"You don't have a password?" he asked, raising his head to Nico who was now standing in front of him. Nico shrugged and crossed the room to the wine cellar. A moment later, he returned with two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
"What do you plan to do with her?" Nico asked, giving Matteo one of the glasses.
"What do you mean? She is my wife, she belongs to me," Matteo replied, his brow furrowing.
"Matteo," Nico sighed, pouring the wine, "We all know that. I mean, how do you plan to teach her, or protect her, in this world?"
Matteo took a sip. Protecting her wasn't the problem, that came naturally. Teaching her? That was something she'd have to learn the hard way.
"Another Ramirez," Nico chuckled.
"You've just dangled gold in front of our enemies."
Matteo gulped down the wine, grunted as he wiped his lips. "I would burn an entire syndicate if they even as much as look her way," he said. Then he walked out to his office.
He picked up a cigar and lit it, inhaled and exhaled deeply as his gaze rested on the lonely portrait on the wall, the one that held memories buried in ash.
He moved his hand to the necklace around his neck.
He had to protect her, he thought to himself. For the first time, someone bore his name, the name he had given himself when the world he knew bled out at his feet. Someone carried the burden of being a part of him. Other than his mother, who he watched die slowly, and Nico, who he considered a brother, nobody had been close enough to being family. And he wasn't going to let her end up like his mother. He had made a promise to himself long ago never to lose anything again. He intended to keep it.
~~
That night, Anastasia woke up to the sound of splashing water. Her eyelids fluttered open to the dim room. It was quiet except for the faint hum of the pool outside. She turned toward the terrace; the doors were open.
She had cried herself to sleep after her failed attempt to contact Lori.
She stepped out of bed, and gently walked to the terrace. The glowing lights from the pool shimmered in the dark. At first, she didn't see him, only the water rippling slowly. Then Matteo climbed out of the pool.
Anastasia froze as she stared back at his naked body. Water streamed down his skin, moonlight caught his muscles, his shoulders, the ridges of his abdomen. She gulped, tightened her grip on the doorframe as heat rushed through her. Her mind spinned back to the dream... the same ache, the same confusion.
Matteo caught her staring. He ran his fingers into his hair to dust out water. The sight of her flustered like that made him smirk. He ignored the towel resting on the sun lounge and began walking towards her. His whole body dangling before her very eyes. She was so spellbound, she didn't realize when he walked past her until the bathroom door slammed shut.
She exhaled, pressing her palm to her chest. "I'm definitely starved." She muttered under her breath.
A knock came at the door. She turned to face the room. "Come in," she said.
The door opened and Raquel walked in holding a dress in a hanger, shoes and a purse. Anastasia's lips curved in a small smile. Though she didn't have a relationship with Raquel, it always felt nice seeing her, it made her feel less alone, and more understood.
"Good evening, madam," Raquel said softly, setting the dress on the bed.
Anastasia walked towards her, staring at the red dress, hoping it was not another one of Matteo's rather dangerous soirees.
"Boss, wants you to get dressed. You can get ready here, or we could go to your wardrobe suite."
Anastasia didn't answer right away. Her gaze stayed on the dress. "It's barely been twenty-four hours," she murmured, glancing at the clock on the wall behind her.
She turned back to Raquel. "I'm not going anywhere," she said.
"You shouldn't be..."
The bathroom door opened, cutting Raquel off. Matteo stepped out with a white towel tied around his waist. Raquel immediately excused herself.
Anastasia swallowed hard.
Matteo's eyes locked onto hers, unblinking and cold. He didn't stop until he was close enough for her to feel the heat radiating off his body.
"You don't get to hide, Anastasia. You stand beside me, and be who they fear... my wife." he said, his voice was rough. She tried to look away, he grabbed her jaw and forced her face up to meet his gaze.
"You look at me when I'm talking to you,"
"I never asked to be your wife." She replied, with defiance in her eyes, anger in her heart. She hated him even though his body was staring enticingly at her.
"And yet here you are. You don't get to choose, Anastasia. Not with my name on you." His jaw clenched, his grip tightened around her jaw so hard it hurt her, but she didn't flinch.
"Then take it back." She snapped.
He released his grip, shoving her to the side. She fell to the floor. "Ugh," she winced.
"Get stunning, or I will get you scarred," he said and left her there.
~~
The elevator door opened. Two huge men in black suits stood in front of a large door. They moved aside when they saw Matteo and ushered them in.
The room buzzed with low music and murmured conversations. Red carpet underfoot, dark brown walls, waitresses in black lingerie and high heels weaving through with trays of champagne. Men in suits clustered in corners, laughing quietly. It was a private party.
"Ramirez, Good to see you," a man called, stepping forward with a broad smile.
Matteo didn't respond, he just extended his hand for a handshake.
"And this must be Mrs. Ramirez," the man added, glancing at Anastasia.
Anastasia didn't bulge, no nod, no expression, she just stared at the man blankly. After a few talks of business, territories, and what sounded like chaos, Matteo walked away with the man, leaving Nico standing protectively close to her side.
Anastasia walked to the middle, restless. She needed air, movement, anything but this cage of men, smoke and women dressed to please. As she turned, she collided with a solid chest.
"Perdoni, Señora," a deep voice said.
She looked at him. He had long sleek hair pulled into a ponytail, sharp jaws with trimmed beards, closed brows, about the same height as Matteo. He wore a smile.
Nico immediately stepped closer, his hand hovering near his weapon, but the man ignored him and extended a hand toward Anastasia.
"I'm Antonio... Antonio Salvador."
Matteo's most dreaded rival. Anastasia, however clueless to this fact, didn't take the hand immediately, because she was cautious, but his smile was polite and welcoming. She took his hand and returned a small smile.
He smiled wider, snatched a glass of champagne from a passing waitress, and handed it to her. "Does the gorgeous lady have a name?"
"Anastasia." She told him, taking the glass from him.
Across the room, Matteo's eyes followed the exchange. His patience snapped. He was barely paying any attention to the men having a conversation with him. His eyes couldn't leave the sight of his rival talking to Anastasia, it aggravated him.
"Excuse me," he said to the men. Just as he was about to head to Anastasia and Antonio, a young lady stepped in front of him.
"Matteo Ramirez," she purred. "I heard you were in town. I was hoping the rumors were wrong," she said in Spanish, her index finger tracing his chest.
"I'm in a lot of places, Mariela," he said flatly, eyes flicking past her to Anastasia.
"I heard you came with a new toy," she teased, leaning closer. "Is that why you haven't called me over?"
~~
Anastasia sipped from the champagne, trying hard to avoid Antonio's gaze and getting less irritated by Nico's constant presence even though she needed him around to feel safe. It was only a night ago she almost got killed.
"You look..." Antonio searched her face. "...tired, we could go get some air on the balcony."
"No, thanks." She replied and turned away, only to come in sight with Matteo kissing Mariela. It flared something in her. She turned back to Antonio. "The balcony, right?"
He smiled and nodded.
"Madam," Nico tried to stop her.
"Come with me, protect me, and don't speak to me," she told him. Nico's fists balled, but he trailed behind her and Antonio anyway.
The balcony was quiet, bathed in lights. Antonio handed her another glass of wine, his smile easy. But as she stood there and enjoyed the skylight, all she could think about was Matteo kissing that girl. It annoyed her that it even bothered her.
"Let me guess," he said. "You were bored to death in there."
She didn't answer immediately. The image of Matteo's lips was still replying in her head.
"And you make it your business to rescue bored women?"
Antonio chuckled. "Only the ones too beautiful to be at an event alone,"
Anastasia wanted to tell him that she wasn't alone, that her husband was inside kissing another woman. But instead, she asked, "Is this how you flirt?"
He laughed. "Is it working?"
She didn't have time to answer. Because right then, through the glass wall, she saw Matteo watching. A thought crossed her mind.
And without thinking, she tipped onto her toes, caught Antonio's shoulders, and kissed him.
Antonio didn't resist, instead he deepened it, slid a hand around her waist, the other hand cupped her face.
When she pulled back, her breathing was uneven, but her eyes stayed locked on Matteo's.