2. Dominico
2
DOMINICO
I groan as consciousness slowly seeps in, my eyelids fluttering open to bright sunlight streaming through the windows. My head is pounding, a vicious drumbeat against my skull. What the hell happened last night?
I start to roll over and freeze as my arm brushes against smooth, warm skin. Squinting through bleary eyes, I take in the sight of a woman’s bare back, her blonde hair splayed across the pillow beside me.
Fuck. Who is she?
I rack my brain, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of the previous evening. Flashes come back to me in disjointed snippets. Partying at the club with the guys, throwing back shot after shot. Pulsing music, flashing lights. Grinding on the dance floor with a revolving door of hot women in tight dresses.
Making out with a blonde in a darkened hallway, my hands roaming her curves as she moaned into my mouth. Tumbling into my car together, unable to keep our hands off each other as my driver drove us back to my house. Bursting through the door of my suite in a tangle of groping limbs and shedding clothes…
I lift the sheet and glance down, confirming that I’m completely naked underneath. Right. The rest isn’t hard to fill in. Apparently, I scored last night, even if I can’t quite remember all the details.
The girl shifts slightly and lets out a soft sigh, still dead to the world. I should probably wake her up and kick her out so I can nurse this wicked hangover in peace.
I sit up gingerly, my head swimming as a wave of nausea washes over me. Fuck, I hate being hung over. I glance at the sleeping girl beside me and feel a flicker of irritation. Why the hell did I let her stay the night? Usually, I kick them out as soon as we’re done fucking, but I must have been too wasted to bother this time.
Grumbling under my breath, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand up, swaying slightly as the room tilts around me. I grab my clothes from the floor and yank them on, not caring whether I look disheveled.
The blonde is still dead to the world, her face relaxed in sleep. I feel a momentary pang of guilt for what I’m about to do, but I push it aside.
She knew what this was. Just a drunken hookup, a one-time thing. No reason to pretend it was anything more.
I reach out and shake her shoulder roughly. “Hey. Wake up. It's time for you to go.”
She stirs, blinking up at me in confusion. “What? What time is it?”
“Doesn't matter. Party’s over. Time to leave.” My voice is cold, brooking no argument.
She frowns, pulling the sheet tighter around herself. “Can’t I just sleep a little longer? My head is killing me.”
Irritation flares hot in my chest. I don't have time for this shit. Leaning down, I get right in her face, my eyes hard and menacing.
“Listen, sweetheart,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “I'm not asking. I’m telling. You need to get the fuck out of my house. Now.”
She recoils slightly, looking shocked at my sudden viciousness. “Jesus, fine. No need to be such a dick about it.”
“You have no idea how much of a dick I can be,” I growl, my patience snapping. “I’m Dominico fucking Sicura, son of Vincenzo Sicura. You know, the head of the Sicura Family? I can make your life very difficult if you don’t do as I say.”
Her eyes widen with fear and realization. The Sicura name carries weight in this city, and everyone knows it's not to be fucked with. I see the moment she understands just how badly she's erred.
“Okay, okay, I’m going!” She scrambles out of bed, frantically gathering her clothes. I watch impassively as she dresses, my arms crossed over my chest.
When she’s done, she shoots me a resentful glare but wisely keeps her mouth shut. She knows she’s no match for me or my family. Smart girl.
I follow her to the door, making sure she actually leaves. As soon as she’s over the threshold, I slam it shut behind her, not even bothering with a goodbye. Good riddance.
After a scalding hot shower, I feel marginally more human. I dress in a crisp white button-down and tailored black slacks, the kind of outfit befitting the son of a Don. Can’t let the family name down, even if I feel like death warmed over.
I head downstairs, intent on finding something greasy and artery-clogging to soak up the alcohol still sloshing in my stomach. But as I pass the formal drawing room, a flash of movement catches my eye.
My twin sister, Valentina, is standing by the window. She’s wearing a sleek red dress that hugs her curves, her dark hair pulled back in a severe bun. The picture of Sicura elegance and power.
“What the hell are you doing?” I ask.
Valentina doesn’t even spare me a glance, her gaze locked on something outside. She bats an impatient hand in my direction, hissing under her breath. “Shut up, Dom. We have a visitor.”
I frown, moving to join her at the window. “Who?”
“Don Marino,” Valentina says. “He just pulled up.”
* * *
I pace the hallway outside my father’s office, my nerves stretched taut as a bowstring. The low murmur of voices filters through the heavy wooden door, but I can’t make out the words.
What the hell are they talking about in there?
It’s unusual for my father to exclude me from business meetings, especially with a powerful ally like Don Marino. Normally, he insists I sit in, learning the ropes of the family trade. The fact that he’s shut me out this time… it’s got me on edge.
After what feels like an eternity, the door finally opens.
“Dominico,” my father calls from inside the office. “Join us, please.”
I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders as I step into the room. The cloying scents of cigar smoke and expensive cologne hang in the air. My father sits behind his massive mahogany desk, looking pleased with himself. Don Marino stands by the window, his posture relaxed and contented.
“What’s going on?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual.
My father grins, leaning back in his chair. The sight unnerves me. My father is normally never this happy.
“We’ve got great news, Son. Don Marino and I have come to an agreement, a way to strengthen the bonds between our two Families.”
A sense of unease prickles at the back of my neck. I have a sinking suspicion I know where this is going.
“An arranged marriage,” Don Marino says, turning to face me. “Between you and my daughter, Sofia.”
The words hit me like a sucker punch, knocking the breath from my lungs. Sofia. The girl whose heart I shattered in my quest for freedom and adventure. The girl who has no idea that her father is about to tie her to the man who broke her.
“Sofia,” I say, my voice strangled. “Does she know about this?”
Don Marino waves a dismissive hand. “Not yet. But she will. And she’ll be thrilled, I’m sure. You two got along so well. It’s a great match for both our Families.”
I swallow hard, my mind racing. Sofia, thrilled to marry me? Not fucking likely. But Don Marino has no idea what I did to his daughter. How I used her and tossed her aside like she meant nothing.
And now… now I'm being told I have to marry her, like some kind of twisted joke.
“It's a done deal, Dominico,” my father says, his tone brooking no argument. “You will marry Sofia Marino within the week. It's what's best for the Family.”
Wait, a week ?
I want to protest, to tell them both that this is a mistake. That Sofia will never agree to this, not after what I did to her. But I know it’s futile. My father’s word is law, and defiance is not an option.
I'm trapped. Trapped by my own mistakes, by the expectations of my family and my world.
I have to marry Sofia, the woman who has every reason to hate me.
My father rises from his chair, extending his hand to Don Marino. “We have a deal, then.”
Don Marino nods, shaking his hand firmly. “Indeed, we do. This union will bring great prosperity to both our Families.”
I step forward numbly, shaking Don Marino’s hand as well, sealing my fate, and Sofia’s, with a single gesture.
As soon as Don Marino leaves, I turn to my father, my anger boiling over. “What the hell, Father? How could you agree to this without even talking to me first?”
My father sighs, settling back into his chair. “Dominico, sit down. We need to have a serious discussion.”
I bristle at his tone, but I drop into the chair across from him, my jaw clenched tightly.
“This alliance with the Marinos is crucial for our Family,” he says, his voice stern. “And your marriage to Sofia is the key to making it work. It’s time for you to grow up and take your responsibilities seriously.”
“But Sofia—” I start, but he cuts me off with a sharp look.
“Sofia is a beautiful girl from a powerful Family. You should be thanking me for arranging such an advantageous match.”
I bark out a humorless laugh. “Thanking you? For forcing me into a marriage with a woman who hates my guts? Yeah, I don’t think so.”
My father’s eyes narrow dangerously. “Watch your tone, Dominico. You will go through with this marriage, and you will make it work. If you want to see a single penny of your inheritance, you’ll do as I say.”
I feel like I’ve been slapped. My inheritance, the wealth and power I’ve been groomed for since birth… he’s threatening to take it all away if I don’t play along.
“This is bullshit,” I snarl, surging to my feet. “You can’t just control my life like this!”
“I can, and I will,” he says coldly. “I am the head of this Family, and my word is law. You will marry Sofia Marino, and you will be the dutiful husband she and our family deserve. End of discussion.”
I stare at him, my hands balled into fists at my sides. I want to argue, to fight back against this arbitrary decree that’s going to ruin my life. But I know it’s futile. My father’s mind is made up, and nothing I say will change it.
“Fine,” I spit out through gritted teeth. “I’ll marry her. But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”
“Your happiness is not my concern,” my father says dismissively. “Securing our Family’s future is. And this marriage will do just that.”
I let out a growl of frustration, spinning on my heel and storming out of the room. I slam the door behind me, the sound echoing through the hallway.
I’m trapped, well and truly trapped, forced into a marriage with a woman who despises me, all for the sake of my family’s power and greed.
But even as anger and resentment churn in my gut, a small, traitorous part of me whispers that maybe, just maybe… this is my chance to make things right with Sofia. To prove to her that I’m not the selfish, heartless bastard she thinks I am.
It’s a long shot, I know. She has every reason to hate me, to want nothing to do with me. But I have to try. I have to find a way to earn her forgiveness, her trust… and maybe, someday, her love.
Because the truth is, no matter how much I’ve tried to deny it… I’ve never stopped loving her. She’s the only woman who ever touched my heart, the only one I’ve ever wanted to be better for.
But deep down, I know it won't be easy. I’ve made my bed, and now I have to lie in it.
For better or for worse… till death do us part.
God help us both.