Chapter 178
Aria’s POV
I felt useless. I hate the fact that I was of no use to him.
He told me to sleep as if I was a goddamn child.
Who tells their lover to sleep? I wasn’t even able to stand tall while he was doing his investigation.
Gosh, I was such a fool.
I turned on the bed my face scrunching up in anger.
You are sick again Aria, what are you going to do about it? Sleep like he said.
But sleep wouldn’t come. My mind raced with thoughts I couldn’t quiet, doubts that gnawed at me like hungry wolves. What was I even doing here? What did I want from life? The questions moved endlessly in my head, each one more frustrating than the last.
I sat up abruptly, tears burning my eyes. “I don’t even know what I want,” I whispered to the empty room, my voice cracking. “I don’t know anything or maybe I don’t want anything. Maybe that’s why the universe cursed me with cancer so I can die because I am so fucking useless.”
The tears came then, hot and angry and confused. I buried my face in my hands, letting the sobs shake through me. What kind of person doesn’t know what they want? What kind of woman falls apart like this?
After what felt like hours, my throat was raw and my eyes were swollen. I needed water. I needed air. I needed something other than these four walls closing in on me.
I padded quietly to the kitchen, hoping not to wake anyone. But as I rounded the corner, I found Dominic leaning against the counter, a glass of what looked like milk in his hand.
“Can’t sleep I see,” he said softly, his dark eyes studying my tear–stained face.
“Just thirsty,” I mumbled, moving to the sink.
“Aria.” His voice was gentler than I’d heard it all day. “You’ve been crying.”
“I’m fine.” I filled my glass, avoiding his gaze.
“No, you’re not.” He set down his milk and moved closer. “Talk to me.”
I took a sip of water, then another. “I was just… I don’t know. Having weird cravings. I wanted to drink pickle juice mixed with chocolate milk.”
Dominic’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s… disgusting.”
“Says the man drinking what looks like milk at midnight,” I shot back, grateful for the distraction.
He held up his glass with a sheepish grin. “It’s milk mixed with hot sauce and a raw egg.”
I stared at him. “Talk about pot calling kettle black/ Yours is worse. Ew. Barf.”
“Hey, don’t judge until you try it.”
“I would literally rather die.” Despite everything, I found myself almost smiling. “That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard. For a mafia man. Jeez
Dom.”
“More disgusting than pickle juice chocolate milk?”
08:22 Sat 14 Jun
Chapter 178
“At least mine doesn’t have raw eggs in it!”
“Fair point.” He took another sip and grimaced slightly. “Though I’m starting to question my life choices but it does taste good on my tastebud.”
I brought out my tongue as I mixed my drink. It’s something I developed when living with my parents. It calmed me down during moments like this.
We stood there in comfortable silence for a moment, both of us sipping our respective drinks and trying not to think about how gross they were.
“Dominic,” I started, then stopped. “Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“Victoria… what happened with-”
“Listen,” he interrupted, his expression shifting. “My favorite music is playing.”
I paused, listening. Soft classical music was indeed flowing from somewhere in the house. “Wait… is that a waltz?”
“Yeah, so?”
“You like waltz music?” I couldn’t hide my surprise. “You don’t look like someone who likes waltz.”
His mouth quirked up in that dangerous smile. “What do I look like I listen to then?”
“I don’t know… heavy metal? Angry rap music? The sound of people screaming?”
He laughed, a real laugh that transformed his entire face. “The sound of people screaming?”
“You’re in the mafia, Dominic. I just assumed…”
“That I have no culture? No appreciation for the finer things?” He set down his glass and extended his hand. “Dance with
“What? No. I can’t dance.”
“Everyone can dance. Come on.”
“Dominic, it’s the middle of the night, we’re in the kitchen, and I’m wearing pajamas.”
“Perfect dancing attire.” He wiggled his fingers. “Don’t make me ask twice.”
Something in his tone made me put down my water glass. “This is ridiculous.”
“Completely ridiculous,” he agreed, pulling me into his arms.
me,
mia cara.”
His hand was warm on my waist, his other hand gentle as it took mine. He began to move, slow and sure, guiding me in the simple steps of the waltz.
“See? You’re a natural.”
“I’m stepping on your feet.”
“I’ve had worse injuries.”
“From dancing?”
“From many things.” His voice was soft, almost dreamy. “But this… this is nice.”
I looked up at him, this dangerous man who drank milk with hot sauce and raw eggs, who listened to waltz music in the middle of the right who could kill someone with his bare hands but held me like I was made of glass.
Chapter 178
“Even though you were a jerk at the beginning, the more I knew about you, the more j realized you’re not what I expected,” I admitted quietly.
“What did you expect?”
“To remain…like the monster I knew.”
He spun me gently, bringing me back to his chest. “Maybe I am a monster. Maybe I just want to be different with you now..”
“No,” I said, surprising myself with my certainty. “Monsters don’t dance to waltz music in their kitchens.”
“They don’t?”
“They definitely don’t.”
We swayed together as the music played, my head gradually finding its way to his shoulder. The tears from earlier seemed like a distant memory, replaced by this strange, peaceful moment.
“Dominic?”
“Mmm?”
“Thank you. For this. For… everything. For making my life worth…living.”
His arms tightened around me slightly. “You don’t need to thank me, cara mia.”
“Yes, I do.” My voice was getting heavy with sleep. “I was falling apart earlier. I still don’t know what I want from life, but… this helps.”
“You’ll figure it out.”
“How do you know?”
“Because weak people don’t survive cancer and still be here, drinking weird juice.”
I smiled against his shoulder. “That’s terrible logic. You just want to attack my mixture.”
“It’s mafia logic. We’re not known for our reasoning skills.”
“Apparently you’re known for your dancing skills though.”
“My mother insisted I learn. Said a gentleman should know how to waltz.”
“Your mother sounds like a wise woman.”
“She was.”
The music began to fade, but we kept swaying, slower now, more like we were rocking than dancing. My eyes were getting heavy, the combination of emotional exhaustion and his steady heartbeat making it hard to stay awake.
“I should go back to bed,” I mumbled, but made no move to leave his arms.
“You should.”
“In a minute.”
“Take all the time you need, mia cara.”
I didn’t want to leave his arms. It felt…safe. Those broad muscles that made me feel protected.
But time had other plans. My knees were getting weak, and my eyelids felt like they had weights attached to them. Without meaning to I found myself –
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Chapter 178
leaning more and more of my weight against him.
“Aria?”
“Mmm?”
“You’re falling asleep on your feet.”
“No, I’m not,” I protested weakly, even as my eyes drifted closed.
He chuckled softly, the sound rumbling through his chest. “Come on, let’s get you to bed properly this time.”
