need this payday.”
The thought of him taking abuse for money makes me physically ill. “Dom, if it’s about money, I—”
“Don’t.” His eyes back up his insistence, the combination chilling me. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“What you were just about to do. I’ll take care of myself.”
“I don’t understand you.”
“Tell me something I don’t already know.”
The wall between us is back up. I can feel the gate locking in place. Reaching out, I touch his arm. Tracing the tattoo of the cross for Joey, I try not to lose the easiness between us, but it’s already gone.
My phone rings in my pocket and I fall on my back and pull it out. “Hey, G,” I say, looking at the ceiling.
“Where are you?”
“Does it matter?”
“No, actually, it doesn’t. What matters is that I’m going to arrive at your house in about thirty minutes and I need you to be there. Can you do that?”
I look at Dom. His eyes are closed, his breathing even. “Yeah, I can do that.”
“See you then.”
The line clicks dead. Putting it back in my pocket, I roll over and press a kiss to Dom’s cheek.
“Where are you going?” he asks sleepily.
“I need to go home and take care of a few things. Do you need anything?”
“A kiss.”
I lower the few inches to his sweet lips and let my own pucker against them. He moves his mouth against mine—slow, steady, and sinful. When I pull back, breathless, his eyes are open. He doesn’t smile. “Call me later, Cam?”
“Will you answer?”
“Yeah.”
His eyes close again as I climb off the bed. I get to the door but stop and look at him. “Dom?”
“Yeah?”
“I miss you.”
“You’re with me.”
“You know what I mean.”
He looks at me and nods. “I miss you too.”
Camilla
I DON’T EVEN LOVE WINE, but I take a gulp anyway. It’s strong and bitter, and I realize I should’ve checked to see if wine expires before taking as large of a drink as I did. This bottle has been in my refrigerator since Sienna came back home for Barrett’s campaign. That’s been . . . a long time.
“Ugh,” I grimace but take another sip anyway. I don’t know what’s up with Graham, but after everything else, I need a little fortification.