Chapter 5 - The Viper Strikes
The gala continued, though the atmosphere remained thick with tension, fear, and morbid curiosity.
Matteo had to step away to speak with his head of security, leaving Cameron near the balcony doors.
She took a deep breath of the cool night air, trying to calm her racing pulse.
Suddenly, a heavy, suffocating grip clamped down on her upper arm, yanking her violently into the shadows of the terrace.
Cameron gasped, preparing to scream, but a large hand covered her mouth.
Lorenzo shoved her hard against the stone balustrade, his face twisted into an ugly, desperate snarl.
“I don’t know what kind of sick trick Matteo is playing, you little imposter,” Lorenzo hissed, his breath reeking of alcohol.
“Sofia is dead, I made sure of it, and I will not let a street rat ruin my family’s legacy.”
Cameron glared at him, her fear instantly evaporating and being replaced by burning, fierce anger.
She bit down hard on the fleshy part of his palm, tasting copper as her teeth sank in.
Lorenzo yelped in pain, pulling his hand away and raising it to strike her across the face.
Before his hand could fall, a massive shadow lunged from the doorway, moving with terrifying speed.
Matteo grabbed his uncle by the throat, lifting the older man completely off the ground and slamming him into the brick wall.
“Touch her again, Lorenzo, and I will rip your arms from your body,” Matteo roared, his voice shaking the terrace.
Lorenzo choked, clawing helplessly at Matteo’s iron grip as his face turned a dangerous shade of purple.
“Matteo, stop!” Cameron cried out, grabbing his arm.
“If you kill him now, you will go to prison, and Leo will lose you too.”
The mention of his son’s name pierced through the red haze of Matteo’s murderous rage.
He dropped his uncle in a pathetic heap on the ground, straightening his tuxedo jacket with deadly calm.
“My security team is taking you to a private warehouse, Lorenzo,” Matteo stated coldly.
“And you are going to confess everything to the police, or you will never see the sun again.”
Two massive bodyguards appeared from the shadows, dragging the sobbing, broken man away into the night.
Matteo turned to Cameron, his chest heaving as he cupped her face in both of his trembling hands.
“Did he hurt you?” he asked, his dark eyes frantically scanning her for any injuries.
“I’m fine, Matteo, I’m fine,” she promised, placing her hands over his.
In the quiet darkness of the balcony, the adrenaline of the night finally crashed down around them.
Matteo looked at her lips, the distance between them disappearing until she could feel the heat of his skin.
May you like
He kissed her, not with hesitation, but with a desperate, overwhelming hunger that stole her breath away.
Cameron kissed him back, tangling her fingers in his dark hair, finally accepting that she belonged in his dangerous world.
