Mis-directed email

chapter 15- 16

CHAPTER 15

The elevator doors had just opened on her floor when a very raging and angry Dominic reached out his hands. He grabbed her arms demanding to know where she'd been.

"Where have you been?" He stood aggressively in front of the elevator doors his hands clasp on her forearms. He wanted to pull her on into his embrace his fear making him act more aggressive than lover like. She shook his hand off and then as she started toward their rooms he held his hands clenched at his side, as he stalked beside her toward her hotel room door.

"Where did you go? I left you in your room and when I needed to talk to you, you were gone." He accused. Fear made his voice gravel hard and angry. "You left, just left after I told you not too." His words hissing through his tightening lips as his jaws harden like granite.

Dominic knew he was being unreasonable. He'd just found her gone and he'd felt a shaft of fear spike through his heart. His thoughts had stalled with no idea what to do, a very unprofessional response. It was the response of a man in love. He couldn't even remember what he'd knocked on her door to say to her. He'd told her not to leave the room. He had no idea where the anger came from. He had no right to be so angry. But he was and the strength of that anger startled him.

The tension from the gift shop, the unfair assault and the still nagging headache made her snap back at him.

"It doesn't matter where I went. I am an adult and I don't have to answer to you. I'm not a prisoner and you're not my keeper. If I want to leave my room I can and I will, and...And I don't want you in my room anymore." She shouted, eyes stormy and clouding as she stormed into her room and slammed the door. Then she locked it. She tossed her purse and her bags onto the bed as she passed it.

She stalked into the bathroom, slamming that door too and promptly broke into tears.

His attack had been unfair. He'd had no right to be so angry with her. And why it should make her feel so miserable she didn't know. Weepy and upset she went to sink, stripping all of her makeup off and washed her face. She brushed her teeth as she wiped the last of her tears from her face. Going into the bedroom she placed the bag with Henry's gifts in the side pocket of her suitcase. Gone was the happiness she'd had at finding the perfect gift for Henry. Miserable and upset she changed into her nightgown, saying a small prayer for understanding and help, went to bed but it was hours later before she managed to drift into fitful sleep.

Dominic stared at the slammed door and knew that he'd over reacted. What was wrong with him? He'd blown it. But he had been so afraid that something had happened to her. They were in a potentially dangerous situation with a security threat and she should have known better than to disappear. The relief of seeing that she was OK had come out as harsh anger. He'd lashed out when she had gotten off the elevator. He hadn't been able to stop himself from speaking his harsh accusing words. He didn't know why he'd been so angry. He hung his head. Running his hand thru his hair with a weary and frustrated sigh he went to his door and retrieved his key from his pocket. Letting himself into his own hotel room he decided to take a shower to try and calm down. He'd have to apologize to her but maybe it would be best to wait until they both had gotten some sleep. But even with the frustration he recognized relief that she was OK. She was safe.

The next morning Dominic tapped gently at the connecting door.

The night had been long and tiring and he realized he would have felt better if he had stayed awake. After a long night of fighting unseen enemies and waking from past nightmares, his shoulder was achy. During the night his hands had been clinched in a strangle hold on Rudy that Russian Romeo. It took a long time to ease his sore muscles and they were still tender even after his long shower.