34. Dom
34
DOM
I heard Corey come down the stairs, practically running. I heard the door open then close behind him. I moved slowly to the front of the house, pretending I didn’t want to see him as he got into the car and rode away, but I wasn’t fooling myself.
Six held the door for him as he climbed in. I couldn’t hear what they said, but I watched as his luggage was stowed, and Six returned to the driver’s seat. The car pulled out into traffic, and I watched until I couldn’t see it anymore. Then I went to my office, sat down behind my desk, and pretended I was going to have a regular workday.
I didn’t even remember what a regular workday was.
Corey had only been there a short time, but it felt like forever. He’d changed me. He’d changed everything. And I’d sent him away.
My phone rang. It was X. I didn’t want to talk to him. I didn’t want to talk to anyone, but in case something had come up, something related to Corey, I answered the call.
“So, how did it go?” X asked.
“How did what go?”
He sighed. “Tell me you asked him to stay.”
I had to swallow before I could speak. “I did. He turned me down.”
“Dom, I saw the way that man looked at you. Why would he turn you down?”
“I offered him a job working with our legal team.”
“A job?” X spoke so loudly I pulled the phone from my ear.
“Yes, a good one. He didn’t have one waiting for him in New York, so I thought that he would want to stay.”
“Do me a favor and don’t pretend I think you’re stupid, because that would make me stupid, and I’m not.”
I sighed. “What did you want me to do? Just let him go, not even try?”
“Dominic Marchesi, you know exactly what you were supposed to do. I’m sure Corey expected it too. No wonder he turned you down. Jesus, offering him a job.”
I sighed and let my head drop into my hands. “I can’t ask him to stay with me as a partner, as a….”
“Lover, Dom?”
“You don’t know anything about what went on between me and Corey.”
He huffed. “I can guess.”
“Did Val and Vito talk to you?”
“They care about you.”
They could have talked to me themselves. Would you have listened? I ignored that irritating voice. “They have big fucking mouths, and I will have to deal with that.”
“No, what you need to deal with is the way you hurt Corey. Where is he?”
“On his way to the airport.”
X exhaled a harsh breath. “You’ve got to be kidding me. You let him leave? After he turned you down, you didn’t have the courage to tell him what you really wanted?”
I’d always had courage. I wouldn’t have survived past my teens if I hadn’t had courage. I’d faced bullets. I’d faced odds no one would think I could beat. I’d hunted and killed some of the worst men America had ever seen. But Corey made me afraid. Afraid of what I would have to risk to be with him.
“Don’t let him go, Dom. Not if he’s the one for you. If it was just a fling, then tell me I’m off base, and?—”
“He’s the one. There’s no one else like Corey, no one else that makes me feel like he does.”
“Then for God’s sake, go after him. Don’t let him leave. Tell him how you feel.”
Could I? “Was it that easy for you?”
“God, no. There’s nothing easy about falling in love, but it is so fucking worth it.”
I thought about Corey, the way he looked at me when he’d undressed me, the way I slept so soundly when he was in my bed, the way he’d felt last night, trembling and cold as I wrapped my body around him. For once, I was the person to warm someone up.
“I’ve got to go.” I ended the call, ran out the door, and jumped into my car. I squealed away from the curb right into traffic. Horns honked, but I ignored them.
I zipped in and out of lanes, wondering how quickly I could get to the airport. How fast would he be able to get a flight? He’d probably been trying to book one on the ride there.
Don’t let me have missed him.