36. Amara
Amara
I watch Dom toss back his second drink, his eyes flicking between Caleb and me. The tension in the room is suffocating. And my heart hammers against my ribs as I try to figure out what to say.
“I don’t think you’d kill her,” Caleb says, breaking the silence, but by the look on his face, I doubt he truly believes that.
Dom slams his glass down. “I fucking didn’t kill her. I just paid her five million dollars to go away.”
Caleb blows out a breath, his shoulders dropping slightly. “But that’s a convenient alibi.”
“No, my alibi is iron tight. I was with Amara most of the day and I was checking on Rafe later that day,” Dom says, his voice like gravel.
I glance at Caleb, and he looks back at me.
Dom’s eyes narrow as he notices our exchange. “What’s going on here?” He gestures between us, his knuckles white around his glass.
“We’re together.” I straighten my spine, gathering my courage. “And if I can’t have Caleb, then you can’t have me.”
Dom’s eyebrows shoot up. “Are you threatening me?”
“No,” I say, stepping closer to Caleb. “I’m leaving here, if I can’t have him.”
Dom’s jaw tightens. He sets down his glass and walks toward me, his movements controlled but dangerous. “You’re not going anywhere now that you’re pregnant with my baby.”
I shake my head quickly, reaching for Caleb’s hand.
“I need you both.” I look between them, desperate for them to understand.
“We don’t all need to live together, but…
” I turn to Dom, eyes pleading. I’m ready to beg him now.
I don’t want to lose him either. “But Caleb is soft where you are hard. He’s gentle... ”
“I can be gentle,” Dom interrupts, his voice softer than I expected.
I walk to Dom and touch his face, the roughness of his stubble scratching against my palm. “I don’t want you to change. I want you to be you. I love the man you are. I love that you’re bossy and dominating. I love you look after me, but I love Caleb knows when I need to be held.”
Dom swallows hard, his piercing blue eyes searching mine. “You love me?”
I suck in a breath, suddenly realizing what I’ve admitted. “I know you don’t do ‘I love you.’ Hell, you don’t even like sleeping with anyone—you’re so cold. But I want you and I know you don’t feel the same way because you can’t. It’s fine. Because Caleb can give me that.”
Dom’s gaze shifts to Caleb, something unreadable passing between them.
“And I told you I was ready to share,” Dom says quietly.
“Did you?” I stand frozen between the two men, my heart pounding so hard I can barely hear my own thoughts. Caleb’s face has gone pale, his eyes wide with shock at Dom’s revelation.
“So, I won't end up at the bottom of Brisbane River with concrete boots on?” Caleb asks, attempting humor, but his voice trembles slightly.
Dom shrugs, his massive shoulders rising and falling. “I’m going clean.”
Caleb chuckles nervously, running a hand through his light brown hair. “I’ll still watch my back.”
“I’m being honest,” Dom says, his voice uncharacteristically vulnerable. He looks at me, those bright azure eyes filled with something I’ve never seen before. Then he turns to Caleb. “I know I’m too old for her. One day she’ll look at me with disgust.”
“No!” I step toward him, appalled. “That won’t happen. I’ll get older too.”
Dom stops me with a gentle touch to my cheek. “Just love me and Caleb for as long as you can. And then I’ll step back and allow you and Caleb to be together.”
Tears spring to my eyes, blurring my vision. I shake my head fiercely. “Don’t—”
Dom presses his finger over my lips. “Please, piccola, just promise me to be honest the day you no longer want me. I’ll be able to cope with you not touching me as long as I see you every day.”
The tears spill over, tracking hot down my face. I try to speak, but my throat feels swollen shut. All I can do is nod.
Dom scoops me up into his arms. I feel weightless against his chest. His heartbeat is strong beneath my ear. He holds me tight, one hand cradling the back of my head, fingers threading through my hair.
“I never murdered Helena,” he whispers into my hair, his breath warm against my scalp. “And I never tried to kill you.”
I press my face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar scent. “I know you didn’t.”
I lie between them, their body heat wrapping around me like a cocoon—and I love it.
Dom’s large frame curves against my back, one muscular arm draped possessively over my waist. His hot breath ghosts over my neck, causing shivers to run down my spine.
Caleb faces me, his silver-gray eyes studying my face in the dim light as his fingers trace delicate patterns up and down my arm.
I shift onto my back so I can see them both while still enjoying the comforting weight of both men around me. A thought suddenly crosses my mind, and I prop myself up on one elbow.
“Dom, have you heard from Milly? I haven’t seen her since yesterday.”
Dom’s hand strokes lazily up and down my side. “She probably stayed at the casino hotel with Enzo. I’m sure he drank too much to drive her home.”
Caleb nods in agreement, a small laugh escaping his lips. “Young love.”
“Milly does have a thing for mafia heirs,” Dom adds with a smirk. “First Romeo Conti, now Enzo Bianchi.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m pretty sure she still loves Romeo. She’s just using Enzo to make him jealous.”
Dom’s fingers tighten slightly on my hip, his blue eyes sparkling with amusement. “And you? You went straight to the top. Directly for a don.”
I laugh, the sound filling our intimate bubble. “I think you pursued me.”
“Really?” His eyebrow arches as he leans closer, his beard tickling my shoulder. “Need I remind you about when you writhed your body against mine in the pool?”
Heat rushes to my cheeks at the memory. “I was after the info in your brain, obviously.”
“Tell yourself that, piccola.” His voice drops to that deep, velvety tone that makes my stomach flip.
Caleb growls beside me, his hand possessively sliding across my stomach.
I turn to him, cupping his face gently. “Hey, don’t worry. Your brain is pretty impressive too, Professor. All those books you’ve read.” I press a soft kiss to his lips. “Besides, you got me first, remember?”
The tension in his shoulders eases as he pulls me closer, his gray eyes softening.
“Tell me about your childhood,” Dom murmurs against my hair. “You never talked about it before.”
I close my eyes as the memories slide into place. “It was quite boring, really. Nothing major ever happened apart from mom and dad arguing a lot. She’d always threaten him with something or other.”
“So, your memory is pretty good now,” Dom adds. “Going that far back, I mean.”
I glance at Caleb. There’s no point in lying anymore. “I suppose so.”
Caleb’s hand continues its gentle exploration of my skin.
Dom shifts beside me. “What about Con? Do you remember what happened between you and him at the party? And at the club?”
My body tenses. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
“Piccola,” Dom’s voice is gentle but insistent. “I need to know if he hurt you. But I can tell you for sure that he’s not the one who tried to kill you. He was in the club the entire night after the raid.”
“He just threatened me,” I whisper. “Told me to keep my mouth shut about what I saw him doing with Enzo.”
Dom’s arm tightens around me. “I need to have a word with him to make sure it’s over.”
“No.” I turn my head to look at him. “Please, I’d rather forget about it. That’s what Con wants too.”
Caleb’s hand moves to my face, turning me back toward him. “Let’s talk about something else,” he suggests, his thumb caressing my cheekbone. “Like how beautiful you look right now.”
Heat floods my cheeks as I remember what we just did—both men taking turns bringing me to ecstasy with their mouths, their hands.
“Next time,” Caleb murmurs, his eyes darkening, “we should take you together. What do you think, Dom?”
My breath catches, and I feel a pulse of need between my legs. Dom makes a sound deep in his throat, his hand sliding down to my hip.
“Look at her,” Dom says to Caleb, his voice husky. “She likes that idea.”
I bite my lip, my body still sensitive from their earlier attentions. The mere thought of both of them inside me at once makes me dizzy with desire.
“I can feel her trembling,” Caleb says, his fingers trailing down my arm. “Our girl wants us both.”