Chapter 10: Hunger

**Mateo**

Her smile lit up her sad face. I threw the duvet and a pillow on the floor, and put on a pair of shorts so she would be comfortable with me there. I was sweating and it wasn't just from the heat because the air conditioning was on. I wanted her. And I was stifling that desire.

Half an hour passed and I could feel her rolling around in bed. Wasn't she going to sleep? Was she... hungry? I forgot to feed her and she didn't have the courage to ask me.

"Nat, sorry, I'm hungry, do you want anything?"

"I don't have any money right now, Mateo."

"Don't worry. What I'm going to order is big, we can share it, if you can come with me, I don't like eating alone."

"Yes, I'll accept. I eat very little."

"Do you want to go downstairs or should I order here?"

"I don't have the appropriate clothes for a fancy restaurant, I think I'd feel better here, if that's not a problem."

"Okay. I don't really like leaving the house either."

"How did you get to the Club?"

"Oh, that? It was my cousin Liam's doing. He and his friends took advantage of the fact that they were away from their parents to do... that kind of thing."

" I'll order our food and we can talk about it?"

"Yes."

I ordered steaks and rice with vegetables and lots of fries and Coke. She checked her phone and sent messages.

" Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I told my mom I was going to spend some time at a friend's house. And... she said I didn't have to go back because Daiki told me I found someone to beat him up, so it was him or me."

"I hope she preferred to stay with him, since you're not going back there."

She looked at me with tears in her eyes.

" I'm sorry. It's your mom, sorry. But I honestly think you're much better off away from her."

"I know, but that doesn't make it any less painful. You know, my mom's story wasn't easy either. Much less her mom's."

"Tell me about it."

"I don't know if I should. We won't see each other again tomorrow, right? Maybe I should keep quiet. I've already taken advantage of your kindness too much."

"No. I'm not a nice guy. I mean, I'm not a bad character, but I went there anyway to see a woman expose herself for fun, I shouldn't have done that. We don't know what brings people to places like that. It's not fun just because we can afford it. And I could clearly tell you didn't want to be there."

"No, not at all. I just didn't have much of a choice. I'm a minor. My mother and Daiki managed to get me a fake document. And what they pay really helps to support my house, and I managed to save up for college."

" What college are you going to?"

"My best friend, Yuki, and I are going to study Literature in Kyoto."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm on vacation and I came to watch the ice hockey championship. I love this sport."

"Seriously? Do you just watch or play?"

"I'm a right winger on the Colorado state team. I want to join the Colorado Avalanche."

" I'm sure you'll make it and I'll be your number 1 fan!"

Our food arrived and it was delicious. I watched her eat, making faces and moaning at each flavor she tried.

And it was hard to control myself because she had no idea how sexy she was doing that. She wasn't doing it on purpose, I think. But then she licked her mouth and I must have shown somehow that it affected me because she got scared and apologized.

I got up to open the balcony and went to look at the moon. I needed to calm my wolf and taking deep breaths was the best way.