As we are the last to enter the dining room, everyone else is already seated. This makes us the center of attention. All conversation stops making it worse. Four pairs of eyes are glued to us. They all stare at hands that are still joined. When I attempt to pull my hand out of his, Dominic resists and wouldn’t let me. I’m unsure of whether he’s afraid that I'll bolt at the first opportunity, or whether he is trying to lay claim to me. I’m more inclined to believe the former.
The three men stand. Dario and Dante are positioned on the right side of the table. Sitting opposite is a male and female I’m unfamiliar with. Dominic leads me to the seat at the right of his, at the head of the table. Once I’m seated the men follow. “You look beautiful Elle.” Dante says as he smiles at me encouragingly which puts me at ease.
“Thank you.” I’ve always found that being the center of attention makes me uncomfortable. Dario also greets me. “Elle, I want to introduce you to my friend, Nico Morelli and his wife Serafina.” Dominic says. Both look at me, with interest. They make a striking couple. Serafina is a beautiful, petite blonde. She is stylishly dressed in a black, off the shoulder dress which highlights her porcelain skin.
Her husband has jet black hair, blue eyes, and is quite handsome. He’s dressed similarly to the other men at the table. They all look like they’re ready to grace the pages of a fashion magazine. Dominic’s world is certainly filled with drop dead, gorgeous men.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Elle, I've heard that you saved my friend. But Dominic forgot to mention how beautiful you were.” He says in a teasing manner, before turning to look atDominic pointedly. He stiffens beside me. There’s a message in the look that passes between them. But I’m unable to interpret its meaning. “Elle I’ve a feeling that we are going to be good friends.” Serafina beams at me.
She seems genuinely friendly. I’ve never really allowed myself to become close to other females in the past. When I was growing up, I moved from one foster home to the next. This was not conducive to forming lasting friendships. “I was told that you’re a doctor.” Serafina asked. “Yes, I’m almost finished with my residency.” “So, she doesn’t just have looks, but she’s smart as well,” her husband says, causing me to blush.
Serafina smacks Nico playfully on the arm. “Stop trying to provoke Dominic darling and you’re embarrassing Elle.” “Okay sweetheart, I’ll behave.” He grabs her hands and turns it over to kiss her palm. She looks at him adoringly.
The meal is served. As we eat, there’s small talk around the table. I breathe a sigh of relief that the attention is off me for the moment. The men seem close. They rib each other good-naturedly. I find myself relaxing and enjoying their banter.
Apparently, Dario’s and Dominic’s mothers were sisters. Both of them are no longer alive. Nico was friends with the men since childhood. “Elle, how about we go shopping together?” Serafina offers. “I would like that.” I begin to say. But Dominic jumps in, “No! It’s not safe for Elle to leave the mansion, Serafina. Maybe you can visit her here at the house.”
“I would love that. The company will be nice. But I’m not sure how long I’ll be here. I’ll have to return to my job soon.” Dominic stiffens next to me. There’s a look of guilt on his face. Dario and Dante look at each other before looking back at him. Their behavior is puzzling.
“I already told you that it’s not safe for you to go back to your job. You are staying here where I can keep you safe.” Hisgrip on the knife and fork he’s holding tightens. I’m beginning to get annoyed at his controlling behavior.
“Dominic, this is my life. You can’t keep me here. I’ve worked hard and I’m only months away from completing my residency. I’ll call the hospital tomorrow to let them know that I need emergency leave. Once you deal with the people after me. I’ll be going back.” I respond as calmly as I can. Then I resumed eating. Everyone looks between us silently.
“You’ll not be working in that hospital Elle.” “Oh yes, I will. You can’t tell me what to do Dominic.” “It’s not safe and you’ll not be going back.” By this time everyone has stopped eating and the only sound in the room to be heard is a gasp from Serafina. "Why the hell not?” “Because you resigned from your post.”
Did I hear him correctly? I slowly lower my fork to the table, while I look at Dominic in confusion. “I think I would remember resigning from my job Dominic. What the hell are you talking about? In fact, I was going to call the hospital today, but my phone was out of charge.”
Dominic’s right hand covers mine on the table next to his. “Elle, I called the hospital the day after you were attacked. I informed them that you were resigning your post.” I'm fuming now. The gall of the man. I take a deep breath because any minute now I'm going to blow my top. But he continues. “And that you were going to move away permanently after getting married.”
What the hell is he going on about? Getting married? Moving? My brain seems to have difficulty catching up with my ears. Confusion gives way to anger. I wrenched my hand suddenly away from him. “How dare you! You had no right! No, right! This is my life. Just because you saved me in that alley doesn’t mean that you have the right to try to control my life.”
“Elle… please… calm down, let’s talk about this.” He tries to get a hold of my hand again, but I pull away. “Don’t you fucking dare, tell me to calm down! I worked hard to secure that position.” “It's not safe Elle, they know where you live and work.” He tries to plead with me. “And what’s this nonsense about getting married? Why would you say that?”
“You’ll be marrying me.” I’m momentarily speechless and dumbfounded. He can’t be serious. The nerve of the man. “Marry you? I laughed. “Why would I marry an insufferable ass, who thinks he can control my life?”
By this time, I’m so angry I want to knock the smug look off his face. My hand, having a mind of its own, is swinging towards his face before I’m able to register what I’m doing. Dominic reacts with surprising speed; his reflexes are quick, and he grabs my hand before it could make contact. In a blink of an eye he’s out of his chair so quickly that it tumbles backwards and onto the floor. I’m suddenly lifted out of my chair and thrown over his shoulder. “Put me down you big oaf!” My hands slap at his back.
“Please carry on with your dinner.” The Neanderthal says to those who are left at the table as they look on in shocked silence. It was only then that I'm reminded that we’re not alone and that we’ve a captive audience. I’m mortified. “Put me down!” I yell at his back. As he leaves the dining room I keep hitting him on the back. Dominic ignores my demands and continues out of the room. He walks past the gaping servants and continues up the stairs.
A smack on my bottom startles me. “Behave, before we fall down the stairs.” The image of us tumbling down the staircase to our death forces me to stop my struggles.
Chapter 18
~Elle~
By the time Dominic comes to a stop I’m lightheaded. He walks past my bedroom, continuing along the corridor. Finally stopping at the last door, he enters.
I’m tossed onto a large unfamiliar bed that carries his scent. A blue silk sheet covers the king size bed. The walls are painted in shades of grey and black. It’s decorated to reflect Dominic's masculine taste. Paintings hang from the wall facing the bed. It’s even more spacious than the room I was given.
Pushing up onto my forearms, I take in the surroundings. White sheer drapes cover the wide balcony doors. On the side of the bed are two white chairs and a small glass center table. A laptop and files are stacked neatly on top of it. A thick blue rug lies on the tiled floor. My gaze returns to Dominic who’s standing at the foot of the bed, with his arms folded across his chest as he watches me.
“Why did you bring me here?” I found my voice again. “Because we need to talk. Are you ready to listen?” He asks calmly, addressing me as if I’m a belligerent child. Pissing me off even more. “Oh, now you want to talk. It's a little late for that. You had no right to go behind my back and call the hospital telling them that I was not returning. Why are you trying to control me?” Dominic looks at me in exasperation. Running a hand through his hair.
“Will you listen to me please? I did it to protect you. Elle, you must realize that they know where you work and if you go back you would be in danger.” I hate that he’s making sense. “I know that dammit! But you had no right to make such a decision without speaking to me first.” By this time, I’m so frustrated thatI start to cry. I rub my hands across my cheeks, swiping away tears. But it’s soon replaced by more.
Dominic looks on with a pained expression. “My job is to protect you Elle and I’m not going to apologize for that.” He says in a soothing voice. “I am not your fucking responsibility! And what’s this nonsense about getting married. How will marrying me protect me, Dominic?”
He lowers himself to sit at the edge of the bed next to me. “No one will dare to go after the wife of Don Vitelli, Elle. It’s the only way that I can think of to keep you safe." “I don’t see how that’s going to change anything. I wouldn’t be in this mess if I wasn’t kidnapped by your brother in the first place.”
