Page 62 of The Scandal You Started
Rayna stopped mid-picking up the last of the empty shopping bags off the kitchen counter when Dominic demanded an answer to his question.
She was a little impressed and surprised he’d managed to stay quiet about Jake for so long, considering he’d subjected her tothe roaring yellow flames of his gaze until they’d packed their bags of purchased clothes and food into the car.
He’d stared out the window throughout the drive back, omitting a dark, brooding aura that filled the vehicle’s atmosphere with palpable tension.
Rayna had half expected him to burst into a symphony of questions the moment they’d stepped through the threshold of the farmhouse. But he’d held it in while they’d put the shopping away, right until the very last second at least.
She wasn’t looking forward to facing the music of Dominic’s jealousy, knowing how loud it was going to be. The bass of her combative nature was already rising as a result.
Why the fuck did the world have to reunite her with Jake while she’d been with Dominic?
It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been pleasantly surprised to have bumped into Jake, but she really could have done without Dominic meeting him and turning all possessive husband who’d caught another man trying to kiss his wife.
He wasn’t. He wasn’t supposed to be acting jealous either. He had no claim on her.
But it wasn’t just down to the selfishness of his attraction to her. Rayna was realising a part of it was her own fault too.
Maybe she shouldn’t have let him flirt with her. She should’ve shut him down sooner. But…
It had only meant to be harmless, hadn’t it?
Swallowing around a flicker of confused uncertainty, Rayna stuffed the green shopping bag into another full of all the other bags.
“What do you mean,‘who is he?’” she said without looking at Dominic.
“You are perfectly aware of what I mean,” he growled. “Who is he?How did you become acquainted withJake?”
She continued to give him her back as she opened the cupboard under the sink and shoved the bags onto the top shelf. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
“Answer the damn question, Rayna!”
“Don’t fucking raise your voice at me, Dominic,” she snapped back, spinning to face him.
A deep frown had hardened the usually flirtatious lines of his face. His hands were in fists, his shoulders taut and visibly thrumming with anger. But she glared back just as fiercely.
“Do not test my patience further.” His voice was quieter, but no less laced with frustration. “You asked for me to keep quiet, and I have done so. But I require answers now, and I expect them, starting with how you know him.”
The last time Dominic had spoken with such deep-rooted authority had been in his quarantine room. Having not heard such a tone since, it’d completely slipped her mind that he could act like the world revolved around his demands.
But it was who he was. That was the life he’d grown up to lead. Where he gave commands, and it’d get done because he wielded that much power.
And fuck, because maybe that rubbed Rayna the wrong way more than him raising his voice or his misplaced jealousy did. The reminder that he was still titled nobility, even if they were pretending for a few months that he wasn’t.
Arrogant. Authoritative. And like he said, he expected his word to be obeyed.
When for the past two weeks, he’d acted like anything but.
Though she was the last person he couldexpectto bow to his every decree. In fact, her anger roared with a rebellious chant to do the complete opposite.
She almost did. But there was a tiny voice of logic and reason murmuring over the petty words she wanted to spit at Dominic that reminded her he had, in fact, respected the boundary she’dset with his questions. So answering one wouldn’t kill her, even if it felt like the surrender would.
“I met him on holiday,” she ground out. “That’s the only answer you canexpect, because that’s the only answer I’ll give you.”
Rayna turned away to leave the kitchen, indicating she was done with the conversation. But as quick as a soaring eagle, Dominic swiped up her elbow and pulled her to a stop.
His grip wasn’t painful, but it was unyielding as he scowled. “Do not walk away from me when we are talking.”
“Talking?” she echoed harshly. “You’re trying to fucking interrogate me about something that’s got nothing to do with you.”
