Fatally Yours

Chapter 23

•INDIANA•

The tension during the ride home was palpable, almost suffocating. I admit that I was a little nervous after the exchange with Dominik on the balcony. His reaction had my nerves on edge, and I'm a bit afraid my mission could be jeopardized because of what I did tonight.

The minute all the vehicles pulled into the driveway, Dominik was the first to get out. He slammed the door behind him and stormed into the house.

Alexa and I exchanged a quick glance. She rubbed my arm reassuringly before leading us inside, and the others followed suit.

Dominik paced around the foyer, his frustration visibly rolling off him in waves. Everyone paused a few feet away from him, afraid to get any closer.

He swiftly turned to face us, his eyes immediately locking onto mine.

"You. My office. Now."

I swallowed the tight knot in my throat, left Alexa's side, and climbed the staircase to his office on the first floor.

Dominik was unpredictable, and it had only taken me three days around him to figure that out. He maintained a cool, icy front, always serious, and I could never read him.

In my line of work, that's the kind of person I hate being around because I always need to be one step ahead. If I can't figure out who I'm dealing with, I'm at a disadvantage.

I opened the door to his office and walked in. I'd only been inside once, but everything about this room clearly reflected Dominik's personality and did nothing to ease my nerves.

The dark curtains were drawn, and the only light was the one illuminating his desk, leaving the rest of the room enveloped in thick darkness. The air conditioning had probably been on for some time, as the chilly air nipped at my exposed skin, seeping through my dress and chilling me to the bone.

Now I was regretting not wearing a jacket.

I sat down in the chair across from the desk. A minute later, Dominik entered. He had taken off his suit jacket, leaving just his white dress shirt. He closed the door, walked toward his desk, and tossed his jacket over the large leather chair.

Then, he braced his hands on the desk, his head bowed as he looked at the floor, and sighed. The silence was unbearable, and I wished more than anything to be anywhere else.

"I asked for one simple thing," he began, raising his head and meeting my eyes. "One. Simple. Fucking. Thing. To follow an order. But you did the complete opposite and ruined the whole plan."

I clenched and unclenched my fist, his gaze piercing mine. The way he spoke, never raising his voice above a low, steady tone, sparked a deep fear inside me. He was furious, but his voice betrayed nothing of his true anger. It was terrifyingly calm.

Like a ticking time bomb.

I hadn't been here long enough to fully understand Dominik, but I was acutely aware I was alone with the most dangerous man I'd ever known. That sudden fear rooted me to my seat, frozen, as if any movement could trigger him.

"You were supposed to keep watch on Mason. Why did you come to the balcony?" he asked, his tone dangerously low.

"I thought something had gone wrong—"

He slammed his hands on the desk, and I flinched.

"I specifically told you to watch Mason and let me handle the rest. Tell me, Nova, do you have a problem comprehending simple instructions, or do you just let that rebellious streak of yours get in the way, doing reckless things that could ruin everything? Is it because you weren't raised by your parents, so you act out to show how tough you are?"

His words struck a nerve. I dug my nails into my palms, clenching my jaw to hold his gaze despite the sting at the back of my eyes.

He moved around the desk, perching on its edge in front of me, arms folded, looking down.

"You think you've got everything under control by stepping in even when it's not needed. But of course, you think you're smart and know what you're doing."

He shook his head and then glared straight into my eyes.

"Let me remind you, Nova West. You're no longer some street rat chasing after the bigger leagues just to show off that rebellious side of yours. You're in my world now, so you follow my orders without question."

He suddenly leaned down, gripping the sides of my chair and pulling me toward him. His face was inches from mine, his jaw tense.

"I own you now," he growled, and I suppressed the urge to hit him across the face.

Who does he think he is, talking to me like this? If we were in a different situation, I'd have him arrested and make sure he rotted in jail.

But I hated that he was right. I was in his world now, and all the power was in his hands.

"Understood?" he asked sharply.

I nodded. "Yes," I forced out through gritted teeth. "I understand."

He slowly leaned back, straightening up while still staring at me. Then his eyes dropped to my cleavage and my exposed thigh through the slit of my dress. Blood boiled under my skin as I quickly covered my thigh with my hand. That look made me uncomfortable.

He reached behind him, grabbed his suit jacket off the chair, and draped it over my shoulders. I looked at him, confused.

What the hell? How could he go from furious to almost gentlemanly in a moment?

His unpredictability drove me crazy. I hated not knowing what he'd do next because my life was on the line, and I needed to be prepared—or I could end up with a bullet between my eyes.

He didn't say another word, only nodded for me to leave. I wasted no time scrambling out of my seat and leaving. Once outside, I exhaled deeply, glancing down at the jacket over my shoulders.

His cologne lingered on the fabric, and I resisted the urge to take a deeper sniff because, one, that would be weird, and two, his words about my past cut deep. Every cell in my body had already started to hate him for that.