“So?” Dominic asked Aaliyah, and she raised her gaze to him before grabbing his collar and pulling him closer, making Dominic’s heart skip a beat.
“So, I won the race,” Aaliyah stared straight into Dominic’s eyes, and Dominic felt he never liked someone as he liked Aaliyah when he stared back at her.
“You won indeed,” Dominic smiled.
“Are you leaving my collar anytime soon?” He mused.
“Why? Is your beast itching to come out and attack me because I provoked him? Or is he itching to eat me out like last night?” Aaliyah flirted, and Dominic chuckled darkly.
“I see you are not too happy about something. What did my father say to you?” Dominic clenched his fists to control his hands that were itching to cup her cheeks and massage her lips.
“I asked him if he came to know you like me would he accept me, and he said no,” Aaliyah said, and Dominic sighed.
“Aaliyah, don’t mind -”
“And for some reason, since he said those words, I never felt such an intense desire to play with you like I am feeling right now,” Aaliyah cut off Dominic, and his eyes crinkled at her words as his lips stretched into a wide smile.
“You are seriously something. I am sorry for spoiling this race for you. I will make up for it at night. Please bear them for some time. They are already suspicious. I just don’t want them to burst the bubble in front of your friends,” Dominic said, and Aaliyah nodded before looking at her hand holding his collar.
Slipping her hand inside his collar, her thumb rubbed the junction between his neck and shoulder.
“Buy me food,” She looked up.
“I will always,” Dominic bent before remembering they were not alone.
Taking a deep breath, he retreated with clenched fists, and Aaliyah grinned at his helplessness.
“But you must agree, your father had the best ride of his life with me,” Aaliyah’s words made Dominic chuckle as he remembered his father’s face.
“I don’t doubt that. I bet he will never forget you now,” Dominic mumbled under his breath as they entered the restaurant and Aaliyah’s expression immediately changed from all smiles to serious, making Nathan look between his son and the girl.
Seeing his son’s infamous cold glare, Nathan tried to hide behind his elder son, making the latter scoff.
“I don’t know why people do things that make them want to regret later. Why were you so excited anyway?” Benjamin sighed.
“Come and dine with us?” Dominic looked at her, but Aaliyah shook her head before walking to her table.
After having their lunch, everyone went to the dolphin show since Momo and Aaliyah wanted to see it.
“They are so cute,” Aaliyah whispered, and Ashton looked at her.
“Indeed,” He smiled back at the dolphins, the gesture not going unnoticed by Dominic and Sandra, who looked ahead with complex emotions in their heart.
“Little girl, do you love dolphins?” Nathan asked out of nowhere, and Aaliyah raised her brows.
“Don’t tell me you want to ride on a dolphin now,” Aaliyah grinned, and Nathan smiled awkwardly.
“Here, thanks for the ride,” Nathan opened his palm that had a dolphin keychain, and Aaliyah smiled.
“Thanks. You are always welcome for another ride,” Aaliyah took the keychain, and Dominic quirked his brows at his father.
Pulling his father’s hand, he brought them out of the crowd before staring at his father suspiciously.
“What are you planning?”
“I am not planning anything, my son. Why are you acting so suspicious of me?” Nathan asked like he was the most innocent person.
“Look, I already know you said something to Aaliyah to upset her. And now you are bringing this Dolphin key chain and saying thank you for the ride. You don’t expect me to believe that the ex-leader of the Python gang has turned soft, do you?” Dominic leaned on the wall, and Nathan sighed.
“I am not planning anything, I swear,” Nathan said, and Dominic hummed.
“Dad, let me be honest with you. I love that girl. I have never felt like this with anyone before, so just know that I am really serious about her,” Dominic looked straight into his father’s eyes to let him know how serious he was.
“If someone hurts her or upsets her, I get angry. Right now, I am trying to win her heart, so if anybody interferes, I won’t like it,” Dominic walked back to the show, standing behind Aaliyah like a bodyguard, and Nathan bit the inside of his cheeks.
He knew that his son liked the girl from how he looked at her, but he didn’t know Dominic was this serious.
Maybe he will have to sit back and see how things unfold. Benjamin was right. There is no chance Dominic would be successful in getting her, and if he succeeds, they will do a good job of scaring her in the end.
“You liked the dolphin?” Dominic whispered in Aaliyah’s ears, and the latter hummed.
“It was unexpected,” she murmured, and noticing everyone focused on the show, he placed his hand on her shoulder before kissing her temple, shocking Nathan even more.
******
“It was fun, no?” Momo gushed as soon as they went back to the cruise, and Aaliyah hummed.
“Are you all going back to your rooms?” Benjamin asked, his gaze flickering to Aaliyah and Dominic.
“I don’t know about everyone, but I am going back to my room,” Ashton said, and Aaliyah hummed.
“Me too,” she didn’t wait for anyone’s reply and went straight to the lift, followed by Sandra.
“Hey, can I sleep with you tonight?” Sandra asked out of the blue, and Aaliyah looked at her before nodding.
“We will have fun,” Sandra clapped her hands, wanting to know more about her friend Ashton.
Once inside the room, Sandra observed how things were placed before smiling. It is said that one’s thoughts are sometimes read by how she arranges things around her.
“So, tell me something about yourself,” Sandra didn’t even wait for her to close the door.
“You already know my name. My mom is a surgeon. My sister is a model, a fashion designer, and Bryce’s girlfriend. You might meet them somewhere around. Brother is into real estate, and aunt is a high-profile cop,” Aaliyah said, and Sandra paused at the word cop.
“Dominic knows everything about you too?”
“Yup,” Aaliyah said before changing into a cotton top and shorts.
“What about your friends?” Sandra asked, and Aaliyah chuckled.
“My friends or just Ashton?” Aaliyah’s question caught Sandra off-guard.
“I have eyes that observe everything happening around them, Miss Sandra,” Aaliyah plopped on the bed, impressing Sandra for real.
She didn’t even do anything to give herself out, and Aaliyah was still able to get a hold of her emotions. Sandra would say her observation skills were on par with Dominic, and the more she looked at the girl, the more fond she became. Maybe her father and brother were reacting too strongly. From what she observed, she didn’t doubt Dominic’s choice.
“Don’t worry. I am not sitting here to judge you. Ashton is a simple-minded boy. He treats you the way you treat him. If you are good with him, he will shower you with love and care, but if he gets the slightest hint that you bore evil thoughts, he won’t go easy on you. Honestly, if you pursue him with determination, he will easily give in. He belongs to a gang family, just like you guys, so that won’t be a problem, ” Aaliyah smiled.
“You know about our identity? Dominic told you everything already?” Sandra asked, and Aaliyah hummed.
“Did you expect your younger brother to stay quiet about it for so long when everything about him screams his identity? I had my doubts, and he cleared them on this trip,”
“And what is your view on that? Our gang family,” Sandra asked carefully.
“Does it matter? He still hasn’t told me everything. He has only told me he is a part of the Python gang and how he met me and started stalking me since then,” Aaliyah smiled at the time when they had this thought, and things escalated quickly to their first heated kiss.
“For a girl whose family has officers in her family, you are strangely calm by being pursued by a gang member,” Sandra quirked her brows.
“Well, unfortunately, it’s my life and not my family’s. I get to decide what I do with it. Besides, I am just testing your younger brother,” Aaliyah looked straight at Sandra.
“He has everything that I ever desired in a man. He is caring, loving, protective, possessive, obsessive, dominant yet submissive, handsome, rich, dangerous for everyone, and more importantly, quick-witted,” Aaliyah said, and Sandra hummed.
Judging from Aaliyah’s answer, it looks like the duo has already discussed things and is moving ahead with their relationship. Are they in –
“No. We are not in any relationship,” Aaliyah answered her unasked question.
“Do you still want to sleep here? I answered all your questions already,” Aaliyah asked, but before Sandra could reply, Aaliyah’s phone pinged with a message.
“Come over to your balcony,” It was a message from Dominic.
Walking to the balcony, Aaliyah’s earlier expression immediately changed to a happy one when her gaze met Dominic’s, leaning on the balcony.
“What is it?”
“Come over. I want to sleep with you,” Dominic didn’t waste a second, and Sandra widened her eyes.
She had never expected her brother to have this side of him, but then again, he never had the reason earlier.
“Your sister is in my room,”
“Then should I come over and give her a view worth remembering for the rest of her life?” Dominic mused, and Sandra scoffed at his choice of words.
“You love-birds can do whatever you want. I am leaving,” Sandra walked out, going straight to the lift.
This trip was indeed becoming full of surprises, and it wasn’t only because of her younger brother and his love interest.
Raising her brows when the lift stopped at the second floor, she saw the door opening and Ashton walking inside with a smile.
“Can’t sleep?”
“Hmm, you?”
“Same,” Sandra looked at the back of this boy, who turned around.
“Want to drink?” Sandra asked to know more about him.
“Sounds like a plan,” Ashton didn’t hesitate before sighing after drinking one bottle.
“What’s on your mind?” Ashton asked when he saw her unwavering gaze.
“Do you believe in love at first sight?” Sandra asked, and Ashton nodded.
“I do,” That’s how he fell for Aaliyah. He kept the rest of the words to himself.
“So what would you do if I say I have fallen for you -”
“Miss Sandra -”
“Let me finish. I have fallen for you, but I am not expecting anything from you. Don’t worry. I know you have feelings for Aaliyah. I could see it the moment I saw you two interact,” Sandra smiled at him.
“I also know that she doesn’t love you and only considers you a friend, which I am sure you know too. That’s why I am going to try to win your heart,” Sandra looked at him, and to Asthon, her resolution looked somewhat similar to his own.
Looking at the lady in front of him who was his teacher’s sister, Ashton felt contemplated before bending to her, the effect of alcohol taking place.
Hugging Sandra, Ashton patted her back softly, saying the words he always wanted for Aaliyah to say to him.
“I won’t stop you,” Ashton said before standing and leaving, making Sandra smile.
You just wait and watch, Ashton. I will make you mine before you even realize what’s going on. Sandra smiled at herself. It looks like it’s finally time to shift to Dominic’s house.