Page 66 of My Ghost

“Matteo,” she whispers.But it doesn’t sound like a protest.

I lean in, brushing my lips to the corner of her mouth.“You can hate me later,” I murmur against her lips with a hoarse voice, “but right now, just be mine.”

Her breath hitches again, but she doesn’t move away.I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer while I tilt her head back and crush my lips over hers.I kiss her slow and deep, like a confirmation of my claim.And my heart thunders when I feel her melt into me.

“I’m still mad at you,” she whispers against my mouth, eyes dazed and voice husky.

I chuckle.“I know, little ghost.I’ll take your fury, I’ll take every damn part you are willing to give me.”

She fists her hands into my shirt and I kiss her again, more forcefully now, as I feel my control slipping fast.She moans in my mouth, and God help me, I drink in the sound, needing to own that too, needing to consume her and make her an intrinsic part of me.

I lift her on the conference table without breaking the kiss, my hands roaming her body, clawing at her clothes.I lift her dress up and cup her pussy.

Fuuuck, her panties are drenched.With a groan, I rip them off her and push her backward so she is lying on the wooden surface.Then I kneel between her spread thighs and worship her.And when she arches against me, when her voice cries out my name in a husky shout, I know that I own this part of her.For now.

But soon, she’ll be mine.Completely and irrevocably mine.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Erin

The apartment is too quiet as I sit cross-legged on the soft leather couch, with my laptop perched on my lap.I stalk the message board where I intercepted the message to Geryon, hoping to catch another one, but until now there has been none.With nothing to hold my attention, my eyes wander aimlessly over the living room.The place is pristine, not a speck of dust or furniture out of line thanks to a very thorough cleaning crew stopping by every day, or other day, when no one is in.How they know when we are out and how long they have before we are back is beyond me.Speaking of being out, Matteo has still not been back from his work meeting over at Damiano’s office building.

I put the laptop away and stand up, feeling abnormally restless.The walls are closing in on me, the silence is stifling.I walk to the enormous windows and press my hand against the glass, watching the harbor far below.I briefly consider going out, now that I am not a prisoner anymore since Matteo granted me rights to unlock the door with my palm.But I decide against it, not because going out isn’t appealing, but because going out with the two huge bodyguards that are now shadowing me as per Matteo’s decree doesn’t sound appealing in the slightest.I tried leaving and returning to the condo at The Atrium once, but it only resulted in Matteo showing up, kicking the door in and hauling me over his shoulder to carry me down to his waiting car and driving back to his penthouse.The next day he sternly informed me that he had the lock changed and it would be useless to try to return there.My belongings had been moved to the penthouse the first week I forcibly moved in with my captor.Sometimes I try to label whatever this…situationship is.Is he my jailer?Most certainly.My boss?He is indisputably bossy.Lover?That would mean I had a choice, wouldn’t it?I groan.The lines are so blurred and I am unable to grasp the whole picture, from what we are, to where we are going.Ifwe are going somewhere.Maybe he is merely obsessed over a new toy and will kick me to the curb once he is done playing with me?I lean my forehead on the cool glass, feeling my mind spiraling out of control.I am once again the little girl that no one wants, the one that gets too easily overlooked or discarded.

But before I can spiral further, I hear the lock of the front door disengage and I straighten, wiping away the tears I hadn’t felt running down my face.Then I turn to the door.

And freeze.

Matteo is standing in the doorway, ushering someone in.A woman.No, not any woman… Jade.

Once he has closed the door, he turns around and immediately spots me.He is on me in three strides, tangling his fingers in my hair to tilt my head back and claim my mouth in a possessive kiss.I stiffen.

What does hethinkhe is doing?Hot red fury is submerging me like a tidal wave and I push him back, glaring up at him.He doesn’t release me right away but curls his other hand around my waist to pull me closer.

“Missed me, little ghost?”he murmurs against my lips and for a moment I wonder if he has lost his mind.He brought his mistress here and acts as if—Wait…

My blood runs cold.

I am the mistress in this scenario, not Jade… Panic claws its way up my throat, and I feel like I will throw up.I turn my head toward the door and see Jade watching us with curiosity.When she sees me watching her, she sends me a smile and a small wave.This is all too much.I push Matteo back with a cry and stumble backward when he releases me with a surprised look on his face.

“What…what does this mean?”I manage to breathe out through my constricted throat.

Matteo frowns and looks over at Jade, then back at me.“You have met Jade, haven’t you?She told me that you’ve met in The Atrium.”

That’s when I snap.

“You sicko,” I scream.“If you think that I will stay here and watch you and your girlfriend make out, or play whatever vile games you have in mind, you have another think coming.”I bolt to the door, ready to push Jade aside if I have to, but before I reach it, big hands grab my arm and whirl me around.With a growl, Matteo has me pinned against him, arms caging me in so that I am plastered against his chest, unable to move or run.

“Enough, stop this tantrumnow,” he rasps darkly against my temple.“You don’t hear a damn thing when I tell you, so I brought someone who’ll make you listen.”

He presses an angry kiss on my temple and releases me so suddenly that I stumble.Then he turns and walks to the entrance, sending Jade a meaningful look before slamming the door shut on his way out.

And I am alone with his…girlfriend?Lover?Significant other?

“Hello, Erin.”Jade’s soft voice rips me out of my spiraling thoughts.“It is nice to see you again.”

I gape at her.How can she be so cool with what just went down?I feel my face heat from shame and anger.“Hello, Jade,” I mutter and start to walk toward the kitchen.Coffee.I need a coffee despite it being already late.I turn on the coffee maker and open the cupboard to retrieve two mugs.When I turn to the kitchen island, I see that Jade has made herself comfortable on one of the stools and is watching me unravel with an unreadable look on her face.I hold up a mug to her, but she shakes her head with a smile.