Chapter 31
SAMAIRA
I woke up alone in Dominic’s bed, feeling the cold bedsheet and emptiness along my back. I grabbed my phone from the nightstand for any updates from the Wildcats.
I found a long string of messages from the girls in our group chat.
Tara: Threat resolved.
Tara: Congratulations, the mission is successful and complete.
Sloane: Fuck yeah.
Naomi: That means Sami shouldn’t be back for days.
Lena: Yes. You need to claim that man, Sami. Follow your heart.
Sloane: Yes, please. We all know you want him. He clearly is obsessed with you.
Naomi: Yes
Tara: Yes
Lena: Yes
I couldn’t help but smile at their enthusiasm. I sprawled on the bed and messaged in the group chat.
Me: What if being with him puts our entire existence in jeopardy? Are you all okay with a risk like that?
Sloane: Fuck yeah. I’d die for you, bitch. Getting exposed at the cost of your happiness is nothing.
Lena: Same.
Tara: Same. And you’d say the same for any of us. So don’t give us that.
Naomi: Like Tara said.
Me: What if being with me puts HIS life in jeopardy? What if something happens to him under my watch?
Tara: Don’t you be a chicken and ask us such stupid questions. You’re the motherfucking Crimson Tiger.
Sloane: Laughing emoji
Naomi: Laughing emoji
Lena: Any other excuse you have that makes you want to put more walls around you?
Me: Fuck you guys.
Me: Also, love you guys.
Sloane: 3
Lena: We love you too 3
Naomi: 3
Tara: 3
I placed the phone back on the side table and went to the restroom to freshen up.
I stared at myself in the mirror while brushing my teeth and looked into my eyes, remembering Tara’s words.
I was the motherfucking Crimson Tiger. Was I genuinely afraid that I wouldn’t be able to protect him, that the Wildcats would be better off without involving a public figure billionaire, or was I just terrified of being hurt?
Did I truly believe Dominic could hurt me?
My heart knew he was safe. My body knew he was safe.
But my mind was a scaredy cat. After pushing everyone away for years, keeping my family at bay to protect them, not accepting any long-term relationship, I was too used to taking care of myself.
Of not having to worry about someone. Of not having to think about someone day in and day out.
Of not having a smiling face to welcome me home.
Of not having someone to laugh with while watching a movie.
Of not having a warm embrace on cold nights.
Once I went downstairs, the smell of freshly brewed coffee pulled me to the kitchen area. A smile instantly came over my face as I watched a shirtless Dominic cooking an omelet. How was I ever going to let this man go?
My feet automatically led me to his back as I wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head between his shoulder blades. His chest expanded as he held my hands at his waist. “I was hoping to wake you up with breakfast in bed.”
Oh, this man. I tightened my arms around him and pressed a kiss to his back. “You can just feed it to me now.”
“Of course, my tigress. Coffee?” He turned halfway and pressed a kiss to my head. My heart gave a little thump as if telling me, See how good it feels to be cared for? My body definitely noticed the way his biceps were bulging as he held me .
I squeezed his arms and raised my eyebrows. “Did you work out this morning?”
He chuckled and flexed his muscles. “Of course. You see, my girlfriend is fucking jacked and built like a tigress. I have to work out twice a day to build enough muscles to be able to throw her down on the mat in a fight.”
Blood rushed to my cheeks as I tried to stop the ridiculous smile on my face by biting my lip. “Girlfriend, huh?”
He turned off the stove and pulled me into his arms, his face scrunching in a frown. “Feels too casual, huh? How about my lover? My life? My woman, whom I’m so fucking obsessed with, I could write poetry about her?”
Fuck, he was going to make me cry. What was it about him that I had no control over my emotions?
That I couldn't hold it together? That I fucking blushed and stammered and melted?
The thought of something happening to Dominic terrified me to my bones.
I clutched his waist and felt the warmth of his skin.
“What if being with her puts your life in danger?” My voice was a mere whisper, too terrified to hear his answer.
His eyes turned soft, and a small smile tugged at his lips. He brushed a strand of my hair behind my ears and pressed a kiss to my nose. “My life, as it is, is over if I don’t get to spend it with you.”
A tear slipped down my cheek, and I pressed my face to his neck. “I’m scared,” I whispered.
He tightened his arms around me. “Tell me something, baby.”
“What?”
“If there was no risk, if you knew for certain that nothing would ever happen to me if we were together, and the Wildcats would never ever get exposed, what would you do?”
The sheer possibility of both of those things coming true had me praying to the gods that I’d stopped believing in years ago.
But I knew what he was asking, and I fucking knew what I would do.
I met his eyes and cupped his jaw. “Then I’d tie you to my bed and my life forever.
I’d give you all my days and my nights. I’d wake up in your arms and have breakfast in bed.
I’d train with you and slam you in the boxing ring, and I’d take you for rides on my motorcycle.
I’d cry in your arms when life got too tough.
I’d celebrate my wins with you by my side.
I’d fuck you every night and go to sleep with you buried deep inside me. ”
He pulled me into a kiss so full of passion, so full of hope and need, my knees almost gave out.
He rested his forehead against mine and held me like I was precious to him.
“Then give us a chance, Maira. Let’s live that life.
Because I’d rather have a month of what you described than fifty years of a miserable existence without you. ”
“I’d never be able to forgive myself if something happened to you.”
He clutched my face with both of his hands, his eyes looking at me with fierceness and frustration.
“I’m going to tell you this one thing, Samaira.
You do not have the right to make decisions on behalf of others.
You need to let people love you. You need to let people decide if you’re worth risking their lives for.
You need to let people be in your fucking life if they want to.
You don’t get to shut them all out because you’re afraid to feel the pain of losing them.
Be it me or your parents. Let people love you, baby.
Let me love you. Because even if you don’t, I’m afraid it’s too late.
I’m in love with you, baby. I’m in love with every inch of the crazy, jealous, protective, soft, powerful, kinky parts of you. And I refuse to stop. You understand?”
My lips trembled, and my throat closed up. All I could do was nod as tears streamed down my face.
With a groan, he pulled me back into his arms. “I thought I hated seeing you hurt. But tears? Baby, these can kill me.”
I sniffed. “Shut up. You’re a dork.”
He chuckled as he swayed me in his arms. “A dork you love,” he singsonged. “And don’t you fucking deny it. You don’t have to say it for me to know it in my heart. You can take as much time as you need. I’ll wait.”
He was right. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but my mind was terrified to let them out. “Thank you.”
He let me go and pulled me to the dining table. Then he went back to the kitchen in all his shirtless glory and prepared me breakfast while I ogled him to my heart’s content. We ate across from each other, our legs entangled under the table, with Dominic feeding me an omelet and toast.
He looked at me, his face resting on his palm, a faint smile on his face. “Do you have anything planned today?”
I shook my head. “Nope. The girls handled the state attorney. He’s dead. So the case is officially complete and successful. I’ve been asked to take a bit of a break.”
Dominic’s eyes rounded. “When did you decide to kill him?”
I shrugged. “Tara uncovered the thousands of skeletons that Thomas was hiding in his closet yesterday, right before we arrived. He made his son look like an innocent little puppy. We’ve executed men for less.
Tara would release some very incriminating evidence of his crimes on the internet, and you’d be off any suspicions. ”
“Fucking perfect. Thank the ladies for me, would ya?”
When I nodded, Dominic reached across the table and held my hand. “Let’s go on a date today.”
Excitement fluttered in my stomach. “I have nothing to wear.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just say yes. I’ll set everything up.”
“Okay, then. Yes. Let’s go on a date.”
“Perfect. Now off you go to work out or rest or get ready. Give me an hour to set things up.”
“An hour? We’ll leave in an hour?”
He chuckled and got out of his chair. With a quick press of his lips on my forehead, he started to walk out backward. “Tick tock, Tigress. Big plans today.”
By the time I’d worked out for an hour in his home gym and stepped out of the shower, I found a large shopping bag on his bed with a card that read, "Wear me, please."
I opened the bag to find three boxes of varying sizes inside.
The biggest box revealed a dark red dress made of the softest material I’d ever touched.
Another box had matching heels with a very distinct red sole.
A gasp escaped me as I opened the last box, the smallest one, which revealed a stunning diamond choker necklace.
Dominic had gone all out and was apparently sparing no expense. And boy, did I love it. I felt like Cinderella now.