Page 60 of Dominion

He grinned at her. “I could have a layer of pink added just for you.”

She gave him a weak smile. “Thanks.”

“The police want to speak with you, and your sister’s here. There’s also a very anxious man who claims he’s your fiancé,” he said with a wink.

“When can I get out of here?” she asked, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

“I can sign your release papers now. I think the police will want your statement before you can leave though.”

“May I see Ben first?”

“I don’t see why not,” he said, nodding to the medical technician standing behind him. She nodded and left, returning with Ben.

Ben arrived but stopped just in the doorway, looking unsure. She remembered how things had last ended with them and her hand flew to the wounds on her shoulder, which were almost healed. She had forgiven him, but she wasn’t about to let it pass without making her feelings clear.

She pushed herself to her feet and marched over to him. “Don’t you ever,” she said, slapping his chest, “disappear on me—” she struck his shoulder, “again,” she said, pushing and shoving at his unmoving form. “You don’t get to walk away from me every time things get hard,” she said, thumping his chest again and again.

His hands came around her waist, stilling her hips, stroking her gently. “I won’t. I won’t,” he murmured.

His lack of reaction to her tirade made it seem like he wasn’t taking her seriously, so she drew back her hand and slapped his face, remembering too late the way wolves re-establish dominance.

She received no alpha reaction this time, though. He just gazed down at her with a pained expression.

“Why did you leave me?” she asked, her eyes suddenly filling with tears.

To her shock, she thought she saw his own eyes grow bright before he blinked rapidly. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Ash. I never wanted that.” He shook his head as if disgusted with himself. “I only wanted to protect you, but, as usual, I bungled everything.”

She gulped. “You keep pushing me away,” she said, her voice cracking.

Ben swung her up into his arms and walked to the bed, where he sat down, keeping her cradled on his lap. “Does that mean you’ll have me?” he asked softly.

She resisted a smile as a tear streaked down her cheek. “I’ll consider it.”

He nibbled at her ear. “I’m not sure you understand how things work here,” he said, his voice a deep teasing rumble that made her toes start to curl. “You’re mine now. I’ve laid claim to you. That means you’ll never be rid of me, so I suggest you get used to the idea.” He pulled away, looking serious. “I hope you can stand me. I know I’m one hell of an asshole, but I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you happy. You’re all that matters to me. I mean it.”

Unaccountably, she burst into tears, all her pent-up emotions flooding out.

Ben appeared alarmed. “I’m so sorry, Ashley. I can’t undo marking you, but if the thing that makes you happiest is being rid of me, I’ll do my best to stay away,” he said, looking sickened by the thought.

She laughed through her tears. “Stupid wolf,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face there. “I don’t want to be rid of you.” She kissed his jaw, then his lips when he turned and captured the back of her head, his concerned look turning to hungry. She pulled away. “I need more of you, not less. Can you give me that?”

He met her eye. “I’ll give you everything,” he said with the solemnity of a vow.

She laughed and wept more tears, which he thumbed and kissed away.

“Sweet angel. You came into my life like a storm. How did I not know that all I was ever missing was you?”

11

By some miracle, the police seemed satisfied with the story Mark laid out for them. It didn’t hurt that Sandoval was a known drug lord, and the DEA was thrilled to have him out of the picture. Ben feared it put him on their watch list as a contact, but since he had nothing to do with drugs or drug running, he hoped it would come to nothing.

He drove Ashley to her home. “Stay there, I will help you out,” he said when she started to open the car door.

She ignored him and pushed the door open as he walked around, hopping on one foot as she pulled her crutches from the back seat.

“I said stay,” he said, taking them from her hands.

“Woof,” she said.