Kidnapped by the Devil

Chapter 25: Matteo

"I am so proud of you caro," Carina says as she envelops me in a warm embrace. Her sweet scent fills my lungs as I inhale, making my body relax. I look down at her beautiful face. The fact that I'm so amazed with her after mere weeks shocks me, but it doesn't make me want to run anymore.

"Thank you tesoro. You have no idea how much that means to me coming from you Carina," I say with seriousness. At first I thought she was a bodily infatuation I needed to get out of my system, but Carina is more than that. She's amazing, smart, stubborn, caring, short tempered, and about everything else I can think of that's annoyingly interesting about her. I never thought that she would see me for me, and not the monster whose blood runs through my veins. "Dance with me," I ask her hopefully. Carina flashes me her perfectly white smile and gives me her hand. I lead her to the dance floor that's starting to fill with other guests, but my eyes aren't on them. They're on the beautiful woman in my arms. My body hums with electricity as my mind enjoys peace. "You are so beautiful," I whisper in her ear causing Carina to blush a deep crimson and smile.

"Thank you Matteo," she says softly making me chuckle at her shyness. She might have an outgoing personality according to the media, but Carina can definitely be timid in certain situations. "Look at Sophia," she chirps. I follow her line of sight and my eyes land on my sister dancing with Jessica's brother Cooper. My body tenses as I notice his eyes fill with teenage lust. Carina's grip tightens on my arms. "Don't you dare ruin this for her darling. She is doing fine. Have trust in her," she says firmly. I look down at her and notice her eyes blazing with seriousness. I look back at Sophia and Cooper and notice my baby sister beaming with happiness. She has a twinkle in her eye and her cheeks are tinted a deep pink. My body relaxes. She's not in harms way and this is the happiest I've seen her in days. I look back to Carina and continue to sway to the music.

"She looks happy so I will not ruin it, but I don't like the way he's looking at her," I say annoyed. I'm going to have a talk with Cooper about Sophia if he's finding an interest in her. He's 15 for crying out loud! I'm not just going to give him a big happy 'WELCOME!' just because he's Jessica's brother. He needs to know what lines he can't cross with her, and what's going to come his way if he does.

"Oh Matteo! You are completely impossible, but that makes you all the more amazing," Carina chuckles lightly. I look into those pools of caramel that are dancing with amusement and know right then and there that I'm hopelessly in love with this spitfire of a woman.

"Ah! There you two are. For a second there I thought you took her away again Matteo," Carina's father, Kenneth, says cheekily as he approaches us. I give the old man a small smile and a light chuckle. Little does he know that the lie Carina told him is to spare him the real heartache.

"Oh daddy don't be that way. I told you it was a surprise," Carina says lightheartedly. Carina looks like a good mixture of both her parents, but her mother's features that she inherited are more dominant. Kenneth's face turns into a frown as Carina laces her hand with mine. He looks at me with distaste, but has a fake smile plastered on his face for show.

"Darling you don't mind if I talk to Matteo alone do you? It's just a few things I want to run by him," he says with fake amusement. What does this old guy want now? I already know he disapproves of Carina and I dating. She doesn't have to share that with me in order for me to know that. Reading someone is something I learned to do the moment I inherited my place in The Family.

"Umm, sure. I see mom and Heather so I will be over there. Play nice," she chimes and walks away gracefully. The smile Kenneth was wearing quickly vanishes and his distaste is very apparent now.

"Why are you with my daughter," he spits. I try not let my anger get the best of me, but he's really pushing it.

"My intentions aren't to harm her Kenneth. I would think a man of your stature would notice that by now," I say impatiently. I don't have time to entertain him. Yes he is Carina's father, but I am Matteo Carson. I don't have to put up with his high and mighty bullshit. NOBODY intimidates me! I look Kenneth in the eyes and notice his hard features soften.