UNHOLY DESIRE

DEIDRE

“Wait,” Matteo called out as I headed towards the door. He reached into his pocket, took out a small box, and stepped towards me.

Raising my eyebrows, I stared at him as he opened it. Inside was a white gold necklace with a vivid blue sapphire set in platinum, surrounded by brilliant diamonds. It was stunning and undoubtedly costly. I couldn’t understand why Matteo was giving me another necklace when I was already wearing one.

I shook my head as he approached, and I pointed to the one around my neck. “I already have one.”

“I want you to have this,” He said, getting even closer.

I began to shake my head, but he gripped the locket of the necklace, snapping it open.

“Kendall,” He murmured, his eyes flicking to mine before glancing at his hand. “I still want you to have this,” He repeated.

Then he stepped behind me, unhooked the necklace from around my neck, and dropped it into his pocket. I felt the coolness of the white gold chain around my neck.

After he was done, I looked at myself in the mirror. It even looked better on me than it had in his hands.

“Thank you,” I murmured, glancing at him.

Matteo shrugged, “Anything for you.” Then he added, “Let’s go.”

I let him link our hands together as we left the room.

***

Well, I was right about not fitting into Matteo’s circle. From behind my mask, I could make out elegantly dressed men and women. Most seemed rather snobbish, and the ones Matteo had introduced me to were somewhat friendly, or maybe they were pretending to be.

I couldn’t discern their expressions through the mask, so I relied on their voices to gauge their emotions. However, I knew that relying solely on their voices could be inaccurate, and I didn’t want to judge anyone. I wasn’t in a position to.

Matteo led me to another part of the party where the air was even more refined than the first. My nose wrinkled as the scent of expensive fragrance reached it, and my stomach churned in anticipation.

Arriving at a solitary table, he pointed to it and said, “Sit.”

I complied, then looked up at him. Matteo leaned in closer, his voice a bit lower than usual, “I’ll be across the room, keeping an eye on you. Please don’t do anything rash,” he cautioned.

It was not like I had a history of recklessness. Rolling my eyes, though he couldn’t see, I responded with a touch of sarcasm. “I’ll play the loyal trophy wife, as always, Matteo Ferrari. I’ll sit here like your faithful puppy and await your return.”

A smile curled on my lips, and I added, “And if I need to use the restroom, I’ll be sure to inform you. You must be aware of my movements, my dear husband, and I won’t let you down.”

“Lose the attitude,” Matteo insisted. “If you need me, just send a text. If you want to leave, let me know via text. And if you start feeling uncomfortable, text me. I’ll be by your side in seconds.”

“Of course, my dear husband. I’ll follow your instructions to the letter.” I smiled sweetly at him, and I heard him groan.

He didn’t say anything else, instead turning his back to me and making his way towards the far end of the room.

I strained to see where he’d gone, but all I could discern were curtains and red lighting. I sighed, resting my hand on my chin for support.

It would have been wiser to stay in the cabin. I shouldn’t have accompanied him, but I really had no choice. Matteo would have dragged me out forcefully. I wondered why he seemed to assume I’d bolt at the first opportunity.

Even if that was my initial plan, I couldn’t take that risk as long as Kendall was involved. I doubted Matteo grasped the fact that I couldn’t leave her in his care.

I sighed again, gripping the sparkling red liquid in the tulip-shaped wine glass. Swirling it, I brought the contents to my mouth, swallowing before I could stop myself. As soon as it went down, my throat burned, and I instinctively clutched it, fanning my face. My narrowed eyes focused on the remainder of what I had thought was Lambrusco.

Retaking the glass, I brought it to my nose, sniffing cautiously.

Even though the wine itself contained some alcohol percentage, I had drunk enough in my lifetime to know it never tasted this harsh.

“Damn!” I grunted, scanning the area for a glass of water. I should have checked before taking a sip! The drink had been tampered with. But who in their right mind would spike a drink at a sophisticated party like this? This wasn’t some high school dance.

The urge to shout and track down the perpetrator surged through me. But it would be utterly foolish. No one had forced me to drink it, not even Matteo. I could recall he’d said to let him know if I needed anything. He must have figured out the game.

Spotting a waiter, I signaled him. Fortunately, he had plastic bottles of water on his tray. “Thank you, I’ll take the water, please,” I murmured, wincing.

He leaned in and asked, “Senora?”

I sighed, rolling my eyes. It seemed he didn’t understand English. My gaze wandered around, and that’s when I noticed I had flagged down one of the Spanish-speaking servers. It was only now that I saw he’d been standing next to a sign that read, ‘Spanish speaker only.’

Looking at the badge on his pristine white shirt, I said, “Alejandro, tomare agua por favor.” (Alejandro, I’ll have the water, please.)

Alejandro nodded, a smile on his face. “Por supuesto, senora. Aqui tiene su agua.” (Of course, ma’am. Here is your water.)

He handed me a glass he’d poured himself, and I sniffed it to avoid making another mistake. Detecting no strange scent, I felt it was safe to drink. So, I took a substantial gulp, sighing as it eased the burning in my throat.

I kept to myself for another half an hour. I glanced occasionally at the grandfather clock nearby, then towards the area where Matteo had disappeared.

I was weary and in need of rest. Today was our arrival, and I hadn’t anticipated being drawn into this affair, but it clearly held significance for Matteo; otherwise he wouldn’t have insisted on being here.

“Hermosa,” a deep baritone voice interrupted my thoughts. Turning, my eyes met the greenest pair I had ever seen. Angular features with strong jawlines, prominent cheekbones, a straight nose, and full, sensual lips.

He could easily pass for the sexiest man alive, but then there was Matteo, a walking sex god and the very embodiment of perfection.

“Javier at your service, Hermosa,” he said, taking a seat in front of me without asking for my permission.

“It’s Deirdre,” I corrected him, and his lips curved into smile as if he’d suddenly found something amusing.

“I heard you speaking Spanish a few minutes ago, and I wondered if you were from around here. It’s been a while since I’ve heard someone so fluent in this place,” he explained, stroking his goatee.

Normally, goatees didn’t catch my attention, but on this stranger, Javier made it undeniably sexy, just my type.

“You have such a beautiful name, Deirdre. A perfect fit for a siren like you,” he said.

I shook my head, wanting to put an end to this flirtation because I knew exactly where it was heading. So, I placed my ring finger on the table, making it clear I was off-limits.

Javier’s gaze shifted from my face to my finger, and he smiled. “I know you’re with Ferrari,” he said, stunning me.

“You do?” I frowned. Then why the hell was he hitting on me?

“I do,” he confirmed. “And I wonder why a woman like you would allow him to coax you into coming to a perilous place like this.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“What do you mean by perilous?” I started to ask, only to be cut off by Matteo’s loud voice.

“Deirdre!” he growled.

Turning with wide eyes, I watched Matteo stride purposefully toward us, and Javier’s grin widened even further.

“Tell him Hernandez paid a visit, Deirdre. I’m sure he’d be thrilled to hear it,” Javier said, blowing me a kiss before walking away.

As Matteo reached my side, he gripped my hand, pulling me out of the chair roughly.

“You had one job!” he hissed.

“What do you mean?” I scowled at him.

“I told you not to let any man…”

“I’m sorry, Matteo, but I can’t prevent people from approaching me!” I whispered loudly.

My eyes darted around anxiously. I didn’t want anyone to catch wind of our argument. I didn’t want to become the center of attention, especially considering how gossip-prone this crowd seemed, no matter how refined they appeared.

“Matteo, everyone here is an individual, and I was simply seated there. It’s not like I beckoned him over or tried to entice you, as you may imagine. And why on earth are you keeping such close tabs on my every move? You should be back in the den you just left!” I whispered urgently.

“Deirdre,” Matteo’s voice was low.

We locked eyes for a brief moment before Matteo finally spoke.

“I had my reasons, and Javier is one of the last people you should allow near you,” he advised.

I turned and sensed the weight of someone’s gaze on me. It was Javier, and he didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed about being caught staring. Instead, he winked at me.

“You let him flirt with you,” he observed.

“I permitted nothing,” I retorted, rolling my eyes.

But Matteo wasn’t convinced. He kept his gaze fixed on Javier as if he might tear his eyes out on the spot if there weren’t witnesses.

“Come with me,” Matteo ordered with a grunt, taking hold of my hand.

He led me back to where he had been standing earlier, and I couldn’t help but notice that the atmosphere here was even cooler than outside and much more fraught with danger.

All eyes seemed to be on me. The masked faces bore down on me as if I were a piece of meat. I knew Matteo was right beside me, but despite that, I couldn’t shake my unease. I felt jittery and on edge. The impulse to flee outside was strong, but then I considered what the gossip mill might churn out.

So, I settled into a quiet corner, observing the activities around me while allowing my thoughts to drift to Kendall and no one else, seeking some solace for my discomfort.