Redeemed (Dirty Air #4)(96)

“Because in the end, I’m here now. Yeah, the journey to get here wasn’t the easiest one, but I have you and that’s what matters. It’s exactly what I wished for. The past is the past, but my future is brighter than ever.” I beam.

Matteo’s eyes drop to his lap again.

Did I come on too strong?

Matteo fists his palms in unison. Tension ripples up his arms at the gesture.

Yeah, definitely came on too strong.

Matteo lifts his head. His eyes shine, and wetness clings to his lashes. He clears his throat. “I know I can’t take away the pain you went through, but will you let me try?”

My chest aches in the best kind of way. His acceptance is everything I wanted and wished for. I nod my head, happy to finally feel like I’ve found a home after so many years.





Santiago pounces on me the moment I unlock the front door.

I scream and jump back. My arms fly out to my sides as I lose my footing.

“Sorry!” He grabs onto my arm to prevent me from falling.

“What are you doing, creeping at the door like a freaking murderer?”

His wild eyes scan my face. “It’s late.”

“I didn’t know I had a curfew, Dad.”

“Why were you gone for so long?” He frowns.

“Because Matteo and I had a lot to talk about.”

“And what did you two talk about?” Exasperation leaks into his voice.

“You’re acting strange right now and it’s weirding me out.”

“Sorry, I’ve been dying to know how he reacted after everything.” His voice seems hesitant as he lingers on the last word.

“Well, he seemed a lot more relaxed today. He asked me a lot of questions about myself.”

“Oh.”

Somehow one word carries the weight of Santiago’s disappointment. Why is he acting like this? I thought he would be ecstatic about Matteo’s sudden enthusiasm.

“Yeah…”

“I want to hear more about it.” Santiago steers us toward the living room.

We settle into the couch, and I throw my legs over his lap. Despite his odd behavior, it’s comforting knowing we have our little rituals. Especially this one where he gives me the best foot massage without me having to ask. If I was searching for a husband, he would be first on my list.

Seriously, what guy ever offers a foot massage?

The kind I want to date. I push the thought away for later tonight when I can stew in them properly. “Are you going to stop being weird now? I’ll only share what happened if you stop acting like I’m about to bolt from the room any second or break down and cry. It went way better than last time. I swear.”

He nods and looks down at my feet on his lap. “Yeah. Sorry about my reaction. I was just worried about you.”

My heart throbs in my chest at his sincerity.

“Aw, that’s sweet.” I poke his chest with my foot.

“I’m glad to hear it went well.” He looks up and smiles at me. Nothing about his voice sounds happy, but I let him be. He must’ve been pretty worried for his mood to be this awful even after I confirmed I was okay.

He clutches onto my foot and goes to work.

I sigh and sink into the cushions, enjoying his touch. “Did you know Matteo was arrested one time for running down the streets of Milan naked? And I mean fully naked.”

He offers me the smallest smile known to man. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me all about it.”

And I do just that, sharing all the different stories Matteo told me during our day together. Everything feels like it’s finally clicking into place, and I love every second of it. Not only is Matteo coming around, but everything with Santiago is perfect. He’s perfect. I’d be stupid not to pursue a more serious relationship that he clearly wants.

Now that my relationship with Matteo is secure, I have an intense desire to embrace the second scariest thing I’ve ever done.

Fall in love.





42





Santiago





With an agitated finger, I press the buzzer on Matteo’s gate for a third time. Patience is a thing of the past after spending the entire night pretending I didn’t know about Matteo’s secret.

He better pray for mercy because my mood hit new lows ever since Chloe fell asleep after last night. I barely slept, stuck overthinking everything she shared about her father.

This is what I get for trusting someone who didn’t deserve it in the first place. The piece of shit told her a bunch of stories, and who the fuck knows if they are even true. And now, not only did I have to sneak out of the house for a second time in two days, but I had to do it to visit this idiot.

Matteo Accardi is on my shit list, and nothing and no one can convince me otherwise.

I press the button for the fourth time and pace the paved area. Sun rays peek through the early morning clouds, lighting up the area with a faint glow.

The old gears groan in protest as the gate opens. I stride toward the front door and knock three times. My teeth grind together as I wait minutes for Matteo to grace me with his presence.

Matteo doesn’t bother looking me in the eyes when he opens the door. He doesn’t even look rumpled in his pajamas. How charming. I’m here feeling like a mess from guilt-ridden insomnia while he looks fresh as a baby after a fat nap.