Page 302 of Phobia
“How much?” I ask, resolved to get this over with.
“£25,000.”
Ant makes a sound suggesting he’s planning to protest, but he’s quickly silenced with a punch to the gut. Forcing Dom’s body away just enough to turn around, I glare at the man looming over Ant. His knuckles are as red as his hair—he’sthe one who’s already inflicted so much damage. My stomach flips. “Leave him alone! I’ll pay!”
Shoving Dom away, I create some space before looking him in the eye. “I can pay it.” That’s no lie. Dead relatives and the inheritance they leave have proven helpful in times like this. “Can you just…”Fuck!“I’m going on holiday-”
“No,” Dom deadpans.
“Unless you accept atraceablebank transfer, I assume you need cash.” I stare him down, but he doesn’t blink. “You know I can’t get that right now.”
Dom steps away from the desk and, closing the distance, pulls me flush against his hard body. I’m at his mercy, and he knows it. “Your money’s no good here, Naomi.”
Chapter 18
“W… What does that mean?” My heart races…What the hell is going on?Whispering, so only Dom can hear me, I plead rather than ask, “What do you want from me?”
“Everyone out,” Dom calls over my head. “Except you, Tommy.”
I don’t turn to look; I know his eyes landed in the direction of his enforcer.
Flinching when the door closes, I take a deep breath, clinging to the hope that Ant and I will leave this room alive. I work hard to avoid death but walked right into it tonight.
Dom turns us both and edges me back to the desk, his eyes glued to mine. “I don’t want your money. I wantyou.”
The air leaves my lungs, and I check that Tommy didn’t just hit me without me realising.No.No punch or pain. Just complete and utter shock. “I don’t understand.”
“Nine days,” Dom says as if that’ll help me. “I think nine days is more than fair, given the cost to me.”
“Nine days of what?”
“Of me getting to fuck you whenever I want.”
This time I laugh. “Sex? You want me to pay with sex… wait…” The pennies line up and slot into place. “Youboughta debt to get sex?”
Dom fails to see the ridiculousness of the situation. He’s motionless, just watching me with those beautiful eyes.Oh, howI’d love to scratch them out.“If you wanted a replay, you could’ve made it happen without doing this.”
Now, he smiles. “Oh, I know. But then it would have to be on equal terms. I’d have to stick to your rules.”
Rules?I let this man destroy my arsehole! “What ru…” The word dies on my tongue. I have a rule. Just one that I live by. I asked only one thing, and he can’t mean that.
My throat closes in, and my tongue feels too heavy to use, but somehow, I manage to squeak one word: “Condoms.”
Dom smiles, radiant, with no hint of his sinister intent. “Smart girl.”
My body shakes, and he holds me tighter than before. “Why? You didn’t complain last time.” My throat closes up, and the walls move in. “No! I can’t do that! You know I can’t.”
Dom places his hands around my arms, gripping them tight. “Nine days. Bare.”
“Why?” I gasp.
His lashes flicker ever so slightly, like there’s an actual human inside, but then he shuts it down. “These are my terms. What’s your decision?”
In the corner of my eye, I see Tommy edging closer to Ant. “Dom… please.”
“I’m being more than fair, Naomi. I could just kill him.”
It’s me risking death!“I’ll pay you double.”
