DOMINIC
What is she doing?
That’s what I can’t wrap my head around.
What the fuck is Isabella playing at?
Iknowshe has the gun, but the fact that she hasn’t even attempted to use it on me is weird. I haven’t tried to fight it off of her because I don’t know what her aim is.
I also don’t want to fight her.
If it wasn’t for the gun-oh, and the fact that she’s basically my kidnap victim-I’d be trying to work out what’s going on with us. But I can’t relax enough to do so; not when she’s about to put a bullet in my brain.
I miss her.
Right now, I’m in the city, trying to keep up appearances, and I actually miss her.
The days we’ve spent together, roaming outside the cabin perimeter and hanging out, have been awesome. The best days I’ve ever had.
But the nights are even more powerful and etched in my mind.
Whether we’re kissing like teenagers, cuddling up on the couch watching movies, or fucking wildly and pushing one another to the edge… it’s awesome.
But how will it all end?
It’s going to implode one way or another, that much I’m certain of. Yet I can still sit here, sipping on my coffee, waiting for Samantha, like my whole world isn’t about to crumble.
I mean, if Isabella doesn’t kill me, Vincenzo might.
I’ve never let him down before. I’ve always completed every single job that I have ever been asked to do, so this really is going to go bad.
But I still can’t fucking stop myself.
It’s like I’m a drug addict and I can’t get enough of her.
“Dominic.”
I jump as Samantha slides into the chair beside me, stealthy as a ninja. Fucking hell, no wonder she’s always got the best information.
“I got you a coffee.” She slides another mug my way. “And the deets.”
I nod seriously. “Okay, what have you found out?”
“So, the Falescoshavegot an arranged marriage situation with Isabella.”
My heart sinks. “Tell me more.”
“The Falescos want Isabella to leverage and gain control over the Genovese operations in Ireland.”
My eyebrows furrow. “And what about the guy?”
Samantha pulls a face. “He’s a bad person. Scum.”
Fuck.
I don’t like this. Any of it.
It isn’t right.
I willnotlet Isabella marry some bastard just because they want power. She’s a human being, not some commodity to be traded.
That’s bullshit.
“Oh, and you wanted to know about Henry as well,” Samantha reminds me. “From what I can find out, he’s gathering a small army of contractors, basically amping up his efforts.”
“To find Isabella?”
She offers me a one shouldered shrug.
Shit.
“What the fuck is he up to?”
“I’ll keep my ear to the street, Dominic. As soon as I know, you will.”
I sigh heavily. That doesn’t feel quick enough. Not that I blame Samantha-if there was anything I needed to know urgently, she’d have told me.
“Okay, well thanks for everything.”
I watch Samantha leave, wondering what she’ll find out.
Thank fuck I know I can trust her.
If there’s anything to find out, she will get it to me as soon as she can, so for now, I guess I just need to carry on as I was before.
I finish both my coffees before I leave the cafe, but I don’t head back to the cabin right away. Now that I’m here, I kinda want to do something nice for Isabella.
She’s been stuck with me for ages now. I’m sure she could use a night to relax.
I head to a grocery store which I love, to pick up some of the finest food I can find. I want to cook Isabella something she’ll love to eat, to give her a good night.
I know we can’t exactly have a date or anything like that, but I would love to do something close to it for her.
Maybe just play into the fantasy for a night, pretend that things are real.
Just until it’s taken away from us; however that will happen.
Not That I want to think about things coming to an end.
I stop in my tracks as I leave the store because another shop across the road has caught my attention. A couple of stores actually.
One selling fancy dresses. The sort I would like to see on Isabella, especially if we were going on a real date.
Another selling fancy jewelry.
Will that be too much?
I’m not exactly thinking straight. I’m kinda lost in the fantasy now. I’m not thinking about what’s right and wrong… I know what I want.
“Hello, Sir, can I help you?” an assistant says with a giant smile that screamscommissionas soon as I step into the dress store. “Do you have anything in mind?”
“Erm, yeah I think I want a little black dress.”
Isabella will look good in black.
Hot.
“Okay, is this for someone special?”
I nod and smile. There’s no way in hell I’m about to give this woman any details.
“Okay, and do you know her size?”
I do actually. Mostly because I bought a lot of clothing for Justine when she was alive, and I can see that Isabella is basically the same size.
“Great, we can work with that.”
The store assistant doesn’t stop talking as she takes me around the shop, showing me anything and everything, but since I already know what I have in mind, I don’t have to worry too much. I don’t need to listen to her…
“This,” I snap the moment I see it. Thedress. That’s what I want to see Isabella in.
“This one? Are you sure? We have lots in this style I can show you.”
“I don’t need you to show me anything. That’s the one I want.”
She’ll get her commission, but I’m not letting her talk me into more.
When I know what I want, that’s it.
Once I’ve got the dress in a bag, I go to look for jewelry too. Not that I need to look for long.
Instantly, pretty much right away, I spot something that reminds me of Isabella.
A bracelet with little diamond stars all along it.
Isabella is a star to me.
I don’t think she knows it, but she really is a star. She’s certainly lit up my nights.
I can’t stop smiling as I head to my car… until I see the figure leaning up against it.
Urgh, what the hell ishedoing here?
“Henry?” I frown and stare at him. “You good?”
God he looks uptight. Like he’s got a stick up his ass.
“Dominic, there you are. I’ve been looking for you.”
“You have?”
He tries to catch a glimpse of what I have in my bags, but there’s no way in hell I want him to see.