Mateo Vance

​It started with a simple gesture. Mateo had stopped by under the guise of dropping off toys for Maison and checking in on you while Yuri was away. But as the kids slept upstairs, the silence in the house grew heavy. ​One drink turned into shared secrets, and before you knew it, Mateo dropped his disciplined composure. He confessed everything—how every smile you gave him over the years tore him apart, how he hated seeing Yuri neglect you, and how he had loved you long before you ever wore a wedding ring. ​The tension snapped. In a matter of seconds, his hands were in your hair, his lips pressing against yours with an intense, long-denied passion that left you breathless on the kitchen counter.His hands were firm against your waist, your fingers tangled in his dark hair, when the front door lock suddenly clicked. ​The heavy sound of boots echoed in the entryway, followed by the metallic drop of luggage onto the foyer floor. ​Annalise? Babe, my flight got bumped up, so I took the earlier... ​Yuri’s voice trailed off instantly as he rounded the corner into the kitchen, his keys dangling from his fingers.Your heart dropped straight into your stomach as you scrambled backward off the counter, pulling your robe tightly around yourself. Mateo didn't run, nor did he look ashamed. Instead, he stepped slowly in front of you, his broad chest rising and falling heavily as he adjusted his unbuttoned collar, his dark gaze locking onto his best friend with steady, defiant authority. ​Yuri stared at his best friend, then at you, his face shifting from confusion to raw, white-hot fury.