Aaliyah looked at her ringing phone with an incoming call from Katherine as she sat in the cab and sighed.
“Hello?” Aaliyah picked up the call, unsure what she would tell Katherine if she asked about school since she was bunking already.
“Hey, how are you doing? Was everything alright? No one gave you a hard time, right? What about your head? Does it feel alright?” Katherine asked once after the other, and Aaliyah waited till Katherine stopped before she sighed loudly.
“I am fine. Stop worrying about it,” Aaliyah kept the talk short.
“Oh, okay. By the way, did you hear?” Katherine asked.
“About what?” Aaliyah looked out the window, her mind going back to what she would do once she met Dominic.
“Dominic has returned,”
“Hmm, I know. What about it?”
“The mission they were in had a mishap, and someone attacked them. Dominic barely escaped death because he jumped into the flowing river. I think he got a little hurt too. Bryce and Dimitri found him on the banks of the river after some kilometers. Though he is working fine, I am sure the man is traumatized and wounded,” Katherine sighed.
“Well, he won’t trouble you for a few days now, no? Yes, Mom! I am coming! Okay, Mom is calling me to help her with the cookies. We’ll talk more about what happened at school when you return,” Katherine ended the call, and Aaliyah looked at the passing shops, more dazed than before.
The man is injured, and even after that, the first thing he does is kidnap her friend to call her to him. Aaliyah didn’t know if she should laugh or cry at his enthusiasm.
After thirty minutes, Aaliyah reached the base, where Dominic called her through Kyle.
“Show us your -” the guard started, but as soon as Aaliyah took off her cap, he paused.
“We were informed you would be arriving, mam,” The guards bowed, and Aaliyah nodded, walking inside like she was the owner of the place.
“Let me escort you, mam,” one of the guards at some distance said to bring her exactly where Dominic was.
Dominic, who heard from his security that she was here, looked at the entrance patiently.
After some time, she finally appeared, looking as dazzling as ever.
His heart skipped a beat at the sight of her. The look she gave him was no joke, but it was worth it in the end since he got to see her, right?
“Well -”
“You can go, Kyle,” Aaliyah glared at the men holding him, and Dominic thinned his lips when she wasn’t looking at him anymore.
All the distractions should go out of place. Maybe Aaliyah wants some privacy, just like him. Dominic coaxed himself and nodded at his men to let the man go, and Kyle evened his collar before sighing.
“Aaliyah, will you -”
“You leave. I have some business with him,” Aaliyah cut Kyle mid-sentence.
“Oh, okay,” Kyle knew better not to interrupt them.
Once Kyle left, Aaliyah walked to Dominic slowly, and the latter kept looking at her with the same predatory gaze he had given her the first time they met in the school.
“Aaliyah, you have played -” Dominic couldn’t finish his sentence as Aaliyah raised her hand in the air to smack him, and he closed his eyes with a sigh, ready to take the hit.
He deserves it all, doesn’t he? This was the first time Aaliyah was being violent with him, but at least she was showing some emotions. Everyone in the hall held their breath when they saw the scene.
However, even after a few seconds, when he didn’t feel any pain, Dominic opened his eyes, and Aaliyah cupped his cheeks before she bent and placed her forehead on top of him, making his heart skip a beat again.
How long has it been since she initiated a touch like this? He looked into Aaliyah’s eyes and found himself getting lost.
“Let’s go,” Aaliyah said, and Dominic nodded without even asking where she was talking about.
Even if she takes him to hell now, as long as he gets to be with her and loves her unconditionally, he will happily walk in that place.
“Drive home,” Aaliyah didn’t even look at Dominic as they sat inside his car.
Was she already going back? But they didn’t even get to talk properly. And about that touch earlier, did she forgive him?
Dominic looked at her, not knowing how to speak what was on his mind.
“Your home,” Aaliyah cleared, and a subtle smile appeared on Dominic’s face.
Aaliyah turned her head towards the window to hide the smile on her face. She wasn’t blind to not notice how the happiness on his face immediately vanished when she mentioned home.
Though he had a resting face all along, she loved and observed every inch of him so much that even a subtle change doesn’t go unnoticed by her.
Dominic rushed to Aaliyah’s side to quickly open the door for her as he looked at her expectantly.
Aaliyah could see him fisting his hand again and again as if he wanted to hold her hand but didn’t know if he should.
She had to bite the inside of her cheeks to fight the smile, and he sighed when he didn’t get any response from her.
“Are we moving or not?” Aaliyah’s tone was calm yet cold, and Dominic stuffed his hands in his pocket before humming.
He started walking ahead, unknown of the fact, Aaliyah was smiling behind him.
“Why is it so dark here?” Aaliyah asked him, but he didn’t answer.
“Would you like to drink or eat something?” He asked instead.
“This was my lunchtime. I was eating when you called, and I couldn’t, so if you could give me some food and a cold coffee, I would love that,” Aaliyah smiled, and Dominic took off his coat before placing it on the chair and rolling his shirt sleeves.
Aaliyah looked at him observantly as he loosened his tie and felt her throat getting dry just by looking at him like this.
Don’t tell her Dominic was planning something romantic. Aaliyah smiled.
Her gaze fell on the wounds on his hand, and she thinned her lips.
He walked inside the kitchen without complaining about anything, and she couldn’t help but sigh in her heart.
Dominic was trying too hard to win her, wasn’t he? He doesn’t even know that she was never angry with him, or she wouldn’t have allowed him in her room every night and let him stay there until she fell asleep.
Maybe she had played enough games, and now it was time to reconcile. It was already becoming a task, staying away from him.
She walked to Dominic, who was washing tomatoes and hugged him from behind, catching him off-guard.
“Did it hurt a lot?” Aaliyah asked, and Dominic’s heart relaxed.
It was as if someone poured ice water on his burning heart, and the fire in his chest immediately calmed down.
“A lot,” Dominic referred to how he hurt her and couldn’t live with the guilt.
“What can I do to make it less painful?” Aaliyah snuck her fingers inside his shirt from between the buttons, and Dominic looked down with a smile.
She was being naughty again, wasn’t she?
“Forgive me and come back to me,” Dominic said, and Aaliyah hummed thoughtfully.
“I will think about it. I don’t want to be your girlfriend anymore,” Aaliyah joked, but Dominic turned around and got on his knees immediately.
“Then be my wife?” Dominic asked, and Aaliyah widened her eyes when she saw him taking a ring out from his pocket, the diamond on the ring bigger than her nail.
The ring was really simple and plain with a big diamond in between, and Aaliyah remembered talking about something like that when they were joking.
She looked at Dominic in shock, who was expecting her to say something, and she didn’t know how to respond to him. Her fingers trembled, and she turned around to control her emotions.
Aaliyah was beyond happy.
“I am not sure if you know, but something happened back where I went for the mission. When I jumped into the river to save myself from the constant firing, the first and only thing that came to my mind was how I couldn’t even propose to you.
That’s why the first thing I did after coming here was to kidnap Kyle because that was the only way to call you here,” Dominic paused, and Aaliyah bit her lips to contain her happiness.
“I don’t want to live with any regrets, Aaliyah. Leaving you was a mistake I would never forgive myself for. I don’t know if I would be able to live without you and with this guilt for long. Maybe tomorrow would be my last day or the day after -” Dominic couldn’t complete his sentence because Aaliyah turned around and slapped him hard across the face.
“Don’t you dare speak any nonsense!” Aaliyah snapped, and Dominic looked at her for a few seconds before smiling.
“For someone who got out of the hospital recently, you surely pack a good slap,” Dominic massaged his cheeks, and Aaliyah sighed at his attempt to lighten the mood.
“You are the biggest jerk I have ever met. You know that?”
“I know, my love,”
“You are a fool,”
“I know, my love,”
“You don’t deserve my forgiveness after what you did,” Aaliyah said, and Dominic smiled sadly.
“I know, my love,”
“And I hate that you couldn’t find I was never angry with you. You jerk! I was playing you and teaching you a lesson!” Aaliyah said.
“I know, my -” Dominic widened his eyes when Aaliyah’s words registered in his mind.
“What do you -”
“You stupid fool,” Aaliyah pounced on Dominic, making him land back on the ground with her on top of him.
“I know what you did and why you did it. Everything with Kyle was just a plan to make you realize things and turn you a little jealous. Do you think I would be able to live with any other guy just like that? Who will love me as madly as you do?” Aaliyah looked into his eyes, and her eyes welled with tears when she saw a tear rolling down from the corner of Dominic’s eyes.
“You almost killed me, Aaliyah. You have no idea how much it hurt whenever I used to see you with other boys. I am glad it was just an act,” Dominic hugged Aaliyah tightly.
Aaliyah and Dominic felt so healed at heart that they couldn’t bother with the wounds that were hurting them.
“I am really sorry for even thinking I can let you go. Dimitri was right. I am a selfish man. I can’t let you go, even if it’s for your benefit. Maybe this is a selfish love or obsession. I don’t care,” Dominic cupped Aaliyah’s cheeks, and she placed her lips on his softly.
“What do you say? Shall we register our marriage?” Aaliyah looked at him, and he chuckled at her joke.
“Hey! You are not allowed to get married before me!” Aaliyah heard Katherine’s voice, and she turned around, shocked, only to see their entire family standing in the hall with knowing looks on their faces.
Wait. they weren’t here a few seconds ago. Were they hiding or something?
“As much as I like that you guys got your sh*t together, can you get off him? It’s making me uncomfortable,” Harry voiced out, and Laura smacked the back of his head as she looked at her daughter with a smile.
Though Aaliyah didn’t tell anyone, Laura has seen the pain in her eyes and even more longing and pain in Dominic’s eyes. She just wanted her kids to be happy, no matter what.
“I… I… ” Aaliyah stuttered before she tried to get up from above Dominic, falling on top of him again.
“She has really fallen for him, no?” Katherine joked, and Harry glared even more.
“Let me help you,” Dominic smiled at Aaliyah before they got up, and Aaliyah looked at everyone awkwardly.
“Well? Do you accept my son?” Nathan asked with big wide expecting eyes.
“She kissed that jerk. What more answers do you need?” Harry scowled.
“She said she doesn’t want to be his girlfriend,” Nathan defended his concerns.
“Why did you have to call them too?” Aaliyah felt embarrassed, and Dominic smiled before he kissed her temple.
“I have the same question, though. Do you accept me, my love?” Dominic got on his knees again.
“Always,” Aaliyah smiled as Dominic placed the ring on her finger, and everyone clapped, happy for the duo.
“Hey, you still haven’t answered me! You are not allowed to get married before me! Mom!” Katherine stomped her foot, and Bryce hugged her from the side, making everyone chuckle at her concern.
“Well, I wanted to know if I could teach Aaliyah. Her exams are in two weeks, and she has a lot to catch,” Dominic looked at her parents seriously.
“No. We will hire another tutor for her. Who knows what kind of teaching you will start? No. I don’t allow it,” Harry crossed his arm over his chest.
“Dad!” Aaliyah hid her face in Dominic’s chest at what he was insinuating, and Laura smacked the back of Harry’s head again.
“It’s fine with me. Concentrate on your studies and healing, okay? We will leave you two alone now. I am sure you have a lot to catch up and share,” Laura smiled at the duo before glaring at everyone, who nodded and left with her.