Chapter One

Dominic

 

“She knows the deal right?” I spoke louder than needed into the speaker of my iPhone. I was helping my best friend Mason’s little sister Blair move into her new apartment across town. It had been five years since I last seen her but if she was anything like she was the day, I left for the Army, something told me I wasn’t in for much other than an attitude.

“Yes, she does.” Mason’s voice dipped low as he responded. “If she gives you any shit remind her that this was part of the agreement since I can’t be there.” I rolled my tongue running it against my teeth. The thought of meek Blair making a fuss did nothing but make me laugh.

“Jesus man, why are you so overprotective…?” The question lingered over the phone as I pulled into the high-rise apartment complex that she was moving into. It wasn’t mere coincidence that Mason had Blair moving into the same apartment complex as me.

“You’ll understand when you see her. It’s been five years Dom, a lot can change.” He sounded like he knew some secret that I didn’t.

“Mase I’m more than aware. I went from being a punk ass kid to a badass recruitment officer for the US Army. I should get an award for the most fucking change.” Okay, I was being boastful. I was still very much the same asshole I was before I ever left.

“Whatever…” Dom laughed into the phone. It was a short laugh, but one long enough that I could almost see his smile through the phone. “Let me know how everything goes, and please, please don’t do me, wrong man.” I rolled my eyes, refusing to grow a pussy. I missed Mason every day. He was my best friend.

“I miss you too…” I commented like the asshole I was before he hung up.

“I’m sure you do. Bye.” Click. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at it for a moment.

Why the fuck was I doing this again? Oh yeah, because Mason was my best friend, and he had begged me to watch over Blair the brat that refused to leave us alone back when we were in high school.

I ran my fingers through my unruly brown hair, realizing I needed a haircut badly and probably ten hours of sleep since I looked like I hadn’t slept in days.

“It’s not a beauty contest…” I mumbled under my breath as I got out of the truck and smoothed a hand down my Henley t-shirt. The air was humid, and the heat from the sun couldn’t even be enjoyed when the weather was like this.

“Get the back, Cindy.” I heard a voice I recognized off in the distance. My heartbeat sped up as I locked the truck and headed towards the voice.

Mason had said Blair changed, and as strange as it was I was curious to see just how much she changed.

My eyes dilated, and the oxygen in my lungs stilled as I took in the two women moving a piece of a brown sectional couch.

“Explain to me why you picked out the largest sectional on the planet when you’re going to be living alone…” The blonde woman who I assumed was Cindy grunted. Now that I knew the blonde was Cindy that meant the other one the one I couldn’t take my eyes off of was Blair.

Her hair was dark, almost black, and her ass… I shook my head. I shouldn’t be staring at her ass no matter how perfect the globes looked in her short ass shorts.

“Can I help you?” Blair’s voice rung in my ears, as I stood there staring at the two of them for a moment. She was beautiful the braces she once had were gone now, leaving behind perfectly straight, white teeth. Her lips were full and ready to be kissed, and her tits, fuck her tits were huge.

“Actually the question you should be asking yourself is, can I help you…” I wiggled my eyebrows teasing her from the start just like I did when we were kids. It was evident that she didn’t recognize me yet.

Blair rolled her green eyes as if to show how annoyed she was by my presence. “Thank's asshole but we’ve got it…” My teeth ground together at her mouthy comment.

“Really small fry? That’s how you talk to your best friend in the whole wide world?” My fists clenched together at my sides. Even though I hated to admit it, it bothered the hell out of me that she didn’t notice me the same way I noticed her.

Had I changed that much?

“Dominic?” Her voice dropped as her eyes widened. She was taking me in from top to bottom the same way she used to when we were kids.

“At your service small fry…” I smiled, winking at her friend. Blair’s face fell then, and a mask dropped into place when she looked at me again.

“Don’t call me that. Mason said you might come, even though I told him I didn’t need any help. I can see that he thought otherwise.” Confidence seemed to ooze from her. Didn’t she know I didn’t care about the front she put up? I had known her since we were itty-bitty kids, and nothing said could off put me.

“Correct. Mason thought it would be best if you had my help and it seems as though he was right based off of what I’m seeing here…” I gestured to the sectional piece that was sitting on the floor of the parking garage.

I could see Blair was getting pissed, and even if that wasn’t my intention I relished in the fact that I could still get underneath her skin.

“Mason doesn’t know shit, and he shouldn’t have sent you in his place because we…” Blair gestured to Cindy and herself before walking up to me, her head coming up to my chest. “Don’t need you…” Her tiny little pink fingernail poked against my chest and I almost busted out in laughter.

“You don’t intimidate me small fry…” I bent my head leaning into her face. Her smell was intoxicating, and a cross between freshly baked apple pie, and vanilla.

Fuck I wanted to take a bite out of her.

Her green eyes narrowed, “Don’t. Call. Me. That.” She gritted out each word. Damn her and her stupid little attitude.

“Hello, what the hell are we doing here?” Cindy her blonde haired friend interrupted. Come on things were just getting good.

“Nothing,” Blair answered for both of us. I couldn’t help but smile at the angry that flickered in her eyes. Why did she seem so upset with me?

“Whatever. If you don’t want my help then I’ll just be on my merry way…” I shoved past Blair my shoulder slamming into hers. An electrical current zinged through me stopping me dead in my tracks.

“Wait where are you going, isn’t your car back that way?” Clearly, she didn’t feel the same zing of need that I just had.

I licked my lips, wanting more than ever to see the expression on her face when she found out that we both lived here now.

“Oh, Mason didn’t tell you…” I tilted my head to the side a bewildered expression marred her perfect features.

“Tell me what?” She growled. Her friend, rolled her eyes at our back and forth banter.

“I live here too. Actually, we live on the same floor.” Take that Ms. Attitude. I thought to myself taking in her expression. Yeah, she was pissed.

“Are you kidding me?” She gritted her teeth. A strange feeling filled my belly. One that begged me to be the man to put her in her place, to take her upstairs to my apartment and spank her ass until she begged me to stop.

“Nope small fry. No kidding here. I’ll be upstairs if you need me. Apartment number sixty-nine.” I pressed the button for the elevator and a second later the doors opened. When I stepped inside I turned around, my eyes colliding with Blair’s before the doors closed.

Anger reflected back at me and I smiled.

That’s right small fry, be angry.