CHAPTER 9

Meanwhile, across the mansion, Lucas was finally feeling better. The sprained ankle had healed enough for him to walk unassisted, though he still favored his left leg slightly. He and Jamie had spent the morning planning a beach day—a proper, sun-drenched, carefree excursion.

“Finally!” Jamie exclaimed, bouncing lightly, green eyes bright. “I’ve been waiting for this. Sun, sand, sea… everything! I can finally move.”

Lucas laughed softly, stormy eyes meeting his. “I guess my ankle is good enough now. No excuses.”

Jamie leaned in, nudging him playfully. “Good. Because I’ve got a list of things we have to do while you’re mobile again. Swimming in the beach… and maybe getting drunk.”

Lucas shook his head, smirking faintly. “And I suppose I’ll be the responsible one?”

Jamie grinned. “Responsible for… what? Keeping me alive?”

The two left the mansion, the sun warm on their shoulders, laughter carrying across the soft breeze. The beach was quiet, secluded, sunlight sparkling on the waves like a scattering of diamonds. Jamie ran to the water first, squealing as the waves lapped at his feet. Lucas followed more slowly, gingerly stepping into the surf.

“Careful,” Lucas warned, but his lips twitched in amusement. “You’re more smiley than usual. Even for you”

Jamie smiled more, green eyes bright. “Yeah, something happened last night”

Lucas eyes widened. “ tell me...”

Jamie smiled looking away and running into the waves. Lucas chased after him slowly careful with his leg.

Suddenly he stopped and marched up to him. Lucas froze wondering what was going through Jamie's head at the moment.

“I kissed Matteo last night.”

Lucas gasped looking at Jamie in shock.

“ WHAT?”

Jamie hushed him despite nobody being around to hear them.

“ I was drunk!”

“ Thats not an excuse... Did you want to kiss him?” Lucas stared at him in suspicion, his eyes narrowing.

Jamie shrugged rolling his eyes and deadpanned

“ He’s hot.”

Lucas sighed. “ We are going to be here for only two months even less. Don't just go and get your heart broken.”

“ You should tell yourself that advice. I know you like Enzo.”

“ I do not!” Lucas gasped his face red. He clenched his hands to a fist next to his sides as if about to throw a tantrum.

Enzo hovered nearby, subtle as a shadow, watching Lucas from the sand. He sat on a chaise lounge, dark hair falling across his forehead, eyes calm, piercing, protective. Lucas felt his gaze and—unexpectedly—his chest warmed. He wasn’t used to someone caring so deliberately, so intently. He smiled faintly, hoping Jamie didn't see it.

Later, after a while of swimming and tossing a beach ball around, Jamie flopped onto the sand next to Lucas, panting and laughing. “Okay, I need to tell you…about updating the bucket list!”

Lucas groaned. “You’ve been adding more things, haven’t you?”

Jamie laughed, opening his notebook, sun glinting off the pages. “Oh, just the essentials: one-night stand, clubbing, getting drunk, yacht adventures… you know, classic Italy stuff!”

Lucas blinked, eyes widening slightly. “One… night stand? You… really wrote that? I thought you were joking.”

Jamie shrugged, playful grin spreading across his freckled face. “Hey, it’s Italy! If we’re going to go big, we go big. I wanna have a summer fling like in the movies.”

Lucas rolled his eyes but chuckled faintly. “I’ll keep an open mind.”

Back at the mansion, Matteo had returned after ensuring Jamie’s safety from the club incident was handled—though the events from the night still burned at the edge of his mind. His dark eyes flicked over the room, scanning for Jamie. Then he noticed something—a piece of paper left carelessly on a side table.

He approached silently, picking it up and flipping it open. His sharp eyes scanned the pages, pauses on the words that made his lips twitch into a faint, dangerous smile.

“Have a one-night stand… Jamie you are a wild one.”

Matteo’s mind hummed. Jamie Noel was reckless, impulsive, and clearly… uninhibited. And yet, beneath the teasing and cheek, there was something raw, alive, intoxicating. He dropped the paper carefully, his smirk deepening. Interesting.

When Jamie returned later that evening, flushed from sun and wind, Matteo was leaning casually against the doorway, arms crossed, dark eyes gleaming behind his sunglasses.

“Well,” Matteo said smoothly, voice low, teasing, dangerous, “someone has ambitious plans.” he nodded at the paper at the side table.

Jamie froze mid-step, cheeks burning. “Uh… you… saw that?”

Matteo’s smirk widened, subtle and infuriatingly confident. “I did. And I find your… plans… entertaining.”

Jamie’s stomach fluttered, green eyes wide. “Entertaining?”

“Very.” Matteo’s dark gaze lingered, measured, teasing, almost predatory. “Especially the part about the… one-night stand.”

Jamie’s head spun, warmth flooding his chest. “I… it’s just… a list! Not… I mean…” Words failed him, and Matteo’s smirk widened, clearly enjoying the flustered effect he had on Jamie.

Jamie stumbled slightly forward, lightheaded from sun, excitement, and the memory of the blurred night.  he could remember, his lips pressed against Matteo’s impulsively, soft, alcohol-and-sunlight hazy. The world tilted, the warmth of Matteo’s body grounding him as his knees weakened.

Matteo’s hands found Jamie’s back, steadying him, holding him with deliberate pressure, allowing him just enough freedom to lean in. The smirk never left Matteo’s face, dark eyes flicking over him with amusement, warning, and… something else.

Jamie’s vision blurred at the edges, heartbeat hammering, excitement and adrenaline mingling with heat, danger, and attraction. He felt dizzy, head spinning slightly, and with a soft groan, sank against Matteo’s chest, lightheaded.

“You… you okay?” Matteo asked softly, voice low, teasing, and controlled all at once.

Jamie blinked up at him, green eyes unfocused. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine. Just… dizzy… sun, too bright…umm.”

Matteo’s smirk deepened, and he tilted his head slightly. “I think it’s more than that.”

Jamie’s chest tightened. “Maybe… maybe it’s you.”

Matteo’s lips quirked faintly, amusement, danger, and desire all flickering in his expression. “Very possibly,” he said softly, voice teasing, intoxicating. “Rest. I’ll be here.” 

He realized him by stepping backwards. Jamie could finally breath.

Jamie’s eyelids fluttered, world tilting, sun and shadows blurring.

He remembered Lucas words ‘ Dont get your heart broken’

Jamie huffed as if he would get his heart broken