Ties of Blood (Book One)

Chapter 16 ~ Gianna

Gianna Rostova

Matteo lead me outside the jet, the warm air hitting me and the soft breeze caused my dress to fly a little, when I saw the 'boat' he had just bought my jaw dropped.

"I thought this was supposed to be a boat trip." I say, because right in front of us was certainly not a boat.

"It is, just a few-" He starts.

"Upgrades?" I finish for him while a half smile ghosts over his lips.

As I expected, when I stepped into the yacht, immediately struck by its cold, modern look. The walls were black, the floors a dark grey metal. The living room had a stiff, charcoal grey leather sofa and a glass table with a black metal base. Dim, bluish lights created a chilly feel.

The dining area featured a long, dark wood table with black chairs. The kitchen was sleek and stainless steel, more like a showroom than a place to cook.

In the bedroom, grey linens covered the bed, and the large window, with its tinted glass, made the sea outside seem distant and cold.

"You know, black, grey and navy aren't the only colors in the world." I say, climbing up the stairs to the deck and sitting on one of the chairs, they were so comfortable.

"I'm aware," he speaks from behind me, I could practically hear the smirk on his lips.

When we finally leave the dock and are out on the water, one of the staff members ask me if I would like some music.

"I wouldn't mind any, thank you." I say kindly, I didn't mind some music as we floated.

To my surprise, she choses a slow song, but I decide to play along. I whip my head around and face Matteo who was already looking at me with a drink in hand.

"We should dance." I offer.

"I don't dance." He replies, he sits down, places his drink on the table beside him and leans back in a chair, his legs spread slightly and I stand over him.

"Everyone can dance." I argue

He shrugs, "Ok, then I won't dance."

I roll my eyes, grab his wrists in my hand and pull him up, but trying to carry 250 pounds wasn't the easiest thing. He stands up reluctantly. But I could see a small smile on his lips when I wrap my arms around his neck, drawing him close.

I knew I was blushing, but it wasn't that obvious since it was starting to get dark.

Instead I just relished in the moment, his cologne filled my nose and his hands placed firmly yet softly on my waist. As the song got closer to the end, he dipped me slightly.

"I thought you couldn't dance."I humor staring up at him. The lights had come on a bit creating a soft silhouette on his face.

"I never said I couldn't, I said I don't" he gave me a boyish smile and I laugh softly.

Then the song was over, replaced by the gentle sounds of the water, softly swaying our boat. The once lively melodies faded into the night, leaving only the rhythmic lapping of the waves against the hull.

My smile slowly faded, and his mirrored mine, but neither of us moved away. His hand remained firmly on my waist, and my arms stayed draped around his neck, as if we were suspended in this moment.

The moonlight cast a silver sheen across the water, illuminating his face in a soft, unreal glow. The world around us seemed to shrink, the edges blurring until it was just the two of us, caught in an endless, perfect instant.

I felt a strange mix of emotions swirling within me—a blend of excitement, fear, and an attraction that I could no longer ignore.

I found myself leaning in, drawn to him by an invisible force. To my surprise, he didn't pull back. Instead, his eyes locked onto mine, and I saw the same mixture of emotions reflected there—lust and something deeper, something we couldn't say yet understood. It was as if we were communicating without words.

I didn't know if it was the adrenaline rush or the overwhelming beating of my heart, but I pressed my lips to his. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

His hands, which had been resting on my waist, tightened their grip, pulling me even closer. I didn't fight it—I couldn't fight it.

His lips were warm and soft, moving against mine with a gentle insistence that made my heart flutter. I felt his breath mingle with mine, each exhale a soft caress against my skin. My fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer still.

His phone rings suddenly, the audio jolting us apart, he pulls his phone out glances at the caller ID.

"Fuck, amore, sorry, I have to take this." He looks back up at me from his phone an apologetic look on his face.

"It's fine, don't worry." I smile softly, it wasn't his fault after all.

He leaves the deck, goes into the bedroom and answers his call, I could hear him talking but he was speaking in Italian so I didn't understand any.

But I couldn't get the kiss out of my head, his hair was so soft and the lustful look in his eyes when he looked at me.

Everytime I thought of him, a smile spread across my face without me knowing. I liked his stupid jokes, his dry sense of humor and him listening when I opened up about my father. Being around him was starting to become easier, like I could say or do anything and he wouldn't judge me.

Matteo wasn't the person I thought he was, I mean, it was obvious our relationship had a rocky start but I was starting to genuinely like him. Although, I know he would never admit it, he was sweet, and a great listener, and I admit a little scary at times but he's all the things I didn't know I needed in a partner.

I had never been in love before, I had endured one night stands but they never lasted long, but even the feeling of Matteo's lips moving on mine, turned me on more than all the sex I'd ever had.

The feeling gnawing at me inside wasn't easy to ignore anymore, I was falling for Matteo, hard and fast.