Page 21 of Prince of Queens

When she pulls back, she cups my face in her hands, her eyes searching mine. "Gia," she says, her voice thick with emotion. "I know all about you, cara. Dominic has told me so much."

I blink, stunned. From the sharp intake of breath behind me, I can tell Sofia and Luca are equally surprised.

Mrs. Esposito smiles, a hint of mischief in her eyes despite the worry lines etched on her face. "Come in, all of you," she says, stepping back to let us enter.

As we file into the apartment, Mrs. Esposito takes my arm gently. "Gia, dear," she says softly, "Dominic is in his bedroom. Why don't you go in first? I think... I think he'd want to see you."

I swallow hard, nodding. As I move towards the bedroom door, I can feel everyone's eyes on me. A gasp from the corner of the room makes me freeze, and I turn to see a beautiful dark haired girl with swollen red eyes staring at me with a huge grin on her face. I give her a tentative smile back as I make my way to his bedroom. I pause with my hand on the doorknob, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

Then, steeling my nerves, I turn the handle and step into Dominic's room, not knowing what to expect.

Chapter 9

Dominic

Ilie in bed, my eyes closed but my mind racing. The events of that night play on a loop in my head, a nightmare I can't seem to shake. The Colombians, the ambush, the searing pain of the bullet tearing through my side. If it weren't for Sal…

I hear the door open and force my eyes open, ready to send away whoever it is. But the sight before me steals my breath away.

Gia is standing there, looking more beautiful than I remembered. Her eyes are wide with worry, her lower lip caught between her teeth. For a moment, I think I must be dreaming.

Instinctively, I try to sit up, wanting to go to her. A sharp pain in my side reminds me why that's a bad idea, and I can't suppress a wince.

"Dominic!" Gia rushes to my side, her hand gentle on my shoulder. "Don't move, you'll hurt yourself."

I settle back against the pillows, drinking in the sight of her. "I'm sorry I missed our lunch date," I say, the words tumbling out before I can stop them.

Gia stares at me for a moment, then lets out a surprised laugh. "Of all the things to say right now, that's what you lead with?"

I can't help but smile, even though it makes my face hurt. "Of course. I made a promise to a beautiful woman, and I hate breaking my word."

She shakes her head, but I can see the relief in her eyes. "What happened, Dominic?" she asks softly, her hand finding mine on the bedspread.

I take a deep breath, wincing at the pain it causes. "The Colombians," I start, my voice rougher than I'd like. "We had a meeting last night. That’s why I had to leave. It was supposed to be a simple negotiation, but..." I trail off, the memory of gunfire and shouting echoing in my mind.

"They ambushed us," I continue after a moment. "If it weren't for Sal, I wouldn't have made it out of there." I squeeze her hand, needing the anchor to reality. "The bullet missed anything vital, but it was close. Too close."

Gia's eyes fill with tears, and she brings our joined hands to her lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles. "I thought... when you didn't show up for lunch, I thought you'd changed your mind about me."

The pain in her voice cuts deeper than any bullet could. "Never," I say fiercely, tugging her closer despite the protest from my wound. "Gia, last night... what happened between us... it meant everything to me."

She searches my face, and I let her see everything – the pain, the fear, but most importantly, the depth of my feelings for her. "I wanted nothing more than to see you again," I continue. "To spend time with you, to show you that this isn't just a fling for me."

Gia's free hand comes up to cup my cheek, her touch impossibly gentle. "I was so scared when Luca told us what happened," she whispers. "I thought... I thought I might lose you before I even really had you."

I turn my head, pressing a kiss to her palm. "You've had me since the moment I saw you in that bar, Red. And it's going to take a lot more than an old feud or a few Colombians to keep me away from you."

She laughs softly, the sound music to my ears. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Part of my charm," I quip, then grow serious. "Gia, I know this isn't what you signed up for. My life, it's dangerous. Complicated. If you want to walk away, I'd understand."

Gia is quiet for a long moment, her eyes never leaving mine. Then, slowly, she leans in and presses her lips to mine in a soft, sweet kiss. When she pulls back, her eyes are shining with determination.

"I'm not going anywhere, Dominic Esposito," she says firmly.

I feel a warmth spread through my chest that has nothing to do with my injury and everything to do with the woman in front of me. "Good," I sigh, then pat the bed.

As Gia settles beside me on the bed, careful not to jostle my wound, I'm struck by a sudden clarity. The events of the past twenty-four hours have put everything into perspective.Life is short, unpredictable, and I don't want to waste another moment.

---