"Je vous ai dit que c'était ce dont nous avions besoin!" (I told you that this is what we needed!)
Charlotte giggled as she sipped her cocktail. She had suggested the night out when we were on the yacht the other day. Other than Stella and Charlotte, everyone else here flew out to Baku in two days, so we'd been running short on time to plan our night out. So, when Charlotte facetimed me and begged that tonight be the night, I got everyone on board.
"Tu as raison." (You're right.) I smiled, taking a sip of my own drink.
We'd been here for about an hour now, everyone only three shots in this time. I'm pretty sure we all walked in saying we needed to take fewer shots this time – I wasn't the only one with a terrible hangover the next day.
Giada and Arthur weren't able to make it out with us tonight, both of them having prior commitments, but thankfully, Charlotte and Stella had tagged along. I honestly think Charlotte would've combusted if I hadn't let her come out tonight seeing it was her idea. We had also managed to convince Danny, Grace, Max, Kelly, Lewis, and Lando to come out.
I think Lewis complained that he was too old, but I reminded him that he had come with us last time and enjoyed himself. Apparently, that was reason enough.
After us girls had been on the dance floor for close to an hour, Stella stepped closer to me, pulling me close so I could hear her over the music. "Nous allons aux toilettes." (We're going to the toilets.) She was referring to her and Charlotte.
I nodded, kissing her cheek as they scurried off.
"We're going to head back to where the boys are, do you want to come or are you fine waiting here for the girls?" Grace asked, Kelly's arm looped through hers as they gestured to the table the guys were sitting at.
I shook my head, "I'm fine here, I want to dance a little more." Grace accepted my answer, knowing me well enough to know I was telling the truth. I loved being on the dance floor at a club, the feeling of letting loose really doing something for me.
The two girls blew kisses to me before disappearing in the crowd.
I had just enough alcohol in me to make me not care what others thought of my dancing, not that anyone was paying attention anyway. Everyone around me was dancing with someone, so I was on my own.
Typically, I'd be with Charles or Lando out here, dancing the night away. But seeing as Charles was still in Italy and Lando and I hadn't returned to that level of friendship yet, I was stuck dancing by myself until Charlotte and Stella returned – not that I'm complaining. Dancing alone could be fun.
A few minutes later, I felt someone's hands on my waist, definitely male. I didn't really have it in me to care at this point, they weren't doing anything other than dancing with me, using their grip on my waist to guide me with them.
I missed the feeling of someone else's hands on me and, for some reason, this feeling felt familiar. Almost like the other night, I had shared a similar experience with someone.
I leaned back into whoever was holding me, enjoying the feeling of their taut abdomen against my back. Whoever this was must be extremely fit.
My eyes drifted down to the hands on my waist, attempting to catch a glimpse of whoever it was, whether I knew them or not. But I'm pretty sure my heart fully stopped at the sight of an all too familiar tattoo on the person's hand.
I nearly jumped away from him, spinning to face him all while putting some space between us, my heart rate skyrocketing. "What the fuck are you doing here?" At this point, I didn't care that he barely understood English, he definitely understood what I had asked him.
A familiar, sickeningly sweet laugh fell from his lips, "J'étais curieux de savoir si vous habitiez toujours à Monaco." (I was curious to see if you still lived in Monaco.)
"Si je le fais, ce ne sont pas vos affaires, Matteo." (If I do, it is none of your business, Matteo.) The taste of his name on my tongue was vile.
Why was he here? Why had he been touching me?
He smirked before he spoke, striking a nerve deep inside of me. "Oh, je sais. J'ai vu votre voiture devant l'un des bâtiments." (Oh, I know. I saw your car in front of one of the buildings.)
I swear all of the blood drained from my body at the sound of his admittal. He knew where I lived?
I shook my head, stepping away from him, but he gripped my wrist to stop me from moving. This isn't good.
My gaze shifted to the hand that held onto mine, a ring on his hand had caught one of the lights, shining brightly. Was he married? Just the sight of the ring felt like a knife to the heart and I could feel a panic attack brewing.
He must've noticed my staring because he smirked again. "C'est vraiment drole. J'ai épousé la fille avec qui j'étais quand nous avons rompu." (That's really funny. I married the girl I was with when we broke up.)
Fuck.
He means the one he cheated on me with.
That was the icing on the cake, hot tears now slowly rolling down my cheeks. I didn't even care that I was crying in front of him, he should know how much he broke me. He won't care, but still.
"Laisse-moi partir." (Let me go.) I commanded, but he didn't listen. I'm not even sure why I expected him to. Matteo was one of the least respectful people I know, I wonder how she puts up with him.
I pulled against his grip, wincing at the pain of his ever-tightening hand. But before I could struggle too much, I felt a presence next to me.
"Back off, Mate." It was Lando.
Matteo cocked an eyebrow, "I thought the two of you broke up." Of course, he knew that Lando and I had dated, it makes sense that he had kept tabs on my life. He was obsessive like that.
"I don't care if we did or not, she's clearly uncomfortable with you holding her like that." It hit me as Lando spoke, he didn't know that this was Matteo. I had never shown him a picture. Lando had come over here to back me up only because he knew Matteo was making me uncomfortable, not because he knew he was Matteo.
Matteo rolled his eyes, letting go of me. I stumbled at the force with which he let go, but thankfully only into Lando's arms.
"Bonne vie, Adélaïde. À un de ces quatre." (Have a good life, Adelaide. See you around.) And with that, he disappeared into the crowd.
My hands were tight around Lando, fear coursing through my veins. "You're shaking," Lando mumbled into my ear as he held me close.
"That's Matteo."
It was clear by the way his body shifted that Lando understood the seriousness of it all. "I'm taking you home." He shook his head, leading me over to our table to collect our belongings, not giving me the chance to deny his assistance.
Everyone was at the table now, even Charlotte and Stella who had conveniently not returned to the dance floor. They were all giving Lando strange looks as he gathered our things, obviously not understanding why my ex-boyfriend and I were standing so close or why he was grabbing something like my phone.
"Her ex-fiance is here, fucking harassed her on the dance floor." I watched as his eyes darted to the four girls, "Where the fuck were you guys?"
I winced at his harshness, seeing all of them, even the guys, open their mouths to provide excuses, but I stepped in. I squeezed Lando's hand which was still connected to mine, drawing his attention. "I told them I'd be fine, it isn't their fault." He immediately calmed down, his face softening at the look on mine.
He ran a hand over his face, breathing out heavily. "Sorry," Lando mumbled to the girls, bidding goodbye to everyone before ushering me out of the club.
Thankfully, Lando hadn't drunk nearly anything tonight, which meant we could take his Mclaren and not a cab. It didn't take long for the valet to pull it up, Lando not releasing his hold on me until he had me safely in the vehicle.
I relaxed into my seat as he drove down the streets of Monaco, back toward my apartment, only stray tears falling now. My apartment. Fuck, no.
"You can't take me home!" I cried in pure panic, nearly frozen from the sudden realization.
The car swerved before straightening out, I had probably scared him "Why not?" Lando asked, glancing at me while taking a few deep breaths.
"Because fuck, he told me he knew what building I lived in and Charles isn't here so I don't have anyone else in the building I can be with in case he finds me."
Lando looks furious, a look I've only seen a handful of times after a particularly frustrating race.
"Then you're coming back to mine." His response offered no room for rebuttal.
I tried not to be bothered by the fact that this was going to be the first time I'm going back to the apartment since I had moved out back in January. At least I knew I'd be safe from Matteo finding me, for tonight anyway.
I was about to say something, but then the sound of a phone call being made stopped me. Lando had started to call someone.
"Hello?" I didn't know whether or not to feel nervous or relieved when I heard Charles' voice fill the car. He'd called Charles.
"Mate, you need to get an earlier flight. Matteo is back and he knows where Addie lives."
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i apologize