Page 50 of Invisible Bars

“But—”

“No buts.” He cut me off without raising his voice. “Also,ifI do allow you to go back to work, there’ll be conditions. You’ll have security and you won’t be goinganywherealone.”

“Go in this pussy!” I snapped without meaning to, blinking hard as my body jerked again. “Shoot! Sorry! T-t-t-t-t-ic!” I waved it off quickly, cheeks heating like a furnace.

And for once, I caught it—an annoyingly sexy smirk ghosted across his face, slow and sinful. It didn’t quite reach his eyes, but something simmered there.

Amusement? Intrigue? Lust wrapped in restraint? I couldn’t tell.

Imanio tilted his head just slightly, his fingers tapping slowly against the table. “Interesting tic.”

I opened my mouth, probably to apologize again or dig myself deeper into a pit of embarrassment, but he held up a finger.

“No need to explain. You nmcall it a tic… I call it honesty with bad timing.”

My eyes widened. “That was not a?—!”

He cut in, tone cool, unbothered. “Mm-hmm. Eat your food, Naji.”

I scowled and stabbed my fork into the eggs like they had disrespected me personally.

Imanio smirk lingered as he reached for his phone again, but even as he looked down, I could feel his attention hadn’t left me.

“I’m serious, though, Naji,” he resumed talking. “Your freedom is still your own… mostly. But your safety? That’s mine to handle now. So if you think I’m letting you wander around unprotected after what you saw, you’re mistaken.”

The way he said it—calm, firm, and final—made my spine tingle. Part of me—a verystupid,confused,hornypart of me—was turned on again.

“Why does it feel like you’re making d-d-decisions like we’re al—already married?” I asked, forcing the words out between nervous fidgets.

My hand twitched, thumb flicking against my index finger under the table.

“Because we are… you just haven’t said the wordyesyet.”

This man.

Confusion, curiosity… and something more dangerous—all wrapped in his tone like a loaded weapon I wasn’t trained to handle.

Imanio mentioning me having security meant I’d no longer need Daphnee. I made a mental note to call her. I couldn’t let her think I ghosted her the second a fine, grumpy, dangerous billionaire with murder in his past and secrets in his pockets stepped into my life.

That wasn’t me.

And even if I couldn’t explain whateverthiswas, I owed her that much.

Imanio leaned back in his chair, watching me intently.

“Tell me about your family,” he randomly asked, his voice calm but direct.

I froze mid-scoop, a tic rippling through me before I could stop it.

My head jerked to the side on its own, eyes stretching open with a rush of startled breath, and a high-pitched bird whistle shot out—followed by a low, garbled growl under my breath.

“F-Fuck them birds! Fuck them!”

I looked down quickly, my fork was scraping the plate like I was trying to dig a tunnel out of there.

“Shit,” I mumbled.

I didn’t want to talk about my family; not then—maybe not ever. That topic always brought out the worst in my body… the emotional kind of tics—the ones that didn’t just show on the outside but shook me up on the inside too.