Yet, I’d have to hate it before saying something about it.
Rising from my chair, I feel Ozzy following me before I turn to face him. The last thing I need is for this meeting to take twice as long because the woman behind me is too terrified to speak. “I’m okay. I’ll be right out.” His piercing blue eyes fall to mine, and I shudder slightly.
This isn’t the time to notice how perfect they are. How devastatingly beautiful he is.
But the other day, with the whole blood sucking thing…it took everything in me not to feel his lips next.
“Hold the fort down,” I push from my throat. “I hear the third graders are learning how to propel down buildings and stuff. This school is very advanced.”
Ozzy doesn’t catch my teasing, nor does he care to express appreciation for it because he looks over my head at the woman who just came out.
“Oz.” I hold up my palm and receive his attention immediately. “I’ll be right back. I promise. It’s just a teacher.”
After a bated breath, he raises his hand, softly pressing it into mine to let me know he understands. The innocent gesture makes me want to kiss this man already and get it over with. To break off some of the fear in his heart and start pulling out some of the potential I know lies in his chest.
Begrudgingly, I drop my hand and pivot, ambling for the room I’m meeting the principal in, still feeling Ozzy’s gaze on my back.
The woman steps inside, the smell of coffee and floral perfume following after her as I tag along. My fingers find the doorknob to close it behind me, using my heel to push it the rest of the way before a meaty hand suddenly covers my mouth and nose.
My elbow immediately thrusts into my attacker before I hear the soft click of the room’s door close.
Red flags wave violently in my brain as I stomp down on the dude’s foot, to no avail. He doesn’t let up, and the room becomes blurry because my sole concentration is getting free and back out into the hallway with Ozzy.
“Don’t let her hurt herself,” says a voice that dreadfully slithers down my spine and seizes all proper bodily functions. “Only I’m allowed to do that.”
My attention swiftly darts around the space, taking nothing in but the man himself.
The man who set my entire world on its axis.
The one who almost murdered Levi.
Who murdered Judah.
Who I almost was able to take out with Levi’s car.
Stomach dropping, I know I’m fucked.
I also know he is too if Ozzy finds him.
“The Queen of fucking South Shore,” Matteo muses, stepping closer while my mouth is still held hostage. “I knew you’d get it, baby. However…I don’t know if handing it over to Torin Wildes was a good move or a stupid-as-fuck one.”
I raise a hand, flipping him off as I do, and he only smirks.
“Still feisty as ever.”
I mutter for him to go fuck himself against the warm flesh on my lips, but it obviously doesn’t turn into audible syllables.
A sticky substance hits the side of my cheek before the hand over my mouth is quickly removed and the rest of the duct tape keeps me from screaming bloody murder.
I go to reach for it, but my wrist is instantly caught to keep from doing so. However, I’m not a newbie here.
I quickly pivot and swing, hitting some dude in the head who’s not even an image before someone else grabs my other arm. I should’ve assessed the situation I was in before I did anything, but I’m not a fucking special agent.
I reacted.
Shocker.
To my utter dismay and apprehension, my wrists are bound together behind my back with zip ties and ideas of how I’m going to fuck Matteo up this time start to formulate in my head.
