Page 32 of Born into Sin

“Mm-hmm,” I say in a shaky voice. My whole body is trembling, and my heart is racing so fast I’m afraid it might never slow down again.

Dominic hears my ragged breathing and says again, “It’s okay, Natalya. Take a big breath for me.”

He hears my inhale. “Good girl, now give me another.”

I do as he says, slowly breathing in and out until I see the iron gates that line his property. They’re always closed, but right now they’re open, and he’s standing right outside them, phone to his ear as he paces in his beautiful, Armani suit beside his guards. As soon as I’m close enough, he opens the door. I press the brake while he puts it in park for me because I’m shaking too hard to do anything else.

Without a word, he pulls me into his arms, holding me tightly against his chest while he barks out orders in Italian. He feels the blood that’s covering my back and lets out another string of Italian.

“Are you hurt?” His accent is thicker than normal while his hand runs along my back, searching for injuries.

“No, it’s Grigori’s blood,” I whisper. “I just left him there.” I start to cry again when I think about the man I left bleeding on the ground.

“Good. That’s exactly what you were supposed to do.”

Cupping the back of my head, he sighs and gets in the SUV, keeping me on his lap as he drives us down his long driveway. It’s a tight fit, but there’s no way in hell I’m letting him go. When we’re in front of his house, I wrap my arms tighter around his neck, pressing our bodies together because I’m terrified he’s going to put me down and walk away.

“Please don’t let go,” I beg him.

Before he opens the door, he hugs me back just as tightly. “I wasn’t planning on it, principessa.”

I let out a relieved sigh against his neck, clinging to him when he steps out of the SUV while taking me with him. He’s carrying me bridal style again, but he surprises me by lifting me up and saying, “Wrap your legs around me.”

He doesn’t have to ask me twice. I wrap my arms and legs around his strong body, feeling him tuck the light, summer dress I’m wearing around me before placing his forearm under my ass, so I’m held close and completely covered up. Grabbing his phone, he walks me to his front door, storming in and slamming it shut behind us.

If I wasn’t still so shaky, I’d take a few minutes to admire his gorgeous home, but I’m too frazzled, barely noticing the dark, wood floors and plush, red rugs that cover them. Gorgeous works of art cover the walls, but it’s not gaudy and extravagant. It feels cozy, like he took the time to pick pieces of art that he actually enjoys looking at instead of random ones that are meant to impress. Tasteful, refined, and authentic, just like him.

He carries me down a long hall, stopping before a set of dark, wooden doors. When he opens them and leads me into a large office, I lift my head in curiosity. I feel like he’s just brought me into a sacred room, a space that not too many people get to see. There’s another large rug in a gorgeous, deep red color and on top of it is a large desk with two leather chairs in front of it. I’m convinced he’s going to set me down in one of them, and when I squeeze him tighter, he gives my back a soft, reassuring pat as he walks past them. When he sits in the buttery soft leather chair behind his desk, he takes me with him.

“I need to call your dad and let him know you’re okay.”

“Okay,” I whisper, still clutching him as I straddle his lap.

In seconds, I hear my dad’s frantic voice coming from the phone. He’s so upset he doesn’t realize he’s speaking Russian.

Dominic cuts in. “She’s fine, Lev. Grigori sent her over to me. She’s safe and unharmed.”

“She’s safe?”

I almost start crying again at the sound of my dad’s voice cracking.

“She’s safe,” Dominic tells him again, “and I want her to stay here.”

Surprised, I sit up straighter, pulling back enough so I can see his face. His dark eyes stay locked on mine while his hand lightly grips my hip.

“She needs to come home,” my dad argues.

“We don’t know who did the attack or why,” Dominic reminds him. “You know how safe my home is, Lev. I have plenty of guest rooms. I give you my word that she’ll be safe here.”

“Let me talk to her.”

Dominic raises a dark brow at me, and when I nod my head, he hands me his phone. I stay on his lap, legs straddling him in a completely inappropriate position, but I have no fucks to give right now. Tremors still run through my body, and my words are still shaky when I say, “I’m here, Dad.”

“Jesus fuck, are you okay?” He’s switched back to Russian, and the fear in his voice has my eyes tearing up again. I let out a shaky breath when Dominic reaches a hand up and lightly brushes the pad of his thumb along my cheek, wiping the tears away.

“Are you hurt, Natalya? Are you there? What’s going on?”

“I’m here,” I quickly say, realizing I haven’t been paying any attention to anything other than Dominic’s soft touch and the downright feral look in his eyes. When I reposition my hips to get a little more comfortable and settle back against him, my mouth drops open at the hard length I’m now sitting on. He doesn’t say anything, but I see the way the corner of his mouth lifts in the smallest of smirks, and I swear his eyes turn a shade darker.

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