CHAPTER 6- THE DEVIL'S DEAL

MATILDA'S POV

I should have walked out.

That thought sat in my chest, heavy and loud, like it was trying to claw its way up my throat.

I should have walked out.

But I didn’t.

Because standing in front of Gideon Vale, with his calm voice and colder eyes, I knew one thing with a clarity that made me sick, If I walked out that door, my mother and I were done for.

No house, No miracle waiting around the corner.

Just… nothing.

The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. He hadn’t moved. Hadn’t blinked. He just watched me like he already knew what I was going to do.

And that pissed me off more than anything.

My fingers curled into fists at my sides.

God, I hated him.

I hated the way he spoke like everything was already decided.

I hated the way he looked at me like I was a problem he was enjoying.

I hated that I was still standing here.

“You’re insane,” I said again, my voice not as steady as I wanted it to be.

His expression didn’t change.

“I’m aware.”

That calmness?

It made something in me snap.

“This isn’t normal,” I continued, taking a step back like distance would somehow fix this situation. “You don’t just tell people to—what? Follow you around like some kind of—”

“Make a decision, Matilda.”

My name in his mouth felt wrong.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

I could leave.

Right now.

I could walk out, slam the door behind me, go back to my mom and tell her… what?

That we lost everything?

That I chose pride over a roof over our heads?

My chest tightened.

Damn it.

Damn him.

And damn my father.

“Fine.”

The word slipped out before I could dress it up with anger.

Before I could make it sound like I wasn’t cornered.

“This is insane,” I added quickly, needing to take something back, anything. “You’re not normal. This, whatever this is, it’s messed up.”

He didn’t argue.

Didn’t defend himself, he didn’t even look offended.

“Get up.”

I blinked.

“What?”

He was already moving. He reached for his jacket like the conversation had ended five minutes ago and I was just late catching up.

“Come.”

I stared at him, disbelief bubbling up in my chest again. “Come where?”

He didn’t answer.

Didn’t even look back.

He just walked toward the door like he expected me to follow.

Like I already belonged in whatever plan he had running in that senile head of his.

I stood there for a few seconds.

My pride screamed at me to stay put.

To tell him to go to hell.

To remind him that I wasn’t one of his cock socking

Minions.

mom’s face flashed in my mind, and just like that, my pride was crushed. Again.

I grabbed my bag and followed him.

The hallway seemed weirder now. I could notice the stares of the few people passing by us.

The shock on their faces seeing a red head in a black jumper tailing their grim reaper Boss.

I wonder what they thought of the current pair we made. Two psychos? A desperate daughter and a heartless CEO?

“You’re thinking too loud.”

I snapped my head toward him. “Excuse me?”

His gaze didn’t turn to me.

“I can hear it.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I shot back, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Do you want me to schedule my thoughts next time? Maybe run them by you first?”

He didn't find it funny. Didn't even move a facial muscle.

“Good.” He said instead.

I blinked.

“What?”

“You’re still talking.”

I frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

This time, he looked at me.

And something about the way his eyes settled on my face made my stomach twist.

“It means,” he said slowly, “you haven’t broken yet.”

Something about that word.

Broken.

It hit a nerve I didn’t know was exposed.

“I’m not something you get to break,” I snapped.

His gaze didn’t waver.

“We’ll see.”

My chest tightened.

God, I hated him.

The underground parking lot was cold.

Dark.

The kind of place that made you feel like you shouldn’t be there.

Like something bad had happened here before—and would again.

He walked toward a black car like it was an extension of him, dark and cold.

He opened the driver’s door and made himself comfortable.

didn’t say a word to me.

I stood there.

Staring at the passenger side.

“What am I supposed to-”

“Get in, Matilda.”

My jaw clenched. God! I hated his tone.

It was like I was already expected to obey.

But, sadly, instead of flipping him off, my hand still reached for the door.

The car smelled like expensive cologne, something earthy. Like him.

The engine started smoothly, barely making a sound. My red Chevy could never compare.

We drove in silence. I stared out the window, watching the city blur past.

Trying not to think. Trying not to feel like I had just signed my life away to a man who looked at me like a toy instead of a person.

When the car stopped, an eerie darkness enveloped me.

The bar.

The den.

The place I had walked into like an idiot a few days ago.

Only now…

It felt different.

The moment we walked in, the energy shifted.

Conversations paused.

Eyes turned, and as always, they landed on the odd one. Me.

Gideon, on the other way, walked in like he owned the air.

Like the room bent around him.

And I… walked beside him.

Refusing to shrink.

Refusing to look intimidated.

Even if my heart was beating a little too fast.

“Well, well.”

The voice came from the side.

I turned.

And there he was.

Forehead tattoo guy.

His eyes landed on me, lighting up like he’d just found something entertaining.

“And she's back,” he said, circling slightly, like I was something to inspect.

I didn’t move. Didn’t flinch.

“Got a problem?” I shot back.

His grin widened.

“Oh, I like her.”

“Don’t.” Gideon snarled sharply.

The guy laughed, surprisingly unfazed by the deadly  tone of this psycho.

“Relax, boss. Just welcoming our ball of sunshine"

Great.

Two psychos.

Lucky me.

I glanced at Gideon.

I caught something in his expression, he didn’t like the attention being on me.

I didn't know how to feel about that.

I looked away quickly.

Nope.

Not going there.

I didn’t realize how tense I was until it hit me all at once.

The noise. The people.The weight of everything.

My shoulders sagged, my head bent, just a little.

But that was all it took.

Because when I looked up, Gideon was already watching me.

Like he’d been waiting for that exact moment.

My stomach twisted.

He saw it.

That tiny crack.

That moment of... exhaustion, not weakness.

Definitely not weakness.

I straightened again.

Lifted my chin.

Met his gaze head-on.

“I’m fine.” I mouthed in his direction.

His lips curved slightly.

Like he didn’t believe me.

Like he didn’t need to.

“Good,” he said.

And somehow, That felt like a warning.

“You start tomorrow.”

The words hit me out of nowhere.

I blinked. “What?”

His gaze didn’t leave mine.

“You heard me.”

My heart stuttered.

“Tomorrow?” I repeated. “Are you serious?”

“I don’t repeat myself Matilda.”

Of course he didn’t.

I let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you’re here.”

That shut me up.

Fast.

Because he was right.

And we both knew it.

I swallowed, my chest tightening again.

This wasn’t a game.

This wasn’t something I could stall.

This was happening.

Now.

“Where?” I asked, hating how small he made me.

He didn’t hesitate.

“My house.”

Of course.

Of course it was.

I nodded slowly, forcing myself to hold his gaze.

“Fine.”

His eyes lingered on me for a second longer.

Like he was measuring something.

“6AM.”

My breath caught.

“Huh?"

“Don’t be late.”

This was fucked up.

I wasn’t walking into a deal.

I had walked into something else entirely.

Something that didn’t have clear rules.

Something that felt less like an agreement…

And more like a cage.

And the worst part?

I had closed the door myself.