Page 75 of Fierce Monarch

“Because of the pact.”

“Because of you.” Dominic watched me before he moved toward me until our knees were pressed together and his hands were in my hair. “All the pieces I loved about Rose were pieces that reminded me of you. Her strength, her resilience, her…innocence.” He had the grace to wince. “I’d been searching for someone who felt like home, only to realize that home was never in Chicago. It was with you, wherever you were. Rose was the unfortunate consequence of that. I never should’ve agreed to marry her.”

The jealous part of me clung to the fact that he didn’t marry her. I wanted to ask, wanted to dig out every detail of their relationship, but I wouldn’t do that. It wasn’t my place and, honestly, asking felt more harmful than guessing. Besides, Dominic felt terrible about what had happened, and the more I asked, the more the wound would hurt him.

And I didn’t think I wanted to hurt Dominic Marcosa anymore.

“You didn’t set out to hurt her.”

“But I still did it. I’m very good at hurting the people who love me.” He looked up at me, gaze weighty. “I’m so sorry, Mari. You deserve more than another apology, but it’s all I’ve got for you other than my assurance that it’s going to happen again.”

I jerked. That wasn’t what I was expecting him to say. He tightened his hands in my hair, keeping me still for him.

“I don’t want to lie to you. I’m a fuckup, we both know that. I’m going to make mistakes, I’m going to step on your toes, I’m going to make you angry. There’s no doubt about it, just like there’s no doubt you’ll do the same. But I’m always going to apologize. I’m going to prove that I’ll fix whatever I break. I promise you that. I just need you to trust me.”

He grabbed my hand in his, pressing soft kisses along my fingertips. “Give me another chance, Mari. Tell me I haven’t lost the only thing I care about.”

Dominic’s eyes were so impossibly hopeful, yet tinged with defeat, like he expected me to walk. Maybe he felt that way because I’d proven that I couldn’t handle conflict well. Instead of staying and fighting, I ran and distanced myself. I isolated. Maybe we both had work to do.

“I should’ve let you explain last night.”

Relief lowered his shoulders, and he kept kissing my fingers, one knuckle at a time. “I get why you didn’t. You needed time to think things through and get past the initial shock. I just—don’t kick me out again. Be mad all you want, ignore me if you have to, don’t touch me if it feels wrong, but don’t cut me off from you. Not completely. I can’t take it.”

Considering I’d felt the same this morning, I had no problem agreeing. “I need you to tell me your secrets, Dominic. I’m trying to understand that you had a life before me, but I can’t build a life with someone I don’t know.”

“I know. I’m sorry.” He swallowed thickly, keeping his eyes on my hands. “Are we okay?”

I stole my hand back, only to press it to his cheek, pulling his gaze to mine. “We’re okay.”

“Thank fuck.” His hand pushed mine harder into his skin, and he leaned forward. The kiss tasted like apologies and new beginnings, and I had the fleeting thought that what Nate had done wasn’t all that different from Dominic. Hell, Dominic had kept his secret for far longer.

So, if I could accept Dominic’s apology, what was stopping me from accepting Nate’s?

When we pulled away, Dominic hauled me into his lap, trapping me in his arms like he wasn’t planning to let me go. “I haven’t forgotten about your disappearing act.”

“I went to see Nate,” I admitted, hating how his arms tensed around me. “We?—”

“I don’t need to know.”

“But—”

“I trust you to make the right decisions for our family and for yourself, whatever those decisions are.” He gently pushed a piece of hair behind my ear, though I could feel the anger coursing through him. He might trust me, but he hated Nate. I couldn’t really blame him either. “I love you, mariposa.”

I clasped his hands in mine, and that was when I saw his attention shift, the laser focus darting to my hand. “Grey proposed?”

There was a lilt to his voice, and I didn’t want him thinking Greyson had taken advantage of the rift between us.

“Actually, I did. It was time.”

Dominic ran his finger over the ring, silent.

“Are you upset?”

“No. I’m good. This is good.”

“It is?” I wasn’t sure I believed him, but he nodded and softly kissed the ring.

“Grey’s a good man. He’ll take care of you.”

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