He nodded, giving me a tired smile.
“Do you need a lift?” Nolan asked Dominic.
It hadn’t occurred to me that he’d leave me tonight. I looked up at him, and his eyes met mine.
“No, I’m good,” Dominic replied. “I’ll make sure this one gets home.”
Oh, thank god.
That warm fuzzy feeling bloomed right through me. I wanted to put my arms around him. I wanted him to hold me, to feel his strength and his protection.
And whatever else he wanted to do to me...
“Ky, what about you?” Benji asked him.
He gave a sly smirk and headed back towards Wylde Street, back to club 180. “I’m all good, thanks. Talk to you tomorrow, Benj.” He gave me a nod, before he turned around and was gone.
Benji and Nolan said goodbye and, with Nolan’s arm around Benji’s shoulder, they left as well.
I stood beside Dominic, yearning for his touch, his comfort. But he had his stoic face on. I hadn’t seen it in a while, and I didn’t care much to see it tonight.
“If you want to go,” I said, looking down Oxford at the people, the cops who were still around.
Anywhere but at him.
“I’m good here,” I said, the words tasting sour and heavy. My stomach was all tight and queasy. I hadn’t eaten anything to make me nauseous. I hadn’t eaten anything at all.
Dominic grabbed my arm and dragged me to the road. He flagged down a cab, and holding the door for me, he shoved me into the backseat and got in behind me.
He snapped his address to the cabbie and my head was spinning.
What the hell was I in trouble for?
He was legit fucking mad and I had no clue what I’d done.
“Dominic,” I tried.
His gaze cut to mine; razor sharp and impossible to read.
But with nothing more than a glance toward the driver and a small shake of his head, he told me not to talk.
He took deep, measured breaths, his eyes closed, and I realised what was happening. He was going to end things.
This was all going to end tonight.
A cold and greasy lump roiled in my belly. My heart ached to the point of physical pain.
This is why I didn’t get attached.
This right here... this hollowed-out feeling. Abandoned again. Heartbroken again.
Alone again.
A silent tear escaped my eye, and I turned to face the window, wiping it away so he wouldn’t see.
I didn’t want to lose him.
I was in love with him. I was certain that’s what this was. He understood me, he saw me when no one else did.