Page 30 of Dominic

Chapter Sixteen

She stayed gluedto him just like he’d told her. For a second he really thought he was going to have to take her home. She’d been just a step away from a full-on panic attack in the limo.

He’d thought it was just some silly nervousness on her part about how she looked. But when threats to fuck her in front of his family hadn’t gotten through to her, Dominic had realized it was more. She was truly terrified.

Although about what, he still wasn’t exactly sure. Didn’t think she was sure either.

Telling her to stick by him had eased whatever panicked beast crawled within her. She needed to be reminded that he wasn’t going to let anything happen to her. Or let her do anything monumentally stupid. Demanding she stay within arm’s reach the entire night — where he wanted her to be anyway — had eased something in them both.

Cassandra hadn’t realized it, but Lukas, Roman, and Sarah had all heard their entire conversation. Sarah, soft-heart that she was, had looked positively giddy at Dominic’s demands on Cassandra, recognizing them as what they were: the steps Cassandra had needed to feel safe that Dominic had been willing to provide. Lukas and Roman’s expressions had been more guarded. They’d seen what had happened when Cassandra had been in his life before. The wreckage when she’d left.

They may be civil and polite to her, maybe even friendly, but that didn’t mean they trusted her.

The gala was going to be a huge success, that much was evident just minutes after their arrival. It would raise money for Head Start, one of their mother’s favorite charities. Plus, it was positive press for the Rinaldi family — something that never hurt when so many of their dealings had to be under the table.

Cassandra tried to duck behind him as the cameras flashed when they’d entered the building, but he hadn’t let her. His arm had been steel around her trim waist. He’d been to many of these events with many different women, but this was the first time Dominic had actually stopped to make sure their picture was taken as a couple.

He wanted to make sure everyone knew Cassandra was his. Most especially, Cassandra. He slipped her hand into his and kept it there.

There may have been more beautiful women in the room, but there was something about Cassandra that drew men’s eyes. Her lovely face and smooth skin was undoubtedly part of it. Her athletic body that filled out that dress in all the right places. But it was something further, an almost ethereal appearance that drew men in. It wasn’t long before Dominic was glad he’d made the rule about her staying right next to him. Any number of men would’ve gone out of their way to talk to her if she’d left his side for any reason. As they mingled their fingers remained still locked together.

The meal wasn’t a sit down dinner but rather exactly what the title had suggested, a taste of Sicily. Dominic led Cassandra to the different food stations, laughing at how she studied them knowing she was going to try to replicate it at home. They also traveled arm in arm or hand in hand around the room to look at the different items on display.

It was during the set up for the highly anticipated dessert demonstrations that Dominic realized Cassandra wasn’t really paying attention. Her eyes were darting around the room.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, his fingers splaying out at her hip in case it was her panic coming back.

But it wasn’t. If anything, she was becoming more calm. Keeping herself, as per the rules, right by his side, she turned so she was facing his torso rather than the direction he was facing, putting her arms up on his shoulders.To anybody else it would’ve just looked like a shift of one lover towards another.

Dominic knew otherwise.

“I’m pretty sure you’re about to get robbed,” she said casually, with a smile. “But be careful, they’re watching us.”

He pulled her closer, still smiling, bringing his lips to her forehead. “Who is it? Lukas just checked in with the security team and they were feeling very confident.”

“I’ve made out two members of the waitstaff I think are involved. I’m sure there’s a third and maybe even a fourth member of their team somewhere.”

“Should I get the head of security over here?”

“You can, but it will tip them off. Right now they’re trying to decide whether to go for it or not. Changes in anyone’s behavior will spook them.”

He pulled her closer in what anyone else would assume was a loving embrace. “Okay, little thief, how do we catch them?”

“Kiss me.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You sure that’s the best way to catch some thieves?”

Her smile was breathtaking. “Well, I need you to kiss me and shift me over to your other side so I can see the opposite end of the room.”

For the first time tonight she was completely relaxed. Talking to people and being his date might terrify her, but the act of spying and potentially putting herself in danger lit up her eyes.

He kissed her.

He kissed her not just to get her on his other side, but because being away from her lips right at that moment was physically impossible for him. They were both breathing hard when he pulled back, having moved her where she needed to be.

“I’m going to fuck you later,” he said with a growl against her lips.

“Ahem, and exactly how is this any different from the last two months where you’ve done that two or three times a day?”

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