You trust him more than anyone else and you still need to find a way of warning him.
He blew softly into her ear. “Don’t tense up. I just want to talk. In private.”
She swallowed heavily. What did that mean? What did he want to talk about that he couldn’t say to her here?
Then his mouth moved down her neck and she wondered if she really cared. What did she have to lose? Isn’t this what Forrest wanted? For her to get close to Ink? And even though she had no intention of sleeping with him, it would give her a chance to leave him a note.
“Please. For Daddy.”
Shit. He knew just what to say.
She nodded. He smiled. But for some reason it didn’t seem to reach his eyes.
He couldn’t believe he’d gotten her to agree so easily. He’d been prepared to use threats. But she’d caved. Almost too easily. He was still suspicious of her. Of what the fuck was going on.
Part of him wanted to get far away from her.
The other part wanted to pull her over his knee, spank her then tie her to his bed until she swore to never lie to him again.
That latter part was winning.
He hadn’t wasted time in getting her out of the restaurant, walking her up half a block to the hotel where rooms had been booked. They’d used his name for the one he’d take her to first in case anyone managed to check the booking system. The other rooms were under false identities. He’d already checked in and had a key card.
The short walk was to give his guys a chance to see if anyone followed them.
His phone buzzed. Brody had already checked his phone to make sure there were no bugs.
He hustled her into the room, shocked again that she’d come so easily. But she looked kind of dazed as if her mind was somewhere else.
“Ink, I—”
“You look beautiful tonight, baby.” He couldn’t call her brown eyes. That name had meant something. He couldn’t use it until he found out what was going on.
How she’d used him.
“Wanted to fuck you from the moment you walked into the restaurant.”
She took in a sharp breath, looking at him in surprise.
“Cat got your tongue? Or is it just that you want something to fill that mouth up?” he murmured to her. “Take your clothes off.”
She shook her head. “I, ahh, I thought you wanted to talk?” She was looking around the room in shock, as though she couldn’t work out how she’d gotten there. He needed to get her to go along with him.
He moved to the table, picked up the notebook that had been left there for him. He wrote a quick note.
Are you bugged?
Her mouth dropped open.
“Come on, baby. You had to know that’s why I brought you here. Don’t be shy. Get naked.”
He wrote another note.
Do it. Or I’ll make you.
He had to resolve himself against the flash of hurt and confusion on her face. It could all be fake. He was on edge. If someone was listening in, and she said something to alert them he’d have to move quickly to shut her up.
Reyes had suggested gagging and tying her up, but it just hadn’t sat right with him. Not knowing her limits with bondage. And yeah, maybe all of that was fake but he wanted to try his way first.
Because there was a part of him that really hoped Sunny was right. That she was a pawn being used, being forced to take part in this and that her note to him had been real. Had been her way of warning him.
She didn’t move and he sighed. He wasn’t one to make empty threats.
“That’s it, baby. Christ, you’re gorgeous.” He kept up an endless stream of talk as he started to move towards her.
She jolted, must have read the intent on his face because she reached shakily for the back of her dress. It was black, of course, and hung off her as though she’d lost weight since buying it. She was so fucking thin, it scared him.
And it annoyed him that he cared so much.
“So gorgeous, baby. Let me see more of you.”
Her hands shook as she undressed. He kept one eye on her as he opened up the laptop Brody had set up. He’d put together some bits of porn to cover for them. And Ink had done some recordings of his voice to make it more believable.