Escalation - Tessa Teevan Page 0,2

the man who did this to her. When I find him, I will kill him.

Because for her? I’d do anything.

Just as I turn from the scene, my cell phone rings.

“Matthews,” I bark out, wincing at my raw, scratchy voice.

“Is it done?”

I hold the phone away from my ear, close my eyes, and take a deep breath, trying to choke down the sob that’s threatening to bubble up. Only a couple of seconds pass before I will myself to settle down. I don’t want him to get suspicious. I can’t let him know that she’s so much more than a simple means to an end, even though it’s killing me inside, not knowing how she is. In such a short time, she’s become everything to me, and I will never forgive myself if I fail in protecting her.

Even with my Catholic upbringing, I’ve never been an especially religious man. But right now, I’d do just about anything to ensure that Brie makes it, so I send a quick prayer to the man upstairs.

Please, God. Let her be okay. Don’t take her from me when I’ve only just found her.

It’s a plea I know I’ll be repeating until she’s back in my arms, safe and sound.

Bringing the phone back to my ear, I say four fucking words that will haunt me forever.

“Yeah, Boss. It’s done.”

Earlier That Day

I’M COMPLETELY FUCKED.

So fucking fucked.

I was warned about this very thing, and in the past, I’ve never had a problem separating business and pleasure. It was pretty damn easy, especially when, in my line of work, a relationship was never in the cards. At least, it wasn’t for me. I was married to the job. Sex was for recreation, pleasure—never emotional attachment. Ever.

And then I met her.

Gabriella Latham, my Brie, turned my world upside down. Everything I’ve never wanted, I suddenly craved. Emotions I’ve never let myself feel have scratched the surface, pushed through, and taken over my brain, my heart, and my entire fucking being.

To be honest, I’m not sure what it was about her that kept me coming back. I just know I couldn’t stay away. And then it was like I lost my damn mind, shacking up in Morningstar’s house every single night.

It was a double-edged sword. I didn’t want to be in that house with her, but at the same time, it was exactly the in I needed to make some explorations of my own. It gave me unparalleled access to his home late at night after she had fallen asleep. I was playing with fire though, and even though she might have thought they were over, I knew men like him. He wouldn’t take too fucking kindly to her moving on. If he ever found me there, even in a guest bed? There’s no telling what he’d do.

The thought alone was enough for me to put a stop to it. The longer we continued, the more likely he’d return. Hell, it’s already unnerving how all of his contact with her ended.

I’d been expecting a fight—or at least a little resistance. But when I went into that office and asked her to move in with me—even though I wanted to tell—Brie agreed. She was done with Morningstar and ready to be completely mine.

And then she found the fucking files, the exact pieces of the puzzle I’d been seeking but nearly given up on. The last thing I’d wanted was for her to see them, to know there was some connection between her father and the Morningstars, but now that she had, it was time to finally come clean. As I held her close and she sobbed into my chest, I mentally cursed myself. For eight weeks, she’d been in blissful ignorance, and I’d hoped she would stay that way. At least until everything was over.

Hours. I’d been mere hours from getting her away from the Morningstar estate for good, but I should’ve known something like this would happen. Adrian had been too quiet for too long.

The only good that came from it was that it finally scared her enough to leave for good. I wanted to shield her from all of this, but as I drive home, I know that it’s too late. I promised to tell her everything, and even though there are details I’d have to omit, I am going to be as open as I can. I hope she understands. Hell, I’ll make her understand.

Silence greets me as I step into my apartment. I stand in the foyer, listening