Chapter 96: Chapter 96
Dominic stopped at the threshold.
He hadn’t expected her to be here, in the living room this late, waiting for him. After the assassin, he still had some work to cover up, and some mobsters he had to look into.
Celeste sat curled on the white couch. Her profile was outlined against the city lights beyond the massive floor to ceiling window. She hugged one knee to herself with the other dangling down.
The skyline glittered in sharp blues and silvers, and she looked like she could have been carved right out of the view, and forever still, remain beautiful, and untouchable.
For a brief second, he just watched her. From the set of her shoulders, and the tilt of her head, he noticed she was lost in thought.
She wore just simple pajamas.
He straightened his collar, and smoothed a hand over his shirt. He immediately pulled the version of himself he knew she liked to see, and a version that wouldn’t get her worried. Then he moved forward.
She turned before he reached her, as if she felt him coming.
A soft smile spread across her lips. The smile hit him in the chest, and she rose, closing the space between them.
Dominic opened his arms, and when she came into them, his first instinct was to sigh, to draw her in until she was flush against him.
Her warmth seeped through the hug, melting the tension that had been locked into his spine all night.
He tilted her chin, kissed her once, twice, again, and again. He gave her lingering kisses, until her taste blurred his focus, and took his mind away from everything outside the house.
"Had a good time?" he murmured against her mouth.
"I did," she replied softly, and kissed him again.
She parted the kiss, then stepped back a little. His kiss felt different, more tenses, so she stepped away, studying him with that look she got when she was piecing something together.
Her gaze dipped, and he followed her gaze slowly. Hebstopped breathing the moment she rested her eyes at a spot.
Her hand lifted, hesitant at first, and her fingers finally brushed against the faint, dark mark on his white shirt, just inside the edge of his jacket.
He looked down. The stain was small but stark. There was other spots of bloodstain immediately after that one.
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath.
Her brows pinched instantly, and she raised her gaze back to him. "What does that mean? Dominic.... are you hurt?"
The sharpness in her tone was panic dressed as demand. Her eyes held him accountable for answers.
He ran a hand through his hair, forcing his voice to level. "I want to hear about your day first."
She didn’t move. "You didn’t reply to my messages," she said flatly.
"I’m sorry," he answered, and he meant it. "I should’ve. Things... got complicated."
Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t care for vague answers. "What happened to you today?" she wore a stern mask, but her inside crumbled with fear.
"It’s not my blood," he said finally.
She inhaled sharply, relief flickering in her eyes. However, it didn’t chase the worry from her face. Not even close.
He touched her shoulder gently, steering her back toward the couch. "Sit," he said, but his tone was softer than the word.
Celeste stood, refusing to acknowledge what he said without an answer.
"Come here, baby," he said gently, willing to coax her, if need be.
Celesete swallowed the lump in her throat, and moved towards him. Once she did, he stayed close. "Carlos," he began, "is Theresa’s father."
She didn’t react to the name; she already knew Theresa was his ex. She just kept her eyes on him, waiting.
"Twelve years ago," Dominic continued, "Ronan was involved in something ugly. Child trafficking, and other trafficking."
Her eyes narrowed. She knew about the Cross family shady business before they had clean money but she never expected trafficking to be a part of it. The faintest recoil rested on her expression.
Dominic breathed softly, and went on. "I asked him to shut it down, and he did shut it down himself, but I couldn’t risk the story resurfacing. Not for him, not for Landon."
He paused, and went on when Celeste said nothing. "I asked Carlos for help burying it. He gave it to me. I paid him back however I could, and even more than the amount he demanded... but he wanted me married to Theresa. I was fine with it, until she left. When she left, that ended. Or I thought it did."
Celeste’s jaw tightened, her silence sharp. She clenched her fist on her lap, unable to stomach everything at once.
"With her back now..." Dominic exhaled. "Carlos might see his chance again. And Grigor—" his mouth twisted around the name, "—has switched sides. An assassin came into my office, and the blood on me, is his."
Celeste swallowed. Slowly, she stood and began pacing, her feet made soft clicks against the polished floor.
Dominic’s jaw locked. He rose, crossing to her in two strides, and pulled her into his arms. She wouldn’t show it, but he had observed and known her so much to know hat was her own method of panicking.
"I’ll fix it," he told her, his voice low, and cold with certainty. "No one will come near you."
Her eyes searched his. "What do I have to do?" she asked firmly, her emotions a bit steady now.
"You don’t," he said. "You shouldn’t get involved."
She shook her head hard. "I am involved. I need to know." Her tone was enough to halt any further argument. "It would be selfish of you to let me be with you, and get involved in my life, while you think I shouldn’t get involved in yours."
Reluctantly, he nodded once. "Then first move would be.... I get you a gun. And I will train you myself." His jaw clenched saying those words. He doesn’t want this.
Her breath eased out, and a small sigh of relief escaped her lips. She kissed him, then pulled back just enough to wrap her arms around him.
Dominic rested his neck on the cape of her shoulders, and allowed himself to breath.
"Let’s get you changed." She whispered into his ear.
Dominic smiled. "You were so sexy and hot today. I’m starving."