The elevator doors hissed shut, locking us into a space that felt way too small. Kyle didn't let go of my wrist. His grip was a constant, bruising reminder that my "escape" had lasted less than five minutes.
"You're hurting me," I snapped, trying to jerk my arm away. "Or is 'manhandling women' the only way a Vanguard can feel powerful?"
Kyle didn't even look at me. He just stared at the gold-plated doors as we ascended. "If I wanted to hurt you, Val, you wouldn't be standing. You'd be screaming. I'm simply making sure you don't scurry back into the vents like the rat you are."
"A rat?" I let out a sharp, dry laugh. "I'm the one who took sixty grand off your 'elite' friends tonight. If I'm a rat, what does that make you? The king of the sewers?"
The elevator chimed. Kyle hauled me out into the living room, but he didn't stop. He dragged me toward the massive floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the sleeping city. He finally let go, throwing my arm back like he was disgusted by the touch.
"You think you're so clever," he said, turning to face me. The moon caught the hard lines of his shirtless chest, making him look more like a statue than a man. "You picked a lock. Bravo. You ran down some stairs. Amazing. But you forgot one thing."
"Oh? And what's that? Your ego?" I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him even though my knees were shaking.
"The world outside those doors is mine," he stepped into my space, his shadow falling over me like a shroud. "Every camera in this district, every guard on this street, every cop in this city... they all answer to me. You didn't almost escape, Val. I let you get to that garage because I wanted to see if you were actually stupid enough to try."
"I'm not stupid," I hissed, stepping closer until I was almost touching his bare chest. "I'm desperate. There's a difference. I'd rather take my chances with the cops than stay in this tomb with a sociopath like you."
Kyle's eyes narrowed. He reached out, his hand sliding into my hair and gripping the base of my neck. It wasn't a caress. He forced me to look up at him, his thumb pressing firmly against the side of my jaw.
"Sociopath?" he whispered, his voice dangerously low. "You have no idea what I am. But you're going to learn. You want drama? You want to play the defiant little thief? Fine. But every time you snap that mouth of yours, the price of your debt goes up."
"What are you going to do? Bill me?" I sneered, even as my heart hammered against my ribs. "I don't have a cent. You saw to that."
"I don't want your money," he growled, his gaze dropping to my lips. "I want your silence. And since you can't seem to keep your mouth shut, I'm going to give you something else to think about."
He reached onto the side table and picked up the diamond collar he'd brought from the dressing room earlier. In the moonlight, the stones looked like shards of ice.
"This isn't for a party," he said, his voice dropping to a rasp. "It's 3:00 AM. There is no one here to see you but me. I'm putting this on you now so that every time you feel the cold metal against your skin, you remember that you failed. You remember that I caught you."
"I'm not wearing a collar," I said, my voice cracking. "I'll break it. I'll swallow the diamonds before I let you—"
"You'll wear it because if you don't," Kyle interrupted, his hand tightening in my hair just enough to make me gasp, "I'll stop being a gentleman. I've been patient with you, Valentina. I've been polite. But if you push me again, I'll show you exactly how 'arrogant' I can be."
He forced me to turn around, his chest pressing into my back. I felt the cold weight of the diamonds touch my throat. The contrast of his hot breath on my neck and the freezing gold was overwhelming.
Click.
The lock was heavy. It felt like a lead weight.
"There," he whispered against my skin, his hands lingering on my shoulders. "Now, go back to your room. Walk, don't run. Because if I hear those floorboards creak again tonight, I won't be so merciful."
I spun around, my hand flying to the collar, trying to find a seam, a catch—anything. "You bastard," I whispered, my eyes burning with tears of pure rage.
"Get out," he commanded, turning his back on me to pour himself a drink. "And Val? Don't bother trying the wire again. I had the guards take your tools while you were 'exploring' the garage."
I didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. I turned and ran, the heavy diamonds bouncing against my collarbone, reminding me with every step that the game was just beginning.