1. Dominic #2
“Let’s not get carried away,” Gabriel cuts in quickly. “She tolerates you because you’re my best friend. And she puts in actual effort to keep Lena from tearing you apart every time your name comes up.”
I nod, half-smiling. That part, I believe. Lexi’s cool. Even if Lena has no intention of taking it easy on me. I pause, then throw it out there. “Gabe, you like Lena, don’t you?”
“She’s my girlfriend’s best friend. I respect her. She’s always looked out for Lexi,” he says quickly. “For that, she has my full respect.”
“Perfect. Sounds lovely so far,” I say, laying the sarcasm on thick.
“Except then we hit the part about me and Lena. And that’s when your little happy foursome fantasy goes straight to hell.”
I lean back, exhaling. “Because, for reasons I still don’t fully understand, Lena wouldn’t go out with me even if we were escorted by the friendship police.
I’m not sure what makes me so toxic to her.
Maybe it’s the playboy reputation. Or maybe it’s that line she dropped a month ago, wouldn’t even look at me, just said, and I quote, ‘ Rich men who think they can do whatever they want .’”
“Or maybe because you kicked her out of your club?” Gabriel says, clearly enjoying himself.
“I don’t think it’s just that,” I reply, shaking my head. “Back then, we didn’t know each other like we do now. And come on, she’s a journalist. Pretty sure that wasn’t the first time she’s been politely asked to leave somewhere.”
Arrogant. Relentless. Fiercely dedicated to her work. Lena won me over, not that I’d ever admit it, when she put her grudge aside and agreed to work with me, just to keep Lexi safe.
Gabriel met Lexi a few months ago, when she badly needed protection.
Her boss, an old friend of his, made the connection.
Green Eyes , as I like to call Lexi, ended up moving in with Gabriel not long after.
Lena got dragged into the whole mess too, needed a place to stay and a hand after her place was vandalized.
She accepted my help, but only for Lexi’s sake.
Let’s just say she made it painfully clear: strictly business.
No perks or gratitude. Definitely no charm points awarded.
For Gabriel and Lexi, danger somehow turned into romance. Lena and I? We’re still hovering somewhere around zero point five on the Tolerating Dominic scale. Out of a possible thousand.
“Dominic, let’s just call it what it is,” Gabriel says, leveling me with that knowing look. “It bothers you that she doesn’t like you. And yeah, you find her insanely attractive.”
“She’s just infuriating,” I mutter.
“And intriguing. You like that. Don’t lie,” Gabriel saying, flashing that annoyingly confident grin.
“She’s not some gold-digger chasing your money. Not some socialite trying to land a rich husband. She’s sharp, independent, and doesn’t take your crap. Which, let’s be honest, is exactly why you’re hooked.”
“Please,” I scoff. “Not that much. She’s not even my type. And trust me, I’m fully booked with women who are.”
***
Saved by the bell. The door swings open, and Damien walks in.
“The return of the prodigal son,” Gabriel sighs. “What was it this time? Why are you late?”
“I don’t remember confirming I’d come,” Damien replies coolly, pulling out a chair. “I told you, I don’t control my schedule.”
His favorite excuse. Evil never sleeps, and apparently, neither does Damien.
“What were you guys talking about?” he asks, casually piling food onto his plate.
He’s never in a rush. Never uncertain. All muscle, zero fat, and somehow his bottomless appetite stays completely unaffected by crime, chaos, kidnappings…
or women. He’s always been the most committed bachelor among us.
If he’s ever had a relationship, he’s kept it locked down tighter than classified intel.
“Oh, you know… Lena,” Gabriel says.
“Who? Lexi’s friend? Smart, independent, and totally immune to your charm?” Damien says without missing a beat.
“Hey, my charm is highly effective,” I shoot back.
“Not on her,” Damien replies, mouth full of steak. “If you walked into a burning building, she’d grab popcorn.”
That’s Damien. No filter. Always straight to the point. Most days, I can take it.
“Unfortunately,” I mutter.
“She doesn’t want anything from you, except maybe the thrill of messing with your head,” he goes on.
“She does love doing that,” I admit.
“And admit it, you’re kind of into that stuff, too.”
Gabriel just laughs from the sidelines, clearly passing the baton to Damien.
“What is this— an ambush?” I raise an eyebrow. “All this Lena talk does it lead somewhere? Is there something I should know?”
“Dude, I’m not teasing you,” Damien says flatly, still chewing, completely unbothered.
“I believe in freedom. Go nuts. Give the paparazzi what they want.”
Gabriel loves it when Damien says what he’s too polite to. But he never stays quiet for long.
“Truth is, you kind of love the tabloid attention,” Gabriel says, eyeing me like he’s reading headlines off my face.
These two are tag-teaming the roast. When one gets tired, the other picks up.
“Love’s a strong word,” I reply. “Let’s say… I got used to it. Civilian life wasn’t exactly a soft landing. First woman I hooked up with after the Navy, ran straight to the press with all the ‘ juicy details .’”
I shrug. “And I didn’t do a damn thing to stop the wave. They liked it, still do. Women feel flattered. And me? I find it... entertaining.”
“Yeah,” Gabriel cuts in, “except your family’s not thrilled.”
“It’s good for business,” I reply, a little too quickly. “That’s my line. Everyone wants to party with the successful guy. Nobody turns down my invites to clubs or fundraisers. Somehow, it works for everyone.”
“Everyone...” Gabriel echoes, letting the word hang. “Except you.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know your theory. And ever since you got into a serious relationship, you’ve become insufferable.”
“Does it annoy you, or actually hurt, when I say the truth?” Gabriel lifts a brow, not missing a beat.
“Look, I get it. You think you’re not ‘ relationship material. ’ You keep it light, no drama, no strings.
You treat them right, have fun... and that’s where it ends.
” He leans in slightly. “But be honest, when was the last time you wanted more?”
“And since when is wanting something more a vital need?” I fire back.
“Since it’s been years of you emotionally self-destructing to pay for a guilt no one but you still carries,” Gabriel says softly, like the truth costs him too.
I pause for a moment, then lift my chin, just a fraction.
“It’s not just me. It’s Mom, too. You guys don’t see it, but I do—the look in her eyes every time Axel’s name comes up. She never says it out loud, but… I know she blames me. Just like I do.”
The silence that follows is instant. Gabriel’s mouth shuts.
Damien stops chewing and slowly wipes his fingers with a napkin.
That’s how it always is when I say Axel’s name.
It lands like a punch, even after all these years.
We never really left that world behind, no matter how hard we pretend.
Especially on days like this, when we’re close, when we laugh, when we let ourselves forget for an hour that we’ve seen too much.
Damien takes a sip of water, a little louder than usual. Then, casual as ever: “So, are we back to discussing Dominic’s love life?” He smirks and goes on: “It’s kind of amazing what the tabloids think you’re capable of. Makes me wonder if maybe you are that guy, just fooling the rest of us.”
I flash him a grin, a silent thanks for changing the subject. Gabriel heads to the espresso machine, but not before quietly placing a hand on my shoulder as he walks by.
“So, Dominic, who are the tabloids pairing you with this week?” Damien asks, not waiting for an answer.
“Keeping with Gabe’s theory...” he continues, “I think you’re always in a serious relationship.
Fully committed. So committed, you could probably name your last ten girlfriends, blindfolded, under pressure, and in reverse alphabetical order. ”
Gabriel bursts out laughing. Damien attacks the dessert tray like a kid left unsupervised in a bakery. The door opens just as he’s mid-motion, lifting something creamy toward his mouth. Alice walks in. She gives us a quick nod and lets her gaze rest on Damien just a second too long.
He freezes. Sets the dessert down like it just hit him, then starts wiping his fingers with meticulous precision, as a hint of red creeps up from beneath his neatly trimmed beard.
Alice runs PR for my businesses. And anyone paying even half attention can see it, that she has a destabilizing effect on Damien.
The guy who’s usually unreadable and unshakable suddenly turns awkward the second she’s in the room. One day, he’s going to have to tell us what’s going on between them. And when that day comes, the spotlight’s finally shifting off me.
“Dominic, your mother’s here to see you. Someone from reception is bringing her up now,” Alice says.
“My mom?” I ask, already standing. “She didn’t say anything. I hope everything’s okay... Shit... what could it be?”
***
I’m already moving toward the door before I’ve fully processed what’s happening.
I thought brunch would end with dessert and some friendly teasing.
But the moment that door opened, something shifted.
This isn’t casual. My mother never shows up unannounced.
And certainly not without a reason. When I see her, she stops a few steps away, wearing that carefully composed smile. The kind meant to reveal nothing.
I pull her into an embrace. Her body is still poised, still elegant, but more fragile than I remember. She leans into me for a moment. Her soft lavender perfume takes me straight back to childhood, to those quiet nights when she’d stroke my forehead until I drifted off to sleep...