A Lifetime With You by Athrhteera

Chapter 23

Alena

Matteo gave me the space I needed after he left my room. So, instead of being gloomy in my room for the night like I had originally planned, I gave my little sister a text.

1 got a bit anxious waiting for her reply because if she was asleep or if she was busy, I had no other choices. Matteo couldn't easily be lied to, and I wasn't going to take any risks.

The text was short and simple, 'Are you free tonight? Let's meet up for a drink' and she responded back asking for the location. So, in a short amount of time, I was taking a shower and getting ready in different clothes.

I did my makeup, but it wasn't too much, I just wanted to look as if I was out on a girls' night.

When I went downstairs, I found Matteo was already in the car waiting for me. So, I didn't bother wasting anymore time and decided it was time to go.

I put the location inside his car, so the screen was rerouting. The only reason I did that was to avoid talking to him even though I knew he had a lot of things to say.

Apparently, I

I saw the takeout on the kitchen counter, and I had assumed he didn't eat any of them yet. The whole hour I was getting ready, he was probably already waiting in the car.

I didn't say a word and neither did he. He was driving quietly, eyes focusing on the road as one of his hands was gripping on the steering wheel and the other on his thigh. If I hadn't treated him the way I did in my room, that hand was probably on my thigh instead. My eyebrows furrowed as I saw bruises and a few cuts on his knuckles.

And I instantly knew, he was dealing with something. More accurately, someone.

I couldn't miss the cut across his temple, too. It wasn't too deep or anything and it was a short cut, but it was visible enough -it looked new, just like the cuts and bruises on his knuckles.

It felt miserably awkward in the car. He didn't bother to turn on the music either as he drove, as if he was the only one in the

car.

I wanted this kind of treatment, and he was giving it to me. But why was I feeling upset about it?

When we arrived, he stopped in front of the car as he took a few seconds to look around. He was probably checking the surroundings and my hand was already reaching out to the door, but he hadn't unlocked it.

"Can you unlock the door?" I asked, grabbing my handbag as I turned to the door without looking at him.

"I need to talk to you first," he replied abruptly, his body facing me.

"We can talk at home."

"Please, Alena? Let me talk to you."

"Fine, what is it?" I leaned back on the seat and my eyes met his instantly. Those brown ones were red and highlighted by his dark circles-he was exhausted from work, and it was clear. The hollows of his cheeks were prominent, too. He looked like he had lost a few weights because he hadn't been eating properly.

He grabbed my hands, caressing the back of them.

"I really want to know why you're acting like this. Did I do something wrong?"

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"Why do you think yourdid something wrong?"

"Because you're acting like this towards me. I must've done something."

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We hadn't broken the eye contact and I couldn't simply look away, either. He was holding the eye contact with genuine concern. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and jaw was clenched, he wanted to solve this, but he didn't want to push me. "Matteo...

"If you're not in the mood for something, just let me know. If it's something about work, you can always tell me if you want to. If you don't feel great because of your migraine, I can give you a massage to make you feel better. If you're feeling emotional, let me know why. I can't read your mind, baby. I can't know what you're thinking unless you tell me."

He sounded desperate. I was growing weak.

"I just don't feel like talking to you or anyone at this moment."

"But you're meeting your sister, Alena."

"Because she's the only one I want to talk to now,"

"You're pushing me away, Alena. I don't know why."

I'm not. I'm

I'm just asking you to give me some time!" I pulled my hands away, sighing. "Can you at least respect that, Matteo? I'll talk to you whenever I'm ready. So, please unlock the door. My sister is waiting for me inside," Matteo leaned back before unlocking the doors, causing me to immediately step out.

If Ana and I decided to leave later, I could always call a cab.

I didn't take another glance back at him as I walked straight into the bar, seeing my sister sitting alone but her

as she

"I didn't expect you to invite me out for

in my system and we

"I was underage, remember?"

eyes

lit

up as

off with something light. I needed to warm up my body from the cold. Ana looked at me as if she knew something was wrong, "Is everything okay with you and Matteo?" "Yeah, why do you ask?" "I saw you left the car looking

quarrel. Nothing for you

"Got

Got it.

do something more than just drinking. Do you think we should go clubbing?" I asked, causing

right. I hadn't been clubbing ever since my life as a student ended and I kind of needed to hear the loud music surrounding me. I needed more intoxicating liquid streaming in my blood. "Yeah, sure." She scoffed, eyeing my face as she took sips of her beer. "Wait, you're not joking? You really want to go clubbing?"

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before an imaginary lightbulb lit up. "Let's head back to my apartinent and change into something more appropriate. If you're really up for it,"

The drive to Ana's apartment was short because it wasn't too far away. She was living in a luxury apartment, and I knew, Papa was paying for all of this. He wanted his daughter to be comfortable. Well, he wasn't

to say the least. I could spend hours and hours sitting there watching the sky. "You can always crash here whenever you want." She

here all by

herro" end

would stay over but there's a guest room. In case you end up in another lover's quarrel," she joked before opening her wardrobe and I saw a lot of designer

you spend your own money buying all of these

Papa paid them

're thousands

borrow

I

but it was pretty. I never had any insecurities

and went on to slip the dress. I wasn't wrong when I said it was highlighting my curves because it was making me stand out. I was showing the right amount of cleavage, too as I turned around to look at how the dress fitted- me. The short

If I bended over,

show what was

hot pink. It was more of a

you need to wear that

does look good on me, doesn't

you.

on, let's choose yours and

curves as well, showing the right amount of skin and cleavage-it had a

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carefree and

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confidence rather than causing us to feel uncomfortable. He didn't say a word to us, and I appreciated that. We arrived at the nightclub and as soon as we got inside, loud music

couple of days ago. Come on,

long to realize we were feeling lightheaded. It was finally kicking in me that I was getting myself drunk but my body felt as if I was floating on a cloud and all my problems flew away. Ana and I were dancing in the mic middle of of the dancefloor, our hands above our heads as we moved to the beat. to dance with Ana, grabbing around her waist as she grinded on him. It was starting to get hot and

came in

his hands on my hips as he danced with me. I turned around to meet a pair of blue eyes and a perfectly straight teeth as

looked a bit blurry but that was probably

hands all over my body,

your name?" He whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine as he pulled me

lied. Obviously, I wasn't going to simply give strangers my name. As drunk as I felt I was, I could still

Gabby... you look

felt his arms around my waist, sometimes they were running all over my body, stopping on my hips and my thighs. I was occasionally glancing at my sister, who was laughing and dancing

turned to look at Damian as I took another sip of my drink, realizing it a little bit too late that

0000000

shifting to brown. Instead of his own face,

upset at Matteo but why was he here with me? I couldn't make sense of the

me.

my

closed as he leaned into my

were caressing my body and I gave in, I wanted Matteo to kiss me. So, when my vision continued to get blurry, I couldn't see anybody else but Matteo-even though

like Matteo was kissing me because it felt different, but I

hot immediately, and I knew I wanted more than

3

to look exactly like Matteo began to pull me away from the crowd,

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blackout curtains and people could see us from outside,