Destined for the Dom (Masters of Submission, #2)(5)

For a brief moment or two she looked stunned by his observations. Her mouth opened and closed several times before words finally came out. He knew he’d hit the nail on the head when she said, “Have you been stalking me?”

“Jesus Christ, Zo?, I only flew into Pittsburgh two hours ago. This is the first time I’ve seen you in fourteen years. Besides, I’m not such a sad bastard that I need to stalk vulnerable women.”

Zo? grabbed her orange juice, and gulped down a large mouthful. Her jewelry glinted in the subdued lighting as she tipped the glass to her lips. In a calmer, less confrontational tone, she asked, “So what are you doing these days, Hunter?”

“I’m an Air Marshal. I spend most of my time flying at thirty thousand feet. After the Twin Towers went down, it was something I felt I needed to do.”

“You don’t look like a typical Air Marshal.” She pointed to his tattoos.

Hunter smiled, and smoothed a hand over his forearm. “Oh, I’ve had these for years. I cover them up when I’m working.”

“I’m not surprised, they make you look like an assassin.”

Maybe that’s exactly who he was. “I got these done in the Marines. All of us young bucks wanted something permanent to show what we’d been through.”


“Is that where you went, when you left St. Mark’s? The Marines?”

“Yeah, I signed up for ten years.”

“No wonder you never—” Zo? stopped speaking abruptly.

“Yeah, I know, I never came back for you like I promised.” Hunter finished the sentence for her. “I guess I was a kid with foolish ideas. I joined the Marines thinking it would make a man of me. It did, but it messed with my head, too. For most of those ten years I wasn’t a nice guy to know.”

Looking genuinely concerned, she said, “I’m guessing you’ve seen some terrible things, Hunter?”

He sighed. “Yeah, but I don’t dwell on them.” He knew his curt answer gave him away. Even after all these years, Zo? understood him. She’d know in an instant the pain and trauma he’d suffered. The things he’d seen as a Marine impacted his life on a daily basis. It was hard to erase the terrible images from his mind. Her eyes narrowed on him, but she didn’t say anything in reply.

The pert-breasted waitress returned with his bourbon and placed it on the table. He handed her a fifty-dollar bill. “Keep the change.”

“Thank you, Sir. You enjoy your evening now.”

“I will.” He turned his attention back to Zo?. “As an Air Marshal, I have to be an excellent judge of people. I need to be able to sort the good guys from the bad guys. I can tell you hate your life and your job.” He took her hands in his, and twisted them palm up. He touched her wrists with his thumbs. “Even these leather bracelets can’t hide the bruising on your wrists. I’m sure a guy did this to you.” As soon as he said the words, she snatched her hands away.

“He’s history.”

Hunter took a slug of bourbon. “Good, I’m glad. You always did have your head screwed on, Peaches.”

Zo?’s face lit up at his use of her pet name, her eyes sparkled with pleasure. He’d often called her that when they’d been in care together. It had helped cement a bond between them.

“Peaches—you remembered.”

“How could I forget?”

He watched her shoulders loosen as she began to relax in his company. “So when do you go back to wherever it is you live?”

“I live in Boston, I fly back tomorrow.”

“Oh, so this is just a flying visit?”

“Quite literally. Maybe I can take you home when you’ve finished here.”

“You can take me home, but there won’t be any freebies handed out, not even to an old friend.” Zo? was so cynical.

“Whoa now, Peaches. You got the wrong idea about my visit.”

“Have I? So all those times I used to catch you secretly looking at me when I was fifteen or sixteen. They were all in my imagination?”

“No, of course not. When you became older, I don’t deny I found you attractive.”

“I know you did. Those times when I’d take a bath and you and Jake would spy on me through a hole in the wall.”

He laughed. “I didn’t think you knew we did that. We thought we were being really discreet.”

“Well, not discreet enough. I was well aware you were both spying on me, and I kinda enjoyed the attention. Why do you think I used to spend so much time getting out of the tub, and drying myself? I knew you were both watching me with your cocks in your hands. You haven’t changed in the last fourteen years, Hunter. Even now you can’t stop your eyes drifting to my breasts.” Zo? had never been afraid to say what she thought.

“Well, if you will sit seminaked in front of me, I’ve got no choice. I’m a guy. Tits and ass are hardwired into my brain.”

“At least you’re honest, which is more than I can say for the rest of the guys in here. Most of them have got wives or girlfriends waiting at home for them, which leads me to my next question.”

Before she could ask, Hunter spoke. “There’s no one else. I’m not the settling-down type.”

“That’s too bad. You’re a good-looking guy. You’ve filled out an awful lot since I last saw you. Why don’t you have a woman in your life?”