Power and Possession(115)
A few moments later, Dominic’s office door was closed and the two, dark-haired men, both tall, powerful, indisposed to failure, exercising authority in all facets of their lives, eyed each other like fighters in the opening round of a cage match.
Dominic’s eyes were blue flame, his voice gentle—no threat, just stating a fact. “You fuck with any of my family, you fuck with me. It’s as simple as that. Now what the bloody hell are you doing here?”
“I’m here for Nicole.”
“I must be a genius. I already figured that out. You can’t see her. Now leave.”
“I’ll just come back.”
The air sharpened, turned cold. “That would fall into the category of fucking with my family. Are you stupid?”
“She doesn’t want to be here,” Rafe said simply. “You know her better than I but even I know she won’t stay if she doesn’t want to.”
“You don’t know me very well either.” Dominic gave Rafe a warning stare. “If I say she stays, she stays.”
A small curl to Rafe’s mouth, a faint grin. “Really? You’re sure?”
“How the fuck did you get in?” Dominic growled. “Did Nicole give you the code?”
“No. She wouldn’t do that.” The last thing Rafe wanted was for any blame to fall on Nicole. “I haven’t talked to her since last night.” A half truth, but she hadn’t texted the code. “You saw her then. She was out of it.”
“Yeah, that pissed me off. You should have taken better care of her.”
“You have to know once she decides to do something no one can stop her.” Rafe shrugged. “She was in a mood. She wanted to drink.”
Dominic grunted—not an answer, but a form of acknowledgment. “You still haven’t told me how you got in.”
“I know someone in the building.”
“That doesn’t get you to the top floor.”
“Gina lent a hand.”
“You know Gina?”
“We’re friends.”
Dominic’s brows rose at the word friends spoken in that tone. “How do you get along with her boyfriend, the Saudi prince?”
“I’ve never discussed it with him. Gina’s an independent woman.”
“I’ve heard.”
There was a curious nuance in Dominic’s voice. “How well do you know her?” Maybe he wasn’t a total family man after all.
“Not well. She’s a tenant, the kind I prefer. Capable.”
“Ex-Mossad.”
“Yes, as I said, capable. Keeps to herself.”
“You had her up to your apartment not long ago, a contact you needed. She paid attention. You should probably change your code.”
“Okay, so we know how you got here. Now, why are you really here? So far, I’m not buying your story.”
“It’s not a story. I texted Nicole and told her I’d pick her up this morning.”
“From someone like you, I’ll need a more definitive explanation, something with a little more feeling than your usual pickup tale. No bullshit or I’ll chuck you out the window.”
“You could try to chuck me out the window.”
“Cocky.”
“She’s worth staying for.” Rafe’s chin went up just a fraction. “Worth taking shit from you. Worth whatever hassle you feel like handing out.”
Dominic’s eyebrows rose faintly. “Tell me more. And I’ll think about it—not very hard, because you’re nothing but trouble for her, but let’s just say I’m curious what a guy like you thinks is worthwhile in a woman.” Dominic smiled tightly. “Other than the obvious.”
Rafe let the dig pass; it was counterproductive to rise to the challenge. He wanted to walk out of here with what he came for and if he had to ignore a few asshole remarks to do it, he would. “I just met Nicole a week ago, or hell—four days ago. I don’t know if a woman has ever had you considering words like miracle and crazy, tender, and mystical even, but—ah… your wife.”
A small flinch, like something had hit home. “Okay, so that’s not what I thought you’d say, but the problem is—I know you from places I’d rather not know you from.”
“You were there too, and you’re not there anymore,” Rafe said.
“After four days?” Dominic’s brows spiked upward. “Come on, you can do better than that.”
“Did you go back to those places once you met your wife?”
“That’s different.” Dominic blew out a breath. “In hindsight, it’s all a massive waste of time. But you don’t know till you know.”