Chapter 6

Aurora POV

As I stare at him, one thought continues to plague me: Dominic Guerrero doesn’t negotiate, he always gets what he wants.

The realization makes my stomach churn with frustration. I shove him away without another word, needing to breathe without him hovering so closely in my stomach. I barely make it two steps before a strong hand reaches out to grab me, pulling me back.

“Don’t—”

I barely have time to reacted before I crash into his chest, that same arm coming around behind me to wrap me up in a tight hold. Heat flushes over my face, hot and needy like the spot between my legs.

His grip on me is firm. Possessive.

“Don’t leave yet,” he murmurs. “I haven’t finished talking to you.”

I hate how good he smells.

That spice cologne I’d gotten intimately familiar with while we’d been wrapped up in bed together now fills my nose. This contact is too familiar, too reminiscent of the last night we were together. My body, traitorous and weak against him, has no choice but to react to those memories.

“Stop.” I grind the words out through my clenched teeth.

He’s not listening to me though.

“If I tell my father what happened between us.” A shiver rolls up my spine from his voice being so dangerously close to my ear. “He’ll never want you. He’s not going to take his own son’s sloppy seconds.”

I swallow.

“And you, along with the rest of your family, will be ruined.”

He’s not bluffing. He doesn’t need to.

If Leonardo ever finds out that I’ve already given my virginity to Dominic, even though it had only been a one-night arrangement, all of this careful planning will fall apart instantly. My father isn’t going to care that it only happened once.

He’ll only care that I failed him—that I cost him his last shot at securing our family peace.

I know exactly how he’s going to make me pay for that.

The problem is… I don’t know what exactly Dominic hopes to gain from this. Exposing us will look bad on his end too. Not to mention his relationship with his father already seems rocky enough. Why make it worse?

“And what’s the benefit to you exposing what happened?” I ask.

His lip twitches. “What do you mean? There’s no downside.”

Bastard. He’s enjoying this, enjoying watching me squirm. “So you simply want to hold this over my head in order to blackmail me? For me to do whatever you want whenever?”

He shrugs, an easy smirk stretching across his mouth. “It seems you’re catching on quite quickly.”

Something tells me there’s more at play here but I’m in no position to demand answers. Dominic is the one in control here, which seems like a regular occurrence for him. Whatever is going on, I’m going to be forced to play along whether I want to or not.

“Fine.” I say.

He chuckles. “Excellent. I’m glad you’re seeing things clearly. You’re much easier to talk to than I expected.”

I don’t respond, too focused on the way his grip remains firm on me, keeping me caged against him.

Then finally, he lets me go.

The sudden absence sends me stumbling back a step, my breath coming in quicker than I’d life. I suck in a much needed inhale, willing my pulse to steady as my senses clear from his intoxicating scent.

I barely have time to recover before he moves again. He reaches forward, slipping my purse from my grip with ease.

“Hey—” I start, but he’s already rooting around for something inside, completely unbothered he’s invading my personal space. “What are you…?”

Before I can finish my sentence, he pulls out my phone, his fingers moving across the screen with practiced ease.

“There.” His smirk is maddening. “Just as I told you before, I’d get your number whether you wanted me to have it or not.”

I scowl, snatching it back from him with more force than I mean to. He watches me with amusement as I glance down at the new contact, no name saved with it.

“Be sure to save it under something less conspicuous. Wouldn't want anyone to know we’re having personal conversations.” He says.

The way he says ‘personal’ sends another unwanted shiver down my spine.

Giving him one final glare, I quickly type in his initials into the contact bar and then shove my phone back into my back. “Fine.”

He chuckles. “Hopefully it was under something you can keep track of. I would hate to be mixed up with your other boyfriends.”

My brow raises instantly. “I’ve never been in a relationship before so that’s impossible.”

The moment the words leave my mouth, I realize I’ve made a mistake.

Dominic stills for half a second, his eyes flickering with something that brings me back to the night we shared together—a possessive interest that is what got me into this mess in the first place.

The one that pulled me apart piece by piece as if I belonged to him.

“Never?” His voice is softer now, almost thoughtful. “Not in love or… anything?”

I frown, crossing my hands over my chest in some stupid attempt to put even the smallest barrier between us. “No.”

It’s not a lie.

Not that it matters.

Dominic tilts his head slightly, analyzing me. “Not even the other night?”

Our night, he means.

The one I wasn’t supposed to think about ever again. The night I was supposed to completely erase from my mind but for some reason, the universe decided to tease me endlessly with.

“No.” I say again, this time a little more forcefully.

His lip curls up. “Interesting.”

I want to go home.

“Now,” he murmurs, moving towards me again. “Let’s go back to the dinner table and continue playing our roles. We wouldn’t want my father getting suspicious now, would we, mother?”

Disgust rolls through my stomach. “Don’t call me that.”

He chuckles as I spin around on my heel, marching towards the doors again. When I turn to look over my shoulder, I’m surprised to see he hasn’t moved from his spot.

“Aren’t you coming?” I ask.

“Basic rule of counter-surveillance,” he says smoothly. “Never ever a place at the same time.”

Whatever.

Without another word, I storm back into the restaurant.