The Dom Identity (Masters & Mercenaries Reloaded 2)

She was being stupid. She’d literally met People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Four of them. And not once had she gone all drooling gaga on one of them the way she kind of wanted to right now.

She gave him what she hoped was her brightest smile and held out her hand, praying she remembered everything Dani had taught her. “Hello, Sir. I’m Vanessa Jones.”

He gave her a smile that nearly knocked her over, and then that big hand of his was enveloping hers, sending a shock of warmth through her system. “Hello, Vanessa. I’m Michael Malone.”

She nodded and tried not to get caught in those eyes. “Master Michael.”

He hadn’t let go of her hand, and she didn’t want him to. She wanted to stand here touching the pretty man.

She wanted to be the Vanessa Jones she could have been if she’d never left Dallas in the first place.

“Let’s go with Michael or Sir for now.” His voice was deep and rich. He stared down at her like he was studying her. “You know we’re being watched, right?”

She glanced to the mirror. “Finn told me it’s a two-way. He said they use it to observe and make sure the chemistry is right.”

He leaned in, and his voice went low. “They use it because they’re perverts who like to watch.”

He moved back, the grin on his face an intimacy between them.

Oh, Julian had done so much worse than she’d thought. She’d thought he would send in someone who she worried would harm her physically, but this one could do some serious damage.

Or it had been a long time since she’d been even vaguely interested in sex and having sex with an actual man, and she was making more of it than she should.

“Either way, they made sure I knew.” She forced herself to pull away from him and get to the business at hand. “I’ve read through the…contract.” It was so weird to think about signing a contract that would possibly lead to sex. “But I do have some questions.”

She’d actually read through it the night before and forced herself to view this as an acting gig. What would she want to know before she started? She certainly didn’t want to tell him that the contract didn’t matter because she would do anything to get into that club. She needed to look thoughtful, fully interested in the lifestyle.

Michael nodded and then held out her seat for her. “Of course. That’s what we’re here for. The first thing you need to understand is that you are in control. If I do anything that makes you uncomfortable, you need to tell me, and that doesn’t merely include physical things.”

“I thought pain was kind of the point.”

Michael moved around the table, sitting down across from her, and she was relieved he hadn’t taken the seat beside her. “Then you don’t understand D/s at all, and we should definitely have a conversation before you sign that.”

Mistake number one. “I meant I thought it was about finding pleasure in pain.”

“Only if pain brings you pleasure. It’s about finding confidence, taking our bodies seriously, and discovering a place and people we can explore with,” he said, that deep voice soothing her. “I’m going to be very forthright with you, Vanessa. We need to make sure we’re a good fit because this won’t work if we’re not. Why are you here?”

Because I think someone in this club killed my sister.

It was right there on the tip of her tongue to tell him the truth. From what she’d read in the short bio she’d been given of Michael, he worked for an investigative firm. He might be able to help her.

Of course, if she did she would also be confiding in Julian Lodge and his husband, Finn. Julian was known for being good at hiding bodies. She couldn’t trust that he didn’t know damn well who’d done it and was protecting him.

She went with the easiest answer. “I want to explore my sexuality.”

He stared at her for a moment. “I don’t think so.”

She bit her bottom lip and wished she’d kept the bigger implants. Of course they’d been far too big for her body and painful in the end, which was why she’d moved to smaller ones, but those double Ds worked on most men. They distracted men, and then no one thought she could possibly lie since it was obvious she didn’t have a brain in her head. “Why wouldn’t I want to explore? Do you think a woman like me has probably explored enough?”

She was out of practice because the question came out with an edge of irritation to it she hadn’t meant. Well, she hadn’t meant to share it with him. She’d certainly felt it.

“I don’t think anyone’s explored enough. I meant I doubt you’re truly here because you want to have sex. You’re beautiful. You could find a partner. You hesitated before you said the word contract because you find it unsavory. And despite the fact that you looked at me like you could eat me up, you’re more comfortable with me sitting on the other side of the room. So why don’t you tell me why you’re really here.”