Page 28 of Master Heimdall

“I can force you, but I won’t. Instead, I will give you an explanation.”

Oh, this should be good, what was he going to tell me, that he had a woman field agent once who bit the dust?

“When I was just getting ready to graduate from high school, my parents were in a car accident. They were run off the road by a long-haul trucker who never stopped to see if they were okay. Their car had gone far enough into the woods beside the highway that no one saw their vehicle and the accident wasn’t reported until night time, when someone finally saw the hazard lights my dad had the forethought to switch on before he passed out, but by the time the police arrived, it was too late. When the truck hit them, they spun out of control and down the embankment, into the woods, hit a tree and landed on their side. They were trapped inside and died later that night of their injuries. Had their car been spotted earlier, had they a bracelet like the one I just gave you, they would have lived and I would still have them in my life. When they died, I was devastated, lost, and it wasn’t until I found my tribe in college that I could even begin to understand the depths of my loss and what it did to me.”

For once, I saw behind his cool collective mask, beyond the control and dominance, to the boy who lost his parents too soon. I felt a rush of pleasure move through me at the idea that he cared enough about me to want to ensure what happened to his family never happened to me.

But also riding on the coattails of that pleasure was my independence telling me I didn’t need a man running my life. He’d said that he wanted control, that he had to have it that night after we played at the club. Had I thought about what he’d said and what that would mean for me, or had I merely been reacting to everything and attempting to get everything my way, without me having to change what I was comfortable with?

Crap! I felt like a shithead.

I said I wanted a strong dominant man, but I’d never considered how that would affect me outside of play time. “If I say no, will this thing between us be over?”

Gabriel’s mask slid into place and I was back to speaking with the man I was quickly learning was a control freak. No wonder he loved private security.

“I told you right from the start what I was like and would do, remember?”

“Yes, I do. Okay, then I will accept under one condition.”

Gabriel's eyes narrowed. “I’ll consider it, what is your condition?”

“I want access to your phone’s tracking app so I can also follow you. It actually makes sense if you think about it. If ever there was a problem, I will need to know where you are anyway to send in reinforcements.”

I tied it up in a pretty bow, hoping he wouldn’t see through my true intentions.

“I agree to your conditions.”

He took my phone back and altered the app to include his location. “You will wear that bracelet at all times, Rose, do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Sir.” I saluted.

At the door, I rose onto my tippy toes to kiss him goodbye.

“Not at work,” he admonished.

I didn’t try to hide the hurt I felt at his rejection.

“How about dinner tonight, my place?”

I lowered back to my feet. “Fine. What can I bring?”

“Just bring you… in as little clothing as possible,” he added with a wink.

I batted my eyelashes at him and turned to walk away, adding an extra swing in my step, so my ass wiggled. I called over my shoulder. “It sounds like my kind of dinner.”

I caught Gabe shaking his head but didn’t miss the small smile on his face before he closed his office door.

Chapter Thirteen

Heimdall

The city lights flickered like a thousand tiny stars, mingling with the twinkle lights adorning my deck. Inside, candle flames danced, scattering images throughout the living space that lent a softer light to the space.

All of which was intentional on my part. This would be my first date with Rose, and the first time being together outside of work, and the club, and I was surprisingly a bit nervous. It had been a very long time since I’d dated, that also had been intentional. The ability to play at a club with a woman also looking to scene with no strings attached, had become more prevalent over the recent years, taking away my need for a deeper connection.

The thought had crossed my mind several times today about my intentions and what this dinner would mean. Not just to me, but for Rose also, and more importantly us. I wanted there to be an us, but my reservations had more to do with her incredibleness, and not so much our chemistry.

The woman constantly threw me off balance and being with her was like being on a teeter totter where the weight on the opposite end shifted every time a rhythm started. Her personality was rife with contradictions to the point of causing me emotional whiplash, and I wasn’t sure that was something I could take on, especially without my conditions being met.

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