A shudder ran through me at his words, both terrifying and thrilling all at once. I pushed him away with shaky hands, feeling utterly cornered by this man who seemed to enjoy toying with me.
“Stop it,” I demanded, hating how breathless my voice sounded.
Matt just chuckled softly, the sound sending another shiver down my spine. In a flash, he closed what little distance was between us, muscular arms snaking around my waist to yank me flush against his chest. I held my breath as he leaned in, his lips a hair’s breadth from mine.
“Look at you,” he murmured. “Trembling like a scared puppy.”
I braced for whatever came next—half expecting him to devour me whole. But instead of the forceful kiss I’d feared, his lips pressed gently against my forehead.
“So cute,” he whispered against my skin before planting another kiss there.
Before I could react further, a series of knocks echoed through the room, shattering the tension and drawing both our gazes to the door.
Matt sighed, muttering something abouttimingandannoying interruptionsbefore finally releasing me. He stalked to the door, his broad back cutting an imposing figure as he opened it.
In filed his men, carrying my belongings. The sight of my bags stuffed with clothing, my wallet, my cell phone, and most importantly, my laptop made me practically jump with relief. My heart did a little jig; maybe this nightmare wasn’t entirely hopeless.
“Thanks,” I muttered as they dropped the bags at my feet before shuffling back out.
The moment the door clicked shut, I tore into my stuff like a kid on Christmas morning. My fingers brushed over the cracked screen of my old phone and then reverently touched the sleek surface of my laptop. My entire life was in that device—my business plan, app design, and codes—everything Sean hadn’t managed to ruin yet.
I picked up the laptop, hugging it to my chest like a lifeline. My fingers flew over the keys, punching in my password with a fervent urgency. As the screen flickered to life, I let out the breath I’d been holding. There, nestled safely within the digital confines, was my life’s work—the app I’d been coding night and day to bring my business dreams to fruition.
A chuckle dragged my attention away from the familiar lines of code. Matt stood there, his lips curved into that ever-present smirk as he eyed my laptop with a gleam of amusement.
“What’s so funny?” I snapped, clutching the device even tighter.
He shook his head, tsking softly. “Just imagining some scrawny little thing like you as the next tech mogul.”
My jaw clenched at the condescending jab. Ignoring him, I picked up my phone. There were no messages, but that wasn’t surprising given its recent absence from my life. As I was scrolling through old texts, Matt whipped out his own shiny phone.
“Let’s make this easier,” he said, tapping his device against mine. A soft beep signaled our phones syncing contact details. “There,” he purred, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “Now I’ll always know how to reach my favorite little pet.”
Anger flared hot within me. I moved to delete the new contact, but Matt’s hand clamped down on my wrist with surprising strength, halting the motion.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he warned, his voice low and laced with quiet menace. “Unless you want me to put one of those cute little ankle bracelets on you.” His grip tightened infinitesimally. “You know, the kind that keeps puppies on a very short leash.”
My breath caught in my throat as I stared up at him, caught in his steely gaze like a moth in a spider’s web. For a long moment, neither of us moved, the tension crackling between us like a live wire. Then, just as abruptly as he’d grabbed me, Matt released his hold and stepped back, the corners of his lips quirking upward once more.
“Good boy,” he murmured, giving me one last lingering once-over before turning on his heel. “I’ve got business to attend to this afternoon, so try to stay out of trouble, hmm?”
With that parting taunt, he sauntered out, leaving me fuming and contemplating just how much trouble I’d be in if I smashed one of his designer vases against the wall. But that wouldn’t solve anything. For now, I’d have to play along—and bide my time for when I could turn this situation around in my favor.
I glowered at the closed door for a long beat, willing the solid wood to spontaneously combust with the sheer force of my glare. When it remained stubbornly intact, I let out a frustrated growl and hurled the phone across the room. It smacked against the opposite wall with a satisfying crack before clattering to the floor in a rain of plastic shards.
There. Let Matt try putting a dog collar on me now.
Slumping onto the bed, I pulled my laptop closer, running my fingers over the worn keys. This—coding, creating—this was my escape, my one constant amid the chaos. Whatever Matt’s game was, I wouldn’t let him take that from me.
With a determined set to my jaw, I immersed myself in the familiar streams of code, letting the digital world sweep me away from my stark reality—if only for a little while.
Six
MATT
Standing outside his penthouse door, Matt heard the unmistakable crash. He smirked, already knowing Andy had smashed the phone. Reckless, but not unexpected.
Eddie and a few of Matt’s men waited along the corridor, their expressions impassive. With a subtle nod, Matt gestured for Eddie to approach. “Get him the latest smartphone model.And find an artisan who can design a choker with a tracking device embedded. Discreetly.”
