Page 72 of The Reluctant Hero

“Why?” I ask in bewildered anger. Does he want to talk shit behind my back? “If anyone has the balls to accuse me of something, they can say it to my face.”

“Blake pointed out a few things that should have been obvious,” Matthias sets the pen down carefully and steeples his fingers in front of his lips.

“Like my insane seduction attempt that also includes ignoring or irritating people who have treated me like crap,” I nod slowly with wide eyes, waiting for reality to hit him. “Or being nice to the guy who could snap me in half like a toothpick?”

Mikael gives me a dark look for it but I’m not taking back the truth.

Matthias’ head tilts, but I can’t read his expression. It’s too flat and cold, like a robot.

“Or the fact that Ace got the scoop because he pissed me off?” My brows go up higher. I’m not mentioning that kiss unless someone else brings it up. From now on I’m pretending it never happened.

“Like your ability to manipulate people and how well you lie. Even the fact that you cheated on him and all he wants is a reconciliation.”

“Excuse me?” I shriek in rage. “The fucking audacity! And you just lapped it up, didn’t you? Bros before hos all the way, huh?”

I snatch my purse off the floor and march out, too furious to speak. I’m finding out how long an assault sentence is the hard way. Who needs the internet?

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he calls as I reach the elevator. I glance back to see him leaning in the doorway with a smug smile. “In proper attire with a better attitude. I can play this game better than you can, Mana-chan.”

My jaw drops as his smile widens, and he closes the door.

Was that all a play? He pissed me off on purpose?What the hell?

The urge to hurry back in there and scream in his face builds inside until I’m ready to pop. There is no way that this is a fitting revenge for my take on the dress code he tried to give me.

I probably wouldn’t be as angry as I am if some of his words weren’t too close to the truth. I am flirting with him. In the most insane way. Ace too. I think about Mikael’s heavy hand on my neck, and goosebumps rise in a tide. The Jake and Cade thing I don’t get. I can’t look at them without thinking about their harassment at the gym.

The elevator doors slide open, and I step in. Someone follows me, which makes my shoulders tense until I come face to lower chest with Mikael. My eyes slowly travel up warily.

He sticks to one side and presses the lobby button. I scoot farther away and hug the other side. There’s plenty of space between us, but his presence seems to take up the distance and touch me anyway.

“Like a toothpick?” He mutters with a slight frown.

“Was that a joke to him?” I demand, my anger retaking control.

“It was,” Mikael sighs and rubs a hand over his face. “He never had a chance just to be a kid. He doesn’t understand fair play. At all.”

“The poor darling,” I tell him flatly.

He looks at me with a solemn expression. “Yeah, he is. You’re the first person to go head-to-head with him and make it fun instead of dangerous. He doesn’t know the rules to play. All he understands is winning. He knows Blake is a weakness for you, but not how that kind of accusation would affect you. To him, it would be a minor irritation and something to ignore.”

“Does he not have feelings?” I raise a brow mockingly.

“In his world, feelings are a weakness.” Mikael assures me grimly. “It’s eat or be eaten.”

I digest all of the information I’m hearing, but it doesn’t diminish the outrage. I won’t be able to process deep thought and understanding until I calm down.

“So poor pitiful Matthias gets to be an asshole because he justdoesn’t understand,” I turn the last words into a mocking whine. “No. That was not a fun game or even a joke to me. I’m fucking out of this hell hole.”

“Do you want to get even?” He asks in a bland tone.

Uh, hell yeah, I do. But I don’t want to feed into this either. I dressed like a clown today to prove he can’t control everything in the universe, and he called me a cheater, manipulator, and a liar. How do these things compare?

“Come on,” Mikael chuckles, turning dancing blue eyes on me with a smirk. “Ace is ripping his head off as we speak. Don’t let all that hard work go to waste.”

“Good. I hope he rips off both,” I mutter angrily. “Either one is useless anyway.”

The chuckle turns into a laugh.

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