A doorbell sounds out, making me groan. I check the security camera on my phone and let Dom inside. Alex’s eyes widen again. “It’s just Dom.”
Instead of relief, a different expression crosses her face. Something akin to wariness.
“You can stay here if you’d like,” I continue. “I can send him away shortly.”
“It’s okay. I need to get going.”
I dip my head, disappointed at the idea of her leaving. Not that I could afford for her to stay. There’s a ton of work to do. “I’ll bring you your clothes. There are extra toothbrushes in the cabinet below the sink.”
I have half a mind to land a kiss on her forehead but stop myself in time. Forehead kisses are not something we do. I grab the shirt from the floor and slip it over my head, making my way to the kitchen.
Dom stands in the living room, holding Alex’s dress in his hands, like it’s a piece of evidence to be investigated.
“I doubt you could fit in it,” I say, and I turn my back on him to pour myself a massive cup of coffee.
“Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you.” The bitter, dark nectar pours down my throat as he continues, “I’m guessing your relationship has progressed to sleepovers.”
“I’m not sure why you think it’s any of your business.”
“I told you why. I don’t trust her.”
The coffee cup lands on the kitchen counter. “Good thing you aren’t the one dating her.”
His nostrils flare, but I grab the dress from his hands, pick her shoes up from the floor and head to my bedroom. Dating isn’t a word I ever thought I’d use, but it feels natural. Not that Alex would agree, but maybe I can convince her otherwise.
She has already brushed her teeth and made her hair look presentable by the time I get back to the bedroom. “Thanks,” she says, taking the dress from my hands and leaving for the bathroom.
“You sure you don’t want breakfast? A coffee?” I call after her.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I really need to bounce.”
Her answer doesn’t surprise me. She’s been jittery since she realized Dom was here. It makes sense, I guess. Getting caught during a walk of shame isn’t comfortable for anyone. Though it’s hardly a walk of shame if we did nothing shameful last night.
She returns fully dressed, and I walk her out. Dom dips hishead in a greeting, and she does the same, scrambling to get the hell out. I close the front door behind me to give her a proper goodbye.
My hand wraps around the side of her face, pulling her in for a kiss. Her body stiffens before relaxing fully, melting into my touch. The taste of my toothpaste on her lips does more to me than I’d like to admit. I could get used to this.
“Next time, you’re staying for breakfast,” I say as she pulls away an inch.
“Next time, don’t have other people knocking before we’re even out of bed.” She smirks before sauntering off.
I shake my head, a smile playing on my lips before I’m met with Dom’s annoyed expression.
“We should set some boundaries. What do you say?” I propose getting back to my coffee.
“Like what?” He bites into an apple from the fruit bowl on my kitchen counter. My housekeeper handles all the food in my house, including the freshly washed fruit aesthetically arranged in a bowl.
“Like not showing up without an invitation.”
“Because of her?”
“Are you fucking jealous or something? Or harboring secret feelings for me? What’s the deal here?”
He practically growls at me. “I’m your head of security.” He pokes a finger into his chest. “I’m responsible for keeping you safe. You knew how dangerous it was for Luka to be fucking around with that girl, and look what happened to him!”
His words are a punch to my stomach, making me cough. “This has nothing to do with it. Luka was an idiot who fell in love with the daughter of our enemy. I’m just messing around with a random girl, which helps me deal with all the stress I’m under.” The words taste sour escaping my mouth. Alex is hardly a random girl, and to be honest, I’m not sure if we’re only messing around. Maybe she’s karma, showing me what a hypocrite I was when I was criticizing Luka.
Dom shrugs, but I know he’s not over it. Too bad, because I am.
