Chapter 37 

I hesitated. 

That was a loaded question. 

Did I trust him? 

No. Not completely. 

But did I want to? 

That was the real problem. 

I swallowed, looking away. “You love putting me in difficult positions, don’t you?” 

He grinned. “Always.” 

I rolled my eyes but didn’t push further. There was no point–Dominic would tell me what he wanted, when he wanted. That was just how he worked. 

So, instead, I let the hum of the helicopter settle around us, the occasional sip of wine distracting me from my own thoughts. 

Then- 

The view changed. 

The bright city lights faded, giving way to endless darkness. 

Ocean. 

My brows furrowed as I leaned forward, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. 

“We’re leaving the city?” 

Dominic hummed in response, but his gaze was fixed ahead, watching as the faint outline of something appeared in the distance. 

My stomach twisted. 

“Dominic–where the hell are we going?” 

He turned to me, his smirk slow, knowing. “Somewhere only a select few have ever seen.” 

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re really dramatic, you know that?” 

He chuckled. “You’ll understand in a moment.” 

I looked back out the window, my breath catching as the dark shape ahead grew larger, clearer. 

An island. 

A fucking island. 

My lips parted slightly. 

The closer we got, the more I could see–a sprawling private estate, lush greenery, pristine white sand stretching along the edges. 

It was beautiful. 

Untouched. 

Mine. 

I glanced at Dominic, realization dawning. “This is your island?” 

His lips curled. “Surprised?” 

I stared at him. “You own an island?” 

He tilted his head. “I own a lot of things.” 

י 

I turned back toward the window, watching as the helicopter descended onto a sleek landing pad near the es My pulse quickened as anticipation curled in my stomach. 

Why did he bring me here? 

The moment we touched down, the blades sloand can chasing the door unlocking. 

a co Successfully unlocked! 

Dominic reached for my hand, his grip firm. “Come on, Gattina 

I hesitated before letting him lead me out, the warm night air hitting my skin immediately. 

The sound of waves crashing nearby filled the silence, the scent of salt and jasmine wrapping around me like an intoxicating spell. 

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Chapter37 

It was perfect. 

Too perfect. 

I turned to him, studying his expression carefully. “Why bring me here? 

Dominic’s gaze flickered with something unreadable before he simply said, “Because I wanted to 

That wasn’t a real answer. 

Not even close. 

But before I could call him out on it, he pulled me forward, leading me down a sleek stone pathway toward the estate. 

Everything about this place screamed exclusivity. From the modern architecture to the soft lanterns lining the walkway, every inch of it was meticulously designed. 

It felt surreal. 

Like stepping into another world. 

I glanced at him. “How many people have you brought here?” 

Dominic smirked but didn’t answer. 

That told me everything I needed to know. 

This wasn’t a place for just anyone. 

And that only made me more suspicious. 

“You’re really not going to tell me, are you?” I asked, arching a brow. 

He shrugged. “What does it matter?” 

I exhaled. “Because it does.” 

Dominic stopped walking, turning to face me fully. His silver eyes gleamed under the moonlight, something unreadable swimming beneath their depths. 

“Then maybe you should ask yourself why it matters to you, Gattina.” 

My breath hitched. 

Because the truth was I didn’t know why. 

And that scared me more than anything else. 

Dominic watched me for a moment longer before smirking, tugging me forward again. “Come. You’re going to love what I have planned for you.” 

I rolled my eyes but followed, curiosity eating away at me. 

“You say that like you know me so well,” I muttered, trailing behind him. 

He shot me a look over his shoulder, amusement dancing in his silver eyes. “Oh, I know you, Gattina. You act like you don’t care for indulgence, but you do.” 

I scoffed. “Says the man who literally owns an island.” 

Dominic chuckled but didn’t argue. 

We walked through the sprawling courtyard, the scent of salt and jasmine filling the air, until we reached a massive terrace overlooking the ocean. A long table was set under a canopy of glowing lights, candlelit lanterns casting a soft golden glow over the crisp white tablecloth. 

My steps faltered. “Wait-” I turned to him, suspicious. “You planned a dinner?” 

He smirked, pulling out a chair for me. “Yes, shocked?” 

I hesitated before sitting down. “I just… didn’t peg you for the romantic type.” 

Dominic sat across from me, pouring wine into two glasses. “You assume too much.” 

I narrowed my eyes. “Or you tell me too little.” 

He smirked but didn’t reply. Instead, he lifted his glass, watching me over the rim. “Drink, Gattina. Eat. Enjoy.” 

I eyed him for a long moment before sighing and taking a sip. The wine was rich, smooth, and undoubtedly expensive. 

A waiter–because of course he had a waiter here–brought out the first course. Seared scallops, plated so elegantly I almost felt bad for eating them. Almost. 

I took a bite, my lips parting at the burst of flavor. “Holy shit,” I muttered. 

Dominic smirked. “Good?” 

I glared at him. “Annoyingly good.” 

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C 

Chapter 37 

He chuckled, sipping his wine. “I did say you’d love it.” 

I rolled my eyes but continued eating. 

Halfway through the meal, I finally asked, “Why all this?” 

Dominic leaned back in his chair, studying me. “What do you mean?” 

I gestured around us. “The island. The dinner. The… effort.” 

He swirled his wine in his glass, gaze thoughtful. “Maybe I enjoy spoiling you.” 

I scoffed. “Try again.” 

He smirked. “Maybe I wanted to see how you react when given something without having to fight for it.” 

That made me pause. 

Something about the way he said it… like he knew something about me I hadn’t even admitted to myself. 

I swallowed, setting my fork down. “And what did you learn?” 

Dominic’s gaze darkened slightly. “That you don’t know how to take without questioning the motive.” 

I clenched my jaw. “Maybe because people don’t give without expecting something in return.” 

He hummed, tilting his head. “And what do you think I expect?” 

I exhaled. “I don’t know yet.” 

Dominic smirked. “Then keep enjoying your dinner, Gattina.” 

I huffed but continued eating, my mind spinning. 

4.4 

The next course came, followed by dessert–something decadent, rich, and drowning in dark chocolate. I barely had room for it, but Dominic pushed the plate toward me, smirking. 

“Eat,” he ordered. 

I scowled but took a bite. 

Another explosion of flavors. 

I groaned. “Fuck–why is everything so good?” 

He chuckled. “I have high standards.” 

I smirked. “Yeah, I’ve noticed.” 

Dominic leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering. “That applies to people, too.” 

‘Heat curled through me. You really love complimenting yourself, don’t you?” 

He smirked, swirling his wine. “Not a compliment. Just a fact.” 

I shook my head, but I couldn’t stop the small smile tugging at my lips. 

The conversation drifted into lighter topics, teasing, playful, the tension between us a steady hum rather than a sharp edge. 

For the first time in a long time, I felt… at ease. 

But, of course, peace never lasted with Dominic. 

His phone buzzed against the table. 

He ignored it the first time. 

Then it buzzed again. 

And again. 

His jaw tightened. 

I frowned, watching as he pulled it out, glancing at the screen. 

His entire demeanor shifted. 

The smirk disappeared. 

His eyes darkened–not in the usual way, not with amusement or control. 

This was different.⚫ 

This was cold. 

He answered, his voice sharp. “What?” 

Silence. 

Then–his entire body went rigid. 

3/4 

Chapter 37 

I sat up straighter. “Dominic?” 

He didn’t look at me. Didn’t acknowledge me. 

His fingers tightened around the phone, his knuckles turning white. 

“Say that again,” he said, voice dangerously low. 

Another pause. 

Then- 

His chair scraped against the stone floor as he stood abruptly, his expression unreadable. 

“Where?” 

More silence. 

His jaw clenched. “I’m coming.” 

He ended the call, shoving the phone into his pocket before turning to me, his silver eyes unreadable. “Stay here.” 

I frowned, my stomach twisting. “What? No–what’s going on?” 

He exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It’s nothing you need to worry about.” 

I scowled. “You always say that.” 

“Because it’s true.” 

I stood, crossing my arms. “If it was nothing, you wouldn’t look like someone just told you your entire empire was on fire.” Dominic’s lips pressed into a thin line. 

I knew I was right. 

I stepped closer, searching his face. “Who called?” 

He hesitated for half a second. 

Then- 

“Business,” he said shortly. 

I wasn’t buying it. 

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” 

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. “Gattina-” 

“Don’t ‘Gattina‘ me.” 

Dominic exhaled sharply, his hands clenching at his sides. 

For a moment, I thought he was going to shut down completely. 

Then–his silver eyes flicked to mine, and for the briefest second, I saw something. 

Not coldness. 

Not amusement. 

Something else. 

Something dangerously close to fear. 

But before I could say anything, before I could even process what I had just seen, Dominic turned, already striding toward the exit. 

“Stay here,” he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument. 

And then he was gone. 

I stared after him, my stomach twisting, my pulse racing. 

Something was wrong. 

And whatever it was… 

It was big. 

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