DAGGER IN THE HEART

thirteen

MATTEO'S POV:

We walk into a small Cafe and get placed into a booth along the wall. I watch her most of the time, but she keeps her eyes focused on the table or picks at her ring.

I hate when she does that.

"I think I want breakfast", she mumbles and flips through the menu. My jacket hangs loosely on her petite body, covering her skin so no pervert can look. She dips her head into her palm and lets out a sigh, "Nope too late for breakfast."

I peer up at her and watch as she rips her hair from a ponytail and lets her brown hair cascade down to her rib cage. She locks eyes with me and immediately stiffens and looks away.

"What can I get you?" The waiter comes over and sweeps his eyes along Davina. A blush creeps onto his cheeks. If he looks at her again I'll rip his fucking teeth out.

"Two coffees", I speak through gritted teeth and glare up at the blonde. He writes it down in his little fucking notebook and turns to face Davina.

"That's all", she smiles and hands the menus to the douche.

"And an order of pancakes", I say and look over at Davina. "You need to eat."

She glanced back up at the guy and gave him a small nod. He smiles at that and walks away like he just kissed his 4th-grade fucking crush.

"Will you tell me why we're here?" She sighs and massages her head with her fingers.

Why are we here?

It's not like I want to be here... I think.

"To convince you to give me a second shot", I grin and stare sweetly at her. She scoffs and bores her eyes into mine.

"But you don't wanna date me?" She gives a tired look and starts to take my jacket off.

My jaw tenses.

"That doesn't mean we can't have fun", I smirk and watch her cheeks turn a coral pink. "We can do all of- well whatever the hell you'd like to do, but I don't want the whole label."

She looks up at me in full concentration and cocks her head to the side. "So let me guess this straight. You want to be together, but not together."

I slowly nod.

"And how do I know you won't pull that shit again", her body trembles in fear.

God, I wish I could take that back.

When I saw her face that day it made me feel something I don't like. Something that made me want to get on my knees and apologize, but I kept my brick wall up and didn't do that lame shit. Well, I didn't get on my knees.

"I guess you'll have to trust me", I shrug. The same fucking idiot comes waltzing over to our table with freshly brewed coffee in his hand.

His eyes immediately look over each dip of her curves and her breasts flooding out of her dress. A muscle in my jaw twitches as I feel my hands grip the table.

"Stare one more time and I'll break that neck of yours in half", I growl. His eyes immediately cut to mine and his lips quiver in fear.

"No, I wasn't- "

"Shut the fuck up and poor the damn coffee."

His hands shake as he fills our mugs and quickly scatters to the back of the kitchen.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Davina says and worries spreads across her face. She feels bad for the kid. She feels bad. I really could've pulled out my knife and slit his throat, so she better be glad all I did is threaten the little shit.

"His eyes are all over you", I scoff and run a long finger through my hair. "I'm only allowed to look. Your mine."

"And what if I don't want to be yours", she rolls her eyes and looks around for the idiot.

"I'll make you mine either way", I smirk and take a slow sip of my coffee.

~

"You know what I love about New York?"

She closes her eyes and lets the moon shine down on her creamy skin. Her cheeks flush pink due to the bitter air nipping away at our skin.

"What's that", I say and admire her without her knowing. She lays against the grass with her hands placed flat on her stomach.

"The noise", she whispers and cracks, and eyes open and catches me staring. "It sounds lame, I know."

I tell her it's not lame. I think that's my favorite thing about New York since I've been here.

I finally lay down beside her and watch as two stars collide with each other like soulmates.

"Do you believe in love?" She whispers and bites on her bottom lip.

I'm usually not this open to talking. Or even be in another's presence. But with her, I feel different than what I'm used to. I feel things that I know I shouldn't.

I know it's wrong for me to feel them.

And I don't want to feel them.

But I am and I can't stop it.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I think love is only something you see on ink and scribbled out on paper. It's played out on a screen but in real life? I don't think anybody could love someone for the rest of their lives and never walk away. Eventually, one of them will get bored and want to leave. Nobody can fall in love that much."

Why the fuck am I spilling this shit out?

"You're wrong", she shakes her head and props herself up on her elbow. "Love is real. And I'm not saying its rainbows and unicorn shit, I'm saying love is ugly and complicated. But I think that's what makes it so beautiful in a twisted way. I think some people have found their soulmates, but don't know it yet."

I stare up at her and watch the words fall from her mouth like silk. Her eyes challenge me in this disagreement and pluck little pieces of grass from beneath her.

I tell her she's wrong and watch as she sighs and lays back down. "Maybe one day you'll change your mind", she sounds hopeful.

I don't think I ever will.

We both climb into my car and I immediately turn the heat on. "It's fucking freezing."

She laughs.

God, I love that laugh.

Wait... what?

No, I don't.

I take that back.

I hate her laugh.

"You can just drive me home", she says and places her hands in front of the vent.

Small frown forms on my face and I watch her for a couple of minutes before she looks at me. "I'm not coming over. We're taking this slow."

"Fine", I sigh and grip the back of my neck.

"Why aren't we moving?"

"Because I want you to come over."

"Matteo!" She giggles and reaches for my shoulder to slap me. "I told you no."

"Fine", I sigh and pull out of the parking space. "Let's get your butt home."
***
Thank you for the support on this book ahh!!

To anyone who's confused about the "10 months before", it has NOTHING to do with their relationship or how long they've been speaking. It has everything to do with the end of the book and it's counting down. (You'll understand later)