DOM: Alliance Series Book Three, page 11
He lowers his face to my throat, breathing me in. “I love that you smell like me.”
“Dom,” I plead.
“I wonder if you smell like me everywhere.”
“Please!” I cry, no longer able to take his teasing.
“Please what?”
“Please do more.”
“You want more, Mama? You want me to give you more?” My hips lift just as Dom slides his hands lower. His fingers glide against me, my body ready for his. “Always so fucking wet for me.”
I am. I always am.
Then he’s lifting off me. All the way off the bed.
“Where are you…” Dominic shoves his boxers off, and my words fade into a moan.
That. I want that.
I’ve felt it. I’ve had it inside me. But seeing his cock like this makes my mouth water.
“I was gonna go slow with you. Spend some time with my tongue in your pussy. But now you have to wait for that.” He kneels on the end of the bed. “Because you begging me for more is my breaking point. And I want to bury my cock in this sweet little pussy right now.”
My pulse is going so wild I can’t reply. I just hold my arms up, welcoming him into my embrace.
He drops down on top of me. His big body over mine is instantly comforting.
We’ve never been like this. This open. This naked. This together.
I slide my hands up to grip the back of his neck, digging my nails into his skin when the blunt head of his cock presses against my entrance.
I pull him toward me.
“What do you need?” he asks, his voice deeper than I’ve ever heard.
“I need you to kiss me.”
He does.
Dominic lowers his mouth to mine, and the soft caress of his lips is exactly what I wanted.
His mouth moves against mine, just a little, and he pushes his hips forward. Just a little.
He moves so slow. Just one more inch.
His lips part against mine.
One more inch.
I lick into his mouth.
He groans, but he doesn’t move quicker.
Our mouths seal together.
Another inch.
And my body is ready to take all of him.
I need all of him.
I need us to consummate.
I scrape my fingers up the back of his head. “Husband, please.”
His whole body shudders, and he tips his head back into my hand.
“Wife,” he growls, then presses his lips back against mine.
And he presses his hips forward.
Inches blur together until I’m full. Full and moaning and clawing to hold him closer.
He moves, his length sliding in and out of me, his chest heaving above me, my hands everywhere they can reach.
He slides his hand between us. His fingers circle my bundle of nerves, his slippery fingers working me over.
His mouth leaves mine and presses against my ear. “Come for me.” His hips rock forward. “Come on this cock. Show me what a good little wife you can be. Show me how I make you feel.”
I’m so lost to the sensations, so lost to him, that it just takes one more pass. One more circle of his fingers, and I’m coming apart, just like he asked.
CHAPTER 13
Val
“So.” I dip my fry in the little ramekin of ketchup. “How, um, do you see this going?”
We’ve moved to the couch in the living room part of Dom’s suite to eat room service burgers while the TV quietly plays a sitcom I’m not familiar with.
“Well.” Dom leans back, his plate balanced on his lap. “Figure the easiest way is for me to change my flight so I’m heading home with you. And since I remember you telling me that you drive a little Honda, we’ll get an SUV or truck or whatever you need to fit your stuff and then drive down to Chicago.”
I watch him while I take a sip of my root beer. “You make it sound so easy.”
He smirks. “It is easy.”
“What about my apartment?”
Dom lifts a shoulder. “What about it? You rent, right?”
My nod is slow as I think about it.
It’s currently the second week of November; my lease runs out at the end of the year, and I have until the end of next week to let them know if I’m renewing my lease or leaving. So it really isn’t that big of a deal to pay for December, even if I’m not living there.
Dom misunderstands my silence. “I can buy out the remainder of your lease.”
I shake my head. “It’s not that. I only have it until the end of the year. It’s…” I lean forward and set my plate on the coffee table so I can turn to face the handsome-as-fuck man next to me.
After our consummation, Dom took a shower, and I dressed in leggings and a sweater from my luggage, which Dom somehow arranged to be delivered.
But even after sleeping all day, I’m still exhausted, and I’m having a hard time believing this is real.
“Shorty, what’s worrying that brain of yours?” Dom puts the last bite of burger into his mouth, then places his plate on the coffee table next to mine.
Loyalty and trust.
“It was hard to find an apartment I liked in Minneapolis. And if things don’t work out and I have to move back, I won’t have anywhere to go.”
Dominic turns to face me, bending his leg onto the couch until his knee touches mine.
He takes his time before he answers. “Valentine, I enjoy being around you. I enjoy talking to you. And being in close proximity isn’t going to change that.” He reaches out to grip my thigh. “But if a time comes that we aren’t able to make things work, I won’t ever leave you to fend for yourself. This is a partnership, and whether you love me or hate me, I’ll always protect you.”
My lungs catch on the word love, and I can hardly breathe.
I’ll always protect you.
I place my hand over his.
Protect might be a weird thing to say, but King uses that word all the time when he’s talking about family. So maybe it’s just an alpha-male thing.
Only, when King offers me protection, it’s out of familial obligation. This… This is different.
“I can’t imagine ever hating you,” I admit.
Dom tightens his hold on my leg. “Good.”
I roll my eyes. And then it hits me. Protection. Guess we’re having this talk now. “Okay, so, there are two things about this plan of yours.”
Dom raises his brows. “Only two?”
“Well, two to start with.” I take a deep breath. “One, there’s going to be a man waiting for me at the airport.”
Dom leans toward me. “Excuse me?”
I press a hand to his chest, the soft T-shirt a contrast to what I normally see him in. “Hold your horses. It’s not a man like that. He’s a driver. Kind of a bodyguard.”
“You have a bodyguard,” he repeats.
“Yeah, so…” I groan and tip my head back. “My half—my brother is kind of a big deal. Like he’s super rich. And he’s overprotective to a fault, which has recently extended to me. So now I have a guy named Bo driving me everywhere. I don’t even remember the last time I started my car.”
“What’s Bo’s last name?”
Dom’s question has me tipping my head back up to look at him. “I… I don’t actually know.”
“I’ll find out,” he states like there’s nothing off about me having a bodyguard. “And that might actually work out. You can get a ride home with him and start packing while I find a good car to rent.”
I slowly nod.
That’s actually a brilliant idea. Because there’s no way Bo will just step aside if I tell him I have a new husband to drive me home. And if Dom tried to ride with us, Bo would definitely call King, and I’d rather control the when and how of that conversation.
“What’s number two?”
“Two?” Then I remember. “Well, it’s my brother.”
“The rich one?”
“Yeah.” I blow out a breath. “So, he knows that I’ve been talking to someone. It was his wife who saw our texts that one time. They’ve been a little relentless in asking about you. But I didn’t want to tell them your name until things got, well, more serious.” I hold up my hand, the big diamond sparkling between us. “But now I think we’re there.”
Dom lifts his left hand, clicking his ring against mine. “I think you’re right.”
“It’s just that he’s a little unpredictable sometimes, and I think it would be better to break the news in person. If I call or text him, he’s just gonna flip and demand to meet you anyway.”
Dom nods. “My family would be the same way. How about we stop over there after we pack up your apartment? Get it all done in one go.”
I bite my lip. “So we’re doing this?”
Dominic hooks one of his hands around the back of my neck, pulling me in and pressing his lips to mine. “We’re doing this.” Then he releases me and grabs his phone off the coffee table. “I’m gonna change my ticket. And you can email your work to tell them you need to change your address on file.”
My eyes widen. “I hadn’t even thought about that.”
“Work?” He looks up at me.
I smile. “Our main office is in Chicago. I’ll still work from home. Er, remotely,” I correct, wondering if it’s weird to call Dom’s place home when I haven’t even seen it. “But I can go into the office for meetings and stuff. And the girl whose bachelorette party I came here for is based there, and she’s cool, so it’d be fun to see her.”
“Downtown driving can be a lot, so just let me know when you want to go to the office, and I’ll have someone take you.”
“Okay!” Excitement fills me as I reach for my phone to email my boss, too giddy to think twice about Dom getting me a driver.
We’re really doing this.
CHAPTER 14
Val
The cool plastic of my iced latte does nothing to calm my nerves, or my palms, as we near King’s estate.
“Not a bad location,” Dominic comments as he drives our rented SUV alongside Darling Lake.
“It’s really pretty out here.” I look at bare tree branches as we drive past, wishing we’d had a chance to do that fall date.
“Valentine.” Dom puts his hand on the center console for me.
I wipe the condensation off my palm onto my jeans, then place my hand in his. “Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”
He squeezes my fingers. “Don’t apologize. You can feel however you want.”
“Right, sorry.” I huff. “Not sorry.”
Dom chuckles. “You’ll get the hang of it.”
“Turn here.” I put my coffee in the cup holder, then wipe that palm on my pant leg.
Dominic follows my directions, and after just another minute, I can see the edge of King’s property. The tall fence and looming gate, complete with armed guards, get closer by the second.
“It’s that one there.” I point.
Dom starts to slow, and I can see at least three men on the other side of the gate step closer.
Guilt and panic slam into my chest.
“Dominic.” My hand is trembling in his. “There’s something else about my brother…”
But then we’re there. And one of the men, who stepped through a secure side entrance, is approaching Dom’s window, gun visible at his side.
Dom lowers his tinted window, setting his left hand palm up on the sill.
A strangled sound catches in my throat when the guard pulls his gun from its holster.
“Afternoon,” Dom greets the guard way too calmly. “We’re here to see King.”
When Dom says we, the guard steps to the side so he can see past my husband’s big frame into the passenger seat.
I recognize him at the same time he recognizes me.
“Hi.” I wave at him with my far hand.
The guard, whose name I can’t remember, steps closer to Dom’s window. I can tell there’s movement at the gate, but I keep my eyes on the guard.
“Val, are you okay?” The guard narrows his eyes, and I follow his line of sight to where Dom is still holding my hand.
“Yep.” I try to keep the stress out of my voice. “Is King home? I texted him earlier and let him know I was going to stop by.” As I say it, I don’t remember if I’ve ever used King’s name in front of Dom before. But he just asked for King by name, so I must have.
The guard takes a step forward, and the hand Dom has on the windowsill balls into a fist. “That’s close enough.”
“Fuck you,” the guard snaps at Dom, and my mouth drops open.
“You’re not my type,” Dom replies. “Now let us in.”
The guard spins away, gesturing to the men inside the property to open the gate.
“I can’t believe how rude he was,” I whisper, because Dom’s window is still open.
Dom shrugs. “He’s just doing his job.”
All the security men have their hands on the butts of their guns as we pass through the gate.
I’ve never seen them so on edge.
I take a slow breath as we make our way up the driveway. “Dominic, my brother…”
Why is this so hard?
My brother is one of the leaders of a criminal organization called The Alliance, and they do a lot of bad things. But he’s a good guy. Most of the time. Except marrying me means you’ll never get to be rid of me. And now you’re going to be a part of this life, too.
“Shorty.” Dom lifts our joined hands and brushes a kiss across my knuckles. “I can handle your brother.”
I stare at his profile as he parks in front of the massive house.
His perfectly cut jaw outlined with dark facial hair. His tattoos highlighted by the bright white button-down shirt he’s wearing, the sleeves rolled up from when he carried the majority of my worldly goods out of my apartment and stuffed them into the back of this vehicle—proving his muscles aren’t just for display.
And from looking at him, I think he might be right. One-on-one, I bet he could hold his own against King. But it’s everything else about King that worries me. Because you’d need an army to go against The Alliance. And I doubt a businessman from Chicago has one on hand.
Dom turns my hand over and presses a kiss against my wrist. “Come on, Angel. Let’s go say hi to your brother. Then I’ll show you your new home.”
My heartbeat doubles, and I don’t know if it’s from nerves or excitement. So I just nod my head.
Dominic turns off the engine, and I’m still working to undo my seat belt when he walks around the SUV and opens my door.
He keeps a hand on me as I climb down. And keeps his hand on the back of my neck as we walk up the sidewalk.
I don’t know why I can’t just calm down. It’s not like King had someone else in mind for me to marry. We aren’t an arranged marriage type of family, so this isn’t going to be a big deal. He might be disappointed in my decisions, but they’re my decisions.
I reach out with the hand closest to Dominic and hook my fingers into his pants pocket, needing the extra contact.
“It’s going to be fine,” Dom whispers before pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
Then, before I can delay any more, Dom pounds his fist against the front door of King’s house.
CHAPTER 15
Val
Nearly a minute passes before the door swings open.
But it’s not King; it’s his housekeeper.
“Hey, Val,” Ginger greets me before she does a double take of Dom. “Come on in. King’ll be just a second.”
“Thank you,” I try to say normally as we move into the grand entryway.
Ginger smiles, then heads up the grand staircase to the second story to continue with whatever she was doing.
The entryway is large and echoey, and from here, the house goes off in a few directions. It’s an absurd home, but it proves that I wasn’t lying when I said King was really rich.
I turn to face Dominic, wondering if there’s something I should say to prepare him, but movement down the hall behind him tells me we’re out of time.
Because King is walking toward us.
“Val?” King’s voice fills the space.
Dom closes his fingers around my wrist as I step around him so his bulk isn’t blocking King’s view of me.
“Uh, hi.” I put on my brightest smile.
King smiles back at me. “What’s—”
Then Dominic turns so we’re standing side by side, still holding my wrist, and King’s smile disappears.
Oh god, he’s not gonna take this well.
“King.” I hold up my free hand. “This is—”
“What the fuck are you doing in my house?” King’s voice booms through the space.
I start to stumble back a step. I’ve never heard King so loud before. But Dom slides his grip up my arm to steady me.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, not understanding why he’s so angry. And not sure who I’m apologizing to.
But neither man hears me.
“Don’t raise your voice around my wife.” Dominic’s tone is cold. Ice to King’s fire.
King stops walking just a few steps away. “What did you just say?”
“King.” I try again. This is spiraling out of control. “Please don’t be mad.”
“Mad?” He takes another step closer. “You bring Dom Fucking Gonzalez, the head of the Chicago mafia, into my home, and you don’t want me to be mad?”
“I…” My breaths are coming fast now. “What?”
I look up at Dominic.
He’s still standing next to me. Still holding my arm. But there’s an expression on his face I don’t recognize.
“Dominic?” I blink up at him.
That can’t be true.
Dom can’t be that.
They can’t know each other.
King’s furious gaze holds me in place as he points a finger at my husband. “Tell me he’s lying. Tell me you didn’t marry this piece of shit.”
Head of the Chicago mafia.
With Dominic still gripping my upper arm, I bend my elbow and bring my left hand before me, the beautiful ring glinting in the light.
