In the heart of a modern city, two rival families hold the power. Valentina, a fiercely loyal daughter, and Matteo, a cunning and determined son, find themselves on opposite sides of a dangerous feud. But when their paths unexpectedly intertwine, th...
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I woke up feeling the warmth of Matteo's body pressed against mine, his arm draped over me like a heavy blanket. His legs were tangled with mine, making it nearly impossible to move.
For a moment, I just lay there, blinking in the early morning light filtering through the curtains, trying to process the fact that Matteo was cuddling me.
I shifted slightly, trying to free myself, but he only tightened his hold. Seriously? I gave a small huff, lifting my hand and lightly smacking his arm. "Matteo."
No response. His breathing stayed slow and steady, clearly still half-asleep. I sighed and tried again, this time hitting him a little harder. "Matteo," I repeated, more firmly this time.
He groaned, his tired eyes fluttering open. He blinked lazily, clearly still waking up. "What?"
"Who knew you were such a cuddler," I said, trying to keep my voice light despite being slightly trapped under him.
Matteo cracked a sleepy smile. "Just trying to keep you close. Didn't think you'd mind."
I arched an eyebrow. "I don't, but I need to get up."
He sighed, loosening his grip on me and slowly untangling himself. I took the opportunity to sit up, stretching out my stiff limbs as he pushed himself up and rubbed his eyes.
"Alright, alright," he muttered, "don't get used to this. I'm not turning into a pillow anytime soon."
I couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Good to know."
I got up and headed for the bathroom, needing a moment to freshen up. As I looked in the mirror, I couldn't help but shake my head.
My hair was a mess, and my face had that just-woke-up look. I splashed some cold water on my face, the coolness helping me feel more awake, and ran my fingers through my hair, trying to tame it a little.
When I walked back into the room, Matteo was sitting on the bed, already looking more alert. He glanced up at me, his gaze softening.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said, crossing my arms. "I just needed to wake up."
He gave a small nod, then stood up and headed for the bathroom. "I'll be quick. Just needed a minute."
As he disappeared into the bathroom, I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the last remnants of the weird, comforting dream I'd had.
When Matteo came back from the bathroom, he saw me sitting on the edge of the bed, still trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. I glanced up at him, feeling a bit anxious about the day ahead.
"I need to get going soon," I said, running a hand through my hair. "I've got a dress fitting for the ball."
Without missing a beat, Matteo said, "I'll go with you."
