Page 69 of Disciplining Dana
Why?
Movement brought her face up as the bartender set a glass in front of her. Two ice cubes and a smoky amber liquid filled it three quarters full.
“Try it,” the woman ordered with a grin.
Dana picked up the tumbler wordlessly and took a sip. “My trust was well-founded.”
“And you just made my night,” she replied cheerfully. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
“No, this is perfect.” Dana took another sip.
The bartender nodded. “Okay, well, let me know if something comes up.” She turned and left, and Dana looked down into the glass in front of her.
At least one thing about this evening has gone right…
She was still staring into the tumbler, trying to gather thoughts that careened off each other like cat-nipped kittens, when movement to her right drew her attention.
Derek Hawkins came to a stop beside her. “Evening, Ms. Aziz,” he said politely, taking the stool next to her. As he did, he narrowed his eyes. “Are you okay?”
Dana had no idea how she looked at present. Turning away quickly, she scrubbed beneath her eyes where tears had recently stained her face.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Okay.” There was a moment’s pause, then he asked quietly, “So, how did things go?”
She snapped her head around. No. He… how could he have…?
“You knew.”
Mr. Hawkins shrugged. “He and I talked.”
Resentment flashed through her, stoking the anger she’d been trying to push down. “Fuck off.”
Mr. Hawkins’ body tensed, but as he leaned toward her, his voice remained calm. “Darlin’, I’d really appreciate you changing that tone when you’re speaking to me. I don’t need you to like me, but you will address me civilly.”
The fuck I will. She didn’t voice the words, though. For some reason she bit them back, letting them stay in her head rather than cross her lips. Instead, she snapped, “Fine. Would you please leave me alone, Mr. Hawkins.”
“That’s better,” he said evenly, but he made no move to do as she’d asked. “Now, can I ask you a question?”
“No,” she fired back.
“What I want to understand,” he continued, ignoring her answer, “is why you’re fighting so hard against something you so clearly want, especially when someone you care about wants the same thing.”
“You don’t know me,” she retorted, her tone bitter. “You have no idea what I want.”
“Is that right? Then tell me I’m wrong.” He gazed at her patiently, his expression almost amused. “Well, go on, Ms. Aziz, tell me I’m wrong.”
She clenched her jaw, eyes burning with every bit of anger and frustration that raged within her. “Oh, you think you’re very clever, don’t you? Well, let me tell you something, Mr. Hawkins, despite your arrogance, you don’t know everything.”
“You’re right, I don’t.” He tapped a forefinger to the bar. “But for the purposes of this discussion, I don’t need to. I know enough from what Kurt told me and what I’ve observed of you to draw my own conclusions, right or wrong.” He paused, looking expectantly at her.
“So,” he continued when she refused to take the bait, “I take it from the look on your face he followed through on what he intended.”
“If you mean being a complete asshole and punishing me, then… yes, he did.”
“And you don’t think you deserved to be punished, do you?”
“No, I don’t,” she ground out the words.
