Page 47 of Matteo
As we made our way toward the sciences building, my siblings argued as per usual, and somehow it felt like I was exactly where I needed to be.
After classes and dinner, I showered, then changed into my comfiest pair of Gucci silk pajamas. Hannah did the same, hers identical but pink rather than the light green I wore. We lay on Hannah’s bed—since Francesca and I were stuck with bunk beds—on our stomachs with our legs in the air, checking our phones and scrolling through social media.
A post came up with a caption.
Swipe for the best way to get rid of a body.
My finger lingered for a fraction of a second before I continued scrolling, and a startling realization hit me. Maybe I was more like my adoptive father than I thought.
I threw my phone onto the nightstand and glanced at Hannah, who was still enthralled in hers. A glance at her phone showed her scrolling through Matteo’s Instagram. He didn’t believe in having a presence on social media and only kept it updated for appearance’s sake.
She paused on a photo of Matteo wearing a suit, sitting behind a desk. I couldn’t see what the caption said, but I could see Hannah’s typed reply before she clicked submit.
Hannah-cmv-4ever: Swoony, but too much vanilla makes for a boring sex life.
Staring at her phone with her lips curved into a soft smile and a mischievous expression on her face, the lead in my stomach grew heavy. My guilty conscience instantly flared, whipping at my insides.
Matteo’s whispered words played on repeat in my mind.
I want to see your graceful fingers wrapped around my cock. You don’t think I’d let anyone touch what’s mine, Ari…
Shaking my head, I silenced my brain. I refused to acknowledge the feeling crawling inside me. Jealousy wasn’t me.
“Hannah, are you—” I cleared my throat, my sister’s eyes on me. “Are you having sex with anyone right now?”
“Well, not right now because I’m here with you.” She chuckled at her own joke.
I pushed my shoulder against hers. “Don’t be an ass. You know what I mean.”
She sighed, resigned. “I’m just… experimenting.”
My brows furrowed. “Huh?”
“There’s no harm in trying things out, you know?” I nodded, waiting for her to continue. “At least until I’m married.”
“But you’ll be faithful then, right?”
She didn’t miss a heartbeat. “If he is.”
“Fair enough.”
“Aren’t you going to ask me?”
“Ask you what?”
She burst into a giggle.
“Oh, Arianna. You must know that you’re the angel, and I’m the devil.” I shot her a blank look. “Maybe when you finally have sex, you’ll understand.”
I rolled onto my back, sarcasm lacing my voice when I uttered, “Yeah, with the long list of candidates that are waiting around to have sex with me…”
You don’t think I’d let anyone touch what’s mine, Ari…
Damn him for infiltrating my thoughts so insidiously.
She rolled onto her back, and I could feel her eyes on the side of my face.
“I learned a secret, but you have to promise not to say anything or get angry.” I turned my face to her. “Can you do that?”
