Their Virgin Hostage (Masters of Ménage #5)(56)

"I won't barter for sex, so I'm going to have to turn your offer down." Dominic scowled. "I happen to believe that you will cooperate because it's the right thing to do."

Kinley had always had the impression that he'd do anything to avenge his sister, so his refusal was a blow to the gut. "Are you saying no because I don't have any experience or because I don't arouse you?" Actually, she didn't need to hear them explain all the reasons they didn't want her. She could guess. "Forget I asked. In fact, forget I said anything at all."

Kinley closed her eyes in mortification. She wasn't experienced, and they were men who had likely taken a lot of women to bed … as well as on sofas, across tables, and against walls. She wasn't beautiful enough for them and knew next to nothing about being sexy. She lacked grace and height and the ability to look really good in a short skirt. Not that they were so shallow as to want only those traits. But Kinley knew that she often wore rose-colored glasses, wasn't a fan of adrenaline, and probably didn't seem level-headed enough. She was all the things men like them wouldn't want in a woman. 

Kinley gathered up the folders and clutched them tight to her breasts. Time to retreat and not emerge from her room again until she'd figured out what Greg was doing. After that, hopefully she could go home. She might just go to Annabelle's and start over again. But she sure as hell wasn't going to beg these men for anything again. She needed to salvage whatever shards of her pride she could.

"Kinley," Law began. "Baby, why don't we all sit back down?"

Tears pricked at her eyes, but she was determined to not shed them now. "I think I'd rather go back to my room. I promise no more running. Dominic, you're right. I will do what I can to help you. It's the right thing to do. Please forgive me for what I said earlier. I was just joking, badly it seems. If you have any questions, of course I'll answer them."

She turned away from them, acutely aware of their silence, and walked to the door.

"Kinley!" Law finally called.

She didn't reply, simply fled to her room and closed the door as the tears began to fall.





Chapter Nine


A flaming fury kindled in Law's gut as he stared at Dominic. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Dominic's whole body stood stiff, defensive. "I should be asking you that. Have you forgotten about Carrie? I guess so, since you're completely willing to toss this operation away for a couple of orgasms with a woman who wouldn't talk to you in the real world."

Law scoffed. "She talked to me just fine for a week, and you know what? Never once did she hang up on me because my bank account wasn't fat enough or because I wasn't 'good enough' for her. She always treated me like a human being worthy of concern. You're the one with the serious problem, Master Dominic."

Dominic's eyes flared. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

Riley moved between them, his hands up as though he could stop them from fighting. "Let's take a breather, guys."

Law didn't want a breather. He wanted to have it out. "Get your head out of your ass. You introduced me to this lifestyle. And the first thing you told me was to treat submissives with the respect they deserve. All you've done is treat Kinley like shit."

"She's not my sub," he pointed out, tossing his hands in the air. "Hell, I doubt she even knows what the word means. If I'd taken her up on her offer, my need for her submission would probably send her running and screaming."

Dominic was being purposefully ignorant. "Maybe not. She is a sub, and you know it. You knew it the minute you saw her. Just like you know the way you're treating her now is wrong."

"I'm supposed to respect the fact that she wanted to trade sex for information that will bring down my sister's killer? Not going to happen. Besides, if I'd said yes, she just would have regretted it later."

Law glared at his friend. "When did you get so stupid? Or are you just lying to yourself so you don't have to face the fact that you want her? Kinley was asking for what she needs and hoping you would help me give it to her. She was willing to give you something in return. That was her way of negotiating with us. Why are you acting like this is something foreign? Insulting? We always negotiate our encounters with subs. You've never made a single one of them feel like a whore-until Kinley. Congratulations. How does it feel to be an asshole?"



       
         
       
        

Dominic sighed, then rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "She caught me off guard. Besides, this is a fling, at best. You have to know that."