And although Dominic was famed for his lightning-quick reactions on the field, he stood still as a stone as he watched her walk back through the red curtain.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Melissa blinked into the neon lights surrounding the dance floor as she emerged from the darkness. She didn't know how long she'd been gone, how long she'd been riding Dominic's huge cock, but in those minutes everything had changed. She had changed.

She'd never thought of herself as ballsy, but she'd assumed at least she knew her own mind. She'd thought she was strong enough to risk a dangerous desire, but she was wrong. She was incapable of resisting Dominic.

She was so damn angry! Angry at herself for being weak, angry with Dominic for making her want so much more than she could have, for showing her possibilities no other man could ever live up to.

JP crooked a finger at her from the dance floor while gyrating his hips seductively. Feeling Dominic emerge behind her, she allowed her hips to sway back and forth in rhythm to the music. She wanted to lose herself in the music, in the darkness, in the strangers all around her.

She moved to join JP on the dance floor and let him pull her against him. She was safe with him. As long as JP was by her side, Dominic couldn't overtake her soul with his sensuality.

Sure, he demanded, but she was the one who delivered, who couldn't say no.

Her skin grew damp as she danced. She was exhausted from too little sleep and too much sex, but there was safety in numbers on the dance floor.

Finally, JP whispered in her ear, "It's time to go home now."

She shook her head. "No."

Going home meant time to think about Dominic. Time to admit how weak she was.

"They're locking up and kicking us out," JP said as he pushed her toward the door. "Warrior man over there has been glaring at us for the past four hours."

Dominic was standing by the front door with his muscular arms crossed over his chest.

As the distance closed between her and Dominic, she moved closer to JP to stay away from temptation.

Dominic's face was a dark cloud, his eyes black with fury.

She deliberately smiled at JP. "Thank you for an incredible night."

Dominic had always been a calm, solid presence on a team full of unpredictable men. But now he looked anything but: his fists were tight, his jaw locked, his eyes narrowed.

She didn't care. Now it's your turn. I hope you're jealous. It was the only power she had over him.

As the blocks ticked away and they drew closer to her apartment, her breathing grew shallow.

She needed to find a subtle way to convince JP to guard her until Dominic got out of the limo and drove away in his Viper. The limo stopped and she said, "JP, I just remembered that we need to discuss a couple of important issues tonight. Do you have a few minutes?"

Dominic remained in his seat in the limo, obviously intent on waiting for her to finish her "business" with JP. No matter how long it took. Or how lame it was.

JP stretched and yawned, his arms ending up around the girls cuddled against him. "I'm too tired. Let's talk tomorrow."

Damn it, he clearly didn't have her back. But then it wasn't his job to protect her from Dominic, who had just stepped out of the limo and was holding the door open for her to make her way past JP's girls. As she stepped out onto the sidewalk, Dominic closed the limo door with an ominous click and it sped away.

"We need to talk," he said in a hard voice.

"Fine," she said, her response clipped and edgy as she rummaged through her bag for her keys.

He followed her silently up the stairs and down the long hall to her door. As she hung her keys on the hook in her foyer, Dominic closed the door behind him.

"Are you thinking straight? What the hell were you doing out there tonight?"

She went on the offensive. "If you're referring to sleeping with you in every possible location through the city this week, no—I definitely am not thinking straight."

"I'm not talking about us," he said in a low, dangerous voice. "I'm talking about JP. Don't you realize you're ruining your career before it even begins? We all saw you and JP out there tonight. The way you were letting him touch you."

Melissa couldn't believe what she was hearing. "We were only dancing together. He went to his harem for other fun."

"No—he wants you. They all do. Someone needs to warn you, before it's too late and you lose everything you've worked for."

Melissa pushed her finger into his hard chest. "I can't believe you actually have the nerve to warn me about JP's motives!" He was the one breaking all the rules, not JP.

"You're nothing to him," Dominic said. "Nothing more than just another f**k."

She felt so cold, as if her blood had all drained away, leaving ice in its wake.

"I get it," she said. "I can't believe it took me this long to get it." A harsh laugh escaped. "Don't worry, I don't want anything from you, Dominic. In fact, I was going to tell you tonight that we're through. Done."

"Shit, that came out all wrong. I'm not talking about us. Being with you has been much more than just a screw."

She laughed bitterly. "I don't believe you."

He was shaking his head, but she was sick and tired of his endless power over her. She put her hand on her doorknob and yanked it open. "Get out."

He remained standing in her foyer. "I love you."

She hated him then, hated him for pulling the one card out of his deck that could break her. "No, you don't. If you loved me, you wouldn't have come into my house and said those horrible things."

Remorse filled his face. "I do love you, Melissa."

"Leave me alone."

An eternity passed, then she watched him walk out of her apartment, out of her life.

Before he went down the hall, he stopped and spoke. "You are my true soul mate, Melissa."

Her tears dropped onto the floor; she wanted to cover her ears and block him out. Couldn't he see that he wasn't being fair?

"One day you'll see it. And when you do, I'll be waiting."

He closed the door and was gone.

She slid to the floor. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she rocked back and forth as sobs twisted her inside out.

Chapter Twenty-Three

During a game, when Dominic screwed up, he didn't waste anyone's time apologizing; he just made it clear to his teammates and coach that he'd make the necessary changes to get the next play right. Making a mistake was human. Making it again was pathetic—and unforgivable.

After fifteen years, he had it all figured out on the football field. But he was an idiotic f**k-up when it came to Melissa. One image after another assaulted him as he got into his car.