Chapter 217: Chapter 217: The Consequences of Being Spoiled
Matteo stared at the screen for a long moment before rubbing a hand over his face and letting out a low, defeated chuckle.
How the fuck did I end up here?
He turned his head toward the window and watched the darkened scenery blur past, completely at a loss for how to react.
He understood his own temper all too well. He was a dangerous man, and if he ever truly lost control and directed that anger at Adrian, the damage could be irreversible.
The thought alone made his chest tighten.
But more than that, Matteo understood exactly why Adrian had reacted the way he did.
From the very beginning, he had made sure Adrian knew he was cherished, valued, and worthy of respect.
He had spoiled him, protected him, and given him the confidence to stand his ground whenever something bothered him.
So of course Adrian refused to tolerate being spoken down to.
Matteo let out a slow breath and shook his head.
In the end, this was partly his own fault.
He had raised a beautiful little menace.
But for the first time, he found himself wondering if maybe he had spoiled Adrian a little too much.
Meanwhile, a few miles ahead, Adrian had pulled the sports car onto a quiet stretch of roadside beneath the stars.
He had stopped partly because of Matteo’s warning text, but mostly because Maya’s name had suddenly appeared on the dashboard screen.
The moment he swiped to answer, his sister’s voice exploded through the speakers with pure, unbridled excitement.
"Oh my God, Adrian! I was so busy, and I only just checked my phone and saw the car Matteo got you! Brother, congratulations! That thing is insanely expensive! I hope you thanked him properly!"
Maya didn’t give Adrian a single second to speak, her words tumbling out in a rapid-fire rush until Adrian finally groaned, cutting in. "Thank you, sis. But at least let me talk! Give me a chance to reply to you."
"Wait, where are you right now?" Maya asked. "Is Matteo there with you?"
"I went for a night drive," Adrian said, adjusting his position in the leather seat.
"Alone?"
"No, with Matteo."
"That’s perfect! Put him on, let me speak to him."
Adrian hesitated, looking at the empty passenger seat. "Uh, Matteo isn’t available right now. He’s... busy. I’ll call you back when we get home, okay?"
The line went completely silent.
Knowing her brother better than anyone, Maya immediately picked up on the hesitation in his voice.
"Adrian..." she said slowly. "What happened?"
Adrian’s first instinct was to lie, but he swallowed the excuse before it could leave his mouth.
He knew his sister.
She wouldn’t let it go until she dragged the truth out of him.
With a guilty sigh, he reluctantly told her everything, Matteo’s comment about the car. This argument followed, with the vehicle pulling over on the side of the road and finally kicking the mafia boss out of the vehicle.
When he finished, he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Look, I know you’re going to blame me," Adrian muttered defensively. "But I only realized it might have been a bit much after I did it."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. When Maya finally spoke, her voice was deadpan and entirely serious. "Adrian... what the actual fuck has gotten into you lately?"
Adrian muttered. "Maya—"
"No, shut up and listen to me," she cut him off sharply. "Your boyfriend just bought you a car worth over a million dollars. A million dollars, Adrian! And you think the best way to show your appreciation is to dump him on the side of the road like he was nothing?"
Adrian opened his mouth, but Maya wasn’t finished.
"Do you have any idea how many people would kill to be loved the way that man loves you? Yes, what he said was stupid. Yes, he deserved to be called out for it. But kicking him out of the car in the middle of the night?"
She let out an exasperated groan.
"Brother, that was excessive."
"He said I didn’t have the kind of money to buy it!" Adrian protested, his pride flaring. "He was looking down on me!"
"Was he lying?" Maya countered ruthlessly. "Imagine you were trying to buy a million-dollar car right now. How much do you think would be left in your bank account? He was teasing you, Adrian!
"You could have easily said, ’Baby, I really don’t like what you just said.’ Why was your first instinct to kick him out of the car?
"When did you become like this? Have you forgotten you’re a man too? If Matteo had done the same thing to you, would you have liked it?"
Adrian pouted, his confidence completely wavering under her lecture. "But Matteo was wrong to say that..."
"And you were ten times more wrong to kick him out of his own gift!" Maya yelled back. "You are letting his love turn you into a spoiled brat, Adrian. You need to fix your attitude."
Adrian listened in silence, the heavy weight of reality finally settling in.
His gaze drifted to the empty passenger seat, and the victory of his little stunt instantly disappeared, leaving behind nothing but guilt.
Maya was right. He had crossed a line.
"You need to promise me right now," Maya commanded, her tone softening just enough to show her concern. "The second he gets to you, you are going to apologize to him. No attitude, no jokes. A real apology."
"I promise," Adrian murmured, his voice full of genuine regret. "I’m actually parked on the side of the highway waiting for him right now."
Maya scoffed loudly through the speaker.
"You are really getting out of hand, Adrian. You’d better start behaving yourself. Because let me tell you something, the day Matteo actually loses his temper and gets truly angry at you, you won’t like it. Not one bit."
She paused before adding firmly,
"And if that day ever comes, don’t forget that you were the one who pushed him there."
"I understand, sis. I’ll fix it," Adrian promised.
"Good. Call me tomorrow," Maya said, before finally hanging up the call, leaving Adrian alone with his thoughts.
He sat quietly in the car, staring out into the darkness as he waited for the headlights of Matteo’s convoy to appear.
The weight of his sister’s words sat heavily in his chest, stripping away the last of his stubborn pride, making him realize just how reckless he had been.
A few minutes later, piercing headlights cut through the darkness. Matteo’s convoy pulled up, smoothly coming to a halt directly behind the sports car.
Adrian didn’t wait for them to approach. He opened the door, stepped out onto the asphalt, and stood by the driver’s side, anxiously waiting for his man.
The rear door of the lead SUV clicked open, and Matteo stepped out. His expression was a mask of cold, unreadable fury as he began walking purposefully toward the sports car.
Hoping to dissolve the tension immediately, Adrian rushed forward, throwing his arms out to wrap Matteo in a tight embrace. "Baby—"
"Don’t you dare touch me," Matteo cut in, his voice dropping into a low, dangerously serious register. He didn’t even look at him, shifting his weight to brush past Adrian’s hold.
Adrian didn’t listen. Stubborn as always, he stepped into Matteo’s path, reaching out to grasp the sleeve of his leather jacket. A nervous, soothing smile tugged at Adrian’s lips. "Baby, come on. Why are you so angry with me?"
Matteo didn’t answer. He ripped his sleeve from Adrian’s grip and continued walking with rigid, furious strides. He marched straight to the passenger side of the sports car and reached for the door handle.
Panicking at the icy silence, Adrian lunged forward and grabbed Matteo’s wrist, squeezing tightly. "Baby, look at me. Talk to me! Why are you mad at me?"
Matteo spun around so fast that Adrian almost lost his footing. The sheer storm of anger in his eyes made Adrian take an involuntary step back. "Are you seriously asking me why I’m angry?"
Matteo demanded, his voice cracking like a whip in the quiet night air. "You chased me out of a car in the middle of a deserted highway! Imagine if we were being tailed by rivals without our knowledge. Those few minutes I spent standing alone on the side of the road could have easily gotten me killed."
Matteo stepped closer, his chest heaving as he stared down at him. "But I guess you don’t care whether I’m dead or alive."
Adrian’s breath hitched, a defensive flare rising in his chest. "Why are you raising your voice at me? Why are you saying such horrible things? It was just a—"
"What do I have to say to you before you learn how to act properly?" Matteo intercepted, completely cutting him off. He loomed over Adrian, his posture radiating pure authority.
"Baby, stop," Adrian pleaded, his lower lip trembling slightly.
"Stop what?"
"You’re yelling at me."
"Do I seriously have to get strict with you before you finally realize that some of your behavior toward me is completely unacceptable?" Matteo countered, his tone unyielding.
Adrian swallowed hard, Maya’s lecture flashing through his mind. He forced his pride down. "Fine! I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that, and I know I was—"
"Keep quiet!" Matteo shouted...
