Kyrin’s face lit up immediately. “And to think… we werejusttalking about you.”
I shot a warning glance at Kyrin.
Domino chuckled, stepping further inside. “Good things, I hope?”
“Yup,” Kyrin replied, a cheeky grin spreading across his face. “I was just asking Jo when are y’all getting married.”
“Oh, my God!” I jumped up so quickly my chair skidded across the floor.
Before Domino could even respond to Kyrin’s playful jab, I grabbed his arm.
“Come on,” I muttered, dragging him toward the exit.
Kyrin laughed behind us, his voice teasing.
“Take a nap!” I snapped back.
I pulled Domino out into the hallway and swiftly closed the door behind us, cutting off Kyrin’s laughter.
Domino let out a low chuckle, tilting his head as he looked at me. “What was all that about?”
“Nothing,” I insisted quickly, brushing it off. “He’s just… ready for me to have a man, get married, have kids… the whole fairytale.”
Domino's smile dimmed slightly, a flicker of seriousness crossing his features. “And that’s what I want to give you.”
In that moment, I was momentarily at a loss for words, so I settled for a soft smile, my heart fluttering at his admission.
“Yeah…” I said quietly, my thoughts racing. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk about.”
His eyes sharpened, the seriousness of the conversation intensifying.
I turned and walked toward my room, and he followed closely behind. Once inside, I closed the door behind us, the tension already building again. But that time, it wasn’t chaotic; it was intentional.
We sat on the edge of my bed, our knees almost touching.
Right then, I found myself hesitating, trying to gather my thoughts, unsure how to express everything I felt for him.
“Domino, I don’t know much about your world, but I understand how men in your position feel about loyalty,” I finally began, my voice shaking a little. “I have feelings for you... something I didn’t expect to happen so soon. I’d hate if anything happened to you because of our relationship, so I think it’s only right to go ahead and tell my father about us.”
He put a finger to my lip, silencing me. “Shh. He knows.”
My eyes widened in surprise, shock flooding my mind. “He does? How?”
“I told him myself… before he could hear it from anyone else.”
I searched his face for any signs of uncertainty but found none. “And?”
He chuckled, a warm sound that took the edge off my anxiety. “And… he gave me his blessing. I had to promise him that I’d never hurt you, though. He said if I did, he’d hurt me worse… and I know he means it."
Domino’s jaw flexed slightly before he continued, "And I respect that. ‘Cause truth is, I don’t wanna be another reason you gotta heal from something.”
His eyes locked on mine, steady and unflinching.
“I’m not here to play with you, Ajori. I'm no longer curious about you or just trying to pass time. I see you and I want you. Simple as that.”
“Wow. So… this is real?”
He nodded. “Hell yeah, it’s real. This ain’t no fantasy, Ajori. Ain’t no sneakin’. Ain’t no games. I don’t move like them other niggas. I don’t waste time on shit I don’t care about... and I care about you.”
