Novel-novel oleh Beauty m.j

Chapter 29 — The Quiet After the FireThe walls felt thinner tonight.Matteo lay on the small mattress beside Leo, staring at the ceiling, the room dim with only a sliver of moonlight cutting through the torn curtain. His heart still beat like he was back inside that warehouse, ducking behind crates, hearing the echo of gunfire.Dominic had brought him into a war zone. And yet—Matteo wasn’t angry.No.That was the scary part.He wasn’t angry. He was thrilled.---Leo stirred beside him, coughing softly in his sleep. Matteo turned to look at his brother, the one thing that still felt pure in a world full of dirt. Leo's face was pale, and the wheeze in his chest made Matteo’s gut twist."You shouldn’t be here," Matteo whispered into the dark. "I shouldn't be bringing this world anywhere near you."But he had.That black car from days ago. The mission. The lies.They were closing in.---His burner phone buzzed.Matteo tensed.He didn’t move right away.When the buzz stopped, he grabbed

The night had barely fallen, but the Pendragon estate was already alive with tension. Vehicles rolled into the courtyard one after another, black SUVs and bikes glinting under the security lights. Matteo stood near the garage, dressed in all black, hood down, trying not to fidget. Dominic had summoned him without warning. Lieutenant was the one who'd delivered the message, face grim. No jokes. No teasing.Matteo had only asked, "Is it a job?"Lieutenant's answer had been simple: "A mission. And you're going with him."Dominic.Matteo swallowed hard, eyes scanning the compound for a glimpse of the man who had somehow become both his danger and his distraction. For days now, things had shifted. The tension between them was no longer sharp—it was warm, humming, slow-burning like the lit end of a cigarette. Unspoken, but undeniable.When Dominic appeared, Matteo felt it in his chest first.He was in combat gear. Not a wrinkle in sight. His sharp jaw was clenched, dark eyes unreadable. He

The club was loud again.Music thumped like a heartbeat with no rhythm, lights flashing across faces too drunk or high to notice anything outside themselves. The air smelled like sweat, perfume, and danger. Matteo moved through it like he belonged — like this chaos was normal, like he didn’t have a million things boiling inside him.But he felt it.Every step he took was heavy tonight.Matteo was supposed to be blending in.Invisible.Disposable.But now?Now people looked when he passed. Not just staff. Guests. Even security.Rumors were blooming like smoke.“Isn’t that the kid who—?”“He talks to the boss.”“Think he’s... someone?”“Nah, he’s just pretty. Boss likes pretty things.”Matteo heard them, every word like glass cutting just under his skin.He ignored it. Or tried to.But tonight, it was harder.Because Dominic Pendragon was watching him again.From the upper balcony, above the lights and noise, where the booth was glass-walled and guarded like a throne. Matteo felt those

Matteo didn’t sleep.He lay on the creaky couch in the staff room of the club, eyes wide open, arms behind his head, staring at the peeling ceiling. The events of the night played over and over — the man in the black car, the subtle warning in Dominic’s eyes, Leo’s sleepy voice saying “You don’t have to protect me all the time.”Too late, kid. I already swore I would.The staff room door creaked, and Matteo sat up sharply, instinct alive in his chest like a sparked wire.It was Luis.“Whoa,” Luis said, holding up a hand. “Easy. It’s just me.”Matteo relaxed slightly. “Don’t sneak up on people like that.”Luis chuckled, dropping a rolled towel on the table. “Boss asked for you.”Matteo blinked. “Now?”“Yeah. He’s upstairs. Didn’t say why. Just said, ‘Bring the mop.’” Luis grinned. “Guess you made an impression.”Matteo stood up, stretching his sore back. He hadn’t even changed out of yesterday’s clothes. “Yeah. An impression or a mistake.”He ran his hands through his hair, took a brea

Matteo couldn’t sleep.Not after the black car. Not after watching Leo cough in his sleep, his tiny shoulders shaking like the weight of the world was pressing on them.He stayed awake on the old mattress in the corner of the room, staring at the cracked ceiling.Too many thoughts.Too many risks.And somewhere in the middle of all of it... Dominic Pendragon.---The next day, Matteo showed up to the club on time. Fresh hoodie. Clean sneakers. Eyes heavy from no rest.He stepped into the hallway, ducking past a bartender hauling crates.The usual chaos buzzed around him — glass clinking, music warming up, workers moving like ants. But Matteo felt a chill down his spine. Like someone had turned the temperature down just for him.He didn’t even need to turn to know.Dominic was watching.From the private balcony, his sharp eyes tracked Matteo’s every step.Unblinking. Quiet. Calculating.Like a man measuring what he was willing to destroy.---“Hey, you okay?” Luis asked, nudging him wi

The building was cracked and crooked — just like always. But for Matteo, it was home.He climbed the narrow staircase, skipping the broken third step out of habit. The hallway smelled like oil and dust and someone’s burnt dinner. Same as yesterday. Same as last year.When he reached the door, he knocked twice.Then once.Then twice again.It was their code.A moment later, the lock clicked. The door opened slowly.And Leo was there — pale, small, his curls sticking up in every direction like he’d just woken from a nap. He was wearing Matteo’s old hoodie, the sleeves bunched around his skinny arms.“Matty!” Leo’s eyes lit up as he threw his arms around him.Matteo crouched to hug him back tightly, breathing in the faint smell of soap and peppermint candy.“Missed you, kid.”“I know,” Leo said. “Work’s been crazy.”Leo pulled back and looked up at him. “Did you get fired already?”Matteo laughed, ruffling his hair. “Not yet.”---They sat together on the small couch, sharing instant noo