Fatally Yours

Chapter 20

•INDIANA•

The light stroke of the brush gently swept across my cheeks before she moved it up to my cheekbones, highlighting whatever concealer or powder she had applied to my face.

I'd spent an hour and a half glued to the stiff armchair in front of the vanity mirror, watching Alexa do my makeup. I had offered to do it myself, but she insisted so much that I finally let her, after firmly telling her I didn't want any heavy makeup.

Despite agreeing to that, I'm starting to feel like she's doing heavy makeup anyway, just because she wants to. I sighed for the tenth time and closed my eyes while she worked on them.

When she finally finished, I opened my eyes to find her grinning at me.

"Can I look now?" I asked. She nodded eagerly.

She moved aside to let me see myself in the mirror, and I almost smiled in satisfaction. I didn't know she had such talent with makeup until today. I looked good. And I hadn't looked this good in a very long time.

Having a career like mine comes with limited opportunities for events like this, as half the time I'm either spending the next 48 hours in my office working on a case or in my bedroom trying to catch up on sleep. So, attending dinner parties and social events is a rare occurrence for me.

"What do you think?" Alexa asked, a hint of excitement in her tone.

I slipped off the armchair, feeling the numbness in my legs nearly make me wobble. I glanced in the mirror once more before turning to her with a smile.

"It's great. I love it."

She clapped her hands together before turning away.

"I knew you would! Now let's get you into your dress—you have less than twenty minutes before Dom starts yelling at us from downstairs to hurry the fuck up."

I held back a chuckle and followed her across the room, where the dress for tonight's dinner party lay sprawled across the bed. I'm still getting used to Dominik's cold personality, and so far I've successfully avoided any situation where I might piss him off, knowing full well the consequences.

But his inner circle seems used to it by now. Though they don't show it, I can tell they're all close, their bond running deep. That includes Katarina, whom I have yet to know.

Alexa picked up the black dress lying on the bed, turning it to show me.

"Perfect, right? I know—I have great taste." She smiled, and I nodded with feigned enthusiasm while taking the dress from her.

I don't even remember the last time I wore a dress like this. Probably prom in high school. Alexa helped me put it on because we both wanted to make sure it fit without tearing anything, and then I slowly turned toward the mirror.

I wasn't one for gowns like this—sleek, form-fitting, with a slit that ran daringly up one leg—but there was something about this dress that made me feel different. Confident, even.

It molded perfectly to my curves, yet felt like I was hardly wearing anything at all. The slit showed just enough leg to make a statement without saying a word, and the strapless cut exposed my shoulders, somehow adding a touch of elegance to the boldness.

As I looked in the mirror, I couldn't help but admire the way the dress transformed me. The simple black fabric contrasted sharply with my skin, making me look almost statuesque. I felt powerful, mysterious, and beautiful all at once, and it was a feeling I hadn't expected from a dress I'd usually consider too flashy.

Alexa grabbed my shoulders from behind and tucked her chin on the hollow of my neck as her eyes meets mine in the mirror.

"You're perfect."

OoO

As Alexa and I stepped out of the room and made our way down the grand staircase, I could feel the weight of every gaze shifting toward me. Each step felt heavier under the scrutiny, yet I held my head high, trying to keep my focus ahead. But even with everyone's eyes on me, there was only one that caught my attention, drawing me like a magnet.

Dominik was standing by the door, his posture relaxed yet commanding in a sleek black suit that fit him perfectly. The fabric seemed almost to gleam under the soft lighting, emphasizing the sharp lines of his shoulders and chest.

His hair was styled back, revealing the full intensity of his gaze, and on his wrist, a silver Rolex caught the light, adding a touch of luxury to his already captivating appearance. He looked both powerful and effortlessly elegant, the kind of man who was fully aware of the effect he had on others.

As our eyes met, a slow, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips, and I felt my pulse quicken. Dominik's gaze roamed over me, taking in every detail, as if he was savoring the moment.

I could feel the intensity in his stare, a silent tension that hummed between us. His eyes lingered on the slit of my dress, the curve of my shoulder, and when they finally returned to my face, it was with a look that sent a shiver through me.

I couldn't deny the pull I felt toward him, but it confused me, unsettled me. I had to keep reminding myself that he was dangerous, that he wasn't someone I could trust.

He was the enemy, a man I should fear, not be drawn to. But as I continued down the stairs, each step bringing me closer to him, it felt like a battle within myself—a struggle to resist the undeniable fatal attraction that simmered beneath my every rational thought.

"Let's go," he said the moment I approached him near the door. "We'll go through the plan in the car."

The others dispersed and left the house, accompanied by a few of Dominik's men, all getting into separate vehicles. I followed Dominik to the black Mercedes Benz G-Class waiting out front.

Without a word, Dominik opened the door for me and waited as I stepped inside, gathering the long side of my dress in one hand. He closed the door behind me and got in from the other side. The driver started the car, and we began to pull away, the rest of the vehicles following suit.

As we settled into the back seat of the car, silence draped over us, thick with unspoken tension. Dominik was sitting just inches away, closer than I'd anticipated, and suddenly, every one of my senses was hyper-aware of him.

I tried to maintain my composure, to sit calmly and casually, but it felt impossible. All I could feel was the presence of him beside me, like an invisible energy pulling at me, making my skin prickle with awareness.

He smelled incredible, a subtle, clean scent that was both fresh and rich, something like cedarwood with a hint of spice. The fragrance was warm and intoxicating, wrapping around me and making it hard to think straight. His cologne was stirring something inside me I didn't want to acknowledge—a sensation both unsettling and oddly magnetic.

Dominik started going over our plans for tonight, his voice low and steady, each word precise. But the details faded into the background, lost to the sound of his deep voice as it resonated through the quiet car.

There was something almost hypnotic about it, the way his voice wrapped around his words, calm yet commanding. And it made me feel... well, I wasn't sure what it made me feel, but it was a reaction I didn't want to have.

I struggled to stay focused, mentally repeating to myself that I couldn't afford to be distracted. But every time I tried, I'd catch another whiff of his cologne, or notice the way his sleeve brushed against mine, and my resolve would waver.

It was terrifying to realize that I might be attracted to him. Dominik was supposed to be dangerous, a man I should be wary of. And yet, there was a pull there—an attraction I couldn't deny, no matter how much I wanted to.