Matthew leaned back slightly in his chair, watching Vinny with the kind of intensity that could make men crumble. His pale green eyes burned like cold fire, every flicker of movement precise, measured, dangerous. And yet, there was something in the way Vinny lingered… something that made Matthew's carefully constructed patience crack just enough to feel the pull.
Vinny shifted, taking another step closer, just enough that the air between them was suffocating, electric, charged. He wasn't reckless—not yet—but he was daring, playful, and aware of the effect he had on Matthew. The slightest brush of his shoulder, the faintest lean toward him, was enough to ignite a spark.
"You think about control a lot," Vinny said softly, teasing, letting the words linger like smoke in the room. "Do you… always need to dominate?"
Matthew's jaw tightened. His fingers flexed on the edge of the desk, brushing just slightly against the dagger at his hip. "I don't need to dominate," he said low, deliberate, dangerous. "I want to. And you…" His eyes flicked over Vinny slowly, sharply. "…you make it very hard not to."
Vinny's lips curved into a slow, lazy smirk. "Oh?" He leaned in just a fraction closer, letting his presence press against Matthew's in a subtle, tantalizing way. "You think you could… control me? Lock me in your estate… your rules… your world?"
Matthew's chest tightened. He wanted that—wanted to claim Vinny, make him his in every sense. But he also knew that rushing would spoil the thrill. And thrill… thrill was half the fun.
"I could," he said finally, voice low, dangerous, edged with a promise. "If I wanted to. And I very much want to."
Vinny tilted his head, green eyes glinting, sparkling with mischief and heat. "And what if I resist?"
Matthew's smirk was slow, deliberate, teasing. "Then I'd enjoy the challenge."
Vinny let a soft laugh escape. "I do love dangerous men," he murmured. His voice was quiet, sultry, dangerous—a melody Matthew wanted to follow into hell. "Men who make you ache… who make you burn… and still… you can't look away."
Matthew's pulse quickened—just slightly, imperceptibly. He hated how much the presence of this man, this bold, reckless, magnetic man, affected him. Hated that he wanted more, needed more, craved the dangerous fire Vinny carried without ever showing it.
Vinny stepped even closer, close enough that Matthew could feel the warmth of him radiating, close enough that a single wrong move could set the room ablaze. "You like me," Vinny said softly, just low enough for Matthew alone to hear. "Even if you don't want to admit it."
Matthew's fingers twitched. He wanted to reach out, to pull Vinny closer, to assert the dominance he had been restraining. But he didn't. Not yet. He had to make Vinny crave the next move, had to let the tension stretch just a little more… a dangerous, delicious line they both danced upon.
"You're bold," Matthew said finally, voice low and deliberate. "Reckless. Foolish."
Vinny's grin widened, a faint glint of amusement in his green eyes. "Good," he said softly. "Then maybe I belong here… with a man who thrives on danger."
Matthew's jaw tightened. He stood slowly, tall, imposing, circling Vinny just slightly, letting the predator instincts hum. Every movement was precise, calculated. But the thrill—the pull, the tease—was undeniable. And Matthew hated that it was.
Vinny's eyes followed him, unflinching, teasing, magnetic. He leaned in again, just enough to press the faintest hint of heat against Matthew. "You're dangerous," he murmured. "I like dangerous."
Matthew's voice dropped, low, edged with something barely restrained. "And you… you're reckless. You're… tempting. And I… I can't stop noticing."
Vinny tilted his head, letting a faint smirk play on his lips. "Good. Notice me. Watch me. I like the attention. I like making the fire burn."
Matthew's fingers curled slightly, brushing the edge of the desk again. He wanted to close the distance—to claim, to dominate, to make Vinny yield. But restraint… restraint made the eventual explosion all the more delicious.
Vinny noticed the subtle tension, the flicker of want in Matthew's eyes. He let a teasing laugh escape, soft, low, a challenge. "You're not as controlled as you pretend to be," he said quietly. "I can see the fire underneath. I can feel it."
Matthew's chest tightened. He hated how much he wanted to give in, how much he wanted to see Vinny bend, how much he wanted to break him in that slow, precise, excruciatingly delicious way.
Vinny stepped slightly closer, letting just enough heat brush Matthew's arm, testing the limits. "Do you always let men get this close?" he whispered. "Or am I… special?"
Matthew's eyes flickered, pale green fire igniting. He wanted to speak, wanted to assert dominance, wanted to make Vinny beg. But he didn't. He let Vinny linger, let him play, let him inch closer.
Because right now… the game was more intoxicating than any control. And Vinny… Vinny was a master of the tease.
"You're insufferable," Matthew murmured, voice low, dangerous, almost a growl. "But… dangerously tempting."
Vinny's grin widened, slow, lazy, wicked. "Then I'll take that as a compliment."
Matthew leaned just slightly forward, letting the heat of proximity press against him, letting every unspoken word, every flicker of desire, hang heavy in the air. Vinny didn't flinch. He let it linger, smiled, smirked, challenged.
The air between them crackled, electric, suffocating, magnetic. The tension stretched taut, a wire ready to snap at any moment.
Kieran Hale, still in the doorway, smirked faintly, muttering under his breath: "Oh… they're both going to melt before this is over."
Vinny didn't move away. He stayed close, teasing, dangerous, inching toward Matthew in ways that left the air between them on fire. And Matthew… Matthew let it happen, letting the anticipation, the tease, the tension build until it was almost unbearable.
This was only the beginning.
And the fire… oh, the fire was coming.
The door clicked softly behind him. Kieran Hale's smirk lingered in the shadows for a heartbeat, then the sound of his footsteps faded. And suddenly… the office felt smaller, heavier, alive with a tension that had no witness but the two of them.
Vinny didn't move. He let the silence stretch, let the absence of the playful observer amplify every heartbeat, every shallow breath. He was dangerously close now, shoulder brushing lightly against Matthew's as he leaned over the edge of the desk. The faint scent of his cologne—spicy, intoxicating—wafted into Matthew's senses.
Matthew's green eyes flickered, sharp, calculating, alive. Alone. No Kieran. No distractions. Just the two of them. The predator and the predator, circling, teasing, dangerous.
"You're insufferable," Matthew murmured, voice low, deadly, edged with something raw, almost animal. "Do you know how… tempting you are?"
Vinny smirked, leaning ever so slightly closer, letting the faintest pressure of his body brush Matthew's. "I like tempting men," he whispered, voice soft, sultry, teasing. "Especially dangerous ones."
Matthew's hand twitched near his coat pocket. He wanted to reach out, to claim, to dominate, to show Vinny exactly what it meant to be controlled. But he didn't. Not yet. He wanted the tension to build, to twist tight, to make Vinny ache for the next move.
Vinny's pulse quickened slightly, but he didn't retreat. He thrived on this—the pull, the chase, the delicate balance of power. And he let Matthew feel it, inch by inch, teasingly.
"You should be careful," Matthew said low, almost a growl. "The closer you get… the more dangerous it becomes—for you."
Vinny tilted his head, green eyes glinting like emerald fire. "Dangerous men… make life interesting," he murmured. "And maybe… I like interesting."
Matthew's lips twitched—half smirk, half warning. He stepped closer, closing the small remaining space between them, letting the heat of his body press faintly against Vinny's. Every inch, every movement was calculated, precise. Yet the thrill of the proximity, the undeniable pull… it made him reckless in ways he hated and loved.
Vinny's hand brushed lightly over the edge of the desk, tracing the faint wood grain, subtle but deliberate. He let it linger close to Matthew, a teasing claim without ever touching. "You're… very controlled," he whispered. "Calculated. Precise. And yet… there's a fire inside you. I can feel it."
Matthew's green eyes darkened. "And you… think you can handle that fire?"
Vinny smirked, leaning just a fraction closer, their chests nearly brushing now. "I can handle a lot," he murmured. "But maybe… I like seeing exactly how far you'll go to control me."
Matthew's jaw clenched, pale green eyes flickering dangerously. He wanted to close the distance, to pull Vinny into the heat of his desire. He wanted to assert dominance, to make Vinny yield. But restraint… restraint made it all the more delicious.
Vinny's lips curved into a slow, lazy smile. "You're very… tempting," he murmured. "Even when you try not to be."
Matthew's fingers twitched near the desk again, brushing lightly against the dagger at his hip—a subtle warning, a reminder that he was still the predator here. But the heat, the proximity, the unspoken tension… it made him ache in ways he hadn't expected.
Vinny leaned in slightly, just enough for Matthew to feel the faintest brush of his shoulder. "You think you're in control," he whispered, voice low, teasing, dangerous. "But maybe… the game isn't yours alone."
Matthew's breath caught slightly. He hated that the words made him pause, that the audacity of this man… this dangerous, reckless, magnetic man… unsettled him. And yet, he wanted to see how far Vinny would go, wanted to test the limits, wanted to dominate while letting the tease stretch taut.
Vinny's smirk widened. "I like seeing the fire behind your eyes," he murmured. "The part you hide… the part you can't control. The part that wants me… just as badly as I want you."
Matthew's chest tightened. He could feel the pull, the magnetic heat, the tension that had been simmering all night, all day. He wanted to step forward, to close the final gap, to make Vinny bend to him… but he didn't. Not yet. The anticipation… the slow burn… it was intoxicating.
Vinny let the tension linger, teasing, inching closer, watching Matthew's reactions. Every twitch, every flicker of emotion, every heartbeat… it was a game, a dangerous, delicious game. And he was winning.
"You should be careful," Matthew murmured again, voice low, dangerous. "I don't forgive recklessness."
Vinny leaned slightly closer, letting his shoulder press just a whisper against Matthew's. "Good," he whispered. "I like dangerous men who don't forgive. I like the fire… the risk. I like… you."
Matthew's hand twitched near the edge of the desk. He wanted to act, to claim, to dominate. But he stayed still, letting Vinny inch closer, letting the tension stretch, letting the anticipation crackle between them.
Vinny's pulse raced slightly, but he stayed, teasing, challenging, magnetic. The room felt alive with desire, with danger, with unspoken promises. Every inch of the air between them was electric, charged, suffocating, intoxicating.
Matthew leaned in just slightly, letting the heat press faintly against Vinny. "You're… reckless," he murmured, voice low, dangerous. "And yet… I want you. I want to see exactly how far you'll go."
Vinny's grin widened, slow, lazy, wicked. "Then… maybe you'll have to find out," he whispered, inching just slightly closer, letting every word, every movement, every teasing smile, hang heavy in the air.
Matthew's eyes darkened, a dangerous flicker of green fire igniting. The anticipation… the tease… the magnetic pull of this man… it was driving him insane. And he hated it. Loved it. Needed it.
Vinny didn't move away. He stayed close, teasing, dangerous, inching toward Matthew in ways that made the air between them burn. And Matthew… Matthew let it happen. Let the tension build. Let the fire wait.
Because when it ignited… neither of them would survive it unscathed.