21
Chapter Twenty-One
“So, Dominic, I understand you have some reservations about our plan for Monday,” Shadow nonchalantly says as he scoops up another bite.
Dominic’s eyes fly up to meet his, the fire has returned, and his lips are drawn into a tight, straight line. His pissed off look is much more convincing than mine, but since Shadow isn’t one to back down, either, there’s a silent war of wills happening. Everyone keeps eating in silence and blatantly avoids looking at either of them.
It appears I’m the only one who’s been left out of this tidbit of information.
“What’s the plan for Monday?” I ask, my eyes darting between Dominic and Shadow to see which one will answer me first. Shadow smiles at Dominic but their staring contest is still ongoing.
Abruptly standing up, my chair slides across the floor, causing all eyes to turn to me. “Someone needs to tell me about‘the plan’for Monday, NOW,” I demand, making air quotes with my fingers to show my disgust with being left out.
“Sit down, Sophia,” Dominic replies, trying unsuccessfully to hide the anger in his voice.
“No,” I use my assertive voice. “Something’s up and you’re intentionally leaving me out of it. I’m not a child and I’m not going to break. I deserve to know what’s obviously got you so upset tonight.”
“You haven’t told her?” Shadow asks, but this time there’s no hint of joking. His face changes to something lethal and scary. “Why haven’t you told her?”
“Told. Me. What?” I stress each word as I slam my hands down on the table.
“Sophia,” Dominic says, all traces of anger in his face and voice have been carefully hidden, “let’s go upstairs and talk.”
As I straighten to stand upright, I see a slight shake of Shadow’s head as he continues to show his disapproval. Dominic stands and extends his hand to me. The lost, sad look has returned to his eyes and I know this is what he was thinking about before Shadow said anything. “Come with me,” he urges.
Taking his hand, he firmly grips mine and wordlessly leads me up to the bedroom. After closing and locking the door, he leads me to the bed and has me sit on the edge of the mattress. Then he completely stuns me when he drops to his knees on the floor in front of me and lays his head in my lap. His arms wrap around my hips and he just holds me for several, quiet minutes.
Lovingly stroking his head, running my fingers through it, and rubbing his shoulders, I wait for him to collect his thoughts. “I wasn’t keeping it from you, Sophia. I just wanted to talk to you about it alone,” he finally speaks but keeps his head in my lap.
“About what?” I ask quietly, still running my fingers through his hair.
“I’m meeting with Ramon Cortez late Monday afternoon. The FBI will be there, watching from another room. They have information that he is after you–to kidnap you or…” his voice drops off and I can’t seem to find mine.
“They say you have to be there, Sophia. He’s had someone watching you come and go from the office. So, if you don’t show up for work like you normally do, he will know something is up. They want me to willingly put your life in danger so they can get information on him, maybe make an arrest.
“How can I do that? My job is to love you, protect you, and earn your trust. If I knowingly put you in a dangerous situation that I can’t control, I’m not holding up my end of the relationship. But more than that,” he sighs heavily, not wanting to say the next part.
Pulling up from my embrace, his eyes find mine and that sad, haunted look breaks my heart. His big hand wraps around the back of my neck and he pulls my face close to his. “More than that, I have areallybad feeling, Sophia. I can’t lose you.”
Now his comments from just after his meeting with Tucker make sense. He doesn’t think I’d leave him for another man. He thinks I’m going to be taken or maybe even killed. My Dom doesn’t worry without a reason and he isn’t scared of any man.
“Why do you think you’ll lose me, Dominic?”
Leaning his forehead against mine, he tells me. “They were after me at first, with the car wreck and the house fire. But, now it seems thatyouare their primary target.”
“Is this because of Harrison?”
Dominic springs to his feet and paces the floor. His hands are in his hair, running through it over and over, until it’s standing on end in wild, sexy spikes. I remain still, watching his agitation grow.
“That’s what I’ve been going over and over in my mind. It doesn’t make sense to me. Why would Cortez go to such great lengths to get to you as a favor to Harrison? He can’t do anything to help Cortez in return. A man like Cortez doesn’t do something for nothing.
“I think there’s something we’ve missed and it’s the unknown factor that I’m having a hard time dealing with. I don’t even know where to begin to look for answers. I don’t know how to keep you safe when I can’t see which direction the threat is coming from.”
He stops pacing, his back is to me, and his hands are drawn into tight fists. I expect him to punch the door and run his hand through it at any moment now. He feels out of control and the old doubts about his worthiness to be a Dom are trying to resurface. He is my Dom, though. He commands my body with just a glance. His voice thrills me beyond measure. He owns my body, my mind, and my heart with a single touch.
There’s no man who could ever compare to Dominic Powers.
I quietly remove my clothes and slide up the bed. The soft clicking of the buckles on the wrist restraints draws his attention to me. When he sees me lying on the bed completely naked, partially restrained, and totally his, the Dom I know and love comes out to play.
