The kiss had Dominic Luca's Italian blood boiling. He knew the others had been positively green with jealousy when this hot number picked him up after work in her sleek Jaguar. She had even let him drive it to the restaurant and laughed at his curb burn-out to show-off for the guys. The car was as hot as its owner.

Dinner had been overly expensive for Dom's tastes, but having the lovely Lauren to stare at for the whole hour and a half was worth just about any price. He drove to her place afterwards, more sedately this time. The mansion she had him park in front of was damn impressive.

Wrestling in the front seat of the Jag was a bit uncomfortable with the steering wheel and shift console, but they had managed to reach the heavy breathing stage.

"Why don't you come in for a night cap?" Lauren whispered on Dom's lips. Not waiting for his reply, she launched into another tongue-wrangling kiss that had Dom squirming in his leather-upholstered seat.

#

"White wine?" Lauren asked, already pouring two glasses.

"Uh, sure," Luca responded. He explored the opulent den in her very up-scale home. The house fit the car, which fit the woman, Dom thought.

Taking the wine glass Lauren held out to him, Dom's attention centered on the huge crystal chandelier above their heads. "This is some place you have here."

"I'm blessed with family." She raised her glass for a toast. "To family."

"Family," Dom repeated and tapped his glass to hers and sipped the cool, crisp wine.

"I'm not spoiled, Dom," Lauren stated. "I'm going to school. I will be my own person."

Looking into her beautiful eyes, Dom cooed, "I believe you already are." Her warm smile tripped his heart.

"To hard work and forging your own trails." She raised her glass for another toast.

Dom grinned and they tapped glasses again and drained them.

Lauren took their glasses back to the bar and refilled them. "Please, sit, Dom." She smiled at him over her shoulder. "Get comfortable."

"Where are you going to school?" he asked, sinking into the overstuffed leather couch. He stood when she joined him and took his glass. They sank together into the couch.

Before answering, Lauren kicked off her shoes, curled her legs on the couch, and leaned against Dom's chest. He draped his left arm over her shoulders.

"Walden," she answered.

"Ah." Dom was well versed in the area schools from Narco but had never been to Walden's campus. Either it didn't have a drug problem or the school handled it all in-house. Suddenly thirsty, he gulped down half of his wine.

"Ah?" Lauren's hand settled on Dom's thigh.

"Nice school," he said. He set his empty glass on a marble coaster on the end table. Feeling a little fuzzy, he would have to decline any more.

"Yes, it's nice," she murmured. "A little stuffy, though."

"What?" Dom couldn't understand what she was saying. Hell, he couldn't understand what he was saying. His vision turned to shades of gray and he felt a stab of panic.

#

"You're sure he's ready?"

"Yes. Actually, he took in more than I expected, but he'll be all right." Lauren adjusted the bright lights shining into Dominic Luca's face.

"Dom?"

"Muhhh…" Dom couldn't control his thick tongue.

"Just listen, Dom. It's imperative that you listen closely. Open your eyes, Dom."

Slowly, Dom pried his heavy lids apart, but not very far. The white brightness speared into his head. "Aaaaahhhhh!"

"Keep your eyes open, Dom. They'll adjust."

"Whaaat?" Dom knew this wasn't right, but he couldn't figure out what or why.

Lauren Shelton, Psychotherapy major at Walden University, held a thick, dark wand approximately three inches in front of Dom's face and slowly waved it back and forth, creating a dark shadow that ran across his eyes.

"Listen, Dom. Listen to what I have to say, every word."

Dom's eyes followed the dark against the painful white. Back and forth, back and forth, as the voice drilled deep into his subconscious.