Chapter 95: Caught!

Ivy’s pov

The gold mask tore away from my face like silk.

For a single, terrifying second, the world went silent. All the sounds of the pounding bass of the club, the distant moans, the rattle of the chains, they all faded into a dull, distant hum. All I could hear was the frantic, ragged beat of my own heart.

Oh shit. Shit, Shitty, shitty, shutty SHIT!

I saw the exact moment recognition dawned on his face. His sapphire eyes that were usually so cool, went from shock to a chilling look.

I expected him to yell at me.

I expected him to shove me aside and throw me off but instead he stiffened against me, his brows furrowed in anger and surprise and somehow that felt way worse than shouting.

"Mr. Knight, I can explain," I babbled, the words tumbling out of my mouth. My hands flew to my bare face in a pathetic attempt to hide myself, but it was too late.

The jig was up.

He just stood there, his gaze boring into me, stripping away every layer of lies until I felt naked and that had nothing to do with my lack of clothes. "Did you follow me here, Miss Harpley?"

How could his voice still be so perfectly level? Was this calm before a tsunami?

"No...I mean, yes," I stammered, scrambling for an excuse.. "I can explain. I was just..." I was panting, my lungs burning for air. I couldn’t breathe. "Yes. I did. I’m so sorry, I was trying-"

"You’re sorry you got caught," he stated, taking a step back to adjust his clothes.

The space he created between us felt as wide as a chasm. An annoyed look formed on his face as if I was some stubborn stain on his priceless rugs. My stomach plummeted into my shoes.

Oh god, I didn’t think this far ahead.

"Don’t," his voice dropped to a low, cutting whisper. "Don’t talk."

But I couldn’t stop. "I’m sorry! I couldn’t resist, it was supposed to be a one-time thing, that’s why I didn’t come last week, but I couldn’t stay away, I just, Deon, I..."

He held up a hand that silenced me. "Get dressed," he commanded, his voice flat and hard as stone. "You’re coming with me."

My hands shook so badly I could barely slip on my lingerie while he watched me. Then I followed him from the arena to the closet to get my clothes on. Gideon remained silent and unmoving even until I slid my shoes on.

"Are you done?"

"Yeah," I croaked.

Every second of his silence was a fresh form of torture. I followed him out of the building , my head down, a burning shame crawling up my neck. In the parking lot, the cold night air hit me like a slap. I pulled my coat tight around my body.

I was so screwed. What if he dug deeper? What if he found out about me being Harper Kingsley? Nervous as hell, I started biting my nails.

"Go home," He murmured, not even sparing me a glance.

"Gideon, please," I started, my voice cracking.

He stopped but didn’t turn around. "We will discuss this tomorrow."

"I’m sorry-"

"I don’t want to hear another word." He finally turned, his face lit up with cold fury. "Good night, Miss Harpley."

He got into his car and drove away, leaving me standing alone in the cavernous parking lot, trembling. I had ruined everything. I hadn’t expected this. I was in so much trouble. A raindrop fell on my face and then another followed. I glanced up at the dark stormy clouds in the night sky. Great, just what I needed.

"Trouble in paradise?"

I jumped, spinning around with a gasp seeing the naked Dom from the alcove, now wearing a flannel shirt and jeans. His black mask was still in place.

"What do you want?" I snapped. "I don’t have time for this. Who are you?"

He tilted his head and narrowed his eyes behind the mask before he let out a soft, chilling laugh. "Really," he murmured. "You don’t recognize me, Ivy? I thought we were closer than this."

Wait a fucking minute. My blood ran cold.

"Milo,"

He chuckled and dramatically removed his mask.

So he had tried to touch me in the club? The audacity of this asshole. "What do you want? I’m not in the mood for your games."

"Oh, I think you are," he purred, taking a step closer, his eyes glinting in the dim parking lot light.

"I saw the look on his face. Gideon found out, didn’t he? Found out his little housekeeper has a secret life." He laughed again, reaching to take a few strands of my hair.

"He’s going to fire you, you know. He absolutely hates liars. Look how angry he is just thinking you seduced him. Imagine what will happen when he finds out you’re not even supposed to be his housekeeper at all."

Oh god, yeah I was fucked. The rain began pouring harder. That didn’t mean this asshole before me had to know. I straightened my spine.

"I’m not afraid of you, Milo. If anything you should be afraid of what Gideon will do when he finds out you’ve been lying this whole time."

He tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Oh, you should be afraid of me. You saw how I threw Tyler in prison, didn’t you? I didn’t even break a sweat. I will definitely do the same to you." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"But it doesn’t have to be that way. All you have to do is give me a taste. Just one. And I will keep your secret forever."

A hysterical, bitter laugh escaped my lips. "You must be out of your damn mind."

I turned to walk away, to put as much distance between him and his toxic presence as possible, but his hand shot out, grabbing my arm with a grip like iron. He yanked me back, slamming me against the cold, hard metal of the car nearby.

"Get off me!" I cried, trying to push him away, but he pinned me with his body, his face inches from mine, his eyes gleaming.

"I don’t think you understand," he snarled, his breath hot against my cheek. "You don’t get to walk away from me."

His free hand began to fumble with the zipper of my coat. Panic, pure and blinding, seized me. I was trapped. I bucked against him, twisting and thrashing. This couldn’t be happening.

"Don’t fight me, Ivy," he grunted in my ear, his hand forcing its way inside my coat. "Just be a good girl for once."