Page 29 of Manic

He smirked, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Something like that. I'm the head of surveillance after all. I know everything.”

I narrowed my eyes as a sliver of doubt raced over me. Could he know who my admirer was? And if he did, would he tell me? Was it possible they knew each other? I was positive Manic would regret ever kidnapping me once my admirer discovered my location.

“You’re lying,” I accused. “If you know, then who is it?”

Manic stood there, silent and watching.

“He’ll kill you,” I said quietly—confidently. “He’ll wonder where I am, and when I don’t pop up somewhere, he’ll find me and kill you.”

His smirk only widened.

Then, without a word, he turned for the door.

My stomach dropped and I exhaled sharply when it slammed shut, sealing me inside my prison with a single, final click of a lock. I stared at the doors, at the thin space between me and the monster who put me in here. And for the first time in my life, my future didn’t feel uncertain, but nonexistent.

For a fleeting moment, I thought about the windows.

About how easy it would be to make a decision that could undo all of this if I could pry one open. I wondered if falling a hundred stories to my death would be easier than enduring the mafia—enduring Manic.

Probably.

Gravity wouldn’t have toyed with me the way Manic did. Gravity wouldn’t have caused a whirl of confusion to enter my mind, leaving me to wonder why I liked the thrill of a gun in my mouth—the thrill of being so close to danger and pleasure at the exact same time.

But my feet wouldn’t carry me to the windows.

Instead, I crawled to the center of the bed, folded my arms around my knees, and waited for Manic Mortaine’s return.

8

MANIC

Sutton fucking Hale.

I knew she’d be a problem the moment she stepped into my penthouse, I just didn’t think I’d be a fumbling fool after tasting her sweet cunt. A taste I wanted to savor.

My hands and limbs all buzzed, like I’d just had the best high of my life. I quickly descended the hall, eager for distance. Cocaine and cigarettes and alcohol was nothing compared to how she tasted. But I couldn’t help myself—I had to taste her.

One look into her eyes filled with nothing but the high of her orgasm and every ounce of my control had shattered. I felt like a horny teenager eager to sink his dick into something for the first time, and even then, that wasn’t as good as Sutton coming all over my face. I’d even forgotten why I was angry with her.

I raked a shaky hand through my hair and crossed the kitchen in a blur, aiming for the stairs that led to the second floor with a glass railing. My workspace.

“Boss,” Axell called out with a hint of worry.

I ignored him, taking the steps two at a time, and briskly passed the wall lined with surveillance TV’s until I reached the door to the rooftop terrace. I shoved it open and a cold wind blasted my face. I inhaled deeply before closing my eyes.

“What the fuck,” I breathed, leaning against the wall as I rubbed my chest. Like the entire world decided to sit on it and snuff the air from my lungs, a pressure so deep that it ached.

I’d wanted to tell her who, exactly, had been following her for the last five years, and yet I had found myself hesitating. I never hesitated. If she were any other captive of mine, I would have told her just to watch the fear shine in her eyes.

Would she trust me more or less if I told her? Why did that even matter?

I looked beyond the terrace walls. Vancouver shone bright in the morning sun. Buildings faded past streets and red-orange maple trees as light peeked through the clouds.

No woman ever riled me the way Sutton did. No woman had ever made me feel something.

If that was what this was, I fucking hated it.

The fury that had been etched into her features burned through my mind as I stood there, desperately inhaling on the last bit of tobacco hanging from my lips. Sutton was beyond stunning, but the anger, the pure desire in her hazel stare made her unbearably beautiful.