Page 24 of Mine to Dominate

“I think so, too, but it didn’t work out for us. We went on one date, if you can even call it that. At one point, we heard something that spooked him and went to investigate. When he returned, he was angry that I hadn’t stayed where he put me.”

“I should have warned him you didn’t listen or take orders well outside the office,” Darrell said.

She gasped. “That’s mean.”

He laughed. “Go on with the story.”

“He told me it was the wrong time for us, which was bullshit, but he brought me home. He said something along the lines that we’d try later, that I didn’t know some things.”

“And you didn’t take that well?”

“I don’t like games, Darrell. You know that.”

“Let’s put that off to the side for now because I know there’s more you had me run home in secret for, not just a fight with your boyfriend.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Tease me again, and no more lasagna, ever.”

He chuckled and held up his hands. “Fine. Please go on.”

“After he dropped me off, I came into the house and found Mr. Mason sitting in the dark in one of my chairs. It scared the hell out of me.”

Darrell’s eyes widened. “What in the world?”

“He said I had to stay away from Zeke. I told him he had no say in what I did, and then he gave this hypothetical story. He talked about Zeke having an accident and dying.”

“What the hell?”

“I was totally shocked. I asked him if he was going to kill Zeke, and he said it was up to me. He said I had to stay away from him except at work. I asked him why, and he said we were making his son, Fletcher, unhappy, and if he saw us both unhappy, it would make him feel better. I asked him if he was crazy and to get out of my house.”

Darrell snorted. “That’s not shocking.”

She ignored that. “He gave me one final warning. If I didn’t do what he said, Zeke would die, and it would be my fault.”

“Is that it?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding? Isn’t that enough?”

“Yes.” Darrell looked over her shoulder. “You can come out now.”

She whirled around to see Zeke standing there in black clothes. She turned back to Darrell. “Why is he here?”

“It’s my life on the line, Little Sub. Don’t you think I should know about it?”

“Don’t call me that.”

Darrell snorted.

Zeke rolled his eyes, took the last seat in the dark kitchen, and then looked at Darrell. “Is this guy crazy?”

Darrell sat back and was quiet for a moment. “I would have said no before now, but there were times I saw something in his expression that shocked me. It reminded me of a rabid dog, but I always discounted it as maybe the light was just right. Hell, I don’t know.”

“Something’s definitely off with the guy. It showed in his eyes. What are we going to do?” she asked.

“You’re not going to do anything,” Zeke said.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not talking to you. You can know what’s happening but have no say in what I do.”

“You want to bet?”

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