Page 37 of Shield

I rub my eyes, forcing them to focus as lines of code flash across the screen.

“But you like me working for you dressed like this, don’t you?” She unclasps her bra, letting her breasts spill free. Before I can respond, she slips her panties off, throwing both garments across the room. “Or do you like me completely naked, lover?”

“Jesus Christ, stop fucking calling me that and cover the fuck up. If you can’t stay focused on the flash drive, get the fuck out.”

Valentina hisses as she stands and pulls on the little dress she wore last night. She smirks, giving it one last shot. “Is that an order?”

I roll my eyes. “Have some fucking self respect, Valentina. Would you be acting like this if it were Aurelio instead of me?”

Embarrassment flickers across her face, and I smirk,remembering how she got caught swallowing Aurelio’s cock. But then I remember Vin’s face when he walked in and saw her on her knees. My amusement vanishes.

“Actually, you probably would. But I’m not Aurelio, so if you aren’t here to work, get the fuck out.”

Her face twists into a sneer. “Aww, is Matti in love now? Like that trashy mess has anything on me—”

Before she can finish, I stand and grip her throat, lifting her off the floor. Her stilettos dangle, hands clawing at my forearm, eyes wide with shock.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I growl. “And if you’re smart, you’ll shut your fucking mouth when it comes to her or you won’t be breathing. Do you understand?”

Choking, she nods as best she can, eyes watering. I release her, and she crumples to the floor, coughing and sputtering for breath.

She glares at me through wet lashes. “You act like you’re better than me, Matti, but you fucked your best friend’s girl, and you fucking liked it. What kind of a shitbag does that to his best friend?”

I turn my back to her, refocusing on the laptop. The files are endless—videos, images, documents. It’s going to take a while to sift through them all.

“Valentina. You weren’t his girl when it happened, he was standing right there watching, and I only did it because he fucking asked me to, hoping you would get the fucking message and leave him alone.”

It happened more than fifteen years ago, before Liana, when I was an asshole kid. I choked her on my cock in front of everyone at the club, then bent her over a table, fucking her ass with only her spit on my dick for lube. No words. Notouching her pussy. No kissing. Less than five minutes of my life, and I’ve regretted it every day since.

“Jesus, Matti. It’s not that serious. I just like to fuck. It’s not like I’m going to tell anyone. You know I know how to keep secrets.”

“It’s not going to happen. Ever. So quit trying and shut your fucking mouth when it comes to Siena.” I check my watch. Whatever Vin did to sober her up before he left last night worked. She must’ve been at this all night. I turn to the laptop. “What’s happening with this?”

“I finished your little project. I’m transferring everything to your laptop now. It’s going to take a while to sort through and organize. There’s a shit ton on there.” She smirks. “I’ve only sourced a few of them, but I found some things you’ll probably be interested in.”

My voice drops to a deadly growl. “Nothing on those files has anything to do with you, and if you fucking open your mouth to anyone about what you saw, your life will be worthless.”

She scowls. “I know what you think of me, Matti, but you should know by now that I would never do that. I’ve kept more than my share of secrets over the years. If I hadn’t, I’d already be dead.”

She’s not wrong.

“Finish up, and let yourself out.”

Exhausted, I step into my private bathroom, crank the water as hot as it’ll go, and strip down. Before stepping in the shower, I press an intercom button on the wall. A bell sounds from the speaker, and Eleanor answers.

“Yes, sir?”

“Eleanor, can you send up breakfast, please?”

“Of course, sir.” The call disconnects.

I step into the shower. The scalding spray burns my skin, washing away the night. But as my body relaxes, my mind starts to wander back to Siena. I keep hearing her words from last night over and over in my head:

“I didn’t do anything, nothing at all except love you.”

Something like relief washes over me. I never wanted her to hate me forever, just long enough to stay away. But last night, she said she loves me. Or she did. And if she loved me once, I can make her love me again.

It’s not arrogance. It’sus. We’re connected. I feel her on my skin when she hasn’t touched me in weeks. Looking at her face tells me everything she’s feeling. She’s mine, and as much as she hates it right now, she knows it. What she doesn’t know yet is that I’m hers, too.

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