Page 24 of Their Domme

“It’s not about you, Rhodes!” I shot back, my anger getting the better of me. “Did you ever think about that? It’s not about you or me. Maybe I fucked up, but I did the best I could with what I knew. Sorry if you couldn’t handle that.”

“Leaving us was the solution you truly thought was best?!” he hissed, stalking forward. His hand shot out, grabbing me by the wrist and walking me backward until I was pinned against the cold tile wall.

“I left so I could come back,” I told him. I twisted my hand in his hold but he held steady, I wasn’t trying to escape his hold; I was craving more contact between us, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin against mine. “You don’t trust me? After everything, hotshot?”

Rhodes’ arm shook, and I could see his emotions warring for control until he slammed his lips on mine. I whimpered, kissing him back and wrapping my arms around his shoulders to pull him closer. Pressing myself against him, I savored every hard line of his body as he nipped my bottom lip and my blood sweetened the kiss. Relief filled me. I knew the guys would be angry, understandably so, but I was hoping they would listen before they lost it completely. If he was holding me, kissing me, then that meant I hadn’t completely broken things between us. I actually had hope that my relationships would make it through. There was no way they’d be unscathed, but if we could survive, scars and all, I still wanted a future with these men.

He broke the kiss, pressing his forehead to mine. “Ansel said you have a plan.”

“You talked to Ansel?”

“He mentioned you were staying with the Germans these past couple of days,” he said dryly, his hands stroking my sides as if he couldn’t believe I was here. “I didn’t catch the rest because I came inside to find you.”

“Allen is questioning me about things, including the newest dead girl,” I told him softly. “I can’t be gone for too long.”

“Just answer one thing for me, Nic, and I want the truth.” He put a finger under my chin, forcing me to look up and hold his gaze. “Why did you take your stuff?”

I furrowed my brow, my eyes searching his face. “What?”

“Your things. From the apartment. You could have just—”

My eyes widened. “Rhodes, what are you talking about?”

He froze, realization dawning on his face. “You didn’t…”

“I never went back to their apartment. In my mind, the ghosting was enough,” I whispered. My heart was breaking as what they must have thought hit me.Did they think that I wasreallyleaving them? Oh, god.Then anger came in. Someone had gone into my safe space, their apartment, and taken my things. “I left everything behind so Sacha and them… I didn’t want them to think I was just like Ava. Rhodes, that means they were in their apartment!”

“We can tell them—” he started, but I leaned back, violently shaking my head as I grasped at his leather jacket.

“If they were taking pictures of us at the compound, maybe they’re doing more than that. Think about it… If this person or people have been in the apartment, they might even have cameras set up too. I wouldn’t put it past them at this point. It’s not safe for me to go back, Rhodes.” My voice cracked, tears coming way too easily. No matter what they might have thought, leaving them behind hadn’t been easy for me. All that had gotten me through it—the separation, knowing the hurt feelings waiting for me, the loneliness—had been the knowledge that I’d be with them again, that this wasn’t permanent.

“Nic,” he breathed, closing his eyes, but not before I saw the sheen of tears.

“It’s not just about us anymore, hotshot. Ican’tgo back yet.”

“Bodhi found a test. At your apartment…” Rhodes rasped. He opened his eyes as his hands cupped my cheeks. He stayed silent, waiting for me to answer his unfinished question.

I hummed, looking anywhere but at him. “I had an IUD, Rhodes. It was never supposed to happen!”

“Nic…”

“I swear! I didn’t mean… I don’t even know what you all think! Hell, I don’t know whatIthink most of the time. Fuck, I can’t—” He slanted his lips over mine in a searing kiss. It was so different than the kiss just a few minutes earlier; the hardened man against me was being so fucking gentle and understanding. He didn’t demand I respond; no, hecoaxedme into it. I lost myself in him, leaning forward to slide my hands under his jacket. I needed to feel him under my hands. He broke the kiss and pulled back the barest distance, long pieces of his black and gray hair brushing my face.

“Love…” He wiped my cheeks with his thumbs, making me realize I was crying again.

“Please don’t,” I pleaded, hating the way my voice cracked. “I can’t go with you right now, and if you’re being all understanding, I won’t be able to do what I came here to do.”

“Get Oli and Bodhi out of custody?”

“No,” I managed with a half smile, “but I certainly gave Lewis a distraction so they could get a break. Plus, I’m sure Roderick is advising them of a few things right now since Conrad probably found them while we were in here. I passed him a note on the way inside.”

“Then what’s the plan, Nic?” he asked, slowly stepping back from me. “Give me something to tell the others. If not, I guarantee they will shoot their way through this police station until they get their hands on you.”

“That seems a tiny bit extreme,” I deadpanned. “But completely in line with how Vas and Sacha would handle things. I needed to talk with a friend, and this is the best way I could go about it.”

“Then you’re going back to the Germans? Is that where you’ve been this whole time?”

“Maybe, and no,” I answered him, unwilling to elaborate when I heard a bunch of people running by the bathroom. “What is going on out there?”

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