✧

CLAUDIA

Outside, people ran in all directions. Claudia moved quietly while watching Dominic's guards fire back. She saw man after man fall. It wasn't the men who worked for him, either. It looked like it was the shooter. Of course, it's possible she was wrong.

"What's happening? Does this have anything to do with you?"

Once they climbed into the car, Dominic stepped on the gas without saying a word. She looked back before buckling her seat belt and watched the activity fade away.

"Yeah, this happened because of me," he answered. "This is just my everyday life, Dia. It's something I had to learn to live with."

He had to learn to live with this.

It was a simple way to explain what was almost killing them. Claudia recognized how dangerous things were for her instantly. Never before had she been so close to being shot at. She still wore the lovely ring he gave her. Something about it made her feel like she was in paradise.

"There is nothing to worry about. It's over, so you can breathe now."

"Dom, I have to worry about bullets coming at me," she said. "That was terrifying."

"I know. That's how my enemies take me by surprise," Dominic explained as he turned a corner. "You shouldn't have been there. I'm sorry."

The way her neck snapped toward him was almost like a turtle snapping. "You wouldn't be able to stop a bullet from getting to me. Sometimes I wonder why I'm doing this with you."

"Do you mean signing my contract, or are you talking about being more with me?" Dominic kept looking out the front window.

Claudia became quiet, and she reasoned that was enough for an answer.

Things got more serious the moment they got home. For a while, neither of them said a word to each other. Dominic was the one to break the peace after twenty minutes, which was a surprise.

He entered the bedroom with a frustrated expression on his face. "Claudia, I don't want you to worry. Really. Not often does what happened today occur. From what my men told me, it was just a lowlife trying to make a name for himself who saw me leaving the store. No civilians were hurt, and my men took down the person who was shooting at us."

"It was a bloodbath. Some of your men were hurt badly."

"Yeah. This kind of scene is something I have dealt with before. Particularly after funerals, people tend to linger in a cemetery."

She avoided looking at him for a moment because it was too complex. "Could this happen again? I was just picking out a ring with you when suddenly shots started flying toward my head."

Dominic's eyes fell to the floor. He was speechless. Then he said, "This is not what I had planned for my life. If I could get out of being in the Mafia, I would, but I can't. Not now. When I saw those shots coming toward us, I didn't think once about myself. I could think of only one person. No one else."

This time, Claudia looked him straight in the eyes.

"I thought about you, Dia. I immediately wanted to keep you safe. I was afraid something bad would happen to you."

He was so sincere that it moved her. It put an end to the fury she'd been feeling inside. Not even actual animosity. It was something else that added to her anxiety. "All right. Maybe we should move on from this. Not focus on it anymore."

Dominic agreed. "True. We just have to stay alert and exercise caution. That's the best way to survive."

"Right."

"Also, while we were in the jewelry shop, I had a suggestion," he continued.

Her heart once again ceased to keep up. It would probably break the record for the most flutters in one day. "Tell me."

Dominic took a moment before continuing. That only made her more excited. "I think we should take some pictures of the two of us. To show that we are a happy couple and are engaged."

When she heard such a sweet suggestion, Claudia's spirit didn't know what to do, so it varied between spiraling and stopping. But at the same time, was he just acting this way to make their relationship look real? Dominic was doing it for that reason, but how much was the other motivation also driving him? Did he care about her and not want to show it? Would he ever admit it to himself if that were true?

Claudia got rid of those thoughts right away because they didn't make sense. She needed no negative thoughts. They were no longer relevant.

She said, looking into his eyes, "I'd like that," even though she wanted to convey a lot of other things that would have gone the other way.

"Okay, great. We will get the pictures done this weekend. I'll hire a photographer."

She couldn't help but smile. Her goal was to get familiar with this form of enjoyment. Since most women's dreams were to take "couple pictures," whether they were real or not, even getting Dominic's engagement ring gave her the chills.

Before walking out of the room, Dominic glanced at the floor. Then he looked at her. "Claudia, there is something I need to tell you."

"Okay."

"I..." He jiggled his keys while talking. "Something happened a few days ago, and it has to do with you."

She gulped. "What happened?"

"I just... I don't know how to tell you this, but you..." Dominic stammered before stating everything in one breath."My men watched Marseille Café's security footage and saw a tall server sprinkle something into your bowl before serving you."

Claudia crawled off the bed this time, her feet slapping the hardwood floor. "Excuse me?"

"Dia, I..." he began before taking a breath. "I think someone poisoned you. Or maybe drugged you."

"And you're just telling me?"

Dominic breathed softly at the door. "I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn't know how." He swiftly moved around the bed, met her eyes, and took her hand in his. "I will figure this out. This is one reason I am in the Mafia. I'll find and punish the person responsible. Okay?"

Claudia believed him. She ignored the dangers of being with him. Nothing else mattered now. She had to focus on living. They needed to carry out their plan as smoothly as possible.

Dr. Harris arrived later that day to draw blood samples from both of them and run tests to check their well-being. He explained that he would get back to them once he got the results.

Things moved slowly in the week before the pictures. Claudia wanted to take chances with Dominic. Why was she having these ideas again? She didn't just do it this one time and stopped. He wasn't a one-hit wonder. She tried to be optimistic and told herself he would be around after the photos. He wouldn't end their relationship after the scheme. "Happy ever after" slipped through.

Don't misunderstand her; it was a fun week. The lack of gunfire was a welcome development. When Dominic wasn't busy with mafia stuff, she slept next to him some nights. They ate and watched movies together daily. Even though they had an agreement, they got along like married people.

"Tomorrow is coming. I saw you bought a dress for the pictures," Dominic said as they watched Transformers together on the couch.

Claudia laughed. "Yes, I did. Our relationship has to look real."

His lips twisted into a tight grin on one side. "I can't wait to see you wearing it."

"Me too. I don't get to work with an experienced photographer often."

"Are you looking forward to it?"

The question caught her off guard. She was also interested in finding out if Dominic was or not. "I'm ecstatic. Once again, I'm never photographed in front of people who are being paid to do so. This is a rare occasion for me. My most recent professional photo shoot was for my former employer's current website."

"I understand. I'm glad you're having a good time with everything."

Should Claudia ask him how he feels? She chose to do it because she was curious. "Are you happy to take photos with a woman again?"

Dominic's answer didn't come immediately. But she didn't have any doubts. It was fine since the last engagement pictures he had taken were with Amelia. Claudia didn't want to say too much about it because she didn't want to bring up uncomfortable emotions for him.

But before she could stop him, Dominic spoke up. "Would it be strange if I said I was excited to take these pictures? It had been a while since I had a picture taken with someone who wasn't for work, so it is kind of nice, you know?"

Claudia burst out laughing. A weird thought about the gunfight flashed through her mind. Her life was moving quickly, and nothing made sense. What a sweet moment in the middle of all the chaos. "No, Dom. I think it's understandable how you feel. We're going to get through this together."

"Together..." he repeated, holding her hand. "Just us."

"Yes."

They stopped talking after that. Before the photos were snapped, she could have explained the idea to him.

On Saturday afternoon, Claudia put on a stylish white dress. It enhanced her cleavage. And she felt even more attractive after getting her hair and makeup done.

Claudia saw her soul in the mirror. She saw herself in her eyes for the first time since signing the contract and knew she was doing her best. She was attempting to adjust to everything that had to do with Dominic and his mafia lifestyle. She wanted positive results. She wasn't malevolent and could rest better now. She didn't feel dreadful about herself and ignored her fear that one of his rivals would kill her at any moment. Or whatever she received at the café wouldn't kill her slowly.

She checked herself before leaving the bedroom.

Dominic got ready downstairs. He gave her space, which she appreciated. She enjoyed the pleasant surprise. His suit was stunning when she first saw him. Even though she liked his outfit, Claudia wanted to remove it before taking pictures. She craved his body tenfold.

"You look amazing," she whispered.

His gaze covered her entire body. "Me? You're breathtaking. A beautiful hourglass shape. Turn and show me your silhouette."

"You mean my booty?"

He chuckled. "I enjoy more than that organ."

She laughed. And she felt her anatomy sizzle while staring at him. Despite those two awkward things, Claudia did a small spin toward Dominic. After whirling, she looked into his eyes like a savage beast. She knew she was most wanted in his eyes.

"Dia, you are gorgeous on the inside and outside. Truly incredible," he said, kissing her cheek and lips. After the gunfight and a week as close friends, she embraced him.

Dominic's lips were demanding. She broke down in sobs for no apparent reason when she kissed him. It felt like relief from hunger. While he gripped her hips, she held his face in her hands. Both feelings saturated her underwear. But she knew that none of that would matter because they had photos scheduled. The euphoria she sensed returned.

He booked a limo for them. Claudia loved riding in a limousine again. He led them with his men. She gasped. Both were unexpectedly secure. She imagined all his men being shot by rivals and leaving them alone. She ignored that. She may now see things differently and focus on positive things. People were protecting her and Dominic around every corner. No one would dare come at him.

"You can breathe. No one's going to try to make another attempt on me," he said while her leg shook. Since the shootout, Claudia hasn't gone anywhere. And Dominic had taken off from his day job to be with her.

"I get it. Gotta get used to this."

He exhaled roughly. "I understand that this is difficult and overwhelming."

"Would you consider leaving this world? You know, the dark stuff?"

Dominic's eyes fell on the driver. His driver surely worked with him. "Since meeting you, Dia, definitely. But, if you don't mind, let's discuss this at home."

"Sure."

The car pulled up to this location, which resembled a winery. She admired everything about it. Vineyards were great for relationship pictures. It was not only magnificent, but it also provided adequate cover in the event of a shootout. They could run into a nearby garden or barn if needed.

"Hi, folks." A red-haired man with a camera approached them. Claudia recognized that he must be the photographer. He wore a beige suit with a rainbow pin on the collar. His black shoes shone in the sun. "My name is Tyler Henry. Thanks for choosing my studio."

"Thank you for doing this on such short notice," Dominic replied as he shook Tyler's hand.

"No problem. I had a last-minute cancellation. Are you both ready to take pictures?"

Tyler's excitement showed Claudia that he didn't know what was going on. And she realized she was right. Her false relationship with Dominic only mattered to them. But it made her wonder: Did anyone else know?

"I'm ready," Dominic said, taking her hand.

"First, I'll have you both stand at the vineyard's back area, where the sun is setting behind the woods. Dominic will reach for Claudia's waist. Cherish her like the sun will fall out of the sky."

After establishing the pose, Claudia's stomach fluttered again. Part of her wished the day would end so she could be alone with Dominic. She found him taking photographs with her appealing since she knew he was trying. She loved that he wanted to take these with her. The whole event was amazing.

"All right, guys. You're doing fantastic. Now go to the barn, and Dominic will take Claudia. Almost like you're lowering her on the dance floor. Let's see your best laugh or smile."

She and Dominic glanced at each other while dancing. Claudia never wanted him gone. She wanted a real relationship. She also understood that theirs wasn't. That is what hurt her the most.

Getting Dominic to truly want her was an even bigger challenge than she thought.

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