She’d hurt him. She didn’t need the fact that he was getting up and dressed with sharp, angry movements to tell her that. No, it was the way his eyes went cold. Lost any trace of caring or leftover lust.
Real fucking smooth, Deidre. She scolded herself.
“Dom, wait, I didn’t mean it like that–” she started when he interrupted with the flattest voice she’d ever heard from him. “I know what you meant, Dee. I’ll be back. Don’t leave this room.”
“Wait!” she called, but he was already gone.
Her tears of regret came fast and heavy.
*****
Dom didn’t know who he was more pissed at, himself or Deidre.
What she said was on point. He had overwhelmed her so fully that she didn’t have much freedom. It wasn’t his intention for her to lose herself; he just wanted her to need him in the same way he needed her.
It was all-consuming.
Passionate to the point of pain.
Never in his life had he believed he would feel what he did for her. It was borderline obsession. Since he’d found her, he’d toned down everything he felt because he didn’t think she was ready for his needs. Tonight had proven it.
The one burning question he had was, could he let her go?
If it came down to her being happy with herself, he would like to think he could. But he wouldn’t do it without a fight.
Growing up, he’d watched the passion his parents had. Their love for one another had always been palpable. Until he met Dee all those years ago, he’d never felt a connection to anyone. He knew it sounded perverted because she was only ten, but back then it had been a kinship of loneliness and a desire to connect with someone. At the time, she craved someone to give a shit about her, and he’d been looking for someone to make him feel human again.
Reaching the lobby of the hotel, he knew he wasn’t leaving her here alone. She was vulnerable in Ireland by herself, so for a while, he was going to people watch. He didn’t think Bradshaw knew she was with him, but he couldn’t be sure, so he wanted to see if they were being followed.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he took in the scene as couples floated around the hotel carefree. Jealousy threatened to consume him. They could be free, not a care in their worlds. He wanted to have that with Deedee and Jax. A reality he never even imagined.
Jaxson.
His son was his world until two months ago. He’d never let anything pull him away from the little boy the way finding Dee had. When Bradshaw contacted him to find her because she’d disappeared, he’d originally been resistant to do it. He still didn’t know why he finally relented, but he was glad he had. Case was right when he’d said she made him smile. Until her, he’d been going through the motions of life for Jax. There wasn’t much that made him happy outside of his son.
It was a depressing yet eye-opening thought. She was essential to his happiness.
While he was debating on going back up to the room, an older man accompanied by two younger ones entering the hotel caught his eye. They were too rich for this hotel. Wearing expensive Armani suits, the younger two had bulges in their sides telling him they were armed. But the older gentleman was the one who held his attention most, he had a familiarity to him Dom couldn’t place.
When the old man spun around and their eyes met for the briefest of moments, it hit Dom like a ton of bricks.
I know those eyes.
*****
She was getting worried. It’d been hours since Dom left her, and she’d spent most of that time crying her eyes out. But she finally had her head on straight. She just hoped he hadn’t abandoned her.
Just as she was about to go searching for him, the door opened and he walked through. Followed by the men from the airport.
Getting to her feet, she wasn’t sure what to do next. Did they force Dom to bring them to her? Or was he working with them?
A million thoughts raced through her mind as the old man watched her. When he reached his hand out to her, she shrunk back unsure of what to expect from him. Her eyes were glued to Dom as he made his way towards her. When he wrapped her in his arms, she began shaking in fear.
“What’s this, Princess?” he asked referring to her shaking.
Too afraid to speak, she simply nodded at the other men in the room.
“You don’t know them?” He seemed confused.