HELENA'S POV
Immediately I stepped out of the police station, they were still tears in my eyes when I pulled out my phone and dialed Matteo's number, the metallic dial tone matched the frenzy beat of my heart. The cold sliced through the goose bumps on my skin and I wished Matteo wouldn't pick but who was I kidding, he picked on the fifth ring, as if he did it on purpose – waiting for the last minute.
"Helena" he said "This is quite a surprise"
"Cut the theatrics Matteo" I said "Dante is in a jail cell right now because of you"
"I hardly did anything" the cockiness in his voice was evident and I rolled my eyes, constantly kicking myself in the guts for even thinking about doing this but I had to do something, I had the sole power to protect Dante from going to courts and ultimately spending the rest of his life in prison. I loved him so much that if it required I had to sell my soul, then I'll bloody do it.
"Where are you?" I managed to say into the receiver "I guess I'll be yours for the night"
There was silence on the other end for what felt like two heart beats and I held my breath in those moments.
"Meet me at the Delacom Hotel, room 29. Look nice" he said and then the line went dead.
Stupid bastard? Traitor, lying, backstabbing – oh what the hell was I thinking? The only traitor here was Dante and I was married to him which made me a traitor by association.
I rushed home immediately, slipping into a black open back dress that stopped mid-thigh, exposing my creamy thighs for Matteo to thirst after. I brushed my silky hair down and then staining my lips with red lipstick, I looked at my reflection in the mirror one last time.
"You're doing this for Dante, just one night and you'll never see Matteo again" I said to myself but even I couldn't believe it, I couldn't believe I was actually doing this. It even seemed more unbelievable when I pulled over at the hotel, and my legs were carrying me through the lobby, asking the concierge for directions to the room and ultimately when I stood at the door of room 59 – it still seemed surreal.
One knock – a heart beat and the door flung open revealing Matteo's cunny face, he smiled at me.
"Well come in" he said. I hesitated at first but again, my legs took me in against my will. My heart pounded in my chest as I took a look around the room. Typical hotel room in all its grandness, a king sized bed with fluffy beddings, crystal chandelier lighting swinging above our head, I could smell the faint scent of cigarette smoke lingering in the air, a glass of scotch lying sitting on the table next to an ashtray and cigarette butts lingering on it.
"Does Dante know you're doing this?" he asked me and I turned to face him. He stood by the window, flicking a lighter on to light another cigarette.
"What does it matter to you?" I lashed at him "Let's just get this over with, so Dante can be free from that filthy place"
Matteo's chuckle was wicked "You really love him that much, don't you? You're so blindly loyal you're willing to give yourself to his half brother for his freedom"
"What the hell do you want Matteo?" I said "You wanted me, I'm here. What else?"
"Dante doesn't deserve you" he said again, blowing cigarette smoke out the window.
"And you do?"
"I'm the lesser devil" he blew out smoke again from his mouth and flicked the cigarette away. He pulled away from the window and took slow steps towards me – I held my breath. His hands found my waist, pulling me towards him so I could smell his raunchy cologne, so different from Dante's and his cologne smelled exactly like him – like Matteo. He looked into my eyes in that moment, holding my stare for what felt like eternity.
"You're so beautiful Helena" he whispered to me, his face so close to mine that I could smell his cigarette breath fanning my face. Then he kissed me, slow and erotic. His hands tightened on my waist, his fingers nearly digging into my skin through the fabric of my dress. He took my lips whole in his mouth, running his tongue over lips and licking them before seeking entrance into my mouth and I let him. I let his tongue invade my mouth, and take control over me. I let him run trail of kisses down my neck before finding his way back to my mouth to take whole of me again. Then he pulled away for a brief second – leaving me breathless.
He pulled away, walking back to the window to light another cigarette.
"I'm not going to touch you further Helena – not unless you want me to" he said finally and I turned to look at him, my eyebrows raised in confusion.
"I had no intentions of testifying against Dante, he's a lying bastard but still he's family and you don't betray family like that even though he's done worse – "
"Then why – "'
He chuckled again, thick smoke escaping his lips and nose, he flicked his gaze to me and now I could see a certain darkness in his eyes, one that wasn't there before.
"It's impressive how loyal you are to him, but I only did this to show you Dante would never be loyal to you in the same way"
I became puzzled "What do you mean?"
"I don't know how Dante convinced you to do this – "
"He didn't" I cut him short "I'm doing this all on my own accord"
Matteo smiled "That's what he wants you to think, that you're doing this for him because you love him so much. Dante knows how far you're willing to go him, hell you even took a bullet for him and you're never going to dance ballet for him and he's only going to take and keep taking till there's nothing left to take and then he'd get rid of you"
"Do you have point?" I was getting tired of his many riddles and I was too tired to begin to decipher.
Matteo held my gaze, looked out the window then back at me "Dante agreed to this already, he was more than willing to sell you to me in exchange for me not to take this further but he needed you to want to do this on your accord so he'll be free from guilt"
I froze, I felt my brain freeze for a second at the words coming out from Matteo's mouth. What the hell was he saying?
"The whole arrest thing was a front and an arrangement so your dire need to protect him would kick in and you'll do whatever insane thing he wants you to do and you'll do it because you want to little did you know that he already sold you to me for one night in exchange for my share of the company and honestly it wasn't much of a share, I saw my father's will"
I stood speechless, opening my mouth to speak but I couldn't fathom the words. My fingers trembled as I looked into Matteo's eyes waiting for him to say he was joking but he didn't.
"You're – you''re lying" my voice trembled
"No I'm not, Dante sold you to me principessa"