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DOMINIC

What was going on in his office was unlike anything he had ever experienced in all of his years working for the company. Dominic had Claudia against the door. His family portraits and achievements adorned every wall. He was too busy kissing her to finish his supply company letter. She put her arms around his shoulders and her delicious lips against his, and he forgot what he was doing. This woman ruled his mind, body, and soul. Their intimate act was hard to stop. 

He had to be straight-laced at work. But the goddess in his arms massaged his tongue. Claudia kissed him on the neck while he glanced into her shirt, showing her gorgeous figure. He could tell she wanted to keep going by the way she melted against him and didn't resist his hands. Now he would see her breasts, and he prayed he wouldn't explode before the action.

The blouse fell off, and she sat, kissing his lips in her bra. He quickly threw his hands behind her back and unhooked the clip. He was staring at her nipples, which were the size of silver coins and a deep red color. The feeling of her soft hands on his skin made him stiffer, and Dominic wondered if Claudia would grab his manhood. He wanted her hand to jerk him when she took the initiative to kiss him first.

However, reality struck. The building was full of employees. Though Claudia wasn't one of them anymore, Dominic understood why she wanted to quit. They had a profound need for each other from the first moment they met, and he didn't want to miss out on what they could be. He wanted happiness with her, 2.5 kids, and to live together in his mansion. Even if it was cliché, he always wanted to find the one person he could spend his life with. Of all his nightcaps and dates, Claudia Marcello changed his life. He couldn't let this one moment of almost making love to her ruin their potential as a couple. An afternoon fling was pointless. His biggest concern was that she might never embrace who he was because of the darkness that surrounded him.

He moved back and looked at her for a moment. "We need to stop, Dia." Dominic couldn't keep the smile from coming out. Calling her by her pet name made his heart skip a beat.

"Are you sure?"

Sighing, he paused. He kept contemplating the situation's severity. They were going to break regulations inside the workplace. It risked his future as a CEO. Problems would occur for others. It may generate major problems for the nation's top restaurant equipment supplier. These concerns were uncalled for.

"I think it's best that we do." Dominic moved away from Claudia, but she was too busy prepping herself to notice. He figured she'd notice it soon. All he needed to do was gather his thoughts. He fixed his tie and pretended he hadn't just seduced someone in his office.

She stood behind him and asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

"What we did was wrong." He turned to face her, pressing his lips into a thin line. "I took advantage of you. I shouldn't have done that."

After clearing her throat, Claudia shook her head. "I don't see it that way. I was the one who came on to you."

Dominic sucked in a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. "I shouldn't do things like this. Anything I do on the property could get me into a lot of trouble."

"But aren't you a..." Claudia's voice trailed off as she stopped herself from saying something that he thought was a comment about being in the Mafia. He liked that she caught herself. "Never mind. I guess I'll get my things together and clear out."

"Or not."

"Not? I quit."

"I refuse to accept that, Dia. As I said, I need you here."

Her pale face blushed slightly. "I thought that you had sent in my resignation."

"I did, but I can change everything. I can do anything I want on the computer. HR probably hasn't read it yet."

As Claudia placed her arms around his waist, she smiled. "So you're saying that I'll be able to keep my job?"

That made him grin. "If you want to stay, either as a paid employee or an intern. It's enjoyable having you around here. Especially if we can spend every day together like this."

She smirked. "I don't believe that. You just told me that what we did wasn't right."

"Let me explain. Even though what we did was cross a line, we can still grow closer to one another." Dominic rested his hand on her cheek, softly caressing it. "I just think we need to manage ourselves both inside and outside of this office. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, Dom. That's fine with me, but I'm only staying as a volunteer. I'm not keen on the concept of sleeping with my boss."

He chuckled. "By the way, you have a beautiful soul and an amazing personality, Dia. You're like no one else I've ever met. I promise."

A smile graced her lips. "That's good to know. I feel the same way, Dom."

Dominic played with her soft hair as he leaned in for another kiss. He meant what he said. He didn't just meet her and decide to hook up. Claudia was more. So much more than that. And he was ready to learn everything there was to know about her. He couldn't wait to take her out on an actual date that didn't involve intimacy and show her a good time. Being with her was like being outside on a sunny day. He wanted to be with her all the time so he could feel her warmth and passion for life.

Both of them left his office on a promising note. They had to work together, but Claudia's presence was more meaningful. As promised, she stayed to finish his paperwork. She gently denied Dominic's offer to pay her, saying she was doing him a favor. This was her only way to see him, and he was pleased with that.

However, Dominic's day got worse when his father told him they needed to meet again. Once he drove into his driveway shortly after six in the evening, he had no idea what this meeting was about. Outside of his day job, he lived on an uncertain roller coaster ride around the globe. He was a powerful man who had fancy dinners and nice suits. But he was living in fear of death with targets on his back.

He forced himself to acknowledge the fact that he had borrowed time. That was the reason he regretted what happened in the office with Claudia, as he never wanted to pull someone he cared about into his dark world. There were consequences, but more than that, there was the potential of them growing together that fascinated him. If one of his rivals had captured her, well, it would be their last.

His house felt more empty than usual. He thought it was dead because it wasn't as exciting as work, where he had staff to do anything he asked. And now, he had to wait for his father to come and talk about whatever business he needed to discuss. Dominic was usually calm, not wild. When Claudia came along, though, everything changed. Being with her secretly became challenging.

The doorbell always sounded louder each time it dinged. Fear shrouded him. Dominic was almost dragging his heels; he didn't want to answer the door and deal with mafia crap. It was outrageous that an intelligent and compassionate woman like Claudia could convince him to turn his father away. For him to say to hell with the Mafia.

Damian Beretta, his gray-haired father, appeared at the door. He looked worse since their last meeting, with more lines forming along his forehead. Age was not on the man's side. Dominic worried about his father's future and if he'd ever take after him. He would think the man's neck skin was a turtle's shell if he didn't know differently.

"Hi, Dad. Was the drive okay?"

His father laughed. "I'm not dead. So, that's a plus. I have something important to tell you. Something that can change everything."

Dominic shut the door and irrationally imagined what this news could be. He had been doing that since he learned this meeting was taking place. "Well, you're not going to call or text me. You've had me on the edge of my seat for hours. So talk."

"Pour me a drink first."

What the hell was he going to say?

Dominic paused.

He poured his father a glass of whiskey, and Damian sipped it before declaring, "The Guarini family and I have a proposal. We're making plans for you to marry Irene. This way, we'll combine both families. I'm sure you remember her."

"That's Lorenzo's daughter. He is their family's patriarch. I've known Irene since high school, but I'm not marrying her. That's completely ridiculous. You're seriously pushing me into an arranged marriage?" After hearing the news, Dominic had to pour himself a glass of Scotch. It was the most irrational thing he'd ever heard.

He followed Damian to the liquor cabinet, where Dominic could hear him heaving the biggest sigh ever. "I knew you were going to be a tough sell, Nicco. You've always been a little girl about things and have never taken one for the team."

"What in the hell are you saying, Dad?" Dominic's pulse sped up. "I stopped caring about what you wanted after Amelia died. Ten years ago, the only woman I fell in love with died in my arms because you testified against the Sorvino Brothers. If that doesn't show you that I 'took one for the team,' then fuck you, because I did. I haven't gone a day without thinking about her. Because of something you did, I had to pay for it with her life."

Dominic noticed his father's face soften after he uttered all of that. Damian then chugged his drink and said, "I'm sorry you're still reliving that, son. Coming over here and talking about the past was not my intention."

"Whatever."

"You have a dark soul and a tainted heart, Nicco. You use guilt to get what you want, and your emotions can be unstable sometimes."

Dominic turned to face him. "I'm not as bad as I used to be, Dad. I've evolved."

"Son, don't you want a wife who can provide you with everything you need?" Damian asked. "Why are you always so complicated? Who will you marry? You're going to blow this chance to gain more power than you ever imagined because you don't like Lorenzo's daughter?"

"Because she is a terrible person. Irene made a move on me twelve hours after Amelia died. She has no respect for what I've been through, and she is not the right woman for me."

Damian groaned, staring at his son. "I think you need to get over it, Nicco."

Dominic snapped, brushing his hair back. "I'm not going to marry her. Okay? I didn't join the Mafia to be told who I would sleep with for the rest of my life. I joined to seek retribution for her death. What's the point of pushing this?"

Even though he had filled his glass again, Dominic downed it in one sip. He couldn't recall the last time he was less excited about his side job. In the Mafia, things have usually become regular. It was similar to an actual job. Of course, they would occasionally have their ridiculous crap pop off like firecrackers, but nothing this foolish. An arranged marriage to strengthen relations?

Hell no, if he had anything to do with it.

Damian didn't speak. He looked like a dog who had its food taken away. Dominic had seen his father's expression like that before when he had to tell him something he regretted. It was very similar to Dominic's mother's passing. He remembered his father's face vividly. Damian didn't want to tell his family that she wasn't with them anymore. She died, and Dominic's heart stopped that day. Maybe not physically, but it still hurts. His mother died first, then his only fiancée. All of this made him even more adamant not to marry Irene Guarini.

"Son, perhaps I should reconsider explaining how this is going to work. We're not asking. Both families expect this. Irene's family respects you. When you let down a family like that, they retaliate."

Dominic laughed sarcastically at this. "What's all the fuss about? I will hurt them by not marrying a woman I don't like. You're telling me another war will rage between us?"

His father blew up. "Yes, that's what will happen. You've seen what happens when you reject someone's proposition. You've seen the consequences of disobeying. Everybody feels cheated."

"So, if they come up to me and tell me I have to marry a goat, I'm supposed to do it?"

"Dominic Alessio Beretta, listen up. Since you were in diapers, we've discussed combining households. This shouldn't surprise you."

Dominic jerked. "I didn't know it meant making me marry someone I can't stand."

He felt hopeless at this point in the conversation. The hope of finding love with someone after losing Amelia—a wave of sorrow was at his feet. He was no longer accustomed to these feelings. Being a bachelor drove him to solitude. That was his fate. His father was adamant about arranging this marriage.

"I can't marry her because I'm getting married to someone else, Father." There. A straightforward answer. Even though the words were not true, it felt great to say them. It felt like Dominic had learned a valuable lesson. He could try to change his life with the love of a noblewoman by his side.

Damian's shocked mouth made Dominic laugh. This was his cover story. He had to do a lot of challenging things, but this was one of the hardest. "You're dating somebody? What in the world are you talking about?"

"Exactly what I said."

"There's no way you're serious."

"I'm telling you the truth. The plan was to keep our romance a secret. I wanted to marry her privately, but now I have to tell you." But who? Who did Dominic have in mind? He took a breath. There would be trouble with this. Even though he wasn't dating, his father didn't need to know. The situation was about to get worse. Who could blame him, though, if this lie kept him from marrying Irene?

Damian walked around with his hand on his head for a minute. When he looked at Dominic, he had a twinkle in his eye. Dominic had forgotten that his father wanted him to find someone else to be happy with. He might have been happy that his son had finally settled down. "Do we know her or anyone in her family?"

"You've never met her. She took me by surprise." Dominic's emotions were on fire when he said that. Only one person who brightened his life came to mind, and he'd damn his father if he did anything to separate him from her. There would be a war, for sure.

"Who is she? I need a name, Dominic."

"Dia." And, once again, Dominic spoke without thinking. An awful habit of his. But it looked like this habit was helping him.

Damian stared at him for a long time, but he seemed to believe him. Dominic was making progress. Now, he had to see if Claudia would agree, even though he didn't think she would.

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And there we have it. The hardest struggle for our male protagonist. Dominic can't stop thinking about how his late fiancée died while she was in his arms. His father testified against the wrong people in court, and they reacted. Here comes Claudia, a bright light. He is cocky, a jerk, and fails to express himself properly, but he has deep distraught feelings that tie him like an anchor. Now that Dominic has a guardian angel, he doesn't want to lose her. Not to mention, their connection only flourishes from here, along with learning more about her background. Claudia's heart is just as tainted.