Chapter 8
Dominik
I watched as Talia headed to the bar.
My eyes tracked her every move.
Well, by my eyes tracking her every move, I meant I was watching her ass.
Fuck me, but never before was I an ass man.
I had considered myself an everything man.
But... that was before Talia turned twenty-one and I started noticing shit.
Shit, I hadn’t noticed before.
Either I hadn’t allowed myself to notice it, or... because of Garrick, my best friend, it had been off limits.
But lately... yeah, I was noticing shit.
Fuck. Me.
Because she had an amazing ass.
The type of ass that would fit perfectly in my hands as I grasped her ass cheeks, and lifted her, those long legs wrapping around my waist, my cock nestled into her heat, her tits pressing against my chest.
I moved my hand down underneath the table to adjust my hardening cock.
Garrick had said something to Tatum, which caused her to laugh.
Alec was looking at Cassie with a lifted brow, which was followed by something he said in a growl.
Carter had his arm around Harlee’s shoulders.
And that was when I saw it.
A man had moved in next to Talia.
A man in a dark pair of jeans, a fitted black t-shirt, and tattoos on his left arm.
I narrowed my gaze.
And when the man who was flirting with death placed his hand on her lower back, almost touching the waistband of her jeans, I had to forcibly keep my ass planted in my chair.
But... well... that lasted for all about two-point-five seconds, because Talia had looked over her shoulder at the man, and then stepped away from his touch.
Another reason he was flirting with death, the reason I stood up, and stalked around the table and made my way to the bar... the fucker moved even closer to her.
My vision narrowed.
I didn’t know how, but Talia must have sensed me coming, because she looked over her shoulder at me and visibly sighed.
Relief swam in her cyan-colored eyes.
I made it to her, wrapped my arm around her waist, and pulled her body into my chest. Then, I glared at the prick.
He caught my glare, and then he nodded and moved away.
I watched him go, and for a few moments, I left my hand where it was, feeling her body pressed into mine, couldn’t help but for a brief moment to take into consideration how fucking right she felt there.
I released Talia, and for a split second, I caught it.
She had stayed pressed against my body too.
But... one of us had to be the one to ruin it.
This time... that had been me.
“Shouldn’t wear such revealing clothes, you don’t want the attention,” I said.
And then cursed my moronic, stupid fucking self.
Because her body had gone tight.
I caught it.
I saw it.
And on the way back to the table, I kept picturing the look of hurt in those eyes of hers.
Eyes that were so much like her siblings, but eyes nonetheless, that seemed otherworldly to me.
What I didn’t know... was that my careless words were going to have an impact on her.
A colossal impact.
One that I would’ve traded my left nut to have stopped.
***
Because if there was one person on this planet, I never wanted to look at me with fear in her eyes... it was Talia Vienne Griggs.
***
And that fear made itself apparent when I got a text message.
Garrick – Get to Talia’s now.
I didn’t hesitate.
I ran out of my house and to my car.
Then I started it up and raced to Talia’s apartment building.
To see blue flashing lights, along with an ambulance.
Frank and Misty were there at the back of it, and I saw Carter, Ethan, and Alec, along with Smoke, Wolf, Ice, Hyde, and Jekyll, trying to keep Bronson and Garrick held back.
Then I looked in the direction where they were trying to go, and at the man.
I kept my eyes locked on the man in a blue polo and jeans, who had scratches on his face, and then headed to the back of the ambulance.
Harlee, Cassie, Lila, Tatum, and Everly were there.
And when I saw the paramedics putting an ice pack on Talia’s bruised face, I got it.
Then I stormed to the motherfucker who was in handcuffs, ignoring everyone, brought my arm back, and punched him as hard as I fucking could.
He went down like a sack of grain.
I brought my boot back and kicked him as hard as I could in his ribs.
Fucker didn’t move.
I hoped I broke a few.
Then, for good measure, I lifted my foot and then stomped on his forearm.
Hearing that audible snap.
I spun around just in time to see Talia looking at him, then up at me.
And then I didn’t think about what I was doing.
I just moved.
To Talia.
I pulled her in my arms and felt her body tense, but I didn’t let go.
And when she whispered, “He agreed with you about my clothes. Said I shouldn’t advertise if I didn’t want it.”
And that was a kick to the balls.
I bent my neck and pressed a kiss on her forehead.
I could stand here all night long and tell myself I was in the wrong.
I could stand here all night long and apologize to her.
I could stand here all night long and explain to her why I was the way I was.
But what good would it do?
And when she pulled out of my arms and went to her parents, I stood there and let her.
Misty caught my eye, then she walked over to me and said, “I bet you're feeling low right now. But she fought back. He didn’t do anything.”
I just nodded at her.
The guys moved to where I was standing, and then we turned to watch Chief Klein with some deputies get the dipshit up and loaded into a squad car.
I rasped, “What happened?”
Garrick sighed.
Carter nodded, “Apparently, that guy heard what you said to Talia. And he must have agreed with you. Fuck, didn’t realize we had been followed from the bar.
He followed her into her apartment building, pinned her to the wall.
He got his hand on the waistband of her jeans before she headbutted him with the back of her head. ”
“Apparently, he yelped, and one of her neighbors came out, saw what was happening, and called 911. Chief called Dad on his way over here.” Carter finished saying.
I turned my head and watched as Talia climbed into Misty and Frank’s car.
Then, without a word to them, I stalked to my car and followed them.
I pulled my car up behind theirs and watched as Talia walked into their house with Misty without bothering to look at me.
Then I looked at Frank, who had walked up to me.
“Dom,” Frank said.
“I won’t say anything. I just need to be here. Okay?” I pleaded.
He stared at me, then up at the house, then shook his head, “I don’t know what goes on with the two of you. But I’ve seen it.”
I nodded.
“You love my girl. Think I can’t see it, but I do. And I know she feels something for you. Figure it out, Dom. Cause a woman like Talia, she’s a handful. But when she lets you in, and I know she has, she’ll never waver. Until you give her a reason to waver. You get me?”
I didn’t comment on the love part, honestly, other than the love my parents shared, Frank and Misty shared, and my friends, I didn’t believe in it.
Not after my failed relationship.
But everything else he said, yeah, that was pure Talia. Through and fucking through.
I followed him into the house, and then Misty saw me, and she opened her mouth, but Frank stopped her, “Let him have this. Okay?”
Misty narrowed her eyes at me, but she nodded.
I walked up the steps and then turned right.
I sat there leaning my back against the wall right across from the door to her room.
She cracked it open moments later and asked, “Why?”
I rested my forearms on my upraised knees, “Why what, Sparkles?”
“Why do you say things like that to me?” She asked.
Then she said, “And don’t you dare give me some bullshit excuse, Dom. Why?”
I swallowed deep, then asked, “Truth?”
I caught her whispered word, “Always.”
I nodded, then closed my eyes, “Ever hear the story of the boy who was so in love with a girl, but he was too chicken shit to go after her in fear of ruining things?”
“Yeah,” she said.
I nodded, “Don’t know about love, but I feel something for you. Always have. But then there’s Garrick. He’s my best friend. There’s your family. They took me in, welcomed me in, without them... I wouldn’t have shit.”
She was quiet until she said, “You’d have me.”
“And that’s what terrifies me the most,” I told her.
She cracked the door open a little more, and I inhaled a relieved breath.
“Why?” she asked.
Hearing a creak on the steps, I twisted my head just in time for Misty to give me a thumbs up, then she walked back down the stairs.
I looked back at the door and said, “Because I’ve only ever had one relationship, Talia. And it blew the fuck up. And with you,” I inhaled a breath, “if that happened with you... I don’t know if I’d survive it.”
Then I sat there as I replayed my words over and over in my head.
And when the door opened even more, and I saw her gorgeous face, I felt my chest loosen.
I hadn’t realized how tight it had been.
And that was when she stared into my eyes, and I didn’t waver.
Then she nodded, crawled across from her bedroom to me, then sat beside me, and placed her head on my shoulder.
“Did you really headbutt him?” I asked her.
She snickered, “Did I really watch you beat the shit out of him?”
I shrugged, carefully, so I didn’t jostle her head, “He was handcuffed, wasn’t a fair fight.”
She giggled.
“Can I please have Dominik back now?” I asked her.
She lifted her head off my shoulder, and I turned my head to look down into her eyes, “Why?”
I sighed, then said, “Everyone calls me Dom but you. Doesn’t feel right hearing that come from you.”
She lifted a brow, “Why?”
I stayed silent until she said, “If this is going to work, you're going to have to talk to me. Okay?”
I knew she was right.
I nodded.
Then I opened myself up to her a little more, “Cause hearing my full name from your lips, like the sucker I am when it comes to you, it’s like a calming balm for my soul.”
She was quiet as she gazed into my eyes, and then my eyes moved to her lips.
I inhaled a breath, then leaned my head back as she placed her head back on my shoulder.
Then I asked, “Are you willing to take this slow with me?”
She nodded, “Yeah. But Dominik... you're going to have to let me in, in order for that to happen. Okay?”
I closed my eyes for a moment and savored that I got my name back on her lips.
Then, I chuckled, “You’ve been so far in, I can’t even see straight.”
“Doesn’t feel like it,” she whispered.
I nodded, “I’ll work on it. Okay?”
At her nod, I closed my eyes and asked, “Okay, are we sleeping here, or in your bed?”
She giggled, “I have a twin bed.”
I shrugged, “Be tight, but it’d be worth it.”
She giggled, then, as she lifted her head off my shoulder, she nodded.
I stood up then offered my hand to her.
The moment she did, I helped her stand and then followed her into her bedroom.
She was already in a t-shirt and sleep shorts, so I shucked my shirt off, and my jeans, socks, and boots.
I got into bed, then she moved in and curled her body around mine.
My arm went under her head, and her arm wrapped around my waist.
I twisted my head and pressed a kiss on the top of her head, “Night, Sparkles.”
She giggled, “Night, Big Foot.”
Then I closed my eyes and tried not to let my cock get hard at the feel of her soft body pressed against mine.
I had just counted to a hundred when I felt her body go lax against mine.
And for the first time in I didn’t know how long, I fell asleep with a smile on my face.