A/N: I've linked a song you can play while reading the last bit of this chapter. In case the link above doesn't work, the name of the song is: Abu/Dhabi by sobhhï. I'll let y'all know when to play the song!

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Dominic's POV

My eyes dart around the room. There are beautiful women everywhere, any man would be salivating at the sight of so many.

But there's only one I'm looking out for and she's nowhere to be seen.

And tonight, she looks gorgeous tonight. Fucking hell, the second I saw her I wanted to rip her out of those clothes to make her mine.

My body was aching for her touch. Especially that car ride... I wanted to stop the car just to jump in the back seat to bring down my need for her lust.

My dick throbs at the sight of her and all I want is some relief from this menacing feeling driving me over the fucking edge.

"Why don't we excuse ourselves from this boring place and find a room?" Darcie traces her finger down my jawline, interrupting me from my thoughts.

"Not now." I reply.

"Now now? You're always down for a good fuck." She smirks.

"Not now, Darcie." I growl.

"Fine! Come find me when you're ready for some fun." She walks away, probably find another rich man willing to give her something for her time.

Frustrated with not being able to find Inaya, I step into the crowd of people.

As I walk around, different men offer up their daughters to me. I can hear various comments made by them to catch my attention.

"Mr. Belcastro, would you like to meet my daughter?" One asks.

"Forget his, mine is more sophisticated." Another says.

"Ha, your daughter's a whore and everyone knows it. Mine would make a good housewife and she's a virgin. It can be proven."

I roll my eyes. I've had dozens of marriage proposals but settling down is not something I see myself doing.

Or it wasn't something I thought of until she walked into my life. Fucking hell, I'm ready to put a ring on it if it means she'll be mine to touch, only mine.

Many tried to even sell their daughters to me... Fathers in low ranks have stooped very low to gain power and title in the mafia. But that's the price you pay of being born into this circle, you never know what fate you will have, even within your own family.

I stand against a pillar, while many women try to chat me up. They just don't seem to understand that I'm not fucking interested.

Of course they don't understand. I've always been interested. I've gone multiple rounds with women in one night. I've always been up for it.

But not tonight, tonight I only have my eyes on one Princess.

That's when I see her on the dance floor, in the arms of another man.

My body jolts at the sight: an automatic response. A burning fire lights up in my core. My first impulse was to pull out my glock and put one straight through that motherfucker's head.

I told her not touch another man, I gave her clear fucking instructions.

Then, what the fuck is she doing with some random bastard?

I push through the crowd, my hands formed into right fists. I can feel the veins in my forehead about to pop from the wrath boiling in my chest.

• • •

Inaya's POV

"Cat, where are you going?" I ask she looks frustrated.

"I'll be right back. My dad called saying he wants me to meet someone. I'm guessing it's another powerful house's son." She rolls her eyes.

"Please be quick." I say.

"I won't be longer than a few minutes, promise." She squeezes my hand in reassurance.

Within the first minute, I'm approached by a man. He's definitely attractive... a model-esque attractive. You know, the type you look at and instantly think they're cute. They have the bright white teeth, with the most attractive smile and lit up eyes.

Yes, that's this man.

"Hey, I haven't seen you around here before." He smiles. "I'm Gabriel."

His smile throws me off.

Ya Allah, he's attractive.

"Inaya." I answer for my name. "I... uh... this is my first rodeo." I bite my tongue.

Oh my God, Inaya! You're first rodeo? Is that the only thing you could think of! You're so embarrassing! I wanted to dig a hole into the ground and bury myself alive.

He chuckles, "I could tell. You look a little nervous and lost."

"Haha... you're right. That's exactly how I feel." I'm totally embarrassed.

"I hate coming to these but my parents always insist." He stops to think. "Say... would you like to dance?"

"Uh... I don't think—"

He doesn't listen and pulls me out onto the dance floor where couples are slow dancing away.

"I really don't think I should be—"

"Shh..." He places my hands on his shoulders and places his on my hips.

This is not good. This is bad. How do I stop this?

"I saw you when you walked in. You looked like Cinderella running away from the ball."

"It was quite the opposite." I laugh.

When I look into his eyes, they're a forest green with sprinkles of blue. His eyes resembles the Earth in a sense. They're soft, surrounded by warmth. Complete opposite to Dominic's.

I've barely seen a spark in Dominic's eyes. His are always so dark and unforgiving. There's no warmth, only emptiness and rage.

Dominic... Dominic... I need to stop thinking about him every time I'm around any other man.

Forget that, I need to stop this. I'm literally making space for myself in Hell at this point. But if I think about it, maybe there's already a room booked down there for me because of everything else that happened.

A hand appears on Gabriel's shoulder, "I think you should let me take over."

Dominic.

Gabriel has a look of annoyance at first until he turns around to see Dominic.

He steps back so quick I thought he'd trip. "Y-yes, of course, Mr. Belcastro."

I frown at how easily he gave me up.

*A/N: you can play the song Abu/Dhabi by sobhhï now if you'd like*

Dominic instantly pulls me into him, placing my hands on his shoulders. His hands grip my waist harder than Gabriel.

The song instantly changes... it isn't even something we could slow dance to but Dominic didn't care.

His movements with me were rough, I could tell he wasn't happy.

At first, he doesn't say anything. We just sway with the song. The silence between us was almost deafening. I couldn't handle it because the silence intensified his gaze on me.

What terrifies me is how easy I feel with his hands on me. I feel at ease. I shouldn't but I do. My body relaxes at his touch yet is also tense.

With Gabriel, every part of me was on high alert. I wanted him to let go, I was squirming.

But with Dominic, not one part of my emotions wants to push him away, not one wants me to run.

My mind, on the other hand, is racing; yelling at me, scolding me for feeling so comfortable, making me feel guilty.

These conflicting feelings are killing me. It's killing me to feel like this.

"Didn't I tell you specifically not to be anywhere near another man?" He finally breaks the silence.

I don't look at him. My head is tilted away from him only because I know I turn into putty in his grasp.

"Look at me." It was a command.

I don't look at him, knowing how much it effects me.

"You could look at that man easily but looking at me becomes a fucking ordeal?" It's like he's scolding me.

"Yes, it becomes a huge ordeal. You should know why." I snap back.

"Why? Enlighten me." His hands slide down my hip, getting dangerously low.

"Dominic..." It was a plead for tell him to stop.

Challenging him always puts me at a disadvantage. It's so unfair.

He rests his cheek on mine, his body against mine as we dance away. His hands still slowly exploring by caressing my body, slowly but with intent.

"Enlighten me, Inaya..." He whispers softly in my eye.

My heart stops beating right then and there. I've never heard him call me by my name. Never.

And to my annoyance, I could listen to him call my name all the time. It sounds so foreign in his mouth... yet so perfect.

"You look astonishing in this dress tonight." His voice low, almost seductive.

I was taken back by the comment. "T-thank you..."

"But you know what goes through my head? The thought of pulling it off of you while I take away that innocence of yours on my bed." I could feel his smirk.

I suddenly stop and take a step back.

"I can't do this. This isn't right. You're always... I..." He can never have a normal conversation. There always has to be sexual connotations.

He still has a light hold on the tips of my fingers.

"Inaya..." He says my name but with nothing else to follow.

My hand is shaking to grab his but this magnetic connection is too fiery, too dangerous.

I drop my hand and he lets go. He watches me walk away, and something in me was hoping he'd stop me, tell me to come back but of course, he didn't.

I always tell myself to not expect anything from him but I always expect something and then end up hurting myself.

I just want to enjoy the rest of the night without anymore of this. Please, no more of this. It's tearing me apart.

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Next Update: Friday, December 20, 2019.