Page 28 of A Twisted Arrangement

Not that I have a choice. She’s been on borrowed time, and it’s almost up.

Chapter 15

Scarlet

Matthias: Good morning, Little Sparrow. Did you sleep well last night?

Freaking a-hole.I flip my phone over, leaving him on read as a small act of defiance. I polish off my third cup of chai tea and stare at my laptop screen. The words blur together until the lines are an unrecognizable sea of snakes. I’ve been at my office since 5:00 a.m. I figured if I’m going to be awake this early on a Saturday, I might as well distract myself with work.

There was absolutely no shot of getting any sleep last night. Not after… A shiver rolls down my spine as the memory of rough fingers sliding across my neck, a hot mouth pressing against mine, infiltrates my thoughts.

I’ve been at the office for hours in my futile attempt to think about literally anything other than what I did last night. I’m not even sure how it happened. One second, I was following those two creepy guys, and the next, I was pinned against a wall with Matthias’s hand covering my mouth.

My thighs press together as heat pools between my thighs at the memory of his fingers buried deep inside me.

Dammit. I drop my head to my desk, groaning. I haven’t lasted more than five minutes without thinking about him.

He’s supposed to be indifferent to me. At least all previous signs pointed to the fact that he was, but there was nothing in the way he touched me last night that said he didn’t want me. Instead, his touch was almost desperate in the way his hold tightened on me. His breath fanned over my neck as he forced my orgasm out of me, making me cry his name. Nothing could’ve prepared me for him finishing in his pants. The thrill that went through me at having some kind of power over him. Like I made him lose control just as much as he does me. A twisted part of myself knows I could get addicted to that. To that feeling of Matthias needing me.

My phone buzzes on the table beside me, pulling me out of my spiral.

Unknown: Hi! It’s Misty.

Unknown: Damon gave me your number. I hope that’s okay.

Me: Hi, of course no worries.

I try hard not to be awkward. I know how to deal with cold society women, but I’m not so sure how to process someone who’s genuinely nice, and I’d bet my last dollar that this girl is the real deal. I’m damn good at reading people, but even if I wasn’t, I’d know just by the way Damon Everette is simping after her. The guy is like a freaking puppy after his wife.

I quickly add Misty to my contact list, and a smirk curls my lips at the thought of the big bad Damon completely whipped.

Misty: I thought you might want to come by tonight. Damon’s out with his brothers and it could be a fun girls night.

Misty: Of course I understand if you’re busy…no pressure or anything.

I let out a breath and pull myself together. If there was ever a day I could use a drink, it’s today, and there’s the added perk that Misty just might have some information on what the hell has gotten into Matthias.

Me: I’m not sure Damon wants me there.

Misty: LOL. You should know I make up my own rules. Pissing my husband off is half the fun.

I knew I liked her for a reason.

Me: What do you want to drink?

I’m surprised when Oliver pulls off the highway into an older part of the city. I’d expect Damon’s place to be right downtown, but this is just a regular neighborhood. We stop in front of an older-looking brick building, and my curiosity is officially on full blast.

If it wasn’t for the security guard out front with the Everette Industries logo on his vest, I’d think Oliver followed some kind of weird Google map error. The kind that accidentally drives you off a cliff instead of your destination.

I get out before Oliver opens my door and ignore his raised brow. The gesture reminds me of the Everette brother who shall not be named.

One that I’m going to drink into silence tonight.

Misty comes bursting from the entry, lavender hair bouncing around her and a wide smile on her face.

“You’re not supposed to be out here, Mrs. Everette,” the guard says, eyes darting everywhere as if looking for some unlikely attacker.

There are rumors that something went down with the Everettes. Nothing was confirmed. There’s no way a family like that would let any sign of weakness come out.

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