Page 65 of Dominated

She was in shock.

This was too much for her.

It would be too much for anyone.

Her entire universe had just come crashing down.

Not to mention, her life was in jeopardy. A point I was sure she hadn’t even processed yet.

A point I was sure she didn’t actually believe even though it was something I would never lie about.

Goddamn it.

I was so careful with the jobs I took on. I did my due diligence. I was particular. I accepted only a small percentage of the offers that came in.

I had been sure about this one.

Until I began to watch her.

Until I started to see how special she was.

Until the first feeling came out of nowhere.

Then, it was too late.

I couldn’t back away. I couldn’t quit. I had to give the client exactly what had been asked of me.

Except I didn’t give it all.

I had given a fraction.

Was that worth saying to Pepper?

Would it even matter?

Would she care?

I was asking her to come with me, where she’d have to live carefully and mostly in hiding so I could guarantee her safety and she’d never be able to return to Miami or LA.

That was a difficult decision—for her to trust the man whom she considered to be her enemy right now.

But there had to be another way to convince her, to make her realize she needed my support.

To show her that she couldn’t do this alone regardless of how much security she hired and how many guns they carried and how strong she thought she was.

She wasn’t trained to disappear, to live off the radar, to deal with the nefarious.

Like me.

“Pepper …” I took a step closer, still giving her the distance she needed, but coming near enough that she could feel me. Smell me. Take me in. “You know I’m the one for you. You know the second I leave this apartment, you’re going to wish you had come with me. You’re going to think about me. Dream about me. You’re going to wonder what it would have been like, what it would have felt like, what it would have looked like to be in my arms every night and every morning when you woke. And I’ll wonder all of this as well.” My voice lowered, and my hand reached out to her even though it didn’t land on any part of her when I whispered, “It won’t be perfect—perfect is impossible for two people like us. But it’ll be just us, and that’ll be enough.”

Her head shook, tears streaming from her chin with each sway.

“Don’t let me leave without you, Pepper. Don’t stay here, where I can’t protect you. Come with me, and I promise you’ll feel more love than you’ve ever felt in your life.”

SEVENTEEN

Pepper

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