Page 94 of Hard Bargain

He stopped when his shoes almost touched Dominic’s. A single heartbeat passed. Then Dominic lifted his hand and wrapped it around Knox’s throat with effortless ownership. His palm was warm; his fingers settled just beneath Knox’s jaw like they belonged there. Heat shot through him so fiercely his knees threatened to give. He felt it everywhere—pulse thrumming beneath Dominic’s thumb, a tremor skittering down his spine, his cock aching against the rough zipper of his jeans.

Fuuuck.

“So eager,” Dominic murmured, voice pitched low. “I can see it in your eyes.”

Knox trembled. The world narrowed to that single commanding touch.

Dominic leaned closer, his breath warming Knox’s ear. “You’d drop to your knees right here if I told you, wouldn’t you? Where anyone could see just how desperate you are for me.”

The words slammed into Knox. Lust and shame braided so tightly together they felt the same. He managed only a broken sound, head tipping back in a silent admission.

“That’s what I thought.” Dominic’s gaze moved over Knox’s face before settling on his mouth. “Show me how obedient you can be,” he whispered. His free hand rose, two fingers brushing Knox’s lips before pressing gently. Knox’s brain went blank. His mouth opened, lips sealing around Dominic’s fingers.

“Suck,” Dominic ordered.

Before he knew it, his tongue curled around Dominic’s fingers and he whimpered. He. Fucking. Whimpered.

The sound did something to Dominic. Knox saw it happen. His pupils blew wide, black swallowing nearly all the hazel. He went still in a way that was different from his usual stillness. More focused. More dangerous.

God, why did this feel so good? He sucked harder, cheeks hollowing, and heard Dominic exhale through his teeth.

Oh.

He did it again.

Dominic’s eyelids dropped half-shut.

He felt Dominic’s thumb tighten around his throat, measuring the pulse that was going haywire under his skin.

He’s right, Knox realized, cock throbbing. If he’d told me to kneel I’d already be on the floor.

Dominic’s fingers slid free with a wet sound that felt obscene in the quiet range. Cool air rushed over Knox’s lips, but did absolutely nothing to soothe the hunger still burning through him.

Dominic looked at the glisten he’d left behind, then swept his thumb once across Knox’s mouth. His jaw flexed. “I need to fuck you,” he said, voice scraped raw.

The room tilted. Knox’s pulse went from loud to deafening. Fear clenched around his ribs and a cold wave of panic prickled under his skin.

Dominic’s hand shifted to his jaw. His fingers moved over Knox’s cheek, almost gentle, like he could feel every frantic thought crashing behind Knox’s eyes. “Easy,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean here and now.”

Knox swallowed, nerves buzzing like a live wire. Relief flickered through him, followed by disappointment so swift it embarrassed him.

Dominic’s eyes caught the conflict. His fingers lifted Knox’s face, forcing eye contact. “Tonight,” he said. “My place.”

Nerves screamed you can’t even as every inch of skin begged please. He looked at Dominic, at the dark certainty in his eyes. Knox’s fear was still there; it just wasn’t winning. He managed a shaky nod. “O-okay.”

Dominic’s mouth curved. Not a smile exactly, more like satisfaction settling somewhere deep. “Good,” he said, stepping back.

For a moment Knox just stood there and breathed, tasting the lingering salt of Dominic’s skin on his tongue. Fear fluttered in his gut, but underneath it pulsed a deeper hunger, electric and undeniable.

Tonight.

The word echoed like a shot. He’d show up. He already knew that. Even if every sane part of him understood that whatever happened there would change him for good.

Dominic straightened his shirt as if nothing earth-shattering had just passed between them. “Now,” he said, nodding toward the firing lane. “Let’s finish your lesson.”

* * *

Knox sat on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees, head bowed low. The digital alarm glowed red on the nightstand, but he refused to glance at it again. He knew the truth it kept shouting: less than an hour before a black car, driven by one of Dominic’s men, would stop at the curb downstairs.