Page 38 of The Chameleon

How was it that a sight that had calmed him only a few hours ago was now having the opposite effect and, instead, fueling his rage and anger?

“Look, I was worried. I stopped by the club last night, and they said that you took off for a few days to clear your head. I tried calling you, but it went straight to voicemail. So, I figured I’d take a chance and see if you were hiding out down here.”

Matteo’s head snapped around.

“What? How did you even know about this place? No one does. Not even the guys at the club.”

The property was purchased under a fake name, as Matteo wanted to keep this property off the books. This was his special place, and he didn’t want anyone to know it existed.

“How do I know? Please, Matté. You wound me. I’ve known about this place since you bought it ten years ago.”

Of course he did. Ares knew everything.

There were no words for how irritated and pissed Matteo felt. His private space had been violated. By Ares of all people.

“Okay, so now that you know where I am, take your sandwich and leave.”

Ares took another bite and watched Matteo as he chewed.

God, could the man be any more infuriating?

“First, let me at least finish my meal like a civilized human being. Do you have any idea how many calories I burned climbing in through that bedroom window of yours?”

Rolling his eyes, Matteo emptied the last of the bottle of wine into the empty glass before him. He patiently took a sip and waited for the annoying man to finish his sandwich.

“Well, since we have a bit of time, how about you tell me how you’re doing?” Ares asked through a mouthful of deli meats.

“Argh. I’m going to bed,” Matteo muttered, standing and heading toward his bedroom.

“Want me to come cuddle with you?” Ares asked with a slight chuckle in his voice.

“Want to get stabbed in the eye?”

With that final threat, Matteo closed his bedroom door and flopped down on his bed.

What were the chances that Ares would be gone before he woke up in the morning? Pretty slim, he guessed. It took a while to get rid of rodents.

12

ARES

Yup, you’re officially a creeper,Ares thought to himself as he watched the angry Italian sleep.

When Matteo wasn’t awake and trying to poison him, he almost looked like a peaceful little angel. Gentle and kind. The type of person who got awards for humanitarian efforts and helping others in need.

Yes, Matteo might be a kind and generous man, but he was also something else. Something much darker… especially when he lost control.

Buried deep within that sexy hunk of a gentleman was a savage beast capable of all sorts of cruelty. Matteo was just like him. They could both be kind and generous, loving and caring, but if they were betrayed or if someone they loved got hurt, their need for punishment was brutal and severe.

Ares had heard the stories and seen the evidence. Formers members ofLa Maison de Mwho broke the rules or pissed off Matteo. The punishment always fit the crime. The lucky ones were able to function with only a few weeks of recovery, while the unlucky ones—the ones who committed the worst of sinsagainst Matteo or his family—ended up at the bottom of the ocean or simply vanished without a trace.

Yes, Matteo’s monster was brutal and swift. But so was Ares’s. Perhaps that’s why Ares had felt such a strong connection when he first met Matteo. Perhaps his monster sensed Matteo’s lying deep within… waiting. Masking itself beneath a façade of generosity and kindness.

All Ares knew was that when he was with Matteo, he never felt more at peace.

Watching Matteo explode last night, seeing that glimpse of his monster emerge, reminded Ares of the passion they once shared. That is… before Ares… fucked it all up.

He continued to stand there. Watching his prey.

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