CHAPTER 41
**CHLOE DUARTE**
“Thank you, Matt. I'm ready now, do you want to come in for a bit or should we get there early?", I ask, waving him into the house and he nods his head in agreement.
“The venue is a little far away, but it's still early and we can wait a bit if you want."
I nod and close the door behind me as Matt enters the apartment and settles down on the couch, I also reach into my purse, but stop when he nods to the bottle of wine on top of the coffee table that I forgot to put away in the kitchen.
“Hmmm, I see you were enjoying yourself!", he takes the bottle to read the label before handing it to me.
“By the way, you've always been beautiful, but this haircut has made you sexier and more beautiful than ever, princess.", he compliments me again, drawing another smile from me.
“I've been meaning to change it up a bit, does it look good? Maybe I should have dyed it blonde.", I jokingly comment as I go back to the kitchen and put away the bottle of wine.
“Don't do that, you look perfect like this. Brunettes are the best and Brazilians are even better...", he comments smiling and I laugh at his humor.
“Would you like something to drink?", I ask and he answers that a glass of water is enough.
I leave Matt in the living room while I go to the bathroom to touch up my red lipstick that was smeared by the glass of wine, messing up my hair a little more before going back to my friend who is waiting for me by the door.
“We can go!", he nods as I close the door before locking the apartment and we go down to the first floor.
Matt's beautiful, fast motorcycle is parked in front of the building and I immediately think that I am going to suffer to get up behind him since my skirt is too short to do that kind of thing.
But I have no other way out now, so I wait for Matt to mount the motorcycle and put on his safety helmet before extending his hand in my direction.
I settle in behind him pulling the fabric of the skirt down as far as I can and can, put the helmet on correctly with his help before circling his waist firmly with my hands.
“Hold on tight, okay?", I nod my head squeezing his body as he starts the bike and the powerful roar is heard.
Within a few seconds, Matt is riding the bike through the busy late afternoon streets that quickly turn to night as we get closer to the place with each passing minute.
I have never ridden a motorcycle in my life and now this is my first time, even with my helmet on and glued to Matt's back I can feel the adrenaline rushing over us, it is a good energy and sensation to feel when he accelerates or makes a sharp turn in the road.
Matt loves this bike and the biker vibe and now I can see why, you do feel very alive when you are on this fast two-wheeled machine that significantly also comes with danger.
I still can't understand why, but everything dangerous and forbidden always becomes more attractive, and I am starting to be attracted to danger and it scares and fascinates me at the same time.
I feel like opening my arms when the cold, refreshing wind brushes against my exposed skin, but I stop myself because I am not in the mood for a serious accident on this motorcycle.
We drive a few more streets until Matt stops the bike in one of the many available parking spots near a large decorated shed where I see many people dressed appropriately for the show.
“Come, princess!", Matt extends his hand to me after removing his helmet and helping me off the bike.
I remove my helmet seeing that several eyes are on us at this moment, I remember again to pull the short fabric of my skirt as we make our way to the entrance of the venue.
There are some security guards near the two double doors where some people are already lined up, but I find it strange when Matt holds my hand and waves to the men who quickly let us in.
Still holding my hand he leads me inside the shed, I look to the side seeing a huge stage with lights while several people seem to finalize everything for the band's performance.
“Look who's here, the famous Matt Ortega!", I turn my head to find a tall, muscular man with long blond hair coming toward us with a smile on his face.
“Kendrick!", Matt greets his friend with an exchange of punches and slaps on the back.
“Are we too early? We saw that there are already several people out there.", Matt comments and the blond man denies it with his head.
“We're starting the show in an hour, so you're early, I see you brought company for the evening."
The blond guy points with his head in my direction winking at Matt, maybe he thinks I am my friend's date of the night and not his best friend. I realize that he is one of the band members, but I have never seen him in the Company before.
“That's not what you're thinking, idiot, this is Chloe, one of my friends, the one who used to work with me at the company.", he tells and the man nods his head as if he finally remembers.
“Oh, Chloe! The one you said would one day become your girl!", Kendrick sneers, making me widen my eyes and laugh at the same time while Matt looks puzzled in front of us.
“His girl? Me?”I start, smiling and the blond nods before greeting me with two kisses on the cheek.
“Pleasure, I'm Kendrick, but everyone calls me Ken...", he completes winking at me and we soon hear Matt snort.
“They call him Ken because he looks like an imitation of that Barbie doll, a very fake imitation with blond hair.", I start laughing again as Matt takes his turn to mock his friend.
“But I see that this asshole here has good taste in picking friends, that blonde and you are the perfect combo that every man dreams of having."
“Where's Simon?", Matt asks, quickly changing the subject when his friend tries to continue flirting with me.
“He is in the dressing room with the guys finishing up one last rehearsal before the band's performance."
Minutes later Ken goes back inside the dressing room to finish the last rehearsal before the show starts, Matt and I take a seat at the little bar improvised by the group, and we drink a beer until we receive a message from Samanta telling us that she will arrive in a few minutes.
And soon this happens, I don't know how much time passes, but the open space of the place is soon filled with thousands of people, but our blonde friend manages to stand out as she comes towards us smiling happily.
“The crazy groupie has arrived, princess...", Matt mutters finishing his beer when he meets Sam's gaze.
“I heard that, Matt!", I giggle as our friend slaps him on the head and he fakes a grimace of pain.
I get up from the stool to hug and kiss Samanta and soon Matt does the same when we invite her to sit with us.
She orders a beer and soon her judgmental light eyes are fixed on me.
“Didn't you go to work today and change your hair?", Matt laughs loudly at her protest as I prepare to answer her.
“First, I didn't miss work today, James Colucci himself excused me, and second, I needed some change, Mom!", I sneer as she shows her tongue to me.
“Calm down girls, Daddy Matt is here, and you can make the most of it."
This time Matt gets a harder slap from Samanta who rolls her eyes before looking back at me, but I am surprised when she starts to smile at me.
“I was not judging, I love this cut, it suits you very much, and by the way, where did you find this outfit?", she widens her eyes as she looks at my bare legs in the short skirt.
“I'll tell you after the party!", I say, taking another sip of my cold beer and watching my friend snort with curiosity.
“Why did you say Mr. Colucci excused you from work today?", I raise my head to find Sam and Matt looking at me at the same time and I know I have nowhere to run this time.
“He was sick and not feeling well, so he let me off work since it would be pointless for me to go to the company since I am his assistant, and we need to work together.", I tell him with my eyes fixed on my lovely beer.
My goal for this evening was not to pronounce his name, but I know that will be impossible from now on, my friends seem curious, but I see that Samanta is holding back from asking me any more questions at this point.
“Okay, you can ask!", I let out a smile as she breathes a sigh of relief.
“What do you mean he was sick? It was at the company, and you were with him?"
Automatically my mind goes back to that moment, the moment in the restaurant, and the fear I felt when I saw him bent over the bathroom like that.