Page 14 of Chained By Fate (Dark Billionaires: Vegas #1)
I held up a hand, stopping him mid-sentence. “Let’s just enjoy our ridiculously overpriced lunch, okay?” I gave him a reassuring smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “I can handle Matt Caine.”
F inley grinned at me over his dessert, a sliver of something too fancy to pronounce. “Thanks for this, Andy. Seriously. Even if it’s only because you’re under duress from Mr. Moneybags,” he teased, nudging my arm.
I laughed, shaking my head. “You’re welcome, Fin. Just don’t get used to it.”
He winked before glancing at his watch. “Gotta run. My shift starts in fifteen. Don’t want to keep the guests waiting for their spotless luxury.”
As he darted off, I couldn’t help but admire his resilience. Here we were, both juggling more than we could handle, yet somehow keeping our heads above water.
Pushing away the last crumbs of my dessert, I stood and stretched, catching Bruno’s watchful gaze. “Lead the way, big guy,” I said with a wink.
Back in the penthouse, I sank into the plush chair and opened my laptop, diving into lines of code like they held the answers to life itself.
The clock ticked away ominously as I lost myself in the flow of programming.
Every so often, I’d glance at the time, dread pooling in my stomach at the thought of Matt’s return.
By late afternoon, my nerves were stretched thinner than spaghetti in boiling water. The sound of the door opening made me jump out of my skin.
Matt sauntered in with a smirk. I tried to focus on my screen as if he were a mere figment of my imagination.
“Well, hello there,” he purred, moving closer until the heat of his body washed over me. “Did my little pet have fun on his stroll around the hotel grounds today? Make any new puppy friends?”
My jaw clenched as I realized Bruno must have ratted me out about meeting Finley. “He’s not just some random pup,” I bit out. “Finley’s my best friend, and if you think you can keep me from seeing him, you’ve got another thing coming.”
Matt chuckled, that deep rumble sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.
“Is that so?” One finger traced along my jawline as he leaned in close, his breath hot against my ear.
“Perhaps I’ll consider allowing your little playmate up here for regular visits…
if you give me a suitable answer to my proposal. ”
I swallowed hard, my pulse thundering in my ears as every rational thought fled my mind. Trapped between the couch and his sculpted body, I was painfully aware of how easily he could devour me whole.
Fine, if Matt wanted an answer, I’d give him one he wouldn’t forget.
Having lived a life where every day felt like trudging through mud had given me more than my share of grit. Matt’s overbearing presence, however, was a different beast altogether. With a surge of reckless courage, I leaned in and crushed my lips against his.
Matt froze for a beat, his surprise palpable, but he recovered quickly.
The initial brush of our mouths sent a jolt of electricity coursing through me. I meant for it to be a fleeting gesture, a bold statement of my willingness to play his game. But the instant our lips met, any semblance of control slipped through my fingers.
Matt growled low in his throat, his large hand cupping the back of my head to hold me in place.
Before I could react, his tongue delved past my parted lips, claiming my mouth in a hungry, soul-searing kiss.
The wet velvet of his tongue tangled with mine, stoking the smoldering embers of desire flickering to life within me.
A strangled whimper escaped my throat as the heady taste of him—rich and intoxicating like an aged scotch—overwhelmed my senses.
I could feel his dominance in the way he kissed me—hungry and relentless—leaving no room for hesitation or doubt.
My heart hammered in my chest, blood rushing in my ears as our tongues tangled in a battle for control.
When Matt finally released me, I gulped down desperate lungsful of air, my lips still tingling from the fierce claiming of his kiss. Meeting his blazing stare, I rasped out the words, “There’s your answer.”
A wicked smile curved those sinful lips as Matt’s eyes glinted with primal hunger. “Not bad,” he murmured, tracing a finger along my swollen lips.
“But,” I interjected before he could claim any more victories. “I’ve got conditions of my own, big shot.”
My voice barely cooled the air between us when Matt moved. One moment I stood my ground, defiant and ready to make my demand; the next, I found myself slung over his broad shoulder like a damn sack of potatoes.
“Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I yelled, flailing my arms and legs in a futile attempt to break free. His grip tightened around my thighs, securing me in place as he carried me to the bed with effortless strength.
“Put me down, you overgrown ape!” I squirmed against the iron bands of his arms, but Matt simply chuckled darkly.
A few strides later, I found myself deposited unceremoniously onto the luxurious king-sized bed. Matt loomed over me, his stormy eyes devouring every inch of my flushed, disheveled form.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, pushing myself up on my elbows.
One corner of his mouth quirked upward in an infuriatingly smug grin. “Easy, pet. I just need to… inspect my investment before I fully commit,” he said, his tone smooth as silk but laced with an edge that sent shivers down my spine.
The implication in his words made my face flame. “You arrogant bastard!” I spat, bristling with indignation as I fought the urge to clock him right in that chiseled jaw.
Faster than I could blink, Matt pounced. His weight pinned me to the mattress as he caged me with his thick, muscular arms on either side of my head. The heady scent of his cologne—woodsy with hints of citrus—flooded my senses, making my head spin.
“Get off me, you hulking?—”
My words cut off in a strangled gasp as Matt’s mouth crashed down on mine in a bruising, demanding kiss.
His tongue delved deep, stroking and tangling with mine in a dizzying dance of velvet heat.
I whimpered helplessly into the molten cavern of his mouth, my fingers fisting in the soft fabric of his shirt as a tidal wave of pure, scorching desire crashed over me.
Matt’s hands roamed freely, caressing the taut planes of my torso in a blazing path that left a trail of fire in their wake. I thrashed and squirmed, determined to break free of his intoxicating spell, but my struggles were feeble and half-hearted against his superior strength.
A low, feral growl rumbled from Matt’s chest as his nimble fingers found the hem of my shirt, swiftly tugging the garment over my head. My skin prickled with goosebumps at the first brush of cool air, only to flush hot as his palms mapped every dip and curve of my newly bared flesh.
Before I could catch my breath, Matt sat back and divested himself of his own shirt in one fluid motion, revealing a sculpted torso adorned with sinuous whorls of ink. My mouth went dry as I drank in the sight of all that glorious tanned skin stretched taut over rippling muscle.
Matt’s smoldering gaze pinned me in place as he reached for the button of my jeans, leaving me breathless and trembling in his wake. Before I knew it, he was sliding them down my hips with practiced ease. The cool air hit my skin as he stripped away the last barrier between us.
Matt’s eyes darkened with lust as they raked over my naked form. “Perfect,” he murmured against my lips before claiming them once more.
Matt’s kiss was like a storm—fierce, consuming, and unrelenting.
His lips crushed mine with a hunger that left me breathless and gasping for air.
I wriggled, trying to break free, but he only tightened his hold, his tongue plundering my mouth with ruthless possession.
My mind spun, the world narrowing to the sensation of his mouth devouring mine.
It felt like drowning in a sea of molten desire.
With a desperate surge of strength, I finally managed to wrench my mouth away and flip us over so I straddled his waist. I took advantage of the brief respite and made a desperate dash for escape.
Matt’s deep, throaty laugh echoed throughout the room, the sound both infuriating and intoxicating. I could feel his amusement radiating off him in waves, and it only fueled my determination to get away.
“Where do you think you’re going, pet?” His voice was a dark purr as he grabbed me by the waist, pulling me back against his hard, muscular body with an ease that belied his strength.
Before I could wrap my mind around what he was doing, his lips were on my bare backside, leaving wet kisses that made my cheeks flame.
I squirmed, torn between outrage and an unwelcome surge of pleasure.
But Matt wasn’t done; his clever hands groped my front, kneading and teasing my cock until I was throbbing and rock-hard.
A strangled groan tore from my throat. I tried to push his face away, but he simply laughed, his hot breath ghosting over my sensitized skin. Those large hands pulled me inexorably back, molding me to his front while his lips continued their velvety assault on my derrière.
I squirmed and writhed, but his hold was unrelenting. “Stop it, you brute!” My voice broke, humiliated by the desperation lacing my words.
Finally, he relented, but only to flip me back over so I lay beneath him once more. With a low chuckle that sent prickles of anticipation down my spine, he hauled me onto his lap so that I straddled his muscled thighs, his erection pressing against me as he pulled me flush against him.
“You have no idea how adorable you are right now, all flushed and disheveled.” His fingers threaded through my hair, cradling my head as his mouth took mine in a kiss that started slow and deep, coaxing and tempting.