Chapter Twenty-Seven
Candace
The flutter of warm fingers on the flat of my stomach makes me stir.
I open my eyes and I find myself looking at the long floor to ceiling glass windows.It was the same place Dominic sat yesterday morning.
He’s not there today. Instead, he’s next to me.My back is pressed up against the steel cage of his chest and he has his arm over my waist.And he’s awake.
I turn to face him and he stares down at me.He looks like he’s been awake for a while which makes sense because outside looks bright like it’s been daylight for hours.
As he continues to stare at me, I wonder what today will bring.
I’m not sure what I'm doing. It looks like I know, but I don't.Hard as I try to stand my ground, my heart keeps opening for him and that’s what’s weakening me.
He touches my cheek and a flush of heat ravages through me nearly as viciously as he took me last night when I remember all that we did.
All that I did with him.
The devil he is looks down at me like he can read my mind.I’m sure he doesn’t need such a skill when it’s probably clear from the crimson in my cheeks I’m recalling last night’s activities.
“Good sleep?” he asks.
“Yeah. You?”
“Most definitely, baby.”
I swallow hard and try to focus.Today is Monday. I need to do something proactive besides thinking about hot sex with Dominic and having it with him.
Jacques is probably on a plane to France by now, and the question of what next still hangs in the air.
When Dominic gets off the bed I notice he’s wearing sweat pants so he must have gotten dressed earlier.We were both naked when I fell asleep.I watch him keenly as he walks over to the table and pours himself a glass of water.
“What’s happening today?” I ask.
“Well, we're definitely having a replay of last night.” His eyes roam over my body as I straighten up."But first, we need to talk about what's going on with you.You're going to tell me the truth, without the bullshit.And under no circumstances will you lie to me."
I'm backed into that corner again, faced with that question of what's going on with me.He's serious. I know he is. I also know that if I lie, he'll know.
"I want you to trust me like you know you can," he says and I find myself really listening to him."I want you to remember what we are first and foremost.We're friends. The glue that holds us together is we've always been friends, outside of everything.We've been through hell together, we've been through life together.So trust me with the truth."
He leans against the table and I draw in a breath.
He's right. He's absolutely right.We're friends, so I should be able to tell him the truth no matter how bad it is, or how much trouble it causes.There's so much to that statement, though.There are so many truths I need to tell.
Maybe this one first.
The whole thing with Jacques was a disaster.I've been so concerned with not wanting to damage business relationships that I went above and beyond what any normal person would do.
I was desperate. So damn desperate to know what happened to my family that I would have done anything.
I don't know who I was kidding.So maybe it's time to stop thinking of business relations and speak to the one person I've met so far who doesn't like Jacques Belmont.It also hasn't escaped me that Dominic doesn't trust him.I know that much without being told, and that part has nothing to do with me.If it did, he wouldn't have raised his guns to him and threatened to kill him the way he did at the auction.
"Baby, what's going on?" Dominic prods and I gear myself up to talk.
"Earlier this year, I wanted to look into my parents' deaths," I begin and seriousness fills his eyes.
"What happened?"