His gaze narrowed and she felt her heart stutter then race.
“Calm down, baby. You’re going to make yourself ill.”
Her pulse jumped for another reason. Hearing him call her baby in that low, calm voice made her skin flush.
“And I’m not asking you to bare body parts.” He smiled briefly, and his whole face lightened. Jesus, the man was so potent she could barely stand to look at him. “Just your wrist. I want to know why you flinched like that.”
“You took me by surprise, that’s all.”
“If that was all, then why are you so defensive about showing me?”
“You want to let me go before Ajax gets back,” she warned. Where the hell was he?
“Actually, I think Ajax will be interested in knowing why one of his subs has got bruises on her wrist.” She looked down and saw her long-sleeved shirt had pulled up. Fuck.
She reached for the material at the same time as he did. He won the tug of war, pushing it up her arm gently. She winced as she saw the angry-looking bruise.
“I told the other night, I’m not a submissive.”
He smiled. “You think not, do you?”
“I know it,” she hissed at him. “Fuck, you’re annoying.”
“You’ve got a mouth on you.”
“Does that offend you?”
“Nope,” he told her. “Some Doms, it might. But I work around some of the most foul-mouthed beings you’ve ever met. It’s getting to the point that if I don’t have a conversation where someone swears it feels weird. Did you ice this?”
“What?”
“Did you ice your wrist? Is the other one the same?”
She hid her other hand behind her back. “None of your business.”
He sighed. “Just knew you were going to be trouble.”
“Pardon me?”
“More attitude than a teenager getting caught sneaking out after dark.”
“Did you just liken me to a teenager?” Jesus, he sure knew how to kick at a girl’s ego. She was twenty-five not fifteen.
“If the shoe fits . . .”
She sucked in a breath and glared at him. “You’re an asshole.”
“Actually, most people find me quite likeable. I’m pretty easygoing. Until you rile up my protective instincts. Who hurt you?”
The question slammed at her while she was still reeling from the idea that people liked him. “What? None of your business.”
“Actually, it is. I’m a club Dom and you’re a submissive under my care.”
“I’m not a fucking submissive.”
“Knees, now,” he growled.
She slid down onto her knees without thought, finding the position immediately. He let go of her hand as she moved but sat there, watching.