Page 51 of Where We Began

That word swirls in my mind. It stays stamped there as I scan the wide room with its polished floors, domed high ceiling with gold metal accents, and sconces that give the place a fairytale glow. Perfection is my goal. Perfection consumes me like an itch I have to scratch.

Perfection is the word of the day when Dominic strolls into the ballroom.

My breath catches in my throat at the sight of him. He's adjusting the buttons on a silver vest, a jacket framing his chest like a pair of open black curtains. He sees me as I see him, and he ingests the fascination in my unguarded stare before I can hide it away.

“Master Dominic,” Mellie says, heading to meet him by the entrance. “Is there a problem with the suit I left you?”

He hasn't stopped staring at me. The ghost of a smirk appears on his face. I'm freed of his ravenous eyes when he looks down at Mellie. “It's almost perfect. The vest is just a little tight.”

“Let me see,” she says, moving behind him. She deftly removes his jacket, vanishing behind his muscular torso and legs. I can hardly see her. There's nothing standing between us, now - nothing but air that swims with tension.

I wish I'd stop gawking like a drooling idiot, but... he's magnificent. The suit is tailored to his body expertly. With the jacket gone the vest hugs his broad chest. Mellie toys with the back, then undoes the buttons. “You're right,” she says, “It’s tight. I'll fix it quickly. What about the color?”

He shrugs.

“Never mind,” she huffs. “Let's ask a feminine eye. Laiken?”

I blink. “Hmm?”

Mellie gestures at Dominic with the vest in her hands. “How does he look? Good?”

Good isn't the right word. It's not strong enough. It’s a pale excuse for describing theexperiencethat is Dominic's fit body in a crisp black suit. With the silver vest gone, his coal-black button-down is one layer closer to the naked skin beneath. Long sleeves hide the tattoos snaking over his arms, but I know they're there.

“He looks... great,” I say, my voice cracking. I shake myself out of my haze. “Very, very nice.”

Dominic grins, showing me a hint of sharp teeth. “Thank you.”

“Okay,” Mellie says, scrunching her button nose. “I'm glad you think so, but I was talking more about thecolorof his clothes, not howgreathe looks in them.”

My god, I've never blushed so hard. “Oh, uh. Well. That... is also nice. The color, I mean.” Fuck I'm so dumb.

Mellie rolls her eyes, handing the jacket back to him. “I'll fix the vest later. Can you do me a favor while you're here?”

“Of course,” he says.

“Go stand in the middle of the room. I want to get a sense of scale when people start arriving, the flow of the space and all that.”

The treads on his patent black shoes brush over the floor, like he weighs nothing. I never noticed how quietly he walks before.

“Yes, that's good,” Mellie says as she taps her chin. Dominic stands in the middle of the room like a flag that's been planted to claim a country. It's fitting, this is his estate after all. Thinking about him as a conqueror is natural.

He's playing along, but I can tell he's growing bored. His hands slide into his pockets, one leg partially bent. Soon, he'll probably start tapping his toe.

“Laiken?” Mellie asks. “Lighting looks good to you, right?”

I study the way the glow from the chandeliers paints his dark hair with bright golden highlights. “It looks perfect,” I whisper.

“Go over and stand near him,” she says dismissively. “One person isn't enough for me to get a full picture of the setting.”

I glance at her, then across at him. He watches me expectantly, waiting for my approach like he assumes it'll happen. Wyatt's message tickles at my memory. He made it very clear that it was in my best interest to stay as far away from Dominic as possible. Wyatt knows something that I don't, and whatever it is, it paints this man in a negative light. I trust Wyatt; I know I should heed his warning. Only an idiot wouldn't listen.

My idiotic feet carry me into Dominic's personal space.

The closer I get, the faster my heart beats. He's expressionless, barely smiling. I remember how he looked at me the night he returned to this property—like he loathed me. If he still acted like that, it would be much easier for me to resist him.

“Great,” Mellie yells across the room. Her voice echoes in the emptiness. “That's wonderful, you two look great.”

“Hear that?” Dominic whispers. “We look great.”

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