HIS

Chapter 6

After a conversation that left me feeling hollow and shaken, Domenico walked me back to the table so I could grab my purse. We needed to leave—just in case any of those men decided to return and stir up more trouble.

As soon as I reached the table, Tessa and Mia launched into a flurry of questions, their concern written all over their faces. Meanwhile, Paige and Jessica looked like they'd forgotten how to breathe, openly gawking at Domenico. He stood beside me, expression unreadable, his eyes fixed solely on me. He didn't spare them a glance.

"Sorry for the delay," I said, clearing my throat. "Let me introduce you—this is my friend Domenico." I gestured toward him with a quick thumb. "Domenico, these are my college friends: Tessa, Mia, Jessica, and Paige."

Domenico gave them a brief nod—polite, but distant. He didn't say a word. Whether it was social awkwardness or just disinterest, I couldn't tell. Either way, it came off a little cold.

Tessa and Mia both smiled warmly as they greeted Domenico in unison. Jessica, on the other hand, was busy making exaggerated eye contact and flirty gestures that came off as desperate and awkward. She looked ridiculous, honestly.

Aren't men supposed to pursue women, not the other way around? I might not know much about relationships, but I've read enough to understand the basics. In my opinion, women shouldn't be the ones doing the chasing. They should be the ones pursued. Standards, ladies. If you want to be respected—not just by men, but by society—you need to start with self-respect and self-worth. That's the foundation.

I could tell Tessa and Mia were bursting with questions, their curiosity practically radiating off them. But those conversations would have to wait until Monday. Right now, I needed to leave. I needed space to breathe, to gather my thoughts, and to process the conversation that had just shaken me to my core.

"What happened with those guys?" Tessa asked, her voice laced with concern.

"They tried to pressure me into joining them for drinks and didn't exactly take 'no' gracefully," I explained. "Thankfully, Domenico stepped in before things got worse." I turned slightly toward him, and he smirked, casting a quick glance in my direction.

He really should smile more—he's surprisingly handsome when he does. Still intimidating, though. Very intimidating.

"Mia, thank you so much for a lovely evening," I said, turning to her with a pout to show how sad I was to leave. I kept my swollen wrist hidden behind my back and draped my coat over it as I leaned in to thank her.

She gave me a warm smile and a nod of understanding. I knew she wouldn't take it personally—Mia's never been the type to hold things against people.

"Oh, and before I forget—I took care of the bill," I added, grabbing my purse from the table. "Feel free to order anything else you want. It's all covered."

"No way, you didn't have to do that," Mia said, clearly surprised. She knew how hard I worked for my money and probably assumed I'd paid the bill out of pocket. Yeah, no. This place belonged to Domenico, and during our conversation in the back, I made sure the meal was comped.

"Don't worry about it," I said with a wink. "Consider it part of your birthday gift."

With that, we stepped away from the table, leaving the girls to enjoy the rest of their night. Domenico's hand rested lightly on the small of my back as we walked.

Okay, dude—ease up on the whole protective-bestie act. You're laying it on thick. I scolded him silently, but if I'm being honest... it felt kind of nice. Being treated like I mattered. Like someone actually cared.

He held the door open for me, then led me to a sleek, matte black car with tinted windows—definitely not your average ride. When I slid into the passenger seat, I noticed it was just the two of us. I gave him my address, and we pulled away, heading toward my apartment.