Eve Black

Chapter 18

"I wouldn't do that. The moment you pull out your gun is the moment your friend Lorenzo dies."

"What do you want?" Matteo asks. I can see the rage in his eyes.

"Well, I like to introduce myself before I ask people for things. I feel as if that is more polite," He says with a menacing smile, "I am Maxim Antonov, second in command of the Russian Mafia. I also run the whore houses and it seems you have something that belongs to us."

"I have nothing that 'belongs' to you. Eve is not an object for your enjoyment or for you to own. You cannot have her," I know what to feel now, and that's safe. I don't feel scared in Matteo's arms I feel as safe as I could ever be. I wrap my arms around Matteo's torso and he puts a firm, muscular arm around my shoulder.

"Look around you, you are surrounded. There is no way out of this without either you handing the whore over to us or Lorenzo dying. Either way is fine with me."

We both look around and realize there are many Russian mafia members throughout the area. We can't run. I can tell Matteo doesn't have a plan and neither do I, but I can at least get us away from the crowd. Finding my voice I finally say, "Can we talk privately about this in a room?"

Maxim ignores me as if I didn't even say anything but Matteo doesn't, "That's a good idea Eve. Let's go talk in a private room about this, that way we don't cause a big problem."

"Fine," Maxim snarls, glaring at me.

We walk through the crowd into a room that is right off of the ballroom. When we walk in I see that it is a small room with a desk in it. Maxim sits on one side of the desk and Matteo and I on the other.

"Before we begin, let us both put our guns down so we don't do anything we might regret," Maxim says as he places his gun in front of us.

"I wouldn't regret anything," Matteo mutters only loud enough for me to hear.

Matteo puts his gun down on the table but I don't. Maxim doesn't know about my gun or knives and I plan to keep it that way.

"Alright let's talk business," Maxim starts talking, "What can we give you for the girl?"

"What do you have to offer?" The words sting. Matteo just said I am not an object and now he is seeing how much he can get for trading me. I am brought out of my thoughts as Matteo grabs my hand and gives me a reassuring squeeze. He's stalling. My dumbass really didn't realize he is stalling.

I lace my fingers in Matteo's and bring his hand on my thigh so that way he can feel my gun and knives.

"Well, how much money would you like? Or guns? Or drugs? We will give you anything."

"How about information? Can you tell me why Eve means so much to you guys?" Matteo questions.

"Well doesn't she know," Maxim looks at me, "She is the boss's daughter."

Fuck no. Fuck no. I grab the knife but before I can throw it through his skull Matteo grabs my wrist to stop me.

"What the hell do you mean I'm your boss's daughter? My father may not give two shits about me but he would never hold me hostage in a whore house!" I scream at him.

"Think again," I think back to all the times I saw my father. It all makes sense, the tattoos, guns, always being away. The tears come back, this time I let them fall. I let the pain take me over because just when I thought I couldn't be screwed over anymore, I did.

I sit there and watch through my blurred eyes as Matteo takes my gun and points it at Maxim, "You tell your men to stand down and let Lorenzo go and we will leave without any problems. Or I can shoot you and all you men."

"Start shooting," Maxim smirks thinking he won't do it and Matteo doesn't. I do. I pull the knife out of my thigh holster and throw it right at Maxim's head and Matteo shoots him right after. I collect my thoughts and feelings and get ready to fight our way out of here.

"The blood looks good on you, it really brings out your... your eyes?" I joke with Matteo.

Matteo looks at me not laughing, instead, he leans in, grabbing my chin and kissing me, "You are such a badass," he says when he stops kissing me. I smile weakly at him.

"I'm scared, Matteo."

"I know, but I promise I won't let them take you ever again. I knew I heard your name somewhere."

I look into his eyes and I know he will always protect me. As bipolar as he can be at times I know deep down he will always be by my side. I don't question why he heard my name before. I don't need something else to worry about.

Matteo grabs his gun, and I grab my other knife and we walk out of the room. Matteo with two guns in hand and me with my knife. When we walk out there are about five Russians running at us. Matteo shoots three down but the other two get to us before he can shoot them. One attacks Matteo and the other goes for me. I slash at the man's throat but miss and hit his cheek instead. He staggers backward giving me enough time to kick him in the balls. The man falls over like a big baby.

"Run!" I hear Matteo yell. I turn around and run after him, "We have five on our tail but if we get to the car we can get away."

"Actually there's eight."

"Oh, sorry I wasn't specific enough!"

"What about Enzo?" I call out to Matteo as I struggle to keep up. Fuck being short.

"He's fine, I have an earpiece in that he's been talking to me through the entire time," I sigh a breath of relief when Matteo tells me this.

We sprint to the car and get in. Before I am even fully seated Matteo starts driving. I roll my window down and click off all the Russians standing outside of the ballroom. Haha, fuckers.

When my breathing slows and Matteo and I are safely driving home, everything hits me, "My dad's the Russian Mafias boss," I tell myself this more than Matteo, "Oh my god, you kissed me!"

Matteo laughs, "You sound more surprised that I kissed you than about your dad."

"Well I didn't even know my dad's name so honestly he could've told me my dad was a stripper and I wouldn't have been surprised. However, you will barely talk to me for weeks, ignore me, slap me, throw me in a cell, and then KISS me? You need to explain that one to me."

"I don't need to explain anything to you," I turn so my knees and body face away from him, "Okay fine. You have intrigued me since the moment you saved me but I wasn't going to sleep with you because you are a member of my mafia, I gave up on that though."

"Wait, so you kissed me just because you want to sleep with me?" I practically yell.

"What? Did you think just because I kissed you I have feelings for you?" Matteo says as if I am stupid.

I say nothing and just stare out the window. I know damn well he didn't just kiss me to sleep with me. I will prove that.