Page 17 of Shield

“Yes, princess, but only if you get out. Leave now. And don’t fucking contact me again. If I want to talk to you, I’ll find you.”

“Okay,” I nod.

“I’m serious. If you reach out to me even once, the answer is ‘no.’ A hard no.”

I nod again. “I understand,” I say, walking backward away from his desk. “Thank you.”

But he’s not listening anymore, and I’m already in my head, going over how I’ll approach Valentina. What I can say, what I can offer to get her to help me. I step inside the elevator in the office suite and hit the down button, not realizing that it doesn’t have any other options until it settles to a stop and the doors open.

I frown and step out. I’m in a deserted parking lot that I don’t recognize, and I swallow hard, hugging my jacket around me. Darting my gaze around the expansive lot, I see an exit that I’m praying will take me to the street and back to the train that brought me here from work.

The exit is on the other side of a beautiful car backed into the spot directly opposite the elevator. A deep forest green car with recessed doors and thick purple stripes on thehood. The same crazy expensive car I’ve noticed parked in my neighborhood more than once over the past month.

No way there are two of these things, and even if there were, the likelihood of it showing up in front of my house and here too is practically nonexistent.

Has Vin been stalking me? Or is this Matti’s car? Fuck, is he here?

I start to shake for real and turn in a quick circle, looking for some sign of him, but I’m alone.

God damn him! Who the fuck does he think he is? Why does he keep fucking with my life? Did Vin tell him that he was meeting me here today?

Wait. I yank off my hat and run my fingers through my hair. Maybe Vin is right. I am delusional. Simplest explanation is usually correct, right? Only Vin is here, so this is Vin’s car. But why has Vin been in my neighborhood?

I stomp back to the elevator, ready to go back and get some fucking answers, but there’s a keypad, and a code is required to get the doors to open. Fuck.

I pull out my phone and open my text thread with Amelia.

Something came up. Going to take a bit

longer than I thought. Be back soon.

I lean against the car, sliding the phone back in my bag and ignoring her response. It doesn’t matter, anyway. Nothing is stopping me from getting some answers.

9

Matti

As soon as the elevator door shuts behind Siena, Vin stands and moves out from behind his desk with a sigh. “I know you’re here somewhere. Why don’t you just come out already and—”

Before he can finish, I’m slamming into him, tackling him to the ground. The impact drives a grunt out of him, and he pushes back, trying to twist free. I take advantage of the space and drive my fist into his jaw.

“Fuck!” Vin yells, his legs coiling as he flips us over. The momentum sends us rolling, but I manage to keep it going, shifting our weight so I end up back on top. My knees dig into his ribs, pinning him down, but he recovers quickly and lands a punch to my gut. The force knocks me off, and we scramble to our feet, facing each other like we’re in the octagon waiting for the next round.

“I wasn’t trying to fuck your girl, asshole,” he grunts through gritted teeth.

“Then why the fuck didn’t you tell me she contacted you?” My voice is a snarl. I’m ready to rip his fucking head off. “Whythe FUCK would you set up a meeting with her when you know I’ve been staying away from her to protect her from us? And WHY did you tell her to take her FUCKING CLOTHES OFF?”

I’m ready to lunge at him again, my adrenaline too strong to care what his excuse is. But Vin stands his ground, hands still up in defense, his expression more frustrated than angry.

“I know you fucking track her, remember? I’m not keeping any fucking secrets,” he bites out. “Texting isn’t secure, and at least here I know there are no cameras or anyone following her. And I was joking about the clothes. She was about to leave, and I needed to find out what she was trying to do. I knew that would piss her off and get her talking, and I wanted to make sure that she wasn’t trying to fuck with you, brother. You’re already fucked up enough.”

The words land like cold water, cooling me off by degrees. My shoulders sag, and I drop my hands, letting out a sharp breath.

He’s not wrong. He knows that I’ve been tracking her every move, living in those apps to make sure she’s safe. And he did tell her—in his blunt, brutal way—that he only agreed to meet her to make sure she wasn’t fucking me over.

Vin’s like me in that regard; he doesn’t lie.

“Why did you say you’d consider helping her?” I ask, quieter but no less strained. “You’re keeping her attached to us. You know she’s going to come back around, and next time, if Aurelio’s here, she could get hurt.”

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