Two men, One Vow

Chapter two

“Turn around. Back to the restaurant.”

I almost screamed at the driver. He glanced at me through the rearview mirror, and I immediately noticed the fear in his eyes..But it wasn’t because of my sudden order.

He began looking around nervously, his hands tightening around the steering wheel.

“Turn around,” I repeated.

“I’m not sure we can,” he said cautiously. “We’re being followed. There’s been a car behind us since we left the restaurant.”

Fear gripped me immediately.

“What car? Should I call the police?”

“I’m not entirely sure. Let’s make a few more turns first.”

He turned at the next intersection, and I twisted around in my seat to look through the rear window. The car behind us had its windows tinted so dark that I could barely make out anything inside. I watched it closely as we made another turn.

Then another.

“Are they gone?” I asked after he had taken about four turns.

“No.” His voice became more serious. “I’m going to drive to the police station.”

My heart pounded harder.

“What deal did you have in there?” he asked, throwing me a strange look through the mirror. “Whatever happened at that restaurant must have triggered somebody.”

I would have been annoyed that he spoke to me informally but this wasn't the time.

The moment we entered the street leading to the police station, the car disappeared.

“It’s gone. I think we lost them, or they’re just scared now.”

My driver moved away from the police station immediately, taking a back road that led us back toward the restaurant.

I got out and hurried into the restaurant, my legs trembling inside my heels.

“Good evening, ma’am. Which table—”

“I’m not here to eat. Where’s Matteo?” I cut her off, almost rudely.

She blinked at me.

“He left. His shift is over.”

“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath. I rushed back outside and climbed into the car.

“Where to, the house?” my driver asked.

Before I could answer, he pointed toward the parking lot.

“And the car that was following us is parked over there.”

I looked in the direction he pointed. The same black Toyota sat quietly in the parking lot.

“Whoever it was is in that restaurant,” he added.

I stared at the car, my heart pounding.

“Let’s go ask.” Before I could open the door, my phone rang. I looked at the screen. It was a text from Larry.

“You did it. Matteo is at the gate.” My blood ran cold.

“The mansion. ASAP!” I shouted.

My driver seemed to understand the urgency immediately. He slammed his foot down, and the V12 jumped forward, the sudden acceleration forcing me back into my seat.

My heart hammered against my chest as the city blurred past us. Every second felt like it was working against me.

Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up at the mansion gate. I barely waited for the car to come to a complete stop before reaching for the door.

MATTEO’S POV

After sleeping with Larry Browne’s wife in what I called a terrible mistake, my life took a drastic turn.

Zoe, my girlfriend, who also happened to be Larry’s step sister, was my way out. She had given me more than enough reasons to stay, and after everything that had happened between us, we were finally settling things.

I couldn’t go back to my mistakes, the offer Angel gave me was enticing but It's a trap. I needed to get Zoe and get the hell out of the city before Larry’s revenge caught up with me.

I dialed Zoe’s number again, but the call kept dropping.

I had no choice. I was going to have to take the biggest risk yet…. sneak into the house again.

“I’m here to see Zoe,” I told the security man.

He barely questioned me before opening the gate. I drove into the mansion, silently grateful that I had decided to drive an EV for the first time in my life, despite all the teasing I had gotten from my friends about it.

Zoe was outside by the pool, drinking after what looked like a swim session. She was still in her swimsuit, and her body looked banging as usual.

“Why are you here?” she flared up the moment she saw me. “You can’t come here.”

“Let’s talk. It’s very urgent. Your phone wasn’t going through.”

“Yes, and you thought the best thing to do was come to my brother’s house after you f****d his wife?” she snapped. “You’re an idiot.”

“Yes, I’m doing this for you,” I said desperately. “So you can understand how much you mean to me. I’d risk anything for you.”

I watched her expression soften. I had finally touched a nerve.

“Let me make this right. Let’s run away—to Alaska. We’ll get an apartment, start a new life, and eventually have a family.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

“My brother will cancel my credit card, and that’s the source we both spend from.”

Her words hit me like a nuke.

I couldn’t deny it. Zoe spent lavishly on me, and I had enjoyed every bit of it.

“I’m ready to be a man and repay you everything.”

“You couldn’t do that even when you worked at a five-star restaurant. How can you do it now when you don’t even know what’s waiting for you in Alaska?”

She shook her head.

“Just go.”

She sat back down, her eyes filled with tears.

“Zoe…”

“I said go!”

Her sudden scream made me flinch.

“What’s happening over there?”

I heard the voice before I saw him. A huge figure stepped out of the house.

Larry.

My blood ran cold.

Expecting a punch or a blow to my face, I braced myself.

Zoe was already shivering. She quickly stepped in front of me.

“Please, Larry. He’ll leave,” she begged on my behalf.

I stood there silently. I couldn’t fight him—not because he was stronger than me, but because I knew the aftermath wouldn’t be in my favor.

Larry was a mafia. But instead of attacking me, he greeted me with a smile. And somehow, it looked genuine.

He completely snubbed Zoe and focused on me.

“Have we met formally? I’m Larry.” He extended his hand.

I hesitated before taking it.

“Matteo. Matteo Griffin,” I said, barely above a whisper.

“Can we go inside now? My lawyer is on the way.”

“What lawyer?” I frowned.

“You’re not here for the marriage, so why are you here?” His hand slowly clenched into a fist.

“For…” I stopped, glancing back and forth between the two of them.

“I’m here for the marriage,” I finally said.

Zoe shot me a look of pure disgust and confusion.

“I'm not going to marry you.”

Before anyone could say another word, the gates opened. Angel’s car rolled into the compound. She got out immediately. Then she stopped dead after a few steps.

Her breathing was heavy as she stared at the three of us standing together. For a moment, nobody said a word.