Page 93 of The Dominator

That surprised me.

“Really?” I asked.

“Mm hm. Maybe more cute than hot, actually. But more than that, it gives me hope. Hope that you’re really being open about this. If you didn’t want me you wouldn’t care.”

I smiled. That was sweet. Then he added in a warning. “But now that I’ve put your mind at ease don’t accuse me of that again.”

Fear spiked. Why did he have to do that? Go from sweet to like that? I let out a little sigh.

“Hey?” He tipped my chin up and held my gaze. His face looked pissed.

“I understand,” I told him quietly. Then he bolted up and hauled me over his knee. I shrieked in surprise.

“Maybe I need to spank you, so you’ll remember.”

Now his voice was very husky. He ran his palm down my back and onto my bottom. He squeezed. Then someone knocked on the door. He let me go and tapped my bum playfully and winked at me.

Phew.

He got up to answer it. James, Tessa’s husband, was at the door. Tommy stepped into the hall and closed the door. I took a deep breath, smoothed out my clothes, and zipped up the suitcase and heaved it onto the floor.

About twenty minutes later he was back and got the suitcases. His whole demeanor seemed way off. He seemed intimidating, fierce. Was it lack of sleep, was he pissed at me, or had something else happened? I got my purse and my train case and followed him out.

When I stepped into the hall, James was still there. He took my case from me and signaled for me to head down the stairs ahead of him. I smiled at him and he returned the smile. We hadn’t really been introduced but I thought it was odd that he was a member of the family by marriage but yet was carrying luggage to a car for me. I wondered if Luc’s husband was a guard, too.

I nodded off and on throughout the flight. I had a lot on my mind, and though I was exhausted, I couldn’t get my brain to completely rest on a plane, when falling into a deep sleep could mean I wasn’t able to react to something going wrong. I’ve flown a lot but always hated it. She got the window seat and was thrilled about looking out.

* * *

“Slot machines in an airport?”

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet,” I told her.

We stepped out into the hot Nevada sun and got into the limo the hotel had sent.

“The city comes alive when the sun goes down. Wait till tonight. I’ll show you why they call it Sin City.”

* * *

We settled into our hotel suite, which had an adjoining room with my two security guys, Jimmy and Nino. I could handle myself so with the exception of Mexico I didn’t typically use personal security. These guys were here for her. I’d leave them with her when I did what I had to do.

Nino was the son of Pop’s former right-hand man and he was married to my Pop’s former partner’s daughter who was like a cousin to me.

I’d filled him and his wife in on who Tia was and I’d filled him in on info I’d just discovered, telling me who her mother was to my family, so I figured he’d be extra vigilant about her. He was eager and had been trustworthy for the past six years he’d worked with us.

And Jimmy, though still working up the ranks, had proven to be a good guy. He’d been a good friend of Dare’s all through school and was good to my sister. These two were the best I could do for the moment from a peace of mind perspective. I had to hope it’d be good enough.

It was like having my eyes off of her for more than a second wasn’t good enough. I had to slow my anxiety. It could be I still wasn’t over the whole Mexico thing. Or maybe it was my gut telling me something else wasn’t right. I was sifting through information from Earl about Pop that I wasn’t okay with, and there was all the shit Greg O’Connor had fed me, too, to contend with. That, coupled with anxiety about Tia’s safety had me off kilter. What I probably needed more than anything was a solid eight hours of sleep.

11

Our suite was luxurious, with three bathrooms (a his, a hers, and another one), separate bedroom and dining slash sitting room, and we had a great view of the Bellagio fountains as well as the Vegas version of the Eiffel Tower.

Tommy left shortly after we arrived, telling me to stay in the room, to order room service if I wanted anything, and just relax for a few hours, but that he’d be back for dinner.

He had Nino and James staying in an attached room that was accessible from the sitting room, to be close in case I needed them. I was given strict orders to not answer the door, only to inform James or Nino if someone knocked on my door who they hadn’t already noticed. Tommy handed me a wad of cash to put in my wallet and told me to simply sign for everything and give out 25% for tips for room service and for if I have someone from the spa come up to give me a massage or manicure.

So, the three of us stayed in our rooms while everyone else in Las Vegas had fun and while Tommy was off doing whatever he was doing.

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