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My breath hangs in my throat and a shiver runs down my spine. Stalking? Investigating my friends'? The weight of his words sinks in, and a sense of violation creeps over me. How could he invade my privacy like this? It's unsettling to think that someone’s been monitoring my every move without my knowledge. How long has it been? Does he know about Ryan?
Cole jams his hands in his pockets. “It took several tries. Several invites to Layla, then patiently waiting to catch a glimpse of you.” His gaze dips, to my chest beneath his gray t-shirt, then quickly darts back up. “The rest is history,” he says huskily.
I stupidly walked right into his trap. I can't help but cringe with embarrassment at how easily I fell for it.
I mean, seriously, the loneliness after my breakup must have made me a prime target. I was so desperate for connection that I deluded myself into thinking I was being cherished. How pathetic and utterly ridiculous.
"Why?" I manage to stammer, my voice trembling. "Why would you go through all this trouble?"
Cole's icy gaze bores into me, his eyes locked on mine. The room falls into a heavy silence as he mulls over his response. He opens his mouth, something shifting in his gaze, only for him to snap it shut.
Leaving me hanging in suspense.
My mind races with possibilities and unanswered questions. What are his true intentions? Why target me?
How the fuck do I get out of this?
"Come on, I at least deserve to know that," I say bitterly, my thoughts spinning in a chaotic whirlwind.
The room feels suffocating, the silence oppressive as I wait for Cole's reply, desperate for a glimmer of understanding in this twisted game he’s orchestrated.
Chapter5
Cole
Ishouldn't have dressed Amber in my clothes but I’d probably be far worse if she had remained in her dress.
Ignoring the discomfort of my tightening crotch, I continue to gaze at her, my inner battle more like an all-out war. Every inch of me is demanding I release those cuffs and set her free, to wipe away the worry lines on her forehead and the fear in her eyes.
But I’m a terrible person and this is what terrible people do—hurt others.
"Can you not look at me like that?" I mutter under my breath. I don't like the way her eyes narrow at me.
"Like what? Like you're the stalker who chained me to your bed without my consent after tricking me into sleeping with you? Well, excuse me for feeling terrified right now," she snaps back, her words cutting through me like a knife.
It cuts at the parts of me I thought I suppressed before making up my mind to do this.
"I didn't trick you," I blurt out, the words tumbling as I try to explain. But deep down, I know, no matter what I say, it won't erase the fact that I did stalk her and chained her to my bed after I slept with her.
To be honest, last night didn't go like I planned. In the heat of the moments with her, I forgot my vendettas and why I spent the past three months following Amber.
When I had her pinned against the wall, I couldn't possibly think of anything else that mattered more. I let my attraction to her distract me.
It wasn't until I woke up in the middle of the night, shaking from the same haunting nightmare that’s plagued me for years, that reality crashed back in. Anger surged within me, and in a panicked frenzy, I did followed through with my plan.
“Look, I don't plan on hurting you, Amber. I just need to get back at Ryan,” I state firmly, my jaw clenching as I taste the bitterness of his name.
"Get back at Ryan?" Her green eyes widen at the sound of his name. The reaction is expected, he’s her ex-boyfriend after all. "What does Ryan have to do with any of this?" Her fingers pull at the chains as her body twists slightly, causing my shirt to ride up and further reveal her soft thighs.
I won’t deny it—I’m probably the worst man alive for putting her in this situation, and even worse for finding her attractive with the cuffs wrapped around her wrists and her hands above her head as she struggles.
My thoughts return to last night, my cock growing once again, the pain in it sharper than before. I need to stop thinking about her in this way if I aim to have control.
"Ryan destroyed my life,” I spit. And not just mine, he ruined everything for someone I deeply care about, but I keep that to myself. I don't want Amber to empathize with me, I want her to hate me.
"And you thought kidnapping me and chaining me to your bed is the way to get back at him? Seriously?" she scoffs, her tone dripping with disbelief. "You do realize he's my ex-boyfriend, right?"
I shift my weight, the feeling of the cool tiles suddenly more prominent. "I'm aware and I've already made up my mind. I’ll ruin Ryan because he deserves it and I’ll do it through you."
