Chapter 5: Private Show
“Where are we going?” I asked as Dom guided me into his car. I turned to look at him, but he shook his head, gently turning my face forward as he nudged me into the seat.
What’s going on with him?
He got into the driver’s seat, started the ignition, and pulled onto the road, his face unreadable. He didn’t speak or even glance my way. My heart pounded like a drum in my
chest.
Was he angry? Did I do something to upset him?
I mentally retraced everything from last night and this morning, trying to pinpoint a reason. But nothing stood out. He came home late last night, and this morning when I stepped out of the room, I found him in the kitchen, half–naked from his morning run, sipping his protein shake. He teased me, even bullied me a little, as I tried reaching for the spices on the top shelf.
Flashback
I groaned, on tiptoe, stretching to open the cabinet. Suddenly, I felt his hand on my waist, his other reaching over me to grab the paprika. I hadn’t even heard him approach, stealthy, like a panther.
He was close. Too close. The heat from his chest pressed against my back, and my stomach fluttered. My body trembled at the proximity.
“Why are you trembling, mi amore? I don’t bite… unless you ask me to,” he murmured into my ear, his voice gravelly from sleep. A shiver ran down my spine despite myself.
“Well, you act like you want me to,” he said, his grip tightening just enough to make me lean back against him. I swallowed hard, my brain screaming at me to push him away, to ignore the sudden craving for his touch.
It’s not real. It’s not real. I reminded myself. He’s just teasing. This is a marriage of convenience. No strings attached.
“I…..I don’t want anything,” I stammered. “I just want you to step back so I can finish breakfast.”
He chuckled, a low, dangerous sound that sent my heart into a frenzy.
“So you don’t want me behind you? Does that mean you’d prefer me in front, where you can see my face, piccola furia?” he asked, smirking. My jaw dropped, heat rising to my face.
“Eww, no! That’s not what I meant. You stink! You need a shower,” I blurted, flustered.
He gasped theatrically, clutching his chest as though I’d wounded him. Then, without warning, he pressed a kiss to my neck. I gasped, an involuntary moan escaping my lips before I could stop it. He stepped back, leaving me to collect my scattered thoughts. “You hurt me, amore,” he teased, a wicked grin on his face. I turned to glare at him, making sure to focus on his piercing green eyes and not let my gaze drop lower, for my sanity’s
1/2 50.0%
10:57 Sun, 13 Apr
sake.
65%
“I’m sure I don’t,” I replied, rolling my eyes before busying myself with breakfast. I could feel his eyes on me as I moved around the kitchen, which only made me more self–conscious. Thinking to myself if I looked good or not.
“You always look beautiful,” he said softly. My head shot up, startled. Had I said that out loud? No, I was sure I hadn’t. He smirked knowingly, slinging a towel over his shoulder before heading upstairs for a shower, leaving me standing there, a confused, flustered
mess.
What kind of marriage did I get myself into with this man?
I shook off the memory as I stared out the car window, watching New York rush by.
“Seriously, Dom. Where are we going?” I asked again, my voice sharper this time.
“I’m going to kill you,” he said, his voice calm.
My head snapped toward him, my eyes widening in shock. My mouth opened, but no
words came out.
His hands flexed over the steering wheel as he glanced at me, his stoic expression breaking into amusement. He laughed, the sound deep and rich, but I was not amused.
“Dom! That’s not funny!” I growled, glaring at him.
He chuckled again, but when he saw I wasn’t joining in, he ran a hand through his hair, the laughter dying down.
“Baby, I’m sorry. It was a joke,” he said, glancing at me.
I folded my arms and huffed. “Well, don’t do it again.”
“I won’t,” he promised, but then he asked, “But why did you believe me, even for a second?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Memories of my past flashed through my mind, fifteen years of living with a man who hid secrets, a wolf disguised as a sheep. I’d learned the hard way not to trust so easily.
Dom didn’t press me further. He seemed to understand as he turned his attention back to the road. The rest of the drive passed in tense silence until he finally parked in front of a massive movie theater.
I blinked, confused. This is where he’s taking me? Why didn’t he just say so? Still, the gesture was sweet. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone to the cinema.
He stepped out of the car quickly and circled around to open my door. My heart fluttered as I stepped out, his hand resting lightly on my back as he led me inside.
The mall was eerily quiet for such a large space. Aside from the workers, it was empty.
“Why is there no one here?” I asked, glancing around.
Chapter 5: Private Show
“Where are we going?” I asked as Dom guided me into his car. I turned to look at him, but he shook his head, gently turning my face forward as he nudged me into the seat.
What’s going on with him?
He got into the driver’s seat, started the ignition, and pulled onto the road, his face unreadable. He didn’t speak or even glance my way. My heart pounded like a drum in my
chest.
Was he angry? Did I do something to upset him?
I mentally retraced everything from last night and this morning, trying to pinpoint a reason. But nothing stood out. He came home late last night, and this morning when I stepped out of the room, I found him in the kitchen, half–naked from his morning run, sipping his protein shake. He teased me, even bullied me a little, as I tried reaching for the spices on the top shelf.
Flashback
I groaned, on tiptoe, stretching to open the cabinet. Suddenly, I felt his hand on my waist, his other reaching over me to grab the paprika. I hadn’t even heard him approach, stealthy, like a panther.
He was close. Too close. The heat from his chest pressed against my back, and my stomach fluttered. My body trembled at the proximity.
“Why are you trembling, mi amore? I don’t bite… unless you ask me to,” he murmured into my ear, his voice gravelly from sleep. A shiver ran down my spine despite myself.
“Well, you act like you want me to,” he said, his grip tightening just enough to make me lean back against him. I swallowed hard, my brain screaming at me to push him away, to ignore the sudden craving for his touch.
It’s not real. It’s not real. I reminded myself. He’s just teasing. This is a marriage of convenience. No strings attached.
“I…..I don’t want anything,” I stammered. “I just want you to step back so I can finish breakfast.”
He chuckled, a low, dangerous sound that sent my heart into a frenzy.
“So you don’t want me behind you? Does that mean you’d prefer me in front, where you can see my face, piccola furia?” he asked, smirking. My jaw dropped, heat rising to my face.
“Eww, no! That’s not what I meant. You stink! You need a shower,” I blurted, flustered.
He gasped theatrically, clutching his chest as though I’d wounded him. Then, without warning, he pressed a kiss to my neck. I gasped, an involuntary moan escaping my lips before I could stop it. He stepped back, leaving me to collect my scattered thoughts. “You hurt me, amore,” he teased, a wicked grin on his face. I turned to glare at him, making sure to focus on his piercing green eyes and not let my gaze drop lower, for my sanity’s
1/2 50.0%
10:57 Sun, 13 Apr
sake.
65%
“I’m sure I don’t,” I replied, rolling my eyes before busying myself with breakfast. I could feel his eyes on me as I moved around the kitchen, which only made me more self–conscious. Thinking to myself if I looked good or not.
“You always look beautiful,” he said softly. My head shot up, startled. Had I said that out loud? No, I was sure I hadn’t. He smirked knowingly, slinging a towel over his shoulder before heading upstairs for a shower, leaving me standing there, a confused, flustered
mess.
What kind of marriage did I get myself into with this man?
I shook off the memory as I stared out the car window, watching New York rush by.
“Seriously, Dom. Where are we going?” I asked again, my voice sharper this time.
“I’m going to kill you,” he said, his voice calm.
My head snapped toward him, my eyes widening in shock. My mouth opened, but no
words came out.
His hands flexed over the steering wheel as he glanced at me, his stoic expression breaking into amusement. He laughed, the sound deep and rich, but I was not amused.
“Dom! That’s not funny!” I growled, glaring at him.
He chuckled again, but when he saw I wasn’t joining in, he ran a hand through his hair, the laughter dying down.
“Baby, I’m sorry. It was a joke,” he said, glancing at me.
I folded my arms and huffed. “Well, don’t do it again.”
“I won’t,” he promised, but then he asked, “But why did you believe me, even for a second?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Memories of my past flashed through my mind, fifteen years of living with a man who hid secrets, a wolf disguised as a sheep. I’d learned the hard way not to trust so easily.
Dom didn’t press me further. He seemed to understand as he turned his attention back to the road. The rest of the drive passed in tense silence until he finally parked in front of a massive movie theater.
I blinked, confused. This is where he’s taking me? Why didn’t he just say so? Still, the gesture was sweet. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone to the cinema.
He stepped out of the car quickly and circled around to open my door. My heart fluttered as I stepped out, his hand resting lightly on my back as he led me inside.
The mall was eerily quiet for such a large space. Aside from the workers, it was empty.
“Why is there no one here?” I asked, glancing around.
He smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I rented the whole place so I could have you all to myself, amore.”
My eyes widened, and before I could respond, he grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the popcorn stand.
Chapter 5 Private Show
o I could have you all to myself, amore.”
My eyes widened, and before I could respond, he grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the popcorn stand.
Chapter 5 Private Show
