A Lifetime With You by Athrhteera novel Chapter 67

Chapter 67
Alena
"What are they doing here?" I frowned, looking up at Matteo.
He hadn't released my hand or loosened his grip as he looked at me. There was something in those eyes but I couldn't understand the meaning behind them but I could tell, Papa and Alexei being here tonight was not a surprise for him.

"Alena.." He started to speak but the loud knock on the door interrupted him.
"Matteo, what's going on? Tell me." I tried to pull my hand away to grab his face but he didn't let me-as if he was afraid if he loosened the grip, I was going to be pulled away.
"You'll understand. I hope you can forgive me when you do," he replied.
"What? What do you mean by that?"

Both of his hands went up to cup my face before he lessened the distance between us. We were only inches apart as he leaned in to kiss my lips a few times, each kiss felt more desperate and needy; it was as if we were having our last few kisses.
I wrapped my hand around his waist, trying to pull him in for a hug.
"Please, please, try to understand. I swear I never wanted to," he continued to say a few times as he stared into my eyes, deeply.
My eyebrows furrowed at this sight of him, helpless and hopeless.

The tears in his eyes were visible, the shakiness of his hands and the desperation in his voice. For someone as powerful as Matteo, it was an odd sight to see-l had never saw him this way except for when I was hurt by Sofia.
Matteo was afraid to lose me. He was terrified.

"Open the door. We know you're inside!" Alexei shouted from outside, ringing the doorbell a few more times.
I had a feeling to never let go of Matteo, to hold him tight and to not let him open the door but when he stepped away from me, I went blank. When he walked towards the door to pull it open, I just stared at him as if I couldn't move my body.

I stood still at the same spot as I watched Alexei and Papa stepped in, along with their other men.
Matteo made his way back towards me before grabbing my hand, wanting me close. His grip was tight, as if he knew what was going to happen and he didn't want it to. While he stared at the two powerful men in front of me, I kept staring at my husband in confusion.
Did it have anything to do with my disappearance? What did he suffer when I was gone?
"Took you long enough to open the door"" Alexei spoke.

I turned to look at my brother, "Why are you here?"
Alexei raised an eyebrow as he looked back at Matteo, occasionally glancing at me. A sly smirk appeared on his face before inserting his hand in his slacks' pocket, "You didn't tell her, Matteo? How long were you planning to keep it a secret? You're quite a coward."

"What the hell, Alexei? You came here just to insult my husband?" I tried to step forward as I felt myself growing angry but Matteo held me in my place, continuing to hold onto my hand.
Matteo was the only reason I hadn't punched my brother in the face. He had no right to come into our home and call him a coward-he had disrespected his own brother-in-law when I knew for sure, Matteo had never disrespected my family. He did it all for my sake.

"Well.. you wouldn't really stand by your husband when you know the truth." Alexei replied, shrugging as if it was not a big deal.
I glanced at Matteo, feeling confused but I knew where I had to stand. It was by my husband's side regardless of being left in the dark; he was there throughout the troubles of my life and he had saved me. He loved me, more than anyone else in this room.

"Papa, why are you here?" I decided to shift the attention to him because he had been quiet ever since he came, but I could see the look in his eyes, he only stared at Matteo.
"How long were you planning to keep it away from us, Matteo?" Papa asked.
"To keep what away? What does you mean?" I interrupted.

However, Matteo stood still as he looked at Papa. He hadn't glanced at my direction ever since they came in and I continued to wonder the reason why.
"He didn't bother to tell us when he rescued you," Papa replied.
"Because you just wanted to take her away from me." Matteo finally spoke and everything began to make sense-one of the reasons why Papa and Alexei weren't there when I was at the clinic. Matteo had purposely kept them away from me.
Alexei scoffed, "You're not capable of taking care of Alena, Matteo.

She'll be safer with us. With her family."
"What?" I exclaimed, shaking my head.
"Alena... you're to comply. Enough rebelling," Papa said.

"No, you're not going to take me away from him. Are you out of your mind?!"
"Just look at you. You're like that because of him!" Alexei interjected, pointing at my injuries.
The reason for my injuries was from the kidnapping. Matteo had nothing to do with it-all he ever wanted was to protect me from any danger, especially when he asked me to tell him whenever I left the house but I had been too stubborn to listen. The reason behind all of this was because of my own fault.

"Shut the fuck up, Alexei. You're the coward here. You've always been the fucking coward because you only listen to Papa. You're just scared to disappoint him." I said through gritted teeth as I stood behind my husband, not wanting to be anywhere near them.

Papa and Alexei were my family but they had gotten too far. They had thought they could decided things for me-I had fought for my own freedom ever since I was a teenager and I was always going to fight for it, no matter what it took.

"If you love him, you'll come home with us. Matteo knows it," Papa was the one who spoke this time and I knew he had threatened him in other ways.
I looked up at Matteo, tightly gripping onto his hand.
"Tell me. What did they threatened you with?" I asked, somehow begging.

Tears were beginning to form in my eyes as they streamed down my cheeks. I couldn't hide them away any longer even if I wanted to, I was too pressured and stressed by the current situation. All I wanted was to live a peaceful life with Matteo and when I had that chance again, it was all going to be taken away.

Matteo turned to look at me, cupping onto my face. "But, baby, it's not your fault."

"Tell me... tell me what they said to you."
"They'd kill my men. They'd ruin their lives."
Matteo was never selfish when it came to the safety of his men, he had always prioritised them. His men had families, wives and children-they were like any other men out there. My eyes closed at the thought of letting him choose me over them but that was impossible, it was a selfish act to ask.
"You can't risk their lives. You're doing the right thing," I muttered under my breath.