“Because…this?” Zoey gestured at herself. Giuliana looked puzzled.
“Because you’re…wearing polka dots?” Giuliana cast a critical eye on Zoey’s blouse. “I mean, not a fashion choice I personally would have made…I wouldn’t even call it a fashion choice, actually…”
“No, dork-face, because I’m fat.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Giuliana was genuinely baffled. “You’re full-figured. You’re cute enough. I mean, you’re not my type, but I don’t swing that way. I see guys here checking you out, very carefully so that Dominic doesn’t catch them doing it and kill them, but still, they look. So men must find you hot.”
“Thank you? Or screw you? I’m not sure which.” Zoey started walking again. “But you’re still not answering my question. Why did you warn me away from him if you don’t want him for yourself? Why do you care what happens with him?”
“Because, he’s my friend, and he’s also genuinely a good person,” Giuliana said heatedly. “He deserves a mate who loves him and is devoted to him, and I’m still not sure if that’s you. He’s got a good heart, through and through. Out of all the people in the Blood Oath pack, he’s the one I trust the most.”
“Dominic?”
Giuliana glared at her. “See, there you go. Judging him when you don’t know a thing about him.”
Zoey felt like a boiling over tea kettle. “Because he won’ttellme a damn thing!”
Giuliana’s face turned red and she clenched her fists. “He is loyal, he’s protective, he’s self-sacrificing. And if you don’t appreciate that, you really don’t deserve him!” she shouted. She turned on her heel and stormed off.
Zoey stalked after her and grabbed her shoulder, and Giuliana spun on her with a snarl, her mouth filled with fangs.
“You know, for someone who wants people to treat her like a grownup, and who doesn’t want to be seen as riding on her uncle’s coat-tails, you really act like a tantruming little brat.” Giuliana’s eyes flew open with shock.
“What did you just say to me?Do you know who I am?” And then Giuliana realized what she’d said, and her face went even redder.
“Yes, and I know who your uncle is. Going to run and tell?”
Giuliana glared daggers at Zoey. “No.”
“If you grow up a little, and learn to talk to people without threatening, screaming and then stomping off, people might start to take you seriously.”
And Zoey left Giuliana standing there with her mouth hanging open.
Zoey headed back to the house, and as she made her way through the garden, she spotted Dominic, who was alone now. And she had to admit to herself – it had been really, really hard to stay away from him. She missed seeing him light up when she walked in the room, missed his smile, the way his gaze warmed her. She missed their back and forth sparring. She missed giving him a hard time – both literally and figuratively. She felt pretty and funny and just all-around-good when she was with him.Hemade her feel that way.
When he saw her looking at him, he waved at her. She sighed and waved back, gesturing at him to come over.
He instantly stood up and hurried towards her, which she grudgingly had to admit was pretty flattering.
“Um. Hello,” she said, when he strolled up. “So, oddly enough, Giuliana claims that you’re actually a nice person.”
“She did?” Dominic pretended to look appalled. “Remind me to give her a beat-down later.”
“You don’t always have to put on the tough guy act.”
“It cuts me to the quick that you think it’s an act,” Dominic smirked.
“Ah ha! We’re getting somewhere. I cut you to the quick? I didn’t even think you had a quick. So, you actually have feelings.”
He grinned. “Only for you, princess.”
Zoey rolled her eyes. “Say something real, Dominic.”
“You look lovely today. When I woke up, I wanted to find you in my arms.”
“That’s flattery and flirtation. It’s not real.” She started to walk away.
“Wait!” There was genuine urgency in his voice, so she stopped and turned around. Dominic looked around, as if making sure that nobody was watching, and then dropped to one knee. Right there in front of her.
