Only he couldn’t.
She was going to be his, and God save anyone that tried to get in his way.
Three
He was gorgeous. Anytime Deidre had thought about Dom in the past, it had always been about how much fun she used to have teasing him and trying his patience. Making him really work. Now he was almost beautiful.
She didn’t have any experience with men, so of course he wouldn’t notice her, but the way he growled at her when she had pissed him off made funny things happen to her body. Things she never thought she’d feel. Her whole life she’d only ever wanted one thing—to be with her mam.
Now, for the first time ever, she was lusting after a man who was probably fifteen years older than her, and he would only ever think of her as some bratty child he used to protect.
“Why are you here, Dom?” she asked in exasperation. So ready to go home. Just wanting to go home.
“I’m here to take you back to your father.”
Bam. Just like that she saw her entire life exploding before her eyes. If she went back to him, she’d never see the outside world again. Of that she was sure.
“No.”
“Deidre!” he snapped at her. She stopped in her tracks as she was about to leave, not caring that it was her house. He’d never called her by her full name unless she was in shit. “You’re coming with me.”
“No.”
“Jesus Christ. What are you, a fucking child? You’re coming home with me.”
“No.” She knew she was pissing him off by repeating the same word, but she didn’t care. She was mad. He had no right to demand anything from her.
“Goddamnit, Dee, you are. Even if I have to force you!” he screamed at her.
“Go fuck yourself, Dom! I ain’t doing shit for you! You have no idea what you’re asking by trying to make me go back to that monster.” Her voice was shaky with emotion.
“Then fucking tell me! I can’t protect you if I don’t know what’s going on, Princess.” His voice softened as he wound down.
“I can’t. Just leave, Dom. Tell the arse you couldn’t find me and go on with your life.” Turning her back, she was about to walk away when he grabbed her shoulders from behind, pulling her into his chest.
So this is what heaven feels like. She sagged against him. His muscles rippled against her back with every breath. His thighs encased her legs. His arms held her soft but steady as he whispered, “You’re mine, Princess. I won’t ever let you go.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” she whispered half-heartedly.
Placing one hand under her chin, he turned her head so she was facing him and lowered his mouth until their lips were just a hairsbreadth apart. He whispered, “You’re coming with me, Deedee.” Pissing her off all over again.
She didn’t know what to expect, but a light kiss was at the top of her list, not for him to demand she go back to her father. That only made her want to kick him in the nuts. “How many times do I have to tell you; I am not going with you! Do I need to dumb it down for you? Lose a few words so your over-inflated steroid brain can understand?” Her words were harsh, she knew. One day she might even regret them, but she was too angry to care at that point.
Mumbling something she couldn’t hear, he turned towards the door yelling, “It’s time to face your father again, Deidre! You can’t run forever.”
“Who says I’m running you overgrown jackass!” she spits back.
As he was about to walk out the door, she heard him snarl, “Who the fuck are you?”
Storming over, she was about to ask what the hell was going on when she saw Kennedy practically cowering in her doorway. “What’s going on, Ken?”
“Ken?” he mocked.
“Yeah, Ken, you jackass. It’s called a nickname. People give them to other people when they care about them. But in order to care, a person must have feelings first. Something you’re lacking. Now fuck off.”
“What the fuck? Dom? What are you doing here?” Kennedy’s man Creed asked clearly pissed off that she was upset.
“Well, looks like our business was in the same place after all,” Dom laughed, confusing her. They know each other?