants the best for us." She'll remind me he's a virtual stranger, and she won't be wrong.

"Because he's right, Mom. If he wanted to hurt us, he could do it anytime he wanted. He has the money to pay people. Or he could do it himself."

That's not the real reason, though. Honesty would say, "Because I have a feeling …"

Nuts, nuts, nuts.

"Do you trust me, Mom?"

"This isn't about that."

"Please, just answer me."

"Of course ," she snaps, "but it's not fair to ask me that. It's not fair to make it about me and you. The fact is, you're a young woman who doesn't even know who this man is. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I agreed to this and something happened to you."

The passion of her words slams into me, making it difficult to think of a response. I look over at Matt. When he sees I need help, his expression softens slightly, but not a lot. Maybe the other two wouldn't even notice it, but I do.

Stepping forward, he says, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the only way something will happen is if she stays here."

"Mom." I take her hands. "You trusted me to work two jobs to help you with college. As a kid, you trusted me to run to the corner store alone, even when we both knew I shouldn't have. Please, trust me now. Please ."

"Samantha," Emily says, walking up beside me.

Mom looks at my bestie, her eyebrows raised. "You too?"

"I've never known Bella to misjudge somebody this badly. I stand by her if she thinks this is for the best."

I look at my friend, her pink hair tied up in a messy bun, her features focused and full of emotion. Her button nose scrunches in a gesture only a longtime friend could read. I got you …

Mom runs a hand through her hair, sighing in a world-weary way. "I'm not going to win here, am I?"

Matt steps forward. "I'm sorry, but we haven't got any more time. They could roll up at any moment."

"Do we have time to pack our things, at least?"

"I'll send somebody for them," Matt says, gesturing at the door. "Please …"

I almost take his hand. It feels like far too much time has passed since last night night. We've gone from a secretive, exciting romance to … something else— something more profound. Be careful . I need to make sure I don't let myself get carried away.

He's protecting me. We kissed. We got hot and heavy. Okay, but that doesn't mean that this is anything more than him doing what he does best—playing the Good Samaritan.