Allure

Chapter Eighteen

Buckle up besties... very short but crazy chapter.

Matteo

WHERE IS SHE?" I bellow, punching the sleazy looking man across his face, sending him reeling backwards. He laughs, spitting a bloody tooth onto the pavement, refusing once more to answer my question. My brother, Luca is on him in a flash, effortlessly placing the asshole in a chokehold, his gun pressed to his temple. The man's eyes widen slightly, but the crazed smirk on his face doesn't completely disappear.

"Let me ask you again," I growl, stalking closer to him. His eyes dart around, but there's no one in the dark secluded alley to help him, and he knows it as well as I do. "Where the fuck did you take my girl?" He laughs, seemingly unbothered. "You can kill me," he spits the words out like venom. "But it won't change what I already told you, she's gone."

She can't be gone. I think to myself. But if she is.. it's all my fault. She has no idea who I really am, the things I've done. She doesn't know that a target was placed on her back the moment she started seeing me. She doesn't know I've had several bodyguards tracking her every move. She has no idea how selfish it's been of me to let her stay in my life, knowing the danger I've put her in.

"Shut the fuck up!" I yell in his face, blood rushing in my ears. "I know you're fucking lying, and we will kill you and everyone you love if you don't tell us what you know." His eyes narrow. "Bull shit. You don't know anything."

Luca releases him from the chokehold, slamming him against the wall instead. "Actually shithead, we know a lot. We know your wife, Gloria works at the whole foods on 23rd, and you have two daughters enrolled at maple wood elementary. We know who you work for, and we also know that he doesn't give a shit about you and isn't coming to save you. So I suggest you cooperate." The man's face drops, and he starts breathing heavily, panic finally setting in. "Please," he begs. "Don't hurt my girls. I had no choice, he was going to turn me in to the cops, m-my visa expired, and I can't go back there, to my country I-I just can't."

Finally, we're getting somewhere. I think to myself. "Talk." I bark, staring daggers at him. "I'm sorry," he says and tears begin to stream down his face. "Im telling the truth, she's really gone."

"WHERE IS SHE?" I roar, losing patience and shooting him in the leg. He screams, fully sobbing at this point. "She's in the abandoned warehouse on the corner of 11th and Newnan," He cries out. Without a second thought, I nod at Luca and the bullet he sends flying into the man's skull echoes loudly in the alleyway. I leave the car behind and sprint the two blocks, not even able to think straight.

I arrive at the warehouse and kick the door down, briefly registering that Luca is right behind me, his gun cocked, scanning the dark building. I walk further in, clicking on my flashlight, and my heart drops into my stomach as I see the bloody body lying on the floor. "No..." I gasp, falling to my knees, my vision going dark, feeling like I'm going to vomit. Luca turns the body over and I have to close my eyes as I begin to sob at the sight of her face. That beautiful face. My ears are ringing and I feel out of my body as I hear Luca say somberly, "There's no pulse, brother." I let out a gut wrenching scream, pounding my fists into the cement floor, not even registering the blood that begins to flow freely down my arms.

I finally regain my sight, panting heavily. I realize that Luca has his arms around me, pressing my face to his chest, my tears soaking through his shirt. "She's gone," I whisper, my body heaving with another round of sobs. "My love is gone."

I gasp, jerking upright, my eyes flying open. I frantically look around, taking in my surroundings, and I realize I'm in my bedroom. Heather, my mind screams out. I almost sob in relief as my eyes adjust to the darkness and I can make out her gorgeous face, tight with worry as she gazes up at me. "Matteo," she cries out softly, pulling me into her arms, my face falling down to rest on her shoulder. "You're okay, I've got you. It was just a dream." I'm too numb to feel an ounce of shame as tears stream freely down my face. I shift our positions, laying down so she's wrapped in my arms, her face laying on my chest, and I kiss her head over and over, clinging to her desperately, my body still shaking as it slowly comes down from the sheer terror I felt.

It was just a dream, I tell myself. But that dream could easily become reality. There's no denying it anymore, she's become more than a simple hookup. It's only a matter of time before they see us together and figure out that I finally have a weakness. My first instinct is to push her away, break her heart so she can live a safe life without me in it. I know it's the right thing to do, what I should do if I care about her. A life with me in it is dangerous and putting her in danger is the last thing I want to do.

But I know I'm too selfish to go on without her. In only one month, she's gotten me completely wrapped around her little finger, even though I'm the one in charge. I told myself this wasn't going to happen, but I'm too far gone to turn back now.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asks softly, reaching up to gently stroke my cheek. "You kept calling out my name." Something breaks inside me as I look down at her, her eyes shining with admiration, concern, and trust. I don't deserve her trust. After I tell her the truth, she will probably never look at me like that again. But I can't keep this from her any longer.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asks softly, gazing intensely into my eyes. Those three little words are on the tip of my tongue, but I know it's not the right time. "I'm alright, pet. It was just a bad dream. We'll talk about it
soon, I promise. But for now, let's just go back to sleep." I can tell she wants to argue, but the sleepiness that is evident in her eyes must win her mental argument, because she nods and snuggles closer into my chest, closing her eyes. I hold her tightly as she falls asleep in my arms, but I'm unable to drift off, staring at the ceiling and trying not to let the reality sink in that telling her the truth will most likely send her running for the hills.