“I just have to get dressed. Give me a minute.”
His eyes narrowed a little, and I turned as he moved, keeping myself covered as best as I could, realizing the mirror exposed everything to him when his gaze slid to it.
“Please,” I said, no longer able to help the dropping of my head. I needed to manage this, to figure out how to be around him. Fucking like we had last night, it didn’t help. Only blurred the already fuzzy line.
He nodded, but I noticed how his gaze settled on my hip as if he too were trying to get a good look. I could ask him. I should. He’d know. But I pulled the towel over it instead. He turned to walk out the door, giving me room, letting me breathe as if he stole all the oxygen out of any room he entered.
I dressed quickly, brushed out the mess of my hair, pulled it into a ponytail, and headed out, stopping at the vanity in the bedroom to smear lip gloss on my lips and mascara on my lashes, not sure why I did. Not like I was trying to look good for him. He was my jailor. It’d be good if I could fucking remember that at some point.
Dominic stood in the hallway, keys in hand, impatience clear on his face.
“Can I eat something first?”
“You eat a lot.”
“It’s breakfast time.”
He sighed, but his stance relaxed a little.
“I saw granola bars. They stay good forever, right? I’ll just grab a couple.” I walked away before he could stop me.
“Fine. Hurry up,” he called out to my back.
In the pantry, I found the bars—dark chocolate and sea salt, my favorite—took two, grabbed two bottles of water, and went back out into the foyer, where I found him holding the door open for me. I walked toward the SUV. Dominic followed.
“I changed the code, so don’t bother with another escape attempt.”
“Wow, I warrant you having to change your security codes.” I went to pull the SUV door open, but he pushed it shut, making me jump, making my heartbeat pick up. I looked up at him looming inches from me.
“I could just chain you to the bed if you prefer? Maybe I will, when we’re back.”
He stayed like that, his gaze burning into mine until I had to look away, conceding his win. Dominic pulled my door open and walked around to the other side without waiting for me to climb in. Once we were settled, he started the engine. A momentary panic came over me.
“What if someone’s there? They see me?”
“Scava thinks you’re at the cabin. No one’s looking for you. I called already. Told them all was well. That we were on schedule.”
I nodded as he drove out of the driveway, but my fear of Victor Scava—as nauseous as it made me to know I feared that man—was very real.
“Why didn’t he kill me? Wouldn’t that have been smart, in case I did know something?”
“You make a mistake if you think Victor Scava smart.”
He made light of it, but then his face grew serious.
“He didn’t want you fucked during the training either. The liaison was very specific.”
“What?”
Dominic glanced at me as he navigated around the still opening gate. “What I said. And from what you told me, he didn’t rape you. Did his men touch you?”
I shook my head. “He wouldn’t let them.”
“Why?”
“He was jealous of James. Maybe he wanted me for himself? He offered to spare me the branding if I fucked him. When I said no, he didn’t force himself on me.”
“And he sent you to me to train and sell off?”
“Maybe he planned on buying me himself.”
“Sick fuck. I wouldn’t put it past him. It would certainly return you…humbled.”
“Let’s talk about something else.”
“Library address.”
I gave it to him, and he programmed it into the GPS, studied the map, then turned the little machine off.
“I know where it is. It’ll be a little over an hour.”
I unwrapped one of the two bars.
“One of those for me?”
“No.” As I brought the one to my mouth, he reached over and took it, biting into it himself.
“Don’t be fucking rude, Gia.”
“Fuck you, Dominic.”
He grinned and shoved the rest of the bar into his mouth. “Shit. This is old.”
I smiled, but my stomach fluttered, and my face heated. I had to turn and watch the passing scenery out the side window, unable to take his intense gaze. It felt like he read me like a damned book.
I focused on something else. On my mom. I wondered if she was planning Mateo’s funeral. Wondered how worried she was about me. I didn’t know if they’d trashed my apartment. They’d taken me when I’d walked out of a café after work. Did she even know I was missing? She had to by now, now that she knew about Mateo. She would get in touch with Angus Scava when she couldn’t find me. It’d be the first place she’d go.