"Scared, I know, I know. I'm- I'm trying," she says softly.
"Are you really?"
"I'm trying," she insists. She's really not, but he doesn't need to know that.
They spend the rest of the time catching each other up on their lives. Jack is going off-grid for the next week or so and promises to call her whenever he can. April doesn't think anything would change by then but promises him that she won't do anything crazy in his absence.
She gets off the phone feeling lighter and has almost forgotten about her encounter with her CEO earlier that day.
Chapter Four: Captive
On hindsight, she should've known better than to forget about her running away from Mateo. He's not the kind of man to just let go once he's interested in something. Or in this case, in someone.
The first thing April sees when she walks through the front doors of the office building is a group of men in suits flanking Mateo seated in a couch with a file in his hand. She freezes and considers turning back the way she came but then his eyes look up and there's no way to escape without being seen.
His nostrils flare and she knows he's trying to discern her scent. She doesn't know if it's possible among the bouquet of aromas in the large hall. She certainly couldn't.
He stands and she decides to throw her dignity - and herself - out the door. One of his guards step in front of it before she can reach t he exit, blocking her path. "Ma'am," he greets with a stony expression.
"I- um- excuse me?" she squeaks, trying to sidestep him to reach the door. He steps smoothly in front of her.
"Ma'am, Mr. Kenzo would like a word," he says.
She turns around just in time to see a flash of amusement on Mateo's face. He has somehow managed to materialize right in front of her. His golden eyes fix hard on her, brows creased in concentration and a slight hint of displeasure. Several strands of black hair has escaped the comb to brush over his long lashes and he is wearing a different suit from yesterday, a three-piece ensemble that both looks and makes her feel vastly under-dressed.
"April Snow," he intones.
It's really unfair how he can make her name sound like something out of an erotic reading. She swallows the lump in her throat and manages a soft, "Good morning, Mr. Kenzo."
"Good morning. I would like word with you in my office," he says. Leaning in so that his next words can't be overhead, he whispers in her ear, "You can come willingly, or I can make you come with me. Understood?"
The blood in her vein drops several degrees. "Yes, sir," she says and despite the voice in her head yelling at her to submit and just do what he wants, she keeps her gaze down and says, "But you see um- I should really get to work."
He grins and it's a terrifying sight. There's too many teeth and his eyes are too sharp. He's like a shark trying to be friendly, promise not to eat her after. "I see," he says and that's all the warning she gets before he has his hand on her, gripping her by the waist and hauling her over his shoulder.
She cries out in shock, cheeks coloring in a combination of embarrassment and blood rushing to her head because of her position. She yelps and grabs her beanie to keep it from slipping off.
"Let me down!" she gasps but her voice is muffled by his shirt. "Let- let me down!" she cries out, flailing uselessly and squeaking her protest as his arm tightens around her waist, holding her firmly in place as he walks towards the elevator, his steps measured and careful as though she weights nothing at all.
"Stay still, Kit," he says and the familiar petname makes her freeze completely. How could he possibly know? Has he give
n herself away somehow?
She doesn't dwell on the thought for too long because he's carrying her on his back like a sack of potatoes. From the corner of her eyes, she can see that they're gathering the attention of people coming in to work and his bodyguards are standing by, making sure he's not disturbed. No one tries to stop him.
She's torn between struggling as hard as she can to free herself and wanting to cover her face in mortification.
There goes her plan of being as low-profile as possible.
"Wait- what's- Where're you taking me?" she demands as the CEO manhandles her towards what appears to be the elevator. She never goes to this part of the building. The basement can be accessed through the emergency escape and she chooses that instead.
If the sight of the CEO carrying a much smaller young woman over his shoulder towards the elevator is an unusual sight, no one points it out.
Once the private elevator door closes, he drops her to the ground and pins her again the wall, his body hard against hers. "Wha-" she starts in shock.
"I've been picking up your scent for weeks," he growls, face inches from hers, hands on her arms strong enough to lift her off the floor entirely. His nose pressed against her pulse, sucking in air greedily as though she's the only person in the world with a supply of air that he needs to survive. "You've been driving me crazy," he growls, taking in another lungful before drawing back.
She blinks at him in confusion. His face is really close and her skin tickles where his nose had touched her. She can see his strong jaws working to keep his animal from surfacing. He's fighting a losing battle. She sees the nerves on his neck pulsing, the sweat trickling down his forehead towards the sharp curve of his jawbone.