Argggggh… my head.
It’s killing me. It feels like someone is pounding inside of it with a hammer.
I should roll over and go back to sleep, but I need some water. It feels like a big ball of cotton has been wedged inside my mouth. It takes effort to pry open my eyelids. Bright sunlight pours through the windows. I blink, trying to adjust to the intensity.
A strange fuzziness fills my head. Needing to make sense of what’s happening, my mind tumbles back to yesterday. It takes a moment for the memories to coalesce and then solidify.
The accident-or near hit-and-run-is the first thing that flashes through my sleep-addled brain.
Is that why I feel so crappy this morning?
Is this the aftereffect of the fall I took? Now that I think about it, I remember being checked over at the hospital. I’m pretty sure the doctor examined my head and said I hadn’t hit it. Matteo was there. He was so upset about the accident. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that distraught.
With a suddenness that catches me off guard, the memories return one on top of another.
Matteo was afraid that he was the reason someone tried hurting me.
The man who stayed with me after the accident works for Matteo.
Matteo owns the building we live in.
God, it’s all coming back to me. No wonder I feel like crap.
After all the secrets came to light, I asked Matteo to leave. Before walking away, he told me there was nowhere I could run. No way to escape him.
I was his.
I’d packed an overnight bag and fled to Dominic’s. The moment he laid eyes on me, Dominic knew something had happened. I was all scraped up. Bruises had already formed on my skin. He’d enfolded me in his arms and walked me in to the house. As I explained what happened, he’d grown more and more incensed.
I remember having a glass of wine and talking for a bit. With the way I currently feel, you’d think I’d knocked back the entire bottle myself.
Did I drink more than one glass?
If I recall correctly, it wasn’t even a full glass. Everything’s so fuzzy, like my mind is sifting through buckets of sand. I don’t like this feeling. Running a hand over my face, I haul myself up into a sitting position. Shock spikes through me when I realize that I’m in Dominic’s master suite.
How did I get here?
Glancing down at myself, I yank the comforter up to conceal my bare breasts. I peek beneath the covers with a sense of dread.
Totally naked.
What the hell happened last night?
Why aren’t I wearing pajamas?
I search my brain, desperate for answers. Anything that would explain the situation. But I keep drawing blanks. I don’t remember changing my clothes last night. There are no memories after falling asleep on the couch in the family room.
Some of the muzziness clouding my brain falls away. Eyes flying around the room, I search for Dominic, hoping he’ll be able to shed light on what happened, but he’s nowhere to be found. The bathroom door has been left ajar, and the shower is running. I sit frozen in place with the covers clutched against my breasts. The water shuts off a few minutes later, and I hear the swish of the shower door sliding open.
This can’t be happening. It has to be some sort of bizarre dream.
Questions brim at my lips.
Every single one of them flees my mind as Dominic strolls out of the bathroom rubbing his hair with a towel. Nothing covers his body.
He’s as naked as I am.
My mouth drops open as I stare at him in shock. I’ve never seen Dominic without clothes on. Sure, I’ve seen him in swim trucks, but I’ve never seen… I gulp.
I’ve never seen that before!
It takes a few seconds to realize that I’m staring. This can’t be happening.
Why is Dominic parading around naked in front of me?
And why can’t I rip my eyes away from his penis?
A small squeak escapes me when it begins to thicken, and I’m jolted back to the present. Scorching heat floods my cheeks.
“Morning, sweetheart. I hope you’re feeling better.” He rubs the towel through his blond hair and stands there like being naked in front of me is an everyday occurrence.
Confused and uncomfortable, I clear my throat, while trying to keep my focus on the far wall. I can still see him in my periphery, but at least I no longer have a head-on view.
Dominic chuckles. “There’s no reason to be shy. Not after last night,” he says, his voice low and husky.
My eyes dart to his.
The floor may as well have just dropped out from under me. “What do you mean?” I croak.
Grinning, he closes the distance between us. I’m no longer distracted by his jutting erection. My heart thrashes against my rib cage.
Desperately I try to recall even the minutest detail from last night. A tiny fragment that will clue me in on what he’s implying took place between us. I don’t need it spelled out, though. The fact that I’m in his bed naked says it all in gigantic neon letters.
He settles on the bed next to me. There’s a tenderness in his gaze as it holds mine. His fingers feather across my cheek. I stare, praying that my suspicions are wrong.
He searches my eyes before asking, “You don’t remember anything?”
I shake my head.
He sighs. “That’s too bad. What happened between us was beautiful. So much better than I could have ever imagined.” His voice drops an octave. “About an hour after we turned in last night, you knocked on my door, asking if we could talk.”
Nothing he says jogs my brain.
There are no flashes of memory.
Only an empty void of nothingness.
My face remains blank. As does my mind. I don’t even recall getting off the couch. Or going to bed. My mind trips back to the last memory I was able to hang on to. And that’s sitting with Dominic, finishing my glass of wine, and resting my head against the back of the couch before closing my eyes.
Is that why I can’t remember?
Because I was so exhausted?
What other rational explanation could there be for waking up like this?
“You climbed into bed with me and we talked about everything that’s been going on in your life.” His thumb sweeps across my bottom lip. “It was such a good talk, Gracie.” A look of disappointment settles over his features as his brows beetle together. “I’m surprised you don’t remember.”
Talking in bed doesn’t explain why I’m now naked in it.
He shrugs. “One thing led to another, and we ended up making love last night. I have to say, it was well worth the wait.” He smiles and leans toward me, brushing his mouth over mine. I don’t shy away from the kiss because my mind is still cartwheeling.
Swallowing down the rising bile, I whisper, “You’re telling me that we had sex last night?”
He taps a fingertip against my nose. “We made love, Gracie. It wasn’t sex. What happened between us was love.”
My belly drops to my toes.
Shaking my head in disbelief, I suck my lower lip into my mouth. What happened yesterday felt like a nightmare. I thought everything would feel normal again when I woke up this morning. But that hasn’t happened.
Today is more screwed up than yesterday.
How is that possible?
“We really…” it takes a moment for me to wrap my lips around the words, “made love?”
Dominic strokes the side of my face before his fingers trail down the side of my neck, dipping beneath the covers. He caresses my left breast. My nipple tightens in response. A deep groan of appreciation slips from him and I brush his hand away from my body.
His touch doesn’t feel right.
“I would be more than happy to give you a repeat performance. I’ve got some time until I have to head into the office.” He grins and gives me a flirtatious wink. “Hell, maybe I’ll call in and let them know that I’ll be working from home today. Would you like that, Gracie? We can spend all day in bed.”
I blanch at that idea. “No! We can’t… I mean…”
“I’m sorry you don’t remember what happened between us,” he says with a contrite expression. “It was really special. I’ve waited a long time for us to be together. Maybe I should have slowed you down last night…”
Slowed me down?
What the hell is he talking about?
“When you stripped and started kissing me, I couldn’t resist.” His eyes darken with hunger. “You’re a hard woman to say no to, sweetheart.”
With tears springing to my eyes, I bury my face in my hands. God, what a mess… “Dominic, I’m sorry, but I don’t remember any of this. I don’t…”
He wraps me in his arms, holding me against his chest. “Shhhh, it’s okay. We have time to figure this out. There’s no rush.” He drops tiny butterfly kisses along the side of my face.
Dominic and I sleeping together last night was a mistake. It should have never happened. Even thinking about it makes me nauseous. I need to get out of here. I can’t stay in this house another second longer.
Pulling myself together, I chance a look at him. “I need to go home.” Everything from yesterday has slammed into me, yet my mind is still fuzzy around the edges.
What day is it?
Thursday?
Friday?
Regardless… “I have to get to class.” I’m sure he doesn’t want me to miss school.
“No problem. I’ll have the car brought around. We can hash this out tonight, okay? I’ll send Henry to pick you up around five o’clock,” he says nonchalantly, as if my world hasn’t been tipped upside down.
It’s weird.
What else can I do but play along?
When I remain silent, he asks, “Does that work for you?”
Not sure what to say, I nod in agreement. I would do almost anything to get out of this situation. The sooner, the better. My throat feels tight, as if I’m suffocating very slowly.
When he makes no move to leave, I blurt, “I have to get dressed.”
“Of course.” He releases me from his grasp and stands. I’m still keenly aware of his nudity. His penis is right there, less than a foot away from me. And he’s still erect. Averting my eyes, I draw in a shaky breath and wait for him to leave. I’ve never been so uncomfortable in my life.
“Gracie.”
I continue staring straight ahead, hoping to avoid further awkwardness.
His fingers slide under my chin and lift my head to bring us eye to eye. “Please don’t be embarrassed about this. It’s been a long time coming.”
Unsure how to respond, I nod.
He quietly says, “I think your parents would approve. Don’t you?”
I blink hard, not wanting to think about Mom and Dad right now. I have no idea if they would approve of me sleeping with my godfather, the man they chose to protect me. Who has known me since infancy.
Maybe they would.
Or maybe they’d think it’s weird.
Which is what I think.
Clearing my throat, I repeat, “I need to get dressed.”
He nods and strolls over to his walk-in closet. I leap out of the bed when he disappears from sight. As soon as my feet hit the floor, everything wavers. I have to close my eyes and inhale a deep, steadying breath.
My body aches more than it did yesterday. Additional bruises have blossomed along my thighs and torso. Shaking off the fogginess, I stumble from Dominic’s room toward the one I’ve always considered my own.
I close and lock the door, leaning heavily against it.
I need a shower.
Once the water warms, I step under the spray and wet my hair, face, and limbs. I lather up and gently rub my body, mindful of the bruises and scrapes marring my flesh. Ten minutes later, I step out feeling more alert. My mind is still somersaulting, though. What happened with Dominic doesn’t make sense. I’m having a difficult time accepting that we slept together.
Guilt churns within me.
I considered a relationship with Dominic a while back, but that was before Matteo and I became involved. The only man I can imagine being with now is Matteo.
I rummage through my overnight bag, pulling on panties and a bra before finding a shirt and jeans.
A fresh wave of nausea rolls over me.
What am I going to tell Matteo?
How am I going to explain that I slept with another man?
My godfather, of all people.
Inhaling a shaky breath, I slowly release it as my stomach continues to roil. I need to get out of this house now. Hopefully Dominic has left for the office. I don’t want to face him again.
How did everything veer so completely out of control last night? If Dominic weren’t so adamant that we had slept together, I would question it. But he has no reason to lie. I may not want to believe him, but I do.
Shoving my feet into a pair of ballet flats, I zip up my bag and hoist it on to my shoulder, wincing as my sore muscles throb. Then I’m out the door. I’m halfway down the staircase when the pounding begins. It rattles the front door on its hinges. My feet stall as Dominic strolls into the foyer, grabs the handle, and opens it.
Matteo stands on the other side.
Frozen on the staircase, the breath catches in my throat. My fingers bite into the banister. Matteo’s dark eyes dart around before landing on me. The fury in them pins me in place.