[BL] The Mafia Boss Wants My Body-Chapter 12: The One Man Matteo Can’t Control

"Twin?" he blurted out. "He... he has a twin?"

"Don’t look at me like I’m a ghost," Mark said, his eyes scanning the hallway. "Even though, to the rest of the world, I don’t exist anymore."

"What does that mean?" Adrian asked, his voice tight with confusion. "How can you—"

"Ask me another time," Mark cut in, his voice low but urgent. "Right now, you need to go back. Wait in the hallway for the driver. If you run into Matteo and he asks whether you left that spot, tell him no. Keep telling him no until he believes it. Do you understand?"

Adrian wanted to scream a thousand questions, but the look in Mark’s eyes was enough to silence him. "Run," Mark commanded. "Now."

Adrian didn’t hesitate. His body moved before his mind could catch up. He ran through the maze of hallway until he reached the bench where he had been told to wait.

He collapsed onto it, his mind a chaotic blur of the blood he had seen in the basement and the impossible face of the man who had just saved him. Before, he had only been annoyed by Matteo—now, he was terrified.

If he finds out I saw him...

Will he think I was spying on him after I rejected him?

Will he kill me too?

Adrian squeezed his eyes shut as cold sweat formed on his forehead.

No. I can’t die like this.

Survive, Adrian. You have to survive.

A heavy silence settled over the hallway, broken only by the steady sound of approaching footsteps.

Adrian went still.

Matteo appeared at the end of the corridor, tall and imposing, with Tony following a step behind him.

The image of the gun in Matteo’s hand flashed through Adrian’s mind, but he forced himself to stay calm. He swallowed and wrapped his arms around himself, pretending he was only cold and tired.

Matteo’s expression was dark. The emotionless look he had shown earlier was gone, replaced by a quieter, more dangerous intensity.

He stopped in front of Adrian, studying his face.

"Where were you earlier?" Matteo asked, his voice low.

"I’ve been right here," Adrian said, lying. His voice stayed steady even though he was tense inside.

Tony stepped forward, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Are you sure? You haven’t moved from this spot the entire time at all?"

"I haven’t moved," Adrian said, leaning into the lie. He forced himself to sound annoyed and tired as he looked Matteo in the eye. "I’ve been sitting here this whole time. I almost fell asleep waiting. And I’m starving. No one even offered me a glass of water."

He gestured toward the master suite. "I saw the staff bringing trays of food and wine to your new guest. What about me? Am I supposed to sit here hungry while I wait for someone to drive me home?"

Tony let out a harsh laugh. "Who do you think you are, asking for food and daring to raise your voice here?" he hissed. "Get your ass out of this house."

With one last bitter look, Tony turned and walked away, his anger hanging in the hallway.

Silence settled between Adrian and Matteo. The tension was thick, broken only by the sudden, traitorous growl of Adrian’s empty stomach.

Matteo looked down at him, studying his face. "Will you eat before you leave?" he asked quietly.

"No," Adrian answered quickly, avoiding his gaze. "I need to go. I have a client waiting for me at the studio."

Matteo didn’t argue. He gave a sharp, silent signal, and within seconds, his men appeared from the shadows of the hallway.

"Follow them," Matteo said. "They’ll take you home."

Adrian turned on his heel and walked away without looking back.

As soon as the front doors closed behind Adrian, Matteo’s expression changed. He turned and walked up the stairs, his steps quick and deliberate. Instead of heading back to the main rooms, he moved down a quiet, hidden wing of the house.

At the end of the hallway, he stopped and pushed open a heavy oak door.

Inside, Mark was sitting by the window, watching the gray morning light and sipping from a ceramic cup. He didn’t turn around when Matteo entered; he already knew the rhythm of his brother’s footsteps.

Matteo walked over and sank into the chair next to him. Without asking, he reached out, took the coffee cup from Mark’s hand, and took a slow, tired sip. "Thank you," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the floor.

Mark set his hand down and finally turned to look at his twin. "He must be special," Mark said, his voice light but probing. "For the mighty Matteo Marcone to panic and text me for help."

"Don’t start, Mark," Matteo warned, his jaw tightening.

"Teo, just answer the question," Mark pressed, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You like him, don’t you?"

Matteo looked at his brother, his face hard with denial. "I don’t like him. Adrian is... not attractive. He’s plain. Stubborn. There’s nothing special about him."

He paused before adding, "I just didn’t want him to die. You know the rules. And you know Tony, he’s already looking for an excuse to get rid of him."

"Tony’s against him because he wants you for himself," Mark said calmly. You know how he feels, but you’ve never given him a chance."

"He’s my friend," Matteo snapped. "I can’t feel that way for him. Our relationship is only business and brotherhood, nothing more."

"Let’s leave that for now," Mark said. He glanced back out the window, watching the black sedan carrying Adrian roll through the main gates and disappear into the city.

"So... he’s not attractive? He’s not special?"

"No," Matteo said, refusing to meet his brother’s gaze.

"He’s not special, yet you’ve brought him into our sanctuary twice. You’ve risked the secret of this house for a man you don’t even like?"

Matteo let out a long, frustrated breath. "He’s straight, Mark. And he rejected me. Is that what you want to hear?"

Mark let out a short, mocking laugh that echoed through the room. "So the mighty Matteo finally met someone who said no?" he said. "And you’re just letting him walk away?"

"What do you expect me to do, Mark?" Matteo said sharply. "Tie him up with a rope?"

Mark leaned back in his chair, watching his brother with quiet amusement. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"What do you normally do with the others?" he asked.

Matteo opened his mouth, then hesitated. "He’s diff—" The word died before he could finish it.

Mark smirked. "Admit it. It won’t kill you."

He studied Matteo for a moment, a teasing look in his eyes. "You’ve been watching him for a while, waiting for the right moment. And when you finally made a move, he rejected you."

Mark tilted his head slightly. "You know he’s straight, yet you still went after him. What game are you playing at, Teo?"

"It’s not a game, Mark," Matteo snapped, his eyes flashing with a dangerous warning. "And stop laughing. It’s not even funny."

"It’s hilarious," Mark countered, wiping a mock tear from his eye. "I can only imagine the look on your face when he shut you down. The great Don, humbled by an ordinary artist."

Matteo looked away, his jaw tight as he stared at the door. "The problem is, he doesn’t fear me. That makes it impossible to break him. I don’t know how to deal with someone who looks at me with disgust instead of fear."

Mark leaned back, his expression growing more serious. "You don’t have to worry about that anymore. He just watched you shoot two men. By now he’s probably halfway home, hoping he never crosses your path again."

Mark paused, studying his twin’s profile. "But tell me the truth. Do you like him? You can tell me. I’m the only one in this world who knows you."

Matteo stood up abruptly, nearly slamming the coffee cup down on the table. "I told you, I don’t like him. He’s not attractive, Mark. I go for quality, not quantity, and he’s nothing but a headache."

"Just accept that you’re pained because he rejected you," Mark teased, his voice trailing his brother as Matteo headed for the door. "Your ego is bruised."

Matteo paused at the doorway, his back turned to Mark.

"He’ll be mine sooner or later," Matteo said, his voice low. "I’ll have him in my bed one way or another. He’ll end up obsessed with me."

He paused briefly before adding, "In the end, I always win."

With that, Matteo walked out, the door closing behind him.

Mark looked around the empty room and chuckled softly. "I like this Adrian already," he muttered. "At least he won’t fall into your hands so easily."

He shook his head, still amused.

"Maybe he’s exactly what you need, Teo... someone who finally has the spine to change you."

Matteo strode down the hall, his expression unreadable. As he reached the door to his private quarters, one of his lead bodyguards intercepted him, bowing his head in respect.

"Boss, the underground auction has been confirmed," the guard reported. "Everything is set for forty-eight hours from now."

"Good," Matteo replied curtly, not slowing his pace as he stepped into his room and closed the world out.

He had barely shrugged off his shirt when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was the driver assigned to Adrian. Matteo answered immediately, his silence demanding an update.

"Boss," the driver began, his tone cautious. "Adrian didn’t go straight back to his studio or home. We dropped him off at a private estate on the outskirts of the city."

Matteo’s grip tightened on the device. "And?"

"A young lady met him at the gate. She was... very beautiful, sir. Adrian seemed completely different when he saw her. He looked incredibly happy."

A cold, sharp tension settled in Matteo’s chest. "Did they go inside alone?"

"Yes, Boss. They went straight into the main house together."

Matteo didn’t speak for a moment.

When he finally did, his voice was quiet and controlled.

"Send me the coordinates of the drop-off location. Now."