Mastered (The Enforcers 1)

And suddenly the beast was unleashed, and she tried to take a hasty step back, but his firm yet gentle grip on her arm prevented her from doing so.

“What the hell were you thinking coming into a place like this?” he demanded, fury lacing his every word.

She immediately dropped her gaze, shame and mortification seizing her in a grip that rivaled Eddie’s earlier assault on her arm.

“I know I don’t belong,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper. “I know I’m not good enough to be in a place like this. Where only beautiful and rich people come.”

Her voice grew more resigned and subdued with every word. She could barely speak for the humiliation knotting her throat.

“I’ll just go now. I’m sorry I was a bother. I caused a . . . scene. I won’t be back. I promise. You won’t ever have to worry about me showing up here—or anywhere—again.”

She tensed in his hold, fully expecting him to let go and let her walk out. When his grasp remained intact, panic kicked in and she looked frantically up at him, blanching at the rage in his eyes.

“Please. Let me go. I swear to you I’ll never come back.”

His expression was carved in stone, that hard jaw she’d observed earlier much more noticeable now.

“Then why did you come?” he asked bluntly, making her cringe at his crassness.

Was he really going to make her spell it out to him? Give him a play-by-play of her lack of worthiness to grace the premises of his club? And damn her propensity for always blurting out the truth, no matter how painful. It was a flaw she would be thrilled to be rid of. But no. Before she was even cognizant of what she was saying, the whole ugly story came pouring out.

“The man who assaulted me is my ex . . . boyfriend. Lover. Whatever. Though I’d hardly consider us lovers,” she said bitterly. “I was a challenge to him. Was being the key word. He knew I was a virgin, and so he coaxed me and wined and dined me, pretending interest because he wanted to be m-my f-first,” she stammered out, heat scorching her entire face.

Drake cursed savagely, startling her with his vehemence, but she plunged ahead, only wanting to be done so that maybe he’d finally let her go.

“As soon as I finally gave in, stupidly thinking that he was someone special, he dumped me on the spot. He said I was a terrible lay. I overheard him complaining to his friends, people. I don’t know who they were,” she said painfully. “He said that sticking his dick in my c-cunt—” She broke off, mortified over her use of the offensive word. Then she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “He said it was like fucking a snowdrift. And it definitely wasn’t worth the three months he had to wait for me to give it up. He repeated the sentiment tonight to my face.”

“So you came tonight to see him?” Drake asked incredulously. “Why the hell would you want to do that? For fuck’s sake, did you want him back?”

Her head snapped up, her anger surging hot through her veins. “No,” she hissed. “Not now. Not ever. My girlfriends talked me into coming. Said I needed to get back some of my own. Steph had a VIP pass, and they spent an hour making me up. Shoes, killer heels, hair, makeup, the works.

“They thought I should let him see what he’d shit on,” she said dully. “I told them it was stupid. This place is for beautiful people. Even the people who work here are gorgeous. Everyone is freaking perfect. And then there was me, sticking out like a sore thumb. The people in line outside knew I didn’t belong. The people inside knew I didn’t belong. And you obviously knew I didn’t belong because you sent your goon to get rid of me. So if you’ll just let me be on my way, I’d appreciate it. I’ve already promised I’ll never darken the door of your club again. This has been a humiliating enough night as it is, and I can only take so much.”

He gave her a look that was a combination of bewilderment and super pissed off.

“You don’t think you fucking outshine every bitch out there and that they don’t know that?” he clipped out angrily. “You didn’t see that the skank with your ex was ready to rip your hair out by the roots because she isn’t as gorgeous as you and never will be? There isn’t a bottle made that can duplicate the kind of beauty you have. And those bitches in there don’t hold a candle to your kind of shine, and they hate you for it.”

She looked at him absolutely stunned, her eyes wide with shock.