Mafia Ties & LA Skies

Chapter 10 - Eliza

The drive to my office seems agonizingly long, and the silence between Matteo and me makes it worse. I refuse to glance at him through the rearview mirror, determined to maintain my distance—both physically and emotionally.

To distract myself, I pull out my phone, pretending to be absorbed in emails that I've already read a dozen times. But I can feel his eyes on me, a quiet intensity that stirs memories I've tried to bury. Thoughts of our past creep in, unbidden—the way things once were, before he disappeared. I grit my teeth, trying to push them away, but they linger, a reminder of what I've lost and what I can't allow myself to feel again.

When we finally pull up to the sleek glass building of my office in Sawtelle, I don't waste a second. I push the door open and step out, my heels clicking sharply on the pavement. Matteo is right behind me, a constant, unwelcome shadow.

I stride into the mid-century-modern lobby, my pace brisk and my expression set in stone. The security staff greets me with polite nods, but I'm too focused on getting to my office to respond.

Inside the elevator, I jab the button for the 6th floor, folding my arms tightly as I stare straight ahead. Matteo stands beside me, silent but vigilant, his presence a suffocating reminder of the intrusion into my life. His calm composed demeanor only irritates me further. How can he be so unaffected?

Is this how it's going to be every day? Him following me everywhere like some dog?

As the elevator ascends, I force myself to focus on the immediate problem. I need to get out of my condo—permanently. The thought of staying there, knowing Matteo could show up every morning, makes my skin crawl. And after everything that happened with Taeho, the place no longer feels like home. It's just a reminder of how much my life has unraveled.

The doors finally slide open, and I stride out, making a beeline for my office. Angelina looks up from her desk as I approach, her usual cheerful smile fading slightly when she sees the tension etched on my face.

"Good morning, Dr. Reed," she says cautiously. "Is everything all right?"

"Morning, Angie," I reply. "Just a busy day ahead. Can you hold my calls for the next fifteen minutes? I need some privacy."

"Of course," she says with a nod. "Let me know if you need anything."

I offer her a tight smile before continuing into my office. Matteo, predictably, follows me to the door. I spin around, blocking his entrance with a hand on the doorframe.

"Uh, no," I say firmly, my eyes narrowing. "You're not coming inside. This is my workspace, and as a psychiatrist, I have to maintain strict patient-doctor confidentiality."

He hesitates, his eyes flicking to mine, searching.

"I'll be fine," I add, exhaling in frustration. "There's no other door in or out, so just watch my office from over there." I point to the waiting room adjacent to my office, making it clear that's where he belongs.

His eyes narrow slightly, but he eventually nods. "Any unusual appointments I need to be aware of before I leave you?" he asks, his tone shifting to something more professional.

"Just regular meetings with patients all day," I reply, my voice tight. "I'll be in here mostly. I trust you can keep yourself occupied?"

Matteo's lips twitch into a small smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "I'll be nearby if you need me," he says, his voice measured, almost too calm.

"I won't," I snap, then immediately regret the harshness in my tone. But I can't afford to soften. Not with him.

He lingers for a moment, his gaze steady, before he finally steps back, allowing me to close the door. I shut it with more force than necessary, as if that could somehow keep him at bay.