Chapter 3 - The Golden Cage
By 8:00 AM the following morning, the sun broke through the Boston fog, bathing the Conti Penthouse in brilliant gold light.
Penny woke up in a bed larger than her entire bedroom at home.
The guest room was luxurious—adorned with Egyptian cotton sheets, silk pillows, and a private balcony overlooking the harbor. On the armchair near the door sat three designer shopping bags from Saks Fifth Avenue, filled with tailored jeans, cashmere sweaters, and comfortable leather flats, all in her exact size.
A small card resting on top of the bags read:
Borrow these. Your server uniform was destroyed in the laundry.
— M.C.
Penny rolled her eyes, but she didn't argue. She showered, dressed in a soft cream-colored sweater and fitted jeans, and walked out into the main living area.
The scent of fresh espresso and toasted brioche filled the air.
Matteo was sitting at the dining table, wearing a crisp charcoal suit, reading through a stack of legal documents while sipping from a porcelain cup.
When he heard her footsteps, he looked up. His eyes traveled slowly from her shoes up to her face, a look of quiet approval flashing in his dark gaze.
“Good morning, Penny,” Matteo said, gesturing to the seat across from him. “Breakfast is served.”
“I don't eat big breakfasts,” Penny said, walking over to the table but remaining standing. “I need to call my mother. She expects a call from me every morning at 8:30.”
Matteo handed her a brand-new, unlisted smartphone resting on the table. “Secure line. You can call her, but do not mention where you are or what happened last night. Tell her you are working a private catering event in Cape Cod for the weekend.”
Penny took the phone cautiously. “Are you spying on my calls too?”
“I don't need to,” Matteo said smoothly, taking a sip of his espresso. “I trust you’re smart enough not to put your mother in danger.”
Penny dialed the familiar number.
When her mother answered, Penny forced her voice into a bright, cheerful tone, lying through her teeth about a high-paying private event at a seaside resort. Her mother, reassured and happy, chatted about her morning garden club before hanging up.
When Penny set the phone down, she let out a long, shuddering sigh, resting her hands against the mahogany table.
“Happy now?” Penny asked.
“Relieved,” Matteo replied, looking at her intently. “Now sit down and eat. We have a meeting in an hour.”
“We?” Penny blinked. “Who is 'we'?”
“You and me,” Matteo said, setting his cup down. “My cousin Dominic has called an emergency council meeting of the six waterfront families at the Harbor Club at 10:00 AM. He intends to declare me unfit for leadership, claiming I’ve become soft and vulnerable.”
Penny’s heart sank. “And why do I need to be there?”
Matteo stood up, adjusting his gold cufflinks as he walked around the table to stand beside her. His presence was overwhelming, masculine, and entirely magnetic.
“Because Dominic doesn't know you’re alive,” Matteo whispered, leaning down so close she could feel the warm brush of his breath against her ear. “He thinks the gunman eliminated the witness. When I walk into that boardroom with you by my side, unbothered, unharmed, and untouched... his trap will collapse before he can spring it.”
May you like
Penny looked up at him, her chest heaving. “You’re using me as bait.”
“I am using you as a weapon, Penny,” Matteo corrected, his dark eyes locking onto hers with absolute, fierce conviction. “And I promise you on my life... no one in that room will touch a single hair on your head.”
