Chapter 22 #2
My greedy eyes drink him in. There’s a small amount of sweat glistening on Dominic’s neck and shoulders, making his tanned skin shimmer as his arm and back muscles flex and tighten with every lift.
The inked patterns on his skin shift under the strain.
His sweatpants hang low on his hips, and the tight curve of his backside draws my gaze whether I want it to or not.
I shouldn’t be staring, but I can’t look away as molten heat pools in my core.
Every movement makes my pulse race, and I’m imagining far more with this man than I ever intended.
Like how those big, strong hands of his would feel caressing my body.
Or how his brute strength would dominate me in the bedroom as he pinned me down on the mattress.
I bite the inside of my cheek to stifle the moan.
God, I think I need therapy.
I just crawled out of a relationship from hell, so the last thing I should be doing is catching feelings for a man who might be even more dangerous than the one I escaped.
Mick is handsome, sure, but Dominic is something else entirely.
He’s the whole package, but what really sets him apart is hidden beneath that tough exterior.
He isn’t just striking looks and an unbelievable body.
There’s a gentleness in him that only a chosen few ever witness.
The way he looks after his niece, the way he seems to look after me.
It’s intense, protective, and impossible to put into words.
The longer I watch him, the harder it becomes to breathe. I want this man, and I’m only now realising that maybe I’ve always wanted him. That truth is sobering and makes it hard to think about anything else.
I make myself move, slipping away before either of them notices me. As if I didn’t already have enough to unpack, now I’ve got unwanted lust piled on top of all my other emotions.
When I reach the kitchen, the first thing I do is fill the kettle and switch it on. I’ll start breakfast once Dominic finishes his exercises. For now, I just need a cup of tea and a moment to scrub those images out of my head.
I’m leaning against the counter, sipping on my tea, when Dominic enters a few minutes later. Lil’ Peach is perched on his hip, and damn if the sight of them together like this doesn’t unravel me all over again.
I keep my eyes locked on his face and will them not to wander, because if they do, I’m sure I’ll give myself away, and that’s the last thing I want.
His gaze, however, drifts from my face down the length of my body, stopping at my bare feet before slowly tracing their way back up. By the time our eyes meet again, warmth is already rising in my cheeks.
“We’re out of bacon,” I blurt out.
“We can go to the store and get more later today.”
I nod as my blush deepens. “How do blueberry pancakes sound for breakfast?”
As soon as I mention pancakes, Peach’s arm shoots in my direction as her little fingers open and close. “Pantake, Emmy.”
Dominic steps closer, handing over Peach. “I’m going to grab a quick shower.”
The word shower has my mind instantly betraying me, offering up an image of him naked under the spray, water sliding over those muscles. I suck in a sharp breath and squeeze my eyes shut for a heartbeat, willing the thought away before it shows on my face.
“You okay?” he asks, and when I open my eyes, he’s staring down at me with a frown.
“Yes,” I reply, though it comes out more like a squeak.
I’m lying on our new sofa, Peach curled up beside me. After lunch, we came in here, and she dozed off while watching one of her shows. I didn’t want to wake her. My arm is draped over her little body, and the rhythm of her soft breathing somehow steadies me.
Dominic had to head out earlier, so I offered to watch her since I had nothing else to do. I’m on day three of my forced hibernation, and I’m already starting to lose my mind. I like to keep busy.
The TV is still on, but I changed the channel once Peach fell asleep because that dog cartoon, the one she’s obsessed with, is beginning to grate on my nerves. I can handle a few episodes, but back-to-back is a bit much.
Now I’m watching the midday news when the anchor’s voice cuts through the calm.
“… in other news, police have just completed a major raid on the clubhouse of the Steel Reapers Motorcycle Club. It’s alleged officials have confiscated a large quantity of methamphetamine and related paraphernalia.
We were able to obtain surveillance footage that shows several men being led out in handcuffs, heads bowed and arms bound. ”
“Holy shit,” I mutter under my breath.
I recognise most of them, the leader standing out the most. He’s the club president and the guy Mick calls his best friend. I know him as Nathan, but his brothers call him King.
I reach for my phone on the side table. I need to text Dominic.
Me: Did you hear the Steel Reapers clubhouse was raided?
While I wait for his reply, I change the name I have him saved under from ‘Sonia from work’ to just ‘Dom’. I don’t have to worry about Mick seeing it and losing his shit anymore.
A good ten minutes pass before he messages back.
Dom: Yeah
Me: Does this mean I can go back to work now?
Dom: No!
My lips are pursed as I type my reply.
Me: Why not?
I wait, and wait, and wait some more, but no response comes through.
Ugh.