Fatally Yours

Chapter 43

•DOMINIK•

The house in Bucharest came into view as the late afternoon sun painted the sky in shades of amber and rose. As we pulled into the driveway, Aunt Aleesa was already waiting by the door, a warm smile on her face.

The moment Nova stepped out of the car, Aleesa swept her away, talking animatedly about getting her ready for the party tonight.

Nova barely had time to glance back at me before disappearing inside, her laughter trailing behind her. 

I leaned back against the car, watching them go, a faint smirk tugging at my lips. There wasn't much to talk about during the drive here, and oddly enough, I didn't mind the silence.

It gave me time to think—something I rarely got to do uninterrupted these days. 

The dynamic between Nova and me had shifted drastically, and I was still trying to process it. It felt too soon to determine whether this thing between us was leading somewhere serious or if it was just a tangled mess of attraction and unchecked desire. 

I thought fucking would get it out of my system, that maybe after what happened this morning, I'd feel some sort of release—closure, even.

But no. It didn't go away. If anything, it made it worse. Now, I craved her more. Her touch, her taste, her voice—it was fucking maddening. 

Every minute spent away from her felt like time wasted, and I hated how much power she unknowingly held over me.

I was Dominik Vitale, the one people feared and respected, and yet here I was, tethered to a whirlwind named Nova. 

At least the feeling was mutual. That much was clear. It made everything easier to handle, knowing she wasn't one of those girls who'd spin fantasies of love and happily ever after after one heated moment.

Nova was different—she wasn't taking it too seriously, wasn't reading into things I wasn't ready to say or feel yet. 

But I wasn't planning on using her either. I wasn't that guy. There was something real here, something worth exploring, and I wanted to figure out what it was. Spend time with her. Get to know her better. 

Besides, I'd already given her the ultimatum. If she wanted out—if she wanted to pretend none of this had ever happened—she had that choice. The ball was in her court. 

Still, a part of me hoped she wouldn't walk away. Not yet.

The buzz of my phone in my pocket snapped me out of my thoughts. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen: Lee.

Swiping to answer, I pressed the phone to my ear. 

"Lee," I greeted, keeping my voice steady. 

"I've got something," Lee replied, his tone clipped and serious. 

"What is it?" I repeated, tension already building in my chest. 

"The cops," he began, "have been sniffing around us for a couple of months now—making nonstop pulls, filing unnecessary search warrants. That kind of heat? It's not normal. It's like they've got a personal grudge against us." 

I clenched my jaw, already feeling my temper rise.

"And this just started?" 

Lee hesitated for a second. "It only started after we recruited some of the East Coast gang to work as security for our cargo transportation. That's when things started going south. If I had to guess, the rat might be one of them. They could be working for the cops, feeding them information on our moves."