When I got home, I thought I’d take a shower, collapse onto the bed, and fall straight to sleep.
And what actually happened?
I’m lying on the already rumpled bedspread with my hands tied, and my heart is still pounding as if it’s desperate to smash through my ribs and tear itself out of my chest.
“Maybe you could untie me?” I stared at the ceiling, trying to avoid looking in Matteo’s direction at all.
If only I never had to see him again.
“No.” “Why did you tie me up in the first place?” With that question, I closed my eyes completely and let out a noisy breath.
But because of the tension I couldn’t control at all, even that was difficult.
“I already told you.
I like you better this way.” “Do you have a fetish for tied-up girls?” A chill ran down my spine.
I tried to push it away, but the thought of whatever other demons lived in this bastard’s head made it genuinely terrifying.
“Never noticed anything like that before,” he said, completely indifferent.
“Oh, so I’ve already become special to you.
How sweet,” I couldn’t hold back the sarcasm, then immediately bit my tongue.
Damn it—I needed to be more careful with the crazy guy who’d tied me up.
Silence settled over the room, and I finally risked a quick glance at Matteo.
He was still sitting in the armchair, reading something on his phone, looking as if he’d completely forgotten I existed.
Or as if my existence didn’t particularly concern him.
I exhaled noisily, shifted a little, then looked back at the ceiling.
“Could you please tell your father that I’m completely worthless garbage?” Biting hard on my lower lip, I carefully edged a bit higher and rested my head on the pillow.
“Have him check everything again.
I’m sure he’ll realize there’s no point in you being near me.” “I see you have a high opinion of yourself,” it seemed Matteo had finally looked up from his phone and was watching me.
“What I think of myself is my own business.
I’m saying you shouldn’t be near me.
There’s no benefit in it.” “There is, Diana.” I heard a soft thud.
Apparently Matteo had set his phone on the coffee table.
Sensing that he’d stood up from the chair, I tensed in advance.
And when he walked over to the bed so that he was now towering above me, my throat closed up completely.
I still couldn’t get used to how enormous he was.
Like a dark, terrifying cliff.
“And what is it, then?” I forced myself to push the question out.
Our eyes met, and I felt the air in the room grow so heavy it started pressing down on me.
I was seriously starting to feel uneasy.
When no answer came, I bit hard on the tip of my tongue again.
Then, nervously, I said: “You told me yourself to ask questions and that maybe you’d answer them.
Because I understand you less and less.” Without looking away from my eyes with that dark, impenetrable stare, Matteo slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants.
Once again I felt as if a wall had risen between us.
“There’s one person who cares about you a great deal.
And if he finds out you’re under me, it’s going to hurt him like hell,” Matteo lowered his gaze to my neck, then lifted it to the messy strands that had fallen across my face.
“My father happens to want to hurt that person as badly as possible.” Only then did I realize I’d stopped blinking.
My eyes began to burn.
“Oh God… if your father thinks I’m precious to Don De Rosa or to my own father—” “No.
It’s not about them.” “Then who?” Emotions surged hard inside me, but this time I got no answer.
“Tell your father there’s no such person.
There isn’t.
Do you understand?
You’re just wasting time, and you’re… you’re…” I stumbled, not knowing how to say the next words carefully enough not to anger him.
“I’ve answered enough of your questions.
The rest doesn’t concern you.” Taking one hand out of his pocket, Matteo gripped my cheeks with his fingers.
Roughly.
Forcing me to look into his eyes.
“You have only one duty—to be my girlfriend for a while.
Pretend that you want me so badly it drives you crazy, and that you’re madly in love.” I swallowed hard, trying to pull away, but he only tightened his grip until I let out a pained sound.
“If you’re a good girl and do everything that’s required, later you’ll be able to ask me for almost anything you want,” Matteo leaned in, and I felt his hot breath against my cheek.
“You will be my good girl, won’t you, Diana?” “I don’t need anything,” it was dangerous, but I couldn’t stay silent, and I threw the words full of rejection straight in his face.
“Are you sure?
What about the chance to leave this house and get out from under Antonio De Rosa’s guardianship?
I can give you freedom—so you can go wherever you want.” I wanted to laugh.
Some poor, clearly unhinged guy was offering me something that was obviously impossible.
But I didn’t dare.
Matteo’s words had hit a raw, bleeding place, yet goddamn it, I was far too afraid of him to allow myself even a condescending smile.