“I can. I can do this.” Maybe. Probably. Oh God.
“No.” Ink loomed over her. With anyone else she might have been terrified. But she trusted Ink. When it had happened, she wasn’t sure. But she was certain her Little side would never have emerged without his care and attention.
She both hated and loved the way she felt about him. Loved it because she’d never known a man like him, never thought she would.
Hated it, because she was terrified of losing him. And part of her was certain it was inevitable.
“No, Betsy. You’re gonna do as I say.”
“Ink, please.”
“No.”
Her shoulders drooped. She loved that he was protective. But how else was she going to get rid of the threat of Forrest? Without endangering everyone she loved.
“Ink,” Duke growled. Ink swung towards him.
“No! You wouldn’t fucking let Sunny do this. So why should I let my woman?”
She glanced from Ink to Duke then over to the colder man whose name she still didn’t know. He didn’t offer an opinion. Just watched them all carefully. Then he glanced over at her and raised an eyebrow.
“While I’m all for keeping women out of danger,” he drawled. “If we don’t get Forrest under control, then your woman is always going to be at risk.”
She gulped.
“As well as those she loves.”
“There’s gotta be another way,” Ink muttered. “Why can’t I go in and get it?”
“He’s got a lot of security. Armed guards. Cameras. Dogs. Alarms.” She shook her head. “It would be a foolish risk.”
“It’s too much of a risk for you.”
“I never thought I’d live for much longer, Ink.”
He pointed at her but looked over at the cold-eyed man. “That is why she can’t go in. She has no self-preservation.”
“I don’t think she was finished speaking,” Duke eyed her.
Betsy licked dry lips. Her head pounded with stress. She was moments away from a migraine if she didn’t calm down. “But if you…if you really do want me…”
Ink drew her up, his hands around her waist, her feet dangling in the air.
“We got things to work through. Like honesty and trust and communication. But we’ll work through them with you by my fucking side, under my fucking protection, doing as you’re fucking told!”
She narrowed her gaze. “Doing as I’m told?”
“Uh-oh,” Duke muttered.
“When it comes to protection and safety, I’m in charge.”
“You asked me if I was your sub, your Little.”
“And if you are then you’ll do as you’re told.”
She narrowed her gaze. “I won’t be your doormat. I’ll never be that again.”
“I don’t want a doormat!”