His Tesoro: An Arranged Marriage Age Gap Mafia Romance (Empire of Royals Book 1)
His Tesoro: Chapter 24

I woke softly, as if floating on a cloud, from the best night’s sleep of my life. I kept my eyes closed and snuggled deeper into my ridiculously comfortable bed. Then something behind me shifted—no, someone. Memories of last night flooded back. They were hazy, caught in a fog of sleepiness and pain, but the way Matteo held me in the bath was too perfect for even my dreams to manufacture.

His arms were still wrapped tight around me, his knee pressed between my legs. It was just the right position to take stress off my hips, like my very own body pillow.

I kept my breathing as quiet and steady as possible, unwilling to disturb him. Would he go back to keeping a cold distance, or was this the start of us connecting like a real husband and wife?

I felt it the moment he woke. He stiffened behind me and quickly rolled away. I closed my eyes, disappointment washing through me like a tidal wave.

“Morning,” I said as I pushed myself to a seated position against the headboard. Matteo was already getting out of bed.

“Are you feeling better?” he asked, keeping his back to me.

“A lot better than last night, yeah. Thanks for helping me.” I wanted to say more, wanted to say how much his care meant to me, but the words stuck in my throat. He was already at the door like he couldn’t get away from me fast enough.

He opened the bedroom door and paused. “Use your wheelchair today.” Then he left, shutting the door loudly behind him.

I got ready slowly, trying to be gentle on my body after my rough night. When I was finally dressed and made my way out to the kitchen—in my wheelchair—I spotted something on the counter. It was a black credit card with my name on it, and a note that said, “Use this. No limit.”

I carefully folded the note and slipped it in my pocket alongside the credit card, a smile on my face.