Dive into Temptation [ManxBoy]

43. Pathetic Plea

A/N: Time to face Dom. Any guesses for what's about to go down?

~*~

The moment I emerged from the car, Lily's face transformed with sheer delight.

"Adam!" She abandoned her luggage and surged forward, her arms flung wide open, ready for a warm hug.

But as she approached, my heart sank. I couldn't help but notice the array of hickeys adorning her throat. I felt a strange sense of heat and nausea wash over me as I took in the marks, feeling her tight grip engulf me. My eyes involuntarily shifted to Dominic behind her, refusing to meet my gaze as he swiftly unloaded the car. His dismissiveness ignited my anger, and I couldn't help feeling annoyed that he had marked Lily so passionately, as if she was the one he truly cared about. Deep down, I knew that wasn't the truth, at least not entirely. I doubted Lily had the power to drive Dominic as crazy as I could.

"Ryan!" Lily's voice broke through my thoughts as he stepped up behind me. She released her hold on me to take him into her arms

Upon hearing Ryans name, Dominic finally looked up. Our eyes briefly met, and I could sense a flicker of nervousness. Then, with a swift shift, his stare hardened upon Ryan. The air was thick with unspoken tension as Lily drew Ryan into her embrace, dwarfed by his larger frame. Despite the friendly smile on Ryan's face, a shadow lingered, either moody from his father's harsh words earlier or unhappy with Dom's return. His eyes lingered on my previous lover, a silent challenge passing between them before he turned back to me with a knowing look.

Dominic finished unloading the car in a hurry, swiftly escaping into the house. Did he suspect that I had told Ryan about what he did to me? Was that the reason for his weird nervous expression? Ryan seemed somewhat annoyed, and a thought crossed my mind—could he ever confront Dom the way he had stood up to his father earlier? Of course, I knew it would never come to that, since I was determined to keep what Dom did a secret.

Before I could dwell on it further, Lily whisked Ryan and me into the house, her arms linked with ours. She launched into a lively chatter about their trip—the breathtaking views, delicious food, and the interesting people they met. I had no interest in hearing about Dom's joy in the aftermath of his assault on me.

"Why did you come back?" I asked, my voice dripping with coldness. I was going to miss the solitude.

Lily looked taken aback by my attitude, but she seemed to brush it off as teenage angst. "He missed his baby," she replied, nodding towards the kitchen where Dom was loving on Betty Grey, cradling the small cat in his strong arms as if she were a baby.

"And you," Dom added, his face devoid of emotion, making it hard to tell if he was joking or not. Ryan let out a scoff, which went unnoticed by Lily.

"Yes, and you, dear brother," Lily smiled, finally releasing my arm. "So, what have you two been up to?" she asked in a suggestive tone, glancing between Ryan and me with a slight smirk.

"Fuckin'," I deadpanned, and Lily's mouth fell open in shock. Behind her, I caught a glimpse of Dominic tensing up, his brows furrowing disapprovingly. Their reactions caused me to laugh.

"He's just kidding," Ryan quickly interjected, and I nodded, noticing the sigh of relief that escaped Dominic, which instantly irritated me.

"We drank some of your alcohol," I said, deciding it was better to address it now rather than surprise Dominic later. I felt a slight sense of satisfaction for bringing it up in front of Lily, where he couldn't lose his temper on me.

Lily's eyebrows shot up with surprise, and she laughed, saying, "Oh, naughty! You didn't throw a party, did you?"

"Of course not," I replied, glancing at Dominic, who had turned his back to us.