8. Dom
8
DOM
I stayed in my room until dinnertime, getting a few hours of sleep and taking care of paperwork I would normally do in my office. I was avoiding the rest of the house since I might run into Corey if I left my room. I wasn’t ready to see him again, even though that was ridiculous. I had no reason to be afraid of anybody.
Yet here I was, frightened to encounter Corey. The awkwardness would be paralyzing. What had I been thinking last night? I should’ve told him to get dressed or simply turned around and left. I certainly shouldn’t have stared at him like some stupid kid with a crush.
I was disgusted with myself, but it was Beatrice’s day to leave early, which meant I would need to go down and get my own dinner. I’d only picked over my lunch, and I’d had no breakfast. I needed to eat so I could take something for my leg. It was stiff as hell from sitting around all day. I usually went to work out in the gym, but again, Corey might be there, so I’d avoided it.
I took the stairs in case Corey was around—why the fuck was I still trying to prove myself to him? My luck ran out when I walked into the kitchen and saw him sitting there on a bench in the breakfast nook, eating dinner. He was wearing gym clothes, like he’d come straight from working out.
He was damp with sweat, but he still smelled damn good to me. He scent wasn’t unclean, just a stronger version of his natural scent.
Why the hell did I even know he smelled like lemon, mint, and something earthy?
He looked up and smiled. “Hi.”
I nodded but didn’t speak.
Corey frowned. “Are you feeling okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I just wondered because I hadn’t seen you all day, and Beatrice said you hadn’t slept well and?—”
“Beatrice shouldn’t be saying anything about me.”
“Don’t blame her. It’s my fault. I ask a lot of questions.”
“I’ve noticed.”
“She didn’t answer many of them, but she did say you’d had trouble sleeping and you wouldn’t be around for a while. But I thought I’d see you before now.”
“You don’t need to worry about my whereabouts. What I’m doing all day is none of your business. You’re alive and well; that is all you need to be concerned with.”
“How would I know if you, like, left the house? And then maybe I’d need to be a little more careful, listen a little more closely.”
I slammed my hand down on the counter. This constant chatter from him was worse than silent awkwardness. “I’m not going to leave you here alone. If I need to leave, I will have someone—one of my sons or one of my nephews—come here to watch you, and you will know. Otherwise, unless there’s an emergency, don’t come looking for me.”
“Wow. I didn’t mean to offend you. I just… I don’t know. I’m not used to being alone all day. Beatrice has work to do, and?—”
“I also have work to do.”
“Are you working now, or did you come down for dinner?”
“Dinner.”
He smiled. “Then why don’t you sit with me? Maybe you can tell me a little bit about yourself.”
I was going to lose my mind before I got him out of my house. How the fuck could my dick be interested in him when he was so annoying?
I looked over at him, letting myself have a moment to assess him—to hopefully realize something had made me temporarily lose my mind the night before. But no, he was fucking gorgeous. His blue T-shirt matched his eyes, and his dark blond hair was curled and damp. He looked delicious.
Fuck.
No. He looked attractive. Nice. He was a nice-looking man, but that didn’t mean anything to me.
“I’m going to get my food and take it to my office where I will close the door and lock it. I don’t want to hear from you again unless you’re being murdered.”
“Shouldn’t you know if someone shows up to murder me? When I’m actually being murdered seems a little late for you to find out I need help.”
“Are you this annoying all the time?” He recoiled. I saw the hurt in his eyes and felt it like a punch to my gut. I wasn’t sure I could eat now. I’d been mean and grouchy for so long, I didn’t know how to talk to people even if I wanted to.
I should apologize, but I didn’t. He turned back to his plate and didn’t say another word.I really was the wrong person for this job in every way but my knowledge of Lisa.
By the time I got to my office, I couldn’t even stand the smell of the food that had been so enticing before. Maybe Lisa had been right when she’d said I was a monster, that she wouldn’t have any regrets about killing me because I didn’t deserve to live.
No. She was the monster. Right?
I shook my head. We both were, but at least I never intentionally hurt innocent people.
I forced myself to eat a few bites so I could take my meds. After staring uselessly at spreadsheets for a few hours, I headed to bed where once again, I tossed and turned. I got up several times to wander through the house, verifying that we were secure and watching the courtyard to see if anyone else appeared. My leg ached, and so did my arm, but I didn’t want to stay still. I couldn’t think of anything but Corey when I did.
I hadn’t meant to hurt him, but that’s what I did to people who spent too much time near me.
I had no idea why Valentino and Vito even tried to have a relationship with me. At first, they’d needed a home. I scared them enough to make them obey me when it came to business, but they actually wanted me to be part of their lives and now I wanted that too. Val was even talking about adopting. Could I actually be a grandfather one day? That idea seemed too absurd.
And yet, I liked it.
Maybe I would apologize to Corey in the morning. Or maybe….
I headed to the kitchen. How long had it been since I’d baked anything? Growing up, I’d loved baking with my mother, but once I was old enough to be part of the family business, my father forbade me to spend time in the kitchen. He wanted me training and working, and he made it very clear that he would make me pay if I didn’t obey him. I shuddered, thinking of the beatings I’d received.
Once I’d moved out and was no longer constantly under his supervision, I rarely had time for baking or cooking. After Lisa nearly killed me, I hadn’t even wanted to try. I’d made a few things in the last year, but only on days when Beatrice was sick or on vacation.
Baking had given me something to focus on that wasn’t pain, death, violence, or crime. That had felt good but also strange because those things were what my life had always focused on.
After searching through the pantry to access the available ingredients, I determined we had enough flour, eggs, milk, and lemon to make ciambellone . I stirred up the ingredients and let myself think only about the textures and the smells.
The sensory experience took me back to days of slipping out of bed before sunrise and helping my mother make this cake for breakfast. I wondered if Corey had ever had it before. I would leave it for him. It would be a way of apologizing without words. I wasn’t good with words. But this… My mother had taught me how to make the perfect light cake that would be divine with a good, strong coffee.
Beatrice had told me that Corey was very appreciative of the coffee I used. It was an excellent blend from Colombia. Apparently he took it with sugar and cream, though, so he was failing to get the full taste.
I spooned the batter into the prepared pan and smoothed the top before licking the spatula clean—the best part of baking. I smiled as I dropped it into the sink. Why didn’t I do this more often?
While it baked, I did another circuit of the house, feeling uneasy again. Was someone out there watching? If so, why didn’t the guards I’d posted see them? If they were good enough to elude my guards, they were damn good. But I already knew Lisa would only hire the best. She’d learned what to look for from me after all.
I checked in with each of the men who were watching the house. They’d seen a car drive by multiple times, but it never stopped. It could simply be someone looking for a different address.
“If they slow down again, stop them,” I told my team. “Find out who they are.”
“Yes, sir.”
There’d been no evidence anyone had been in the courtyard other than the footprints.I considered whether the prints could be old ones from one of my guards checking out the house, but that answer didn’t feel right.
The feeling of unease I’d had was real. My senses were so finely tuned that I’d learned to always trust my intuition. Only Lisa had ever made me doubt myself.
I made my way back to the kitchen. When the cake was done, I pulled it out, waited a few moments for it to cool, then turned it out of its pan and left it, along with a note, for Beatrice and Corey.
By that time, I thought I might actually be exhausted enough to sleep. I climbed the stairs to try again.