Page 106 of Dmitri

Part of me wants to protect her, the other part of me wants to scream. I have no clue how much of what she’s saying is even true. It could all be lies, a grand ploy to get me to trust her again. Why else would she admit to all that? One call to the cops with this information, and I could put her in prison. Hell, if the cartel she’s involved with finds out she just ran her mouth, it could get her killed. How far down the rabbit hole is this woman?

And how deep am I willing to go with her?

Daelyn drains the rest of the water bottle and tosses it in the trash. “It was a slippery slope. Sometimes I try to pinpoint when the first big mistake was, but they all blur. I can excuse so much of it. He’s… very persuasive.”

“How old were you when you met him?”

“Twelve.”

I’d bet my eyeteeth he’s older than her. He groomed her. Brainwashed her. It doesn’t make what she’s done right, but it gives me a little more ammo. “What’s the worst thing he did to you?”

Her brow pinches. “Probably this.” She holds her hands out. “Sending me into your life.”

Ouch. My heart deflates.

“I should have known better.” Daelyn readjusts her ponytail. “After all this time, I should have known he wasn’t going to let me off so easy. One fuck and I was supposed to be done. Out. And now…”

My dead heart turns to ash hearing her say all this. But I can’t be pissed that she fucked me that first night as a way to get out of her bad situation. I didn’t give two shits about her that night. I was a raging beast with a heat-seeking missile between my legs. I wanted to fight, fuck, and blow steam off. I didn’t need anything but a warm hole. Still, it hurts on some base level of my black soul that she’s only here to fulfill a job.

“Do you regret it?” I tilt my head and look at her again, desperate to read her facial cues and body language.

She blows out a shaky exhale. “No.”

I’m not sure how to take that. No, because she likes me, no, because I’m helping her, or no, because she’s almost done her mission and will be free of this guy.

Tell me who the fuck he is, goddamnit. Who owns you?

“Come here.” I crook my finger at her. She crosses her arms, looking scared. “I’m not going to hurt you, Firefly.”

Gulping, she comes a little closer and I grab a small silicone pad from under my pillow. I’d stashed it there while she was in the shower, not sure if I’d use it or not. But the hard work she’s putting in calls for a reward.

I strap the pad to my thigh and cock my brow at her.

Daelyn’s confusion is adorable. “What is that?”

“A grind pad. Take your shorts off and ride my thigh. You look like you need a release.”

Her cheeks redden. “You can’t be serious.”

“Well, if you don’t want a reward…” I start unfastening the strap.

“Wait.”

I freeze, clenching my molars to keep from smiling.

“I’m not going to be able to come with that thing, Dmitri.”

“Yes, you will.” I’ll make sure of it.

“If this is another endurance test, I’ve endured enough already, fuck you very much.”

“Shut up and ride.”

She slips out of her shorts and straddles my thigh. “I hate you for this.”

“Hate me hard enough to cream all over my leg.”

Daelyn whimpers as she positions herself against me. Her splotchy cheeks make me believe she’s embarrassed, and I don’t want shame to spoil the fun we’re about to have.

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