The ice cream in my hand has long melted; even my fingers are sticky. I don’t think Mum knows how to comfort me, or anyone for that matter.As we stood outside the ice cream shop, her exact words were, ‘This always cheers you up!’ Yes, ice cream, specifically saffron, always cheered me up when I was twelve. Right now, I both want and crave something strong enough to make me forget how I feel, even if it's for a moment."Bethany..."Mum calls softly as the car’s ambience lulls my thoughts to a slow. The driver easily joins the Bridgeway as I watch the glittering lights in the distance reflect atop river Florence."There are many ways to have a baby; technology is too advanced to excuse that he should have discussed this with you! and it's also too advanced for you to think that a test from one hospital means you can't get pregnant! There is a way through this.”"I know."I reply tiredly; my throat is hoarse from all the crying.I should be glad that I didn’t have to subject a child to
"I'm not one for repeating myself, cara mia. Am I interrupting something?"Matteo repeats. I must have stared at him without answering for longer than I thought."This is a non-smoking zone, Mr D’Amico.”"Answer me."He commands with a scowl when I try to change the subject.I hate it. I hate how I always seem to take commands from anyone who thinks they know better: Vincent, sometimes Mum and now him."This is Mr Edward Lee, head of Athleisure’s creative department. I want to debrief with him over coffee. Now then, Mr D'Amico, how else can I help you, aside from pointing you towards the smoking zone?"He sneers when I use ‘Mr. D’Amico’."I know a good coffee place; why don't I take you?"He asks."You are missing the 'debriefing’ part. I would much rather keep corporate discussions private.”I respond through gritted teeth."Ah!"He exclaims with a smile as he reaches for his wallet in his back pocket, pulls it out and removes a few notes."Silly me: here, for your coffee. I'll make
Matteo D’Amico Matteo didn't normally get upset, but that was because things always went his way; people clamoured to bend to even his most trivial wants and needs. So why didn’t she? All he wanted was for Olivia to step away from the man she introduced as her 'employee' despite the googly eyes he had around her. He wanted her to choose him and dismiss the other man, but she didn’t. The man left by his will, and she ran away from him. Even with his eyes shut and the wind blowing wildly at the rooftop, her sweet white chocolate scent filled his nostrils, and his tongue invading her mouth still tasted the same with the disgusting effect of soothing his anger, especially because her body welcomed his. It should not be that way. The perfume he left her at the hotel was floral; did she not put it on? Her lips tore from his, and her cry pierced the night; her hands held onto his shoulders as she lifted her leg so he could rub against her wet centre faster. Her panties were wet, enablin
Olivia LawsonI didn't drink anything last night, but my head is pounding.I groan as I take in the fancy room; it is plain and lacks personality because the decorations are sparse.It's easy to dismiss that because it looks like this is a hotel, but some rooms are rented depending on the needs and money of a person. I know he can afford to decorate such a place for his needs, but either he works all the time, so it's temporary, or he simply doesn’t care.My body feels oddly light despite my headache, which, I realise, could have come about because of my crying yesterday."He undressed me?"I frown as I look down. The only things on my body are Matteo’s socks and shirt, which I know are his from the scent.I hate that I want to bury my nose in them.Sliding out of the bed is easy. The clock reads three a.m., meaning I've barely slept for four hours."Mh...."I wince at the discomfort between my thighs. It doesn't hurt, but it definitely feels tender and clean.Oh god, he wiped me down
A scrawny-looking boy with dark circles beneath his eyes leaves the door where most of the yelling came from. His eyes widen when he spots me before his gaze lowers to the ball beside my foot.He mutters something under his breath before walking towards me."Visitors need to schedule a meeting with Pamella; Mr Gibbons does not take walk-in visitors. He is busy.”Walk-in visitors? Even if he doesn’t know me, shouldn’t he know Samantha? She handles most of the mundane work directed to me."Do you like working here?"I ask rather than introduce myself, and he scoffs."Pays the bills, sure, but I'm out of here once I finish my internship. Nothing is worth this."He answers, even his voice sounds weary.The young man, perhaps no older than twenty-five, looks me up and down before a sigh leaves his throat."Look, if you don't want him to harass you, dress down. You are too well dressed to be here.""Too well dressed at a fashion company?"I ask, and he scoffs."Sure, but look at how the oth
The entire studio falls silent at Natasha’s words; I can feel their gazes on me, judging me, waiting for a comeback that should not come as Natasha spits her venom. Some of the people in the audience shook their heads, others laughed, and some covered their mouths, appalled by my behaviour from her explanation as if they saw me act the way she described. "What! Got nothing to say for yourself? Livy, you owe us an explanation. You have some nerve to pull the crap you did and then package it as ‘love ran out’!” She adds with a vicious chuckle, causing murmurs to rise from the silent audience as they discuss me. "The nerve of you! That man did everything for you; shame on you, Olivia! Or should I say, Miss Lawson!" "You want an explanation? Okay, Natasha, but first tell them how you fucked my 'loving' husband while I was out shopping with his sick mother.” I ask, and almost immediately, a sea of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ hushes over the audience. “I-” She begins, but it’s as if she hadn't
Matteo's light brown hair is slicked back neatly; his burgundy suit jacket fits him snugly so that I can see the outline of each muscle on his torso. His black scarf flows with the wind as his grey eyes turn to me before a smile warms his face, enlivening his features.He is too beautiful to be real, and the fact that our outfits match makes this feel more unreal."Bellissima, but why the coat?"He asks with a light shrug."Why the coat? Is that a joke, my..."I peer at his security before lowering my voice."My breasts are out."He chuckles."I will keep them safe."He says as he tugs me to him. His cologne washes over me as his hug grows tighter around me.‘He will keep me safe’? For him to use such words can only mean one thing."You watched my interview, didn't you."A bitter chuckle escapes me as I force my body away from his."Is this dress some sort of pity?"His hold on me tightens."Pity? No, not pity. Anger. Those bastards shouldn't even breathe for what they did to you, and
I want to tell the gorgeous lady that ‘I can take care of myself,’ but someone calls her name, and she waves me off as if my response never mattered. What an odd feeling. I want to rush to Matteo because I like being around him despite his attitude, but at the same time, everyone around me keeps telling me to ‘be careful’ to the point that I don’t know what to do. But rather than dwell on the uncertainty, I move to the door she pointed. On nearing it, I notice that it is open slightly. I can hear Matteo’s laugh from the other side. My belly warms, but my name flows from his lips just as my hand flies to the handle. "It has to be the Lawson; he didn't crack for years, and once she paints me her hero, he offers an asset worth multiple billions?" "Nicely done, Teo, but I really can't congratulate you for using a woman." "Oh, please, Chris, like you are one to talk." A string of Italian words leaves him before he reverts to English. “...it’s just business." He finishes with a li