Page 181 of Enthrall Shadows
“You’re a Dominant, I take it?” Henry walked over to the coffee table and set the food down. “Wild guess.”
“I am.”
“De Sade?” asked Henry, clearly amused. “As in Marquis de Sade?”
Jake stood proud. “I wield a level of pain you’d never handle.”
Oh, shit.
Why did he have to go there?
“Let’s continue this tomorrow.” I went to guide Jake toward the door. “It was good seeing you.”
He snapped his arm away.
“I’ve learned a thing or two about pain,” mused Henry. “The kind there’s no safe word for.”
I tried to reassure him. “Henry, Jake doesn’t know.”
“Know what?” asked Jake.
I glared at him to convey this conversation was over.
Jake seemed to be mulling over what he knew about Henry. “You were a SEAL?”
He received a terse nod from the man he’d insulted.
Jake’s expression turned fraught. He hung his head in shame as the realization hit him. “I’m an asshole, sorry.”
Henry deescalated the conversation with a polite wave.
Jake stepped forward. “You served in Afghanistan?”
“It’s great to meet you, too,” said Henry and graciously shook Jake’s hand.
Jake pivoted toward me. “Will you be in tomorrow?”
“Not sure yet.” I refused to make eye contact with Henry.
“We’ll talk.” Jake gave Henry’s arm a pat as he headed out. “The food smells amazing.”
“You’re still welcome to join us,” I offered, and then cringed when I noticed Henry’s incredulous flinch.
The banging of the front door signaled that Jake had left and we were alone.
I approached Henry. “After Scarlet left, I became the senior dominatrix. That’s why he was here, to talk me out of it.”
“What does convincing you entail exactly?” He glared at me.
I wasn’t in the mood for an argument. “I’ll dish up the food.”
“I’ve lost my appetite.”
“Oh, stop it.” I picked up the takeout bag and carried it along with the bouquet into the open-plan kitchen. “We’re both hangry and need to eat.”
I set the food and flowers on the central island.
Henry followed me. “I’m usually not the jealous type.”
