Page 120 of Push My Buttons
"HELP!" I scream, the word tearing from my throat. "SOMEONE HELP ME!"
Levi laughs, the sound chilling in its genuine amusement. "Scream all you want. With the music, the presentation—no one can hear you." He gestures to the glass wall separating us from the party. Through it, I can see the crowd still focused on Jace's presentation, completely oblivious to what's happening mere feet away.
"I've waited so long for this reunion," Levi continues, his hand now gripping my throat. Not squeezing, just... holding. A reminder of his control. "You've been quite elusive. Changed your name, moved across the country. Very resourceful."
"Let me go," I say, injecting as much steel into my voice as I can manage.
"Oh, I don't think so." His thumb strokes my jawline, a parody of tenderness that makes my skin crawl. "We have so much to discuss. Like how you've been fucking not one, but two men." His grip tightens slightly. "That wasn't very loyal of you, Lilliana."
I spit in his face.
The blow comes so fast I don't see it coming—the back of his hand connecting with my cheek, snapping my head to the side. Stars explode behind my eyes, the taste of blood filling my mouth.
"I see you still need to be taught respect," he says, his voice colder now. "Just like before. Don't worry—we have all the time in the world now."
I launch myself at him, fingers clawing for his eyes. He catches my wrists easily, spinning me around and slamming me face-first into the solid wall. The impact dazes me momentarily, allowing him to pin both my arms behind my back with one hand.
"I've imagined this moment for so long," he murmurs against my ear. "Finding you again. Making you understand that youbelong to me. Only me. I've been watching you for months, the quiet little barista, so careful, so controlled."
"I will never belong to you," I snarl, struggling against his grip.
His laugh is soft and menacing. "I thought you knew I was watching. That’s why I chose the name. GlassHouse. I’ve been watching you all along—through your windows, through your streams. You’ve never really been hidden, Lilliana. Not from me."
Chapter 44
Wren
Movementbeyondtheglasscatches my eye—Theo, returning to where he left me, his expression shifting from confusion to panic when he realizes I'm gone. His head whips around, searching the crowd frantically.
"Theo!" I scream, though I know he can't hear me through the soundproofed glass. "THEO!"
Levi follows my gaze, his lips curling into a smile when he spots Theo. "Ah, your knight returns. Let's give him a show, shall we?"
He spins me around again, one hand fisting in my elaborately braided hair, the other at my throat. The position forces me to face the glass wall, giving me a perfect view of Theo as he continues searching for me.
"They can't have you," Levi continues, his grip tightening painfully in my hair. "No one can. You're mine. You've always been mine. You think they love you? They don't even know you. Not like I do."
His eyes finally lock on the office entrance. Through the glass, I see the exact moment he spots me—his entire body going rigid,his face transforming with a fury I've never witnessed before. He charges toward the door, only to find it locked. His fists pound against the glass, his mouth forming my name over and over.
"Your brother thought he could protect you from me too," Levi says conversationally, as if we're having a pleasant chat while my boyfriend tries desperately to reach me. "He learned his lesson. Just like they will, and just like you will."
"My brother would kill you if he knew you were here," I spit out, still struggling against his grip.
Levi laughs, the sound devoid of humor. "Your brother is locked away, little Lily. He can't save you now. No one can."
Theo and Jace are both at the door now, pounding on the glass, trying the handle repeatedly. The presentation must be concluded now, but the volume of the music has only increased, drowning out their shouting.
"You're done running," Levi says, his fingers digging into my scalp. "It's time to come home."
"I'd rather die," I hiss.
Jace has his phone out, frantically calling someone—police, security, I don't know. Theo continues to pound on the glass, his face contorted with rage and fear.
Levi uses his grip on my throat to turn me back towards him, the grin that curves his lips promises violence. "That can be arranged. But not before I've had my fun. We have so much time to make up for, after all."
Suddenly, Levi's body jerks forward, his eyes widening in shock. His grip on my neck loosens as he looks down in confusion. I follow his gaze to see the pointed tip of a blade protruding from his chest, glistening red with blood.
"What—" he gasps, but the word cuts off as the blade withdraws, only to reappear through his throat a moment later.
