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"Well You know the beginner you ith this week? Kari?"

Knife-edged fear tightened his hand on the phone "What happened? Is she all right?"

A huff of laughter "Cops You always iine the worst She’s fine But her car isn’t It’s in the shop"

"She called for a ride?" That didn’t see for release until he tormented her to the point where her brain shut off Very doubtful that she asked for help often, at least for herself

"No, you idiot She called to say she wouldn’t be co to ood she called then" Maybe he’d go tonight then, since she wouldn’t be there toood Sorry to have bothered you"

Dan frowned Had Z’s little sub just said "stupid asshole" under her breath?

After pulling back into the heavy traffic, he flipped on the radio, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to Eulf was briny and war in a clear blue sky He’d have ti for the club

She wouldn’t be there tonight

Dan turned the nored the bastard who cut in front of him to make an exit Ta it up with aggressive East Coast drivers tailgating retired snowbirds going twentywas probably the erous part of his job as a cop

She wouldn’t be on the road; she didn’t have a car She wouldn’t be there tonight

Good Very good He didn’t need to see her again Didn’t need any , or the way her hot, soft hten around him, or--

He slowed to let a bus onto the freeway, breathed in the diesel fu event at the school

She was a teacher She’d be a wonderful teacher He remembered how she’d tried to ease his et a kiss to make it all better, Sir" The tender look in her eyes when she kissed hiht And--

Fuck She just wouldn’t stay out of his head He pulled off the freeway, flipped open the phone, and punched in the nu it wasn’t Jessica

"Give me her damn address, you sadistic bastard"

Chapter Thirteen

Nuht showed a two-story house, sky blue with sparkling white tri the fence withup to the front door, he rang the doorbell

When light footsteps sounded froain He should stay away froive Da more from a woman than some mutual satisfaction Definitely no e about her pulled at him He should never have taken her under command, and he damned well shouldn’t be here today Fuck, he was an idiot

Hell, she ht not even want to see him He’d behaved like a real asshole on Wednesday For the second time What if she didn’t want to return to the Shadowlands? Or be with hiainst the door frame Only one way to find out Any Dom worth his leathers could read a sub’s face He’d soon know if the no-car reason she’d given Z was an excuse

The door opened, and he had his answer in the big blue eyes

Surprise, delight, wonder, delight, worry "What are you doing here?"

He ran a finger down her cheek, unable to keep fro her "Jessica said you needed a ride"

"I… You’re here to take o?" He watched her face, her open expressions She was honest, inside and out Did she kno rare that was? After years on the force, he’d grown cynical, begun to believe everyone lied But not this little sub

"Yes Mostly" A wrinkle appeared between her brows "It still doesn’t see a person should do But--" She so"

"With me?" He tilted her chin up so she couldn’t look away

The look of longing told hi he wanted to know even before she whispered, "Yes"