“Just like it’s weird that he walked into Dominion and immediately had some sort of hard-on for me.”
“That’s not weird. That makes him a man.”
She rolled her eyes. “There are plenty of other subs here.”
“None of them are you.”
Damn it, sometimes Thorpe could—after weeks of being a giant pain in her ass—say the nicest things. She teared up. Gawd, she was really going to miss him.
“But . . .” he went on. “I don’t like the questions he’s asking you, either. I don’t see how they’re relevant to helping you down your submissive path.”
“Exactly. The other thing is . . . In almost every other way, he’s too good to be true.”
Thorpe regarded her intently. “Do you think he’s a player?”
“No.” But something wasn’t quite right. “I’m not sure what to make of him, though.”
Because if Sean was a cop, a bounty hunter, or an assassin, wouldn’t he have either dragged her in or done her in by now?
“What did he say to you tonight that made you want to run away from him?”
Oh. Ouch. Yeah, she needed to remember that Thorpe never hesitated to go for the jugular.
“Nothing he meant to be threatening or scary.”
“Good to know. Be more specific.” Thorpe’s tone sharpened.
“It’s . . . personal.”
“Dodging my question isn’t an option, pet.” That warning note in his voice made her shiver. “I’d rather not see you leave over whatever drivel he spewed. Tell me. Maybe I can fix the situation.”
It was embarrassing enough that he’d probably seen her and Sean having sex. He’d been so close, he couldn’t have missed their climatic finish. “You didn’t hear?”
“Callie, I’m not getting through to you, so let me be plain. You will tell me now or I will paddle your pretty little ass.”
“You can’t do that!”
His smile contradicted her. “I’ve informed Sean that it’s a distinct possibility. Besides, you’ve taken off his collar. If you think he’s being less than honest, you don’t intend to put it back on, do you?”
“Why would I? I already told you, I’m leaving.”
“Not until I know why.”
She jumped to her feet, gaping at him. “You’d keep me here against my will?”
Thorpe crossed an ankle over his knee and brushed an imaginary thread from his trousers. “Your tone suggests I should be uncomfortable with that idea. Until you’re honest with me, I assure you I’m not. Furthermore, if Kirkpatrick is troubling you, he’s nothing I can’t handle. Am I clear?”
Callie blinked at him, processing everything he’d delivered in that low, almost relaxed voice. She wasn’t fooled. Under his urbane, oh so cultured façade beat the heart of a predator. She’d seen him take rivals apart both mentally and physically. Thorpe wasn’t someone a sane person crossed.
Callie weighed her words carefully. “Sean made me realize I’m not cut out for a Dom/sub relationship.”
“Really, pet?”
She sidestepped his question. “And I’m a little bored with Dallas. Los Angeles is calling my name. Every time Xander comes by and talks about his trips to the city, it sounds fabulous. It’s just time to move on.”
Thorpe said nothing for a long moment. He simply stood and towered over her, that charcoal stare boring into her. “There will be consequences for anything less than totally honesty, so think carefully, Callie. Would you like to recant or amend your statement in any way?”
Shit. Thorpe knew something. Or everything. Had he heard Sean’s declaration of love?