Page 23

Matthias

After a pleasant morning of waking Margot up with coffee in bed, I sit in my office getting some work done. Or at least, trying to. My focus is better than yesterday, but my mind still drifts to her far too often.

I can’t help smiling at the memory of her annoyance when she woke up on my side of the bed again.

Like clockwork.

I, of course, dragged her to my side as soon as her breathing evened out. Yes, I did stay awake just to do it. No, I don’t regret it. There will be no more cold nights without her in my arms. Staying up just to watch her fall asleep isn’t a hardship. It’s a privilege.

I woke up before her but stayed on top of her for a while basking in her warmth. Enjoying how small she feels beneath me.

Eventually, I got up to make her coffee. And like Pavlov’s dogs, she woke up as soon as the smell hit her nose .

Her cheeks were rosy from sleep, her hair a wild mess. It’s the most docile I’ve ever seen her. I wanted to gather her in my arms and never let go.

For once, she wasn’t biting at me or pushing me away. She was just soft. Open. Unburdened.

Mine.

The sight of me shirtless and holding coffee brought a dreamy smile to her face. The absence of a shirt may not have been accidental. All’s fair in love and war, right?

But the spell broke when I sat on the edge of the bed. She realized where she was and huffed. She tried to move back to her side without spilling her coffee. It was adorable.

She doesn’t suspect that I’m the reason she wakes up on my side. I have no intention of correcting her. If she thinks it’s her subconscious pulling her toward me, then soon enough, the rest of her will follow suit.

Movement catches my eye and my gaze flicks to the security feed.

I have it minimized to the corner of my monitor. I’ve improved. I only check every five minutes now instead of every minute. It’s better like this. More manageable.

Having her out of my sight creates a new stressor. If too much time passes, I get heartburn.

But there she is.

Playing fetch with Benny. Or trying to. Which is going about as well as you’d expect with her lazy dog.

If she throws the ball further than fifty feet, Benny flops to the ground and starts chewing a stick instead. Then Rob, one of the few guards I trust enough to watch her, has to run to get the ball. Like a damn dog. Except the actual damn dog won’t do it.

I should be annoyed.

Instead, I’m entertained .

I suspect Margot does it on purpose. Making the guard run laps just for her amusement. A little act of defiance. My spitfire.

Her rebellious streak is one of the things I love most about her. She’s so full of fight. So alive.

I was bored before I took her.

But now?

Every second has been exciting. She awakened something in me that’s long been at rest.

I don’t want to smother her fire.

I just want to tame it.

My cock stirs at the thought.

Taming her.

Breaking her down, just to build her back up into mine.

Being the only one to have her obedience.

Being the only one to have her submission.

She thinks she wants control. Thinks she doesn’t want to belong to me. She’s wrong. I see how much she needs me. How much she craves me, even if she won’t admit it yet. She’ll feel free when she doesn’t have to think for herself anymore.

She’s mine. And I always take care of my things. She’s just too stubborn to give in.

For now .

I pick up my phone and dial Bash.

“Hey Matthias, what’s up?” he answers, cheerful as always.

Sebastian’s always been the happiest of us. The youngest. The one we sheltered the most. Even though he’s seen violence and has done what needed to be done, he still has his joie de vivre. It’s why I have to tread lightly.

Bash might be loyal to the family, but I’m not sure he’d approve of what I’m doing. Not yet.

“Not much going on. What about you?”

“I have a date tonight.” I can hear his smirk .

I grin at his excitement. He’s turning into quite a bit of a player, taking after yours truly.

My grin instantly drops. The comparison makes my stomach turn. The thought of touching another woman disgusts me. I don’t even want to think about it. I feel the need to burn the thought off my skin. It feels like bugs crawling under my flesh.

There’s only Margot.

There will only ever be Margot.

I force a chuckle. “That’s great, Bash. Have fun. Make sure to wrap it. Mom would kill you if you got some hookup pregnant.”

Pregnant.

Pregnant Margot.

Margot. With my baby.

Babies that look like her.

Slow down. I have to get her to like me before we can start naming babies.

“Shut up, man,” he groans.

I chuckle but shift gears. “I have a question for you.”

“Shoot.”

“If I wanted to stop someone from sending texts and calls on their phone, how would I do that?” I aim for nonchalance.

“That’s easy.”

Bash walks me through each step. I take notes.

Perfect.

Before I hang up, he pauses. “Is this about Margot Peterson?”

I freeze. I must be silent for too long, because he continues.

“Matthias, I don’t know what you’re up to, but I won’t help you hurt a woman.”

There’s conviction in his voice .

I exhale. “Relax, Sebastian. You know I’d never hurt a woman. Plus, Mom would kill me if I ever did.”

He quiets.

Then, “Alright. I’ll let you go.”

He doesn’t sound fully convinced.

That’s fine. I don’t need his approval.

All I need is Margot.

The call ends.

I open my desk drawer and pick up her phone. The light blue case is delicate like her. I follow Bash’s steps. Then, I add my number: Matty.

I try to call myself. It rings on her end, but my phone never receives a call.

Perfect .

I go to put the phone away, then pause.

I open her contacts. And delete every male name that isn’t family. There aren’t many, but enough to make me wonder. How many of these men have had what’s mine?

Maybe I’ll need to pay a few visits. Just to be sure.

All I know is this:

No one touches her again.