Page 18 of Destined By Dragonblood
But she’d been off-limits from day one, and I refused to cross boundaries until invited to step over those lines.
As though connected by a living cord, I’d felt Ashley’s presence the instant she’d entered the lounge on the Friday night Doc Hasslet had first booked for her. She had called to me like a siren to a man floundering about at sea as I swore I’d been until that moment. The scent of sweet vanilla had filled my lungs once we stood in close proximity, and I hadn’t been able to tear my focus off her beautiful, tortured violet eyes as my mouth watered to lick into hers.
Focus.
“Where are you right now?” I asked while hitting the fob on my keyring, my Mercedes beeping loud in the quiet parking garage I hurried across.
“Living room—behind the couch.” Ashley’s lack of stuttering eased some of the tension in my face.
“Can you see out your windows?”
“No.” She continued to keep her voice low, going on to explain about the shades being drawn.
“I’m going to stay on the phone with you until I get there, okay?”
“Thank you, Master Vanni, I—I know I’m being ridiculous, but something is just wrong, and I don’t have anyone else?—”
“You’re not ridiculous,” I stated firmly, “and call me Vanni right now. Please.”
She exhaled quietly, a soft sigh I dreamed of hearing in my bed beside me at night, but all thoughts of fantasy and somehow magically healing her needed to stay in the backseat until we got to the bottom of this shit.
“Now be a good girl and tell me about your day, Ashley. From the time you woke up until now.”
“I can do that,” she whispered.
I listened as she explained this “feeling” she had concerning a sure stalker from over the previous week and a newer, different one from today that had raised every red flag imaginable. A strange occurrence, to be sure, especially the sense of someone hovering close on the subway train. Her tumbling emotions caused by both supposed stalkers made my chest tighten—but the thought of another man watching…waiting for a vulnerable moment to possibly rip her out of my life?
Fuck that shit.
Possessiveness burned in my veins, molten lava oozing beneath my skin and wanting to erupt in searing flames to devour anyone thinking they could get close to her. I’d never felt so protective over someone I’d scened with, an instinctive knowing that she’d been meant to walk into my club and submit to my dominance.
Same as Dolyn.
Fuck.
I rubbed a hand over my face as Ashley’s quiet voice continued to fill my ear.
Perhaps it really was time to invest more of myself with her and allow some vulnerability. Maybe a good, long talk was needed to settle my mind—pursue a possible relationship or insist she find another Dom to submit to.
My lip curled.
That second option? Definitely a new hard limit of mine. No way in hell could I bear the thought of Ashley gifting her pleasure and release to someone other than me.
I turned onto Walnut Street and focused on my immediate surroundings. I let Ashley know I approached, driving slowly, head swiveling so I could scan every inch of the condos lining the road.
A young couple walked a dog, bundled in puffer coats with beanies on their heads. One middle-aged man dragged his trash can to the end of his drive as others had done earlier in the night for the morning pickup.
Other than those three, I didn’t see another soul in the areas lit by streetlights.
“I’m here—sit tight while I check things out,” I told her while pulling up to the curb in front of her walkway. “I’m going to hang up now, and don’t open your door unless you hear my voice on the other side.”
“Okay,” she stated quietly, sounding a little less sure than she’d been moments ago.
“See you soon.” I ended the call and turned off my car.
Silence lay heavy over the interior, and I attempted to even my breaths while peering in all three of my mirrors and through the windshield. I’d only gotten off the phone with Ashley because I wanted to have both fists available for anyone sneaking around thinking they could take what didn’t belong to them.
But I didn’t see a living soul or evidence of one nearby.
