Page 48 of Cavaliere

“Just get in the fucking car.”

Wren rolls her eyes as she slides into the car.

“You never told me where we are going,” Wren mumbles as I pull out of the driveway and head toward downtown.

“Bella Vita,” I answer. Wren doesn’t say anything, causing me to glance over. She’s picking at her nails, and her posture looks extremely tense. “What’s wrong?”

Wren opens and closes her mouth before she finally answers, “Bella Vita is really nice.”

“Yeah…” I trail off. I kind of thought she would have realized we were going somewhere nice based on the gown I left. “What’s wrong?”

Wren lets out a long sigh as she turns and looks out the window at the city passing by, refusing to look at me.

“Wren?” I ask as I place my hand on top of her thigh reassuringly. Maybe this date idea is too soon.

“I… it’s stupid.” She shakes her head.

“Now I want to know even more, but I promise you that it’s not stupid.”

She doesn’t say anything for a long moment. “People like me don’t go to places like that. I don’t want to embarrass you.”

My stone-cold heart shatters a little bit at her admission. How can she think she would ever embarrass me? Looking like how she looks right now?

“Stop. If I ever hear you call yourself an embarrassment again, I’m going to paddle that sweet ass. You belong wherever I am.” I give her thigh a light squeeze, making her turn to look at me for the first time since we got in the car. Wren gives me a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “This is our first date, tesoro. Do I need to fuck you over the hood of my car to bring that fire back into your eyes? Your tight cunt sucks me in so good.”

“Matteo!” Wren hisses out. I smirk as I watch her thighs rub together ever so slightly, trying to ease the ache that’s building.

“That’s an ache only I can ease, baby.” I wink at her.

“Are you really going to do this before we go into a 5-star restaurant?” Wren glares.

“I like my desserts moist, tesoro.”

“I hate you.” Wren glares as I bust out laughing.

“No, you don’t,” I say with a laugh. “I bet if I slipped my hand up that pretty dress, I would find your pretty little cunt soaked.”

“We are not starting this now.” Wren’s cheeks are on fire, but that spark is back in her eyes.

“Stay put,” I tell her before opening my car door and handing my key to the valet; rounding the front of the car, I motion the other attendant back. If anyone is opening my girl's car door, it’s going to be me. Not some twig motherfucker that can’t fill out a suit to save his life.

All eyes are on her as she emerges from the car, looking like every man's wet dream. And she’s mine.

“Have a lovely evening, miss,” Twiggy says as I lead Wren away, begging for any sort of acknowledgment from her, but he’s left empty-handed because her gaze is on me. I don’t even think she heard him from the intensity of her stare. I have to clear my throat to contain the rumble of satisfaction that’s itching to come out.

My hand is resting on her lower back, just above the ass I haven’t stopped thinking about for weeks, as I catch Aldo’s eyes across the room.

“You are so fucked,” he mouths at me before laughing at the glare I sent him.

“This place is gorgeous, Matteo. Delaney and I always said when we landed sugar daddies, the first thing we would splurge on was a girl’s night out here,” Wren says after we’re settled in at our table. I requested one in the back corner that’s more intimate and not in the middle of others.

“A sugar daddy, huh? I’ve never been called that before, but I kind of like it.” I laugh.

“That’s not what I meant,” Wren rushes out, eyes wide. “I don’t think either of us would actually get one. It was just kind of a joke. Unless, you know, it was one where he just wanted someone to talk to and paid for the companionship.” She’s rambling now.

“Relax,” I cut in. “I wouldn’t care if you had one. You just can’t have one now.” I know she wouldn’t want it on her conscience that a man got killed because of her.

Wren narrows her eyes as her mouth starts to open. Just as she’s about to snap at me, the waiter arrives.