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My blood boiled. “That didn’t feel like a request. That felt like an order!”
His fingers tightened and if I didn’t know Matt better I’d be afraid he’d snap my neck. He certainly looked angry enough to do so, and yet I was confident he wouldn’t physically hurt me.
“Then you should have followed it!” he snarled. “You’re never leaving the loft without letting me know again. Are we clear?”
I stared up at him mutinously.
“Are. We. Fucking. Clear?” he bellowed into my face.
I couldn’t stand the searing burn of his glare and lowered my eyes to his chest, still stubbornly dissenting to his high-handed attitude.
His fingers slackened around my neck, and I was crushed into his hard, upper body.
“Why do you do this to me?” he growled by my ear. “All I want to do is to keep you from getting hurt, babe. Why can’t you see that?”
“You can’t shield me from everything and trying is only going to drive you crazy,” I told him softly, moved by his desperate tone.
“I’m already there, gypsy,” his graveled voice raked over my heart. Matt drew back and tucked my hair behind my ear. “My sanity hinges on your safety. If I can hide you from anyone and everyone who means you harm, I would. But you,” he inhaled sharply then continued, “make it so goddamned hard.”
“You can’t keep me in a cage, Matt.”
He gave a short, mirthless laugh. “Yeah. I kinda figured that.” He cleared his throat and looked over my head, presumably at Millie, and finally remembered we weren’t alone.
“I didn’t get to speak to Kyra,” he stated flatly.
“And I’d appreciate it if you stayed away from her, Matthew,” Millie said sharply. “Based on what Grace told me, she’s unwell.”
“She threatened Grace with a gun,” Matt returned.
“And I’m fine,” I interjected.
“That’s not the point,” Matt argued. “She could have killed you.”
“We’re attracting an audience,” Millie hissed. “Let’s discuss this in my office.”
Matt took my hand, gripping it possessively, and made me walk beside him. He had definitely gone from love-them-and-leave-them-in-the-morning to this unrelenting caveman in the last month.
When we got to Millie’s office, Axe, who brought up the rear, closed the door.
“I’m disappointed in you, Matthew,” Millie said. “I expected better control from you than simply going off and confronting Kyra. You’ve known her for years, and even though you two hooked up as consenting adults and she misunderstood your relationship—”
“There was never a relationship,” Matt interrupted. “You, of all people, knew that and know the type of man I am.”
“And yet here you are now. Don’t you think seeing how you are with Grace gave her hope that, indeed, you could commit, so she decided to try it out for herself with you.”
“I swear I’ll never understand women’s logic,” Matt griped.
“Which is why you will let me handle Kyra,” Millie ordered.
“Keep her away from Grace and we won’t have a problem.” Matt’s body language exuded aggression.
Millie’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t like this one bit. “Are you threatening me, Matthew Foster?”
“Not at all,” he returned levelly. “The truth is I don’t know what I’d actually do if someone else tries to hurt Grace. Living with self-sufficient ex-assassins, I’ve never had to worry much about anyone’s capability to protect themselves.” Matt looked at me. “No offense to you, babe.”
“None taken,” I said derisively. I wasn’t delusional to think that I was as skilled as they were. “Still, my point is I’ve not done anything recklessly. I met Troy a mile from the garage, and Roger was with me. Kyra showing up with a gun was unfortunate. And you yelled at me when I simply crossed the street to Millie’s and the diner was full of people who can protect me. Can you at least see how unreasonable you were?”
“I don’t like you defying my orders.”
