I understand now.
I don’t like it. I’m not okay with it. But I understand it.
It doesn’t fix anything, but being able to put a reason behind it all… it helps.
If Dominic had been open with me, told me about his family, told me who he was, I would’ve talked to King. Because I wouldn’t have known any better. And if I’d told King that Dominic Gonzalez wanted me to marry him so he could have The Alliance’s help, King would have locked me away. He would’ve saved me from this situation. And in doing so, he would have doomed another one of Dom’s cousins. Or uncles. Or… Dominic himself.
The handkerchief is already balled tight in my fist, but I grip it tighter.
My eyes don’t focus as the city blurs past us as we head back home.
Home.
I stay quiet because I don’t know the men in the front seat, and there are things I need to say to Dominic, but I don’t know who can hear them.
Obviously, there are people in his life who know everything. People who had to help him coordinate his plan. And I’m guessing the men who wander the condo with guns are part of that group, so I don’t care if they see me angry or hurt or upset. But the people outside that circle, if they’re exposed to my true emotions, their newly found hope will wither. And if that happens, what was the point of any of this?
If my loneliness can help save even one person, it’s worth it.
It’s more than I was doing with my life anyway.
The vehicle pulls to a stop in front of a massive building, and when Dom reaches for his door, I realize this must be the building we live in.
“Wait for me,” Dominic commands, just as he did outside the church, then he exits the SUV.
And just like before, I wait.
Maybe I’ve watched too many movies, but I always thought someone else opened doors for the man in charge. But Dom takes care of himself.
He circles around, then pulls my door open, and I climb out.
Before he shuts the car door, he leans in and says something to the driver. Something about waiting.
I keep my lips pressed together as we walk into the building, flanked by four men in black suits.
A few people are passing through the lobby, and a man sits behind a desk next to the bank of elevators, but no one even raises their eyes to us. I’m not sure if it’s because of wariness or if they’re used to the spectacle, but either way, I’m happy not to have any more attention on me.
Dom leads us away from the elevators to cut in front of the desk.
As we pass it, the seated man stands. “Mr. Gonzalez.”
Dominic pauses, grabbing my wrist, so I pause, too. “Phil, this is my wife. Make sure everyone knows.”
The man looks at me and nods. If he’s surprised, he doesn’t show it. “Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Gonzalez.”
I’m proud of myself for not flinching at him calling me that. “Likewise.”
Manners have me wanting to hold my hand out, but since he keeps his hands at his sides and Dom doesn’t loosen his grip on my wrist, I don’t bother.
“I’m sure Mr. Gonzalez has already told you, but if you need anything at all, just call down.”
Dom has not told me that, and I don’t know how to call down, but I tell him thank you all the same.
Conversation closed, Dom moves us down a hallway on the other side of the desk to a single elevator that’s not visible to the rest of the lobby.
There’s a palm reader in place of a call button, and when Dom presses his hand to it, the doors slide open, and we step in.
I expect the group of men to enter with us, but they turn their backs to the elevator and stand in place as the doors slide shut.
The ascension is quick, and before I can think of what to say to Dom, the car is slowing to a stop, and the doors are reopening.
There’s a man—one of Dom’s, I assume—in the hallway outside the door to the condo, but Dom still uses the palm reader to unlock it.
He doesn’t open the door, though. He taps the corner of the screen, and a keypad displays. Dom types in a series of letters, faster than I can track.
I’m starting to turn my gaze away, not interested in security equipment, when Dom lifts my hand, the one he’s still holding by my wrist.
“Press it flat to the glass.”
I do as he says. I don’t see or feel anything, but after a few seconds, a tiny symbol blinks green below my thumb.
“Good.”
I take that as permission to drop my hand, and he taps in a few more commands, then reaches past me to open the door.
It’s been less than twenty-four hours since I first stepped foot in Dominic’s home, but it holds a familiarity that allows my shoulders to relax for the first time since he told me we were going to a funeral.
“Stay here,” Dom says to me, placing his hand on my back before raising his voice. “Everyone out.”
The two men I can see start toward us, and two more men I hadn’t noticed move into the main room, with another man coming in through the glass door from outside.
“You three.” Dom points to a trio. “You stay in the hallway outside the door. You.” He points to another. “You’re in the lobby. And you.” He points to the last man. “You’re in the parking garage. These are your positions when my wife is home. No one is in here with her. If she orders anything, you’ll collect it from downstairs and hand it to her at the door. Not a fucking foot inside. Got it?” The men all nod. “You’re here because I trust you to protect my woman. But if you step out of line, I’ll kill you my-fucking-self.”
The serious looks on their faces turn even more stony.
They clearly believe him.
As the men file out the door, a flutter of something close to affection tries to take flight in my belly. But then I remember that protecting me is just Dom protecting his connection to The Alliance.
My shoulders slump as the door clicks shut, and I step forward, dislodging Dom’s touch.
“What’s wrong?”
At Dom’s question, I spin around, finally grabbing hold of the fury that’s evaded me all day. “Where do you want me to start?”
His expression is curious. “Start with whatever just happened. A second ago.”
Oh. That.
As swiftly as it came, my temper is dampened by emotions. “I… I don’t know how to act around you.”
He furrows his brows. “What do you mean?”
“Because I don’t know what’s real with you, Dom. I don’t know what’s real and what’s a lie, and it leaves me…” I lift my hands and let them drop back down. “Stranded.”
“I never lied to you.”
My exhale is full of tangible doubt. “I don’t believe you.”
“Fine.” He steps closer. “I told you one lie.”
“One,” I repeat, already not believing him.
“Yeah, Shorty, one.” Then he tips his head to the side. “Okay, two.” He holds up a finger to count off, and to stop me from retorting. “One, I wasn’t in Vegas when you asked if I was. But I was there by the time you landed, so that’s hardly a lie.”
“That’s a lie, Dominic.” I catch myself too late and use his full name, causing his lips to quirk.
“And two, there are direct flights from Denver to Chicago.”
It takes me a second to understand that he’s referring to our very first meeting in the Denver airport.
I cross my arms. “Tell me how you did it.”
“Did what?”
“The whole airport thing. Did you somehow plan for my backpack breaking?” This must be what they mean when they say morbid curiosity. Because I want to know the answers. I feel like I need to know. Even though I’m sure the answers will only make me feel worse, not better.
“If I can’t get a knife past the clowns at TSA, then I should save my enemies the trouble and just slit my own throat.”
I wrap my arms tighter across my chest, not liking the visual of blood pouring down Dom’s neck.
Then I take in the first part of what he said, and my arms drop. “You cut my strap.” My tone is so put out it makes Dom smile. I jab a finger at his chest. “That was a perfectly good bag, and you ruined it.”
“That bag was a piece of shit.” He catches my finger in his grip. “And before you ask me a million more questions, let me just tell you how it went.” He holds my fingertip against his body, and I have to tip my head back to keep my eyes on his. “I bumped into you, cut your shitty backpack, knowing that was the only way to get you to stick around long enough to talk. If your bag wasn’t broken, you’d have tried to run away from me at the first opportunity. And you know it.” I do know it, but how did he? “And it only took one phone call to a man I know at the airline to get your seat upgraded.”
I bite my cheek. That sounds way too easy but absolutely plausible.
Then I think of everything that came after. The movie. Sharing earbuds. Dom falling asleep on my shoulder. The pod.
“Was having sex with me a part of the plan?” I ask the question before I can chicken out. I need to know this part, too.
“From the first moment I saw you, I wanted to fuck you.” Dom shifts closer. “So yeah, getting inside that sweet cunt was a part of the plan. But fucking you in the airport? No, that was just a happy bonus.”
I try to pull my hand away, but he doesn’t let go.
I scoff. “You expect me to believe that I’m really your type?”
I didn’t want to say that. Didn’t mean to voice it.
But Dominic made me feel so good about myself. He made me feel sexy in a way I never had. Made it so I wasn’t constantly worrying about what angle he was looking at me from. But ever since it all went to shit, I can’t stop those insecurities from screaming at me.
And I need to know if that was all fake, too.
Dom drops his gaze to my toes and back up. “I’ve never had a problem with short girls.”
“Short…” I shake my head. “I’m not talking about being short. I’m talking about fat girls. Big girls.” I flare my hand that isn’t still trapped in his grip out to the side in a look at me motion.
Dom’s free hand darts out to capture mine, and I squeak in surprise. Always forgetting how fast he is.
“Shorty.” He flattens both my hands against his chest and forces me to walk backward. “Look at yourself next to me. You’re hardly big.” My back bumps into the door. “And yeah, if you really want to know, you’re my fucking type. I live in a hard, unyielding world. It’s nice to come home to something soft.” He uses his grip on me to lower one of my hands, sliding it down his stomach. “I already told you—from the first moment I saw you, I wanted to fuck you.” My palm connects with something hard. “And if I thought you’d let me, I’d fuck you right now just to prove it.”
With a mind of their own, my fingers flex around his length.
Dominic groans and lets go of my hand but immediately leans his weight against me, trapping my palm against his cock.
“That’s why things were so fast that first time. It’d been a long time since I’d had someone.” He groans as he rocks his hips into my hand.
“Dominic.” I’m trying to chastise him, but it’s not coming out right.
“Your comment earlier about your four versus my not four was fair. But I haven’t been with anyone in nearly a year. So yeah, when I saw the opportunity to sink my dick into your sweet cunt, I grabbed it with both fucking hands.”
He grips my sides, his big hands flexing against me.
“A year?” I don’t understand what he’s talking about. “W-when was the first moment you saw me?”
He’s said it twice now. But I wasn’t really listening. I assumed he meant when we met at the airport.
He tips his face down toward mine. “Last December. You were all dressed up for your work Christmas party, and I followed you from the L to your office building.”
“You… You followed me?” I don’t even know what part to be more stunned over. The fact that a dangerous mafia man was following me and I didn’t know, or that he hasn’t slept with another woman since then.
“Yeah, Val. I followed you, and you had no clue.” Dom rocks against my hand one more time, then steps back with a groan. “We’re going to work on your situational awareness.”
I ball my hand into a fist, thankful he can’t see the state of my underwear. “It seems the only person I really need to protect myself against is you.” My mind is too scattered to deliver the words with the right amount of bite. Even as I think of him drugging me—twice.
Dom ignores me. “But you’ll never do that again, so that’s one less thing to worry about.”
“What?” I ask, trying to remember what the hell he’s even talking about. “Go to my Christmas party?”
“No, I’ll go with you to your next Christmas party. I’m talking about taking the L. It’s not safe. And speaking of safety.” He continues like he isn’t flipping my entire world upside down. “When I’m not home, the patio area is off-limits. No one can get up here from the outside, but until we get this current problem under control, snipers are a threat.”
“Snipers?” My voice pitches.
Dom nods, then grabs my shoulders to face me toward the little black screen on this side of the front door. “The windows are all bulletproof and treated on the outside so no one can see in, so inside is safe.” That explains the lack of curtains in the bathroom. “If you want to order food, just press here.” He shows me where. “And dial Desk.” He shows me how. “Phil, or whoever is working, will answer and take care of the ordering. And the guys I have outside will bring it up to you and knock on the door when it’s ready. Then use this button to open the camera to see who’s outside the door.” He taps another icon, and the screen switches to a wide-angle view of the hallway, showing the three men posted at various spots against the wall. “Your palm print is in the system now, so if you need to open the door, just place your hand against here like you did outside, and the door will automatically unlock. Then when you close the door, put your palm back against the sensor, and everything will lock back up.”
“No one will try to come in?” I think this talk is supposed to make me feel safer, but these extreme measures are stressing me out.
“You and me and Rob are the only three people with access to this door.”
“Which one is Rob?”
“He’s not up here. He’s my second in command, and as much as I don’t want to give anyone else access to our home, I—” Dom grips my shoulders again, this time making me face him. “I’m not reckless, Valentine. I will come home tonight. And I will try to come home every night. But if something happens to me, Rob is the one who will come and get you.”
“Get me?” I croak as my mouth goes dry.
I can’t even make myself hate Dominic, no matter how much he deserves it, so I definitely don’t want him to die.
Dom holds me steady. “If the worst happens, and Rob and I go out together, I have contingencies in place to alert your brother. Then it’s up to you to wait for him. I imagine it will only take him a handful of hours to arrive, but the pantry is stocked with enough food to last you six months. While you’re here, you’re safe. Nothing and no one can get to you.”
“Okay.” I try to process everything he’s saying.
“Good.” Dom nods. “Do you have any questions?”
Overwhelmed, I start to shake my head but stop. “You’ll still let me leave, though, right? Like to go to my office.” I lift my shoulder. “Stuff like that,” I add, even though I don’t really have anywhere to go except the office.
“You’re not trapped here, Angel. You can go to the office when you need to. Just let me know ahead of time so I can arrange to have Rob take you.” His hands flex on my shoulders. “But you can’t just leave by yourself. That isn’t me being a dick. That’s to keep you safe.”
I know enough about this world to know I’d rather be here than kidnapped by someone Dom deems an enemy.
I swallow. “When I emailed my boss yesterday about the move, I said I’d come in for the Wednesday morning staff meeting.”
“That’s fine,” Dom says like I’m a kid asking to borrow the family car.
“Rob can’t come up to the office with me,” I add. It’s going to be a big enough deal that I moved here on a whim. I can’t possibly explain a round-the-clock bodyguard to my coworkers.
“He won’t,” Dom says, but I’m not sure he means it.
He stares into my eyes, and I feel like I’m looking at old Dominic again.
I shake my head. “For the record, I haven’t forgiven you. I understand why you did what you did. But it was shitty, Dom. It’s all super shitty. And you should have warned me about the funeral. You should have warned me about everything.” All the feelings from earlier war inside me. “I don’t deserve this.”
“You don’t.” Dom slides his hands up from my shoulders until his thumbs are lightly pressing against the front of my neck. “You deserve better.” He strokes his thumbs up, then down. “But you’re mine now. And I’ll always keep you safe. Someday you’ll accept that.”
He starts to drop his hands away but drags his thumbs down my body in the process.
I’m too slow to react, and his thumbs brush over my pebbled nipples through the fabric of my bra and dress, showing that he knows just how much I’m affected when his body is pressed against mine.
I move to shove his hands away, but he’s already stepping back.
“Now quit distracting me.” He puts his hand on the door handle. “I have work to do. I’ll be late, so order dinner when you’re hungry.”
“And when you say work…?” I cross my arms back over my chest.
Dom’s lips pull up. “I mean hunting.”
