“Quinn works for Helix, right?” Akio asks.
“Yes, she works at Helix Enterprises in the tech department. She’s an amazing hacker, actually.” I side-eye him and plop an onion ring in my mouth. “Probably better than you.”
Akio’s smooth laugh has shivers running down my spine. He leans closer, his warm breath tickling the shell of my ear. “Nobody’s better than me, baby.”
I turn my head to look at him, but he doesn’t move, which only brings our mouths inches apart. I stare at his lips, then drop my gaze to his athletic body. He's basically draped over me, and I don’t hate it.
“Enough,” Matteo barks. When Akio leans away, I make a note of the CEO’s clenched fist on the table, and the deep frown he’s aiming at his friend. He shifts his gaze to me. “We want to make a deal with you.”
“A deal?” I ask with raised brows. “What kind of deal?”
“The kind where everybody wins. We get the evidence we need and you get to go back to your life.”
Are they seriously considering letting me out of here? After I saw their faces? My eyes dart between the three of them. “This feels like a trap.”
“Not a trap,” Matteo says, folding his hands beneath his chin. “You say you were seeking Cerberus before we kidnapped you, that you wanted our help?”
“Yes…” My eyes narrow. If they think I’m spilling my secrets now, they’re shit out of luck. “So, what?”
“The deal is, you cooperate with us, answer any and all of our questions, help us nail the criminals that we know work at Helix, then we will help you with whatever you were so desperate to contact us for.”
I bristle at his choice of words. “I was never desperate for your help.”
He ignores me. “We’ll give you some time to think about it, but this offer will expire, so think quickly.” Matteo picks up his napkin, wiping the corner of his mouth and tossing it on his plate. “If you’re done eating, we can show you to your room.” I open my mouth to protest, but he cuts me off. “Yournewroom. Because of the circumstances, we decided you may need a more comfortable space.”
“Circumstances being you not leaving here for the foreseeable future,” Declan explains unnecessarily.
I roll my eyes at him, but Matteo continues. “The rules are that you will stay locked in your room at night, but we will allow you to roam certain parts of the house during the day. You will remain inside the house at all times unless escorted by one of us. Any attempts to escape, any attempts to hurt or kill one of us, will result in you being thrown back into the panic room downstairs. Got it?”
I mock a salute. “Aye, aye, Funshine.”
Akio bursts a laugh. “Funshine? Like the fucking Care Bear?”
If I’m not mistaken, I think that pulls a little smirk from Declan too.
I shrug. “Matteo’s just so energetic and always making sure I’m havingsucha good time.” I look over at Matteo who’s got a bored look on hisface. “Remember when you held me down and tore all my clothes off? Fun times.”
He huffs. “Just go to your room before I change my mind.”
Still laughing, Akio pushes his chair back and gets to his feet. “I’ll take you.”
He takes my hand again, and I let him, leading me up the grand staircase to the next floor. We pass room after room, and I have to wonder…
“Is it just the three of you living here?” I don’t know why the thought of them having someone else living with them, like a wife or a girlfriend, bothers me so much, but it does.
“Nope,” Akio says, and my stomach drops. He stops in front of a closed door, leaning his shoulder against the frame as he looks down at me. “Hades lives here too.”
I smile reluctantly, ignoring the sense of relief that just washed through me. “Right. Who could forget that sweet boy?”
He returns my grin. “You’ll also see our housekeeper, Ms. Trudy, around most days, but she lives just down the road in the guest house we have on the property. She’s a crotchety old hag who loves to bust our balls, but we love her.”
“She sounds like someone I’d get along with.”
“I could definitely see you two conspiring against us.” Akio nods at the door. “This is your room. Let me show you.” Striding into the room, he aims for the nightstand by the giant king size bed and opens the drawer. “You won’t be as bored here, I promise.” He shakes the remote at me then presses a button that has a TV popping up out of the footboard. This room is already looking a thousand times better than the one downstairs.
I do a slow circle around the space, noting the camera in the top right corner.Of course.There’s a connected bathroom with a shower and aclawfoot tub. That’s also where I find a walk-in closet. I poke my head inside, seeing the few items hanging already.
“I went out earlier and got you some more clothes,” he explains, coming up behind me, so close that I can feel the heat of his body against my back.
