Page 20 of Dominate
“Sophia in bed?” he asks.
I nod. “She is. She’s always exhausted after being at Margaret’s.”
“Ah, the scary, immortal grandmother.”
“The one and only.” I huff out a small laugh and roll my eyes. I’m amazed by how easily Gareth takes everything pertaining to Sophia in stride. I know he’s older, but it blows my mind that he cares about me after finding out what I hid from him for so long.
Gareth clears his throat and says, “So, I’ve been giving you time to think it over, but I need to know your answer.”
“My answer to what?” I ask as I toss a pair of Sophia’s socks into the hamper.
“Will you come with me to Cape Verde?” he asks, his voice taking a more formal tone.
My heart drops. This is the conversation I’ve been avoiding because I know Gareth won’t like my answer. With a deep breath, I reply, “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Why?” he asks through clenched teeth.
“Because you’ve been all over the media these last couple of weeks. I know you play professional soccer and you’ve always been a bit famous, but the attack changed things. To see your house splashed all over TV is really scary, Gareth.”
“So I’ll move!” he replies flippantly, like it’s the solution to our problem. But it’s not.
“That doesn’t change anything.”
“Sloan, the press have already backed off a lot. I’ll be old news in a couple more days.”
“Until something else happens.”
“Nothing else is going to happen.”
“You can’t guarantee that,” I argue as I drop down on my bed, holding my face in my hand and hating that I have to do this already. I’ve loved our nightly talks and having someone checking in on me. Even if it has been all surface level conversation, it’s nice having someone care. But I’m living in a fantasy and I have to stop. “I have Sophia to think about. I don’t want her life to be turned upside down because her mom is dating a famous athlete.”
“You think I haven’t thought about Sophia?” he exclaims. I can just see him gripping the back of his neck as he growls his frustration into the phone line. “Sloan, I haven’t stopped thinking about Sophia since I met her on the football pitch and noticed that she has your eyes. I know Sophia is your top priority and I’m fine with that. Hell, I love that about you.”
Wait, did he say love?
“I need you to give me a chance to show you.”
“Show me what?” I ask, my heart pounding in my chest over the pain of losing him so soon.
“That you matter, too. Thatwematter, too. That there can be room in our lives for all of it. I mean, bloody hell, I fucking miss you, Treacle. Don’t you miss me?”
My insides squeeze in on themselves from his remark. I miss him more than I’ve let myself fully admit. Honestly, the thought of not seeing him ever again nearly gives me the same anxiety I have when Sophia is at Callum’s every other week.
“Yes, I miss you,” I answer.
“Good,” he exhales with relief and adds, “Then don’t take me out of the game before I’ve had a chance to play.”
It’s those knee-trembling words from Gareth that have me sitting in my closet one week later, packing for a trip to the Cape Verde islands with the entire Harris family. For a woman who had complete control over a man only weeks ago, I sure wasn’t able to put up much of a fight. And when I mentioned taking a vacation to Callum, who couldn’t have cared less, I knew I really didn’t have any reason to say no.
Plus, I think part of me knew that I would live my entire life wondering what Gareth and I could have been if I didn’t give him this trip or the chance to show me his dominant side at least once.
“Mummy, why can’t I come with you on your holiday?” Sophia asks as she pulls down one of the evening gowns I used to wear when I attended events with Callum.
“Vacation, Sopapilla. Americans call it a vacation.” I reach over top of her and pull down my giant suitcase from the shelf.
Sophia rolls her eyes at my correction, then steps into a long, sequined, silver gown that sparkles under the closet lights. “I really want to go on your vacation. You’re going to a beach and I love beaches.”
I drop down on my knees to open my empty suitcase. “You have school, sweetie. We can’t take you out of school.”
