Page 13 of Ruined

Dominic stepped back. The gun lowered slightly, but his eyes didn’t lose their edge.

“You comfortable, baby?”

“Go fuck yourself.”

His smirk deepened. “I think you’re confused about who’s in charge. You’re going to tell me exactly why you’re here, or I will hurt you.”

I clenched my fists, my heart thundering.

Dominic stood there, the gun hanging loosely in his hand. My throat tightened, the cuffs digging into my wrists. He was too damned naked.

Don’t look down. “Jesus, put some clothes on.”

Dominic blinked. “You broke into my apartment. You don’t get to make demands.”

“You’re making it worse,” I snapped.

“You’ve barely scratched the surface ofworse.”

“I don’t care. Grab a towel or something.”

“Awfully timid for a man planning to walk on me in the shower.”

Heat prickled the back of my neck. “I wasn’t planning on…I didn’t think you’d be…”

“Naked?”

Dominic’s smile didn’t falter as he set the gun on the bed. He grabbed sweatpants from his closet and slid them on, the slow stretch of fabric over his hips making me flush. He faced me, shirtless.

“Better?” he asked.

I stared at him, refusing to answer.

He lifted the gun, leveling it at me again. “Why do you want to kill me?”

“You know why.”

He stepped closer. “I have some ideas, but I’d rather hear it from you, sweetheart.”

“Stop calling me that.”

“Why? It bothers you?”

“Yeah,” I blurted. “It’s weird.”

His eyes gleamed. “Weird that you lost your nerve the instant you saw my cock.”

“Fucking hell.”

He chuckled again.

I gritted my teeth. Dominic was too close, and too fuckinghardunder those sweatpants for me to think straight. Jesus—he was getting off on this.

“You’ve hated me since we met, Luca. Why is that?”

“Because you’re a prick.”

“Or because Ihavea prick? Know how to use it, too.”

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