“I will watch you as you sleep, Simona.” Dominic’s voice is full of his designation, but it doesn’t come across as an Alpha bark.
I move, driven by pure Omega instinct and need for comfort. And when I crawl deep into the space he’s made, I’m greeted by the scent of them—Dominic, Hendrix, and Rye’s perfume is ingrained in each feather and every fluff of down that fills their comforter. Sunshine warm honey, a thunderstorm in all its glory, and a library of beautifully bound pages—fills my lungs and curls around me as I collapse face first into the wall of pillows and blankets.
It is perfect. There’s not one lick of hesitation or questionwhen I wiggle as deep as I can into the nest he made. This is nothing like any other nest I have been in, and from this second on, no other nest will ever compare.
The fact he made this for me makes it even more memorable.
I poke my head up, bopping my head lightly on the underside of his desk, and he moves whip-quick to check on me.
“How did you do this?”
“I told Hen we would be staying here tonight. He dropped what he was doing and delivered this a few hours ago. Your food might be cold. I can heat it up when you’re ready.”
“And what are you doing?”
“Writing notes after listening to the bravest person I have ever had the privilege of meeting.” He places the tray on the floor at the entrance of my nest before rolling back his chair and filling the space. Making me feel infinitely safer.
The low light in the room adds to the sanctuary he offers. Dominic’s steady breathing along with the scratch of his fountain pen keeps me in the present, and the wrung out, but happy, relief humming through me continues.
Left alone, I shuffle in my scent cave until I’m snug as a bug. Reaching for the tray Dominic left for me, I open lids and sample what Hendrix brought. There are slivers of roast chicken dipped in decadent gravy, mashed potatoes whipped to silky perfection. Another plate has fresh ribbons of crisp cucumber, avocado, and crunchy lettuce bathed in a French vinaigrette so tart it makes me squint, but it’s delicious. I find a sample dish of tiny cronuts, so many different varieties I never knew existed. I should feel bad for taking only a nibble out of each, but I’m too tired to care.
Eventually I push the food away and settle back in my dome. Their individual scents tease me with reminders of them. Together it’s like the best medicine around, soothing my frayed edges until I fight to keep my eyes open.
I’m so close to falling asleep but something is holding me back. Too tired to figure out if I should or shouldn’t, I toss the blanket aside.
“Dominic, will you hold me, please?”
I think he doesn’t hear. I go to say it again, but the soft light in the office dims even more. Dominic swivels his seat, toes off his dress shoes, and another wave of happiness makes my head all swirly.
I scoot over, making room for him under his mammoth desk. It’s a surprise we both fit as he climbs into my hideaway. We wiggle around until he finds a way to keep his back to the room. He wraps me in his arms, enveloping me, and I know he is showing me he is my protection tonight. My shield from any nightmares that threaten.
I drift off to the very distracting, but soothing rhythm of his fingers running through my hair and his slow steadying breath warming the back of my neck. The tears in my eyes this time aren’t from old wounds.
I wake up on top of Dominic, in full child’s pose.
My legs are tucked either side of him, my face pressed against the skin of his neck. Which is mildly embarrassing, but I’m mortified when I look down and see what I did in my sleep—apparently, I ripped his business shirt wide open.
Before I can figure an explanation for him, his soft snores cut through my mild panic. Being careful not to wake him, I twist around so I can see him better. Dominic is an incredibly attractive Alpha when he’s tussled by sleep. Well, I think he is, and I am swooning.
But swooning is not going to get me out of the mess I’m still facing. I don’t regret telling Dominic what happened—if I’m honest I’m beyond grateful being able to tell someone. I literally have no idea what to do next though.
Dominic starts to stir; his arm comes to settle around myshoulder, and I can feel him stretching under me. He doesn’t let me go, but I don’t move either.
“What are you thinking about?” Dominic asks.
“Wondering what to do next. I honestly don’t know,” I admit while also making a deliberate decision to stay on top of him where I am. He’s like a furnace, making me toasty warm.
There’s no doubt about the intimacy we share. Even now, how we are physically, isn’t normal for strangers, but last night I obliterated the boundaries people who barely know each other have. I understand timing played a big part in what happened—I needed to tell someone—but I also believe it only happened because of the innate level of trust already established between us since we are scent compatible partners.
For a long time, his scent has given me comfort—and confidence. And now I’ve met him, I’m not surprised everything about Dominic makes me feel the way I do. He radiates trust.
Perhaps I’m looking at him with rose coloured glasses, but I’d put money on him never spilling one of my secrets. Even with his pack. Which is another issue entirely. One I’d like to spend lots of time exploring, but first I need to focus on what to do about Brody.
“I need to do something, don’t I?”
As Dominic considers my question, he trails his fingers softly up and down my spine like feathers. It’s in complete contrast to the Dominic most people would see—the man is intimidating in every sense of the word—except when he’s your scent match, apparently.
“I think you do, but this is about you, Simona. I’ll give you the power to make your own decisions and provide you with the legal means to ensure you get what you want. You’re a very intelligent woman, and I want you to remember that.As your lawyer, I have outlined several courses of action we should discuss because I do believe he is escalating. And I don’t believe he will stop abusing you any time soon.”
