"You're staring at him again," Valentina sighs.
"Hm?" I responded, not catching on to what Valentina was inferring. She tugs on my arm and shakes her head, chuckling.
"You were staring at Mateo." She takes a sip of her coffee, looking up at me.
"I'm...
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My eyes snapped open to see Val sitting down on my bed, crossing her legs and making me feel like a fourteen-year-old that had just come back home from sneaking out. "I was with Mateo," I replied before going into the bathroom and getting my brush while also setting the water.
"You two need to just get married at this point," Val walks in the room leaning against the doorframe wearing blue jeans and a black long-sleeved crop top.
"We're just banging each other Val, don't make it so serious," I laughed and she tuts shaking her head while I continue to brush my teeth.
"I think the fuck not, you both are practically dating at this point. Do you think we don't see you both? The small kisses and flirts that you both give each other and the way Mateo rested his hands in your lap in the car ride, oh and do not get me started on the way the man looks at you!" She complains and I spit out the remaining toothpaste in my mouth washing it out.
"He looks at me because I'm constantly scowling at him," I make Val turn around while I strip off my clothes, put them on the counter, and got in the shower.
"That, and he looks at you like you're his wife that he's constantly falling in love with every single second."
I wash my face and dry it with a towel, turning to face a scowling Valentina, "What?"
"You're throwing away this, sex isn't going to be enough for you one day and once you want more he's going to sprint away running," I put on a bra and jeans, leaving on Mateos top from this morning on.
"We talked about that last night actually, and as far as I know he isn't going anywhere for now so Valentina, I will be waiting for that day when I'll eventually want more but till then I'm fine with what I have." She sighs and shakes her head as I adjust my hair in the mirror thinking about Valentina's words and I shook them off. I can't possibly imagine myself in a relationship because even though I won't admit it even to myself I knew I was afraid of getting into one.
That was the one thing I've feared my whole life. My mother running away has had a big toll on my mental health. I remember when she told me she loved me so much every single night but then she ended up leaving me like I was just something she was considering to buy but then forgot about it. Now imagine being in a relationship with that constant fear that you'll love them so much that you'd become dependent on them and once they leave you, you could never get back to the self you were before you met them.
"What the hell did your hair do to you?" Sienna enters the room and I only notice how hard I've been gripping it before letting it out of my hands and putting it down.
"I'll tell you what's wrong with her, she doesn't want to open her fucking eyes and see how much Mateo loves her." I turn around now putting my hands on my hips.
"He doesn't love me!"
"I thought you guys were already dating," Sienna comments and my mouth drops on to how she thinks that.
"See what I'm saying?! Maliyah open your damn blind eyes!" I shake my head, putting my heeled black boots on making sure to tie them properly.
"Are we going over to question the guys from yesterday?" I change the subject of the conversation trying to avoid both of their lectures.
"Yep, and to top it off we're going shopping after, I think we all need it." Sienna begins to walk out of the room so I and Val follow behind her.
"Do you have any info so far?" Val asks as we go down the stairs and I can hear Mateo's faint laughter from downstairs.
"So far, Lorenzo has said they hadn't said a peep which is why I'll need you, Val, I hear you're great at slowly getting the answers out of people. We reach downstairs and Mateo, Diego, Luca, and Sebastian are all talking till Mateo makes contact with me and stands up walking towards me.
"I'm great at it but it doesn't seem to work with one person in particular," Val whispers and before I can comment, Mateo is already planting his lips on mine making all of the arguments and confusion simply disappear from my mind. "You look really great in my shirt, I was planning to tell you but you ran away before I could tell you." He whispered by my ear and playfully bit my ear before pulling back and looking at the stares everyone was giving us.
"What?" Mateo and I say simultaneously looking around seeing amusement on everyone else's faces.
"I think their wedding will come before ours," Luca commented and everyone else laughed but I scoffed, shaking my head but Mateo simply said nothing and just smiled.
"Are we going to go now?" I ask Sienna who was glued to Diego's side, pecking kisses on Diego's cheek like an old seventy-year-old couple.
"Where are you guys going?" Mateo asks as Sienna waves goodbye to Diego and he goes to sit next to Luca and Sebastian who are busy making out on the couch.
"We're going to question the guys from yesterday, see what exactly they wanted with the women and children," Val responds and Mateo immediately sulks.
"Why don't I get to go?" Mateo asks and I slap his cheek laughing at his weird obsession with now following me wherever I go.
"Because it's a girl day, where we go shopping and go to spas and that typa shit, but don't worry, we'll bring your girlfriend safe and sound," Sienna starts to walk towards the door with Val and Mateo turns down to me before I give one more quick peck on his lips before smiling and chasing after the duo behind the door.
I can already feel my heartache from the separation already.
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"Val I want you to take that one in that room," Sienna points to the cellar on her right. They were all kept in a basement and it really did reek of dead bodies and rats and it looked like no one had probably touched the place in twenty-years. But I wasn't expecting anything more, I know the mafia isn't going to make this place like a fucking nursery just for them.
"Mal you take the one on your left, Lorenzo should be in there too since that one is a bit crazy, once you both have gotten everything you needed, come out and switch the lights off." I nod, taking the guy out from my back pocket and holding it firmly.
I walk to the room, pushing the door open and I can see Lorenzo taking off the rope of the man that was sitting in the chair. Their heads snap and Lorenzo smiles at me, almost welcoming me in. Before he could even say anything, I ran out, locking it from the outside. He was working with them, and he's probably the one feeding all of our secrets to them.
Sienna walks out of her cellar and her head snaps to mine, already seeing the pure worry written on my face. "Mal, are you okay, where's--" I shush her and signify for her to quickly get Val.
We all walked towards the car and hopped inside, with Val and Sienna now turning back to me from the two seats in the front.
"Lorenzo is working for them."
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-SURPRISE! no surprise there really, but things only soar from here, yes that includes mal and Mateo ;)
