“I wish I could wipe that smirk off your face, show you just how real this is. Make you feel so many things that don’t involve as much pain. I’m going to take it all away, show you just how much you matter to me, but not right now. Not like this. I’m not about to fuck you while you’re so drunk you think you’re stuck in a dream with me.”
It’s impossible for me not to giggle at how ridiculous all of this is. The sheer absurdity of the universe deciding to place him in my drunken dream is just so laughable.
“I’m keeping track of all the ways I’m going to punish you when you finally give in to me. When you finally beg me to fuck you.” His grip tightens in my hair, and I involuntarily arch my back, pressing our chests together as a slow shiver crawls up my legs, settling in between my thighs.
“I love it when you do that. But I’m never going to beg you,” I whisper against his lips, running the tip of my tongue along his jaw.
“Fuck, Zoe. You’re going to regret that.”
And then he’s gone. Vanishing into the thin air, or that’s what it feels like, because by the time I blink, he’s nowhere to be found.
When I blink again, he’s back, holding a glass of water and a plate with two croissants. My stomach gurgles instantly.
“Drink this and eat these slowly.”
The room is spinning faster and faster, so I don’t bother fighting with dreamy Dom and do as I’m told. Like a good girl.
I watch as he floats around my room, gathering a few things. He scribbles something on a piece of paper, folds it, and shoves it behind his back. I forget to ask him what he’s doing before I even take another bite.
Time becomes a fluid concept as I lie down, beginning to drift off into sleep as someone plays with my hair.
“Are you going to regret saying all this to me tomorrow?”
It’s Dominik, but his voice sounds far away, as if he’s calling out to me from the bottom of a well. I’m too far gone to respond to him, but I hope I remember this dream and the way he showed up for me tonight. I don’t feel so alone. It’s nice to be cared for, even if none of it is real. But then again, why would I want the memories of what this feels like to follow me for days? Maybe a sliver of what him touching me feels like will linger, but then again, maybe not.
“I won’t remember any of this, so there will be nothing to regret,” I say right as darkness grabs hold of me.
5
DOMINIK
“Wow, you’re really taking this boyfriend gig seriously. How much did this cost you?”
Tristan flashes his phone screen at me, showing me a video trending online of Zoe’s office covered in black and purple roses. I love that video, because ten seconds in, a stunned Zoe comes into view. Just standing there in the middle of the room, trying to process what’s in front of her. It hasn’t even been a full week, but the fight we had in my bedroom closet after she found the masks has made it feel like an eternity. The memories of that incredible night are some of my favorites.
It used to be the best night of her life too until she discovered the truth. But I made a mistake out of desire. I didn’t want to hurt her, not intentionally. And I’m going to prove to her how real this is, even if it takes an eternity. Especially after everything she said to me last night.
I’m going to show her how much I fucking love her. The ideal depiction of genuine love. It’s about not giving up. No matter how dark or difficult it may seem, even when it feels impossible, the outcome will always be worth the struggle.
I’m done fighting this connection. I’m not interested in wasting any more time. I just haven’t figured out a way to tellAaron yet. Not that it’s any of his business, but I know how much this means to Zoe, and I don’t want to make things worse.
Speak of the devil, Aaron strides through his foyer, a disheveled mess. His hair’s in disarray, his tie dangling haphazardly around his neck. The telltale signs of a sleepless night show beneath his eyes. I’d joke about him getting lost in the company of a few women last night, but I’d wager good money he burned the midnight oil, hammering out contracts and doing god knows what else. He’s been pulling overtime, compensating for lost hours while his parents were in town, or so he claims. He hadn’t prioritized Zoe when she first arrived, but his parents, he made time for. And now he’s leaving his sister alone to drink herself to death in his big ass penthouse.
Why have I been so worried about pissing Aaron off? Maybe I’m in the mood to piss him off for the way he’s been treating Zoe lately. Has he forgotten the way his parents treated Zoe her entire life? I know that’s not entirely fair to Aaron, but time and distance have made him forget the past. He’s become softer and more forgiving around his parents, and I’m over it.
I repeatedly peek to see if Zoe is finally ready to leave her room. It’s already six a.m., and I’m sure she’ll be late for work today considering how much alcohol she had last night.
Taking out my phone, I open the tracker to make sure she’s still in her room. Seeing the green dot on the map brings me some level of comfort. I couldn’t simply abandon her after what happened last night. She’s all by herself, resorting to alcohol to numb her feelings. Aaron is never around, and Zoe isn’t one to ask for help. I want to respect her privacy and give her the time and space she needs, but this is just a precautionary measure. I don’t plan on continuously checking on her whereabouts, unless it becomes necessary.
And one day, I’ll tell her about it. I don’t plan on keeping secrets from her anymore.
“Do you two not have your own homes? Oh, wait. Yes, you do. Right in this fucking building,” Aaron remarks aggressively.
“Good morning to you too, sweetheart. Do you need a hug?” Tristan coos.
“Maybe a kick in the balls,” I mutter under my breath, but Tristan catches it, narrowing his eyes at me inquisitively.
Aaron runs a hand down his tired face, dropping his briefcase onto one of the kitchen stools. “I haven’t slept in thirty hours, but I finally sold that billion dollar property. The paperwork for that was a fucking nightmare, so excuse me if I’m a little tired.”
