I swallowed down the panic that threatened to take over. I couldn’t let Matt see how afraid I was, but the knowledge made me cold. There was a spy at St. Ailbe’s. Yvonne and the others had all left the coven of their own accord. But they could be spies.
Or it was possible that a wolf who’d been involved in the attempted pack takeover was still backing Luciana. Either way, I needed to get to my room. I had to call Teresa and warn her. But first I had to somehow get rid of Matt.
“I’ll give it to you, I never thought you’d go against Luciana. You’re more ambitious than I thought.” The way he leered at me made me want to puke.
“I’m not asking Luciana’s permission for anything. Like I told you on the phone, I want nothing to do with her.”
He crossed his arms and stared at me down his long, straight nose. “Breaking from her is dangerous.”
I jiggled the backpack. “I know.” He didn’t have to remind me. I was on zero hours of sleep thanks to that stupid oath, and if I didn’t do something about it, I’d die. And if I didn’t find a way to fix my brother, he’d die too. She’s systematically destroyed my whole family. No one knew how dangerous she was better than me.
The lady at the front desk cleared her throat. “Your room is ready. Se?or Reyes has arranged everything already.” I made a mental note to find out who that was and thank him as she slid a little envelope to me. “Room number is written inside.” She glanced to Mathieu and back to me quickly.
I could’ve kissed her. Matt didn’t need to know my room number. “Thank you.” I grabbed the envelope, holding it close to my chest, and turned to Matt. “I’m going to my room now. Good night. Safe travels back to New York.” And please take a hint for once.
Unfortunately, Matt’s listening skills were as terrible as always. When I started down the hall, he did, too. I couldn’t keep going on like this with him. I took a deep breath before squaring my shoulders to face him. “Look, Matt. I know you’ve come a long way, and I’m sorry for that. I didn’t tell you I was coming, and I certainly don’t remember inviting you. I know I mentioned our sham of an engagement was off. So I have no idea why you’re here or what you want but I can’t give it to you and you can’t follow me around expecting me to change my mind. If that’s your plan, then you should go home now and save yourself a huge headache.” I was proud of myself. I was keeping calm and being mature. Not usually my first reaction when he was around.
“No. If you wanted away from Luciana before, then you could’ve said something. I could’ve helped you. Whatever’s going on with you, you’re acting irrationally, and I’m not leaving you unwatched.”
Unwatched? How had I ever thought this guy was nice?
I kept walking in what I hoped was the opposite direction of my room. Leading him right to it would be a mistake I couldn’t afford. “Good-bye, Matt. I hope I don’t ever see you again.” I was exhausted and under so much pressure that I didn’t have the patience to placate him. And for once, I didn’t really care.
I started walking again, but he grabbed my arm and spun me toward him. “I didn’t travel all this way to get blown off.”
“And again, I didn’t ask you to come.” I gripped my hands in fists as I tried to get control of my frustration with the douchebag. Time had taught me that reacting in anger did no good. Especially with him.
He narrowed his gaze as he jerked me toward him. The weight of my backpack threw me off balance and I collapsed against him. “You’re mine. If you’re think you’re traipsing off to God only knows where doing God only knows what without someone to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, then you’re not as smart as I thought you were. From here on out, I’ll be your shadow.”
He’d lost his mind. He’d been overbearing before, but this was controlling to an extreme. I pushed him away, freeing myself from his grasp. I stumbled a few steps as I tried to balance the backpack. “What I’m doing here has nothing to do with you.”
“Everything you do includes me.”
He was insane. Had I not been clear enough with him? “We’re not married. Not bound to each other. You don’t get to—”
“Not yet. But we will be married. You’d better think how you want the rest of your life to go.” He spat the last.
Toe the line, and you’ll have a future with me. Or don’t and see what happens. He hadn’t said the words, but they hung there in the silence between us all the same.
I clunked into the wall behind me. Without my realizing it, he’d cornered me.
“?Está bien, se?orita?” A voice called from down the hall. I peeked over at the janitor, and he started for us, ready to rescue a lady. He spoke quietly into his walkie-talkie.
“That man is coming over here, and he’s bringing help. If you don’t let me go, you’re going to cause a scene.” Thank goodness. If there was one thing that Matt hated, it was being caught doing something “improper.”