Page 61 of Ruined

He shrugged. “Yeah, of course.”

Fuck. My stomach turned. I looked back at the book, gripping the edge so hard my knuckles went white.

“They didn’t mean anything, Luca.”

I didn’t look at him. “Who says I care?”

“You do,” he said softly. “When you look like that.”

I pictured Dominic in some guy’s dorm room, hooking up and leaving because the other guy wanted something Dominic couldn’t give. My neck flushed with irrational rage.

“You deserve a shot at normal, Luca.”

“Yeah? Even if it means you don’t get to boss me around?”

He chuckled. “Even then. I want that for you. It’d probably be good for you to get out of this completely.”

A pang hit my chest. Did that mean he didn’t care if I disappeared from his life? I tried to shove it down, but it gnawed at me.

The doorbell rang.

Dominic frowned. “Who the hell is that?”

“I didn’t invite anyone.”

“Can’t be Sonny. He’d just let himself in.” Dominic got his gun from the counter, flipping off the safety.

“Should I get the shotgun?”

“Let me see who it is first.”

Dominic moved to the door, his posture tense. He glanced into the peephole and let out an exasperated sigh. He put aside his gun and opened the door.

A floor manager from the casino stood outside.

“What are you doing here, Frank?” Dominic asked.

“Santino told me where to find you,” he said, a hint of familiarity in his tone that set my teeth on edge. “Said you were laying low. I’ve got something about the books. Irregularities you need to see.”

Dominic stepped aside, letting him in. His hand briefly touched the man’s shoulder, and heat curled around my neck. Dominic gestured toward the kitchen.

Frank’s gaze swept over me and flicked back to Dominic. “How long have you two been living together?”

None of your fucking business.

Dominic shrugged. “Not long.”

Frank’s mouth pressed into a thin line. Something about this guy rubbed me the wrong way.

They sat next to each other at the kitchen table, but their body language couldn’t be more different. Dominic sat straight, his hands clasped together. Frank seemed eager, his body angled toward Dominic. Frank’s eyes held warmth, even longing.

I clenched my jaw.

“What is it?” Dominic snapped.

“I’ve been reviewing security footage,” Frank said, pulling a flash drive from his jacket pocket. “There’s been some weird activity. Staff sneaking off the floor, unaccounted for inventory. I wanted to flag it before it turned into a problem.”

Dominic’s expression darkened.