ELLA
Something hard and heavy is on top of me, that's my first thought while my eyes flutter open with a banging headache that could kill someone.
A huge weight is on me, quite literally. With all the force inside of me, I try to remove whatever it is on top of me. Fucking hell. A groan escapes me while I try to open my eyes. Goddamn. What happened last night? Why did I drink so much?
The last thing I remember is Sofia and Mia coming inside my room with bottles of vodka, lime and salt. It was after dinner, Luca was standing outside the door for supervision because Mia had told him that it's a girls night but he still couldn't leave my door.
Mia didn't drink since she needed to talk to Arthur afterwards about something. Not sure what, she didn't mention. I was the one who drank the most. They got only one bottle of vodka and I have approximately five shorts or so. Sofia had two or three, not sure. But I know that they took the bottle away from me before I could have anymore.
While leaving, they took the left over with them probably. I don't remember anything else. I don't remember anything except them coming, making me drink and... yeah I don't even remember them going now that I think of it.
Fucking hell this headache. And this fucking weight of me.
"Get off," I mumble while pushing at the weight.
Suddenly the weight seems to be off me but my eyes are still closed, not ready to start this day so soon. I try to remember what else happened yesterday but I keep thinking about my attempt at escape, shooting Henry, having dinner and then the 'girl's night.' on loop.
Fuck, I wanna go back into the darkness of sleep to escape this hell bent of a world. My eyes are tightly squeeze when the feeling of something soft touches my forehead.
Slowly I open my one eye to take a peek at what's happening and come face to face with the most beautiful brown eyes I've ever seen. Butterflies erupt in my stomach at the sight of Matteo.
His blond hair is a beautiful mess that I want to capture him in a picture right now to store this imagine forever. Where's Luca when someone actually needs a picture clicked? A silver chain hangs off his neck and I have an urge to pull him by the chain while the chain is between my teeth.
Both my eyes open now and they move down, all over him. His chest is on wide display, those abs looking really—what the fuck is wrong with me? I'm not gonna finish my sentence. There's a tattoo on his triceps, some letters that I can't make out since they're petty small and my glasses are not on.
Though I'm not able to move my eyes away from his abs. Holy fuck.
Somehow my senses reaches me and realisation draws to me that Matteo is fucking watching me ogling him.
My eyes snap to his, a smug smirk on his face that I wanna slap off.
"What?" I snap.
"How much did you drink last night?" He asks, no, he demands to know, the smirk no longer there.
"Don't talk, your voice is making my brain hurt." It's actually soothing, his voice, but I'm not about to tell him that.
I sit up and press my palms to both side of my head, shutting my eyes tightly. Did Matteo see my drunk yesterday? Oh my god, what if he was here when I was drunk? Fuck.
Something cold touches my lips and I flinch, opening my eyes. Matteo is looking at me with no expression whatsoever on his face. He has a glass of water in his hand that he is pressing against my lips.
"Drink," he orders.
"N—" just as I open my mouth to reply, he shoves the glass in my mouth, tilting it up and forcing me to drink the water. My glare on him remains in place while I drink the water.
He moves the glass back and brings up his hand to my mouth. I keep my lips tightly shut.
"It's a tablet for the headache that was caused by the vodka you drank," he explains. I roll my eyes at him and take the tablet. He moves the glass back to my lips and make me drink some more water.
Finally he keeps the glass aside and sits in front of me, all serious and... in his boxers?!
"Why the fuck are you in your boxers and in my room?" I hiss.
He closes his eyes, sighing deeply. Like he's the one annoyed with me.
"How much did you drink, Ella?"
"I don't know, why does it matter?" I cross my arms over my chest.
He laughs bitterly. "Well you said some stuff last night which you wouldn't in the right mind. So I'm planning to get you that drunk again to listen to those words of heaven that came out of your mouth last night."
My face twists. What the hell did I say last night?
"What?" I ask, confused.
"I ask one simple question." His voice turns dangerous right now and he opens his eyes. I see a bit of anger in them. Woah. What happened last night?
"Ella. How much did you drink?" His voice is dangerously low. I'm not talking to Matteo Bianchi right now, no. I'm talking to the Capo of the Italian mafia. Or maybe they're the same person but a different side.
"Five shots of vodka, I'm lightweight and I don't remember anything about last night. What happened?" My voice seems small as I say all this, it feels like I'm a teenager in trouble. I can't bring myself to look into Matteo's eyes because he is clearly angry with me. He's never been angry with me. What happened?
From the corner of my eye, I see the movement of his head telling me he nodded. "You're never drinking again without supervision."
My eyes widen and brows furrow. "I'm not a child." I protest.
He leans into me, his movement holding anger somehow. "Listen to me for once," He grits out through his teeth. Without wasting another second, he stands up and goes over to my sofa, wearing his clothes from yesterday.
Holy god, his ass is so--stop it, Ella.
I can't help but let all my thoughts consume me. I haven't known Matteo for long but he hasn't been angry at me before this. What is it that I did yesterday that got him so riled up? How bad did I fuck up? Wait, did I fuck him?
Oh hell, oh no. I did not lose my virginity to someone on a drunken night. Right? Right?
Matteo walks almost outside the room when I let my thoughts win. "Did we have sex last night?"
Immediate regret. My gaze goes down and my hands starts to fidget with my blanket. From my peripheral vision, I can see Matteo turn around slowly and then walk towards me.
Even his walk is hot. Is the alcohol still in my system? Yes, probably.
His hand comes over mine, making this weird feeling in my stomach come. Or maybe it's the alcohol. Yes, definitely the alcohol.
There's an urge I'm getting to trace the veins on Matteo's tanned hand and all the small tattoos too.
He inter-vines his fingers with mine. Having no clue what corrupted me, I don't pull my hand out. I'm not starting to like Matteo, right? That would be absolutely insane. Yes, the idea that Henry might have killed him makes me feel such dread and horror, an emptiness, it's unexplainable. Maybe I only care for him slightly because he is a human.
That makes absolutely no sense but lately nothing makes sense to me so does it matter?
"Darling," his deep, smooth voice cuts through my thoughts and compels me to glance up at him. "You think I would take advantage of you when you're in an intoxicated state?"
There's a slight hint of hurt in his eyes but it's only for a second before it disappears that I could have imagined it. Matteo may be a very dangerous man and the most feared but he cannot ever take advantage of someone this way. At least that's what everything inside of me is saying. After a moment, I shake my head.
"Last night, I came near mid-night to check up on you. You were drunk. When I was about to leave, you asked me to stay with you. I couldn't say no to you, hence, I stayed for the night but I assure you nothing happened between us." He explains everything.
I nod, not knowing what to reply to that. He leans forward to kiss my forehead, the small gesture making me feel warm and comfort. What's wrong with me? Matteo stands up and walks out of the room.
If what he said was the only thing that happened yesterday, why on earth was he so mad today? I know he is hiding something and I fully intend of finding that out. But before, i desperately need a long hot shower with a bit of a self-care.
* * *
My footsteps echo through the house as I step down the stairs. It's 9 A.M. right now, I don't know who I expect to be awake at this time. Normally Mia has school and she gets up at 6 but since it's Sunday she doesn't so I don't know anything about her routine for today.
Sofia is an early raiser, she likes to meditate during sunrise because--and I quote her--it keeps her mind stress free and relaxed all day. But since even she drank yesterday, I'm not too sure she would wake up early today.
All I hope is that Henry isn't in the kitchen.
When I enter the kitchen, Luca is examining the big refrigerator. Some maids are making breakfast or cleaning the kitchen and Arthur is leaning against one of the counter, texting furiously on his phone. Thankfully, no Henry.
"Good morning," I wish softly. Both, Luca and Arthur's attention turns to mind. They both smile softly at me and wish me back.
"Does Henry know that I shot him?" I ask Arthur when I near him.
He frowns at me. "No. I told everyone to say it was one of Matteo's guard. Anyone present there even so mentions it was you, they're asking for a death wish."
My brows furrow. "Doesn't that mean war between the two mafias?"
He shakes his head. "We came up with a plan. Don't worry about it." He pauses before continuing. "See me in my study after you have breakfast. Come with your sisters." And with that, he leaves the kitchen.
Luca seems to be searching for something in the refrigerator so I don't disturb him. Instead I check out what all has been made for breakfast and instantly my mouth waters.
God, this looks like something out of Pinterest. There are many kinds of puff pastry, more baked goods, toasts, yogurt with granola. My mouth waters at sight.
Mia enters the kitchen out of somewhere, her long black hair made into a French braid which reaches the middle of her back, an apron tied to her waist and some flour on her hands.
She kisses my cheek when she notices me before going back to whatever work she was doing. Well I guess even she woke up early today. Technically it's not too early, only eight am.
Luca nears me and smirks.
"What?"
"You were so wasted last night," he laughs.
My cheek heats up remembering how I woke up this morning with Matteo on top of me and the conversation.
"What happened last night?" I ask, embarrassed. While he laughs some more, I fill a glass of water for myself and add a few strawberries and lemon slices in it that have already been cut up.
He shakes his head and laughs some more before getting it in control and answering me. "Well, for starters, you seem really determined to fuck Matteo."
The sip of water I had just taken comes out instantly. "What!" I shriek.
Everyone's attention in the kitchen turns to me and I feel the heat spreading over to my ears. Luca tries to muffle his laugh with his hand but fails miserably.
Mia stares at me with a questioning look, wondering what's wrong with Luca and why i had taken that sip of water if I planned on spitting it out.
Eventually everyone else goes back to work but Mia keeps waiting for me to answer.
"Apparently I got wasted last night," I give in and start answering her. "I don't know the details of exactly what happened but Luca was telling me all the details now."
Her attention turns to Luca as she waits for him to speak impatiently.
"She called me Lukie," he grimaces. "And when I re-entered her room to check up on her, she and Matteo were in the bathroom and he was brushing her teeth."
Horror fills inside of me. Matteo brushed me teeth? He brushed my fucking teeth? No wonder he was angry this morning. He had to brush my goddamn teeth. Oh my god.
"What else happened?" I ask hurriedly but he shrugs.
"You both made me leave the room. You pulled Matteo on top of you and said something about how he looks sexy on top of you. I cough to remind you both of my presence and all I got was glares and Matteo telling me to fuck off."
My hands slap my face as I groan. What the actual fuck? Why, why did Matteo have to see me drunk? I'm so fucking embarrassed.
Heat spreads all over me before a cool thing presses to my hands. Peeking from between my fingers, it's to see Mia with a cup of ice cream. When did she get that?
Every time I'm hungover, embarrassed or not feeling the best, Mia gives me something sweet to eat. Sometimes it's muffin, donuts or some other baked goods and other times it's ice cream. Ice cream is for when I'm really fucking embarrassed.
And I guess I could use the coldness from the ice cream to cool myself down too.
Abruptly I grab the cup from her and shove a big spoon of coffee ice cream in my mouth. I try to devour the taste of it and forget about the information Luca told me.
Though Luca does not seem to notice that I'm even remotely embarrassed since he is grinning at me. "What?" I ask, taking another food spoon of ice cream in my mouth.
"He's whipped."
The ice cream goes over the wrong pipe and I start choking. Mia glares at Luca. "Stop opening your mouth when she has food in hers," she snaps.
Fucks sake.
"What?" Tears spring in my eyes. The coughs don't stop and Mia brings me another glass of water. Again every maid's attention in the kitchen is turned to me.
Holy fuck, the day has just started and already I've been embarrassed as fuck.
"Can I speak now?" Luca asks.
I roll my eyes and nod.
"Matteo. He's down bad for you."
"Wow, Sherlock. You didn't get that from when he kidnapped Ellie!" Mia grumbles, frustrated.
Sofia enters the kitchen with a huge smile on her face, her dimples showing and her brown hair in a knot. She's wearing her yoga clothes right now. Guess she woke up early today too.
"What's up?" She asks looking between Luca, Mia and I.
"How do you not have the hangover?" I groan, taking a spoon of my ice cream.
"Magic," she winks.
"You're in a good mood," Mia narrows her eyes.
"Can't I be in a good mood?" Sofia asks, mocking her expression.
"Can we just have breakfast? Arthur said we need to meet him in his study after breakfast." I inform them.
"Did he say why?" Sofia's brown pull together.
I shake my head. "Come on let's have breakfast."
We all take everything we need to eat and instead of sitting in the dining room, we decided to sit in the patio.