His Only Hope: The Maison Chronicles, Book 2 Read Free

herself, but her control—as always in Gabe’s presence—was consumed by his desires. And he wanted answers.
    “Congratulations. Tough stuff, starting your own company. I’m actually in the same boat. Leather goods, not décor.” He gave a little smile then turned to look at her in the mirror once more with a studious wrinkle in his brow.
    He shook his head, then turned and left without another word.
    She paced the room in his absence, trying to decide whether to leave or stay when a voice cleared behind her. She straightened and turned, shoulders tight.
    Their eyes met and his face went hard. “What the holy hell are you doing here?”

Chapter Two
    Gabe’s lips thinned and his dark brown eyes narrowed. “Shouldn’t you be, I don’t know, somewhere mysterious where no one from your prior life knows your location?”
    That kind of snark had been her territory, not his. You have no clue where he’s been or what he’s done or who he is now. The idea stabbed her heart with little spikes of sadness.
    “I’m back.” She paused, crossing her arms and legs as she leaned against the mirrored wall. The words seemed inadequate but she was so not prepared to have The Talk with Gabe.
    “Gabe, I really am fine. You can go back to whatever you were doing. Thank you for the save.” Hope looked down and repressed a grimace, not liking the thought of him being at the club to top some chick. Or, even worse, being there with his submissive.
    His boots filled her vision. Guess he wasn’t leaving as she’d wanted. His insistence on doing things his way hadn’t changed.
    She trailed her eyes upward, enjoying the sight even as her heart and head warred over how damnably vulnerable this situation could leave her. And that damn scent, so purely Gabe. It had haunted her for weeks after she’d left and would do the same now that she’d smelled him again.
    “Hope, what were you thinking, getting involved with those men?”
    She flicked her attention to his face. His jaw was tight and lines of anger radiated from his eyes.
    “With them? No. They decided in the hall that I was too uppity for a ‘slave’ and wanted to teach me a lesson.” She shuddered, too overwhelmed by the evening’s events to suppress it.
    Gabe snorted. “Sounds like the Hope I knew, full of fire and rebellion.”
    Her spine straightened at the frustration in his voice.
    He turned, and she half hoped Gabe would leave. Instead, he grabbed a chair from against the mirror and plopped it in front of her. He straddled its hardwood seat, leaning his muscled forearms on the short metal back.
    “Hey, don’t lay this shit on me. The jackass is a Super-Uber-Dom. Even called me ‘slave’. What a douche.”
    “I see your mouth hasn’t improved at all,” he said. “I’m surprised your Dom hasn’t disciplined it out of you.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “What Dom? I haven’t even been to a club in years, and you know how much I hate stupid Tops.” She scoffed. “Little boys playing king of the castle. It’s pathetic, really.” She jutted her chin at him. “And my mouth is more than fine, as you damn well recall.”
    He smirked. “Oh, I haven’t forgotten that, baby. But you seem to have trouble recalling that all work and no play makes Hope a very stressed-out girl.”
    “Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve been just lovely.”
    In a flash, he had her pressed against the mirror, one hand pinning her wrists against the cool surface. She’d not realized just how close he was sitting until that point.
    Her heart kicked into overdrive and her mouth went dry. Wetness trickled from between her thighs. Damn him for knowing how to push her hot buttons.
    “Don’t you lie to me, Hope O’Shea.” His voice held a familiar warning. “You need a good topping, I can see it in your eyes. And don’t get me started on what your hard nipples say you need, cara. ”
    Gabe had a big Italian family from his mother’s side, and that word had become his sole