93 - SUNROOM

*Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you Miss Aria Thorne.

The words seemed to echo in the silent room as I read the words over and over again in my head, trying to fix the invisible dots together. Who could have sent this? I turned the card over a few times and when no clue was forthcoming to my brain, I took the bouquet inside and I dropped it on the counter in the kitchen.

The next day, I got ready for work, slipping on a pencil gown and tying my hair up in the sleekest ponytail my hands could do, a little red lipstick and a dab of sultry perfume adorning my neck and wrist. Walking into the restaurant that morning, it was still quiet and devoid of patrons giving us time to put everything together and prepare for the day. The familiar scent of rich sauces and freshly baked bread reached my nostrils as I made my way to the kitchen.

But as I moved through the kitchen, I felt the tension immediately. There was Matteo, at the counter, reviewing a file and I paused. What was he doing here so early? He was the boss, he definitely did not need to be here all the time and disrupting the peace I had begun to create for myself. I woke up that morning, listened to the most calming music to calm my racing nerves and there he was either consciously or unconsciously ruining it. His dark hair was tousled, and his sharp eyes barely flicked in my direction. Ever since that kiss – that impulsive act to make Kyle jealous, things had been a bit awkward especially from my end because let’s face it, how was I going to look at him knowing that at some point in time, he had his tongue stuck down my throat and – I enjoyed it. I mea look at him – his body was lethal with a face that felt illegal for a human to have. I didn’t want to see him, I didn’t want him to see me either, I didn’t want to have to encounter him and speak to him at least for the next few weeks until I had slowly phased out the awkwardness.
Just as I was about to duck into the staff room, Matteo turned, and we collided in the narrow corridor. My breath caught, and I stumbled, his hands reaching out to steady me.

‘Aria – ’ he breathed, his voice coming out husky and deep, my name rolling out smoothly in his Italian accent that he claimed not to have.
‘Watch were you’re going’

‘Sorry – ’ I mumbled, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks

For a moment, we stood there, too close, the air between us charged with something unspoken. I could see the tension in his jaw, his eyes flickering but I couldn’t figure it out as we stared at each other
Then he stepped back, putting a much needed distance between us. I was just about to turn around when he stopped me

‘Right’ he started ‘There’s a fundraiser tomorrow night and we’re catering for that’

‘Catering?’ I raised a confused brow ‘We don’t do catering – What are you on about?’

Matteo paused for a second like he was frustrated with my questions ‘Well we do now, you gotta roll wIth it’

Before I knew it swept back into the whirlwind of our duties. Hours passed in a blur, and by the time the last table had cleared, I was exhausted. I untied my apron and hung it up, stretching my tired muscles. I could feel the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me as I trudged to the staff room and all I needed was a nice cold bath to ease my sore muscles.

As I pushed open the door, I felt a hand gently grip my arm pulling me away from the door and dragging me somewhere else.

‘Aria – ’ Matteo’s voice was low and urgent ‘Come with me, I want to show you something’

‘What – ’ I had barely said but he was already leading me down the narrow corridor making a sharp turn further to reveal a door I had never noticed before because of how well it blended with the brown walls. We stopped at this small unmarked door and Matteo fished out a key and unlocked it, he gestured me inside even with the strange look that I was shooting him.
I stepped inside in the coldness of the room with Matteo coming in after me, the room was small but felt cozy and inviting and with a subdued, artistic atmosphere. The walls were painted a deep, calming blue, and the ceiling was adorned with tiny lights arranged in the patterns of constellations, mimicking the night sky. Soft, golden sunlight streamed through a skylight, casting a warm glow on the plush, comfortable furniture scattered around the room. It felt like a sanctuary, a hidden haven away from the chaos of the restaurant.

‘What is this place?’ I breathed, taking it all in

‘My sanctuary’ Matteo said quietly, closing the door behind us ‘You know like an escape, when the pressures are piling up’

‘Oh I didn’t realize a mafia boss would need a place this calm and inviting, always thought you guys loved to thrive in chaos’ I joked and Matteo narrowed his eyes at me even as I tried to stifle a laugh.

‘How are you always this refreshing?” I could feel his gaze on me, intense and unyielding.

I decided to ignore his question, turning to face him “Why did you bring me here?”

He was quiet for a while, the tension building and I decided to distract myself and immerse in the serenity of the room, pulling my eyes away from him in the process.

“You – you’ve been running circles in my head and – and – I don’t like that” he said and I turned to look at him sharply surprised by his words while being speechless at the same time, but thankfully he had more words to say.

“I told you not to let me get interested in you – I won’t be able to hold myself back”

What was going on? Matteo’s gaze was so intense through those dark eyes that I could feel my legs tremble and my heart begin to pound loudly in my chest.

“Matteo – ”

He held up his hands, stopping me “Don’t say a word, don’t try to be a smart mouth right now, it’ll make me just want to slam you on this wall and – ” he stopped himself and took a deep breath


“Come with me tomorrow, to the fundraiser and not as a bloody caterer but as my date”
His words hung in the air and I stared at him trying to process what he was saying. The logical part of my mind was screaming at me to be cautious, to remember the complications. But another part, the part that had felt the chemistry between us from the start, was urging me to take a chance. But he was Matteo D’angelo – an epitome of danger and menace. He was to the T, everything that defined a bad boy and those were the kind I was trying to avoid. The type that would cause my heart to ache and my fingers to tremble with anxiety. The type that was ready to drag me to hell if I let them and boy do I always let them.

“So what do you say?”
***
After Matteo and I had parted ways, I walked back to the locker room to pick up my things to leave. As I opened my own locker, I was startled to see a single, perfect rose lying inside, its thorns meticulously clipped. My heart skipped a beat, and I reached for the small, folded note tucked beneath the rose.
With trembling fingers, I opened the note and read the message:

*"See you at the fundraiser, Miss Aria Thorne"