Severed Ties: A Dark Stalker Romance (Tainted Love Book 1)
Severed Ties: Chapter 11

This room is too small for two people at the best of times. But Tommy, being one of those two people, only amplifies that. His heat radiates through the room and makes it hard to breathe. He’s watching every move I make, and I become more and more aware of that with every minute that goes by.

To be honest, I have no fucking idea what I’m doing. Technology is far from my strong point, and every time I touch anything, I swear my heart stops in my chest, waiting for something bad to happen. But it never does. To the point I’m starting to wonder if Everett ever installed the fail-safe system or if I’m just here panicking for no reason.

“You don’t have to stay in here,” I tell Tommy. “I won’t be much longer and I can replace my way to the exit when I’m done.”

The confined space is closing in on me, making it more and more difficult to concentrate on the already complicated instructions Everett gave me. And he was stressed as hell when he was rattling them off, so who’s to say he didn’t make a mistake?

“I have nowhere else to be.”

He leans against the desk and watches as I busy myself typing a code into the keyboard. I have no idea what I’m doing or what any of the little symbols mean as they flash across the screen.

I huff out a sigh and drag my eyes away from the wall of screens. “I don’t need to be babysat, Tommy. I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“Then you can go.”

“Not going to happen, fawn.” His lips turn up into a lopsided smile. “I’ll be staying right where I am, so I suggest you do what you need to do, and then I’ll take you home.”

I glare at him, his eyes amused with my annoyance. “You can’t leave on the first night, and there’s no way I’m hanging around here until this is over.”

I gesture toward the screen where two men are wrestling beside the ring. I’ve spent too much time in places like this, and I never intended to step foot inside another one, but here we are. I suppose I should have been aware of the possibility when I found out about the Saint James family’s side business, but I hoped I would remain on the legal side. It shouldn’t come as a complete surprise that I’ve found myself on the dark side.

“I can leave. There’s plenty of people here who know what they’re doing.”

“Tommy,” I warn.

“Rayne’s here too. He’ll understand I need to take you home.”

“Why would he understand that? I’m sure he has his own shit to do.”

He smirks and shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that he’ll know how important it is that I take you home once you’re finished.”

How can everyone I know think this man is quiet? Because every time I’m near him, he doesn’t shut up even when I beg him to. “Whatever.”

I read over the notes in front of me and uncertainty pools in my stomach. I have no idea what I’m doing next. The notes are hurried and I can’t read my own writing in some places. I can’t call Everett, and I don’t think anyone else will be able to help. Which means it’s all up to me.

“Is there something wrong?” Tommy asks.

“What part of ‘be quiet’ are you having issues with?”

He chuckles, the sound as low and addictive as it is sinful. “You’re not the quiet wallflower everyone thinks you are.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Everyone in your life thinks you’re sweet and innocent. Wynter’s afraid you’ll have a meltdown if she lets you into the boardroom on your own. But do you know what I think, Clara? I think it’s a farce. I think you’re stronger than you allow yourself to show other people, and I think you’re more than capable of doing anything you set your mind to.”

I turn on him, anger beating down on me in a way it hasn’t done in years. How dare he? How dare he presume to know me when we’ve spent such little time together? But what I’m most angry about is how right he is. In my last life, I was forced to walk on the wrong side of the law, and I have a unique skill set that I never plan on using again. But I also learned how to be adaptable, and that’s part of the reason I’ve always come across as meek to Wynter. Because this version of me, the one that fled a life I didn’t want to live with nothing and no one, is a little more scared of the world because she can afford to be.

“It’s not worth trying to deny it, fawn.” Tommy shrugs and drags his attention from me to look over the wall of screens. I’ve never seen anything like this room. I guess I’ve never needed to.

I busy myself with the last few things I need to do on the list and let out a sigh of relief when none of them make the building spring into panic mode. Maybe Everett calmly telling me repeatedly about touching the random three buttons that lead to shutdown mode being activated while Wynter screamed the building down actually sank in.

“I’m done,” I tell him as I throw the notepad into my handbag and sling it over my shoulder. “If you have any issues…still probably call Everett. I don’t really understand what I just did.” I half laugh.

Tommy nods but doesn’t move from where he’s standing, blocking the door.

“I really need to get going.”

“I’ll take you home.”

“That’s not necessary,” I argue, folding my arms across my chest.

“Well it’s happening.”

I glare at him for what feels like the hundredth time since I walked into this tiny security room half an hour ago. “I’m not going home. I’m going out with a friend.”

Okay, so maybe Justin isn’t a friend. He’s a guy who asked me out in the lunchroom this morning, and Wynter accepted on my behalf…naturally. He’s good-looking in a classic, preppy kind of way. Always wears neat suits and has his hair impeccably styled, but I’m not really attracted to him. My tastes are more…gritty. I barely stop myself from thinking my type is standing right in front of me with anger dancing in his deep-blue eyes.

“A friend?” He forces the word out through gritted teeth, his jaw so tight I’m beginning to think it may snap under the pressure.

“Yes, a friend. I had to push it back to come here, so I really need to get going.”

Justin came to Wynter’s office to pick me up right around the time chaos took hold, and he was much calmer than the rest of us in the room. He was the voice of reason when I was yelling at Everett to call an ambulance and Everett was yelling at me about how to navigate a security system. He even offered to reschedule, but I’ve spent all day building up the nerve to go on a date at all. If I put it off, there’s a very good chance I’ll back out altogether. Justin’s a nice guy, and I should give him a chance. Maybe he’s exactly what I need.

“Who’s the friend, Clara?” His voice is low and angry, which doesn’t make any sense. We’ve only spent a few hours together, and there’s no reason he should be worried about me going out on a date.

“A guy from work.” I shrug. I have a feeling giving too much information to Tommy may be the wrong move, so I’m going to continue being as vague as possible until he lets me out of this room. “I really need to get going.” I take a step forward, and then another, until I’m just a few inches from touching the terrifying man.

I don’t think Tommy will hurt me, not considering how gentle he’s been on both occasions he’s had to take care of me, but with a man like him, you can never be one-hundred-percent sure.

“You’re going on a date?” He spits the final word like it’s personally offended him. What the hell has got into him tonight?

“Something like that.” I shrug.

One second, I’m standing in front of him, and the next, my back hits the wall and knocks the air from my lungs, and a moment later, his body presses against mine, his face so close his breath whispers against my cheeks. His heat is stifling and his eyes turn dark as he stares down at me.

“No.”

“No?” I whisper, not trusting my voice not to break.

“No, you’re not going out with a guy from work tonight…or ever.”

I stare at him with brows pulled together in confusion. What the hell is he talking about? “It’s a good thing I don’t need your permission.”

He growls, his lips pulling back into a snarl that almost scares me. And perhaps it would if I wasn’t so fucking turned on right now. I’m trying to ignore the ache between my thighs, the throbbing that makes it hard to think.

“You are not going.”

“Yes I am.”

I press both hands into his chest and shove, but he doesn’t move. In fact, he doesn’t so much as budge. I’m in way over my head right now, and I’m not sure how I’m going to break myself free. I’m trapped in this tiny room with someone who gets joy out of killing people, and there’s nothing I can do about it.