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He slammed the door behind him and shook his head in amazement.
Little bitch was almost too smart. She might have given him her body last night, but he saw the fear in her eyes, the hate. She would be dangerous for a long time to come.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
MARIANA
I sat on the floor in front of the washing machine and watched as the white sheets tumbled around and around, hot suds rinsing away the evidence of everything we’d done the night before. Not that it mattered. I could wash the sheets, hell, I could burn them, and it wouldn’t erase the invisible marks he’d left on my skin.
After Dornan had left, I’d cleaned up the table, disposing of the bloody bandages and the bullet that he had torn from his arm. Then, I’d had a shower and shampooed my hair until it squeaked between my fingers. Finally, I had stripped the sheets from the bed.
What I really wanted to do was go to the front door and scream and pound my fists until someone helped me out. I was starting to feel increasingly uneasy about my situation, especially in the wake of throwing myself at Dornan last night.
Este had been dead less than a month, and I’d gone and done that.
But I didn’t pound on the door, or scream for help, or any of the other dramatic scenarios I’d imagined. I found some bread in the freezer and fixed myself some toast, buttered thickly, and made another coffee. Then, partly to stop myself from anxiously pacing the front hall, I took my toast and coffee and sat on the floor in front of the washing machine.
It was an odd spot — I could have sat on the couch, or at the breakfast bar, even on the bed — but I’d chosen to sit in this small room and breathe in the artificial scent of sunshine, thanks to the fabric softener I’d located and added.
Sunshine. How I wanted some of that, for real. While I chewed on my toast, I tried to picture living here long-term. It made me think of the enormous risk Dornan had taken in bringing me here, somehow convincing Emilio not to sell me at auction, and although I doubted he would ever say anything about it, the fact that he seemed to give a fuck about what happened to me made a strange warmth crawl up my stomach and into my chest. Beyond the obvious physical attraction we had, the big bad biker seemed to genuinely care about me in his own fucked-up way.
I was still trying to figure out my thoughts when I heard the front door slam.
Damn.
I was meant to be ready to leave. He’d said that before he left. Shit! I scrabbled to my feet, forgetting about the sheets and the scent of fabric softener.
I dumped my plate and mug on the breakfast bar just in time to see Dornan standing in the hallway.
He dropped his helmet to the ground beside his feet, and I jumped when it crashed on the white porcelain tiles.
He stalked towards me. He looked angry.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said. Jesus. Since when had I become a submissive girl? What was I apologising for, anyway?
I was tired, I realised. So bone-achingly tired, and I didn’t want him to get angry and leave me alone again for weeks.
‘I was washing the sheets,’ I said quickly. ‘I’ll get dressed now.’
His expression morphed, that infuriating grin appearing on his mouth again. He didn’t say anything else, so I took that as permission to get dressed. I headed for the bedroom, giving him a wide berth.
Not that it mattered. It seemed that no matter how far apart we were, Dornan would always find a way to reach for me. He took a step forward and shot his hand out, curling his grip around my arm.
I didn’t struggle. I stood where I was, halfway between the kitchen and bedroom, his fingers digging deep into my skin.
‘Look at me,’ he commanded.
Slowly, I turned my gaze to meet his.
His eyes raked over me, like he knew he already had me.
And he did. His father might technically hold the deed over my life, but after last night, there was no mistaking who was in charge of me.
Dornan Ross.
I wanted to shiver, but I refused to let him see what he was doing to me.
He dropped his grip from my arm and stepped in front of me, reaching for the tie around my waist that knotted my robe shut. He pulled one end quickly, and the robe fell open. I gasped. I was completely naked underneath, and goosebumps broke out on every inch of my exposed skin, despite the Californian heat.
