Page 56 of Cavaliere

I arch my eyebrow as I take in his tense posture. A sly smile slowly creeps onto my face. Matteo looks like a big fucking button that I would just love to push. “I’ll tip you triple whatever he would if you use my card.” Turning to the cashier, I plaster a fake smile on my face as I hold out my credit card. Would Matteo probably tip an insane amount? Yes. Will this little stunt probably max out my measly thousand-dollar limit? Also, yes.

A feral growl releases from Matteo, making the cashier jump, her wide eyes darting between him and me.

Poor girl.

“Ignore him. He doesn't know how to act when he doesn’t get his way,” I say in the sweetest voice I can muster as I extend my arm out even further.

“Oh. Okay.” The girl, who looks like she’s barely eighteen, whispers as she takes my card with a shaky hand. “It’ll be right up.”

“Thank you so much,” I say as I step aside to wait. Matteo follows immediately. “I think you scared her. Was the growl really necessary?”

Matteo’s right eye is twitching violently, and his jaw remains locked as he says nothing.

If I were a better person, pissing Matteo off like this wouldn’t bring me so much happiness. I don’t know what it is, but I just love testing the limits with him. Maybe it’s because I know I’m probably the only one in his world who can get away with it.

And what a fucking rush that is.

Another minute passes with me sneaking glances at Matteo to see if his body language changes before my order is called out, but it doesn’t. I stay silent as I grab my drink and strut out of there, not bothering to wait to see if he follows.

Fuck the cab.

I’d have to wait around, and waiting around means dealing with Matteo. I’d rather stab my eyeball with this fucking paper straw before I have to listen to him tell me that I need a man on me at all times again.

With my matcha latte in one hand and pepper spray in the other, I start walking in the direction of my apartment.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” Matteo hisses as he grips my upper arm, stopping me in my tracks.

I try to shake him off, but he doesn’t budge.

“Let go of me,” I say, surprising myself with how calm I sound because inside, I’m seething.

“No.” Matteo starts dragging me down the sidewalk in the opposite direction. People walking by immediately look away when we make eye contact, trying to make it not obvious that they’re watching this scene play out. Of course, no one actually has the balls to step up and stop the great Matteo Adduci from kidnapping me.

Matteo abruptly stops, making me crash into him. The locks beep on his Bentley before he rips open the door. “Get in the fucking car.”

“No,” I snap, trying to pull back.

“Don’t make me say it again, Wren.”

We’re both glaring at each other as both of our chests rise and fall rapidly in anger.

“Fine,” I agree, taking a step toward the car. Matteo steps back enough for me to slide in as he releases my arm. Without a second thought, I drop my drink, the liquid splashing at my feet before I take off running down the sidewalk.

“God fucking damnit!” Matteo curses as I hear the passenger door slam shut.

I’m sprinting like my life depends on it, weaving in and out of people, trying to get as far away from him as possible. I’m running on pure adrenaline and rage. Rage because I’m so sick of being manhandled and told what to do. Adrenaline because having Matteo chase after me makes me feel like a predator is chasing its prey. Only this chase will end with his face buried in my pussy.

Too soon, I hear the faint sound of heavy footsteps pounding after me. The sound is only pushing me to go faster. It’s been so long since I’ve gotten a decent run in, that I welcome the burn in my thighs that comes with the speed.

I’m not sure how long I’ve been running, but with a quick scan over my shoulder, I no longer see Matteo. Deciding it’s safe to stop, I slow down into a walk as I try to catch my breath.

Holy hell, I feel out of shape.

I never thought that slowly seeing the rundown shops and businesses the closer I got to my place would be comforting, but it is. As nice as it has been escaping reality at Matteo’s, I still feel out of place.

Just as I round the corner of another block a pair of thick, muscular arms wrap around me from behind. A scream rips from my throat as I start thrashing, the can of pepper spray forgotten about as it falls to the ground.

“Scream all you want, Wren.” Matteo's humorless laugh bounces off the buildings as he throws me kicking and screaming over his shoulder. “No one is going to help you. No one is going to come for you. Do you want to know why?” I pause at his rhetorical question, silently debating if I want to be an even bigger bitch and answer, but he beats me to it. “Because you’re fucking mine.”