Chapter 8 - The Truth
Dominic slept better than he had in a long time. Of course, this was, in part, due to the fact that he slipped away from Makayla as soon as he could to relieve himself twice in the shower, but ultimately, the sight of her contented, utterly sated form was enough to soothe him the moment he returned to bed.
When he woke the next morning, she was still asleep, nestled snugly against him as her breath fell softly into his ear.
He didn’t want to move.
He, who had spent half his life rising before the sun to make sure he got everything done, realized that he would be quite content to lay in bed with her all day.
As his palm moved leisurely over the small of her back, Dominic replayed the highlights from the previous evening in vivid detail in his mind’s eye. He didn’t think he’d ever been as aroused as touching Makayla made him. Every moan, every whimper, every urgent movement of her body against him was intoxicating because it was new. She writhed as if she couldn’t help herself - as if he were all but killing her with the pleasure he gave her…
And it was downright addicting.
So much so that he found himself wondering if she would let him do it again.
The mere thought was enough to have him rock hard in seconds and Dominic swallowed a groan. Last night had been fairly innocent, he reassured himself. What was he supposed to do? When he heard her moaning from the bathroom, he’d been fairly sure she was in pain.
Of course, he’d been shocked to find she was completely the contrary. After walking in on her touching herself, moaning his name deliciously, how could he have walked out? How could he have done anything but wring every last bit of pleasure from her, until she was begging him for mercy?
He should have been satisfied. Despite attesting that he was within the realm of their contract, this was venturing into dangerous territory. Kissing was one thing - the slide of her divine naked body against his in a bathtub was quite another. If he knew what was good for him, he would force himself out of bed and get back to the office. He wasn’t due leisure time for another few days.
But, somehow, he couldn’t. Not when he was so comfortable with her pressed against him - and now when he wanted to see her face like he had seen it last night again.
Slowly, he raised a hand to brush a few curls from where they were strewn over her face. Dominic had to admit that he felt somewhat remiss dressing her up like a doll to please the papers. While she looked gorgeous in the clothes he bought for her, she looked just as beautiful in an oversized t-shirt and jeans.
Or, better yet, in nothing at all.
Just like she was now.
Somewhat guiltily, he allowed himself the pleasure of touching her while she was asleep. He ran his hands over her shoulders before trailing them down over the swells of her breasts, watching in delight as the nipples rose into his eager buds for his hands. Raising himself onto one arm, he carefully disengaged her from the cover to expose her body to him in its entirety.
Goddamn, she was beautiful.
All those curves, that dark skin that contrasted so wonderfully with his own, those riotous curls and that full, perfect mouth….Makayla Price didn’t need makeup or implants to help her. She was the type of woman that men salivated over just as she was.
The thought of her parents hurting her - of anyone hurting her, really - was enough to make him tense with anger.
Dominic wasn’t naive. He knew that there was little Makayla had revealed to him about her past - but he found that he didn’t care. He knew now, after she’d gotten past all the pain and the abuse. When she was hell-bent on making something of herself, no matter what the cost. In all honesty, he’d probably never known a woman as strong as her.
Or as alluring.
He wasn’t supposed to want her. This was supposed to be a convenient arrangement for both of them; yet, here they were, naked in bed together, with him contemplating what might be the most indulgent way that he could wake her.
Slowly, he drew his fingertips over her stomach, lingering over every rib before he reached the crux of her legs. Here, a soft thatch of dark curls met his fingertips and he sucked in a breath. When he stroked over her with a feather light touch, she shifted in her sleep, murmuring softly.
Dominic was so hard it was physically painful.
He had been with more than his fair share of women - so much that it had gotten to the point where he wondered if the sex was worth the bad company. Every time he slept with a woman, he wanted just as much as he gave - it had to be an equal exchange. His worst pet peeve was when a woman lie like a wooden board beneath him, expecting him to take her to the moon and back.
With Makayla, all that had changed. This was, of course, due in large part to the fact that she didn’t expect anything from him. He could read the desire in her gaze, even when she tried to hide it. She was so new to the intimacy of touch that watching her was intoxicating - the way she responded literally blew his mind. It was for that reason that he could ignore his own erection, even when his body was all but screaming for him to make her his.
It was enough to just touch her - and so, touch her, he would. For as long as she allowed him to.
Dominic moved his fingers slowly over her lower folds, back and forth with exquisite patience. It took about five full minutes before moisture began seeping up to meet the tips of the dexterous digits, and when it did, his lips curved up in a self-satisfied smile. For someone without much sexual experience, Makayla was a surprisingly wanton woman, and he adored the hell out of it.
When a soft, sleepy moan escaped her, he reluctantly drew his fingers away, raising them to dip between his lips and savor the sweet, musky flavor of her.
Kayla sighed, shifting onto her back as she threw an arm over her head, her thighs parting.
It was a blatant invitation, and Dominic would have been a fool to refuse it. Carefully, he shifted over her until he was lying on his stomach, settled between her legs. Splaying large hands on her thighs, he looked up to make sure she was still sleeping serenely before he lowered his head to find her clit with his tongue.
She was soft, wet and utterly decadent against his mouth. Dominic swallowed a groan of undeniable pleasure as he lapped at her slowly - long sweeps of his tongue against the most sensitive part of her. After about a minute, she moaned again - louder this time, and attempted to shift away from his mouth. He held her firmly in place with his hands against her thighs and simply moved lower, to stroke his tongue over the seam of her entrance.
A soft whimper escaped the sleeping woman and her toes curled as a slight tremor swept through her. Dominic took that as a sign to set his whole mouth against her, tasting her deeply as he licked lightly on the small bud of her pleasure before his tongue wedged beneath it, lifting it further against his ministrations. A single, hard suck was all it took for Kayla to come awake with a gasp, shifting drowsily beneath him.
“Dominic?” When she murmured his name, it was lustful and sleepy all at once. That, coupled with the taste of her, was nearly enough to make him ruin the bedspread beneath him. It took her a moment to realize what was going on, and when she looked down to see him quite contentedly mouthing her between the legs, her eyes widened. “Dominic.” When she moved her hands to try and stop him, he merely caught them and pinned them against her hip bones, never missing a beat.
Makayla squirmed - she panted and writhed, her body responding more and more flagrantly as she came awake. Within short order, she was moaning continuously - a mixture of his name, curses, and a series of Oh Gods that told him that she was close to the edge. Dominic finally released her hands to curl his own tightly around her thighs and draw her slick flower tight against his mouth as he finished her eagerly, devouring his prize like a man starved.
She was still too tired to scream, but Makayla’s entire body seized as a choked moan left her. Her fingers curled against his scalp, tugging at his hair so hard it hurt, but Dominic could have cared less. His tongue stroked over her until she had come down from her high - until she was absolutely sated against the sheets and he was as smug as a cat in literal cream.
Pressing a relatively chaste kiss to her pelvis, he straightened to lie beside her, licking his lips indulgently. At the sight, the young woman reddened, still trying to catch her breath. “Good morning.”
Makayla groaned, her eyes falling shut as she threw her head back against the pillow. “You’re trying to kill me. You’re going to kill me, Dominic.”
He smirked in satisfaction, his masculine pride all but purring. “I thought I let you off rather easy. I could always try for another-” When his hand moved towards her still trembling thighs, Makayla caught it between her own, her expression pleading. “Dear God, no. Let me wake up, please.”
The dark-haired man chuckled lowly. “I’m way ahead of you there. Already had my breakfast.”
“Stop.” She all but begged, rolling over onto her side to bury her face in his chest so she wouldn’t have to look into his insinuating eyes. “God, you’re so cruel.”
She was so damned cute like this, all flustered and warm from her orgasm. Dominic decided to cut her a break. “So, after you wake up, what are we going to do today?”
Her head popped up in surprise as she eyed him skeptically. “You don’t have to work?”
He did. He was sure that the Paris office would be none too happy when he called out - but Makayla said she missed him the previous day. Was he supposed to leave her after that? “I can make an allowance for one day.”
The smile she gave him was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, and he found himself smiling in return. “I found a lovely little cafe by the Eiffel tower that has a promising breakfast menu. We could go there.”
He couldn’t explain it - how the warmth in her eager expression made his heart stutter in his chest and his palms slick. It had to be the fact that he hadn’t come - that he wanted her like there was no tomorrow, but couldn’t let her touch him, or that would be the end of their agreement.
That had to be the explanation.
Dominic didn’t want to contemplate anything else. If he did, he might not like where it led.
Or maybe he would. That, he realized, would be far more disturbing.
**
Makayla had never been abroad before, but by the time they returned to the United States, she was certain that Paris was her favorite place on earth. The food was amazing, the city was gorgeous, and the memories...well, she’d have them for as long as she lived.
Though she knew there was no way Dominic didn’t have to work most of his time in the city, he spent no less than four of the seven days they had with her, showing her around Paris and indulging her curiosity. He showed her several sites she didn’t find in any tourist guide, and, atop that, took her back past several of the shops that had tempted her and ushered her inside.
Makayla realized, to her complete shock, that it gave him some sort of weird pleasure to watch her spend his money. When she asked him why, he merely replied that the funds would just sit in his account otherwise, and should be put to good use instead. As a result, she now had a handsome Louis Vuitton handbag, a few cashmere scarves, and a set of forest green lingerie so risqué she didn’t know if she would ever take it out of the box. Dominic had quite enjoyed shopping for that one, even though she had been more embarrassed than she ever had in her life.
The media had, of course, collected a wealth of shots of them together, most of which were now circulating around the globe. In her opinion, the two of them looked a lot cozier than they had in the city, which, of course, resulted in an explosion of reporters following them the moment the returned to the US.
Dominic eventually had to hire a two-person security detail to follow her around to her classes at Columbia, and once Makayla got over her embarrassment, she had to admit that they were pretty handy to have around.
It was apparent, once they had been back for a week or two, that their time together in Paris had changed things. When she wasn’t in class and Dominic wasn’t in the office, they were almost always together. He had her meet him for dinners once he finished work - took her to lavishly expensive places and holes in the wall alike, showing her the finest New York City had to offer. She, in turn, took to showing him new places she had found, both on Columbia’s campus and in the city’s outer boroughs. When they were in the penthouse, she got Sophia to teach her how to make Dominic’s favorite foods, to hilarious results. She had never been much of a cook, but he seemed impressed with the fact that she tried.
And Brett didn’t seem to mind cleaning up their messes.
Life fell into a blissful routine - whereby they shared the study every evening, she curled up with her books and he pouring over his laptop, and weekends were spent either sequestered in the penthouse or taking trips to sites outside the city. In one month, Makayla visited the Hamptons, Martha’s Vineyard and Syosset, marveling at the moneyed people that vacationed there.
Then, there was, of course, the physical aspect between them.
While they were in Paris, Dominic had touched her whenever she let him. Whether they spent the day together or not, each night, he made her come until she all but passed out from the intensity of the pleasure assaulting her - and sometimes he caught her unaware in the mornings to do it again.
They weren’t breaking their agreement, she reminded herself upon several occasions. Not once had he actually tried to make love to her - though not for her lack of trying.
Once they returned to the US, a forlorn part of her had assumed that things would go back to the way they were before.
Wonderfully enough, Makayla found herself sorely mistaken. While they were proprietary enough around Brett, Sophia, and most of the world at large, the moment the man got her behind closed doors, things were a different story.
He started by proposing to her that she deliver a good-night kiss to him every evening - just for the sake of acclimating herself to his touch. This was, of course, absurd, as by the time he suggested this, he’d been far more intimate with her than simple kissing. Makayla, however, didn’t protest. She was far from minding the way Dominic touched her anymore - in fact, she craved all that he could give her and more.
And she wanted to touch him in return.
But, as much as he liked to touch her - to taste her and torture her until she begged for succor - Dominic never let her touch him in return. Every time she tried, he stopped her before she got very far, citing that he had little self control where she was concerned. Dominic was convinced that if she touched him, he would end up inside her.
If Kayla was honest with herself, the prospect became more and more tempting with each passing day. The more pleasure he brought her, the harder she found it not to think about what it might be like to make love to a man who was already so talented with his mouth and hands.
But still, she supposed there were some lines that shouldn’t be crossed.
At least, that’s what the rational part of her said.
At this point, they were comfortable enough with one another that the entire world believed that they were really, truly, head-over-heels in love. They were so convincing that she’d seen several tabloid covers speculating about marriage. Whenever he saw them, Dominic merely scoffed and asked for more coffee over breakfast.
Makayla knew that she should be equally amused, but there was a small, deeply buried part of her that stung every time Dominic wrote off the prospect so easily. Of course, she didn’t expect him to marry her. That would never happen. But was the idea - the simple notion - so far fetched?
The young woman told herself that she was being ridiculous. What more could she want from Dominic West than to have him bring her otherworldly pleasure, pay for her every whim, and sponsor her schooling? The very suggestion that she might want something more was ludicrous.
So she pushed it to the back of her head and put her heart and soul into her coming finals. It would be the end of her first semester as a medical student, and though her grades were top notch, Makayla wanted to make sure that they stayed that way. She began studying whenever she had a spare moment - to the point where Dominic had to pull her out of the books and remind her to eat and sleep.
The man obviously had no idea how easy it was to be distracted when he was around - especially when he was fresh from the shower or working out.
She was buried in a rather thick and convoluted volume about the nervous system on a Friday evening when Melody called. Though she was always glad to talk to her friend, upon seeing her name scroll across the caller ID, Makayla groaned. She’d already been having a rough time - reading the same page over and over again - because Dominic had sent her one of the most obscene texts she’d ever seen a mere half hour ago. He had told her, in minute detail, how he was going to pleasure her with his mouth later, and Makayla had read the damned thing over and over until she had to change her panties.
Goddamn him. There was nothing fair about the fact that he got to touch her and she couldn’t touch him back. Even when she went for him while he was asleep, he often woke up and thwarted her - and those times were the most frustrating of all.
By the time she picked up the phone, any and all thoughts of the nervous system were far from her mind. “Hello?”
“Well, it’s nice to hear your voice too.” Melody sniffed, obviously upset. “I haven’t heard from you in ages. I thought Mr. Master-of-Orgasms had finally killed you.”
Makayla felt her face burn, though no one was around to hear what her friend said. Maybe it had been a mistake to reveal to the blonde that it was Dominic who had single-handedly changed her perspective on touch and sex. Naturally, she wasn’t out to let just anyone touch her - she still had her boundaries - but she was nowhere near as careful as she had been before when it came to meeting new people.
She had never thanked him for that.
“Not funny, Melody,” she returned quickly, before changing the subject. “I’m still alive, I just have finals in a few days.”
“You have finals in two weeks. It’s December thirtieth. There’s no way you should be in panic mode.”
“I’m always in panic mode when it comes to school,” Makayla responded, absolutely deadpan. “These are my grades we’re talking about. My future.”
“Well, if you ask me,” Melody’s tone turned teasing, “Your present isn’t all that shabby right about now. Doing well in school, pampered and cared for...Mr. Dominic West at your beck and call.”
“He’s not at my beck and call.” Makayla tried her best to keep her voice defensive, but she couldn’t keep the smile from tugging at the corners of her mouth. “He’s at his company’s beck and call.”
“Please. If a man treats your kitty like an all-you-can-eat buffet and doesn’t expect anything in return, he’s at your beck and call.”
“Melody!”
“What!? It’s true.” Groaning, Makayla shook her head. Despite being friends with the blonde for years, she was still astounded by how little filter Melody had. “Let’s just hope his Mom likes you as much as he does.”
Immediately, Makayla stiffened.
Oh God.
Oh fucking God.
How could she have forgotten about his mother? Makayla had been so absorbed in her studying that she’d forgotten that Dominic mentioned he was flying his mother into the city for the holidays. Even worse, she’d forgotten the way he said it.
I’m not really worried about it, he told her in a voice that suggested that he had been worried about nothing else as much as he worried about this. For all she knows, we’re a happy couple, and all we have to do is make sure it stays that way.
Right after he told her, Makayla had speculated on what his mother must be like that Dominic was hell bent on convincing the woman that he was happy as a clam with the love of his life. When he told her about his childhood, he didn’t let fly anything that might suggest that his mother was controlling or manipulative - quite the contrary in fact. She supported him when no one else had, and she seemed pretty content to let him live his own life halfway across the country.
But this holiday was the first that Dominic had been able to spend with her in a long time because of work - and Makayla felt that she owed him at least the sure convincing of his mother, if that was what he had planned.
It shouldn’t be too hard, right? Not when they were kissing and touching and otherwise completely at ease with one another?
“She’ll be here a week before Christmas,” she finally stammered, in reply to Melody’s question. “I think we’ve got this. I mean, all I have to do is what I’ve been doing, right? The media has been eating it up.”
“True,” Melody replied thoughtfully, “But a man’s mother is a completely different story. I feel like if anyone can tell you’re faking, it will be her.”
Well, that was an amazing vote of confidence. “Ugh…” Makayla groaned, pushing her curls up and out of her face. “Can’t I just spent Christmas with you instead?”
At that, Melody chuckled. “I wish, honey. But my parents are coming down and I have to make the apartment all nice for them.”
Makayla laughed softly. “The apartment is nice - especially for what we’re paying.” Dominic had even continued to pay her half of the rent on the California apartment - something for which she was eternally grateful. If this little arrangement worked out between them for the whole of her medical school career, she eventually planned on paying him back for all this. Without him, she would never have had the opportunity to chase her dreams.
She would never know how good it felt to be wanted - really wanted, and not just as a vessel to assuage a man’s desires.
“You sound happy, Kayla.”
Melody’s comment caught her completely off guard, and, for a long moment, Makayla merely stared at her phone in surprise. When she finally gathered herself enough to stammer an answer, she was surprised at how relaxed she sounded. “I am. Happy, that is. I thought it would be harder for me to adjust, but things are...they’re comfortable here.” It was more than that, really; but Kayla didn’t know how to put her sentiment into words. Dominic provided for her - he took care of her in a way that no man had, without being controlling or possessive.
She was...fond of him. Fonder than she’d ever realized she could be.
“Well, I’m going to come visit you soon. Make sure he’s treating you right.”
Makayla laughed. “Oh, he is. Very, very right.”
“Oooo, Makayla. He’s turned you into a little slut.”
“Jesus, Christ, Melody. You’re awful.”
The blonde all but cackled. “You love me.”
And she did. In fact, the hardest thing about living in New York was being so far away from her best friend. She looked forward to her summer vacation, when she planned on going back to Cali to visit her and give her all the gifts she’d accumulated over the year they’d been apart.
Makayla worked for an hour more once she had finished speaking with her friend, before she ventured from the study and into the kitchen, where Sophia was busy preparing dinner. The moment she sat down at the bar, the woman passed her a cup of hot chocolate, and Makayla beamed. “You’re magic, Sophia.”
The mistress of the kitchen laughed. “You make an old woman feel good, mi amour.”
Makayla sipped at her chocolate, her eyes sliding closed at the rich, sweet flavor against her tongue. “What’s cooking?”
“Chicken stew.” The older woman answered promptly, adding spices to a large pot with the finesse of a scientist at work. “Best thing for a cold winter evening.”
Makayla smiled knowingly. “It’s not quite winter yet.”
“Dios Mio, might as well be. It’s freezing outside, mija.”
She couldn’t argue with that. The last week of November had seen a significant temperature drop in the city, and Makayla wouldn’t be surprised if it snowed soon. She had only really seen snow once, after a long drive to Washington she’d made for a school trip she had just managed to afford in college. She was wildly enchanted with the deep, frosty drifts, and had to be pulled out by her waist when she wandered into one, thinking it would easily take her weight.
She had heard it snowed like that in New York all winter, and, despite her one time mishap, she wanted to see it.
“Do you know if Dominic will be home soon?” She did her best not to blush when she asked - one would think that after a few weeks of the man’s hands all over her, she wouldn’t be so flustered over asking about him - but that was the thing about Dominic. He constantly flustered her, no matter how used to him she thought she was.
Sophia graced her with a knowing smile over the steam rising from her stew. “I’d ask Brett. He’d know better than I would.”
At the suggestion, Kayla nodded, sliding off the stool she sat on and grabbing her cocoa to venture through the penthouse in search of the butler. She found him in the guest room, folding and putting her laundry away methodically as he hummed nonsensically to himself. The young woman noticed with no small amount of embarrassment that he folded even her lacy, frilly underwear as if it were nothing. She supposed that was one of the reasons Dominic liked him - there was very little that ruffled the man.
“Brett?”
She didn’t even surprise him, though she doubted he heard her coming.
“Yes, Miss Price?” He glanced over his shoulder at her with a small smile.
“Do you know when Dominic is coming home?”
Brett smiled. “Around nine, I believe. You can busy yourself until then, right?” She certainly could, but somehow, two hours seemed like an eternity. Reluctantly, Kayla left the guest room to settle in the master suite, where everything spoke of the man constantly on her mind. Makayla collapsed on the bed, inhaling his scent deeply, before she turned over and snuggled into the place where he usually slept.
Though she was intent on waiting until he returned home, she must not have realized how tired she was. The next thing she knew, she was being shaken awake as the familiar scent of him filled her nostrils. “Makayla.” He murmured her name lowly, and her eyes opened to slits to see him standing over her, still clad impeccably in his tailored suit. “Have you eaten?”
The mere sight of him was enough to send shivers of anticipation and awareness through her. He had shaved today, and his jaw was a sharp, clean line. He always slicked his hair back from his brow for work, but by this time, it was falling free around his face, softening his devastatingly handsome visage.
All at once, the last thing on her mind was dinner.
Lazily, she stretched her arms out to him. “Come lie with me.”
Dominic’s mouth twitched into his signature smirk. “No. I know what you want, and you’re not getting it until you eat.”
She pouted. “I just want you to hold me. Come here and hold me.”
With a long-suffering sigh that was completely feigned, Dominic slipped from his shoes and shed his jacket before climbing into bed with her. The moment his arms encircled her, Makayla raised her hands to cup his face and draw him down into a lingering, heated kiss. Dominic let her, nibbling and sucking at her mouth until she was breathless with it. When he pulled away, a low whine of protest left her. “Dom…” he arched a brow, feigning detachment - even when his erection pressing against her spoke volumes for him. “Make love to me.”
It wasn’t the first time she’d made the request. By now, it was a game between them - she would ask him, knowing full well that he wouldn’t comply, and he would refuse her, directing her attentions elsewhere. “No.” He answered lowly, his gaze never leaving hers.
Even though he refused her every time she asked, Kayla liked to see the way his eyes dilated when she asked - as though it took everything he had not to give in to her. “Please.” She whispered breathlessly, reaching up to loosen his tie, and then the first few buttons of his shirt, as she searched his deep green eyes for any sign of weakness she could exploit. Before she could undress him any further, however, his hands caught hers and he growled lowly in warning.
“Kayla…”
“Just once.” She felt like testing him - pushing the very limits of what he could endure. More than that, she wanted him - needed him so acutely that it was all she could think about in her drowsy state. “I want to feel you inside me. I’m not afraid, I promise-”
“Hush.” He silenced her with a long, heated kiss that effectively scrambled her brain. “You need dinner.” How on earth could he think straight when she could barely do anything at all with him this close to her? “How much have you eaten today?”
She couldn’t remember. Breakfast, maybe. She had taken her entire lunch studying and had gone back to the books the moment she arrived home from campus. When she didn’t answer, Dominic frowned, straightening to sit on the edge of the bed and look down at her accusatorily. “Dinner.”
Makayla groaned, knowing she wouldn’t be able to sway him. Yawning, she sat up, reflexively pulling her mess of curls into a bun atop her head before she crawled out of bed. When Dominic’s hand came out to palm the curve of her behind, she yelped, standing quickly.
The immense man stood next to her, chuckling as he crossed the room to the closet, shedding his clothes along the way. First came his shirt, then his t-shirt and belt, and then, finally, he stepped out of his pants, revealing every tantalizing inch of his muscular form, clad in only the briefest pair of spandex underwear. He didn’t bother closing the door behind him, and Kayla watched him change into a pair of soft flannel pajama bottoms and a dark thermal shirt before he emerged once more, to find her all but salivating. “If you don’t stop looking at me like that,” his low tenor snaked through her, igniting every desire she had and then some, “I’ll put you over my knee.”
Makayla thought such a threat might startle her. She had, after all, been abused in similar positions as a child. However, the prospect of allowing Dominic such a boon only aroused her more.
But she knew he would do nothing about it now - not when she hadn’t eaten since morning and he himself was probably starving. Somehow, she managed to rein herself in, falling into step behind him as he headed towards the kitchen.
“Dominic?” When she said his name, he made a low sound of acknowledgement, and Kayla found a question rising, unbidden to her lips. Something she had been wondering about since she spoke with Melody earlier. “Do you think...Will your Mom like me?”
He stopped so suddenly that she barely managed to keep herself from running into him, and, for a moment, Makayla was worried that she had upset him. She knew it didn’t matter whether the woman liked her or not - all that mattered was that she was convinced that she and Dominic were really a couple. If they accomplished that, then there was nothing left to do.
If she were honest with herself, however, the young woman had to admit that it mattered to her. For reasons unknown, she didn’t just want to be believable. She wanted to actually be the woman Elaine West wanted for her son. She wanted to impress the older woman and reassure her that Dominic had chosen well.
Even if he hadn’t really chosen anything.
When he turned around to face her, his expression was warm and amused. Makayla inhaled sharply as he backed her against the nearest wall, hemming her in with long arms. “Do you like me?” The words were murmured for her ears only, and she shivered before nodding. Like was, perhaps, the understatement of the century. “Then, I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t like you.” Reaching down, Dominic tipped her chin up to peck her lips with a small smile. “Just be who you are, Makayla, and I can’t imagine you’ll fail to impress her.”
His words sent a rush of warmth and confidence through her - and all doubt fled her mind. He wanted her to be herself - she didn’t have to put on airs and pretend she was born into a life in the lap of luxury. All she had to do was want him.
Love him.
Reaching up, she cupped his face, running her fingers over his smoothly shaven jaw. Dear sweet God, now she’d gone and done it. She wouldn’t have to pretend to be anything for his mother because she was actually, genuinely in love with Dominic. With the way he spoke for her and cared for her - his teasing and indulgence - even his infuriating demands and cocky smiles.
She adored him - and now, she knew her hardest trial would be pretending to pretend. When she kissed him, it was slow and lingering - and Makayla forgot that they were supposed to be on their way to dinner. She forgot everything but him and the way he made her feel.
And everything else just fell away.
**
When shit hit the fan, it seemed like it all did at the same time.
As the end of December drew nearer and nearer, Dominic found himself drawn in all different directions all at once. He had to finish a grueling quarter of reports for the firm, as well as present a new line of products to sell for the Christmas season. There were a number of holiday season charity events that he’d been invited to, half of which he couldn’t attend with his crazy schedule.
Atop that, Makayla was suddenly being run ragged in the last weeks before her finals, withdrawing to study like mad and all but fall into bed at one or two every morning. While Dominic admired her drive, he didn’t like to see her exhausting herself - but there was hardly anything he could do when he was being run ragged himself.
With his mother’s visit fast approaching, Dominic felt like a candle burning at both ends. Every time Stephen contacted him and tried to encourage him to take it easy, he all but barked at the younger man. He had chosen not to take a passive position at his company, and, during crunch times, he paid for it.
He was certainly paying for it now.
One morning, Dominic awoke to the realization that Makayla hadn’t come to bed. He had only gotten a few hours of sleep himself, but before he started his morning routine, he sought Brett out to ask where she had gotten to. Brett told him that the young woman had headed up to Columbia campus early and would be there all day for testing.
The day had finally come.
Dominic got the impression that, even if she didn’t study, Makayla would be a phenomenal student. She had incredible attention to detail, took entire writing pads full of notes, and was completely and totally dedicated to her courses. Even so, she was nervous - so nervous that Dominic found himself wishing she would allow herself a breather - maybe let him ease an orgasm or two from her to ease her tension. But, in the past week, by virtue of both their busy schedules, he hadn’t touched her.
He only hoped she was alright.
When he went to his home gym to work out, Dominic found that, oddly, he couldn’t concentrate. His mind was with Makayla uptown, hoping she hadn’t burned herself out before she could sit for her exams. He found himself hoping that she would call or text - anything to reassure him that she was OK.
But she didn’t.
It was enough to unsettle him.
Dominic went into work irate and only lasted about half a day before returning home again, whereupon he became frustrated all over again to find that Makayla still hadn’t returned. He forced himself into the study and worked on a few product designs without really paying attention to them. When Sophia brought him a bowl of soup, he waved her off and immediately regretted his rudeness, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. Surely he couldn’t be nervous on Makayla’s behalf? He couldn’t imagine any scenario where she didn’t pass her exams with flying colors!
So why the hell was he so on edge?
It was close to eight that evening before the young woman finally returned to the apartment. The moment he heard the door open, Dominic moved from the study into the living room with determination. He arrived just in time to watch Brett take Makayla's calfskin coat from her weary shoulders before she collapsed onto the sofa, unmoving.
Frowning deeply, he moved over to the couch to scoop her into his arms. Kayla groaned, squirming slightly before she settled against his chest with a fatigued whisper. “Tired.”
Dominic found himself growling lowly. “You’ve overworked yourself.”
But she didn’t reply. Amazingly, Makayla was already fast asleep.
With a glance at Brett, who took the cue to make himself scarce, Dominic whisked her back to the master suite before laying her beneath the covers. When he attempted to straighten, Makayla merely clung to him, and he found that he didn’t want to leave her. A small smile gracing his lips, Dominic slid into bed with the young woman, gratified when she immediately snuggled against him.
Just like that, all the day’s worries were wiped away. She had obviously overworked herself, but she was alright now. She could sleep for the next forty eight hours, if need be, and after that, she’d have a whole month off from school.
A month she could spend with him.
Dominic had already contemplated taking her to Switzerland or Germany - if only to see that same wonder he had witnessed in Paris. He loved surprising her - pampering her even when she refused to be pampered. Despite his best intentions to distance himself from her, Makayla had become something he looked forward to returning to at the end of the day - someone he couldn’t sleep without.
And every time she begged him to make love to her, he found himself more and more hard pressed to refuse her - damn any agreement they had.
She had asked him the other day whether or not he believed his mother would like her - in truth, Dominic couldn’t see the woman disliking her. Like his mother, Makayla was hard-working and determined. She was dedicated to her cause. She was honest and humble...everything he had once wondered if he would ever find in a woman.
Right here in his arms, fast asleep.
Gazing down over her lovely features, Dominic smiled.
He would take the day off tomorrow. Despite all the chaos at work, he would take the day off to be with her. And when she inevitably asked him to make love to her, he didn’t think he would refuse. He would finally assuage his own desires and hers as well - make her his in every possible way.
And then he would tear up that damned contract. Dominic realized now that they didn’t need it anymore. Makayla wasn’t going to exploit him - she wouldn't betray him. She only wanted him for who he was...and that was the greatest gift she could ever give him.
Despite not having had a decent meal since that morning, Dominic had almost drifted off himself when his phone rang. He reached out to silence it, and made a low, frustrated sound when he realized it was his mother - no doubt itching to ask him some final detail about her trip to New York.
He answered as quietly as he could. “Hey, Mom. It’s late.”
He expected her to immediately chide him about how she could call her son any hour of the day or night she pleased, but instead, when she replied, her voice was surprisingly grave. “I’m sorry, Dominic. I know this is a busy time of year for you, but it’s urgent. I need to speak with you right now.”
He was immediately on high alert, carefully inching his way from Makayla’s sleeping form. His mother only spoke so formally when something was wrong - and he drove himself slightly crazy in the next minute or so wondering what could possibly be bothering her.
“What is it?” He finally inquired, once he was standing outside of the master suite. “Is there an issue with your itinerary? Do you need me to change the dates?”
“No, that’s not it. But, Dom...I think it might be better if you came to see me for Christmas.”
He arched a brow in surprise. “Mom, you know I’d like to, but it’s a bit hard for me to relocate just now. I promise you you’ll be more than comfortable here-”
“I won’t.” Elaine returned with surprising sharpness. “I can’t imagine I would be comfortable anywhere she is.”
She spoke the words with such venom that they startled her son. Dominic rarely ever heard his mother speak with such intensity.
“She? Mom, what are you talking about?”
There was a slight pause before Elaine spoke in a stony tone. “Dominic, tell me truthfully: Did you look into Makayla Price before you two became so close?”
Look into her? What was there to look into? Makayla had revealed about as much as she was comfortable about herself - that she had grown up in a poor neighborhood and that her parents had abused her. Dominic could hardly imagine his mother being so affronted by those circumstances. She herself came from poverty.
“I didn’t know there was that much to investigate.” He returned carefully, wondering where this was all going - and above all, why his mother sounded so chillingly angry.
“Well, I found plenty.”
Dominic stared at his phone as if it had come alive in his hand. “You found...mother, what have you done?”
His stomach suddenly curdled at her unyielding tone. “You can’t imagine that I wouldn’t look into any woman that won you over so easily, Dominic. You’re my son - and I only want what’s best for you. Believe me when I tell you that Makayla Price is the opposite, though it pains me to tell you.”
What?
Dominic found himself chuckling in slight disbelief. “I’m afraid that I don’t follow.”
His mother expelled a long sigh. “Dom, I had a private investigator look into her history - and I’m sorry to say I found some very disturbing information.”
Dominic’s heart all but stopped. Disturbing information. What kind of disturbing information? “Mom...she’s already told me about her past.” He ventured, feeling oddly ill at this line of conversation. “I know-”
“Her criminal background?” Elaine interjected coldly. “That her mother’s a drug addict and her father’s in a California State prison for murder?”
Dominic’s breath caught. “She...what?”
“I’m not surprised she didn’t tell you,” His mother continued caustically. “The girl has a history of extortion - of cozying up to moneyed people, taking them for all they’re worth, and then disappearing.”
She had to be joking. That sounded nothing like his Makayla. Where on earth had his mother gotten all of this information? “Mother, Makayla’s a medical student. She wants to be a doctor.”
“How convenient that she’s managed to turn her life around just in time for meeting you,” Elaine replied off-handedly. “How much has she really told you, Dominic? Only what she wanted you to hear, I’d wager. I’ll say it again - I think it might be better if you came here for Christmas and gave yourself some time to figure everything out. In the meantime, you can have a look at the documents I overnighted you. It’s everything the private investigator gathered on her - quite the file.”
He was dreaming. This had to be some nightmare that he would soon wake up from to find Makayla sleeping serenely beside him.
“Mom…” He ventured, his head swimming with confusion. “Why? Why the hell would you investigate her like this?”
“Don’t be naive, Dominic. I love you. You’re my only son - and I want to make sure that you’re safe, even if it’s from yourself.”
He barely heard the rest of what she said. Dominic honestly expected - he hoped that he would wake up at any moment. By the time he hung up, he was leaning back against the wall his mind whirling.
Makayla? A criminal? The very idea was laughable. She was the victim, not the perpetrator. She had never been anything but completely honest with him - at least, to the best of her ability.
The girl has a history of extortion - of cozying up to moneyed people, taking them for all they’re worth, and then disappearing.
Makayla had only been living with him for three months. Did he really know her as well as he thought?
The moment the thought entered his mind, he felt guilty. His mother had to be misinformed. Kayla couldn’t be capable of extortion. Not when she didn’t even like to use his credit cards when he wasn’t around!
...Unless it was just a ploy. People had certainly pretended for far longer to get what they wanted.
Dominic did his best to convince himself to go back to bed. This was ridiculous. His mother was clearly just overreacting, and she’d call back soon to apologize.
If that was the case, however, then what were the documents she’d sent him?
Almost as if in a trance, he found himself walking down the hall to find Brett, who was tidying the living room. All it took was one look at the expression on his face to bring a frown to the elder man’s face. “Are you alright, sir?”
“Brett, where’s the mail?” He didn’t answer his question, choosing, instead, to get to the meat of the matter.
Brett looked completely surprised. It was rather late for him to be looking through the mail, after all. He usually got to a day’s post twenty to forty eight hours after it arrived. Everything important got sent to his office. “It’s in your inbox sir, as always.” Almost before Brett had finished speaking, Dominic was headed to the office. The moment he entered, he saw it - a thick manila envelope in his inbox.
He paused, hesitating slightly before he picked it up.
Did he really want to see what was inside?
Dominic sank down behind his desk and slit the envelope open, emptying the contents over his desk.
His mother was right - there were reams and reams of information. The more he read, the harder Dominic’s expression became. Makayla had, indeed, come from a problematic family, but, according to these documents, she contributed to the problems far more than she let on. From a young age, she had been caught several times stealing and, after being removed from her home at ten years old because of unfit living conditions, she returned only six months later, having robbed the family that had taken her in. As there were no other families that wanted to take her - and shelters in her region of California were few and far between, Makayla had been returned to her family.
At thirteen, she was arrested for juvenile drug trafficking, and the only thing that saved her from serving time was that she’d turned in all of her friends as well. Her parents had given her up for adoption again when she was fifteen, and this time she had only lasted three months before she was caught with fifty thousand dollars’ worth of jewelry.
The last time she had served time on record was when she was eighteen years old - she had stolen a car and been caught trying to sell it, whereupon she had admitted to the crime and ended up serving six months in a minor woman’s prison.
Dominic read through the documents over and over again in disbelief.
Makayla had been thieving for almost as long as she could walk - of course, she had neglected to mention this in all the time they were together. She had hurt people - been taken into their loving households and then run off with as much as she could carry, betraying their trust and breaking their hearts.
All this time, she told him that she was following her dreams - that she made this deal for the sake of her schooling and her future, when really, all she was doing was biding her time.
God, he was such a fool.
Every look...every touch...every fucking kiss...he had to wonder: had she even been abused by her parents, or was that just another ploy to make him pity her? Had she just been pretending to be traumatized? He wouldn’t be surprised, not after all of this.
Dominic felt sick - betrayed and weak.
For what felt like hours, all he could do was look over the papers that laid Makayla’s past out starkly before his eyes. She had lied to him - lied about everything, and he let himself be taken in by it. After priding himself on his decision-making - being so certain that she was just what he needed, he’d made a mistake.
And now he was going to have to correct it.