Page 81 of Training His Pet

He rubbed his temples. The Persuccio family didn’t care about her; she’d be safe at home. He still didn’t like it. But if Corbin’s aim had been to keep Dax away, her being at his apartment might put her in jeopardy.

“Okay, I’m gonna take you back to your apartment. You are to stay home. Don’t go anywhere, Erika, until I give you permission.”

She scoffed at his word choice and he snapped himself back into authoritarian mode. He’d been giving her space. But this was safety—her safety—and he wouldn’t forgive himself, ever, if something happened to her.

He twisted in his seat and snagged her by her hair, dragging her toward him until her face was pressed against his chest.

“I’m not fucking around here, Erika. You stay put or you’ll have hell to pay when I find you. Do you understand?” He kept his tone even and low.

She tried to push away from him, but he held firm. This wasn’t a debate. The only acceptable answer was obedience.

“Fine. Yes.” She winced when his fingers tightened. “Yes, Dax. I’ll stay home until you give the all clear. Promise.”

He eased his fingers out of her hair and helped her right herself back in her seat. Brushing the strands away from her eyes.

“And when I get back, we are going to talk about what’s been eating at you.” He switched gears and pulled back out of his parking spot.

“I don’t know how else to tell you I’m fine,” she said, running her fingers through her hair and working it up into a ponytail while he drove them through the morning traffic of the city.

“Something is bothering you, and it’s not this crap with my brother, so what is it?” he asked, knowing he needed to get to his brother as soon as he could to start getting answers, but something was hurting her. He could see it, the small shadow of ache on the edge of her gaze, the bruised tone she used when she spoke. Something had gone wrong somewhere, and he needed to know how to get back on the map.

She snapped the band in place on her hair. “I’m too tired for this right now, Dax.” She exhaled with the exaggeration skills of an annoyed toddler and fixated her gaze out the window.

“Okay.” He bit down on his lip and turned back to the steering wheel. He pulled out of his parking spot and sped through the garage. “You have until we get to your apartment to spill whatever’s got your panties all twisted.”

She huffed a laugh and shook her head.

“I’m being serious here, Erika. I can’t help if I don’t know what’s going on.”

He turned down another street and another before she responded.

“What’s going on? Nothing’s going on... just a little mindless sex.” She started off strong, her voice bordering angry, but by the time she finished, he heard the tremble.

“Mindless sex?” he asked softly; whatever that phrase was, it was the reason behind the distance, the hurt he could see in her.

She took a deep breath.

“Cut down this alley, my apartment is the next block over.” She pointed to the entrance on his left.

He made the turn but slowed the car. “What does that mean? What you said?” Pulling up to the curb, he parked the car.

She took in a long breath. “It was temporary, I know that.”

“Erika, I need a full answer. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” If there was a life raft coming to save him from the vast sea of confusion he was drowning in, he’d like it to hurry the fuck up.

“Last night. At Devin and Kara’s house. I heard you talking to Trevor. You said you wanted mindless sex and freedom.” She lowered her gaze. “You never gave me any indication this was anything other than a week of fun, so I’m not mad, not at you, I just... it was blunt, that’s all.” She shrugged, like she could just toss away the hurt obviously weighing on her.

Dax racked his brain for the phrase. He’d said that?

His heart smacked right into his stomach when the memory hit.

“Fuck, Erika, I didn’t mean it like that. I wasn’t talking about you—about us.” He reached over the console, touching her cheek.

“It wasn’t meant for my ears, I know.”

“No, don’t do that.” He wrapped his hand around her neck and pulled her closer, forcing her attention to focus on him. “Don’t brush it off like you don’t deserve an answer for what I said. It sounded bad, like something an asshole would say. And I’m not saying I can’t be an asshole, but I swear to you—I was not talking about you or us when I said that.”

Her gaze seeped into his, searching him. For his truth? After their time together, could she really think he was the same as the other men that cut tail and ran? That wasn’t him. He wouldn’t drop her—not like that. Not so coldly.

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