3. Dominic
3
DOMINIC
T rudging across the Valmont College campus, I catch the intermittent smell of the ocean air on my way to class. The salty scent mixes well with the morning sun’s cascading rays, creating a cocktail strong enough to drag me from the pit of frustration I buried myself in after last night.
The long walks usually provide me with the needed quiet to nurse my hangover before my lecture or congratulate myself on my most recent conquest, but today is different. I want noise and disturbance to distract me from what happened at the wedding. There is nothing, though .
The lecture itself won’t do anything for me either. Despite how much I’ve tried, it just isn’t working for me. I had promised Dad that I’d study business under the assumption that it would help me understand the family dealings, but only months after his death, Mom is already shacked up with Salvatore Valenti, so promises made to him have seemingly expired.
But my tuition is paid in full, so I can’t leave yet. So with three years left to go, I can take my foot off the gas and prioritize what Valmont really has to offer: the fast-paced hub of Montcove’s party scene, comprised of the city's wealthiest douchebags and dimmest heiresses. Now that’s something that can distract me.
Thanks for that, Old Man.
My lecture hall appears in front of me, just past the grassy quad that has a few stray students situated in the different shady spots beneath the ancient trees. This is an aspect of the campus that never really appealed to me. Their only use was to sit and study, but I don’t like paying attention in classes, so why put in any work outside of them?
The college itself is a harsh mix of ancient gothic architecture sidling up to the newly constructed ultra-modern buildings. The library in the center of the entire campus that was built when the college was first founded is now surrounded on all sides by the brand-new art, science, and law buildings.
A combination that makes as much sense as the Rossis and Valentis.
Damn it!
Despite all my attempts to reject any thoughts of the wedding, it all just keeps flooding back. Worst of all, it makes me think of him…Luca Valenti. Just the thought of that little shit raises my pulse and makes my jaw clench.
“Focus, you idiot,” I mutter to myself, shaking off any remaining thoughts of him. Even if only temporarily. For now, all I need to think of is college and this lecture. It doesn’t matter how boring it is, just as long as it’s not him. All I need is something to keep me occupied until I can go out tonight, find someone to sleep with, and drink so much I forget their name.
Breaching the threshold of the lecture hall, the fresh sea air is quickly suppressed by the thick wooden doors and replaced with the smell of tepid coffee and stale air. Ushering myself through each row of seats and passing all the chattering students who are more prepared than I’ve ever been, I look at their faces as I walk by.
Some notice me and catch a passing glance as I cross their peripheral vision, but most stare toward the front of the room waiting for the lecture to begin or keep to themselves and their friends. It’s just like the wedding.
Seriously? Again?
I can’t get it out of my head. I need to focus on something, anything.
“Good morning. Are we all ready to begin?” Professor Bressler asks.
This will have to do.
Every word he speaks just goes through one ear and out the other. I can’t pay attention. I never can with this class, but this time I am actually trying, which just makes it more frustrating.
What is wrong with me?
I throw my pen down beside my blank notebook, looking around to see every other person in the room devote their attention to the lecture. I am the only one struggling.
The lecture hall doors swing open for the first time since the lesson began, and someone who is drastically late strolls across the room.
“Sorry I’m late. Slept in,” he calls out to Professor Bressler in an overly casual tone.
“Just take a seat, Mr. Morganelli, and don’t interrupt us any further,” he responds with a sigh.
I look over and see the man who makes me only the second-worst student in the room: Angelo Morganelli. He shuffles down the row of seats beside me, getting in the way of every person until he finally plants himself beside me.
“What did I miss?” he asks, as if I’d know.
“A lot, but even though I’m sitting here, I think we know just as much. ”
He chuckles loudly, earning another scowl from the professor.
“You doing okay, man? You look all weird.” He eyes me up and down, and I didn’t realize I was making it so obvious.
“Yeah, I’m all good. Don’t worry. Just had the wedding yesterday, and it went about as well as I’d expected.” I just want to be able to stop thinking about it, but everything—and now everyone—seems to be reminding me.
“That bad, huh? What actually happened?” He kicks back in his seat, not even pretending to be paying attention like I am.
“Got in a fight with my new stepbrother.” My teeth grit all on their own. Just the thought of him makes my entire body tighten. “I don’t want to get into all of it again, though.”
“Alright, well, what if I told you that the Alpha Sigs are throwing a party tonight?”
“Those assholes?” I groan, the Alpha Sigs have a reputation of being way too over the top. Their ranks are made exclusively of rich legacy admissions who are too embarrassed by their cushy upbringing to show their privilege and instead decide to project masculinity and aggression to make them look tough. “They always start fights. I don’t think I can put up with that tonight.”
“Come on! The first party of sophomore year—you just know it’ll be crazy. Plus, if someone does start a fight with you, maybe it’ll be a good outlet for all that aggression.”
While his poking me in the ribs is a bit too far, he’s making some good points. I had been hoping for a party soon, and maybe Angelo’s right. I can let loose with the Alpha Sigs, no holds barred.
My dick certainly needs some action.
“Fine,” I whisper to him, his involuntary gasp in response garnering more unwanted attention. “But if things get out of hand, I’m leaving.”
“I look forward to it.” He smirks, leaving me even more cautious of the night ahead.
Maybe tonight will go the way I had wanted the reception to. I can drink, get off with some guy or girl—or hell maybe even both—and hopefully, I can put all of this wedding and Luca drama behind me. Then again, there I go thinking about him.
Even just walking through the gates and heading up the driveway, I can hear the thumping bass escaping the frat house walls. The flashing lights gleam through the windows, and the cheers and yells of the partygoers call out to me like a lighthouse guiding a ship to port. This is going to be fun.
Getting inside the house, I am quickly enveloped by the hot air and high energy, all of it washing over me in one go and embracing me, and I can feel the tension leave my body already.
Soon enough, I spot my first pit stop of the night: the liquor table, a poorly constructed fold-out bench with every bottle of cheap and expensive alcohol that was either purchased or lifted under the oblivious nose of every liquor store owner in a five-mile radius. Quickly throwing together my drink of choice with whatever’s got the highest alcohol percentage, I relax my body, lean back against the wall, and start scouting for someone interesting to talk to.
Soon enough, I spot someone. I think he’s in my class, but I can’t quite place his name. Either way this goes, I have little to lose. I take a strong swig of my drink, feeling the warmth of the alcohol run through my body, loosening up my muscles.
Striding toward him, he takes notice of my approach as I get close and resets his posture. Luca did something similar at the wedding.
“Fuck,” I growl to myself.
“Sorry?” “That drink was a lot stronger than I thought.” I try to laugh it off. “You’re in my class, right? Financial management with Bressler?”
“That’s right.” He leans toward me. “That drink must be strong since we’ve talked before, you know.”
“Oh right. So strong that I can’t actually remember your name at the moment.” I take another sip and overdo a wince.
He chuckles. “You’re being serious, aren’t you? It’s Darius.”
“I knew it started with a D,” I lie. “I’m Dominic, just in case you also forgot.”
“Don’t worry. I know who you are, Dominic Rossi,” He pronounces every syllable of my name in a way that sings to my ear. “Now tell me, why such a pour? Bad day?”
I can’t help but laugh. “More like a bad weekend. ”
“Why don’t you tell me about it?” he coaxes me in.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to bore you with the details, but my mom got married.” The memories flood back, but I try my best to keep them at bay.
“I assume congratulations aren’t in order?” He moves even closer to me.
“Not quite. My new stepdad is a distant asshole, and don’t even get me started on my stepbrother.” The words leave a bitter taste in my mouth. “He’s just so entitled and arrogant.”
“He sounds awful. Maybe I can help—” he attempts before I cut him off.
“You have no idea. He’s so manipulative and snide. He just gets under your skin, and god, I hate him.” I rant until I notice Darius’s face turn sour. “I’m sorry. I’m just complaining.”
“That’s okay. You’ve got a lot going on. I’m just going to grab myself another drink.” He backs away. “It was nice talking to you, though.”
He walks off, cramming his way through the crowd until he’s merged into it and disappears from my sight. I sigh and down the rest of my drink, already searching for another person to talk to.
Scanning around, I catch sight of the one person I least expect to see and my heart sinks. Luca Valenti stands in the doorway to the house, a confident smile resting on his face that makes my insides twist.
Why the hell is he here?
Angelo’s arm brushes past me as he tries to walk by, but I grab hold of him to stop him. “What’s he doing here?” I ask as I gesture toward Luca still standing there.
“No clue. Probably knows someone,” Angelo responds with a shrug, trying to pull free from my grasp. “Just avoid him. Distract yourself, remember?”
I let Angelo free with a huff. Closing my eyes, I try and assimilate myself back into the energy of the party. Feeling the vibrations of the speakers reverberating through the floor. Smelling the mixture of tequila and sweat hanging in the air. Listening deeply to the swelling music and the sound of people’s feet moving as they dance.
“I’m just gonna grab us some drinks, and I’ll meet you over there.” Luca’s voice cuts through everything else .
I flick my gaze over to the drinks table; I’m standing between it and him. I don’t want him to see me here, but he has to walk right past me. Hoping he won’t notice, I duck my head and dash into the next room.
This is just my luck.
With a deep breath, I return my focus to having fun tonight and perk my head back up, searching for someone to talk to. The crowd seems to blur into one splotch. No one person looks all that unique mixed in amongst each other. Then I see him again, Darius, leaning off to the side and talking with some other people from our class, I think.
For his height, he’s very slim and has a distinct slouch. For someone so noticeable in this crowd, he’s definitely trying to blend in. I have to talk to him again.
Wading through the crowded room, I try my best not to be too obvious. I don’t want him running off like he did before, and I can’t quite forget the other person I want to stay hidden from.
“Darius, hey.” I speak softly in comparison to the music. He notices me and turns back toward his friends as if he didn’t see me. “ I’m sorry about earlier. I was being weird, and it won’t happen again. Like I said, I had?—”
“A tough weekend, I know. Look, I shouldn’t have rushed off,” he replies.
“I don’t blame you for it; I would’ve done the same. Can we just start over?”
Darius smiles. “Sure thing.”
“Thank you. How was your day?” I try to settle back into the normal conversation we were having before.
“It wasn’t too bad. It’s nice being back at college you know? I visited my family over the summer, and it’s just so chaotic with them…” His voice fades.
I catch a glimpse of Luca stepping into the room, his small bunch of friends surrounding him and ushering him in. I don’t think he’s seen me yet, but I know he will eventually. No matter where I go, he seems to follow close behind.
“Look, if you want to have this conversation with him instead, you should just go.” Darius catches on to my sightline. His scowl tells me I’d messed this up again.
“It’s not like that. That’s my stepbrother, the one I was telling you about.” I clammer for some chance at changing his mind.
“Your brother’s Luca Valenti?”
“Stepbrother,” I correct him. “How do you know him?”
“Oh, everyone knows Luca Valenti. The same way that everyone knows you.” He pauses. “Look, this is all too complicated for me, I’m sorry.” Darius walks off once again, and I know he won’t come back.
My eyes lock back onto Luca.
You just have to ruin everything for me, don’t you? I could have fucked Darius 7 ways tonight and released some of this pent up anger I’m carrying.
I slam my drink down. Barging across the room of people, I make a beeline toward Luca. I won’t let him keep messing up my night.
This time, I’m able to get close enough without him noticing. I pounce toward him and shove him back. “What the hell are you doing here?” I hiss.
“What the hell?” he yells, barely able to keep his footing. “Dom?”
I push toward him again, getting so close to keep him trapped against the wall. “Don’t call me Dom,” I snarl. “Now, tell me what you’re doing here.”
“Alright, alright. Just relax, Jesus. I go to Valmont,” he rambles. “I got invited by my friend. She’s right over there.” Luca points toward a girl already talking with someone else. “Is that okay? Or are you going to attack me again?”
“You can cut the crap. You know exactly why I did that.” I sneer at him. “Your whole act is getting old.”
“My whole act? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His tone sounds like it's designed to piss me off.
“Oh sure. So you’re telling me that no one’s called you on this before? You’re nothing more than a fake and manipulative dick.”
“You need to calm down,” he murmurs. “You’re going to cause a scene, and from what I’ve heard, that won’t go well here.”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about! You provoke me, and then when I actually do something about it, you make me look like some psycho. ”
“You’re the one that said it,” he jokes but cuts his laugh short after seeing my glare.
“Why do you keep turning up, huh? Why can’t you just stay away from me?”
“What? You’re the one who stormed over here. What was wrong with that guy you were talking to?” He laughs. “I can’t exactly blame you if you prefer me. I mean, come on.”
Seeing his smirk makes my face turn red. I wish it were from anger, but I can’t be too sure.
“Oh my god! You’re blushing?” he quips.
“Screw this!” I howl and storm out.
Barging through the crowded room, I hear Luca finally go quiet. I can’t keep putting up with him; I’m sick of it. From now on, if I see him, I’m just going to walk away. I won’t let him get the satisfaction of pushing my buttons.