Chapter 6 - The Uninvited Guest
"Wait!" Penny stood up, setting her mug down so hard tea sloshed over the rim. "You're leaving me here?!"
Matthew turned at the kitchen doorway. "It's safe here, Penny. I have four armed guards surrounding the perimeter. You'll be provided with clean clothes, food, and a bed. I have business to handle."
"Business?" Penny marched around the island, Matthew's oversized suit jacket flapping around her knees. "You mean a mob war! What if those people come here? What if Marcus Vance—or whatever his name is—finds out about this place?"
"He won't," Matthew said coldly.
"You said nobody knew about the Lantern Room attack either, and somebody blew the door off!" Penny argued, stopping two feet from him, her hands on her wide hips. "I am not staying in a giant forest glass house while you go out and play action hero!"
Liam blinked, looking at Matthew with raised eyebrows. "Boss... is she arguing with you again?"
"Liam, go to the car," Matthew ordered smoothly, his eyes never leaving Penny.
Liam shrugged, turning around. "Good luck, Boss."
When the door clicked shut behind Liam, Matthew stepped closer to Penny. "You're safer here than anywhere else in Massachusetts right now, Penny. I need to eliminate the threat so you can go back to your life."
"My life?" Penny let out a sharp, breathless laugh. "Matthew, my life is ruined! My car is shot up! My boss thinks I'm involved in a gang hit! And I'm standing in a mob boss's kitchen wearing his jacket!"
She stepped right up to him, poking his chest for the third time that night.
"If you're going into Boston to deal with this Marcus guy," Penny declared, her voice ringing with absolute determination, "you are taking me somewhere where I can monitor my mother's facility! I am not sitting in the woods waiting for news on Twitter!"
Matthew looked down at her finger resting against his t-shirt. Slowly, his hand came up, wrapping his large, warm fingers around hers. He didn't pull her hand away. He just held it against his heart.
Penny felt the steady, powerful rhythm of his pulse beneath her palm.
"You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met in my life," Matthew whispered.
"I'm from Worcester," Penny replied, staring right back into his gray eyes. "We don't do what we're told."
May you like
A slow, dark smirk spread across Matthew's face. He squeezed her hand gently, releasing it.
"Fine," Matthew said. "Get your coat. You're coming to the docks."
