Chapter 15 DOMINIC
DOMINIC
“This way, Mr. Stone.”
The blonde waitress flashed me a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, stepping aside to let me pass.
I caught the way her gaze lingered—hungry, hopeful for just a shred of attention from me.
I didn’t waste a second glance. Alec, of course, threw her a lazy grin, tossing her the attention she wanted.
The restaurant was empty. Every time we had business meetings here, the manager cleared out the place. Not that he minded. Our bill alone could buy out the whole damn restaurant. And, of course, we paid for his silence too.
At our usual table, my father was already seated, champagne glass in hand, deep in conversation with his right-hand man, Ricardo.
They paused the moment we arrived. Garrett—my father, though I barely used the word, turned toward me.
His eyes lit up with false warmth, a smile curling his lips. I gave a curt nod.
“On time, as always,” he said. I nodded again and ordered my usual drink without sparing the waitress a glance. Alec took his time deciding. Then, it was just the four of us again.
“Let’s get to the point,” I sighed, already weary from this ritual. “It’s been a long fucking day.”
“Can’t a father want to spend time with his son?” He chuckled, leaning back in his chair.
“I know you didn’t drag me to the edge of town for nothing,” I said, sipping my whiskey as the waitress poured it. “Hope you didn’t, because I’d be fucking pissed.”
His smile widened, and the thin veneer of the generous father slipped, revealing the cold mask beneath.
“You know me too well, son,” he said. “Tomorrow night, the new shipment arrives. Weapons from Russia, the product from Mexico.”
I nodded, only half-listening. I’ve been running my father’s empire long enough to know the script.
Garrett hasn’t lifted a finger in years, just collects his cut, wastes it on booze, cars, strip clubs, and whores.
I don’t know how his wife tolerates him, but then again, she despises me, and frankly, I don’t care.
As she liked to remind me in my youth, “You’ll always be a bastard—blood or no blood. Never a real Stone”. That used to sting like a slap. Now? I don’t give a fuck.
“Alec will handle this,” I said, shooting a glance at my loyal shadow. He nodded. “The Russians want a permanent deal,” I continued. “They like our conditions better than The King’s.”
“Ah,” Garrett’s eyes gleamed with pride. “First, you take his daughter; now you’re stealing his clients. I’ve taught you well, son.”
Typical Garrett. Taking credit for everything while I do the dirty work.
“Speaking of the brat—she giving you trouble?”
Alec cleared his throat. When I glared at him, I caught his barely suppressed grin. I bit my tongue, tapping my finger on the table.
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Or so I told myself.
Athena King is shredding my control and sanity, piece by piece.
No other explanation for what I did earlier.
How, while I aimed to bite her lip—make her feel pain, all I could think about was how her sinful lips would taste against mine.
The second time, I let a ridiculous, stupid thought like kissing her slip into my mind.
I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone since my first and last kiss.
“Maddox paid me a visit a few days ago,” Garrett said, yanking me back from my dark thoughts. For the first time since sitting down, I gave him my full attention.
“Made a stunning entrance,” he said, swirling his glass. “He thought I had his precious daughter, but was disappointed to find no sign of her.”
“The fucker had a tracking device in the necklace he gave her,” I added, watching Garrett’s raised eyebrows. “Disabled it. Threw it away at the resort.”
I still remember Athena’s shock when I told her I wanted that necklace as a reward.
She probably expected something else. Hell, I nearly lost it when I saw her in that tight bikini.
Under different circumstances, I’d have taken my twisted pleasures with her without a second thought.
But she’s the enemy. I drilled that into my brain every time I almost slipped.
Garrett and Maddox King have a long, bloody history.
It began years ago when Allyn was promised to Garrett’s rightful heir—Theo Stone.
An arranged marriage between our families, but Maddox is a selfish bastard who stops at nothing.
Theo, my half-brother, lost his life to Maddox’s gun.
His death marked the start of a feud that’ll never end.
“Everything is going according to plan, right?” Garrett asked. I nodded.
“Everything is going according to plan,” I confirmed. “Let him lose his mind completely. When he’s weakest, we’ll strike.”
“I want every King dead. Athena King included,” Garrett hissed, eyes darkening. He hates Athena, which is understandable, but his words were meant to make me look weak, to use my own rules against me. He knows I don’t care if Athena dies. I just can’t be the one to pull the trigger. He knows it.
“Athena will die,” I said, hardening my voice, “like every other King. Don’t stick your fucking nose where it doesn’t belong, Garrett. Look after your whores and your life. Leave the rest to me.”
Garrett raised his hands in mock surrender, that smug old smile spreading across his face. That’s his mistake. He shouldn’t trust me.
Because the moment I end the King clan, the next bullet with my name on it will be his.
—
I crossed the threshold of my house just before midnight. Most of my men had already clocked out, their silhouettes swallowed by the night. Only the guards I personally stationed remained.
It was Friday night. Alec had tried to drag me to a strip club, but I declined. Dinner with my father and his dogs was as much socializing as I could stomach tonight.
My first instinct was to check on Athena. I’m ashamed to admit she occupied my mind like a damn obsession all evening. That reckless redhead, the one puzzle I can’t seem to solve, no matter how many pieces I force into place.
I was confident she couldn’t have slipped away. Over thirty men are guarding the mansion inside, twice as many outside.
Athena King is distracting me. Control has been my world for years—cold, calculated, unshakable. And yet here I am, losing my edge over a girl.
I shrugged off my jacket and made a beeline for my office. My hands itched to know what decision she’d made. The answer hit me harder than I expected.
The office was immaculate. The floor was shining so bright I could see my reflection in the marble tiles. My desk was orderly, every bottle of liquor aligned like soldiers ready for battle. Did I expect obedience? Fuck no, but she surprised me.
I closed the door behind me and headed toward the room she destroyed. Passing the guards, I nodded without a word. When I stepped inside, expecting chaos, I found the opposite.
Athena was on her knees, scrubbing the floor.
Her slender frame bent low, hair tied back in a tight bun, her face hidden from me.
That uniform I’d forced her into hugged every curve, every line of her body.
Her tanned legs, bare and flawless beneath the short skirt, made it almost impossible to look away.
I stared like a fool, even as my cock stirred in my pants—something I wasn’t supposed to feel for her.
“What a surprise,” I drawled.
She jerked upright as if burned. When her tired, bloodshot eyes met mine, the defiance still smoldered there like a war ready to ignite. I let my gaze wander the room again. Spotless. Not a single sign of rebellion. No broken pictures, no overturned furniture.
“I’m almost finished,” she muttered, voice hoarse. She turned her back, returning to her task without another glance. My eyes roamed down her body again. Fuck.
“You’re dedicated with the right motivation.”
“That wasn’t motivation. It was a threat.”
“Same thing to me.”
Her laugh was sharp, bitter. “You’re just an asshole.”
I grinned, my lips curling. No one had dared talk to me like that before. But Athena King? She didn’t give a damn, and for once, I liked it.
“You can stop cleaning,” I said, my tone low and commanding. “It’s late. Go to your room.”
Her body stiffened, but she rose slowly, crossing her arms. She turned, those soft brown eyes—like fragile dolls locking onto mine.
“I kept my part of the deal. I expect the same from you.”
My grin deepened as I closed the distance, looming over her. She didn’t flinch or look away. Instead, her eyes flashed brighter, burning through me like fire.
“I won’t take the life of an innocent soul,” I promised, voice barely above a whisper. “Not tonight, at least.”
“You expect me to be your permanent housekeeper now?” Her voice was sharp, laced with fire—and damn if I didn’t crave that spark.
“I expect you to be everything I tell you to be, Athena.”
“Then you’re expecting it from the wrong woman.” That harp-like voice of hers was meant to sting, but she had no fucking idea how much I was enjoying it. “I’m not one of your whores, Nic.”
I almost laughed. It was absurd that she’d even compare herself to those girls. The more time I spend around Athena King, the more I realize how hard she is to break.
“I don’t remember saying that. You said you were bored, and I’m just trying to make your stay here easier.”
“Stay here?” She scoffed, red hair falling in loose strands across her face. I fought the urge to brush them back. “Is that what you call depriving someone of their freedom without their consent? You want to kill my family, wipe out my entire clan and you expect me to obey you?”
Her words spat fire, but I barely heard them.
My eyes locked on her lips, tracing every word unspoken.
Then, before I could stop myself, my thumb brushed her chin, lifting it until her eyes met mine.
I hated the way she looked at me—so raw, so challenging—yet I liked it too much. It threw me off balance.
She’s just another pretty face, Dominic. Get it together. Remember the real enemy.