Stolen Queen (Dynasty of Deception #4)

19. Ava

19

AVA

I stand frozen in the doorway as I witness Matteo's fury. He hurls my hoodie across the room, his face contorted with rage. For a moment, I'm tempted to slip away unnoticed. But something keeps me rooted to the spot. Maybe it's the raw emotion I see in Matteo's eyes, a vulnerability I've never witnessed before.

Taking a deep breath, I step into the penthouse. A tentative smile plays on my lips as I clear my throat. "Matteo?"

He whirls around. His eyes flash with a mixture of relief and anger as he strides toward me. "What the hell were you thinking?" he growls, gripping my shoulders. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is for you to leave?"

I flinch at his harsh tone. "I–I needed a few things?—”

Matteo cuts me off. "Are you really that naive? Your father has eyes everywhere. If someone saw you…”

“No one saw me.”

“You don’t know that,” he bellows. His hands clench into fists and I step back, not sure what he’ll do. "This isn't a game, Ava. Are you so stupid that you don’t understand the gravity of our situation?"

He couldn’t have hurt me more if he’d punched me.

"I'm not stupid," I say, my voice quavering. "I know it's dangerous. "

“Then you’re reckless.”

I’m hurt, but also angry. I’m not a child. I’m not willful or impulsive—well, except when it comes to kissing Matteo. But other than that, I’m not one who does things without thinking. It’s something I’ve learned growing up with a domineering father who is quick to punish.

"I didn't have a choice.”

“The hell you didn’t.” His gaze drifts to the bag I picked up at the drugstore half a block down the street. “If you needed something, you could have asked me."

I scoff. "How exactly was I supposed to do that? You took my phone, my wallet. I had no way to contact you."

His jaw tightens. “If you didn't have your wallet, how did you manage to pay for anything?"

“I had some money in the pocket of my jeans the night you kidnapped me. I always try to have a few bucks on me… just in case.” After last night, I’d stopped seeing him as my kidnapper and more as my protector. Not anymore.

A flicker of surprise crosses Matteo's face. Despite my nervousness, I feel a small surge of pride. For once, I'd managed to outsmart someone who thought they had complete control over me.

"You searched me, but you didn't think to check my pockets?" I can't help the hint of smugness in my voice.

Matteo's eyes narrow. "What exactly did you need so urgently that you risked everything to go out?"

I hesitate for a moment, then decide to be blunt. Reaching into my bag, I pull out a box of tampons and hold it up. "This.”

Matteo's reaction is almost comical. His face goes from confusion to realization to embarrassment in a matter of seconds. He blanches, his eyes widening as he takes an involuntary step back.

“Some things can't wait, even when you're keeping someone captive."

Matteo’s phone rings. “Fuck.” He steps toward the door, I suppose to make sure I don’t leave again. “Moretti,” he says into the phone.

I can’t hear the conversation, but I know it’s not good. His face scowls even more. His gaze flicks to me. "I understand. I'll be there soon," he says before hanging up.

Without a word, he grabs my arm and starts tugging me back toward my room.

I stumble along, confusion and fear battling inside me. "What are you doing?"

He doesn't answer, his grip on my arm tightening as we reach the door to my room. I realize what’s coming. He’s going to lock me in the room again.

My first impulse is to beg him not to lock me up. But my anger seems to outweigh my desperation.

He pushes me into the room.

I whirl around on him. “You said you’d show me freedom, good things in life, but you’re a liar. You want to control me, just like everyone else. You’re no different from my father.”

Matteo's eyes flash dangerously. "I'm nothing like your father.”

“Oh, really?” I hold up my hand, ticking off one by one how he’s the same. “Lock me away. Take away my phone and money. Manhandle me?—”

“I’ve never hit you. I never would.”

I hold out my arm where he’d gripped me to drag me to my room. “I guess we’ll see if bruises form.”

He looks stricken, and I almost feel bad for it. Almost, but not quite.

“You’re an asshole, just like him.”

His jaw clenches. "You're acting like a spoiled brat who doesn't understand the dangers of the world you were born into."

His words sting, but I stand my ground. "I understand more than you think. I've lived with those dangers my entire life."

"Then act like it," Matteo snaps. "You've proven I can't trust you to stay put when I'm gone." He shakes his head. “I should have known. After all, you snuck out of your father’s home, proving you’re reckless with your life. But listen up, Princess, this now affects my life too.”

“Yeah, well, I never asked for you to kidnap me.”

“I’m protecting you and you agreed to it, including abiding by my rules.”

“That was when I believed you… respected you. I think I have Stockholm Syndrome, but I’m cured now.”

His eyes are dark, filled with anger and torment. I hold his gaze, not wanting him to see me flinch.

He whips around, heading to the door to leave the room.

No, no, no… I can't be locked up again. "If you lock me in here," I warn, my voice low and steady, "Everything will change. I’ll never trust or respect you.”

“This is all to protect you because you clearly don’t understand the danger we’re in.” He sucks in a breath. “Besides, you just told me you don’t trust or respect me.”

“I won’t live like this, Matteo.” I'm on the verge of breaking, and I hate him for it.

“The only way you’ll live at all is by staying put.” He starts to shut the door.

“I’d rather die than live like this.”

Matteo's eyes widen slightly, a flicker of shock crossing his face. For a moment, neither of us moves or speaks.

I think I see conflict in his eyes, as if he’s torn between his instinct to protect me and the realization that his methods are killing me.

I wait to see what he says or does next knowing it’s hopeless to think he’ll do anything different from what his nature tells him to do—lock me up. He says it's to protect me, but I know better. He’s protecting his own skin. My father will hurt me if he finds me, but he won’t kill me. Not when I’m valuable to him as a business pawn. But he will kill Matteo if he can and a war will start between the families.

Despite all of Matteo’s words about protecting me, I know his only true loyalty is to his family. He doesn’t want a war to start that could hurt Elio. So there are two reasons to lock me up—to save his life and to keep peace between the families.

I am what I’ve always been—a commodity, a bargaining chip, a pawn. I was an idiot to think last night meant anything different than before. Oh, sure, Matteo is attracted to me, but his reputation suggests he’s attracted to all women. I’m no different. That thought hurts almost as much as his locking me up again.

He stands in the doorway, watching me. I stand in the room, helpless to leave, watching him back. We've reached a breaking point, and we both know it.