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Dylan squeezed her tighter, moving his right hand to the back of her neck. He made it impossible for her to look away from him. "Seriously? I don't want to hear you put yourself down like that ever again, got it? You're special to me. I knew it the second I saw you for the first time, working behind the bar at the Four Seasons. I knew it when I had to watch you putting yourself in danger by going out with Jake Davenport and I couldn't do anything to stop you. It almost killed me."
She could see the regret in his eyes. An unwelcome question popped into her head and she blurted it out before thinking it through. "What would Derek do to Rachel if she put herself in danger?"
The question hung in the air. Dylan looked like he was struggling to come up with an answer. He finally admitted, "I'm sure he'd light up her bottom good with one of those punishment devices over there on the wall."
"So, he really spanks her?"
"Yes."
"You know that for a fact? I mean—"
"I know it for a fact." Dylan looked uncomfortable with the topic. "I think we've been gone long enough. Let's head back down."
"But... I mean... why does she let him do that?"
Hannah was impressed with the amount of time Dylan took to reply. "She consents because it's what she needs. I never used to believe that, but now I do."
She asked the million-dollar question. "And what doyouneed, Dylan? Is all of this," she motioned with her arm before she continued, "is this what you want?"
"What I want is you. You and Connor. I'll take you in any way I can get you."
He brought his mouth down to hers, bringing the conversation to an end. He'd sure given her a lot to think about.
Epilogue
Brianna
"God dammit, Lukus. Stop treating me like I'm an invalid. I'm perfectly capable of making it on my own. It's only three steps, for Christ's sake."
Brianna shook her head as she walked behind her husband and his best friend as they made their way up the front walk of their home. She'd never known how ornery of a patient Markus could be until he'd been hospitalized for the last four days after being shot by Jake. She was pretty sure the doctor had wanted to keep him one more day, but the nurses who'd been taking care of him had banded together to convince him to let their unruly patient go home to finish his convalescence.
In some ways it seemed like a lifetime ago, but in others, Bri could still remember the terror she'd felt when she'd thought Markus had died protecting her. The fear of losing him scared her so much that she'd barely left his side in the last four days, only leaving the hospital when they'd kicked her out, and arriving back early the next morning.
She smiled as she watched the two Doms navigating the stairs. Lukus had only been around his grouchy friend for thirty minutes and he was already ready to deck him. "Will you let me help you, you stubborn asshole?"
"I'm stubborn? Who wouldn't take no for an answer at the hospital? I could have driven myself home," Markus said.
"Oh, for crying out loud, did all of your common sense spill out when Davenport shot you? No one drives themselves home from the hospital after getting shot."
Brianna stifled her smile at their good-natured ribbing.
It's nice to have life getting back to normal.
She rushed around them to unlock the front door, pushing it open so Lukus could help Markus through.
"Let's get him set up on the couch in the great room."
They had just entered the spacious room when people started jumping out from behind furniture, yelling, "Surprise!"
Bri had expected Tiffany to be there. Everyone else… not so much. She plastered a smile on her face to try to hide her annoyance at having to entertain when she was as exhausted as Markus. They needed to crash, not party.
Her annoyance didn't last long, however, when it became clear that everyone had come prepared to help.
Markus's mom rushed to hug her son, while Brianna's mom hugged her, pressing a protein bar into her hand.
"You're looking too thin, Bri. You haven't been taking good enough care of yourself. I made a couple of casseroles and put them in the refrigerator. I want you resting instead of cooking."
"Thanks, Mom." Bri was grateful. The thought of cooking and cleaning was overwhelming.
