Page 18 of The Chameleon

Was this how the boys acted when they hooked up with someone who they really liked? All awkward and nervous? Matteo had to admit, it was kind of sweet and endearing.

“That was a very nice speech you gave,” a voice spoke next to him.

Matteo’s body cringed, and his jaw tightened on its own.

It’s funny how certain things can trigger your body's natural responses. For Matteo, it was hearinghisvoice that always resulted in a violent reaction. One day, his mind wouldn’t be quick enough to stop his body from slashing the man’s throat.

“What are you doing here?” Matteo exhaled, turning to face the man he despised with every fiber of his being.

“I heard there was a party, and I came to check it out,” Ares answered, signaling for Shawn to refill his whiskey.

“I really need to delete your membership from the system.” Matteo huffed into his glass as he took another sip.

He was having such a good time enjoying the boys’ birthdays; now he had to contend with this piece of shit.

Just blacklist him from the club,that annoying voice complained in the back of his head.

We all know why that’s never gonna happen, that other, equally annoying as fuck voice said from another part of Matteo’s brain.

He wished that both would just fuck off and leave him to his misery.

Ares slipped the bartender a fifty. “Thank you. Keep the change.”

There was no doubt in anyone’s mind, Ares was always a generous man when it came to those who he liked. Those who he didn’t… well, those poor souls did their best to stay off of Ares’s radar.

Taking a sip of his whiskey, Ares turned to face Matteo once again.

Matteo tried not to react when he caught a whiff of Ares’s cologne. That once-familiar scent, sandalwood and…power, always made Matteo feel…

Letting out a frustrated breath, Matteo continued to watch the boys up on stage.

“You keep saying that, yet every time I return for a visit, the man at the front desk keeps checking me in.”

Matteo rolled his eyes. He took a sip of his scotch and waited for the booze to kick in.

“So, how have you been?” Ares asked, taking a step closer to Matteo.

Matteo wondered if Raj enjoyed eating old men for dinner. Even though Ares was only four years older, Matteo still liked to tease the man about his age. Apparently, it was a sensitive subject with the brutal gunsman.

“Iwasdoing well until some uninvited guest decided to crash my party.” Matteo glared at Ares. God, he hated the man.

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

Matteo’s breathing caught in his chest. He wasn’t expecting that response from Ares.

Dammit.

Fucking Ares.Why did he have to… Argh!

Deciding that perhaps he didn’t need to be a total asshole to the man standing next to him, Matteo gave him a cautious glance.

“I’m doing… okay.”

“It’s coming up next week, isn’t it?” Ares asked, eyes locked on Matteo’s. The sincerity in his eyes was too much to bear.

Matteo looked away.

Fuck,he hated that Ares knew him so well.

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