87 - Stop!

MATTEO’S POV

I felt Aria’s stare burning a hole into the back of my neck as I revealed I was the CEO of this fine establishment and this was the last way I wanted her to find out that I wasn’t just a flimsy manager at a flimsy restaurant but I actually owned it.

“Get him out of here” I signaled the doorman to excuse this gentleman away because the last thing I wanted was a pompous prude talking down on my employees. I turned back to face Aria who still had her hands covering her mouth and her eyes wide with shock.

“Come with me” I said immediately before she could dwell further in her theatrics, I walked out of the building to a covering at the side that could give us privacy and when he reached there, she spoke first.

“You – ” was all she managed to let out, pointing her delicate fingers at me and I stood amused

“Me?” I repeated

“You’re – you lied about your identity, why did you lie?”

Why did I lie? That was an interesting question that I had no answers to because why did I actually lie? Honestly I was curious, I had seen her in front of the actual Marvis’ s offices whom I had in fact threatened to keep up with the charade for as long it would go on for – not than long if you look at it. I had seen her there and I recognized her – Aria Thorne, the girl gracing the corporate gossip blogs for having an affair with her boss. It wasn’t hard to figure out why she was here – she needed a job so it was either she quit or she was fired but either way she needed a job. Then I approached and she gave me the most quizzical look that confused me because normally when people looked at me I saw fear and intimidation in their eyes, it took a great effort to realize that I was in LA and not in Algreen Cove where I controlled the streets.

I looked at her that moment but she didn’t recognize me, how could she not recognize me, she sent me an invitation letter to the Banquet dinner which baffled me because one only sent out invitations to people they knew or maybe I just wasn’t accustomed to the American culture.

I shrugged in response to her question “I don’t know – I guess it was fun”

“Fun?” she scoffed, squinting her eyes a bit and every time she does something that mesmerized me a little bit. I know I had seen her and I had been curious about her. The way she talked, the confident way her words rolled off her tongue and her unwavering stare when she looked curiously at me. It was so easy to say I was Marvis because trust me Marvis and Dante are two different people that co exist in different worlds. Marvis ia indeed a flimsy manager at a flimsy LA restaurant while Dante D’angelo is in fact a ruthless bastard who works in the Mafia

“You’re actually Dante D’angelo?” she asked yet again and I nodded with my eyes not leaving her face for one second, it was refreshing to soak up all her different expressions and mannerisms.

“So all those things about yourself – the mafia, your cousin and – ”

“All true” I said to her “The only thing I lied about was my name but yes I’m not just a manager, I make decisions that could make or break people”

“This changes everything” she echoed pulling her eyes away from me for a moment to fixate them on the empty space “This changes every single thing. You lied – you’re – you’re a fraud”

I let out a low chuckle, a fraud? Such an interesting choice of word. “A fraud?” I repeated backing her slowly until her back hit the wall and she was stuck between the wall and my intense gaze that I fixed on her. For a moment, I felt free and I didn’t have to pretend anymore. I wasn’t a nice guy, I was dangerous man that preyed on the weak but there was something innately delicate about her that drew me closer to her like a flower that you wanted to protect and that was why I had almost lost my shit when I saw that man try to grope her

I placed my hands above the wall, further fixing her in my trap and I said to her “Repeat those words.

ARIA’S POV
I looked up at my Marvis – no Matteo. This was all so confusing to me and I was yet to find the reason why he had to lie to me. Did he want something? Was I easy prey to him? But I couldn’t barely think straight not with the way he trapped me with his hands, his darkening eyes holding me captive and there was a difference. Marvis seemed more light hearted and jovial but Dante whom was staring at me now – there was a darkness bouncing off him, an energy that felt contagious and at the same time pulling me in to discover more.

“You’re a fraud” I repeated my words, I wasn’t scared of him. Yes, he looked intimidating, fiery and he had the confidence of someone who pulled the waters.

He chuckled, a low chuckle that emanated from the deepness of his throat “You intrigue me”

“How so?”

“Your energy – it’s distracting and tempting” he said in a low whisper as he whispered into my ears causing the goosebumps to rise on my flesh in big fat lumps.

“So am I tempting you right now?” I held his gaze with the same intensity that he held mine with. The silence stretched and I could feel his breath fanning my neck, inching closer to my face and even when I closed my eyes in mild anticipation – I could only see Kyle and he was invading my thoughts as usual.

Dante inched closer and closer and this was the second time he was trying to kiss me but I couldn’t just bring myself to do it.

Immediately, I opened my eyes just when his lips was a few inches away from my mine “Stop!”