Page 90 of Breaking Matt

Anger sparked to life. I was angry at how things had turned out and how someone I had never met wanted me dead because of some sort of vendetta with my father. This whole situation was unfair.

I kept my ears alert, waiting for them to return.

I could just imagine how crazy my parents were going now that they had discovered I was missing. Mark would be pissed. The truth was it hadn't been his fault. I had taken advantage of a momentary lapse in concentration when he hadn't had his full attention on me.

Closing my eyes, I rested my forehead on my knees as I dealt with the reality that there would be no rescue. There would be no way for my parents, the cops, or Mark to track me. I hadn't told anyone where I'd been headed.

They would discover I was missing and even if they tracked my movements to Brandy's abandoned car in the shopping center's parking lot, there would be no way for them to track me to where I was being held as a prisoner.

For what felt like hours I watched and listened, straining my ears to hear any sound that would signal approaching danger. But other than the sound of distant footsteps, I didn't hear much.

My anger simmered beneath the surface as I waited to meet my captors.

I heard footsteps, but this time they drew closer. I could tell someone had stopped outside the door to the room I was being held in.

A key turned in the lock and the door handle squeaked as it opened. I remained sitting. Fear made me unable to move.

A guy I didn't recognize walked in. He looked at me with a cold smile. He was shorter than six feet and was a little heavier around the waist. His hair was neatly trimmed. There was no warmth in his dark brown eyes, which only reinforced my fear.

"Well, well," he said before coming to stand in front of me. I saw the big guy who had pulled me from Brandy's car standing behind him. He was even bigger than the fuzzy memory I had of him. He looked at me without emotion.

"I never imagined all our patient waiting would pay off, but...here you are," the guy with the slick brown hair said.

It confirmed they had been watching me.

"Matthew..." I whispered, my throat feeling dry.

He frowned as he stepped closer.

"I was looking for Matthew."

Here was my chance to find out what had happened to him.

"It doesn't really matter now. You're here."

"Where is he?" I asked, refusing to be brushed aside.

He held my gaze as he sauntered closer.

"Ahh, Matthew Weiss, the bodyguard."

The way he said it made me want to return a scathing remark but I bit my lip to keep myself quiet. Nothing good could come from riling him up.

"Where is he?" I asked, needing to know.

He studied me with a glee that amplified the sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"He has been eliminated."

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Eliminated.The word echoed in my mind. He gave a curt nod to the burly bodyguard, and he walked over to me and pulled me to my feet roughly while I tried to make sense of what I'd just been told.

Matthew was dead.

My heartbeat echoed in my ears as my mouth opened slightly, trying to make sense of it. It couldn't be true. My eyes shot to the messenger who, by the satisfied expression on his face, was enjoying every moment of my reaction.

"You're lying," I whispered hoarsely, trying to find some evidence in his facial features that would tell me he wasn't being truthful. It had to be the only explanation. Matthew couldn't be gone. I wouldn't accept it. It was not possible.