Page 39 of Exile
“Because you did the right thing by telling him to leave. I thought he’d get the goddamn point after you told him no and then accepted my proposal. Clearly, he didn’t. Apparently, I’m going to have to give him a reminder of who you belong to.” Dom steps forward, and I take another step back, finding myself pressed against the wall. The heat radiating from his body is almost searing with its intensity, and my heart rate ratchets up another notch.
“Dom, calm down. Seriously, I ran into him, we talked for like two minutes, he gave me a hug and then I left. That’s it! You don’t need to be giving reminders to anyone about who I b-belong to.” That word feels vile on my tongue, but I say it anyway, trying to appease the man-shaped tempest in front of me.
Dom looks at me for a long moment, like a lion studying its prey. The heat in his eyes seems to change from raging inferno to something darker, more slow-burning. “Maybe you’re the one who needs the reminder.”
Before I can react, his body is pressed against mine, his hand around my throat, his mouth covering my own, devouring my cry of surprise. He kisses me like he’s trying to burrow his way into my soul, and it takes a long moment before I realize I can’t breathe due to his grip on my neck. I push against his chest, but he ignores my silent plea, instead using his other hand to squeeze my breast in a punishing grip that forces a squeak of pain past my lips.
Just when dark spots begin to dance across my vision, Dom pulls his mouth away so he can growl into my ear, “You’re mine, Serena, and I am not going to give you up.”
He jerks away from me as suddenly as he launched his attack and goes back to the table to collect his phone and his jacket. While I’m leaning against the wall, barely able to keep myself upright while I desperately try to calm my racing heart, Dom is the picture of cool, calm and collected as he shrugs on his jacket. “I’m going out with the boys. Don’t wait up, Kitten.” I stare at him in total disbelief as he walks out the door, so completely unbothered, like we didn’t just have the biggest argument of our relationship. I can’t help but wonder if it was me, making a bigger deal out of the situation because of the guilt I feel about my feelings for Kai.
Instead of trying to examine that train of thought too closely, I make my way to the en suite in Dom’s bedroom to take a hot bath before crawling into bed with a heating pad and psychology notes.
I’m roused from sleep by a hard body pressed against my back, rough hands tugging down my pajamas and Dominick’s hot mouth on my neck. I can smell whiskey on his breath as his hot open-mouthed kisses trail along my jaw. “Dom, no…” His mouth captures mine, swallowing my protest as he rolls me onto my back and wedges his solid length between my legs while my pajama bottoms pool around my ankles. I push against his chest and turn my head to the side in an attempt to escape the boozy haze rolling off of him.
“Comeonkitten…let me makeyoufeelgood.” Dominick nips at my ear, and I feel the press of his cock at my entrance.
“DOM! NO! I’m on my period. I’m not in the mood. Stop! Please.” My plea finally cuts through his drunkenness, and he peers down at me like he’s trying to decipher my words. With Dominick looming over me like this, I feel like I can’t catch my breath while my heart tries to beat its way out of my chest.
“Dom, I can’t. Not tonight.”
“Is it because I’m not him?” Dominick’s voice takes on that tone from earlier tonight that’s sharp edges, and it cuts me.
“Not who?” My brows furrow in confusion.
“Kai. Is it because I’m not Kai? Is he the one you want?” Dominick’s hips shift and remind me how close he is to entering me.
“Jesus, Dom, no. I’m here with you. I’m just bleeding like a fucking stuck pig and have cramps from hell. Let me get dressed before I make a mess of the bed.”
Instead of responding to my shove to get him to move, Dom leans in closer, whiskey wafting off of him while he whispers into my ear, “I don’t mind making a mess, Kitten.”
Just as he shifts again, I find my strength and shove him back with everything I have.
“I said, NO!” Clumsy from intoxication, Dom rocks to the side and falls onto the floor in a heap. I grab my pants and pull them up as I run into the en suite, locking myself in. I collapse against the door, tears falling freely, wondering if I really even know the man I’ve just tied my life to. This is not the charmer from the coffee shop, or the man who takes me on picnics or listens to my mom’s stories about my embarrassing grade school exploits. This man is a stranger.
A loud pounding on the door makes me squeak in surprise. “Serena, open the door.” When I don’t respond, Dominick lets out a frustrated growl, “Let me in, goddamnit. I’m sorry, okay?”
“Dom, leave me alone!” A sob rips out of me as I bury my face in my hands. One more angry, frustrated thump rocks the door before I hear Dom stomp out of the bedroom and slam the door behind him. I sit there so long, I fall asleep in a heap on the bathroom floor, cheeks damp and salty from tears, feeling more alone than ever.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
KAI
After my run-in with Serena, instead of heading to class like I had planned, I drive home instead, the need to do something to help my friend burning a hole in my chest.
When I get home, I notice a well-dressed Caucasian woman standing on the front porch of the Malcolms’ house, greeting couples, as balloons advertising an Open House dance in the wind on the mailbox. They had a big house showing the previous week, so I can only assume whatever offers came from it didn’t pan out. Which means Serena’s house is still on the market. As I turn to head inside my own home, an idea hits me like a lightning bolt. It’s crazy, impulsive, and probably financially irresponsible, but the pull of it is irresistible. I veer to the left, cut across both front yards, and bound up the stairs to the house next door.
I don’t miss the assessing look the woman, whose name tag reads Chelsea, gives me as I approach her. “Can I help you?” Her question comes out guarded and skeptical.
“Yeah, I live next door, but my parents are thinking of buying this house for my Grams, I was wondering if you had a flyer with the price and details on the house?” Chelsea the Realtor visibly relaxes when I mention my parents are interested in buying the house.
“Oh, yes, I do! Here, let me give you the flyer and my business card. Would they like to take a tour too? We have an open house going on right now. A house like this won’t stay on the market long. It had an offer last week that unfortunately fell through, but I have no doubt we will have more after this showing.”
I take the flyer from her and immediately start backing down the stairs. “Oh, yeah, that’s a great idea. Let me just see if they’re home. Thanks for the flyer, ma’am.”
“Like I said, tell them this house won’t sit long! If they really are interested, make sure they know they need to get their offer in a.s.a.p.!” I toss Chelsea the Realtor a wave while I jog across the lawn back to my house, a manic excitement flowing through my system as a plan starts to come together in my mind.
“Let me get this straight. You want to use your inheritance from Grams—that’s supposed to be for your education—to buy Serena’s house?” I sit across the dining room table from my parents, the flyer with the house listing laying flat between us, my pops staring at the asking price with a pained look on his face.