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CLAUDIA

When Claudia opened her eyes again, there was a strange metallic taste in her mouth. Rain pounded on the roof as thunder roared in the distance. A nearby lightning strike generated a fine current of electricity in the air.

When did it start raining?

Although the skies had been dark and even thick, Claudia couldn't remember them being particularly oppressive.

She exhaled deeply, puzzled.

Something warm and solid was pressing on her shoulder. She turned her head and felt the object rise quickly and then slowly relax back down. She realized what had happened only after he pushed her cheek against his body. Outside on the back patio, he had his arm around her waist, pinning her to his side.

She was hesitant to move.

Every cell in her body felt the effects of Dominic's touch.

How his thigh formed to conform to hers. His stomach moved under her touch as he took deep, regular breaths. His thumb slid in slow, soothing circles around the hem of her blouse while his hand curled around her hip. When his thumb brushed against the shape of her waist, each circle raised the cloth a little higher, exposing her skin. Body against body. Claudia was warm and chilly. A sensation that she was unfamiliar with.

His hand came to a complete stop.

She glanced up and looked into a pair of gorgeous, dark eyes. "What... what happened?"

Dominic whispered, removing his arm from around her waist, "You passed out."

"Really? Just like that?" As he moved her knotted hair out of her face, Claudia flinched. The metallic taste lingered on the top of her lips.

Dominic nodded. "Maybe the bear frightened you. I brought you back to my house."

"You did?" Dammit. And I missed that? "Where... what happened to the bear?"

"The storm scared it," Dominic said. "I think it was lightning." He sighed as he scanned her. "Are you feeling better?"

A dazzling streak of light blinded her for a brief second. The heavy rain was quickly drowned out by the rumbling of thunder. Shadows flanked Dominic's expression.

Claudia shook her head. "The storm made the bear scared?" she asked.

He shrugged a shoulder. "All I know is that when thunder reverberated close by, it fled."

"So, that is what that light was about?"

He nodded.

"And the lightning didn't hit us?"

"Nope."

"We got lucky then," she said, looking down. They were both soaked. The rain was falling harder, making it difficult to see more than a few feet of the yard, creating the impression that they were in their little world. "It rains here, just like it does in Seattle, where I lived for three years." She didn't know what else to say. Everything in her mind crumbled. "I kind of miss it there."

Dominic touched her on the knee with his. "I'm sure you do."

"I feel like a drowned cat in my skin."

"You look fine, though. The wet look suits you."

Claudia smirked. "I guess I walked into that one."

He chuckled softly. "You're incredible, Dia."

She scoffed. "Now I know you're lying."

Claudia watched Dominic move beside her and felt his fingers pull her chin toward him without speaking. His broad lips lifted in a crooked smile. "I never lie about my feelings. Particularly with you."

She wanted to say something clever or flirty, but his intense look made it impossible to think straight.

His eyes glowed with confusion as he leaned forward, his lips parting slightly. "I think I understand now."

"Understand what?" She spoke in hushed tones.

"The way you blush fascinates me." As his thumb traced circles on her cheek, Dominic's voice was barely above a mumble. "You're... beautiful."

He bent his head and rested his brow against hers. The two of them sat like that, caught in something that hadn't been there for a while. Claudia thought she had stopped breathing. Her heart seemed to take several staggered leaps and then freeze, anticipation welling up inside her and threatening to burst at any moment.

He was actively fighting her off. And their little time together baffled her.

This was a crazy moment, but it was happening.

Lightning struck again, much closer this time. The following thunderclap didn't even surprise her. They were completely lost in their realm. Dominic's crooked smile escaped from his lips. Both confused and worried, he stared into her eyes.

Every second seemed to drag by as it stretched out before her, torturing and tantalizing each breath she took. Waiting, wanting to show him whatever he was looking for, as his eyes darkened to deep chocolate. Dominic's face seemed tense as if he were fighting an internal battle.

While it rained and thundered nearby, something in his eyes made her feel protected. She knew the moment he made his choice. He took a deep breath and closed his elegant eyes.

His breath brushed her cheek, moving toward her lips. Claudia knew she should pull back, but she couldn't.

They had a plan—an act—to deceive his family into thinking they were in love. Satisfying him now would ruin everything, so they had to fulfill their purpose.

Her breath became stuck in her throat. His lips were so close to hers that she yearned to meet him halfway, to rush forward and give in to their desires for one another.

But his phone beeped.

Dominic jerked and slid backward on the loveseat, putting a good space between them.

Claudia took a sharp breath, and her stomach churned with surprise and sadness. Her body still tingled from exhaustion. They were so into each other that neither of them had noticed that it had stopped raining minutes before.

He glanced at the screen. "Oh," Dominic said as he looked back at her.

"What's going on?"

"Um..." He shook his head. "I have to take care of something."

Claudia's eyebrows rose. "Now?"

Dominic got on his feet and helped her stand up. "Yeah. Giovanni got himself into trouble. I need to look into it."

"Okay. Want me to come with you?"

A small smile touched his lips. "No, Dia. It would be best if you stayed here. I don't want you caught in anything."

"Are you sure? You know, I could probably help," she said as they stepped in through the side door.

He shook his head again. "Just stay inside while I'm gone. One of my men is waiting at the gate. If you need anything at all, press the buzzer on the security panel by the front door. Richie will come immediately. Understand?"

She held his palm and nodded.

Dominic cupped her cheeks in his firm hands as he looked into her eyes. Warmth flowed from him into her. "I will be back, Dia. But I want to pick up where we left off once I get back. We have a lot to work out. I'll be thinking about you."

After saying those last few words, Dominic quickly grabbed his keys from the counter and dashed out the door, leaving Claudia confused.

At that moment, she realized one thing about this whole mess: She was more worried than ever about this man's safety and was falling deeply in love with him. She couldn't wait until he got home to tell him.

❖ ❖ ❖

Claudia feared for Dominic's safety while he was away for family reasons. She wished him well and wondered about his off-duty routine. He was gentle and flawed, but she feared death when he left the house. Trembling, she considered herself undetectable. The wait was terrible, yet she respected Dominic's gangster activities.

She played his fake fiancée at home, feeling like she performed stand-up comedy for no one. Her fate was unknown, and he confessed his feelings to her. They had to talk about that, but it was challenging.

Starving and missing him, Claudia baked a cheese hot pocket for lunch. She had to eat, though cooking wasn't pleasant. Her thoughts about him kept her from cooking anything since she couldn't believe her life was about to change drastically. Despite not being promiscuous, she thought he had altered her DNA in the way of heroic rivals. Dominic changed her inner being and made her feel naughty. This fake engagement strategy could destroy them.

Claudia was sitting on the couch watching Bachelor In Paradise when she heard the door open. Her heart started to beat fast. The man of her dreams had come back, and she couldn't wait to see him.

As soon as the door opened, Claudia didn't look up from the screen. She kept quiet about how happy she was to see him. Dominic didn't need to see that part of her just yet. He was surely making an effort and changing, but she had to continue to be on guard.

"Hey, Dia. More reality TV?"

"I love reality shows because their lives are always unexpected."

He didn't say anything. What he said earlier pleased her. That's presumably why she was watching a reality show. Strange, considering how often reality shows pretend. But like most things on television, Claudia would pick it over watching a fictional program.

"Do you think you can get away from that for a few minutes so we can look for a ring?"

Butterflies spread throughout her chest. She figured he would not buy her an actual ring because they were still acting like a happy couple toward others, but she mentally told her instincts to calm down. "Picking out a ring? Do we need one?"

Dominic walked over to the TV and stood in front of it. "Yes, because everything must look realistic. I planned for us to go discreetly, so no one would see me and report it to my family. We're supposed to be together for months, after all. My father didn't notice your finger when he met you, and Gio was too busy yelling at me to care."

"That's a very sweet thing to do. I never thought you'd do something like this. I'm happy that you're thinking about giving me a ring."

Claudia's heart raced when Dominic laughed wickedly. 

"I'm about as tough as a marshmallow in a hot chocolate, no matter how you spin it."

"I can see that. Is your brother okay now?" she asked after taking a big breath.

He instantly nodded and set his stuff on the counter. "There was a tiny dispute with some people we have a problem with, but Gio will be okay. Anyway, let's get back to the ring."

Claudia raised an eyebrow and started to think of questions. "What jewelry store are you taking me to?" was the biggest.

Dominic stood still with his lips clenched. "We won't be there for long. We'll just have enough time to run in and out."

The same eyebrow from before raised itself. Why did he have to go back on everything he said? It was always lukewarm with Dominic. "Well, when you say it that way, it sounds like you've already made up your mind," Claudia said.

"Not really," he replied in a voice without any enthusiasm.

"So I get to choose a ring that I will later have to give back?"

"Your fears continue. You'll be able to keep it at the end of this if you want."

Keep the ring at the end of this. Anything could result from that, including breaking up or experiencing an animal attack. But, hey, whatever. Claudia tried to look on the bright side. She was getting a gorgeous diamond ring. What was there to complain about?

"That is generous of you. Since we have to keep up with this act so that both of us won't die, it's probably a good idea to have proof of our relationship."

Dominic shook his head. "I'm not going to let anyone touch you. Not when you mean a lot to me."

Claudia felt better because she couldn't imagine one of his cronies shooting her in the head for lying about being his fiancée. She just kept thinking about his father's guards standing outside the mansion. It scared her so much that she started to see Damian Beretta as the devil, or worse.

Dominic took her to Chanel's Fine Jewelry, as promised. A sense of sophistication was new to her. She had to remind herself that these relationship characteristics were temporary. She could make the mistake of embracing openness and other things, but those things didn't matter to her or Dominic. They resembled decorations for a birthday party. The party thrived without them. Like party props, their relationship was all for show.

"Now, don't go overboard," Dominic teased. He looked at her, then said, "I'm kidding, Dia. You can have whatever you want. It'll look beautiful on you."

He told her that she could choose any ring in the store, so she smiled when she walked in. Claudia wanted something more intimate. A man proposing to his lover by getting down on one knee. They had a strange arrangement, but she still wanted him. She had always counted on doing things the traditional way, but here she was, in the present.

Her eyes watered from the gems, not tears. Instead, it was more like she was thirsty. She occasionally saw Dominic's men waiting through the glass windows. It nearly ruined the mood. In the store, it was hard to notice anything else.

A round diamond ring caught Claudia's attention. Other gemstones were square or tinted. Tiny stars surrounded the circle. She saw beauty everywhere as she strolled like a kid in a candy shop.

"Would you like to wear that one?" Dominic's low voice was near her ear. "Do you like it?"

Claudia didn't know why, but it made her feel guilty to say yes; it was the truth. "It's incredible. I guess I should try it."

"Let's grab that one," he said, looking at the cashier.

"Wait." She took a deep breath and allowed the painful thoughts from her past to come back to her. "I don't know if I should get it."

"How come?"

"Because..." Claudia said, her lower lip twitching. "This ring is almost the same as the one my dad gave my mom. After they got to New York from Guatemala, he took her to a diamond store like this one and let her choose any ring she wanted. She had always liked the way diamonds looked around one stone."

Dominic stepped toward her and placed his arms around her shoulders, giving her time to think. He held one of her cheeks and stroked her skin as he looked into her eyes. "It's fine to pick something else. If you ask me, though, I think this is a sign. Your father treated your mother the same way I'm treating you now. He told her she could pick out her wedding ring. That is destiny."

Claudia sniffed, nodded, and smiled at him and the other people in the room.

As Dominic pointed to the glass where the ring was sitting, he looked at the clerk. She couldn't picture herself with that on her finger. Not because she objected to it, but because it was so beautiful. It looked like something a princess would wear.

Claudia saw the clerk take the ring and everything clicked. It wasn't until she saw the clerk handling it that reality set in. With a ring, she and Dominic must look good and avoid making any mistakes. Their lives depended on this plan.

"Is this fine with you?" Dominic asked.

She responded with a smile. And, strangely, she didn't need him to get on one knee and act all poetic. Still, something about this moment made her heart beat faster.

However, as they were leaving the store after buying the ring, a gunshot from across the street ended the romance. Dominic ushered her around a car quickly.

Claudia's heart rate was fast for a different reason. Welcome to life in the mafia.

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