Chapter Seventeen
Bella
Seriously? He thinks he can tell me what to do just because he’s my brothers’ best friend? That’s ridiculous. And threatening to break Gavin’s fingers? Please. Yeah, I didn’t want his hands on my ass or his dick in my stomach, but that’s not the point.
Fighting him would be stupid. If Dominic got into a brawl, he’d end up hurting his hand and be out of work. Like he’s going to do that over me. That’s a bit extreme for even my overprotective brothers. They wouldn’t get hurt over me.
I stomp outside, letting the door snap shut behind me, and march down the sidewalk toward the parking lot.
When I stop at the street, I look both ways for traffic. Four drinks? Three? Either way, it’s too many to drive. Shit. I don’t want to go back inside after my grand exit, but I’m also not going to drink and drive.
Nor am I going to wait outside for an Uber. The parking lot is decently lit, but it’s not a place to stand around waiting, either. This is the city, not Brookhaven. Damn it. I’ve got to go back inside and wait. I spin on my heel and run smack into a broad chest.
“Dominic,” I growl. “I’m not in the mood for you.”
“Finally. It’s about time you forgot about that loser.” Brock’s husky voice greets me, and every hair on my arms and neck stands. My eyes widen as I take him in. “I’ve missed you, baby, and it sounds like you’ve missed me.”
He leers as he grips my hips and pulls me tight to his body. “I’m in the mood to turn you into a bad girl. I think that’s where we went wrong. I didn’t think you were prepared for my darker tastes in sex, so I held back. But look at you now. New hairstyle and these ‘fuck me’ clothes.” He drops his lips to my ear. “There’s no more holding back. I’m going to take you, claim you, and make you raw.” He grinds his dick into my stomach.
“No. You. Aren’t.” I thrash against him to no avail. His words out of Dominic’s mouth, and I’d melt into a puddle. Brock is saying them, and I’m gaging in my mouth.
“Yes, I am. I waited too long to show you who was in charge.” His fingers bite into my flesh as he grinds against him. “Your resisting turns me on. That’s what I get off on.”
“You get off on sexual assault?” How in the fuck did I date this guy?
“No, baby, you’ll like it. You’re already begging for it.”
“Get lost, asshole.” A hand grips Brock’s shoulder.
Dominic. My heart sputters in my chest as my entire body sags with relief. Dominic spins Brock around and smashes his fist into Brock’s cheek with a loud smacking sound.
“Fuck!”
One. Two. Three punches. One after the other lands on Brock’s face. His cheek. His jaw. His nose. His head snaps back over and over again until blood gushes from his nose. Dominic braces his feet and uses his strength to dodge away from Brock and out of his path.
“I’m not done with you.” Dominic’s eyes are wild as he encroaches into Brock’s space.
Shit. Dominic’s hand. His tattooing hand is covered in blood. “Dominic!” I lodge myself between them and grab his forearm. “Don’t.”
His head snaps downward until his gaze meets mine. “Did you want him to do that?”
Rage radiates off him as his jaw flexes and his eyes bulge. I shrink backward because I’ve never seen him look at me with utter disdain. Indifference? Yes. Irritation? Absolutely. But disdain and rage? Never. Tears spring to my eyes.
“Did you?”
“No.” I shake my head slowly to keep from pissing him off even more. I’ve never seen him this out of control.
Brock steps backward as if he senses Dominic’s barely contained anger as clearly as I do.
“Don’t move a muscle,” Dominic says between clenched teeth.
“Dom.” I lay my hand over his. “Your knuckles. They’re covered in blood. You’re not going to be able to work for a few days as it is. If you break them, you’ll be out for weeks. I don’t want you to do that because of me.”
He blinks and swallows hard. “Who else would I do it for?”
‘Who else would I do it for?’ The words reverberate off the brick walls of the building as Brock takes that moment to turn on his heel and run in the other direction.
After two steps, the sound of gravel flipping upward breaks my concentration, but I don’t stop staring at Dominic. The anger has dissipated, leaving behind–worry. He glances toward the building.
“We should go back inside.” He licks his lips. “Do you want to call the police?”
“Did you see him come outside?”
“Yes.” Dominic’s brows furrow as he returns his attention to me.
Blood rushes to my ears as recklessness courses through me. He followed me outside to ensure I was safe. He beat up my ex. He saved me from being sexually assaulted.
“Thank you.” I launch myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing my lips against his. The relief and appreciation wars with the insanity of my foolish move of throwing myself at him, but I couldn’t stop if I wanted to.
His arms wrap around me, hauling me closer as he groans and accepts my tongue with as much enthusiasm as I’m attacking him. If this is the only time I’ll ever kiss him, I’m going to make it good. And make it last. I arch against him as his hands splay along my back.
A car door in the adjacent parking lot slams shut, followed by a quick honk as the operator locks the doors.
What am I doing? He wanted to make sure I was safe but not get accosted himself. I stiffen and pull back.
“Wildflower,” he growls. “You started it. Don’t shy away now.” One hand burrows in my hair while the other holds me steady in one place–flat against him. Where I feel his solid chest, the inhalation of his breath, the stiffness of his cock pressed against my belly.
I blink and look up at him, gasping for breath, unsure if I should apologize or climb him like a tree. He called me Wildflower. Jesus. My heart skips in my chest.
His eyes glow in the darkness, swirling with a mixture of apprehension and lust. “Unless you took your thank you too far?”
“No.” I shake my head and gnaw on my bottom lip. “I don’t think I’m done thanking you. You saved me from Brock.” I shudder forcefully. “And that deserves my undying appreciation.”
One corner of his mouth twitches. “Exactly how’re you proposing to undyingly thank me?”
My head spins with dizziness. This can’t be real. Can it? Dominic doesn’t flirt with me. He doesn’t even like me. He barely tolerates me. But…. He’s not leaving.
Why not completely exorcise him from my fantasies by making it a reality? Without expecting anything from him in return. He’s made it clear he’s not interested in a relationship with me. Or anyone else, for that matter.
My brothers and all their friends have been clear about that. Publicly declaring no relationships until they’re thirty. This is the prime of their lives and all that. Bros before hoes.
The scent of his cologne mixes with the asphalt, exhaust fumes, and the wafting hint of deep-fat fried food from inside the bar. It shouldn’t work, but it has my libido humming. I might never drive a car again without wanting to dry-hump him.
Okay. This is it. I can do this and not get my heart broken.
“Sex. No strings attached. And we never breathe a word about it to anyone.” I thread my fingers through his hair and arch against him.
He stands still, barely breathing as my heartbeat thumps in my ears. Okay. Heat floods over every inch of my body. He was not thinking that. He probably expected me to offer to bake him a cake or something. God, this is so humiliating. I sway backward, plotting my escape.
His grip on me tightens. “Okay.”
Oh, my God. This is real.
“One time, and we never speak about it again.”
My shoulders sag. Yes, this is real. I get my fantasy, but it’s a secret. Something I’ll be forced to carry around like an albatross, weighing me down for life.