MATTEO (book 2)

23. MATTEO

She's giving me the silent treatment. She has for a week now. I woke up, she was gone. I went to speak to her but she kept walking away from me. So I gave up.

I was playing a card game with one of the younger girls. She's taken a liking to me, she's estimated to be 9. We haven't been able to find her identity yet, they're going international now.

She doesn't speak, she doesn't really smile or laugh unless it's with me, she's very quiet, she doesn't get alone well with the other girls but she likes playing with cards and toys, so we do that a lot.

"Does it ever get weird being around a gangster all the time?" I hear Antonio ask somebody.

"Not really. Matteo's adorable." Xena's mom replies. "He's very good with the kids, better than Xena is."

I know. I've always been good with kids. I think it was being raised with Romeo, I had to have extreme patience. But then, being raised with Ilaria where she's the most demanding thing in the world. I was the perfect balance.

"But he's a gangster... he probably partakes in that stuff-"

"He doesn't." I hear Xena.

"How'd you know? Maybe it's all a ruse for him to kidnap-"

"Shut up, Tonio. And don't say that shit around him." Xena tuts.

"I'm just saying. He kills people for a living. Probably innocent people."

I turn around, looking him dead in the eye. "I'll kill you if you don't shut up."

Xena sighs and rolls her eyes. Pamala gasps and Antonio just nods his head, walking away.

"You don't always have to be a dick to him." Xena huffs.

"Oh, so you're speaking to me now, pretty?"

"Shut up." She walks away.

I turn back to look at the child. Everyone calls her sweetie. I don't though. I'd rather not stop until I find her name. I don't want to give her a false identity.

"Want some food?" I ask.

She looks at me as if I'm speaking a foreign language.

I lean against the side of the couch. "Matteo." I point to myself.

She just smiles softly, playing with the cards again.

When it's lunch time, she runs off to eat with the other kids and I get on my way to find Xena. It took me a while but I did find her, sitting on the grass, leaning against the tree.

I crouch down beside her. "Why are you ignoring me?"

"You annoy me."

"How so."

"You treat me like a queen then don't care enough to stay the night." She looks at me, eyes twinkling. "Do you know how that makes me feel? When I let you use my body like that and you don't have the decency to stay the night."

"I was in the living room, Xena-"

"Yeah. The living room. Not beside me."

I tap her chin. "I don't sleep with people. Never have. I told you that."

She looks away.

I grab her jaw this time, forcing her to look at me. "I told you, Xena, I don't do relationships. You were okay with that. I don't want strings attached so if you think that's happening, tell me now."

"You're a dick Matteo. You're rude to everyone around you and scare people for fun." She pushes me away. "You do the stuff I hate. You're a gangster." She stands up. "But I'd appreciate it if you stayed beside me the damn night."