A Billionaire's Mistake

61|Thrive

Sienna

"Sienna."

"Sienna, I'm here. Wake up."

My eyes shoot open into the darkness of a room that isn't mine. I'm drenched in sweat, and my heart is racing, but I can't seem to find a way to calm down. All I can feel is Travis's hands on my body, pinning me down, touching places that weren't his, and my lungs feel constricted as they always would when he'd—"

A looming figure peers down at me, and even with my heart hammering, I spin from where I'm lying on the couch, bringing my knee right to the person's groin. When a manly grunt fills the silence, and the figure doubles over, I take the opportunity and tackle him to the floor, straddling his hips with my forearm pressed against his throat.

I take the second of reprieve to take in my surroundings. The room is pitch-black, but then the events of the past twenty-four hours sink in. Being followed... Not feeling comfortable enough to go home... Coming to Riley and Carmen's apartment instead.

I'm in their living room.

I'm safe.

But then who...?

Narrowing my eyes into the darkness of the room, the lights of the city cast a glow onto the man's skin, and with a jagged sigh of relief, I take the weight of my forearm off of his throat, allowing him room to breathe.

"Linc, what the hell are you doing here?" I hiss.

He's coughing as he tries to catch his breath from either the previous weight on his throat or the jab to his groin. "Jesus," he pants, a smile tugging on his lips. "I don't know whether to be scared or impressed. Adrenaline works wonders for you, Sienna. Where the hell has this girl been in training?"

"I...I thought you were..." I can't finish the sentence before moving off his lap, sinking onto the plush white carpet. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Los Angeles."

"Carmen called me a few hours ago," he explains. "Why didn't you tell me you felt you were being followed? You know I would have been on the first flight home."

"Because I don't need your help, Linc. I've got it handled. I already contacted Archer, but the security cameras seemed to have been hacked into. Whoever entered my building didn't alarm the security you hired to watch me, which means..."

"Whoever the snitch is, they have clearance into the building." His features harden before he lets out a sigh. "Regardless, you should have told me. It's not that I don't think you can handle yourself. Just because you can doesn't mean you should."

The urge to tell him no crawls its way up my throat, right on the tip of my tongue, but I can't say it. I'm used to being independent and handling everything myself, but as much as it's an instinct for me to tell him to go back to Los Angeles, I'd be lying if I said I wanted him to leave.

I'm petrified after the events of today. As good of friends as Riley and Carmen are, they aren't him. Lincoln is the only person I truly feel myself with, and while I may never need him, I'm learning that it's okay to want him by my side.

Letting out a strangled sob, I collapse into his arms, allowing him to pull me into his lap. He holds me close to his chest, my head resting on his shoulder as he kisses the top of my head repeatedly. "We're going to find him," he reassures. "I promise you."

"But what are we supposed to do until then? I can't live like this anymore. I can't be afraid to go to work. I don't want to live in fear, but lately..."

"I know," he replies. "We're going to figure it out. Together."

"You're supposed to be on a business trip. This is your time to step into your CEO position, and instead, you're having to take care of me because I can't seem to take care of myself. I worried my friends enough that they felt the need to call you. It's embarrassing enough."