Page 16 of My Ruthless Neighbor

“Call the security.”

Summer flinches. Still, she maintains eye contact with me. She is trying hard not to cry. I can see it in the slight tremble of her chin.

Janet who was silent all this time decides to speak. “That’s not necessary, Archer. I can handle it.”

“Oh, it’s very necessary. We have a trespasser after all.” I tell her without looking away from Summer.

She looks around. From the corner of my eye, I notice people gathering outside. They are watching us through the glass wall. She notices the audience too because she pales slightly. Her throat works as she swallows. Her shoulder rises and falls rapidly.

Summer lets out a shaky breath, then her eyes move back to me. Suddenly, it’s hard to breathe. The innocence in the depth of her unique eyes guts me. For a moment, I rethink my decision. Should I be this harsh with her?

By seeing the panic and fear in her gaze, sharp pain races through me. Mixed with anger. I am angry at myself. At her. And at this circumstance.Whyam I angry?

I shouldn’t be shaken about it. She called it upon herself. I gave her many chances to get out of here. But she chose to stay. Chose to beg. Beg for something I can’t give her. I can’t go against my oath. I can’t ignore her lies. I can’t help her. Then why is it bothering me so much? Why is it pissing me off to see the helplessness in her eyes?

I tried to give her money, didn’t I? I can’t bend my rules for her. I just can’t.

Her distressed eyes find their way back to the glass wall.

Shocked, I watch as her lips lift up. She is smiling. The smile is so full of pain. The dull ache in my chest intensifies when I catch her body trembling slightly.

That’s the exact moment when the security guards enter the room.

I feel the weight of Janet’s stare. I hope my face is blank and isn’t showing any kind of regret I am feeling inside.

As soon as the guard grabs Summer’s arm, her head snaps down, and then she immediately sucks in a breath. Rage clouds my vision. Summer whimpers when he begins yanking her toward the door.

What fucks with my mind more is that even though she is clearly hurting from the humiliation, the smile never leaves her lips.

Like a man turned into stone, I remain standing like a statue as they drag her out of the conference room.

It takes all the self-restraint not to bash the man’s head who’s manhandling her.

But this is what you wanted, right?

You are the one who called the security, Kim.

My feet carry me to the glass wall so that I can see her. They are almost down the hall when she lifts her gaze. Those gorgeous eyes tangles with mine through the glass. There was defiance and challenge in them.

“This is not over, asshole.” She mouths. My jaw clenches. This aggravating woman. She is so fucking brave. Or maybe stupid. Even in this situation, she is spiting me.

Our eye contact breaks when she is jerked roughly by the same guard. Her sunglasses hooked on her top fall to the floor from the impact. Something dark and ugly snakes in my chest and settles in the pit of my stomach.

“Get the asshole off her,” I growl. “Now.” I bark out. Not needing to be told twice, Janet springs to action.

Swallowing my fury, I turn around and stalk away from the wall. If I watch Summer for one more second, I might go out myself and wrench her from their clutches.

I try to inhale and exhale. It doesn’t fucking work. I stand in the middle of the conference room, not sure what to do.

In just a few minutes, this girl evoked emotions in me that I thought were dormant. Irritation itches under my skin. She had no business barreling in my life like a storm and shaking everything up.

Her infuriating resolution may be laudable but she bluffs like it’s her second nature.

While I am not proud of my actions today, it had to be done. This incident would force her to rethink every time she’d open her mouth to lie.

I just hope to God we never cross paths again. Because if we did, there would be war.

Chapter Five

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