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“No. You mentally checked out earlier. That happened before?”
I hesitantly admitted, “Once or twice.” Only if somethingreallybad went down, though. It was like my emotions shut down while my brain processed it all. Or something. I didn’t know.
Danton handed me a tumbler of amber liquid. “Tell me about the times it’s happened before.”
I knocked back some brandy. “Uh, no.”
His brow hiked up. “No?”
I couldn’t stop my lips from twitching. “You always sound so surprised and offended when you hear that word.”
Again, he towered over me, a tumbler in hand. “You know, you’re one of few people who dares refuse me.” A gleam entered his eyes. “Though there are times you follow my every order.”
In the bedroom, he meant. I wassonot touching that subject.
He tapped my glass with his own. “Drink.”
I took another swig from my tumbler. Awkwardness began to creep in as it occurred to me that, hell, he likely wanted me to hurry and finish my brandy so he could take me home. I idiotically almost didn’t pick up on it.
I swallowed another gulp. “You don’t have to drive me back to my building. I can call a cab.” He’d done enough for me tonight.
Danton’s brow winged up again. “In a rush to leave?”
“I figured you wouldn’t want me in your inner sanctum longer than necessary.”
His expression neutral, he only let out a low, “Hmm.”
“I’m surprised you brought me here at all.”
“Why is that?”
“We never went to each other’s apartments when our arrangement was still alive and kicking. You kept me in a box marked ‘Vault plaything.’”
His eyelids drooped slightly. “You make a very good plaything.”
Explicit memories crawled all over me. “Thanks, I guess.” It took everything I had not to ask questions about hisnewplaything. It wasn’t my business, I reminded myself as I drained my glass.
He took the empty tumbler from me and set it on the counter. “If I didn’t want you here, I wouldn’t have brought you here. And if I wanted you gone, I’d have already put you in my car.”
“Why haven’t you?”
“You should know better than to think I’d be good with you being alone after what just happened.”
He wasn’t exactly Mr. Sensitive, so why would I assume that? “You are so confusing sometimes.”
“I’ve heard that before.” He tossed back the last of his brandy and then placed his glass beside mine on the counter. “Want another drink?”
“No, thanks, I’m good.” I bit my lip, torn on what to do next. I really shouldn’t stay. It would be seriously unwise. The best thing for me to do would be to call one of my girls—they’d be at my side in a flash.
But … I didn’t want to be with any of them right now. Much as I adored them, I had no real desire to contact them. I wanted to be withhim.
Crazy though it might be, Danton was the only person who made me feel safe. At that moment, while a part of me was still shaken, I needed to feel safe.
“Thank you for coming for me. And thank Duke for me.” I felt my brows dip. “I’m not sure I’ll feel so blasé about you having put a man on me once the shock has fully worn off, but for now I’m grateful.”
Danton’s lips hitched up slightly.
“Why didyou want someone watching over me? Did you suspect this might happen if what you told Jorge became common knowledge?” If so, he could have warned me. Instead, he’d made out like it wouldn’t seem like a huge deal to others.
