Page 70 of Cruel Dominion

He groaned, shutting his eyes to take a long breath before he opened them to speak again.

“Anna Vaughn, if you think for one fucking second I don’t want you, you are criminally insane.”

My stomach flipped, coming alive with that feeling only Carter could provoke.

“But if we’re doing this, I want you to enjoy it. I want to give you something better than this.” he motioned to the beach.

I thought sex on the beach at night was romantic, not that I’d ever tried it. I’d never thought it was a big deal before. And we’d only ever seen one other person out here this late in all these months. No one would see us. No one would know.

“What about if we tried…”

“What?” he asked.

I want to give you a blowjob sounded horrible in my head. Childish.

It would sound worse out loud.

Carter followed my gaze and seemed to pick up on what I was asking. I’d touched him, but I’d never tasted him, and right now the thought of trying made my mouth water and my skin prickle with nerves.

“Do you know how?”

I shook my head. “But I want to do it.”

He held my gaze for a long time.

“I’ll tell you what to do,” he said finally. “But I get to taste you first.”

18

CARTER

Gray clouds filling a navy sky.

The full moon peeking out from behind them.

The dark ocean creeping in. Creeping out.

I sat back in my office chair, staring at Anna’s photograph. Even after years of examining it, I was still able to find new depths to it. New meanings. For years, all I had was this photo and my memories. I examined them constantly, looking for any angle I could have missed, like I could find proof that I would see her again.

When Anna came back to my life, she was infinitely more complex than those memories. She had survived so much, and it made her stronger, but more wary. Some of her innocence had faded, but none of her goodness.

She fascinated me more than ever. Even though so much changed, she was still mine. The link between us had never broken. But she would need to learn to trust me with more than her body.

I needed her to trust me like she used to. Before everything was ruined.

I had changed her perception of me, so she could still think of me as some kind of hero.

My thoughts were interrupted by my cell ringing. I frowned when I saw Derek Hobbes’ name on the caller ID. There was only an hour until midnight. He’d never called me outside of business hours before.

“Yes?” I said, picking up the phone.

On the other line, Hobbes took a long breath. “I’m sorry for the late call, Carter. Unfortunately, I’ve spoken with my family, and we decided we don’t want to sell. I wanted to let you know personally.”

Acid churned in my stomach. My purchase of Hobbes Construction was supposed to be all but complete.

“Care to explain why?”

“You offered a very good deal,” Hobbes said, coughing to cover the wobble in his voice. “But I heard from an old friend who advised me strongly against it. I had no choice but to listen.”

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