determination. “We’ll stop them. Bliss won’t be on the streets of New York for much longer, thanks to you. We got the names we needed. We can arrest the men responsible for taking over the trafficking. Moreno won’t get the foothold he wants, not if we stop the Russians before he can start working with them.”
“Good. That’s good.”
He nodded and didn’t say anything further. I was relieved that he wasn’t questioning me about what I’d said to Stewart. The last thing I wanted was to talk about my personal experience with trauma.
Pushing thoughts of Neil from my mind, I occupied myself with plans for the questions I’d ask Derek at Decadence that night.
* * *
R ed and gold lights danced across Carina’s concerned face as she regarded me intently. I raised my voice so she could hear me over the pulsing music in Decadence. “Seriously, I’m fine. It was just a long day.”
“You don’t seem fine,” she countered. “Did Dex do something to upset you again? You can talk to me, Chloe. We’re friends.”
I reached out clasped her hand. “Of course we are. I know I can talk to you. But honestly, I’m okay. It was just a long day. Dex didn’t do anything wrong.”
Her delicate features grew heavy with resignation. “You don’t like him.”
“It’s not that I don’t like him; he just gets on my nerves with his whole Dom thing.” I couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d tried to get Kennedy to kick me out. Now that some time had passed, I could see that he only wanted to protect me, but I needed his respect more than his protection.
“You don’t like him because he’s a Dom?”
“It’s not that. I have plenty of friends who are Doms. But none of them try to interfere with my career. They don’t try to Top me all the time.”
She smiled wryly. “I’m sure they try. I just don’t think they succeed.”
I shrugged. “I don’t need a man to tell me what to do.”
“That’s not what BDSM is about, and you know it. What’s gotten into you?”
I blew out a long sigh. “I’m sorry. This whole situation with Dex is… Well, it’s just a lot. He’s a lot.” But he’d been so calm and gentle after our meeting at Euphoria. He hadn’t pushed me or reprimanded me for speaking out of turn. He’d simply given me the time I needed to process what had happened and master my emotions.
She gave me a rueful smile. “He’s a Dom and an FBI agent. That makes him a little overbearing, I’m sure. All he wants is to protect you. I think you should let him.”
I eyed her with suspicion. “Are you still trying to fix me up with him? After all this?”
She tossed her dark copper hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Right,” I drew out the word, making it heavy with my disbelief.
“Dex is a good man. If he’s being domineering, its only because he has your best interests at heart. He’s not trying to disrespect your career or threaten your independence. I went through all this with Kennedy, so let me save you the headache: talk to Dex. Be honest with him. If you feel like he’s belittling you, tell him. I’m sure it’s not his intention.”
“So now you’re comparing Dex and me to you and Kennedy? And you really expect me to buy that you’re not trying to fix us up?”
She grinned at me, then turned to glance through the crowd that had amassed around the bar and seating area. “Oh look,” she said cheerily. “There he is. Dex!” she called out, waving him over.
“Carina!” I hissed, grabbing her arm to stop her waving.
But I was too late. The crowd was already parting to make room for Dex’s huge form as he moved toward us.
Why did he always have to prowl like that? Did the man not know how to walk normally? It wasn’t natural that such a massive person could move so gracefully.
“Hello, Chloe,” he greeted.
And why did his voice have to be so impossibly deep when he said my name like that? Couldn’t he just talk like a normal man,
“Good. That’s good.”
He nodded and didn’t say anything further. I was relieved that he wasn’t questioning me about what I’d said to Stewart. The last thing I wanted was to talk about my personal experience with trauma.
Pushing thoughts of Neil from my mind, I occupied myself with plans for the questions I’d ask Derek at Decadence that night.
* * *
R ed and gold lights danced across Carina’s concerned face as she regarded me intently. I raised my voice so she could hear me over the pulsing music in Decadence. “Seriously, I’m fine. It was just a long day.”
“You don’t seem fine,” she countered. “Did Dex do something to upset you again? You can talk to me, Chloe. We’re friends.”
I reached out clasped her hand. “Of course we are. I know I can talk to you. But honestly, I’m okay. It was just a long day. Dex didn’t do anything wrong.”
Her delicate features grew heavy with resignation. “You don’t like him.”
“It’s not that I don’t like him; he just gets on my nerves with his whole Dom thing.” I couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d tried to get Kennedy to kick me out. Now that some time had passed, I could see that he only wanted to protect me, but I needed his respect more than his protection.
“You don’t like him because he’s a Dom?”
“It’s not that. I have plenty of friends who are Doms. But none of them try to interfere with my career. They don’t try to Top me all the time.”
She smiled wryly. “I’m sure they try. I just don’t think they succeed.”
I shrugged. “I don’t need a man to tell me what to do.”
“That’s not what BDSM is about, and you know it. What’s gotten into you?”
I blew out a long sigh. “I’m sorry. This whole situation with Dex is… Well, it’s just a lot. He’s a lot.” But he’d been so calm and gentle after our meeting at Euphoria. He hadn’t pushed me or reprimanded me for speaking out of turn. He’d simply given me the time I needed to process what had happened and master my emotions.
She gave me a rueful smile. “He’s a Dom and an FBI agent. That makes him a little overbearing, I’m sure. All he wants is to protect you. I think you should let him.”
I eyed her with suspicion. “Are you still trying to fix me up with him? After all this?”
She tossed her dark copper hair over her shoulder. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Right,” I drew out the word, making it heavy with my disbelief.
“Dex is a good man. If he’s being domineering, its only because he has your best interests at heart. He’s not trying to disrespect your career or threaten your independence. I went through all this with Kennedy, so let me save you the headache: talk to Dex. Be honest with him. If you feel like he’s belittling you, tell him. I’m sure it’s not his intention.”
“So now you’re comparing Dex and me to you and Kennedy? And you really expect me to buy that you’re not trying to fix us up?”
She grinned at me, then turned to glance through the crowd that had amassed around the bar and seating area. “Oh look,” she said cheerily. “There he is. Dex!” she called out, waving him over.
“Carina!” I hissed, grabbing her arm to stop her waving.
But I was too late. The crowd was already parting to make room for Dex’s huge form as he moved toward us.
Why did he always have to prowl like that? Did the man not know how to walk normally? It wasn’t natural that such a massive person could move so gracefully.
“Hello, Chloe,” he greeted.
And why did his voice have to be so impossibly deep when he said my name like that? Couldn’t he just talk like a normal man,
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