ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 16

120 8 12
                                    

•SAN FRANCISCO , CALIFORNIA•

Julia's POV

Tonight's weather was the best it had been all week. The fall's sun-setting sky blossomed with a medley of rusted orange, violet, and honey while a gentle warmth settled deeply into my skin.

Once again, Matías had the wonderful forethought to arrange one of his drivers to take us home.

Before and even after our engagement, Matias made it a point to stay the night at his parents' house after family dinner. However, lately he's been all too eager to make that hour and a half trek back to San Francisco.

The last few times that I complained, Matías was surprised, but I was beginning to get comfortable being with his family. Besides, Vincent hadn't been too much of a pain in my side, so it was actually enjoyable and bordering fun.

I kicked my sandals off as we weaved our way into the house, hung the straps over my hooked fingers, and tossed my jacket to the chaise while Mat wobbly unlaced his Chukka boots.

"You know, we're getting married in less than a month. I thought that'd mean spending more time with your family." I broke our drunken silence.

Matias took in a paced breath as he straightened his back and gave me a glassy-eyed glance.

"We do spend time with them."

"Not like before."—I continued, my stare following Mat as he plodded into the kitchen.—"This is like the third time that we've left your parent's house instead of spending the night. What's up with that?"

I followed behind, dragging my hand along the wall and rested on the kitchen bar stool.

"Pops was pissin' me off. I didn't wanna stay."

"What'd he say?"

"It's not what he said, it's how he acts."

He snatched a bottle of water from the fridge and slammed the door as his lips pursed into a contemptuous scowl.

"He's been tryna ice me out of the important business decisions for the past year. —Got me running around from one city to the next being his lil' errand boy like I'm not second in command of this family! Bringin' in some casuale stugot actin' like he's in charge of me! If it's not that, it's his head games."

This wasn't the first time Matías spoke openly on how manipulative, antagonizing, and downright vile his father could be, but he'd never been this overtly upset about Vincent's behavior.

Most times the conversations were softly thrown warnings as opposed to a full-fledged rant.

"Don't worry, he can't push you out. You're a Russo by birth—you're actual blood."

"Vincent loves to selectively remember that." Matias scoffed and took a quick gulp of water.

He slid the bottle to the side and pressed his hands heavily into the counter, letting his head hang between his stiffened arms.

As gracefully as possible, I wriggled from the bar stool and flounced to Matías's side. I let my body tilt forward while raising my face to meet the dark haired hunk in front of me.

Our breaths tangoed as the tip of my tongue glossed over the my Cupid's bow.

"Sounds like he needs his memory refreshed." I suggested while tracing his clenched jaw with the bend of my index finger.

"Don't worry your pretty little heart about that. My father won't be on his throne much longer."

As my finger paused at his chin, Matías slipped his hand into mine and tenderly studded kisses from my shaking knuckles to the crook of my elbow.

"Mat." I faintly called out.

"Hmm?" Matias's focus continued hinging on my ardent body.

"You're drunk." I commented and slid my palm across his slicked-back man bun while gently releasing the elastic band around it.

A relaxed groan echoed from Mat's lips to my shoulder—their new site of exploration—while I tugged at the few locks of his hair that I twirled between my fingers.

Like the flip of a switch, my enraged, lusty powerhouse transformed to an intoxicatedly satyric fiend.

The strap of my shirt tumbled down my arm giving way to my fiancé's appetite. The curve of his nose embossed itself into my torrid skin while inhaling the lavender scent residing in places reserved only for his touch.

My heart was a pocket rocket and my head was an imagination's playground.

As if reading my mind, Matías stretched his hands to grasp my thighs and raised me from the floor. With his face still nestled deeply into the arc of my neck, he rested my butt on the edge of the marble island countertop. His calculated movements peaked my desire , but I knew the reward for patience.

My head tilted as I slid my fingertips past his hair, allowing my arms to hang over his shoulders. Despite the rush of dopamine surging through my mind, it still managed to circle back to Matías's outburst.

I paused for a moment, pulling myself together and playing out the next few events in my head as clearly as my inebriated mind would allow.

"What if you told him you got Mancini to cancel your debt?" I breathed out.

The enamored kisses draping across my neck and shoulder gradually slowed as Matías lifted his head, sharing the puzzled and somewhat offended expression on his face.

"What?" He flatly asked.

"What if-"

"No, no. I heard you. I'm just confused. That's not something my father's gonna to believe if it ain't true."

"It is true," I timidly began and placed my palms on Matías's abdomen as I continued, "I...went back to Mancini's club today and asked him. He said, for me, he'd do it. He'd cancel the debt."

Pinpointing who the room's tension was directed towards wasn't difficult; and I knew Matias well enough to easily recognize the redness climbing his neck was a dangerous sign.

Matías's sultry stare slipped into a more callous outfit as the room's icy silence dragged on. Despite the simple meter of space I'd put between us, I still felt as if I were being sliced into thirds.

Wordlessly, the man opposite of me straightened his back, forcing his shoulders in line and increased the distance between our still heated bodies.

For the first time in our relationship I didn't see Matías—I saw Vincent. Not the manipulative Vincent or even the predatory Vincent, but the venomous one.

A breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding tumbled from between my trembling lips as water lined the rims of my eyes.

A simple brush past my knee was my fiancés response as he coldly returned to the front door.

"Where you are you going?" I maneuvered off of the counter and trotted close behind him.

"Out."

As justified as Matías's apathetically clipped reply was, it didn't stop my chest from tightening while a vexing thorn jabbed my side.

"Matías."

Ignoring my call, Mat dealt the final blow, harshly slamming the door—his silhouette disappearing into the night.






A/N: going on a cruise. Super excited! Hope to get more writing done. Thanks for your support you guys🩷🩷

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