I let the water wash over me, the warm drops doing nothing to cure the rage that settled deep inside my chest. Like an earthquake, the aftershocks still rocked my body even after the initial explosion had passed.

Rome finally joined me, stepping into the shower and getting her hair soaked under the water. It immediately clung to her neck as it grew heavy. She eyed me with trepidation, knowing something wasn’t right. “What is it?”

I was livid with her even though I shouldn’t be. “Don’t say that to me again.”

“Say what?”

“Don’t tempt me.” I didn’t squirt the shampoo into my hair or rub soap on my body. My arms remained by my sides where I knew they would say. “You asked me to give up everything for you, and I have. Don’t tempt me with possibilities. Don’t remind me of what I’m missing. It’ll only make it harder for me.”

Her eyes fell, like she hadn’t realized her error until now.

“If you want vanilla, I’ll give you vanilla. But don’t let me even think about the darker flavor that I’m into. Don’t play games with me, Rome.”

Her eyes remained on the drain in the bottom of the shower, reminding me of the submissive I wished she could be. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“Well, don’t do it again.” I squirted shampoo into my hand and massaged my hair, digging my fingernails into my scalp. I didn’t look at Rome, existing in my own bubble of frustration.

Her somber expression quickly faded away, replaced by a fiery one. “Calloway, I apologized. No need to talk to me that way.”

I tilted my head under the water and let the suds drip down my body. The day had been a nightmare. Looking at Hank made me want to commit murder. And then I got a taste of dominance, a taste of the life I used to live. That short experience reminded me of everything I was missing. The fact that I could have it made me momentarily angry. And then it pissed me off that I caved to her, let her break me.

“I wasn’t thinking, Calloway. You’ve done so much for me, and I just wanted to do something for you. That’s all.”

I knew my rage was misplaced. The dominant side of me came out, unleashed and powerful. Now that he was out, it was difficult to control him. But I knew I had to box him back up, to return him to the dark depths where he belonged.

I should apologize for the vicious way I spoke to her, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Instead, I closed the gap between us and placed my hands on each of her cheeks. I pressed my forehead against hers and held her under the water, apologizing with affection rather than words.

Her hands moved around my wrists, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the paramount electricity that ran through us. It made my body hum to life, to feel the natural connection that formed between us the second I saw her in that bar. I could feel the solid touch of her black ring, the ring she agreed to wear so I could fully possess her. We both agreed she was mine, but that didn’t seem to be enough for me.

I moved my lips to her forehead and placed a gentle kiss there, feeling myself finally calm down now that I was this close to her. The better version of myself, the generous humanitarian, was back once more. I shut out the dark side of me, the evil one. “I’m sorry.”

When she was wet under the shower, she looked beautiful. Her makeup ran down her cheeks, the mascara dripping, but the sight was still extraordinary. Her strength and power emitted from her in small waves. She let her guard down around me, but she was still the strong woman I’d come to worship. “It’s okay, Calloway.”

* * *

Was Hank really gone?

That sounded too good to be true.

The second he looked at me, he’d seemed utterly terrified. Like a little boy running back to his mommy, he took off at nearly a dead run. He realized Rome was no longer a vulnerable woman. She had a Roman soldier for a bodyguard, a man that made the soldier in 300 look pitiful.

He couldn’t fuck with me.

If that was the solution to everything, then great. But I feared that was too simple, too easy. If only Rome had told me the truth sooner, I could have chased away her demon so easily. Even if he was a difficult opponent, I still could have made this problem go away from her. When she slept in my arms every night, I knew she felt safe. When I took her everywhere, I knew she appreciated having me by her side. She wasn’t the kind of woman to show fear. In fact, she usually objected to my protection. She had no problem staying in a sketchy apartment or taking the subway every day to work. But now that she was really afraid of Hank, she accepted my help without objection.

In fact, she wanted it.

And that made me want her more. I wanted her to want me, to need me. It made me feel more like a man. She was such a woman, the curvy one who didn’t put up with bullshit, and having a strong woman rely on me just made me hard. I liked being her champion, her protector.

Hot as hell.

We had dinner together then sat in the living room together and watched TV. Like always, Rome worked on paperwork from the office as she sat beside me, the hardest working person at the company. She took on extra projects without getting paid for the extra work, and she lightened the load of her colleagues.

But now that they knew she was sleeping with me, all that hard work meant nothing to them. They hated her, regardless.

I rested my arm over the back of the couch and explored her hair with my fingertips, feeling the soft strands move against my callused skin. Instead of watching the TV, I watched her. She had the most elegant jaw, hard with strength but soft like a goddess. Her lips were always magnetic, attracting my lips like a bee to a flower. She was so beautiful, it hurt me sometimes.

She took her eyes away from her work and glanced at me. She wore a light smile on her lips, playful and serious at the same time. “Hmm?”

“Hmm, what?”

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Because you’re beautiful.” I leaned toward her and placed a kiss on her neck, feeling the warm skin against my lips.

She immediately tensed underneath me, her neck craning to the side to give me more room. Her body reactions told me everything I needed to know. I knew when she wanted me. And I knew when she really wanted me.

I pulled her paperwork off her lap and pushed it onto the floor, hearing the papers scatter once they hit the hardwood. My body guided hers down to the couch, making her back hit the cushions and her head the armrest.

She was in one of my oversized t-shirts, so getting her panties off was easy. I yanked my sweats and boxers over my ass and to my thighs so my cock could come free. He was already hard and anxious for the woman who stole his obsession.

Her legs moved around my waist until her ankles hooked together at my lower back. With enthusiasm, she wrapped her arms around my neck and dug her fingers into my hair. She breathed against my mouth before she kissed me, her lips trembling. “I want you inside me…” She pulled me closer to her with her legs, suddenly impatient for my cock.

I loved her fire, her desperation. She’d been hot for me since that night we formally met at the charity event. She wanted to invite me inside and give me her virginity then and there, but somehow managed to stop herself. Now she was ready to go at a moment’s notice, just as eager for me as I was for her.

Even if the sex wasn’t rough like I preferred, it still satisfied me. I loved the moment right before I entered her, seeing arousal in her eyes. She wanted my cock, and she was practically begging for it. The fact that I was the only man ever to have been inside her just made it better. She loved sex because of me—and only me.

I rubbed my cock against her folds, immediately becoming drenched in her wetness. I automatically groaned at the touch, the smell of sex entering my nose at the same time. My cock was hard and throbbing, excited like I’d never fucked her before. “You want my cock, sweetheart?”

She kissed me and inserted her tongue into my mouth, her passion amplified. “I want you.” She gripped my ass and pulled me into her, silently begging for my cock. “Make love to me.”

When my woman asked for it, I didn’t make her wait. I grabbed my base and pressed my tip inside her, greeted by her wetness. I gently pushed inside her, taking her slowly unlike earlier in the day. I slid through her slickness and her tightness, finally inserting my length completely inside her. “Fuck, Rome.” I dug one hand into her hair, getting a tight grip on her so she wouldn’t slip away. She was my woman, and I wanted to adore her the way she deserved. Anytime I was inside her, I was her at her mercy. I’d do anything she asked—then and there. Her pussy was more addictive than cocaine.

She grabbed my shirt and yanked it over my head so she could feel my chest with her bare hands. She dragged her nails over my skin slightly, nearly scratching me. She rocked her hips with me, taking my cock just as I was giving it to her. Her sexy moans accompanied the noises our bodies made as we moved together. Her hair was spread out over the armrest, scattered and messy. Her eyes shone with their usual fire, her mouth slightly parted against mine.

Fuck, I already wanted to come.

She touched me everywhere, worshiping me like I was the only man she adored. Her pussy seemed to get tighter the longer we moved together. My cock had marked her body as its own, and he understood every little feature. Her shirt was still on so her tits were covered, but something about being clothed turned me on. We couldn’t wait long enough to get naked. We just wanted to feel each other as fast as possible.

She couldn’t kiss me anymore because she was moaning, her pants hitting me in the face. Her pussy got tighter and tighter, constricting around my throbbing cock as she approached her climax.

Now I really wanted to come. Making Rome come just made feel more alive.

She dragged her nails down my back as she came, moaning directly into my mouth as she rode the exquisite high I gave her. Her nails dug deeper, and she grew tighter around me as the feelings washed over her. It seemed to stretch on forever, and I enjoyed all the expressions she made, the way her face lit up with orgasmic euphoria.

She laid her head back and arched her back underneath me, enjoying the final sensations that formed between her legs. She breathed through the crescendo, her nails slowly relaxing and releasing from where they were lodged in my skin.

Now I wanted to release inside her, to fill her with so much come that it wouldn’t all fit. I’ve never been so obsessed, so committed with another woman. The affection and the attraction just made the sex a million times better. Without the whips and chains, it was still thoroughly enjoyable.

She looked into my eyes with a sex-crazed look on her face, still high from the climax she’d just received. Her hands moved to my shoulders before her fingers dug into my hair once more. “I love you, Calloway.” She said it with a strong voice, her resolution undeniable. Her eyes were glued to mine as she spoke, the words rolling off her tongue like she’d said them a million times.

I loved hearing her say that even though I couldn’t say it back. Knowing she was head over heels for me made me feel like the luckiest man in the world. I had the love of the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. In that very moment, she was writhing underneath me, prepared to take all of my come with eagerness.

“Say it again.”

She cupped my face and kissed the corner of my mouth. “I love you, Calloway.”

Her words hit a trigger deep inside me, and I came with a loud grunt. I shoved my cock as deep inside her as I could go and gave her all of my come, wanting her to take every single drop and keep it. I’d never gotten off to such a romantic thing, but her commitment to me was utterly sexy. I loved having her devotion, feeling like I’d done something right to deserve it.

I dumped all of my seed inside her then kissed her on the mouth, my cock slowly softening inside her stuffed pussy. I felt my come push around my length as my dick slowly became smaller and smaller. Something about my come sitting inside her turned me on like nothing else. It made me feel like I’d claimed her in a way no one else ever had.

“Don’t pull out.” She grabbed my ass and kept me positioned at her entrance.

I stared at the sex heathen underneath me, seeing her want me more than she ever had before. I suspected it had something to do with the fact that I’d chased away her notorious enemy. She felt indebted to me for fixing a problem no one else could solve for her. The police failed her, and Christopher was powerless to do anything. I was the one man who could set her free—and now she worshiped me even more. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

* * *

I lay beside her in bed, spooning her from behind. Her ass was pressed into my crotch, but I’d made love to her enough times that evening that just holding her was enough. My face was pressed against the back of her neck, and I inhaled her scent as I slowly drifted off to sleep. I counted her breaths as I cherished the moment, remembering exactly what it was like to sleep alone.

I was miserable.

There was no greater feeling in the world than having her in my arms again. Not wondering if she was wrapped in the arms of another man. Every time her back rose from a breath, it pressed against my chest. Something about that sensation made me feel more relaxed than anything else.

I used to be unable to sleep with anyone in the house. Then Rome walked into my life and changed everything. Now I couldn’t sleep well unless she was right beside me, my arms protective barriers around her. I wanted her under my nose at all times, not just to protect her, but just to be with her constantly. I’d never been that way before.

I preferred solitude.

I could tell she was dead asleep because of her breathing pattern. Whenever her head hit the pillow, she went out like a light. The only time she struggled was when she had that nightmare a few nights ago. But I suspected she wouldn’t have another one since I’d scared the shit out of Hank.

My phone went off on my nightstand, ringing loudly even though it was almost eleven.

What the fuck?

Rome immediately stirred at the sound, the noise impossible not to notice.

I spotted Jackson’s name on the screen before I answered. “What?”

“Uh, hello to you too.”

“It’s eleven.” No one called anyone at this time unless it was important.

“So? Are you an old married couple now? You used to go to bed at two at the earliest.”

The room was quiet and his voice was loud through the phone, so Rome could hear everything. “Did you need something, Jackson?”

“Yeah, I’m having some problems at Ruin. Can you come by?”

“Tonight?” I asked incredulously.

“Yes. Tonight.” He didn’t insult me as much as he normally would, probably because he needed something. “You coming or what?”

The time of night made no difference to me. But Rome was a problem. I couldn’t leave her here alone, even though it was unlikely Hank would do anything. He probably gave up his stalker tendencies when he realized I could crush his skull with my bare hand. I debated what to do in my head.

“Hello?” he asked with an irritated voice.

“I’m thinking, idiot.”

“Think harder.”

I didn’t want Ruin to change even though I was no longer a part of it. I wanted it to remain as perfect as it was. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“Awesome. See you in a bit.” He hung up.

Rome continued to lie there like nothing happened, caring more about sleep than my conversation with my brother.

“Sweetheart, let’s get dressed.” I kissed her bare shoulder in apology, wishing I didn’t have to disturb her beauty rest.

“Why?” she asked with a sleepy moan.

“We need to stop by Ruin.”

“You can go without me.” She hugged the pillow tighter.

“Actually, I can’t.” I brushed my lips against her shoulder again. “I don’t want to leave you here alone in the middle of the night.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine, Calloway.”

“I’d rather not take the chance.” To get her ass into gear, I yanked the sheets off her and let the cold air hit her. “Come on. You can sit in the office while I take care of business. You can even sleep if you want to.”

She groaned in response.

“This is what’s gonna happen.” I moved on top of her and pressed my face close to hers. “Get your ass up, or I’ll carry you. What’s it gonna be?”

She hooked her legs around my waist. “How about we make love and go back to sleep instead?”

I groaned quietly under my breath, hating the brilliant tactic she just used. If she ever wanted to keep me under her thumb, all she had to offer was sex. Like a mindless idiot, I turned into a sex-crazed man who was obsessed with his woman. “As tempting as that sounds, I’m needed elsewhere.”

She pouted her lips in protest. “Hank isn’t going to bother me.” She dragged her hands down my chest. “My big, sexy man chased him off.”

I closed my eyes and released another frustrated sigh. “I know what you’re doing.”

“Then let me do it,” she countered. “Make love to me then go to Ruin.”

My cock knew what he wanted, but my need to protect her came first. “Get your ass up. Don’t make me ask you again.” This time, I left the bed altogether so I wouldn’t be tempted to sink between her legs.

She knew her tactics weren’t going to work, so she sighed and got out of bed. “Just let me put on my makeup and find something to wear.”

“You don’t need makeup.” I loved the way she looked first thing in the morning, with a fresh face and rested eyes. I took her features in completely, seeing past the eyeliner and foundation she wore to work. In either scenario, she looked incredible. But she was one of the few women who didn’t need any help in the beauty department. “I’ll only be there for twenty minutes.” It hit me then that I was taking Rome to Ruin, to the place that contained my essence. She would see firsthand the kind of shit I used to be into—was still into.

“Then why do you need me to come at all?”

I walked up to her and almost grabbed her by the neck, the way I used to touch Isabella. The disobedience and the questions rubbed me the wrong way, antagonized me to my core. But I kept my hand steady, respecting Rome’s wishes. “You know why.”

* * *

The bouncer took one look at me and stepped aside. “Good evening, Mr. Owens.”

“Hey, Charles.” I fist-bumped him then grabbed Rome’s hand, keeping her by my side. She wore the sub ring so every Dom in this place would know and respect that she was mine. But I wanted to keep her close anyway.

The music blared over the speakers, and the lighting was dim so people could be engulfed in the shadows. Some women were dressed in skintight leather. Some women were topless, their nipples pierced with a chain that connected their tits. Men walked their subs with leashes around their necks, yanking on the chain when their women didn’t keep up with them.

My arm moved around Rome’s waist, and I guided her through the throng of chaos and to the second level. She saw so many things at once, an in-depth view of the underworld. It was the kind of thing you couldn’t forget.

I pulled her past the bar and to one of the hallways that contained the private rooms. She was pressed right into my side, and there was no mistaking she was my property. I didn’t want the other men even to look at her. Hopefully, there would be no repercussions for bringing her here tonight. She could be reminded why she left me to begin with and take off again. Now that Hank wasn’t a problem, there was nothing stopping her.

But I wouldn’t let her go.

I couldn’t.

I opened the office door and entered the room where I used to sit and think all the time. Isabella used to kneel in front of my desk until I was finished with my work. Then she and I had our fun afterward.

Jackson was there, and it was obvious he was leaving his mark on the place. Papers were scattered everywhere, and my desk was completely rearranged. A woman lay on one of the couches against the wall, wearing a black corset with leather pants. She stretched her arms above her head, her hair cascading across the cushions.

“I’m here.” I released Rome’s hand once I was in front of the desk. “Take a seat, sweetheart.”

She eyed the woman on the other couch like I’d just asked her to join her.

I patted the leather chair in front of the desk. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”

She lowered herself then crossed her legs, trying not to stare at anyone with too much focus.

Jackson eyed her then looked at me with a grin.

I shot him a glare, warning him it would be stupid to make an idiotic comment right now.

Jackson didn’t call my bluff. “I’ve been having problems with the place. I asked around, but I couldn’t figure it out on my own. So thanks for coming down.”

“Let’s just not make it a habit, alright?”

“You dropped this in my lap, asshole. I had no time to prepare.”

“You’ve been working with me for twenty years,” I snapped. “You’ve had plenty of time to prepare. It’s not my fault you don’t listen. Now let’s get this shit over with.”

“So you can go back to your boring, vanilla life?”

I warned him with just my expression. “You want me to walk out right now?”

He rolled his eyes and came around the desk. “Maybe you’ve given me Ruin, but we both know you’ll always be attached to this place.” He headed to the door. “Come on, follow me.”

I gave Rome a final look, hoping I wouldn’t see disappointment or resentment.

Her expression was nonexistent, blank like a wall. Whatever thoughts she had, she was determined to keep them from me.

* * *

It took us about thirty minutes to address all the problems. Jackson hadn’t understood how much I really did around Ruin. The instant I was gone, he realized he didn’t know how to handle all the electronics of this place, how to control the light show, and other things that seemed insignificant to him but really made an impact on the club.

“How’s it going with Vanilla?” he asked when we were finished.

“No complaints.”

We stood on the top level near the private rooms, on the opposite side of where my old office was. “Really?” Jackson asked incredulously. “It’s been a month, and you don’t have any complaints?”

Yes, I missed being a Dom. Settling for just being her boyfriend was difficult at times. But most of the time, I was happy. When I compared my life with her now to what it was when I lost her, I knew I made the right decision. “Some days are worse than others.” When she’d opened the cage and let my Dom side come out, just for a moment, it was nearly impossible to get him back inside.

“You think you can do this forever?” People passed us in the hallway, couples heading off to a VIP playroom.

“I don’t know.” Maybe it would become routine in time. Maybe I would do it for so long that I would change. Maybe one day, my violent tendencies would fade away.

“I’ve kinda been wondering if you’re gonna come back…” He crossed his arms over his chest, his head slightly bowed.

“Do you want me to come back?”

After a long pause, he shrugged. “I guess running Ruin isn’t as cool as I thought it would be. Requires a lot of work. You know me, I like to fuck around and take my check. You’re a better owner than I’ll ever be. But we both already knew that.”

I couldn’t come back, even if Jackson asked me to. The temptation was just too much. I couldn’t leave Rome alone in my bed while I snuck off to the underworld. It would just try my patience, break my exterior. “You’ll catch on, Jackson.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to. So, this thing with Rome is permanent? I’ve just got to accept it?”

“Yeah.” I still couldn’t picture myself getting married. I couldn’t even tell her I loved her. I gave up my dominance for her, but there were other things I couldn’t budge on. Maybe it would take more time. Or maybe it just wouldn’t happen.

“Can’t you just keep running Ruin and go back home to her?”

I shook my head. “You know that will be too difficult for me.”

“It’s not like you were cheating on Isabella while you were here.”

It wasn’t the same thing, and he knew it. “If we’re done here, I should be getting home.”

When Jackson didn’t move, it was clear the conversation wasn’t over. “Isabella has been better.”

I wanted to say I didn’t care, but I did. I didn’t feel anything for her, but I certainly didn’t want her to be miserable. I spent a year of my life with her. I wanted her to have something passionate with another man, whether it was a Dom or a regular man. “Good for her.”

“But she still asks about you a lot. When I told her you were walking away from Ruin, she was disappointed.”

“Life goes on, right?” Even if Jackson wasn’t finished with this conversation, I was. I turned and walked back to the office.

Jackson caved and followed me. “How’s that psychopath? Has he left Rome alone yet?”

“I think I chased him off. He obviously values his life and made the right decision to walk away.”

“If he gives you guys any trouble, let me know. I wouldn’t mind killing him with my bare hands.”

Jackson could be an enigma sometimes. He could piss me off like crazy, but when it came to the things that mattered, he was there. “Thanks.” We just crossed the bridge to the other side when Isabella appeared. Like she had a radar and could track my every movement, she always seemed to pinpoint my location.

Judging by the surprise on her face, she wasn’t expecting to see me. She stared at me with her mocha-colored eyes, taking me in just the way she used to. There was still longing there, memories of the intense relationship we used to have.

I was so focused on her face, her jet-black hair, that I didn’t notice the man behind her. He caught up to her and circled his arm around her waist, oblivious to the eye contact Isabella and I shared.

She and I passed each other, her shoulder nearly brushing against my arm. It was just an instant, and then it was over. I kept walking, and so did she. I was glad to see her with someone else, to see her beautiful face instead of a waterfall of tears.

It finally took the guilt off my shoulders.

I hoped that was finally the end for her and me, that she accepted the fact that I was devoted to another woman for good. There was no possibility of us getting back together. I was happy where I was—with the woman I was obsessed with.

When Isabella was out of earshot, Jackson spoke. “You took that well.”

“I don’t care if she’s seeing someone else.”

“I know that. But they’re on their way to a playroom. I’m sure that brings up memories for you.”

I’d never forget the way a whip felt in my grasp. I’d never forget the way a woman’s ass reddened under the bite of my leather belt. Zip ties, chains, and handcuffs all flooded my mind, the arousal accompanying it.

I pushed the thought out of my brain, refusing to let them in. “I’m fine.”

* * *

Rome and I didn’t speak on the way home.

I drove through the nearly empty streets and back to my house at the edge of the city. She was silent from her side of the car, either because she was upset or because she was exhausted. Normally, I could read her pretty well, but right now, I was totally clueless. Without looking into those stunning green eyes, the portal to her soul, I was blind.

I pulled into the garage, and we walked into the dark house. We’d been gone for an hour and a half, so we would both be tired at work in a couple of hours. But I’d rather deal with her being a little tired than being kidnapped by that psychopath.

We went upstairs and removed our clothes so we could get back into bed. My thoughts kept switching to the depraved things I wanted to do to Rome. I continued to picture her hands tied behind her back with her ass in the air, her ankles chained together by shackles. I imagined her suspended from the ceiling with her legs wrapped around my waist. I pictured spanking her with my palm until both of her cheeks were red.

Now I was as hard as stone.

I didn’t want to cuddle with her because she would know how aroused I was, and she would probably figure out what contributed to my hard-on. It was best to keep my distance and try to think of something else.

Rome turned on her side away from me, her knees pulled toward her chest. When she didn’t show me any affection, I knew something was wrong.

But I didn’t want to talk about it, not when I didn’t have a good argument. It was best to say nothing and hope she would cool off in the morning. There was nothing to say that hadn’t been said already anyway.