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“It isn’t meant to scare you. It’s meant to make you feel safe.”
“Right. Well, it’s not working.”
He was gone only a few minutes. When he returned, she locked up and walked quickly to the open car door, glancing around nervously for the boogieman. She was relieved to see only harmless mall shoppers scurrying on their way to their next Saturday afternoon stop.
CJ got her settled into the front seat. She locked her door as her bodyguard climbed behind the wheel.
The car was already in motion when Tiffany looked back to check that The Beauty Box was closed up. Movement behind a stone pillar supporting the entrance roof caught her eye. It flashed fast, but she caught a glimpse of a man who hadn’t been there before.
She was sure her mind was playing tricks on her. That was, until CJ turned from the parking lot onto the street. This time, as they passed the salon from the street, a tall man stepped boldly from behind the pillar, making it impossible for her to ignore. He was too far away to be sure, nevertheless her stomach churned.
You’re imagining things, Tiff. It can’t be Jake.
She tried convincing herself she was paranoid. Despite her effort, a blanket of dread settled over her. She’d be happy to get to the loft and to Lukus.
Chapter Twelve
Lukus
“All right, Tiff. Spill it. What has you so quiet? I scratched your itch—twice—after you got here. You haven’t said more than a word for twenty minutes. Are you upset because of your punishment last night?”
Tiffany looked up from pushing the food around her plate. Lukus hated the fear in her eyes, mainly because he knew he put it there.
I can’t believe I read her wrong. I was sure she was ready for a real punishment. She even seemed okay this morning. Damn, I’m in uncharted waters with all this emotional shit.
“Was I too hard on you?” he continued. “Talk to me, baby. Tell me which part has you upset. Was it last night at the Lamberts’, or the anal training today?” When she remained silent, he egged her on, “Talk. I can’t fix what I don’t know is wrong.”
He struggled not to lose his temper with her, but he was not used to coaxing answers out of women. He demanded answers, and they spoke. That was how it worked. At least how itusedto work before Tiffany.
Lukus changed tactics, getting up and going around the kitchen island to stand next to her, turning her swivel barstool to face him. He bent down, trapping her by placing his hands on the back of the chair, leaning in close. Their faces were inches apart. He loved the smell of the lilac and vanilla shampoo she used at the loft.
Lukus played dirty. He reached to open her robe, exposing her curvy body. Her nipples were hard nubs, calling out for his attention. He lowered his lips to lathe the tip of her breast, sucking hard until she whimpered. He then kissed his way to her other tit until he felt her melting against him. Their intimate connection restored, he lifted his head to stare into her ocean-blue eyes.
“Now that I have your attention, let’s start again. What’s happening in that beautiful, witty brain of yours?”
She opened her mouth to talk several times, each time closing it without uttering a peep. He gave her time.
“It’s not the punishment,” she said at length.
That surprised him. “Okay, I guess that’s good. I worried I’d read you wrong when I thought you were ready for the discipline. I know it wasn’t pleasant, but—”
She cut him off. “I hated it. But…” She waited long enough that he wondered if she’d finished. “But I loved it, too.”
“What part?”
“The connection to you. It was so… intimate. Both last night, and then today. I thought of you a thousand times at the salon. Every single time I felt those balls moving inside me. Every time I sat and felt that plug move deeper.”
Lukus was relieved she was feeling exactly what he’d hoped she would, which confused him further. “Then what is it? Don’t lie to me and say nothing. Something’s bothering you.”
She reluctantly admitted, “It’s a couple of things, actually.”
“Okay, well lay them on me and we’ll fix them together.”
“If only.”
“Tiff. Trust me.”
Anger burst from her expressive eyes, but she tamped it down. “Why didn’t you and Markus tell us you were going after Jake? Don’t you think Bri and I deserve to know that?”
