Page 201 of The Dragon 2

“Tonight, has been anything but slow, Tora. It’s been passionate torture.” I leaned in slightly. “You have outdone yourself. Thank you. I will never forget this. Not a second of it. Never.”

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “I’m glad you enjoyed my food.”

“I more than enjoyed it. I’m moving you into my mansion this evening.”

She remained silent.

And her silence was power, held gently and completely. She knewexactlywhat kind of man I was—and still had the nerve to keep me waiting.

But I needed her to understand that she was mine now and that I wasn’t going home tonight without her.

Did she truly know that?

I wanted to reach across the table, curl my fingers around her jaw, and say it out loud—You belong to me now.

But I didn’t.

Because I had a feeling that whatever she was planning next. . .it would say everything I couldn’t.

The air thickened.

One waitress returned with a bowed head, and a single silver dog bowl. Soon, she set it down right in front of me.

What is this?

I stared at the bowl.

It was small, simple, and made of shiny, polished silver. Around the outer rim and etched into the metal were engravings of bones.

Inside, steam curled into the air in elegant ribbons. Something golden and rustic nestled at the bottom—some kind of pie, maybe. The crust was perfectly flaky, the kind of texture that shatters under a spoon but melts on one’s tongue.

The filling looked like peaches. Or some similar fruit. Bright, warm, and glistening with sugar.

The scent hit me next—cinnamon, vanilla, summer fruit, and something floral. It smelled like pleasure so intentional it bordered on cruelty.

My mouth watered.

Yet still. . . I couldn’t get over what they had put this dessert in.

A dog bowl? Why?

I pursed my lips.

Was this a mistake?

Was it a joke?

Or—more likely—was it a message?

I looked at Nyomi’s side of the table. There was no dish placed in front of her.

Is she not eating the dessert?

My pulse jumped.

She didn’t look surprised. Not even a flicker of reaction crossed her face.

My gaze slid back to the bowl. There was no collar or leash. It didn’t matter. My mind still went there immediately.