Dominance Never Dies (Masters and Mercenaries Book 11) by Lexi Blake Page A

place.
    Hopefully she could get it all done before the Taggarts put boots on the ground in South America.
    “Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Case was the one following her now.
    She stopped in the middle of his living room, turning on him. The sight of his living space alone should have proven to her they wouldn’t work. It was too neat, Spartan. There was nothing of the man himself in this place. No photos, no little mementos. There was utilitarian furniture, a massive TV, and an Xbox. Mia’s apartment was messy and filled with sentimental crap. He would hate it.
    Like he hated her.
    “Does it matter?” She was suddenly so tired. She’d dreamed of seeing him again and while she hadn’t expected him to welcome her with open arms, she also hadn’t thought he would show her outright hostility.
    “It does if you’re planning on chasing this lead yourself and fucking over what might be my only shot at saving my brother.”
    This was the moment she should walk away. The Taggarts could rise or fall on their own. She’d done enough.
    If she thought for one second that they could not only find Tony, but also get him to talk, she would walk. The problem was she was the only person who could do this job. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place and it was obviously time to get to work on her own.
    This trip had been a fool’s errand and she wouldn’t make the same mistake again. She would move forward. When it came time to turn the investigation over, she would do it, but until then she was on her own.
    “Go home, Mia.”
    She understood what he meant. He didn’t care where she went as long as she wasn’t bugging him. “Good-bye, Case.”
    She started to turn, but he was right there, his big hand on her elbow. He twisted her around and she stumbled slightly, landing against his chest.
    “Tell me why you came, Mia. Stop the bullshit.”
    She might just be using her pepper spray tonight. “Do you think I faked that photo?”
    “No.” His hand was still tight on her arm. “Not even you would do that. But you could have sent it to me. You should have sent it to Ian. But no, you came here to me, to my house, into my bedroom. So tell me why you’re really here. Maybe if you’re honest with me, I’ll give you what you want.”
    “You seem to know everything. Why don’t you tell me why I’m here?”
    “Because I think those fancy boys you play around with aren’t doing it for you, darlin’. I think you want to see what it’s like to go to bed with a man who gets his hands dirty. Is that what you want? A quick roll? Because I might be willing to do that for you.” His handsome face was so close to her own.
    All she would need to do to bring their lips together was go up on her toes.
    Unfortunately, she wasn’t willing to degrade herself. Not even for him. The sweet Case she’d known, the one who treated her like she was special, like she made him happy, had been a lie. This was the real Case. The other one had simply been his cover.
    The great thing about the way he was holding her was how very easy he made it to bring her knee up and send his balls back into his body cavity.
    She heard him hiss and then she was free. “Tell your girlfriend she’s got a real jewel on her hands. And thanks, Case. I think I just got over you. I’ve carried this stupid torch around from the moment I met you. It’s good to see those true colors shining through. If I come up with anything, I’ll let Ian know. Good-bye, Case.”
    He’d taken a knee, one hand cupping the balls she’d so recently injured. “Mia, stop. We need to fucking talk.”
    But she’d said everything she needed to say.
    With tears in her eyes, she left his apartment, his building, and his life.
    She would find Theo, but she was done with Case.
     
    * * * *
     
    Dear god, he might never have children. Not that he wanted them. Maybe he did. He let out a groan as the pain washed over him.
    Did she have a damn bionic knee?
    How the hell had