✧

CLAUDIA

Claudia paced the pantry, avoiding windows and doors. Forty-five minutes had passed, and there was still no Dominic. She stood behind a large rack. The canned food smelled strong, but worrying about him was frightening.

She left her spot and returned to the dining room, where the clock read twenty past eleven. If he hadn't returned in fifteen minutes, she had to act, and if he lost his fight, the intruder would come after her.

She backed up and hit an end table, her heart racing so fast that she couldn't breathe. Concern made Claudia incredibly antsy, and stuck in the mansion, she never felt more vulnerable. She needed to relax because stressing out wouldn't help.

Claudia was at a loss for what to focus on before the fear took over. She remembered the rainy night on the back patio with Dominic and how wonderful their chemistry felt. His cooking skills and charisma convinced her to accept him, scars and all. She craved the man's touch briefly.

She turned at the back door latch. She sought a weapon despite her optimism. Luck's been as impossible as a needle in a haystack lately.

When Claudia saw a pretty round ceramic lamp, she picked it up and got ready to toss it like a football.

Dominic walked in with a swagger and stopped near the corner of the dining room. One brow went up. "Claudia..."

She ignored the funny way he said her name and looked at his face for clear signs of a fight.

Blood had soaked through his shirt and jeans. Dominic's hair was slightly tangled by the breeze, and his sharp, broad cheeks looked wounded. His lips were big, and the corners were slightly turned up in a smile.

But he didn't look the same.

He had a small blush on his cheeks, which gave them a glow that hadn't been there before. He looked like he had just won a cage match and was ready for more.

And his eyes were still dark brown, but now they were darker, less milky, and had more depth.

She knew it in her gut. Like solving a crossword with bits of information she had learned from him.

Dominic had fought.

The fight ended brutally.

He looked at the lamp Claudia was holding and asked, "Were you planning to throw that at me?"

When she looked at him, Claudia's heart rate went up. "I was worried about being kidnapped."

"That's not gonna happen." Dominic turned his head sideways, eyes focused. "I took care of the problem."

She shuddered.

"You're scared to death, Dia."

She had to force herself to put down the lamp, and as she brushed her hands over her hips, they were shaking. Claudia made an effort not to let his recent killing affect her, but they probably would have perished if he hadn't. It wasn't the first time this had happened, but it was still disturbing.

Dominic took a step forward, and she took a step back instinctively. "And I don't think being scared has anything to do with the fact that there was a threat outside."

It was hard to fight the urge to lie. "What happened was a lot to worry about. I had no idea what was going on or if you were okay. You'd been gone for so long, and the pantry became stuffy."

"You don't have to be afraid anymore," Dominic said, still looking at her closely. "Everything is okay now."

Words died at the tip of her tongue. She was genuinely concerned about who he became. He was a criminal, but she knew that he didn't want to do the same thing to another person that he'd done to the intruder.

He was meant to be protecting them, right? But it was more fear of what Dominic could do than of who he was.

His mouth turned up at the corner. "I understand how you feel, Claudia. This shows that you know how to be careful in this kind of situation."

"I'm assuming that this could happen again," she said, swallowing the saliva in her throat. "I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle it the next time."

"It's your weakness, Dia."

The irritation got more serious. "Being afraid for you or even of you is not a sign of weakness; it's a security blanket."

He turned his head.

"Is that the way you see it?"

"Yes, Dom. It helps me get through difficult times."

He watched her as he neared the table. "Follow me."

She wanted to ignore her feelings, but she couldn't. The way he walked and the way he looked at her were hypnotizing. "What's going on?"

He took her hand and said, "There is a lot to talk about."

Claudia went with him into the kitchen, where pasta and cold chicken were sitting on the stove. She had already decided that the food was no longer edible and that she needed to discard it. She inhaled slowly as she walked around the kitchen island. He surrounded her and pulled up a strand of her hair, letting it fall back onto her shoulder when she settled herself next to the counter.

As Dominic moved closer, her body clenched. He smelled clean and piney. She didn't like how close he was, yet she wanted him like people commit a crime. She wanted to travel to dark places with him.

She struggled to focus after gasping. "Do you know who—"

Dominic pulled her mouth toward him. The kiss surprised her. It was brutal, precise, and demanding, but he opened his mouth gently. Sweet warmth flowed along her back.

He lifted her and placed her on the countertop, reaching around her thighs. His demanding erection pressed between her legs as he rubbed her arms, fingers, and tights.

"Someone was watching us," he explained. "The man is no longer doing that. I didn't kill him, but I couldn't let him go."

Claudia's lower abdomen squeezed as she sat, her chest rising and falling too quickly. "Was it about us?"

"That was one reason he was out there." Dominic paused, his hands on her hips. She gasped as his chilly fingers touched her body. He stared at her. "He was looking into something for his brother. Matteo is one of my guys, and I think he started the gunfight."

He moistened his lips while holding her hands.

"Do you know how long he was out there?"

"Since I'd gotten home around six o'clock, Dia," Dominic said, keeping her gaze.

"Wow. Over five hours."

"Yeah." He bowed and kissed her cheek. He then put his lips on her neck. "We need to be careful."

Claudia barely breathed or concentrated. "Would they kill us because we lied about being together?"

He smiled slightly. "Dia, are we lying?"

"Well, no. At least, not for me. I just want us to be safe—"

"We're safe." Dominic's hands dropped to her hips. "I checked into the matter."

"Will other people come after us?" Claudia asked, then breathed slowly as her mouth went dry.

"Not now; not for the rest of the night."

"Dom, how can you be so sure?"

Dominic held her cheek while looking into her eyes. "Matteo and his brother would've hurt me by now. I wouldn't have come home. They would have made certain of that."

While she was mumbling a reply, his teeth slid along her neck. He released her and cupped her waist when she shivered.

Everything moved quickly. She barely knew him. Dominic was the rarest of men—a gentleman. She fantasized about mafia men in her favorite books. Her body craved whatever he demanded.

She had a mess of a life, though. How could she know her true feelings?

Her fingertips dug into the cool skin of his forearms. "Dom..."

He groaned, pressing his hard body forward. "Say that again, Dia."

"D."

He let out a little scoff and stared at her. "You know what I want to hear."

"Do."

His grip tightened on her thighs. "Claudia..."

"Dom..." she whispered.

Dominic kissed her again, eliminating her doubts of who he was deep inside. He kissed like a man who wanted to spend his life with her. Those agile hands pulled on her leggings. He halted the kiss to get them below Claudia's knees, then he was back up, his tongue demanding access to her lips as he pulled her off her feet, the bottoms in a mess.

"Hold onto me, Dia," he said.

Claudia continued with him. With his deep, completely convincing voice, Dominic was pure seduction.

He inhaled as he caressed her stomach, his strained erection beneath his jeans, and her thin satin. He moved his hips forward, causing Claudia to cry out. His hunger overtook her, pulling her into another dimension.

She clutched his shirt, grasped his body, and found his shoulders warmer than usual. She wanted to be skin-to-skin with him without boundaries, but she couldn't say anything as he nipped at her lower lip.

"Keep your arms up and grab the knob," he whispered. "That way you won't fall off."

Claudia held the cabinet knob above her head. Her back arched, exposing her.

Dominic grasped her waist with one hand and squeezed her shirt's vee with the other.

Her lungs froze as she noticed masculine power. This act was the hottest for her.

Molten lava ran through her veins.

Desire surged.

Her moans were about to break into an explosion when his kitchen phone rang.

"Don't answer," she muttered against him.

He shuddered. The phone continued to ring.

"It doesn't go to voice mail?" she questioned.

Dominic stepped back and gently untangled her legs. "No. And whoever it is will keep calling," he whispered as he held her. "I have to answer."

"Bad timing."

Claudia slumped against the counter in her underwear, regaining her breath.

"I'll take care of it."

His heated gaze traveled over her, and he cursed quietly. He crouched and snatched his clothes from the floor. He then yanked open a drawer on the counter close to the refrigerator.

Dominic took out a small cell phone, his gaze never leaving Claudia's exposed body. "The fucking sky better be falling," was how he answered the phone.

Her eyes widened.

"Yeah, I'm aware. I took care of him." He waved her forward while she settled on the kitchen island. "He's tied up in his trunk in my driveway."

She gulped. After the heat subsided, Claudia no longer felt like a raging sex queen as she stood there nearly naked. Thankfully, the windows were still closed.

Dominic's eyes narrowed as she retreated.

Her determination kept her arms at her sides, but she wasn't doing it for him. She wanted his comfort.

"You missed our confrontation, Vinny." Dominic smirked as he pulled Claudia closer with his index finger. "As I said, I've got his ass covered. What were you doing?"

She couldn't comprehend Vinny's mumbled remark. Dominic grabbed her hand and pulled her toward his wide legs.

"You took that long to take a crap?" he asked, growling quietly. "Or were you jerking off again? Don't even think about lying to me."

She shuddered as he tossed her long hair across her shoulders.

"Uh-huh," he groaned.

He pinned her with one hand around her right hip and the other from her hair to her anatomy, placing the phone between his shoulder and ear. As his thumb glided back and forth, Claudia bit down on a moan and closed her eyes.

"Yeah, okay," he murmured into the receiver. "No, I'm listening. So, that's how you knew someone had slipped through the gate. Their face was shown on the security footage when you reviewed it."

When Dominic's hand slid away from her, she smiled. He wasn't paying attention.

Dominic warned Vinny, "You're acting like a war just started." Her eyes opened suddenly. He inhaled again after releasing Claudia's shoulders. "Yes, exactly. You've panicked about almost everything since we started doing surveillance on Matteo."

At Vinny's response, Dominic's chuckle became a grin, and Claudia's heart fluttered. She appreciated his teasing, friendliness, and comfort. She had a crazy lust for him since she liked him for who he was.

She didn't expect him to still want her after their scheme. Even if they had never met, Dominic would have broken hearts all over the world. He was challenging to understand.

If she were still alive when their scheme was over, Claudia would probably never see him again. If their strategy worked, they might become close friends, and she recongized that. 

She retreated slowly.

"Where are you going?" Dominic questioned. "No. Not you, Vin. I'm talking to my girl."

She stopped. "I should go upstairs."

Dominic turned her around facing away and placed her between his legs. He said, "Stay put," and she knew he was talking to them both. "She's doing okay. I resolved the issue before it escalated."

His voice made her shiver.

"Vinny, you're obsessing. Nobody from Edoardo's family is coming after us. Not tonight."

Dominic touched her right thigh and the sensitive area between her thighs, making her gasp. He asked, "Is this okay? I will stop. Just tell me."

Claudia looked at him and shook her head. "What you're doing is fine."

"I'm going to wrap up this phone call, so there aren't any distractions," he said, holding her gaze.

"Okay."

Dominic brushed his chest against her back. His warm breath reached her ears. "I'll call a meeting for tomorrow," he told Vinny. 

A finger slithered along her skin, and she squeezed her mouth shut to avoid moaning loudly. His slow movements relaxed her.

"If you must know, Claudia and I are in the middle of something," he said. "Watch the front gate and call Leo to take care of Matteo's brother. Bring him back to his family. Alive. Is that clear?"

Claudia's heart raced again when he brushed his finger along her front. She rested her head on his shoulder and curved her back. His other hand gripped her upper body, and she grasped both of his legs.

He interrupted his guard. "Let me know when it's done, Vinny." He left her body long enough to end the call, then tossed the phone on the counter like it didn't matter.

The ceiling blurred as her blood seared. Dominic's hand was on her hip.

"Do you do this?" he asked. "Please yourself?"

"What?"

He stopped her by putting his other hand on her leg when she shifted her hips to speed him up. "Tell me. Is that too personal?"

"Yes," she replied.

"That's funny, given what you want me to do to you."

He had a point. She wanted this to happen.

"Your skin feels so soft." Suddenly, his hot, firm lips were on her neck. "When did you last touch yourself?"

She moaned, unsure if she wanted to answer that.

Dominic eagerly kissed her along her shoulder blades. "Last week? Today?" He spun her around. He touched her lower back and kissed her collar bone. Her body shook.

Her lips curled up into a small grin.

"You probably please yourself a lot." He played with the bridge of her nose. "You're as wound up as I am."

"Something like that."

Dominic kissed her temple and below her ear, lifting his head. He then kissed her hairline. "You're so beautiful. Damn it, Dia, you're ridiculously gorgeous. I want you, but I don't want you to feel pressured. If you do, let me know."

"I don't."

"You sure? We can stop right now."

She shook her head as she looked into his eyes. "I want you, too."

"Okay," he said.

Claudia embraced him and stroked his hair, overcome with emotion. His fingers touched her delicate region as he reached between her legs.

Her stomach tightened. She shook with hot, tight spasms. She went wild when his fingers barely touched her. This action was raw and full of yearning, and she shoved her hips toward his hand. Pleasure rocketed, dizzying and choking her.

Dominic prevented her from moving with a deep growl. "Say something. Speak your wonderful mind."

Claudia pressed on his shoulders, but he looked down and ordered her what to do without uttering a word. She muttered, "Please," while looking at him. "Do it."

"Do what?"

She licked her lips. "I want..."

"Yes, Dia?"

His thumb brushed over her clit.

Claudia breathed. "Make me sweat for you."

He smiled. Dominic moved and swiped his arms across the counter. The kitchen towels fell to the floor, and in a second, Claudia was on her back with his mouth slowly under her chin. His dark hair and lips touched her upper body. She choked on a quiet moan.

He dangled her legs off the side as she sank.

Vulnerable. 

She was completely vulnerable to him.

✧

Author's note: Yes, I am aware by this point that some readers see Dominic as a vile person. He is like a jigsaw puzzle missing half the pieces, all because he's been sealed up tighter than a jar of pickles since Amelia's passing. He suppressed his emotions until Claudia entered his life. He isn't a typical fictional Mafia man who abuses women and degrades them. No need to resort to humiliation or incarceration. Like many men, Dominic has needs and wants but is respectful. His main flaw is that he's a member of a criminal organization that he intends to leave once things are resolved. Allow him to show you and Claudia that he's deserving of love. Both characters will grow, but first, plot twists. Put down the pitchforks and thanks for reading. :)