Insomnia

11 | Reassurance

LEILANI

♢

"What is this?" Matias' voice is lethally calm as he studies the yellow sticky note in between his fingers, a blank expression on his face.

Shrugging, I lean backwards into the alleyway wall, "I-I found it on my fridge last night," I say softly, wrapping my arms around myself for comfort. "There's a whole lot more of them too."

Matias stays silent but I can practically see the storm swirling in his eyes. "And you thought I'd be behind this?" His voice is low, almost too low, causing goosebumps to prickle on my skin as I meet his intense gaze.

I nervously lick my lips, shifting my weight from one foot to another. "I...I didn't know what to think." I admit, tearing my gaze away.

The chilly New York City wind bites at my skin, but it's nothing compared to the heat radiating off Matias as he steps closer.

He doesn't say a word as he cups my face with one warm, calloused hand, his thumb brushing over my cheek in a soothing motion.

"Are you angry?" I question with a curious tilt of my head, trying to read the vacant expression on his face.

But all I can focus on is how good he looks up close: the sharp lines of his clenched jaw, the way his dark, wavy hair falls just right, and those plump lips of his.

"At you?" Matias scoffs as if it's the most ridiculous thing ever, "Fuck no, Lei. But I am pissed off that some creepy piece of shit is stalking you." His use of language makes me wince.

Still, I can't help the small smile that spreads across my face. So he actually cares?

"I won't lie, I am a little scared but I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse. I'll just call the police and—" My voice trails off as I notice the way his eyes drift to my bare arms, his eyebrows furrowing.

"You're cold." He points out, and without hesitation, he shrugs off his heavy suit jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. The warmth instantly seeps through my work uniform.

I open my mouth to protest, but he immediately silences me with a finger pressed against my lips. My eyes widen.

"Don't," he warns, narrowing his eyes. I swallow hard, my ears heating up as I quickly nod. "Now come on, we're talking about this somewhere more comfortable."

Placing a firm hand on the small of my back, Matias guides me out of the alleyway and towards a set of chairs outside a random café.

I inhale deeply, appreciating the scent of the jacket that smelled just like him—cleanliness with a hint of spice. Heaven.

I slip into the seat across from Matias, sneaking glances at him as he leans back into a careless manspread. The subtle dark circles under his tired eyes somehow make him look even sexier to me.

My gaze slides over his impressive form, and I can't help but feel my thighs press together as his huge muscles flex and stretch against the fabric of his white shirt. The sleeves are rolled up, displaying the ink trailing down his arm.

"Eyes up here, princess." My eyes snap back up to his face. He raises an eyebrow, and there's a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes before he's serious again.

Matias leans back in his chair, folding his large arms. "Now, you're going to think hard and tell me if you have anyone at all from your past in mind. Or anyone else you know of." Then he scoffs, "except for me. I don't do that loser shit."

At first, I wanted to say no—but with the way he's expectantly staring into my soul, a name pops into mind and my mouth flaps open before I can think.