Another day of rotting in my office without feeling my hands swaddling around his throat, restricting his airflow and witnessing how his lips diverged, aspiring to apologize for what he has done to his brothers back then.

Eight months.
Eight months will it take, amidst I'll destroy his life.

The sand will finish trickling down to the bottom and Lara will be free. She'll run in my arms for a second time, let me shelter her from Matteo's insanity. I'm convinced he was the one luring her into the woods, just to play the hero, saving her from himself.

Guilt-trapping into falling in love with him. Influencing her with how rich he is and can buy whatever she desired.

The more time she spends with him, the more painful will be the truth backfiring.

Matteo is the devil himself.

All dressed up in a thousand dollar suit and set up smile too. His eyes are only green since they equal poison.

The same poison that was inflicted on me nine years ago. I actually trusted him.

I always believed he'd be the one piercing his hand through the blade and not the one, holding the handle.

Grigori trespassed into my office, which was my second bedroom these days.
"There is someone you haven't heard in years."

He stepped aside and my day immediately got worse.
Leon Cafaro.
He hasn't changed much since I saw him the last time when he was a teenager.

He was gobsmacked and took his sunglasses off.
"Gosha, I told you not to let any people from EF into this building or even near me."
"Hey man, I'm not planning on invading your personal space!"

Leon argued with a dirty smile, pulling the chair back to take a seat.
"Well, you just did."

I grimaced at the golden EF logo on his suit.
"The seraphim looked better on you, Cafaro. Now you're just a wimp."

"I miss being a part of DAI too. Don't misunderstand me, I come in peace."
"I couldn't care less about you."
I crossed my arms, fighting the urge to slam my whiskey bottle on his head.

"We have nothing to do with your mens' disappearance."
"I know, you're not the only enemy we have, thanks for the reminder."
Apparently as insufferable as back then as well.

"Tell me something new. What about Lara? How is she?"
Leon sighed and shook his head.
"Matteo is taking good care of her, she's doing great."

I rose from my chair and slammed my hands on the desk.
"I don't give a shit about Matteo Díaz. Don't you dare to use this name in our conversation!"
He recoiled and his face lost colour.

"I'm sorry."
His eyes widened and inside I was satisfied with a Leon Cafaro who got put in his place. He was the guy who was never able to shut up and show respect. At least he does now.

"If you think I'll ever be able to work with Matteo again, despite having a common enemy, you're wrong. Now leave or I'll shoot two bullets through your head."

Grigori extricated him out of the chair with some threats of how he'll top Valentina again when she finds out he's snoring coke again from the balloon store.

I was stupefied at how Matteo had no crucial illegal digital footprint. Besides some pictures of the chat between him and Lara, I wish I could unsee.

The long-term argument about my unawareness of his old best friend's identity didn't stop, after three months.

One night we had an adventure, the other we were bickering and shouting.

It's hard to seize what he went through.  Opening up is hard and after barely speaking this day, I was alone in our bedroom, admiring the view our panorama window granted.

They mirrored how one of these nights with Matteo felt like: Sparkling stars, a full moon, and trees swaying, matching the wind's soothing rhythm.

I felt empty like the streets in front of our stay. He was at home, yet something was missing. Maybe it was the way, how the first thing he saw with his eyes after waking up was his monitor and not his girlfriend snuggled all up in his arms.

He became less passionate and I noticed how not speaking about his past, killed him. I was worried, he'd be another guy, who lost feelings for me or what would happen after the world trip.

That's where Adrián and Matteo had similar personas. Burying topics and engulfing every worry inside of them until it nags out starting to show with their sudden distant demeanor.

The door opened behind me and I took a deep breath, pinching the pullover's hem. He didn't speak at all, sneaking up behind me. His chest pressed against my back.

"Mat, we need to talk. Why are you so distant lately? I fear you're losing feelings for me."

"No...", he placed his arms around my neck, "I don't."

I learned my lesson and waited for him to speak again.
"I don't know where my head is recently and have no power to concentrate on anything. But I can promise one thing."

He steered me into the bathroom, took his clothes off, and turned the shower on. I stripped my dress and underwear off and followed. He pulled me closer and reached for my hand, placing it on his chest. I had a dejá-vu of our first shower together in Rome.

"Can you feel my heart, Cariña? It belongs to you. Every single beat is dedicated to you. I won't lose feelings for you, not in this lifetime. My heart has never let anyone in, but it welcomed you with open arms. There was and never will be a woman who will be part of my heart except our future daughter."

My eyelids felt heavy and I sunk against his chest. "Even after one year, I know nothing about your past, which still haunts you up to this day."

He suddenly placed my hand on his thigh. On the scar, I never got to look at nor touch, but today was different...

He flinched, propping himself up the tiles.
"Mat, why are you doing this?!", I tried to withdraw my hand. Instead, he pressed it down harder onto his scar.
"You're the only one capable of healing scars you didn't cause."

I leaned forward, grazing my fingertips over the flesh.
His breath hitched and his grip firm on my hip.
"What would have I caused then?
"The temporary hole, whenever you're not around."