Dirty Little Promise (Forbidden Desires #2)

God, I longed for when I’d been in the dark about everything. Gavin and I had seemed so much closer then, but of course I knew it hadn’t been true. Hell, for all I knew, this entire thing was some sick game for him—to seduce the woman who reminded him so much of his ex. And why not?

His gaze slid from mine and a dark look washed over his features. “Cooper doesn’t know everything, but let’s start with what he told you and go from there.”

I nodded and led him toward the sofa. There was no sense in going any further into my home. He wasn’t going to be here long.

Gavin lowered his tall frame onto the sofa that suddenly felt miniature, though I’d never noticed it before. He had a way of doing that, of dwarfing everything else around him until nothing else mattered, until nothing else existed but him.

“Let’s start with what Cooper told you,” he said.

“Right.” I folded my hands in my lap. “He told me that you met her at work. She was an escort, and . . .”

I paused, my heart rate picking up speed as I remembered the tender way Cooper had stroked my hair and murmured sweet things when I’d broken down in tears. Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I avoided meeting Gavin’s eyes, afraid of what I might see there. I couldn’t bear to know how much her loss might still hurt him.

“You dated for two years, exclusively. You begged her to quit Forbidden Desires. Cooper said that she continued entertaining clients there platonically, until you forbade it a couple of months into your relationship.”

I looked up, needing some confirmation that this was all true before continuing. Gavin gave me a tight nod.

I couldn’t imagine him allowing me to date other men while he and I were together, nor could I imagine wanting to. He was so possessive; it just seemed odd to me.

“There’s more to the story. But then, you know that.” His voice was rough, gravelly, and I realized he was referring to my love for a good mystery, my passion for stories. “Ashley had some demons in her closet that I worked to keep hidden from the world, and from my brothers. It wasn’t their business, but she had a problem with prescription painkillers. She’d started taking them a couple of years before I met her—they were prescribed for an old ballet injury. She had three foot surgeries before finally being forced to retire at just twenty-two. When she watched her friends at the dance company move on, touring the country, getting cast in roles she’d once wanted, she fell even deeper.”

None of the articles I’d read online had alluded to any drugs in her system. Something told me perhaps Gavin’s influence and deep pockets had kept that part of the story out of the media.

His long, thick fingers reached out to twist the dial on his wristwatch. “She was my submissive, yes. I’m surprised, frankly, that you guessed that much.”

“Your dominant nature isn’t exactly a secret, Gavin.”

He offered me a small smile, the first from either of us today, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. This was a heavy topic, but each and every one of his smiles was so hard won, I couldn’t dismiss it as easily as I wanted to.

“True,” he murmured softly, stroking my cheek. “That’s true, pet. And you’ve always accepted me, flaws and all.”

“So, why didn’t you just tell me the truth?”

A soft inhale and his knitted brow were my only answer. Gavin glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have a plane to catch. Come with me, pet. We’ll finish the conversation.”

I was fairly certain he’d lost his mind, and my expression betrayed me.

“Don’t.” His thumb smoothed the line between my brows. “Don’t get inside your head like that. Trust me, just once more. You owe us that much.”

I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth, thinking about everything we’d shared. He’d been so open about how he grew up, about his mother being a prostitute, which was no small thing to admit. I thought about our day spent at the arcade, winning tickets and eating pizza. I thought about the way he commanded my body, dominating all my senses.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. We weren’t done. Not by a long shot.

“I have that charity golf outing in Florida I told you about. You had agreed to come with me . . . before.”

I nodded. “Just give me some time. I need to think about this.”

He shook his head. “Time is the one thing I don’t have, unfortunately. My plane leaves in an hour. I’ll be gone for two days. Come with me, pet. We’ll discuss everything. I’ll answer every question.”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

The offer was tempting. Just to leave everything behind for sunshine and palm trees and Gavin’s undivided time and attention? The answer would have been a no-brainer a few days ago. I’d even taken the time off work, but now I wasn’t so sure.

Gavin rose to his feet, and I followed him to the front door where he paused. “I have to go. Pack your bag. Ben will be by in fifteen minutes to collect you.”

I hadn’t agreed to go yet, but I felt myself nodding along to his command.

God, it was only noon and I felt like I needed a drink. The effect this man had on me was hard to handle at times. This was no easygoing relationship. It wasn’t a harmless crush. In many ways, it felt like life and death—like being with Gavin, choosing Gavin, would be a permanent decision.

He twisted the knob on the front door, then hesitated. “One more thing. When I call you, pick up the fucking phone, Emma. It was torture not knowing if something had happened to you.”

Even though I didn’t want to agree to a single one of his demands, I nodded. I supposed it was fair—he didn’t know if I’d been in a car accident or what.

“Okay,” I mumbled weakly.

“This place is great, by the way. Your grandmother would be pleased.” And then he was gone, strolling away with purposeful strides toward his shiny black Mercedes, leaving me more confused than ever.

I’d thought a face-to-face conversation would clear things up, but instead my head was spinning. I had no idea what I was going to do when Ben got here, but I only had fifteen minutes to decide.

Gavin had woven me into his web, had integrated himself into my life so completely, and I was held captive. Caught. Unable to walk away—or maybe I was just unwilling.