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Silas’s breath trembled as he stared down at him—this towering, terrifying man reduced to a wreck at his feet.

His chest clenched, hard.

Slowly, almost against his will, his hand lifted.

His fingers brushed Mateo’s jaw, r scraping his palm.

The contact made Mateo shiver, his eyes closing for just a second like he was savoring it.

Silas’s own voice cracked as he whispered, “What are you doing… Mateo?”

Mateo’s eyes opened again, wet and burning, locking onto his. “Loving you the only way I know how,” he said hoarsely. His hand came up, trembling, to cover Silas’s where it cupped his jaw, holding it in place like he was terrified he’d lose even that touch.

Silas swallowed hard, the walls around his heart trembling, even as anger still flashed in his chest.

Mateo’s breath shook as he leaned against Silas’s touch, but then his lashes lifted slowly, raw eyes locking on him.

“Why did you leave me, Silas?” His voice was ragged, almost childlike, stripped of every layer of power. “Why?”

Silas froze. His lips parted, the words clawing their way out before he could stop them.
“I saw you… with a pretty woman at La Ro—”

He bit his tongue, heart lurching. Too late. The words had slipped. Mateo’s brows furrowed faintly, confusion flickering in his tear-stained face.

Silas forced a sharp laugh, shaking his head, covering quickly. “Well… it’s nothing. Forget it.” His voice dropped lower, shaky but demanding. “Just tell me… did you touch anyone apart from me?”

The air tightened between them.

Mateo’s expression hardened. He pushed to his feet in one smooth motion, towering over Silas, bare chest heaving. His voice, though low, struck like a whip.
“Silas…” He swallowed, his jaw tight. “Don’t you trust me?”

Silas’s lips trembled, his eyes flicking away for a second before he forced himself to sound casual.
“Well, Mateo… I’m just asking.”

Mateo’s hand shot out, cupping his face firmly, forcing Silas to look at him. His voice cracked.

“No. I didn’t touch anyone.” His thumb brushed over Silas’s cheekbone,desperately. “I wouldn’t do that. I vowed to myself not to dare touch anyone—remember?”

The conviction in his tone was enough to split Silas in two. For a moment, he believed him. For a moment, his chest loosened.

But then his gaze trailed downward.

There—on Mateo’s chest, just below the collarbone—was a small, crescent-shaped wound it looked like a female nail mark.

Silas’s breath stopped .His eyes darkened, every muscle in his body going stiff.

Mateo followed his gaze, confusion flashing across his face, then quickly shuttering.

Silas’s stomach twisted. So why the mark, Mateo?

Mateo noticed his stare and gave a crooked, almost bitter smile. He ran a hand through his already-ruffled hair.
“Oh, that?” He tapped the small wound lightly, as though it meant nothing. “I was drugged at the party” His eyes locked on Silas’s, voice turning rough. “You know, Silas… you’ve got a hot, handsome boyfriend. Many women would die just to have one night with me. What were you expecting?”

His throat bobbed, the confession spilling out raw.
“Some woman drugged me and dragged me upstairs. I escaped just in time. Believe me now?”

Silas’s brain screeched to a halt.
What the actual fuck?

For a beat, he just stood there, staring. His stomach twisted, heart hammering. So Mateo… hadn’t gone with her on purpose?

Dumbass. Dumb, dumb ass.

He smacked the heel of his hand lightly against his own forehead, groaning inwardly. What a dumb ass you are, Silas.

His chest burned, not knowing whether to laugh or cry at himself.

Silas dragged his hand down his face, muttering under his breath, still calling himself a dumbass.

Then, almost without warning, he stepped closer, his palm sliding over Mateo’s bare chest—right over that tiny wound. His touch lingered, slowly, fingertips tracing down the hard lines of muscle.

Mateo blinked, his breath stopping. “Silas…?” His voice held confusion, disbelief.

Silas tilted his head up, eyes softening, lips quirking with that dangerous mix of guilt and desire. “I stormed in here ready to fight,” he whispered, his tone lowering, almost sultry, “but maybe I should… compensate instead.”

His fingers traveled lower, his body pressing flush against Mateo’s warmth.

Mateo stiffened, blinking rapidly as if his mind couldn’t keep up.
“Compensate?” He almost laughed, a stunned huff escaping him. “You’re confusing the hell out of me. Two minutes ago, you wanted to kill me… and now you—” His words cut off as Silas’s lips brushed his jaw, lingering, teasing, making it clear where this was headed.

Mateo’s fists clenched at his sides, trembling, his heart slamming into his ribs. His proud, furious boyfriend was suddenly… burning with need.

“Silas,” he rasped, torn between shoving him away and dragging him closer.

Silas’s sudden strength caught Mateo off guard. He shoved him backward, and Mateo stumbled, landing hard against the wide cushion, his bare back sinking into it.

Silas straddled him in a heartbeat, palms flattening against Mateo’s chest, his eyes dark and hungry. His breath ghosted over Mateo’s lips as he whispered hoarsely, almost a confession, almost a sin:

“I sometimes don’t believe you’re mine… so hot, so handsome…”

Mateo’s mouth fell open, his chest rising and falling in rapid bursts, stunned into silence. The mafia alpha sat there, lips parted, helpless beneath him—breathing like Silas had just stolen all the air from the room.

Silas leaned in closer, lips brushing, ready to claim him—

When suddenly—

📱 Rrrrringggggg!

Mateo’s phone blared, the shrill sound cutting through the heat.

Silas froze, blinking, before letting out a shaky, annoyed laugh against Mateo’s throat. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”

Mateo groaned, head falling back against the cushion, his fists clenching in frustration. “If that’s not life trying to ruin me on purpose…”

The phone kept buzzing, rattling against the table like it was mocking them.

Silas groaned and dropped his forehead to Mateo’s shoulder. “Persistent bastard…” he muttered, sliding his hand lower on Mateo’s chest, deliberately ignoring it.

Mateo’s jaw clenched, his hand hovering near the phone, but Silas caught his wrist and pushed it back down against the cushion.
“Don’t you dare answer,” Silas warned, lips brushing Mateo’s ear. “Unless you want me to believe it’s some woman dying to hear your voice… or worse—some man.”

Mateo actually choked on air, staring at him. “A man?”

Silas narrowed his eyes, deadly serious even as his hand teased lower, making Mateo’s muscles twitch. “Yeah. Imagine some guy, drooling, waiting to hear you moan his name. Is that it? Hm?”

The absurd jealousy in his tone almost made Mateo laugh—almost—but the fire in Silas’s eyes held him captive.

The phone screamed again.

Silas hissed, yanking it off the table and glaring at the screen. “Who the hell calls this much—” His eyes narrowed to slits. “Oh… so it is a woman.”

Mateo groaned, covering his face with both hands. “For fuck’s sake, Silas, give me the phone—”

Silas held it just out of reach, straddling him tighter. “You better explain real fast why she’s calling, or I’m blocking her right now.”