Chapter 5
After I’d cleaned myself, we were both too tired to do anything else. We slept in the floating bed that night, and the strange rocking sensation made me have strange dreams. When I awoke, Dominic sat on the edge of the bed, his back arched and his hands clenched something.
I blinked a couple of times, getting used to the morning light, before getting up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed a patch of his hair. I peeked over his shoulder and saw he was typing a message to this Sharon lady again.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“Sending a text.” He quickly pressed the button, before I could see what he was typing.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I can see that. Why?”
He shrugged, my arms rolling off him. “Does it matter?”
I pulled back and folded my arms. “Yeah, it does. I still don’t understand why she keeps contacting you at home, outside work hours.”
He stood up and sighed. “Seriously? This again …”
“Yes, Dom. Yesterday you said you love me, but you keep withholding things. Why can’t we share everything?”
He balled up his fists. “Because it’s dangerous, Julie. The less you know, the better.”
I frowned and my jaw dropped.
What? I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“Why? Am I stupid or something?”
“No, Julie, of course not.” He put the phone away and started dressing. “But if you did, you’d be in danger.”
“What the hell is going on then? What could be so bad that you can’t tell me?”
He put on his tie, pulling so hard each time it looked like he almost strangled himself. “I told you my dad left me some serious shit when I got the casino. I wasn’t joking.”
“Well, why would it involve me? Why would I be in danger? And what does that woman have to do with it?”
Dominic stomped up and down, his nostrils flaring, almost as if he was exploding with anger. “She has everything to do with it.”
“Why? Who is she?” I came up from the bed, my arms still folded, and stood in front of him, my posture rigid. I tried to match his dominance, but he still towered above me.
“A goddamn private investigator, alright?”
My eyes widened and my breathing stopped for a second. “What?”
“You heard me.” He put his phone in his pocket and straightened his collar in the mirror. “I don’t want you involved. It’s bad enough as it is.”
“Well, I’m involved with you. I guess that warrants the fact that I’m already in that shit of yours quite deep.”
He took a deep breath. “Listen, Julie.” He turned around and grabbed me by my arms. “I don’t want you hurt. What I said yesterday … I meant it. I want to protect you and that’s the only reason I’m doing this.”
I looked him in the eye, and he seemed very worried. Still, it didn’t justify the fact that he refused to give me more. Almost as if he thought I couldn’t handle it, and it made me feel like I wasn’t on the same level, even though he’d made me feel I was.
“Don’t go outside,” he continued. “Close the blinds in front of the windows. Lock the doors, don’t open them for anyone. Don’t pick up the phone and don’t answer any emails.” He pecked me swiftly on the cheeks.
“You’re going again? You can’t be serious. You expect me to sit here and be quiet?” I said, furious he was leaving me again without telling me what he was doing.
“I have to deal with this, okay? Just promise me you’ll do what I say. Do this for your master, please.”
The word please had an imploring tone, which I had not heard from him before.
I swallowed and closed my eyes. “Fine.”
He kissed me on my forehead. “Good.”
His fingers slid over my cheek, and he lifted my chin. “I do love you. That didn’t change and it won’t, no matter what happens.” He kissed me tenderly and then left my lips empty, as he rushed downstairs and closed the door behind him.
I tried so hard to get my fingers to type something, but they kept hovering over the keyboard without striking a key. I couldn’t muster the will to push them. Nothing good would come out anyway. I hadn’t written anything since Dominic left. I’d been sitting here all day, mulling over what he was doing, and it was eating me up inside.
Damn it! Why does this have to be so hard?
The doorbell phone rang, and I stood up to answer it, even though I remember Dominic telling me not to do so. I didn’t really think there was any danger in it. Sure, some shit was happening with him and the casino, and he’d hired a private detective, but what in the world would that have to do with me or his home?