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Talia's POV:

It had been two weeks since the successful attack we had in Detroit. Matteo had 'dealt with' Maximal and had managed to get out some vital information from him.

They would attack the Russian Mafia in about three weeks or so they said.

Since I managed to prove my loyalty to Matteo, he had given me full privileges. 
I could go out whenever he was there and he gave me a phone. I automatically called my sister, Iris, and she told me that her girlfriend had proposed and that they were getting married.

She'd let me know all the details closer to the date, but I had to be there, I was her maid of honor.

In celebration of the end of Alexai's Detroit branch, we were throwing a party today, at one of the clubs Matteo owned.

It was currently 7 pm and the party officially started at 8, but I knew I wouldn't get there until between 9 and 10 pm.

Beauty takes time.

By the time I had gotten out of the shower and finished washing my hair, it was 8. I was about to start on my makeup when Kaycee and Scarlett barged into my room.

"What the fuck bitch, were you about to start getting ready without us?" Kaycee pouted.

"I would never!"

Scarlett rolled her eyes and started, "So... What are we wearing?"

Three hours later, Scarlett was wearing a red slip dress, Kaycee had on a black dress that had a corset design at the front, and I was wearing a sleeveless silver dress that was encrusted with diamonds all over it.

Stare at it for too long and you might go blind.

"We are so fucking late," Kaycee slurred.

Did I mention we were a little bit tipsy already?

Giggling like a child, Scarlett replied, "Let's fucking go then!"

We were running around the manor like a bunch of four-year-olds, with vodka bottles in our hands, but then Scarlett and Kaycee got in one convertible, while I walked towards a different car with Matteo.

Oh shit, he was waiting for me, totally forgot about that.

"Took you long enough," he grumbled.

Pecking him on the lips, I responded, "Sorry."

Getting into his Ferrari, he started the engine and followed behind Kaycee and Scarlett, who were driving like a bunch of racers. The ride to the club took about 45 minutes.

Stepping out of the car, I took in the sight before me. There were two bodyguards in front of the door - I thought there would be a queue, but Matteo informed that he closed the club today and only associates would be inside. Walking inside of the club, I was surprised to see that people were actually dancing.

I don't know, people don't normally do that anymore, they just stand around, but hey I wasn't complaining.  There were a bunch of strippers on stage and on the second floor, which looked like the private section.

I love strippers.

They're so elegant in such a seductive way, it takes power to be able to pull your entire body on a pole.

My thoughts were interrupted by Matteo grabbing me by the jaw and turning my head towards him, laying a sweet kiss on my lips, he mumbled in my ear, "If you need me, I'll be up there," pointing upstairs.

While I nodded in response, he walked towards the second floor, it had a balcony so that they could see what was going on below them.

I moved towards Kaycee and Scarlett, who were throwing shots back like there was no tomorrow. 

Time to get drunk.

*Two Hours Later*

The entire world was fucking spinning right now. I felt like I was orbiting around the Earth.

In reality, Scarlett and I were hanging out with a bunch of strippers, letting them give us lap dances.

"Fuck yeah!" Scarlett screamed when one of them literally jumped into the splits. How was she that flexible?

"I'm going to the bar, I'll be back!" I screamed in Scarlett's ear.

She nodded and I walked over to the bar when I was stopped by somebody grabbing a hold of my arm. Spinning around to face the culprit, I was taken aback by a handsome young man.

He had brown hair and light blue eyes, smirking at me he asked, "Wanna dance?"

Why not?

He pulled me right towards the middle of the dance floor and pressed his crotch against me. Grinding my ass against him, his arms shot out and wrapped themselves around my waist.

I may have also bent over and... I may or may not have, started grinding on him.

In my defense, I was fucking drunk.

I feel like I shouldn't be doing this, but I can't remember why.

Oh well, it'll come back to me.

Taking a hold of my arm, he pulled me to the bar and asked me what I wanted to drink.

"As long as it has alcohol in it, I don't care!" I replied.

Chuckling in response, he called over the bartender, whispering something in his ear, the bartender shot me a wicked grin.

What bitch?

Placing an exotic looking drink in front of me, he said, "Cheers."

Removing the straw, I chugged the whole drink down.

Maybe that wasn't a smart idea.

Helping me stand up, we walked over to the middle of the dance floor again, but something didn't feel right, the loud music that I was once enjoying was blaring like a siren. My insides were telling me something was wrong, and I thought I was seeing two. I could feel my bones weakening and my head almost felt too heavy for my neck.

Fuck, he drugged me.

Shit, Talia think, you're a nurse!

My knees gave out and he wrapped his arms around my waist again, walking me towards a private section, the music cut out and I heard a gun go off. My ears automatically popped and I felt a warm liquid settle in my hair.

The last thing I heard was his voice.

"The party is fucking over!"

Oh, the party was over indeed.

I was about to drop to the floor when he wrapped my arms around me, I allowed myself to succumb to the drug, at least I knew I would be safe with Matteo.

~***~

*The Next Afternoon*

Matteo's POV:

What the fuck was she thinking?

I was pissed off.

I was pissed off with her for letting another man touch her like that, even before he drugged her she was already all over him.

I was pissed off with Kaycee and Scarlett for fucking leaving her.

I was pissed with the fucking bartender, but he had been dealt with.

His body was laying right next to Sam's, at the bottom of a fucking lake.

I always knew Sam was a fucking creep, he was new but he was good at his job. Something about him threw me off though, and when I saw him with Talia, I lost it. I was going to wait until I saw him at the main house, but when I saw him dragging her body through the crowd: well, what else was I supposed to do?

She was awake and she was fine, Dr. Jordan came in immediately, but he just said she needed to sleep it off. I saw her at breakfast but I refused to talk to her, she acted dumb and immaturely.

Fuck, this was so stupid.

What was I even doing?

Were we dating? Were we together? Or did we simply just lust over each other?

Whatever the fuck this is, it ends here.

Storming into her room, I expected her to be laying down in bed, but instead, she was sitting next to Kaycee, laughing, as if nothing had happened.

Why wasn't she taking this more seriously?

Fuck, it's none of my business anyway, I don't care anymore.

Looking at Kaycee I simply stated, "Get out."

Rolling her eyes at me, she shot Talia a smile and walked out of the room.

"Did you really shoot somebody for me, how romantic..." She teased.

Giving her a cold glare I spoke, "Whatever is happening between us, it's over. I don't have time for women."

She didn't look too phased by this, in fact, she looked amused.

"So does that mean I can get nipple piercings now?" She asked.

Clenching my jaw in absolute annoyance, I replied, "Do whatever the fuck you want, Talia."

"Right, well if this is your way of showing me that you care, then you can keep it." She glared back.

"Well that's the thing, I don't care, Talia," I retorted.

I watched as her face twisted from anger to hurt. Her eyes softened and she uncrossed her arms. Mumbling, she said, "You really don't care about me?"

Shit, I didn't mean to hurt her feelings.

"Then what the fuck are you trying to do?" My conscience asked.

Running my hands down my face, I sighed and mumbled, "Shit, this isn't happening anymore"

"Teo sweetie, you're obviously going through some type of phase. It's called denial."

Arching my eyebrow in response, she shrugged and said, "If you're gonna end whatever this is, then do it because you don't like me, not because you're scared. If I knew you were such a pussy, I would've never given you mine. Damn."

"Che cazzo?"

(The fuck?)

Chuckling darkly, "Me? A pussy?" Stalking closely toward her, I continued, "Do you know who you're dealing with? You're getting brave, I think it's time I put you back in your place, Princess."

~***~

Talia's POV:

Sitting on my bed, I watched as he removed his T-shirt and moved closer to me.

He looked like he was going to devour me.

I almost felt bad for fucking with him, but the only way to piss off a powerful man is by questioning his power, and that's exactly what I did.

Call me crazy, I don't care, but I did like Matteo.

And just like that, he was mine again.

Checkmate.