The Way You See Me

Chapter Eighteen

Dom and I had finished our breakfast and spent about an hour chilling on the couch with a movie playing on his tv. Now, we are sitting on lawn chairs in the backyard, Max lying in the grassy patch across from us.

It's not too hot today, but definitely cooler than yesterday, thanks to the rain we got last night. It is gorgeous in the shade, really. We have a small table between us, with a pitcher of ice cold lemonade along with two glasses on top of it.

I lean back and sigh happily. I haven't been this calm, this content, in a while. I was, well, happy. 

That's a weird thing for me. Usually I'm just okay, not sad, not mad, but also not happy, per say. Just... me. It's nice to feel this way for a change.

I look over at Dom and I can't help but grin. He makes me so happy. I love being around him. 

Love. Also an unfamiliar concept to me. Do I love Dom? I don't know. I don't think so. Maybe. No. I don't. Not yet, at least. It's too soon to know, right? We have hardly known each other a week or two- I couldn't keep track anymore. Sure, I can hardly keep him off my mind, but I also don't know everything about him and he certainly doesn't know everything about me. One little thing about one of us could scare the other off. That's life.

Dominic looks over and sees me staring. He laughs a bit, making me blush. Oops. 

"What are you looking at, gorgeous?" He asks, his voice so calm as he says it. Smiling like he doesn't realize he just lit my world up with those few words.

Gorgeous. What I called the weather today. What Dom apperantly thinks I am. Two totally different connotations, yet basically the same meaning. 

I smile back and shrug. "You,"

He leans towards me, careful to avoid the lemonade glasses. He pauses millimeters away from my face, and I feel like my heart skips a beat as he looks at me. Those killer green eyes, with lashes I could only help but be jealous of. Guys always have the best lashes. 

"Can I kiss you?" He murmurs softly. 

Wow, respectful men are like, twenty times more attractive.

I smile a bit and nod, "Of course you can," I reply, closing the small distance between us as our lips meet again, my eyes closing. 

It's a slow, meaningful kiss. His hand reaches over to my face, fingertips brushing my cheek, making chills go down my spine. Mine finds its way over to his thick, soft curls, entangling in them, tugging slightly. 

A minute or two later, when he finally pulls back, I'm left speechless. I bite my bottom lip and lean back in my chair, smiling like a little girl who just got told she was going to Disney for the summer. 

I hear Dom chuckle again after a moment and I turn my head to look at him. "What?" I ask.

"Calleigha, not to sound too soft, but I don't think I've ever felt this way about someone before. That was one of the best kisses I've ever had; you make me feel like I'm floating." He says, his eyes locked with mine.

Here I go, smiling like an idiot again. I shake my head, but keep looking at him. I could sit here like this all day. 

"I want you to move in with me," He says, looking back out at the yard, where Max was lying beneath a tree, in the shade. 

I stay silent, causing him to look at me again. He looked so hopeful. He knew what I was going to say though, since he continues with, "Nick can't keep you locked down forever, Cali, you have to move on. You'll be with me, you won't live alone, you won't have to be his DD anymore." 

I swallow hard. I had no clue what to say. "I-I don't know if that's a good idea," 

Dom sighs and looks back at Max again, "Okay," Is all he says. 

I feel guilty for not immediately giving in, but I'm not some other girl. I'm not normal. I can't do what I want all the time. I don't think Dominic realizes how much of a hold Nick really has on me. How much danger I could potentially be in if he even found out I was here right now. 

I sit up, looking at Dom again. "I think I should be getting home now," I say, and stand. Max trots over to me and runs between my legs, almost knocking me over. I smile and pet him. "This guy needs to eat anyway." I add.

Dom stands as well and nods. "I'll drive you, come on," 

Once we're all in the car and on our way, I think about everything that's happened in the past couple days. It's been quite a ride. I don't think it's over yet, though.

We pull into my apartment complex about 15 minutes later. Dom's house isn't too far from mine, I realize now.

My eyes scan the cars anywhere near where my place is, not seeing Nick's. I let out a sigh of relief. Dom pulls into an empty spot and puts the car in park, looking over at me. 

I smile a bit and lean over, giving him a quick kiss before I go. He has other ideas, his hand pulling me closer a bit with his hand on the back of my head. My eyes close as I lean towards him some more, giving into the deep kiss he was pulling me into. 

A loud bang on the window causes us both to pull back, staring at the driver's window where the culprit of the noise is glaring in, yanking at the door handle, which, thankfully, was locked.

I was pretty sure my heart might have stopped beating. Nick's eyes are glaring into mine and I can't bring myself to look away. I'm shaking, gripping onto Dominic's arm without realizing it. 

"What the f-?" Dom says, clearly pissed off. "Who the fuck is this?" He asks, turning to me as Nick starts to pound on the window, yelling to unlock it or he'd shatter the glass. 

I can't find the words to tell him that it's Nick. Didn't he reconize him? He must realize now, by the look on his face.

Dom looked at me, and it was like it clicked in his brain, and now he was beyond pissed. "Oh, you better be kidding me right now," He growls.

Quickly opening the door, shoving Nick back a bit, Dom gets out of the car, slamming the driver's door behind him. "What the fuck is your problem, dude?" He yells, throwing his hands up as Nick regains his composure and storms towards him. 

Without hesitation, Nick punches Dom square in the face, connecting with his jaw as Dom was slow to duck. "Are you serious?" He spits. 

Nick tries to go again, this time failing as Dom hits him hard, right in the nose. I yelp from inside the car and cover my face with my hands, unable to watch. I try to hold myself together, but this was awful. Exactly what I didn't want to happen. 

The next time I look up, Dom has Nick pinned on the ground, on his back as Dom holds his wrists down with either knee. Nick tries to knee Dom's crotch but Dom rolls off him hardly in enough time for Nick to miss. 

Nick now quickly gets up and walks away from Dom, towards the car. His face is so twisted with anger and smeared with blood it's hard to tell it's him. I'm frozen in place as he storms over to my door. 

Fuck. It's unlocked.

Of course, it was too late for me to reach out and lock it, since Nick was already yanking the door open, reaching for me. I'm unable to move. I physically can't. It's like my body is no longer connected to my brain. 

Right as Nick grabs my arm, Dom grabs him and throws him to the ground beside the car. I try to focus, but can't. My mind is spinning. I'm still shaking, bad. 

I hear a few yells, then see people coming towards us. Two guys, it looks like. They rush over and try to pull the men apart. Dom lets off as soon as Stranger Number One pulls on his arms, but Nick gets out of Stranger Number Two's grip and goes back to Dom, who is hunched over a bit, as Nick is aiming for his nose. 

I'm not sure how, but I get out of the car in hardly enough time, because as I watched Nick throw that punch, it was coming right for my face. 

I must've blacked out again. I can't see anything and I can't feel anything. Why is this happening again? He couldn't have hit me that hard, right?

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