Page 3 of Forbidden Passion

He shrugged. “Yeah.”

She took a step back. She wanted to yell at him because she knew he was pushing her away, but he didn’t want to. She wasn’t going to beg him to like her or take a chance with her. “I see. Well, I’m sorry I bothered you.”

She turned without another word and walked away. With each step, she prayed he’d call her back, but it didn’t happen.

Michelle took one look at her face. “I’m sorry, hun.”

Tessa shook her head. “No. Don’t be. You warned me.”

“Yeah, but I was hoping it would work out for you.”

“Hey, look. I’m going to head home.”

“How about I drive you?” Michelle said.

Tessa shook her head. “No. It’s only a few blocks away, and I need the fresh air.”

Michelle hugged her. “Call me if you want to talk.”

Tessa squeezed her friend. “I will. Thank you.” She waved at a few more of her friends and walked out the door. She didn’t know if she’d be able to go back to the bar because seeing Dominik every time and knowing he didn’t find her attractive hurt too much.

Life had kicked her down so many times, but she’d always been able to get up and move on—she would do it this time, too.

When an arm reached out for her, grabbing her in a tight, violent grip as she passed the alleyway, it took her a second to understand what was happening. Then her back hit the brick wall, forcing the air out of her lungs at the impact.

“You fucking cunt, all you had to do was dance with me.”

The man started to tear at her clothing. She heard her shirt rip and started to fight.

He slammed her against the brick. “If you don’t fight me, I won’t kill you.”

That just made her fight harder.

He started hitting her with his fist and cursing at the same time, trying to get her jeans down.

One second, she was fighting for her life, and the next, there was nothing. She heard something off to the side and thought this was her chance to run, but she couldn’t get her legs to move and slid down until her ass hit the concrete. Her head throbbed so much she drew up her legs and rested her forehead on her knees.

She just needed a minute so she could get enough energy to move.

Chapter Two

Dominik turned when he heard the bar door open. Something relaxed inside him when he caught sight of the woman he was becoming obsessed with—the one he called his angel.

She was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman, but their worlds were too far apart. He had listened to her for hours as she talked with her friends. Even with her several feet away, he was so in tune with her that he heard her clearly. Every other sound in the place faded.

His gut would twist into a painful knot of need, and his cock would harden until it felt like it would explode. He told himself so many times to ignore her and move on. There wasn’t a chance in hell she’d ever want to be with him.

Besides being twice her size, she was everything light and sweet, and he was dark, dominant, antisocial, and cynical. She would never be able to understand his world or him or be strong enough to handle him, both in and out of bed.

He caught the way she looked at him, and it didn’t change the fact that they were too different. He also knew that if he did give them a chance and she left him, it would forever damage him. He’d never want to have a relationship with anyone else, so he’d die alone.

Fuck, he knew he was being delusional if he thought he’d want anyone else. Without talking to her, she had ruined him for any other woman.

“Yo, Boss.”

Dominik turned to Rey, one of his employees. “What?”

“If you’re not going to make a move on that sweet thing over there, I’d like a chance,” Rey said.

---