"How do you feel?" Demi puts his hand on my thigh as it bops up and down.
I was scared like hell. It didn't help that right in front of me was the man I hated - Mateo.
Mateo arrived earlier than necessary and told us what the plan was. I'm presuming from my great brain skills that Demi told him the bits and bobs.
The limo was tight, and all I wanted to do was throw up. I couldn't, though, because my face was expensive today.
Makeup makes me feel cool as Po from Kung Fu Panda.
"It's awfully quiet," Mateo exclaims.
No one responds to him.
"Valentina, you're always talking. What's up now?" He questions. I look at the ground.
The man who wanted me gone was now trying to do small talk. This was all so weird.
"Sick," I reply shortly.
"Too bad," Mateo remarks, however, under every word was something else.
Demi squeezes my leg, and a hint of pink touches me.
"Mateo, please refrain from talking to my girlfriend," Demi states harshly.
Girlfriend. We never spoke about labels, and for some time, I just thought this was some fling.
I sound like a freak for overthinking so much, but it's hard when circumstances are complicated.
"Girlfriend," I whisper in his ear.
"Too much?" He responds back in the same tone, but before I could ask, Mateo annoyingly barks in.
I used the word bark as you can see, I thoroughly dislike him.
"Well, tonight she's my wife, so you can say goodbye to your girlfriend," he replies with a smile hidden.
"Stop trying to get a reaction out of Demetrius," I defend him, and Mateo looks taken aback.
Yeah, try me, mother trucker.
Suddenly the limo stops, and Mateo smirks at me. We walk out together.
Photographers attack us, but I kept looking back for Demi, and there he stood.
"Don't talk about any of the mafia stuff that happens. If questions are asked, talk about my business, okay?" He whispers in my ear.
As he says this, another flick.
"Valentina, this is your first time here, yes?" I'm questioned on the spot.
"Yes, and I'm super excited to have fun!" I smile with glee.
Suddenly, a roar of responses comes back.
"There was a shooting outside of–" Before the reporter could continue his sentence, Mateo pulled me away, and Demi barged into them all.
How sweet.
Mateo held my hand, but as his fingers touched mine, I couldn't help but imagine it to be Demi's instead.
"You think we're doing a good job?" I ask.
"We're fine, but control your boy; he keeps glaring."
"He's your brother." I whisper with a sense of annoyance.
"Yet he will do anything for you over his own brother." I didn't argue because it was true.
Mateo was his brother; he could've killed me when he could, but he chose me.
As we entered, it seemed like a scene out of Beauty and the Beast. The ceiling was adorned with religious art, hand-drawn clouds, and angels flying across the vast expanse.
"I wish I could do art like that," I say.
"You like the work?" Demi mutters as he walks beside me.
"It's beautiful," I respond.
He smiles softly, and Mateo leads us ahead.
The rest of the building, a testament to time, was draped in melted gold. Only small pieces hinted at its true age. The staircase bore cracks in hidden spots, and the sculpted art displayed signs of wear with pieces missing.
There was a cacophony of chatter and discussions, yet it felt strangely lonely. In every corner, it was about business, money, and perhaps even blackmail.
All the women were stunning, adorned in gowns that perfectly suited them. Similarly, the men were clad in suits worth more than myself.
As all three of us took the last step, everyone glanced at us.
Do I have a brownie piece in my teeth or is it lipstick? Either way, remind me to smack Demi.
"Why is it so quiet?" I ask.
"It's quiet because it's yours and Demetrius' first time here, and I look great as well," Mateo laughs.
The longest ten seconds finally disappeared, and everyone was back bustling into conversation.
"Are you alright?" Demi pulls me aside, and Mateo glares with annoyance.
"I'm okay; we need to keep our cover," I explain.
"Fuck our cover." I squeeze his hand in reassurance and smile at him.
I went back with Mateo, disgust pouring out of me. My arm is in his, and immediately a couple came to speak to us straight away.
"Mateo, so this is the girl Mr. Garcia has been hiding," a gorgeous woman queried. She wore a blue gown, and her lipstick was a dark red.
As she said my father's surname, a sudden realization that he wasn't here attacked me.
Where was he? He comes to this event every year.
"Have you seen my father?" I push the question a little too suspiciously.
Officially time to be a spy. I need to change out of this dress and pull out my spy suit.
"Aren't you aware he has some business to take care of?" The woman smiles devilishly, and the gun in her purse suddenly comes into my view.
She's a part of this business too. I can't think of a single person here who doesn't have a bad bone.
As Mateo and the woman continued to speak, her husband hugged her from the back and whispered something in her ear.
"So where's the ring, Valentina?" The woman asks.
Anxiety strikes me, and Mateo looks at me with every ounce of hope in his eyes.
"I lost it, went down the drain, and then I tried to bring it back, but then the sink got blocked. I know, really sad story," I lie.
The woman does not look like she believes me, but suddenly, that's not important as my view goes to Demi, who's talking with another woman.
"Who's that?" I whisper to Mateo, but before he can answer, the husband responds.
"My daughter, she just turned eighteen. If she and Mr. Capo are able to hit it off, it would be great for business relations," he explains.
I don't want them to hit it off.
Respectfully, I want her to be hit by me, preferably.
Why is he laughing at her?"
"Keep your cover," Mateo whispers as he pretends to kiss me.
Suddenly, it's much harder than expected.
"Anyways, it was nice meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Capo. I hope you enjoy your evening," she states as her husband nods in acknowledgment. A large sigh escapes me, while Mateo gives me an annoyed look.
"Do better," he argues.
"You say that while the man you love is laughing at another woman," I accidentally blurt. I immediately cover my mouth, while Mateo raises his eyebrows.
"Interesting," he mumbles.
"Interesting to keep to yourself."
"Perhaps."
Mateo and I continued to speak to everyone, and there were moments where he'd have to nudge me back into the mold I was forced to be. The girl who obeyed and listened. With Demi, that wasn't the case.
As each conversation went by, Demetrius and that girl were laughing.
I hate being jealous.
As the dance floor pulsed with music, I found myself in the arms of Mateo, my steps mechanically guided by the rhythm.
"You ready to make them believe we're in love." He mutters.
"No."
He rolls his eyes and grabs me by the hand and pulls me in.
Everyone follows suit but as his hand was on my waist my eyes followed Demetrius who was doing the exact same thing.
Across the room, Demetrius was with a woman he'd been partnered with.
Mateo's grip was firm, leading me through the steps, but my gaze occasionally flickered towards Demetrius.
On the other side of the dance floor, Demetrius maintained an external composure, his eyes locked on me and Mateo. His partner, unaware of the silent drama unfolding, smiled and engaged in light banter.
Our gazes collided, a silent exchange that spoke volumes.
Jealousy simmered beneath the surface.
The dance floor became a battleground of unspoken desires.
"I have to apologize," Mateo confesses.
I look up at him and raise my eyebrow.
"You have a lot of apologizing to do," I reply back.
"I'm aware, and it's not in my nature to do this. I have treated you unfairly, but I'm happy you have my brother, and he has you. He has isolated himself from society for a while, perhaps why you didn't know of him," he adds.
"I wish I met him earlier."
"You did."
"What?" I mutter.
"It's nothing anyway; you could have had an actual conversation if you weren't focused on that show you kept watching."
"Gossip Girl is good, okay?" I snicker.
We laugh together, but a smash echoes, and I see Demi throw a glass on the ground, the girl beside him in shock.
Our eyes meet.
He walks out in frustration, and as I try to leave and race for him, my hands are gripped by Mateo.
"Don't do this," he commands.
"Let me go," I angrily respond.
"Mateo, let me go now." He shakes his head and grips my wrist.
I was stuck in this position. Eventually, the music stopped, I released my hand, and bitterness took control of me.
"I need to use the toilet."
He smirks, "Off you go."
As I head to find Demi I found him stood there with a gun in his hand and a random individual dead.
"What the hell?" I shout.
"What were you two laughing at?" He questions.
"Said you! You're the man who was laughing and giggling with some girl," I reply back.
"You're not answering my question," he argues.
"Is this your reaction to jealousy?" I take a step towards him.
"Valentina, you don't even understand what I'm capable of doing for you. I would burn the world to make sure you're mine and mine only." He confesses.
"That's a two-way street; you're being hypocritical," I argue back.
"No, I was keeping cover for your safety," he argues.
"I have no interest in her whatsoever, and in fact, I was laughing at her, not with her," he explains.
"Perhaps that could be the same here."
"No, it's different. You two were married, and I have to see you guys act like you love each other!" He exclaims.
"You're wrong because I love you!" I blurt.
A/N no comment HAVAHA that was emotional to write! I hope you enjoyed :)
i love u all so so much <3