Page 34 of Iron Heart

“Yes, Sir,” I reply, and he halts his motion to leave and spins back around, his eyes burning, and I stifle a giggle.“No, I didn’t mean it—”

“Let’s go.”He deadpans.

The short drive is cloaked in silence.He picks a restaurant I’ve strangely never heard of.I lived here a long time and thought I knew all the restaurants in LA.He pulls in near Bel Air, and a valet parks the car.At least he called ahead in the car, so they’re expecting us.I know the waitress recognizes me when she falls into an awkward silence.However, we’re in a private booth, dimly lit, so the other patrons are leaving me be.It’s a relaxed setting, and I find myself instantly at ease.

“Two steaks, medium rare, with a side of radicchio and vegetables,” he orders for both of us.

I won’t lie.I like that he takes the pressure off of scouring the menu, but I’d prefer something more hearty.

“Of course.Will that be all?”the waitress asks.

“Yes,” he says, slamming the menu shut and handing it to her.

“Actually, no, I’d like a side of fries,” I interject.

His nostrils flare in annoyance, but since we’re not doing this dominant-submissive thing right now, I feel free to order what I like.

“Sure,” the waitress says, making a note.

I watch the way her eyes travel over him, and I’m immediately jealous, but his eyes meet mine, effectively dismissing her.She moves on, and I can’t help but ask, “Do you normally order for your submissives?”It’s the first time I’ve broached the subject since that night, but I can’t help myself.

He tilts his head to the side, considering my question.

“Okay, sorry, we shouldn’t talk about it…” I let my voice trail off, and silence follows as if he’s weighing my question.

“Yes, I would if I ever took them out on a date.”

“But you’ve never dated any of them?”

“No, I don’t like attachments.”

“Makes sense, I guess, considering your Special Forces background.It must be hard to keep a relationship going when you’re in such a dangerous line of work.”

He nods, then leans forward, steepling his hands together.“And you, Victoria?Something tells me you like attachments.”

A nervous laugh escapes my lips.Why does this feel so much like a date?“I’ve only ever had a string of boyfriends.Nothing serious.”

“You didn’t answer the question,” he probes further while our meals are placed in front of us.

She sets down two steaks, greens, and fries, and I wait for the waitress to leave before replying.“Technically, you didn’t ask a question,” I point out.

He gives me a pointed stare.“Okay, okay,” I say, picking up my fork and cutting into my steak, loving that it cuts like butter.

“I don’t know, to be honest.I’ve been busy trying to forge a career for myself, so attachments come and go.Nothing has ever stuck.Or maybe it’s me.”I shrug my shoulders and pause, looking up at him.“Maybe I’ve just discovered another side of me worth exploring.”

He presses his lips together, his jaw set tight at my admission.Tension swirls between us, only broken by the motion of his knife through his steak.

“Have you always wanted to be famous?”he asks.

“Famous, definitely not.But a musician, yes,” I say, devouring the buttery steak piece by piece.I pick up my glass and drain it.I’m not sure if it’s the richness of the sauce or my nerves that have me emptying the glass so quickly.

He frowns, watching me.“What is it?”I ask, noting his expression.I’m more curious than angry now.

“Alcohol and Valium on the plane.I’m noticing a trend here.”

I shake my head, maintaining my composure.“It’s really just a way to unwind, you know?”

“If that’s all it is,” he replies, eyes narrowing as if he’s conducting some psychic lie detector test on me.

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