Chapter 119: Snow Warning
Matteo had finally caught up to that wayward child, despite her best efforts to evade his eyes.
"Stop running," Matteo barked out, grabbing her by the arm. She tried to squirm out of his hold, but since she was a mere slip of a girl, her attempt was futile. "Where are your parents?"
"I don’t know!" Lilie wailed out, upset. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks, and her legs gave way, causing her to slump on the floor. If Matteo were not holding her arm, she would have been splayed on the ground like a starfish, beating her fists on the floor. "I don’t know anything! They just left me! Don’t beat me, Mister!"
Matteo sighed. Children were too hard to comprehend. Hopefully, whatever children he had with Amelia weren’t going to be utter hellions. He would not know what to do with himself if they turned out to be like Aiden.
"I’m not going to beat you," Matteo said wearily, wondering if her parents were fond of using this form of punishment. He picked her up easily and tucked her into the crook of his arm, causing her to squeal, her eyes wide with surprise. "We’re going back to the hotel."
Hopefully, they would be able to locate her parents. Matteo was going to rain every bit of his irritation and displeasure on their heads.
In no time at all, they returned to the hotel. It seemed like all the fight had gone out of Lilie, knowing that she couldn’t escape. Matteo watched as the hotel staff quickly called for her parents using the announcement system.
Seeing that they had things in hand, he wanted nothing more than to leave Lilie with the hotel staff. But Lilie’s skinny arms wrapped around his neck like a vice grip, refusing to let go.
"Come on, your parents are on their way," Matteo said. But Lilie shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes.