Read Online Matteo (Dark Erotic Mob Romance) (Rossi Family Book 1) by Rachael Orman - Free Book Online Page A

asked, but I would do my best to follow his stipulations. It was a bit unnerving that I didn’t know how many people would be there — I didn’t even know what I looked like. I knew my hair flowed freely around my shoulders and felt soft when it moved, but my face felt heavy and very unlike my normal self. Then again, I was playing a part so it was a good reminder to use all the knowledge I’d learned from Madam on how to act like a lady.
    Matteo led me into the sitting room. I couldn’t help but focus my gaze on the table and the spot where the dead man had lain not so long before. Panic ratcheted up my pulse and my breathing accelerated.
    “Don’t think about it,” Matteo breathed.
    Right, don’t think about it. That was so easy. Maybe for him.
    When the doorbell rang, I was distracted from my inner horror show. I looked up to see Aida rushing to greet the guest. Moments later, she escorted a finely-dressed couple into the room. Matteo introduced me as his date for the night, and I was practically brushed aside by them after that. However, I found as more and more couples arrived, the thoughts of the last time I’d been in the room were pushed to the back of my mind.
    Even though the first couple had ignored me once they found out I was simply a one-timer on Matteo’s arm, many other couples hadn’t seemed to care and tried to chat with me. Thankfully, I had plenty of techniques to keep the conversation on them instead of me. When they tried to ask me anything personal, I would murmur an answer and ask them another question. There was a time or two when I’d wished there had been time for me to read the magazines so I had any idea of some current events, but I managed to fumble my way through the stilted conversations.
    Matteo stayed at my side, although he mostly carried on conversations with someone else. Conversations that were conducted in quiet, hushed tones and even being right next to him, I couldn’t pick anything up. Sometimes he spoke in Italian, other times in English. I supposed it didn’t really matter as it seemed most of the people there could speak both languages fluently.
    Aida called everyone to dinner and we were directed to a long table in a room I hadn’t been in before. Matteo sat me next to him, and a woman that had been particularly hard to divert sat on my other side with a broad smile. It took me a moment to remember her name. Then it came to me. Allegra .
    “I was hoping I’d be able to get the seat next to you!” she exclaimed, nearly jumping in her seat. “There’s so much about you I want to know! Matteo never brings dates to things like this! You must be pretty special!”
    “I guess.” I returned her smile as Matteo’s hand landed on my thigh and squeezed in warning. I glanced up at him, but he was talking to the man on the other side of him. “So you come to many gatherings like this?”
    “Oh, of course. It’s part of the lifestyle. Italians. We love big get-togethers. You get used to them after a while. Plus this specific group seems to do them at least once a month,” she said before taking a drink of her wine, which I noticed I did not have at my place setting. I smiled at the information she’d given me without meaning to. The dinners were monthly. Were they business or family? If I was going to get along in his world, knowing as much as possible would be helpful and he didn’t seem to be willing to share a whole lot with me.
    “So, you come to them all the time?” I asked, hoping I might at least have a friendly face to look forward to.
    “Mmm. Some of them. I’m not always invited. It’s a man's world, you know.” She leaned close and lowered her voice. “At least in this crowd. The men rule here and don’t think for one second it's not the truth.”
    I nodded.
    “How long have you known Matteo? Where’d you meet? Where are you from? You don’t have the Italian accent so it must be somewhere else.” Allegra blurted out rapid-fire