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Emmett looks at me in disbelief.“Ava?”He shakes his head bewilderedly.“Is that why you chose the riding event for her?”
“I chose the riding event for her because I couldn’t stand the thought of her mouth around another man’s cock,” I say honestly.“But yes, I thought that event would be the easiest for her too.She’s got a masochist streak, and she’s so fucking responsive.I’ve never seen a girl come so hard or so easily.”
Emmett’s looking at me like I’ve grown another head.
“Except for last night,” I concede.“Something happened when she was on that saddle, and I need to know what it is so I can help her move past it.”
Emmett stares at me as if weighing his words carefully.After several minutes, he finally says, “Ava’s been through more shit than you can possibly imagine.I don’t expect a guy like you to understand—in fact, I’m not even sure you’re capable of it—but if I’m easy on her, that’s why.”
“What happened to her?”I ask, my voice steely.I want to kill whoever put that pain and distrust I see too often in her eyes.
“That’s Ava’s story to tell, not mine.But just because something appears to be a certain way doesn’t mean that’s how it is.I can tell you care about her, even if it’s only so you can win.She lets very few people past the fortress she’s constructed around her emotions, and if you want to be one of them, you’ll have to earn her trust.And I’m guessing putting her on a saddle and telling her to make herself climax in front of a crowd didn’t do that.”
I scrub my hand across my face in frustration.“It was part of the game, part of the scene.I didn’t ask her to do anything the other submissives didn’t do.”
“She’s not like the other submissives, dammit!Don’t you see that?You left her up there alone, which in her mind was probably equivalent to desertion.You had her whipped.By someone else.And then she had to make herself come, for fuck’s sake.”
“What difference does it make who makes her come—if it’s me or her or you or fucking Tony, for God’s sakes, whoever the hell he is!”
Emmett’s face hardens.“Did you say that to her?”he asks, his voice lethal.
I shrug.“Yeah.”
He catches me completely off guard, his fist connecting with my ribs and almost knocking me off the barstool.“You fucking bastard!”he hisses.He drains the rest of his whiskey in one long pull and slams the empty glass down.“You don’t deserve Ava.”He stalks out of the bar, leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened.
* * *
Ava still isn’t talking the next morning.
“The group event is this afternoon,” I say to her as I button the cuffs of my shirt.She’s still in bed, the covers pulled up to her chin.“It’s some sort of paintball game.A shuttle will be here to pick us up at one thirty.I’ll be back at one.Be ready if you want to compete.”
I want to tell her that I want her to stay, but I don’t think it would matter.Besides, this has to be her decision.After I leave the suite, I go looking for Logan.I find him in the makeshift office he’s made for himself in one of the small conference rooms.
“Hey!”he says, looking up as I come in.“I was just about to come look for you.I need your scene with Ava to use with today’s group event for the episode tonight.”
I sit down.“I don’t have one.”
“What do you mean, you don’t have one?Even though you guys didn’t earn any extra points, you and Ava are still in fourth place after Western Night.You’re killing it, man.And your scenes so far?Shit.It almost makes me wish I were in the games!You and Ava together…” He trails off, shaking his head.“You’re fucking volatile, and I mean that in the best possible way.”
“Ava’s not talking to me.She’s thinking about quitting.”
Logan’s jaw drops.“What?Why?”
“I don’t know,” I say heavily.“Something happened during the last scene, and it’s somehow my fault, although hell if I know how.But regardless, other than her going off on me right after the event, she’s barely said two words to me since then.I’ve got absolutely nothing recorded.I need more time.”
“You haven’t got more time,” he says flatly.“I can’t make any special exceptions for you, Roman, although you know I would if I could.”He studies me closely.“I think you actually like her.”
“I do like her,” I agree.
Logan smirks.I roll my eyes.
“As a submissive,” I clarify.“She’s everything I want.She’s got an innocent vulnerability that makes me fucking hard, but she’s feisty too, which makes me even harder.And she’s responsive as hell.”I grin at the thought.
“So she still ‘intrigues’ you?”he asks, his insinuation clear.
“Yes, she still intrigues me.Maybe even more than before.But I’m not falling for her, if that’s what you’re getting at.You know what happened with Natasha.”My voice hardens.“I’ll never let that happen again.But I’m not ready for the games to end.I want more time with Ava.If she doesn’t quit, that is.”
“Hang on.”Logan searches through some files on his computer.“Here it is.You left the camera on in your suite Friday night.We actually have the conversation between the two of you after Western Night.You could use that.”
I stare at him incredulously.“Are you fucking kidding me?She was totally pissed at me!How is that going to help?
“Well, it probably won’t,” he admits.“But it’s all you’ve got.And if you don’t have a scene, you don’t continue.”
I shrug.I don’t have a choice.“Fine.Use it.”
