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I walk in the door without any trouble and find the way back to the office where Matteo sits. He glances up from his computer when he sees me. He appears as worn down as I feel right now.
“Can I get you anything?” he asks as he stands and motions for me to sit on the couch against the back wall.
“No, I’m fine. Thank you for meeting with me,” I say as I sit down.
He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes as he sits too. “What kind of fiancé would I be if I didn’t give you what you want?”
“Matteo, you and I both know you don’t want to marry me. Not truly. This is a game. One where the object is to punish Hawk. But do you even know what for?” I ask gently.
Matteo’s eyes turn steely. “I know a man is only as good as his word. He gave his and then broke it. He broke a lot more than that too…more than I knew. He’s had a son this whole time and wasn’t here.”
“Matteo, think about this rationally. Is it only a man who has to keep his word? Was your sister not already engaged to Rocco De Luca when she started her relationship with Hawk? What about her word?”
He presses his lips together. “That’s different.”
“How?” I ask.
“Because it was arranged, it wasn’t because she loved him. She loved Hawk,” he says.
“She lied to him. He didn’t even know about the arranged marriage,” I say in exasperation.
“Love can’t be built on lies,” I add quickly. “And you knew too, but you didn’t tell him either. You said he betrayed you by breaking his word, but how did you not betray him too, Matteo?”
“He left her alone and pregnant,” he says with flared nostrils letting me know I struck a nerve in his own guilt.
“Don’t you know why he really left?” I ask.
He simply stares at me, so I keep talking. “He only proposed because he thought she was carrying his child. She didn’t want him at any doctor appointments, so one day he showed up anyway. He saw Rocco with her. Rocco went to the appointments with her. Why do you think that is, Matteo?”
His jaw works as he processes what I’m saying. “There’s a strong possibility Ethan isRocco’sson, not Hawk’s. Rocco claimed the baby as his. He rubbed it in Hawk’s face. Your sister even told Hawk it was Rocco’s. Are you saying you’d do any different than Hawk did by leaving all the deceit behind?”
“That’s not true. You’re lying,” he says angrily. He stands and paces.
I stand too. “I’m not lying,” I say with tears in my eyes. “I’ve never been a dishonest person. I may choose not to tell something, but I wouldn’t ever outright lie. But look at your sister. She’s told lie after lie. She even lied to you about losing the baby.”
Matteo’s attention snaps to me. “How do you know that?”
“Because I saw your face at Midnight Kiss. You were in shock, and you were angry. Your dad and your sister have been keeping secrets. Don’t you think that alone should give Hawk the benefit of the doubt?” I ask.
“You’re not going to turn me on my sister and you’re not going to change my mind about Hawk. The fight is still happening, and you’ll be my wife if I win. I don’t take back my word,” he says coldly.
I nod and press my fist against my lips to stop the tremble. “I’m not some prize to be won, Matteo. If you win and I’m forced to marry you, I won’t ever love you. We’ll be miserable. What kind of person wants to ruin someone else’s life simply because they can? I thought you were better than that. I thought if you knew the truth about what Angelica did to Hawk and even to Rocco, you would see things differently. But I guess I was wrong. The truth of Ethan’s paternity will come out in a few days. Then I guess we’ll see who was lying and who wasn’t,” I say firmly.
I start to turn, and he grabs my arm, “Wait—” he starts but he’s cut off by the door opening.
His eyes shift to the door with mine. A man walks in whom I’ve never seen. He’s roguishly handsome and malice fills his eyes. “Rocco, what are you doing here?” Matteo asks.
Rocco De Luca smiles coldly. “I came to find out the details of your fight.” He walks with a cane. He has a slight limp even with the support from his cane and a white scar mars the skin on his face from his left eye to the corner of his mouth. He moves closer to me and takes a strand of hair in his fingers and smells it. “This would be one of the details, am I right?”
Matteo pulls me to him. “She’s my fiancée,” he says protectively.
Rocco sits on the couch we just vacated and stares at us with mild amusement tipping his lips up. “Is that so? From what I understand, she’s Hawk’s girl. And you’re wanting to put the hurt on him by stealing her away. Bravo, sir. I applaud you,” he says as he claps.
Matteo’s grip tightens on my arm before he speaks. “I’ll be right with you, Rocco. I need to walkmy girlto her car,” he says as he tries to pull me with him to the door.
Rocco speaks up before we’re out of sight. “That’s a good idea, Matteo. You can’t be too careful, someone might snatch her right from under your nose,” he says and then laughs. “Goodnight, Brittney Jameson. I’ll be seeing you soon.”
Matteo drags me down the hall with him, his fingers linked with mine. “What the hell is he doing here?” I ask when we reach my car.
