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How did he seem to know her better than she knew herself?
As much as she wanted it, she couldn’t force herself to admit the truth.
Every touch, every whisper, every “yes, Sir,”was dragging her deeper into emotional danger, leading her closer and closer to potential heartbreak.
Fear arrowed down her spine.
She was falling for Gregorio.
Sasha gave herself a mental shake. The idea of having a real future with Gregorio was a ridiculous impossibility.
She couldn’t even begin to imagine the reaction from her sister or her parents. He’d been such an important part of their lives since he’d saved them all.
He’d arrived to pick up her sister for a date and unwittingly walked in during the holdup. Sasha had been huddled in the back room with her mother and Adriana, shaking with fear, crying, while her father had a pistol pointed at his forehead.
With brutal calm, Gregorio had taken down one robber and disarmed the other.
That was the night she’d developed a severe case of hero worship for him.
Afterward, her sister had accepted his marriage proposal, and he’d been joyfully welcomed as a member of the DiLuce family.
Years later, their divorce had devastated everyone.
That fateful night had also shaped who she was as a human being. She’d hated feeling helpless. When she was safely in bed, she’d vowed she’d never be a victim again. Every decision from then on had supported that resolution. She’d taken self-defense classes, learned to shoot, joined Hawkeye—like Gregorio—and gone through their tactical training classes. Now, twice a month, she taught other women and children how to protect themselves.
“Tell me, Petal.”
He refused to let her hide. Even from herself. “Gregorio…”
No matter how foolish or reckless, she wanted more.
The small taste of BDSM that he’d given her wasn’t even close to enough.
Her whole life, she’d been searching for something like this.
Ordinary sex was ho-hum. She’d always wondered what the big deal was. The connection was okay, but until Gregorio, she hadn’t understood.
He’d brought her to life.
And she craved the edge of danger that he was offering.
After this case was over, she had no idea if she’d see him again, and she’d rather have the memories, even if they were woven with regrets.
“I’m waiting for you to say the words, Petal,” he prompted. “Be brave.”
Damn the consequences.
As scared as she’d been lately, she wanted—desperately—to feel alive. Up here, there was so much security, she was totally safe, able to let go and indulge.
He hadn’t pushed at all, and she appreciated that.
With a steadying breath, digging deep for courage, she finally looked at him. “I want to go to the Den.”
A slow, sultry smile crossed his face, taking years off his age. The shadows that haunted his eyes vanished. Maybe not forever, but for the moment. “Do you?”
Drawing a steadying breath, she told him the truth. “Yes.”
“That’s my girl.”