Page 80 of Penance

Dom gives me a nod, shaking my hand before tucking his bony hands back into his black slacks.

“You know, Maddox,” she says quietly, turning her gaze back to Dom.

Dom nods, his face stoic and expressionless. His grey eyes like endless puddles of rainwater, something cold and vacant in his gaze. He sits down in Vito’s vacated seat, clasping his hands on the table as everyone sits back down. The cousins catch up. He reminds me a little of Charlie and Jacob mashed together. The man’s got control over every tiny movement he makes, everything calculated even with his own family.

I hear Kacey’s rumble of a laugh as he approaches. A tall, slim brunette and a big burly guy, heavy muscles packed beneath his dark skin, in tow. He’s more or less the same build as Kacey, another guy who likes to punch things, if I had to guess.

Kyla-Rose snaps her head around at the sound ofherbig bad fighter and then her mouth gapes open.

“Dominic!” she shrieks, backhanding his shoulder as she twists in her seat. “You said you only came with Ashlee!” she glances at him, disbelief written all over her face. “RonanandAshlee, you little fuck.”

“I said I came with Ashlee, I didn’t say only,” Dominic shrugs emotionlessly.

The big guy barking a laugh, his deep brown eyes crinkling with humour.

“You’re a fucking prick, Dom,” he says in a deep American accent. “We’reboyfriendsnow. It hurts my feelings that you’re embarrassed of me enough to not even tell my cousins-in-law that I’m here!” he cries with what is very clearly mock outrage, a large hand splayed over his chest in faux shock.

“You are not myboyfriend, you fucking heathen,” Dom hisses, glaring at the hulking figure standing over him.

“Dude, my dick has touched your dick, we’re totally boyfriends,” he barks another raucous laugh. Taking the empty seat between Dom and Charlie. He leans across a very,verypissed off Dominic, his hand outstretched, he introduces himself to the table as a whole. “I’m Ronan. We’re both fucking Ashlee,” he says honestly, waving his hand between himself and Dom.

I snort a laugh, my beer working its way up the back of my nose. I splutter a cough and shake his hand, half-gasping out my own name in return as I choke on my backed-up drink. Kacey dumps his mountain of turkey down, slumping into the seat beside Nox. I stare at his plate with a slight head tilt as I catch my breath.

“Kace, what in the fuck, is thatjustturkey? Where’s everything else?” I wrinkle my nose, raising a brow at the giant fucker.

The buffet has just about every food choice you can imagine. Kacey has not even one percent of the choices on offer.

“Protein,” is all he says in response.

Health nut.

Our girl stands, pulling the leggy brunette into a tight one-handed embrace. The woman closing her eyes, a soft smile on her face, her chin resting on Kyla-Rose’s shoulder as she hugs her back.

“Dom told me it was only you and him,” Kyla-Rose smiles, releasing the brunette and dropping back down into her seat.

“Dominic is stilladjusting,” she emphasises with a smirk, pressing a gentle kiss to Dom’s cheek before sitting herself in Ronan’s lap. “I’m Ashlee,” she smiles happily at the rest of us.

“So’s Nox,” I chortle in response to her first comment.

Ronan beams at me, gripping Ashlee in one arm. He reaches his other fist across the table, with a waggle of his eyebrows, I pound my knuckles into his. Both of us laugh as Nox elbows me hard in the ribs.

“So, how long are you staying?” Kyla-Rose asks, looking between the three of them.

Ashlee frowns, Ronan drops his head back, releasing a heavy sigh. Everyone’s attention diverting to Dom. He chews slowly, swallowing his mouthful, wiping at the corners of his mouth with a white napkin. Carefully, every movement meticulously controlled.

“We leave tomorrow night,” Dom announces.

Kyla-Rose tilts her head at him, the same time that Charlie does. Their movements so cleanly in sync, I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it.

“Why?” she asks.

“Because we have things to do,” Dominic states blankly, his eyes slowly rolling onto the other two people in his relationship. “And these two think our lives are parties. Which they are not.”

I raise my brows, biting my lips to stop my smirk, I drop my gaze to my plate. Everyone’s quiet for a moment, picking their cutlery back up, resuming their meals in silence.

“Okay,” Kyla-Rose says after a minute, her head lolling on her shoulder before she rights herself and nods. “Ash?” she calls, Ashlee’s big blue eyes snapping up. “Fancy hitting The Pit tonight?”

Loudno’secho around the table instantly, overshadowed by Ashlee’s squeals.

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