7. Chapter 7 #3
I struggle to remember his first name. Something with a Z.
All five swivel toward me like synchronized birds, eyes wide, hungry for information.
“What are they like?”
“Is Mercer single?”
“Did you see Tanner?”
“Sorry to disappoint,” I say, “but I’m not their handler.”
Then one of them gasps, hand flying to her chest. “Oh my God, do not freak out.”
The hairs on the back of my neck rise, and I already know who the girls are looking at.
“The Captain’s headed this way,” one squeals, fixing her hair.
I feel him. The air tightens. The noise dims. Goosebumps crawl along my skin. There’s a certain gravity only one man in this building carries—and it’s cutting through the crowd straight toward me .
When I finally look, Dominic isn’t heading for the bar.
He’s coming for me.
The girls around me start fixing their hair, standing taller.
Dom closes the distance in three long strides.
The girls straighten like synchronized soldiers, chests out, lips pouted, ready to be chosen.
“Captain…” one purrs, leaning forward. “Coming for a drink?”
His hand wraps around my waist, pulling me into the hard line of his body. My heart tries to beat out of my chest.
“I came for my girl.”
My heart drops into my stomach. My girl. Me.
The girls go silent.
When Dom’s attention returns to me, my pulse is everywhere—neck, wrists, thighs.
“Upstairs,” he growls.
It isn’t a request.
“Ask nicely.” I lift my chin .
A heartbeat passes before he threads his fingers through mine and pulls me with him, leaving no room to argue.
The girls watch us go with wide eyes.
And I? I let him lead me.
Because my chest is molten, my pulse is chaos, and something about the way he said my girl rings in my bones.
Dom doesn’t walk me back toward VIP.
He drags me.
One big hand wrapped around mine, his pace unforgiving, fury rolling off him so thick it feels physical. I stumble once and he tightens his grip, pulling me closer without slowing.
Inside, I’m grinning. My stomach does stupid flips I will absolutely deny later.
He pulls me past the velvet rope and through the dim hallway that leads to the VIP bathrooms. He pushes open the bathroom door, drags me inside, and lets it slam shut. I rip my wrist out of his grip the second he lets go.
The bass becomes muffled. The room shrinks. His presence expands .
He points to the spot in front of him. “Stay where I can fucking see you.”
The command cracks through the air like a whip.
My chin snaps up. I don’t know if it’s the music still buzzing in my bloodstream or the fact that he just manhandled me through the club, but fire flares inside me—sharp and reckless.
I take a step closer and tilt my head. “You planning to put me on a leash?”
“Don’t tempt me,” he mutters, stepping in. “I might.”
Heat punches through me so fast I almost sway.
“I went downstairs to get a damn martini,” I bite out, ignoring the heat between my legs, “because you scared the bartender upstairs.”
“Don’t disappear on me again,” he fires back, pointing at me like I’m a misbehaving child.
“I didn’t disappear!” I throw my hands up. “I went downstairs. To the bar. To order a drink. Because, newsflash”—I jab a finger into his chest—“You. Don’t. Tell me what to do. ”
Dom catches my hand firmly. “You went downstairs,” he repeats, “into a packed club full of drunk assholes, with a dress up to your fucking ribs—”
“My dress is none of your concern—”
“It is,” he says calmly, stepping into my space, “when every man in that room is staring at you.”
“That’s not your problem.”
“It becomes my problem when some asshole thinks he can put hands on you.”
I’m breathless, trying to wrap my mind around his words. He’s jealous.
“I’m not one of your teammates,” I snap. “You don’t get to tell me where to stand, what to wear, or what to drink. That’s not your decision.”
“Someone has to make it,” he counters. “Since you clearly can’t.”
My jaw drops. “You arrogant f—”
He steps closer, forcing me back until my hips hit the counter. He cages me in with one arm on each side, leaning down.
“Watch your mouth,” he murmurs, and my pulse trips and drops south between my legs.
“You can’t tell me what to do,” I whisper .
“Yes,” he says, leaning closer, “I can.”
The air between us turns electric.
“And you,” he adds, eyes dropping to my mouth, “need to start listening.”
I swallow hard. “And what if I don’t?”
His fingers curl on the counter behind me. “I’ll make you.”
My thighs press together on instinct.
“You’re insane,” I whisper.
“Because you’re driving me fucking crazy,” he murmurs.
He’s so close I can feel his lips hover over mine.
I tilt my chin up, just slightly. Daring him. Testing him. I want to see him crack. I want that control to shatter.
He almost breaks. His hand closes around the back of my neck, firm and possessive, and for one dizzy heartbeat I think he’s going to kiss me.
My heart is a wild thing inside my ribcage, and my eyes begin to flutter shut.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
“CAPTAIN! GROUP PHOTO! ”
Dominic jerks away like I’ve burned him, his eyes closing like he’s praying for strength.
“Don’t test me,” he rasps. A warning, a plea, and a threat all at once.
“Or what?” I whisper.
“You won’t like my methods.” His chest rises under his T-shirt as he holds my gaze for one last second. Then he turns and walks out.
The moment the door shuts behind him, I melt against the counter, trying not to collapse.