[BL] The Mafia Boss Wants My Body

Chapter 253: Chapter 253: I Just Wanted Someone to Listen

The fight in his arms gradually weakened until his trembling hands no longer had the strength to keep pushing.

They came to rest against Matteo’s chest as his body sagged from sheer exhaustion, his tears continuing to fall between them.

Adrian didn’t kiss him back.

He didn’t push him away anymore either.

He simply stood there, utterly exhausted, allowing the kiss to happen as tears slipped silently down his face until Matteo finally pulled away.

Matteo looked down at him, his own eyes filled with remorse.

"I’m sorry..." he whispered. "I’m so damn sorry I hurt you this badly."

His trembling fingers gently brushed away the tears on Adrian’s pale cheeks.

"Everything you said out there..." His voice cracked. "The others may not understand, but I do. I know how much your freedom means to you. I know how badly I failed you."

He hesitated before asking softly,

"Can we go somewhere else and talk? Just the two of us?"

Adrian stared at him, his voice flat with exhaustion.

"I don’t want you anymore."

"I understand," Matteo said quietly, refusing to let the words shake him. "I know you’re angry, and I know you still have so much you want to say. Let me hear it... just the two of us, without anyone interrupting."

Adrian looked away, his throat tightening.

"I’m thirsty."

"I have a private suite upstairs," Matteo said immediately. "We can get you some water and sit down for a while."

Adrian rolled his eyes, a flicker of his usual defiance breaking through his exhaustion.

"No. I’m not going upstairs alone with you."

Matteo lowered his gaze and gave a small nod.

"I understand why you don’t trust me. But I give you my word I won’t touch you unless you want me to. I only want us to talk."

"Liar," Adrian snapped, his defenses rising again. "I’m not going anywhere with you."

"Alright," Matteo said quietly, raising both hands in surrender. "Then don’t come because I asked you to."

His voice softened.

"Come because you’re exhausted. Come because you’re in pain. I’ll stay on the other side of the room if that’s what you want. I won’t touch you without your permission."

Adrian’s breath hitched, his chest rising and falling unevenly.

"I told you, I don’t want you anymore. It’s over between us."

Matteo swallowed hard before giving a faint nod.

"I heard you," he whispered. "I’m not asking you to take me back tonight."

He held Adrian’s gaze.

"I’m only asking you to let me take care of you for a little while... then, if you still want to leave, I’ll let you walk away."

Adrian took a ragged breath.

"I can take care of myself, I’m an adult. I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself."

Matteo gave a small nod.

"I know," he said softly. "I know you can. But... let me take care of you tonight."

Adrian slowly lifted his head and looked into Matteo’s face.

Matteo swallowed hard.

"Please."

For as long as Adrian could remember, he had always spoken his mind. Whenever something bothered him, the people around him would listen. They would hear him out before saying anything else.

But somewhere along the way, that changed.

After Matteo came into his life, every concern he raised was answered the same way.

He loves you.

He’s only trying to take care of you.

You should be grateful.

No one ever stopped to ask how he felt.

The weight of it all crashed over him at once.

Adrian looked at Matteo, and the last of his strength gave way.

A broken sob escaped his lips.

Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face as everything he had been trying so desperately to make everyone understand finally overwhelmed him.

"I just wanted someone to listen to me..." he sobbed.

Matteo looked at him quietly, guilt weighing heavily in his eyes.

"I’ll listen," he said immediately, his voice trembling. "I’ll listen to all of it. Say everything. Don’t hold anything back. I’ll listen to every word."

Adrian looked at him through blurred vision, his breathing uneven.

"I’m not saying all this because I’m spoiled," he whispered brokenly. "I’m saying it because I’m hurting."

Matteo gave a slow nod.

"I know," he murmured. "I know now. Come with me... and tell me everything. Every single word. I won’t interrupt you. I’ll listen."

Adrian searched his face, as though trying to decide whether he could believe him.

"Everything?" he asked quietly.

Matteo nodded without hesitation.

"Everything," he repeated.

Adrian looked up at him, and another sob escaped his lips.

Matteo’s heart shattered.

He hesitated for a brief moment before carefully resting a hand on Adrian’s shoulder.

"People are starting to pass through the corridor," he said gently. "Let’s go upstairs where it’s quiet. You can say everything you need to say... and I’ll listen."

Defeated by the relentless cramps twisting through his stomach and the crushing weight of his emotions, Adrian finally gave a small, exhausted nod.

"Alright."

As they began to walk, Matteo instinctively reached up to brush a damp strand of hair away from Adrian’s forehead.

Adrian immediately leaned his head away.

"Don’t touch my hair," he muttered.

Matteo’s hand froze in midair before he slowly withdrew it.

"I’m sorry," he whispered.

Matteo immediately raised both hands in surrender, taking a step back to give Adrian the space he wanted.

Together, they walked down the quiet, carpeted corridor toward the private elevators leading to the luxury suites above the ballroom.

As they walked, Matteo stole a glance at Adrian.

He knew Adrian better than anyone else.

He knew exactly what life had done to him. Forced out of his family home at fifteen, Adrian had learned to survive on his own. Independence wasn’t just part of his personality, it had become the foundation of who he was.

Matteo had always known Adrian was stubborn, fiercely independent, and guarded. He hated relying on other people because, for most of his life, there had been no one to rely on.

To everyone else, Adrian’s reactions might have seemed dramatic or ungrateful.

But Matteo understood.

He knew Adrian wasn’t rejecting love.

He was trying to protect the freedom he had fought so hard to build.

Matteo wasn’t expecting gratitude anymore. He was prepared to stand there and listen to every bitter, angry word Adrian had left to throw at him. He knew Adrian was unbelievably tenacious, but there wasn’t a world where he could stop loving him.

And deep down, Matteo believed Adrian didn’t truly hate him.

He just needed someone to finally listen instead of deciding what was best for him.

The elevator chimed as the doors opened onto the quiet executive floor.

They walked to the suite, and Matteo swiped the key card. The lock clicked, and the heavy door swung open.

Matteo stepped aside and gestured toward the open door.

"After you," he said quietly.

Adrian stepped inside first, his energy completely drained. Matteo followed behind, quietly closing and locking the door, shutting the rest of the world outside.

Adrian didn’t spare the luxurious suite a single glance. He walked straight to the king-sized bed and collapsed onto the mattress, curling onto his side as another cramp twisted through his stomach.

Matteo set his suit jacket aside before crossing to the mini-fridge. He poured a glass of cold water and carried it back to the bed.

Sitting carefully on the edge of the mattress, he held the glass out to Adrian.

"Drink," Matteo said softly.

His voice instinctively slipped into the familiar endearment.

"Drink, baby."

Adrian didn’t reach for the glass.

He slowly opened his heavy eyes and fixed Matteo with a weary glare.

"I’m not your baby," he murmured.

Matteo smiled faintly, a trace of his old confidence filtering through his calm demeanor. "If you truly didn’t want to be my baby, you wouldn’t have followed me up here, let alone come inside this room alone with me."

Adrian scowled softly. "You begged me to come with you."

Matteo’s smile lingered.

"Yes, I did."

He held Adrian’s gaze.

"But you still chose to come."

Adrian rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. Instead, he reached for the glass and drank the water in slow, careful sips. When it was empty, he handed it back to Matteo.

Matteo set the glass on the bedside table before returning to him.

"Let me help you with your jacket," he said gently.

"I can do it myself," Adrian muttered.

Even so, he didn’t stop Matteo from helping ease the heavy jacket off his shoulders. Once it was free, Matteo set it aside while Adrian leaned back against the plush pillows, releasing a tired breath.

Matteo sat quietly beside the bed, his dark eyes lingering on Adrian’s pale face. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched between them until Matteo finally broke it.

"Tell me something," he said softly.

Adrian looked away without answering.

Matteo’s gaze drifted briefly to the hand Adrian still had pressed against his stomach before returning to his face.

"These cramps... are they from not eating properly, or from a serious lack of sex?"