Page 136 of Matteo

I blink, because his voice is sharp enough to startle me.

“I did this because I can. Because I want you to be safe and happy, and because you deserve nice things. I am happy that you came.”

“O-okay, then. Thank you,” I say, and decide to keep quiet about it.

“And please, stop thanking me.”

“Ok-aaaaay.”

“It’s going to be a lavish wedding, isn’t it?” I look around the large open room. Couples sit across from one another and at the bar, a group of women chatter excitedly.

“It’s going to be a small wedding. About fifty people, at most. A few from the old group are coming.”

The old group. The coders. The hackers. “Who?” My insides fill with dread, but just then a server appears with our drinks.

“Can I get you something to eat?” Vlad asks.

I take my glass of orange juice. “No thanks. This is enough.” It's interesting that he hasn't mentioned Matteo yet.

He opens the small bottle of water and pours it into his glass.

I raise my glass. “Congratulations, Vlad. I’m so happy for you.”

He lifts his. “Thank you.”

I take a sip before setting my glass down. “I know nothing about Valentina. I've never even met her—”

“You will. We’re having a small dinner for a few friends tonight. You must come.”

I open my mouth, trying to remember if he told me about this.

“We only decided yesterday, when Valentina said she hadn't met any of my friends.”

I relax, because this late notice gives me an excuse not to go.

“You can bring your friend along,” he adds.

He finally mentions Matteo, but he can't bring himself to say his name. “I'll see what Matteo wants to do.”

He sits back, watching me. “Does he decide for you?”

“No.” I try to read his expression, because something tells me he knows more than he's letting on.

“Tell me how this happened, because I never expected that Matteo Knight would be your plus one.”

The emphasis on Knight knocks the air out of my lungs. I never told him Matteo's surname. “H-how do you know he’s a Knight?”

He pauses, almost like he's wondering how to phrase his answer. “I can gain access to any information I need.”

The hairs on the back of my neck shoot up. “Why did you need to access that?”

Another pause. My insides roil. He's changed. This no longer feels about him being protective of me. It feels somehow different. Like he’s different.

“Because I care about you, Elizabeth, and I need to know that you’re okay.”

I snort in disbelief. “You want to know that I'm okay? Who do you think I’m coming to your wedding with, a serial killer?”

“I had to know, and you weren’t giving me much info on him.”