The silence between them was deafening, as if the weight of everything unsaid had settled in the room, thick and suffocating. Matthew stood across from Vinny, his chest heaving with exertion, his mind racing faster than he could control. The space between them was close—too close—but for the first time in ages, neither one of them moved to close the gap.
Vinny's fingers twitched at his sides, a nervous tick he had been trying to hide for years but failed every time he was near Matthew. The chemistry between them had always been explosive—volatile—but now? It was a different kind of tension, one that felt heavier, like something was bound to snap. And he wasn't sure he was ready for it.
"You're quiet," Matthew remarked, his voice low, darker than usual, laced with that familiar edge that made Vinny's heart stutter.
Vinny didn't answer right away, unsure if he even could. The words tangled in his throat, thick and sharp, but all he could do was look at Matthew—the man who had somehow invaded his every thought, his every plan, and his every goddamn action.
"I'm not sure if I like where this is going," Vinny finally said, the words escaping before he could stop them. There it was—the fear that had been building for days now.
Matthew's lips curled into something that was almost a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "It's already gone too far."
The words hit Vinny harder than he expected. Too far? That was the point, wasn't it?
Vinny took a step forward, his eyes narrowing as he tried to read Matthew's face, trying to figure out if he was being toyed with or if Matthew really believed this was more than just a game. But Matthew was always unreadable, especially now.
"Then why are we still doing this?" Vinny asked, his voice just a little too sharp. "If it's gone too far, why are you still here?"
Matthew let out a slow exhale, the weight of his gaze heavy on Vinny. He didn't answer right away. Instead, he moved, slowly, like a predator testing the waters, like he was toying with Vinny's nerves. His footsteps were quiet against the floor, but his presence was anything but.
Vinny tensed, his pulse quickening as Matthew closed the gap between them. And then, just as Vinny thought he would be pulled into another kiss, another round of this dangerous, drawn-out game, Matthew stopped, standing too close for comfort.
"Because you want me here," Matthew murmured. "Don't you?"
Vinny's lips parted as if he had a response, but the words caught in his throat. Did he? Did he want Matthew here, tangled in all the chaos they had created together? Or was he just addicted to the destruction Matthew brought?
Matthew reached out, brushing his fingers lightly along Vinny's jaw, forcing him to meet his eyes. "You want this more than you're willing to admit, Vinny."
A rush of heat spread through Vinny's body at the touch, and he cursed under his breath. He hated how easily Matthew could manipulate him, how easily he could make Vinny feel like he was drowning, even when he was standing in the middle of a room.
"I never wanted this," Vinny shot back, but even to his own ears, it sounded like a lie.
Matthew tilted his head, a mockingly sympathetic smile curling at the corners of his lips. "That's the thing, though. You've wanted it all along. You just didn't know it yet."
Vinny's heart thudded painfully in his chest as Matthew stepped closer. This was the point of no return—the place where they both pushed too far, both gave in to something they couldn't take back.
Matthew leaned in, his breath hot against Vinny's ear, and whispered, "You're not going anywhere. Not without me."
Before Vinny could process the words, Matthew's lips were on his, a desperate, hungry kiss that left him breathless. Vinny's hands flew to Matthew's chest, but instead of pushing him away, he gripped the fabric of Matthew's shirt tighter, pulling him even closer, deepening the kiss.
This time, there was no teasing, no playing around. There was only need, want, and a darkness that surrounded them both.
Vinny's head spun as Matthew kissed him with a fierceness that took him by surprise, as if Matthew was afraid of losing him. And maybe he was. Maybe this wasn't just a game for Matthew anymore. Maybe there was something more at stake, something both of them were unwilling to face.
When they finally pulled away, gasping for air, the silence between them felt heavier than before. Matthew's fingers still hovered over Vinny's skin, his touch burning through the thin fabric of his shirt. Vinny's eyes fluttered open, meeting Matthew's dark gaze.
"Does it scare you?" Matthew asked, his voice hoarse.
Vinny swallowed hard, trying to ignore the pounding in his chest. "No."
But even as the word left his lips, he wasn't sure he believed it.
Matthew's smirk returned, his fingers trailing down Vinny's neck, slowly, torturously. "Liar."
"Shut up," Vinny muttered, trying to push him away, but there was no force behind the motion. The truth was, he didn't want to push Matthew away. He wanted him close. He wanted to be trapped in this twisted, unhealthy thing they'd created.
"You do want me here," Matthew repeated, voice soft but commanding. "You want this. You want me."
Vinny's breath caught in his throat. It was almost too much to admit, even to himself. But there was no denying it anymore. He was too far gone.
"I'm not the one who started this," Vinny spat out, trying to deflect, trying to keep some semblance of control.
Matthew's eyes narrowed, but the corner of his mouth quirked into that dangerous smile. "No. You didn't. But now… you're here. And you're not going anywhere. Neither am I."
The words hung in the air, thick and suffocating, before Matthew leaned in again, claiming his lips with a brutal kiss that sent a shock of electricity through Vinny's veins. There was no softness now—just raw, animalistic desire.
Vinny's hands moved to Matthew's shoulders, fingers digging into the muscle, pulling him closer. He couldn't stop it. The need—the desire—was consuming him. He wanted Matthew, wanted to feel him in ways he didn't fully understand.
"You're mine now," Matthew growled, breaking the kiss only long enough to utter the words, his breath ragged against Vinny's skin.
Vinny laughed breathlessly, his voice tinged with disbelief. "I'm not anyone's."
Matthew's eyes darkened, his hands sliding under Vinny's shirt, pushing it up, exposing his skin. "You will be."
In the back of his mind, a small voice told him this was dangerous, that he was crossing a line. But it was too late to stop now. The pull between them was too strong, too intoxicating to fight.