Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Dominic

A silent war raged within—a battle between the man I was and the man I yearned to be for her. With every glance into her bright-blue eyes, the armor around my heart cracked, revealing glimpses of vulnerability I never knew existed. I craved to be better, to rise above the murky depths of my legacy, but doubt's icy tendrils coiled around my resolve.

In a sudden surge of determination, I pushed back from the desk in my office at home and stood, the leather chair groaning in protest. Tonight, I decided, would be a testament to the man I desired to become—a man worthy of Alexa's unfaltering trust and affection.

Things were going to be complicated for our relationship, but one thing that was important to me was being able to share my whole self with her. The good and the bad. We got married before we even got to go on our first date, so tonight, I would remedy that. I set out to transform the dining area into an intimate setting. I dimmed the overhead lights until the room was bathed in a warm amber hue. Candles flickered atop the polished surface of the dining table, their flames casting a seductive dance of light and shadow across the fine china and crystal stemware.

Soft music floated through the air, a haunting melody that seemed to speak of love entwined with sorrow. It swelled in the space, wrapping around me like a cloak, setting the scene for what I hoped would be a night to remember.

I might have only known her for a short amount of time, but from the moment I saw her, I knew. She was the woman who would change everything for me. Our marriage would be the guiding light I needed in this dark forest.

I arranged the dishes with artisanal care, each one a culinary masterpiece crafted to delight the senses—seared scallops resting on a bed of vibrant greens, rich truffle risotto steaming gently beside them. The aroma of roasted garlic and fresh herbs lingered, promising a feast fit for royalty. She was my queen after all.

I stepped back, surveying the scene I created. It was a departure from the violent world I commanded outside these walls. Here, in this moment, I allowed myself to believe in the possibility of a different life—a life where darkness yielded to the incandescent glow of Alexa's love. Everything looked different through her eyes, and I wanted it to stay that way.

The clock ticked an ominous rhythm, its sound resonating through the house like the heartbeat of the night. I stood motionless by the window. Doubt gnawed at me with sharp teeth, whispering insecurities into the recesses of my mind. Could a man whose hands were stained with the sins of his past offer the purity of love that she embodied?

As each minute passed, a coil of anxiety tightened around my chest. I pondered over the duality of my existence—the feared mob boss versus the man who yearned for Alexa's gentle touch. The world I would rule was ruthless, unforgiving; how could I drag her luminous spirit into the abyss that was my reality?

A faint click echoed through the house. The door swung open, and there she was— the embodiment of light in my shadowed life. Her blond hair flowed freely, framing her face like a halo as she stepped onto the threshold of our sanctuary, her eyes, wide and bright, taking in the scene before her, reflecting the candlelight and magnifying it with her own radiant surprise.

"Dom… what is this?" Her voice was a melody that soothed my darkest fears, the tenderness in her words wrapping around me like a balm. She was surprised.

The corners of my mouth lift involuntarily, a rare and genuine smile breaking through the fortress of my stoicism. For a moment, the weight of my world seemed to lighten.

"Welcome home," I said, my deep voice softer than usual, laced with an emotion that I reserved only for her. "I wanted to give you an evening worthy of the brightness you bring into my life."

As she approached, the distance between us closed, and with each step, the darkness retreated further into the corners of the room. She was the promise of redemption I dared to hope for—a beacon guiding me to shores unseen, where love might just conquer all.

My hands found the small of Alexa's back, drawing her in until the space between us evaporated like mist. Her breath hitched, a soft gasp that mingled with my own as our lips met—a collision of desire, a fusion of souls yearning to become one. The house, with its candlelight and haunting melodies, faded into obscurity, the world narrowing down to the electric touch of skin on skin.

Alexa's fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, deeper, marking me with every stroke as much as I marked her. My kiss was a question, my embrace an answer—we were both seeking salvation in each other's arms, finding it in the heat that rose between us like a living thing.

"Don't you want to eat first?" I asked, hoping the answer would be no.

"All I've been thinking about since your office is having you again. So fuck dinner."

Her hands went straight for my pants, unbuttoning them and pulling them down, kneeling before me like a fucking goddess.

"You don't have to…" I didn't even get to finish my sentence before her mouth was on me. She looked up at me through her lashes and I swore I could've came right there. What the fuck do I do with my hands? Some girls didn't like when you touched them, and I didn't want to ruin this. Instead, I decided to focus on praising her.

"That's a good girl. You like this dick?"

She smiled with her eyes as she took all of me in her mouth, using a mix of her hands and her mouth to make sure I was damn ready for her. I guess she didn't understand the things just her looking at me did.

When my hand went under her chin and pulled her up, she looked like a troubled doe. I took her hand and laid her down on the couch. Honestly, I couldn't give a fuck less about getting a blowjob. I wanted to taste her every day for the rest of my fucking existence. That would be my heaven.

Her hand came down and started working her clit, but that was my job, so I moved it out of the way. My left hand held her hands above her head while my right slid two fingers inside her and my tongue circled her. Tonight was supposed to be about showing her my other side. Sure, I grew up around darkness, but because of her, the light inside me was threatening to come out.

She writhed under my touch like magic, and I'd never get enough. "I can feel it coming, beautiful. Come for me."

Her body reacted to every flick of my wrist and slip of my tongue as if on cue. I'd say one thing we would never have an issue with was connecting in the bedroom.

She moaned, then arched her back. "That's my good girl. You deserve it."

I let go of her hands and sank next to her. My arms remained a steadfast fortress around Alexa, holding her close in the aftermath. I buried my face in her hair, inhaling the sweet scent that was uniquely hers.

My lips grazed her ear. "I would burn down the world to keep you safe. You must believe that—my love for you is everything."

She stirred in my embrace, turning to look at me with eyes that shone like beacons in the night. Her touch was gentle as she traced the hard lines of my jaw, softening the shadows that lingered there.

"Dom, I…" she started, her voice a soothing melody that calmed the tempest within me.

"Shh," I hushed her, pressing a finger to her lips. "Tonight, you're all that exists for me. The only thing that makes the darkness bearable."

And in the silent affirmation of our held gaze, I knew she understood. She was my anchor, my redemption, and I would move heaven and earth to be the man she saw when she looked at me—the man she deserved.

The thought of tainting her with the bloodstains of my legacy clawed at my insides, but her presence, her trust, fortified me. I needed to be more, to rise above the undercurrents that threatened to drag me down.

"Alexa, your belief in me…" I trailed off as I gathered the strength from her faith in me. "It gives me a reason—a reason to fight harder, to shield you from the shadows that lurk in my soul." The words were a vow, spoken not only to her but to myself. A solemn oath to become the sanctuary she deserved, even if it demanded the ultimate sacrifice.

"Tell me something about you that no one else knows," Alexa said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

I hesitated, a playful smirk tugging at the edge of my lips as I pondered the weight of my secrets against the lightness in her gaze. "I'm terrified of spiders."

"Spiders?" She giggled, incredulous. " The Dominic Gambino, feared by many, brought to his knees by a tiny creature?"

"Laugh all you want, but there's something about those eight-legged demons… Your turn, I prompted, eager to keep the warmth of her laughter alive.

"Okay." She bit her lip, thinking. "I used to practice kissing on a poster of Leonardo DiCaprio when I was a teenager. "

"DiCaprio, huh?" I leaned back, feigning a wounded pride. "Should I be jealous?"

"Only if he magically steps out of my old bedroom wall."

As sleep began to claim us, Alexa's steady breathing was against my chest, her every exhale a song of peace amid the storm. I tightened my hold on her, a silent vow to shield her from the tempests of my life.