Chloe
‘MIND IF I join you?’ Dom asks as I’m making my way to the table with two plates in my hands.
‘Well I succumbed to your demand and one of the sandwiches is yours, so I hope you do.’
He laughs as I set the plates on the table, turning towards him with mock anger on my face. ‘Do you mind grabbing something for us to drink first, sir?’ Messing with him may have been the wrong thing to do because he immediately stops laughing, and his mouth forms a straight line. The desire in his eyes is apparent.
He turns on his heels and heads back into the kitchen. ‘Wine, beer, or a Coke?’ He glances over at me and I can’t help but notice how quickly he reigned it back in, going right back to his normal self. So, for now, I’ll just leave it be and not poke the bear. I have bigger things going on at the moment. I think I’m still in shock, honestly. I haven’t really given myself time to process what’s happened to me.
‘I’d love a glass of white wine please,’ I ask in my friendliest voice and take a seat at the chair where I’d set my sandwich.
‘Coming right up.’ I bite into my food and a couple minutes later he joins me with two glasses of wine in hand, setting one in front of me, then taking his seat.
‘Thank you for being so hospitable. I really appreciate it. Granted, I don’t know why you’re doing all this for me, but I appreciate it nonetheless.’
‘Well you need help, right?’ He asks in between bites of his sandwich with an eyebrow raised in question.
‘Uh… Um… Well yes, I do, but that doesn’t make it your responsibility. I may not know too many people in this country, but I’m sure I can get in contact with one of my friends and go stay…’
‘No,’ he interrupts me. ‘I said I would help you and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. Anyway, didn’t I hear your father say to stay put when you were on the phone with him?’
‘Yeah, but I can’t keep putting you and your grandma in danger. That’s not cool with me, no matter what my father said. I’ll call him back in the morning, and see what he’s done to change this horrible situation he’s put all of us in.’ I look up at him and take a sip of my wine. I’m impressed with the wine. It has the perfect amount of sweetness to it.
‘You can use my mobile to call him.’ He gets up and starts to clear our dishes and put them in the sink.
‘I can wash those. I don’t want to make a mess in your home.’
‘No, that’s not necessary. You made the sandwiches, I’ll clean the plates. Why don’t you take your glass of wine to the living room and flip the TV on and I’ll be in there in a few minutes.’
***
Dom
‘If you’re sure.’ She smiles.
‘I’m sure. I won’t be long.’
She smiles again as she walks away. She needs a shower and some fresh clothes but she still looks hot as hell. I watch as her ass sways with each step she takes. I’m still watching her walk the length of the hall as she turns and catches me. I’m standing there, like a fucking jerk, with a dirty plate in each hand. As I turn away I catch her biting on her bottom lip. Jesus Dom, get your fucking act together. Acting like she’s the first woman I’ve seen in years. Well it’s not far off. Since I’ve had my nan to care for and I moved in here, there has been a total of… maybe four times I’ve had sex. Not many people want to know you when you say ‘sorry I can’t stay out too late because I have to get back to my nan.’ Yep they go running. So, apart from the handful of times I’ve taken one to the bathroom in a bar, there hasn’t been anyone. Definitely not someone I’d invite back to the house. I wash up the plates and make my way back to her. I find her sitting on the edge of the sofa, like she’s uncomfortable.
‘Hey, you okay?’
‘I’m fine, I think.’ She smiles nervously. ‘Do you mind if I jump in your shower?’
‘No, of course not. I should have asked you earlier, I’m sorry.’
‘Thanks.’
‘I’ll show you the way.’ I lead her upstairs and to the bathroom. ‘If you want to hand me your clothes I can put them through the wash?’
‘Umm yes please, thanks, but… I don’t have anything else?’
‘Shit no of course, wait a sec and I’ll be back with something.’ I run to my room and rifle around trying to find some joggers with a pull cord, and come up with nothing, they are all fucking huge for her tiny frame. I open up my t-shirt draw and pull out a whole bunch, all extra large. I take them because I assume on her they’ll be like a short dress and cover everything she needs covering. I’m just about to leave my room, when I realise she’s probably going to need underwear too. Shit. I open my boxer drawer and look for a particular pair that doesn’t fit too well since I bulked up. I know they have to be there somewhere. The very last pair I pull out of the draw. Finally, I head back and hear the shower running through the door. I knock lightly and hear a nervous little yelp. She’s no doubt still jumpy. Understandable.
‘Yes?’
‘It’s just me.’ The door opens and she’s standing there wrapped in a towel, her clothes in one hand the other on the door handle. I take her in. Her neck and collarbone are bruised too, reminding me again what she’s been through this last week. I juggle all the clean stuff into one hand and try to take her dirty laundry with the other.
‘Thank you, but I can put them in the laundry if you would just tell me where it is?’
‘That’s okay honestly, I don’t mind doing it.’
‘I would really rather do it myself.’
I shrug because it’s no big deal if she’s uncomfortable with me washing her stuff, she can do it herself.
‘Okay no worries, but your knickers would be safe with me, I prefer cotton boxers to tight lace, they chafe.’ I wink and smile. It makes her giggle and I turn away wondering whether I should have said that given the circumstances. I take one last look at her as she smiles and closes the door. ‘I’ll be in the living room, just let me know if you need anything else. They aren’t much but they’re the best I’ve got.’ I tell her as she peeks out of the small crack in the barely open door.
Biting her lip, she smiles. ‘Thank you.’
I make my way back down the stairs and wait for her in the living room. I’m tired as fuck after the fight so I pull the lever at the side of the sofa until it reclines to just the right angle. I must doze off, because I wake up to Chloe nudging my arm. I sit up and quickly realise she isn’t at all because she’s also fast asleep, her head resting on me. The TV must have timed out again, and the room is dark except from the light coming from the hall. I check my phone. Shit it’s four a.m. I think about leaving her to sleep on the sofa but quickly change my mind. My nan likes to be up bright and early, so it’s best I put her in the spare room upstairs. I debate on carrying her up. The likelihood of her waking while I try to lift her is high, and that would make for an awkward situation. Not wanting her to freak out on me, I gently nudge her shoulder instead. A small whimper leaves her lips followed by a low, ‘Nooo.’ But her eyes don’t open. I try again, and I get nowhere. I figure she must be exhausted and go with my original plan of carrying her up the stairs. I slide my hands under her body and as they get all the way under I tilt so she rolls up my arms, and against my chest. Jesus, she’s light as a feather. I stand and move toward the stairs. I get her all the way to the spare room without her making a murmur. I try and rest all her weight on my right arm and knee so I can free up my left to turn the doorknob. Easier said than done, she’s light but it’s awkward. I finally manage to free my hand and the door opens. I don’t flip the light on because I don’t want to disturb her, so I pull back the duvet using my knee for balance again, and lay her down. She immediately curls up in a ball as I cover her with the duvet. A small smile creeps onto my face as I watch her. Shaking my head, I realise I’m like a fucking pervert standing over her like this. I leave the room quickly. My room is just next door but I want to make sure all the doors are locked and all the windows secure before I go to bed. Bit fucking late now mind you, but better late than never. I have several weapons stashed around the house too. Not out in the open but hidden with easy access. You can never be too careful. And the game I’m in, you never fucking know who will come after you.