Chapter 72
I clenched my fists, biting my tongue. This bastard.
The moment I slid into the sleek black car, the sensation intensified.
I inhaled sharply, shifting slightly, but it only made it worse.
The vibration pulsed–steady, unrelenting.
Dominic took his seat beside me, his posture casual, like he wasn’t holding a goddamn remote in his hand.
Nico sat across from us, completely oblivious as he adjusted his earpiece, barking orders to someone on the other end.
Meanwhile, I was dying.
I bit the inside of my cheek, gripping the leather seat beneath me.
“Something wrong, Gattina?”
I turned sharply.
Dominic’s voice was mocking. Teasing. Cruel.
My glare only amused him.
The car started moving, and as it did-
He turned up the intensity.
I gasped, my body jerking slightly.
Nico frowned. “You okay?”
I swallowed hard, forcing a nod. “Fine.”
Dominic tilted his head slightly, watching me.
Every shift, every slight tremble.
My thighs pressed together, trying to contain the sensation.
He knew.
And he loved it.
Slowly, he reached out–trailing a single finger along my exposed knee.
A seemingly innocent touch.
But paired with the vibrations-
It was torture.
I bit my lip hard enough to bruise.
Nico kept talking, unaware. “We’ve got men stationed at the entrance. No movement yet, but Mikael’s got his people inside already.”
Dominic barely acknowledged him.
His attention was entirely on me.
His fingers trailed higher, grazing over my thigh.
A warning.
A threat.
He leaned in, his voice silk–wrapped sin.
“If you come before we get there,” he murmured, “you won’t like what happens next.”
My nails dug into the seat.
And that bastard?
That bastard just smirked.
The car slowed as we approached the towering event hall its grand entrance glowing under the soft golden light o chandeliers inside. Men in dark suits and womer Successfully unlocked! om sleek cars, their laughter and murmured
conversations floating through the night air.
I barely noticed.
Because all I could think about was the steady pulse between my thighs, the unrelenting reminder of Dominic’s control
over me.
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Chapter 72
I inhaled sharply, composing myself as the door swung open.
Dominic stepped out first, his presence commanding before he even did anything. He adjusted his suit, his jaw tight, his entire aura screaming power. Then, his hand reached for me.
I hesitated.
His dark eyes flickered with amusement. “Don’t make me come in there and get you.”
I clenched my jaw but took his hand, letting him pull me gracefully out of the car. My legs wobbled slightly from the torment he had just put me through, but I masked it, forcing a confident stride as moved forward.
The moment we stepped inside, the shift was instantaneous.
Eyes turned toward us.
Whispers. Curious glances. Some surprised. Some calculated.
Dominic ignored them all, his grip firm on my waist, guiding me through the room like I was an extension of him. And that’s exactly what I was meant to be tonight.
His.
Possession. Statement. Power move.
My dress clung to me perfectly, the soft rustle of satin the only sound I could focus on as I walked beside him. Every movement felt heavier under their gazes, under the expectation Dominic had set.
He leaned in, lips brushing my ear.
“Smile, Gattina.”
I did.
But it wasn’t just for them.
It was for him.
For this game.
Because if I was going to be his pawn, I was going to play smart.
A waiter passed with a silver tray of champagne. Dominic took a glass, handing it to me before grabbing his own. Then, he turned-
And suddenly, he wasn’t just beside me anymore.
He was speaking to someone.
Greeting powerful men. Shaking hands.
Distracted.
I exhaled softly, taking a small sip of the chilled champagne, letting my gaze wander.
People moved like shadows, their voices like distant echoes in a game I still didn’t fully understand. Mafia leaders, political figures, people who held power in ways that weren’t always obvious.
And then-
A presence.
Right by my side.
A woman’s voice, smooth and dripping with amusement.
“I was wondering when I’d finally meet the infamous Aria again.”
My pulse stilled.
I turned-
And there she was.
Victoria Romano.
She looked exactly the way I imagined.
Maybe even worse.
Tall, poised, wrapped in a blood–red dress that clung to every curve like sin itself. The fabric shimmered under the warm glow of the chandeliers, the slit running so high I was surprised she hadn’t been arrested for public indecency.
Her hair–a rich, dark brown–was swept up in a sleek style, leaving her neck bare, showcasing expensive diamonds that sat smugly against her skin. Her makeup was flawless. Sultry eyes. Full lips painted the same shade as her dress, like she had bathed in power and wanted everyone to know it.
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Chapter 72 Beautiful.
Lethal.
A woman who had once belonged to Dominic De Luca.
I lifted my chin, keeping my expression neutral.
“Victoria.”
Her lips curled, slow, deliberate. “Oh, good,” she mused, tilting her head. “You do know who I am.”
I took a sip of my champagne, unwilling to give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
Of course, I knew exactly who she was.
Dominic’s ex.
The woman who once stood exactly where I was standing now.
And judging by the way she was looking at me-
She hated it.
She took a step closer, her perfume–something rich and suffocating–curling around me. “I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting someone like you.”
I arched a brow. “Like me?”
She smiled, but it was too sharp, too practiced. “Sweet. Innocent.”
I nearly laughed.
Innocent?
This bitch had no idea who she was talking to.
I shrugged. “Maybe you shouldn’t underestimate me so quickly.”
Her lips twitched, amusement flickering in her dark eyes. “Oh, don’t worry, darling.” She leaned in slightly. “I never underestimate women who find themselves in my place.”
I clenched my jaw.
She caught it.
She was testing me. Poking.
And I needed to poke back.
I let my gaze drift lazily over her. “So, you’ve missed me?”
Victoria blinked. “What?”
I smiled, taking another sip of my drink. “Well, that is why you’re here, right? Playing nice? Trying to stir things up?” I let out a soft hum, tapping my manicured nails against the glass. “It’s cute. Really.”
Her eyes darkened.
Ah.
I had struck something.
She tilted her head, her voice still light, but I caught the tension underneath. “Oh, honey.” She reached out, brushing a perfectly manicured finger along my arm like she was touching glass. “I don’t have to stir anything. It’ll fall apart on its own.” I gritted my teeth.
She smiled. “You think you’re helping him, don’t you?” She let out a low chuckle, shaking her head. “That’s adorable.”
I met her gaze. “And you think you still matter.”
Her turn to stiffen.
Good.
I took a step forward this time, lowering my voice just enough. “Let me guess, Victoria. You thought you could crawl back into Dominic’s life and slip into his bed again?” I tilted my head. “Is that why you’re here? Trying to play mind games with me?”
Something flashed in her eyes.
There it was.
The jealousy. The anger.
She masked it quickly, but I had already seen it.
She laughed, the sound soft, practiced. “You think you’re different?” She leaned in, her voice a whisper against my ear.”
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Chapter 72
Dominic doesn’t love anyone, sweetheart. You’re just another pawn.”
My stomach twisted.
I didn’t let it show.
I couldn’t.
Because that’s exactly what she wanted.
So, I smiled.
And I leaned in, my lips barely brushing her ear as I whispered-
“Then why are you still here?”
She stilled.
I pulled back, my smile mocking.
Before she could respond-
A presence,
A shadow behind me.
A hand, firm, possessive, sliding around my waist.
A familiar scent, warm and dangerous.
And then-
Dominic’s voice.
Low. Unforgiving.
“Is there a problem here?”
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