"You have no idea how much that means to me." He whispers as he pulls back, out of my embrace. Instantly I'm bombarded by the temperature drop, and feel a shiver go through my body.

Then it hits me.

I just made a promise that I know I can't keep.

Guilt doesn't seem a worthy word to represent how I'm feeling, it's more utter regret and anger at myself. How have I managed to weasel my way into this mess? Why have I done this to myself?

Matteo cups my face with his large hands, drawing my eyes away from the floor and into his.

His face is calm and his eyes are laced with unshed tears. A small smile is spread across his lips, he looks... Content.

Slowly he pulls me into a kiss. His eyes closed, I feel his lips against mine. They're soft and supple. Moulding easily against my own.

I don't reciprocate the kiss.

At first.

But then his tongue grazes my bottom lip, asking for entrance, and I'm suddenly unable to resist. I allow him in and instantly, warmth spreads through my body. I feel like a sudden weight has been lifted off of my body. It's as if resisting him took all my energy, and now that I'm at this point, I feel so light.

But I know this is wrong.

I made a promise to myself.

It feels like a long time ago now, before Matteo apologised, before I knew that I had a brother, before I began to feel anything but hatred for the man who is currently devouring my lips.

I wouldn't fall for this man.

I wouldn't love him the way he wanted to be loved.

And I think I know deep down, that despite how I feel now... I won't ever be able to love him with all my heart. My mind and my body will always remember the pain he put me through.

It's like I'm going against everything within myself when I pull away. Because I don't want to, I just want to kiss him and forget about all my worries. I just want him to make me forget.

"I... I'm sorry." I whisper, looking down and away from his eyes. I don't think I can look him in the eyes right now, not after all they 've said and done within the past ten minutes.

Matteo seems to understand, and pulls away giving me space. "It's alright." He says, and squeezes my hand gently. My heart flutters at the small gesture.

"I will be here for you Matteo, no matter what happens, you can talk to me... But I-"

"It's fine, I understand." He says promptly, before I can finish the words that I knew would hurt him just as much as they would hurt me.

I sniffle, wiping my eyes with the hand that Matteo isn't holding.

Matteo sits up further, shuffling in his seat. His hand doesn't let go of mine, however it becomes tighter, and I feel myself biting my lip at just how tight he's holding it. "Please-"

"Mia, about the marriage..." Matteo begins, once again cutting me off.

Oh god, the marriage.

I thought he had forgotten about that, will he really make me marry him after all that has happened between us?

"Yes." I squeak out, my eyes still turned down on the cream carpet beneath us.

"Please look at me." He pleads. I can hear the subtle desperation in his voice, and I desperately want to look up into his endless pools of darkness. The eyes which I fear that I could get lost in. The eyes I fear I could love if I looked at them for too long.

I slowly look up from, and find my eyes grazing across his jaw, and then his temple, looking anywhere but those haunting eyes. His other hand moves to beneath my chin, and steers my vision until I am unable to look anywhere but him - And those eyes.

"This marriage is not a punishment. I am not doing this to hurt you in any way... Please know that." He sounds so desperate, and his words have a strange hypnotic effect on me. I believe him, I believe every single word that he says.

I nod my head.

"When - Uh, when is it going to happen?" I ask awkwardly.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to make a spectacle out of it. I have the forms in my office, and when Hailey and Alistair return home, we will sign them."

Wow, that's a lot sooner than I thought.

This is all becoming real, very, very fast.

"Don't worry about it." He coos, clearly being able to see the distress painted along my features.

"Matteo..." I begin, looking directly into his eyes. "I want you to promise me something."

"Anything." He says immediately, his eyes wide, waiting for me to finish.

"Promise you won't ever lie to me."

Matteo stiffens and finally lets go of my hand. His face no longer looks calm, but rather distressed.

"Please." I say. "Please, just make this one promise. I - I want to be able to trust you... I really do, but first I need to know that you won't lie to me."

He stands, and I follow, doing the same thing. Fixing his suit, his eyes don't disconnect from mine, despite how disconnected I feel he is from the conversation. "Mia, there are some things I can't tell you." He grits.

I bite my tongue, holding back thoughts which want to become words.

What does that mean? What is Matteo keeping from me?

"Okay...." I breathe. "I understand there are things you can't tell me, just promise me you won't lie to my face."

I grab his hands, and he reluctantly lets me take them. "I made my promise to you Matteo. You won't lose me... I will not break my promise. So please, give me this one thing."

His hands are warm in my own, and I desperately want to hug him again.

"Okay." He finally relents. "I promise. I will never lie to you, Mia."

"Thank you," I whisper.

Once again, I find our bodies gravitating towards each other.

"We're home!" Hailey's familiar voice calls out through the large penthouse.

Immediately, I find myself letting go of Matteo's hands and stepping away. I turn away from him, and bring my attention to the young couple who have just wandered through the front door with their young child.

"Sir," Alistair greets Matteo with a curt nod. "Mia."

I give him a smile, and make my way over to Hailey who holds Mirabella in her arms. "I was looking for you all day." I say.

"I'm so sorry, I completely forgot to tell you! We had to go out and purchase some new furniture for the nursery for Bella." Hailey exclaims while rocking her baby.

"It's fine. I managed to survive." I mutter, looking back around to find Matteo speaking with Alistair about something that looks to be highly serious.

"Oooooo, did I miss anything?" Hailey mumbles, just quiet enough that only I can hear her. I give her 'death eyes' and purse my lips.

"Nothing is happening between us." I state.

"Oh, so you weren't holding hands before we came into the house, just then?" Hailey grins.

I shove her lightly, making sure not to hurt her or the baby.

"Now that you're back, we need to sign the forms." Matteo says, solemnly.

I gulp down my nerves. Hailey just looks at me quizzically, tilting her head slightly, as if asking me 'what forms'.

Matteo storms passed me, with Alistair on his heels. I reluctantly follow behind, and so does Hailey.

We reach his office and, despite Matteo telling me so, I'm surprised to see the forms laid neatly out on his desk, along with an expensive looking pen. "Hailey and Alistair, you will be witness to both Mia and I signing the legal documents for our marriage." Matteo states.

I don't look to see Hailey's reaction, my eyes still glued on the intimidating pieces of paper.

Can I really do this? Can I really marry a man who I know I can never love? A man who I promised I would never love?

I push down all my fears which are slowly rising up my body and take a step towards the desk. I watch as Matteo picks up the pen and bends down, signing his name permanently.

I'm doing this for Alice. For my best friend. I'm doing this to save her life.

I chant these words repetitively throughout my head, but it doesn't make me feel any less sick.

It's just a form, a piece of paper.

"Mia." Matteo stands up and holds the pen out to me, beckoning me forwards.

I take another shaky step, and take the pen from him, my hand grazing against his.

The pen is heavy in my hand, like a weapon. I run my finger over the all point and state as the ink draws onto my skin.

I don't know how, but I suddenly find myself in front of the forms, and my eyes make their way down to Matteo's signature. Beside it is a blank space, waiting for me to sign my name away.

I drag the pen across the page in a series of squiggles, barely recognisable as my name, and then it's done.

I step away from the papers until my back hits the wall behind me.

I look up to see Matteo, expressionless as always. Slowly, it soaks in... That I just signed my name away. I am now Matteo's wife.

I'm married... To the man who kidnapped me.

"Welcome to the family, Mrs Giovanni."

There's a banging on the door which jolts me from my dazed state.

"Mettili accanto alla ragazza." (Put them next to the girl.) A deep voice orders. The sound of hurried footsteps is halted by the clinking of keys and a cell door opening.

I look up and beside me to find a heaped figure sprawled out on the floor.

I wonder what got them on Harry's bad side.

For the past few days, I've been in and out of consciousness, though I've been awake enough times to notice that I'm no longer in the states. Harry had me transported out of the country to god knows where, and now I've been locked in a bedroom for I have no idea how long.

I haven't even seen Harry since he finally took me out of that torture chamber. Though I'm not complaining. And luckily he's decided that torture is no longer necessary, and has had someone treat the wounds he inflicted on me.

Once I'm sure the men have left, and the only two people locked up in the cells in the figure and I. I shuffle towards them, though keep my distance despite the bars between us.

"Hello?" I call out. My voice is hoarse from not having been used in days.

The body moves slightly in response to my voice, and the person lets out a deep groan.

It sounds like a man.

"My name's Rain." I say, hoping that I can gain this person's trust. Maybe if I can get this person on my side, we can work together to get out of this place. I know it's almost impossible, but we can at least try.

"Lei parla inglese?" (Do you speak English?) I ask.

"Sì." They mumble back.

Well that's a relief. "What's your name?"

There's a few moments of silence, and I watch as the figure shifts and leans against the wall furthest from me for support. I can barely see their silhouette in the dim lighting, so I squint, trying to make out any feature - But it's futile.

"My name..." They slur, as if drunk. "My name is Dante."

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