She was lost and so was he.
Who knew that two broken hearts can connect to one.
Arabella's world has been rigged since the day she was born. Her fate had been decided for her much longer before she even had been conceived in the womb. So it came as...
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I give a small twirl in the mirror as I look over the dress clinging to my figure. It's a cowl-neck velvet dress in deep navy blue. I saw it one day at the store, and it reminded me so much of Dominic's eyes that I thought it would be perfect. It was supposed to match the lingerie set I planned to wear underneath.
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I wasn't sure if I should still wear it, but I was hoping Dominic would show up.
I chew at my lip, continuing to stare at the tight material. It was gorgeous. It looked amazing. Even after leaving Nicholas, I'd kept my body in the shape he forced it into. I made sure I went to the gym—not to lose more weight, but to build muscle, to feel strong. Through it all, Dominic always reminded me that I was beautiful.
He built my confidence up, even with it shattered on the ground—my mind still sitting in that cell Nicholas kept me in. Dominic showed me that even with flaws, he still saw me as something beautiful. Something he wanted to look at. And that alone made me feel all bubbly and soft.
Without his encouragement, I don't think I'd ever have been able to smile in the mirror again—really look at my body for what it was. I felt... pretty.
I clip half my hair up, letting the rest of my waves fall naturally. I sit at my vanity and start on my makeup. A small smile tugs at my lips. I used to wear makeup to cover scars and bruises—but lately, they've healed. Now I could do my makeup just for fun.
It was nice. Really nice.
Whoever says girls take longer to get ready clearly hasn't met Luca. Even after I finished, he made me wait an extra thirty minutes because his hair wasn't sitting right. And he started before me. Thankfully, he shaved off that funny beard. I missed clean-shaven Luca, and God, I was glad the beard was gone.
The drive there is silent, and I can't help the bundle of nerves knotted in my stomach. Luca tried to figure out why, but I stayed quiet, looking out the window. I take calming breaths, trying to think about anything other than seeing Dominic.
I wanted to see him again. I wanted to make things right.
I glance over at Luca, who looks so carefree. I wonder what his reaction to Dominic will be. Out of all my brothers, he was the closest to him—we all used to hang out together. I pray he'll be on our side. I hope he understands why I kept it a secret.
