His face remained an unreadable mask of composure as he read about the torment Andy had endured—physical torture no one should ever experience, let alone someone so young and vulnerable.
“Eddie.” Matt’s voice was a controlled blade of ice. “I want men dispatched immediately. Find out where Herbert and Miley are living now and report back to me without delay.”
Eddie nodded, recognizing the barely contained fury simmering beneath Matt’s calm exterior. “On it, boss,” he replied before turning on his heel and exiting swiftly.
Alone again, Matt leaned back in his chair, trying to quell the rage boiling inside him. He read through the report once more, every word like a red-hot brand searing into his mind. The sheer horror of what Andy had been subjected to gnawed at him relentlessly.
“Fuck,” he swore under his breath, eyes narrowing as he let out a shaky exhale. “Andy… you went through that hell?”
His thoughts raced with a dark resolve. Herbert Weston’s fate was sealed; no one harmed what was precious to Matt without paying the ultimate price.
In that moment, Matt’s priorities realigned with laser precision. Deals could wait, meetings rescheduled—nothingmattered more than Andy. A primal need ignited within him, an overwhelming urge to see Andy.
With a few rapid-fire commands and final signatures, he wrapped up his work and left the office, his pace quickening with each step.
Minutes later, he found himself standing at the entrance of his penthouse. The space felt different now, warmer somehow, knowing Andy was inside. Pushing the door open, Matt’s gaze zeroed in on Andy sitting at the dining table, laptop before him forgotten, gaze distant, unfocused, the weight of recent traumas still haunting the edges of his expression. Matt drank in the sight of him, eyes roving over every beloved detail as if committing Andy to memory once more.
Matt silently approached and wrapped his arms around Andy from behind. Andy jolted slightly but then relaxed into Matt’s embrace.
Andy looked up with a quizzical expression. “You’re back early.”
Matt pressed a kiss to Andy’s forehead. “Finished everything I needed to do.”
He kept his true reason hidden—that he missed Andy fiercely and couldn’t focus on anything else. Instead, he tightened his grip, as if holding on to something fragile yet immensely precious.
“There’s something I need to tell you,” Matt said.
Andy turned in his chair to face him fully, curiosity replacing the dazed look. “What’s up?”
“We’ve been invited to a party this weekend,” Matt began. “Tory’s hosting it. You remember Tory, right?”
Andy’s eyes lit up at the mention of Tory. “Of course! He was great.”
“Good.” Matt nodded. “And you can bring Fin along too.”
Andy’s face broke into an excited grin. “Absolutely! Fin will be thrilled—and Ethan too. Those two never pass up free food.”
Seeing Andy’s enthusiasm made Matt’s chest swell with warmth and relief.
“I’m glad you’re excited,” Matt said softly.
Andy’s smile was like sunlight breaking through clouds. “I am. It’ll be fun.”
Matt couldn’t resist the pull, the magnetic draw that tugged at his very core. He leaned in, his lips finding Andy’s in a kiss that was nothing like the wild tempests of their previous encounters. This time, his kiss was a slow burn, soft and unhurried, tender as the touch of a petal, a gentle exploration of newfound intimacy.
Andy melted into him, a response so earnest and open that Matt felt a seismic shift within him. In that moment, as their breaths mingled, Matt felt his heart execute an acrobatic leap—overwhelming yet buoyant with warmth. It was as though he’d been blindfolded and spun around only to have the blindfold ripped away to reveal he was standing at the edge of a dizzying precipice. Love—that’s what this was. Head over heels, unabashedly smitten with Andy.
As they parted, Andy’s eyes shone with a dazed contentment. “Your kiss is different this time,” he murmured, voice tinged with wonder.
A soft smile curved Matt’s lips. “Is that so?”
Brushing a stray lock of hair from Andy’s forehead, Matt allowed his fingers to linger, tracing the line of Andy’s jaw. “Are you still sore from last night?”
Andy’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink, but he held Matt’s gaze steadily. “Just a little,” he admitted, “but it’s no big deal.”
The unspoken invitation in Andy’s words sent a delicious thrill through Matt. He leaned in again, capturing Andy’s lipsin another slow, smoldering kiss. Andy’s arms wound around Matt’s neck, pulling him closer as their bodies pressed together.
When they finally broke apart, Andy’s eyes sparkled with desire. “I can’t concentrate on the coding anyway,” he confessed with a breathless chuckle.
