The Collector

chapter 47

Matt POV

Our car pulls up outside the bar to collect Lili, I smile seeing Sophie through the window, her face filled with laughter. 

I'm a little jealous of Lili getting to spend time with her today, but maybe her and Lili being friends will help me somehow. 

I pull out my cell calling Sophie, watching her pull out her cell I see her smile at the screen and I feel my heart leap. She's happy I'm calling her.

God I'm pathetic.

 "Hello?" Sophie answers, I can even hear the smile in her voice.
"you know you look beautiful when you smile like that" I tell her, I can't help but laugh at her head twisting around like a meerkat to look for me.
"Where?"
"Out the window" I tell her. Our eyes meeting through the glass. 

 "Why are you calling? You know who I'm with" She says cautiously. 
"So? Oh what did you think this was going to be a dirty phone call? Did you want me to start talking about how good your tight little..."

 "Stop it!!" she squeaks making me laugh. "OK why did you actually call then?" She asks. 
 "I missed your voice." I watch her face flush with colour, failing to hide her smile. My heart soars, she likes me. I can see it on her face when we talk, I just need a chance to let her admit it to herself. Then she can ditch that loser boyfriend and stay here with me.

"OK, I'll let you go, but will you tell Lili her ride is here?" I see her nod "Until tomorrow then" I say. Tomorrow can't come soon enough.

Lili climbs in the car and I  have to suffer the hour long journey being interrogated about why I rang Sophie's phone and not hers. I lie and say I tried hers and it didn't connect, but she doesn't believe me. If Sophie hasn't told her anything I won't be either. Soph must have her reasons and I'll respect that. 

I'm curious why Ma has called us for a family dinner again so soon. It's not that it's strange for us to eat together but it isn't usually a weekly thing. Two this close together usually means there is a hidden agenda. I wonder what it is this time. 

 "Liliana, Matteo!" our mother calls as soon as we step out of the car. 

 "Mama," I greet her with a hug. "What's the occasion?" I ask. 
 "Do I need an occasion to see you?" she asks. 
"No but you usually have one" I laugh.
"Matteo! Your hand! What happened?"
She exclaims seeing the splint.
"Just cut it on some glass, I had it checked don't worry."

"You only had it checked because I made you!" Nico's voice calls from the living room.
"Do you live here or something?" I call back, walking into the living room to be met by Marc, Nico and Arty.

"Arty! What are you doing here?! When did you get back?" 
 "Got in yesterday. you'd have known if you ever turned your phone on!" He laughs. "Your Mother invited us for dinner" pointing out his father entering the room behind us. I grasp his hand in welcome.

Dinner turns into drinks, Arty, Marc and I sitting in the study. While Nico goes out to smoke.
"Here's to Matt finally settling Thornton's account" Marc says raising his glass in a mock toast. I roll my eyes at him.

"Thornton is settled?" Arty asks. "You need me to wrap things up with the lawyer then?"
"No, not yet" I mumble, hoping the conversation will be dropped.

"What lawyer?" Marc asks, looking between us.
"Thornton's lawyer. Matt set up a fake merger so he could keep tabs on her and follow her to Thornton. Genius plan really, I'm gonna miss her cute little English accent" Arty explains.

"English accent? We talking about Sophie?" Nico asks joining us.
"Sophie? Like the Sophie from your birthday?" Marc says. I can sense the anger rising in him already. I need to cover this.

"You took a lawyer to your birthday?" Arty asks surprised.

Shit.

"You mean to tell me. That me and my associates spent the evening with a fucking straight laced lawyer?!" Marc snaps "What the fuck were you thinking!" He stands shoulders squared looking ready to hit me.

"It wasn't like that! She was invited by mistake, and she had no idea so it was all fine." Nico jumps in.
"You knew? Nico you're the kind of person we're trying to protect from getting caught! Are you too stupid to think about that? Where is she?" He demands turning back to face me.

"No!" Nico says forcefully before I even get a chance. "Are you so out of touch that you can't tell Matt likes the girl? Even Lili sees it. I'm not going to let you go after her."

"You're not going to let me?" Marc growls his voice full of threat.
"No. I won't, I wonder what Lili and Maddie would say if they heard you are after their friend?" Nico threatens. Knowing Lili would be unbearable.

"You're on thin ice Nico." Marc warns, then turns to me again. "Shut down the merger. Send her home, there's no reason to keep her around if Thornton is settled" he orders.

"I can't send her home yet. I- I just need some more time."

"For fucks sake Matt," Arty sighs. "You sure know how to pick them, but how do you think she's going to feel when she finds out you were using her this whole time? She's never gonna trust you if you keep this lie up man. You need to come clean. Obviously not about everything, but maybe start with the merger. Tell her it's fake because you wanted a reason to see her. Which is kind of true, and go from there."

"Never thought I'd say this but I agree with Arty" Nico nods, poking Marc, prompting him to comment.

"Fuck off Nico. I think it's a stupid idea. If you mix her up in this she's your responsibility." He says walking out.