Chapter Nineteen
Dominic's reminder of how I would be forced into completing the bond in two weeks put me in somewhat of an awful mood. So much so that after he mentioned it, I climbed out of his lap and put the book away before gathering my bag and leaving.
He quickly followed once he got his coffee, running to catch up with me. "Caroline, please," he grumbled in annoyance. "Don't do this right now."
"Why two weeks, Dom? That's completely unreasonable. You know that isn't fair to either of us," I replied sharply. "You're asking the impossible."
Dominic wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me against him. "We will figure it out, okay? My mark should start to kick in any day now and we will start to truly bond. But there still has to be mutual work going into this."
"I just want to make sure you remember that it was you who forced me into this. I didn't want any part of this. I have had to make the sacrifices to fulfill your needs. What have you sacrificed?" I asked seriously, stopping in my tracks to look at him.
His eyes narrowed at me while he tried to think of something, but he couldn't. "Sugar, it has been weeks. Okay? Weeks. And you're still playing this 'you forced me' game? I know it's upsetting. I know you gave up a lot, but-"
"I'm not finished yet. Let me finish," I cut in. "Regardless of whether or not I was forced into this, which I was, I am stuck here. There's no reversing this. But to give me two weeks to try and come to terms with everything before having sex with me? Dominic, that's madness. That isn't right. You can't put a timeline on something like this."
"On love?" he said softly, a little hopefully.
"No. This isn't love."
He cupped my jaw with his free hand, forcing me to look at him. "But it could be, sugar. If you stop being so stubborn and afraid, you could learn to love me," Dominic claimed.
"Afraid? What am I afraid of?" I tested, raising a brow. He better tread carefully or else he'd be getting a backhand across the cheek.
"Vulnerability. You don't like being vulnerable. That's why you freaked out when Alfie had to leave, why you won't let me get close to you, or any guy for that matter. That's why you're still a virgin."
My hand swung to make contact with his cheek, but he caught it easily, holding it in midair. "But that's okay, gorgeous. There's nothing wrong with being a virgin. It's better for us, actually. I should be the one to take it anyways," he said soothingly, kissing the back of my hand. "I'll work on making you feel more vulnerable so you can be that around me. It'll be a process, though, I know. But I think we can do it in two weeks."
"Don't talk about my virginity ever again. You don't get to decide anything about it, got it?" I snapped, about to turn on my heel, but he kept a steady grip on my wrist.
"My car is this way," he said sternly, cutting me off when I tried to say no. "I let you walk here by yourself. You will come home with me as a compromise."
I wrenched my arm out of his grip, storming towards the direction he motioned to. "Fine, but I'm sitting in the back."
"That's fine with me," Dominic replied with a funny tone of voice, easily catching up and matching my pace. "I am happy as long as you're by my side."
"Say that again and I will puke," I muttered.
He laughed heartily, ruffling my hair. "You're so cute, sugar."
