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CHAPTER 11
Adelina
Ieventually cry myself to sleep, and the next morning, I wake with a pounding headache. I’m still in the torn shards of my wedding dress and lingerie. I still can’t believe that last night happened. I got married, was brought to a biker clubhouse, assaulted by my husband’s men, and finally comforted by the man I hate.
I reached out to Matteo in my moment of need. He protected me from his men. But he’s also the reason I was in that position in the first place. And on top of that, seeing his face covered in another woman's lipstick makes me feel defeated. I told him to seek comfort elsewhere, but now, I’m not so sure if I like that idea. I needed him last night, and while I was being assaulted, he was having sex with another woman—Emma, to be exact.
Once I wake up, I have no clue what to do. Matteo left me alone last night. There’s no way I’m going out into that clubhouse alone after what happened. And it happened on my wedding day, rubbing salt into the wound even more.
I can’t sit here all day, though. I stand up, my body stiff, and wrap the sheet around myself. No one is going to see my half-naked body again. I was humiliated last night.
I unlock the door and peek out. No one is in the hallway. But when I try to push the door open, it gets stuck. I look down and what I see fills me with complicated emotions.
Matteo is lying on the ground, asleep, right against the door. Was he there all night, guarding me? The thought warms my heart, even though I’m still pissed at him for putting me in this position in the first place.
I bend down and tap his shoulder. He jerks awake, throwing his fists up like he’s about to fight somebody. “It’s just me,” I say.
He turns around to face me. “Adelina.”
“Were you here all night?”
He nods. “I wanted to make sure no one else bothered you.”
“So, you slept there, on the ground, to protect me?”
“Of course.” His eyes burn with an emotion I don’t understand. “I made a mistake in bringing you here. I never thought anything like that would happen. My men are normally more controlled than that.”
“Really? Because what I see is a culture that likes to use women for their bodies. I’m not surprised they’d treat me like trash. I’m more surprised that you’re not right now. Not after how you’ve treated me.” I stand up and walk into the room, Matteo following.
“And how have I treated you?”
“Like a monster. You almost raped me last night.”
“I did not.”
I give him a pointed look.
He has the decency to look at least a little sheepish. “All right. I got carried away, but I never intended to take you against your will. Please believe that.”
“I don’t know how.”
“What can I do to start making you trust me?”
I inhale and exhale slowly. “Guarding my door last night was a good first step, I’ll admit. It shows you’re not a complete monster.”
He takes a step toward me, and I take one back. He doesn’t advance. “I’ll do more of that. Protecting you.”
I shift the blanket higher around my shoulders. “Matteo, why did you bring me here in the first place? To embarrass me?”
“It was a mistake. That’s all you need to know.”
“No.” The fierceness in my voice surprises me. “I need to know why you brought me here instead of to a hotel or even your home.” I want him to admit it. I’m not the only one who was getting judgmental.
He sighs. “Fine. I brought you here because … I wanted to put you in your place.”
“So you admit it.”
“You were just acting so high and mighty like you were better than me. And then I saw you dancing with Carlo, and it made me jealous. I want you all to myself. So, yeah, I brought you here because I wanted you to feel what I felt.”
