Page 40 of Dominated

That hurt.

It hurt because if he’d missed me, then why had it taken him so long to return?

Why hadn’t he called?

Texted?

Even though I hadn’t given him my number, I was positive Bale was the kind of man who could find it.

“Why?” I exhaled.

“You don’t want to hear that answer.”

“But I do—”

“My plane leaves in six hours.” He tilted his head to the side, his gaze dipping down my body before slowly returning to my face. “So, I won’t spend this time fighting with you over something I can’t change.”

His fingers ran through his beard—a movement that was used as a distraction to hide his expression. But I caught it. I saw that those words bothered him.

“You know why I was here in the first place. You know why I left. You were just hoping, wanting it to be for a different reason.” His voice lowered when he added, “Needing it to be.” His fingers paused at his lips. “I know you looked for me even though I’d told you that you wouldn’t find me. Bale Pierce didn’t vanish, Pepper. A man has to exist in order to vanish.”

He was exactly what Scarlett had told me he was.

Someone hired to get information.

But why?

What did he get?

“Missing me isn’t the only reason you’re here.”

“You’re right. There are two other reasons. The first is, right before I leave this room, I’m going to ask you a question. The question requires an immediate answer. You won’t have more than a few seconds to give me your response. Keep that in mind.” His hand returned to the top of the table, folding around the edge of the leather.

A question.

I couldn’t even fathom what it could be.

But hearing that I’d have only seconds to reply sent a chill across my skin.

Bale wouldn’t ask something meaningless. Something that would be easy to answer.

Whatever it was, it was going to affect me in monumental ways.

“The second reason is something you want. Something we need.” His lips closed but parted again, his tongue licking across them. “Don’t deny me from giving it to you.”

But it was denial.

Because denial was what I wanted.

I stared—at his mouth, at his hands, at the length of his body that was full of strength, power, and dominance.

All so achingly perfect.

“Bale …”

“I want you to remember something, Pepper.” He leaned forward a few inches, pausing to inhale, like he was searching for my scent in the air. “I want you to remember what I’m capable of.”

TWELVE

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