Page 108 of Enthrall
“Lotte told me all about what it means to be a submissive. She says that only empowered women are able to give themselves over to a dom completely.”
His gaze shot up to meet mine. “Wow. You really did take this talking thing seriously.”
“You’re scared of how amazing we can be together,” I said. “Cameron--”
“Don’t listen to him. He’ll have you tied up in knots.” He beamed a smile. “As well as tied up in other ways.”
“Cameron cares about you.”
“Lately he’s been interfering in the worst kind of way.”
“He’s nudging us together.” I wished Cameron was here right now to lend a hand dealing with Richard’s mood.
“Have you heard of the Hadron Collider?” said Richard.
“I think so, yes. Why?”
“It’s the world’s largest and highest energy particle accelerator beneath the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva.”
I vaguely remembered seeing something about it online.
He moved his fingers around in a circle. “The Hadron allows physicists to test their theories of particle physics.”
“What are you saying?”
His fingers encircled. “That’s you and that’s me going round and around in the opposite direction very much like those protons threatening to crash into each other. Cameron’s exactly like one of those mad nuclear scientists trying to figure out if: A) It’s possible to collide opposing particle beams and B) To test the hypotheses that we might accidently self-destruct on impact and, oops, cause a black hole in the universe.” He shook his head. “Black holes are bad. Trust me, I know. I’ve had one stuck in the middle of my chest for as long as I can remember.”
“Maybe I can help?”
“Or maybe you’ll get sucked in and we’ll never see Mia ever again.”
“You underestimate me.”
“Actually, it’s me you underestimate.”
“We’re talking,” I said. “This is good, right?”
He arched an eyebrow. “Mia, don’t take this the wrong way but I’d really love some alone time.”
And with those words he’d shut me back out.
I wasn’t going to let him push me away so easily, not without a fight.
“What happened to you?” I said.
Richard shook his head as though shaking off a slap. I’d struck a nerve.
“Cameron’s re-wired your brain,” I said. “When you came to L.A. because you needed a change, you met up with your old friend and he led you astray.”
“Careful,” said Richard, “you’re talking about my best friend.”
“You just told me he was interfering in the worst kind of way.”
“Yes, but he’s also the best thing about me.”
“What is that meant to mean?” I shifted closer. “This stuff he’s gotten you into, it’s not right.”
“Actually, it’s nothing but right.”
