Mathew’s eyebrow shot up with theatrical surprise, keeping his hand on the door so it couldn’t close. “Oh, you own the whole building now? Moving up in the world, aren’t we?”
This wasn’t like Mathew. The Mathew I knew was the guy who helped old ladies with their groceries and apologized when other people bumped into him. He wasn’t one to poke sleeping bears with sticks. The fact that he was doing it now, for me, sent an unwelcome flutter through my chest.
“It’s fine, Axel.” I shot him a look that said,Please don’t make this worse. “I’ve got this.”
“You know the rules, Dakota.”
“Rules?” Mathew repeated. “He gives you rules?”
My stomach dropped. “It’s not like that?—”
“Then what is it like, Dakota?” Mathew’s voice softened, and suddenly, I was melting under those warm eyes.
Focus. You can do this.“Look, you can’t be here.”
“You heard the lady. Leave.” Axel crossed his arms.
If I had any shot of getting Mathew to walk away without causing a scene, Axel was systematically destroying it with every word.
“Axel, will you give us a minute? Please?”
“I don’t want him in my home.”
I shot him a look that said,It’s here or downstairs in the lobby. The lobby runs the risk of someone seeing us.
Axel’s fingers flexed at his sides, his control hanging by a thread. “Make it quick,” he bit out. “We have dinner reservations.”
With one final glare that promised Mathew a slow, painful death, Axel disappeared into the depths of his penthouse.
“He keeps you on a short leash.” Mathew’s eyes swept over me like he was cataloging changes. “I don’t like it.”
“Mathew, why did you come here?” I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling exposed in my silk blouse and pencil skirt.
“You haven’t been returning my calls.”
“I can’t see you.”
Hurt flickered across his features. “I know I made a huge mistake, leaving you. But please … just have coffee with me. One cup. Thirty minutes.”
My throat felt like sandpaper. “I can’t.”
His jaw worked from side to side. “Look, I’m not asking you to cheat on the guy.” His attention flicked toward the hallway where Axel had vanished. “I just …” He grabbed the back of his neck, a gesture so familiar, it made my chest hurt. “Dakota, I love you. I made the biggest mistake of my life, and I just want a chance to make this right.”
My mouth opened, but no words came out.
He stepped closer. “I can tell you still have feelings for me.”
No. I don’t know how I feel yet. More importantly, it wouldn’t matter if I did.
“Tell me you love him,” Mathew said quietly, “and I’ll walk away.”
Just say it. Three little words: I love Axel.
But the lie stuck in my throat like concrete. Mathew knew me too well, could read every micro-expression, every tell. We’d spent too long learning each other’s secrets.
And despite all that had happened between us, I didn’t have it in me to lie to him. Not about being in love with Axel at least.
I should though. To save his heart. A better person would.
