His to Love, Not to Claim

This chapter will be short than usual,moving forward I hope you're enjoying Aria and Dom 온라인카지노게임 like I am. Please I need your comments and vote so I don't feel hanging, with that said I hope you enjoy your read❤️.

Aria POV

The car ride home was quiet.

Not the comfortable kind of quiet that had started to grow between them.
This was the kind that crackled heavy, tense, full of words left unsaid.

Dominic hadn't said a thing since they left the Ballentine estate. Just stared out the window, jaw clenched, one hand tapping silently against his thigh.

Aria sat beside him, wrapped in a cashmere shawl he'd draped over her shoulders when the wind picked up.

And still, he hadn't said a word.

She hated the feeling blooming in her chest.

That old, familiar ache.

Like she'd walked in on something she wasn't supposed to see and now she'd be punished for noticing.

⸻

Nina's voice echoed in her head.
"Introduce me properly."
"Someone in your life."

Aria didn't know why those words bothered her so much. But they did.

Not because she wanted Dominic to claim her. Not really. Not publicly.

But the look in Nina's eyes too calm, too confident made her feel like she'd missed something. Like there was a whole chapter in Dominic's life written in blood and silk, and she was just fumbling through the footnotes.

And Luca... something about him had felt off. Charming, sure. But his smile didn't reach his eyes.

And the way he looked at Dominic like they were playing a game that had no rules.

⸻

By the time they arrived back at the penthouse, Aria's heart felt heavy.

She kicked off her shoes, dropped the clutch onto the entryway table, and turned to him.

"Are you going to tell me what that was?"

Dominic shrugged off his jacket. "A waste of my evening."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?" He said

"Pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." Her voice was sharper now. Tired. "You were on edge the second you saw them. Both of them. Nina and Luca."

"I don't like either of them."

"Clearly." She folded her arms. "Why?"

He paused. Turned. Met her eyes.

"I don't trust Luca," he said. "And Nina shouldn't have been there at all."

"That's not an answer." She pushed

"It's the only one you're getting right now."

Aria flinched, just barely. Then lifted her chin.

"You're used to being the one in control. I get it. You don't owe me anything. But if I'm standing next to you in public, if I'm carrying this baby in your house then I deserve to know who's circling me like a vulture."

He froze.

And for the first time in days... he looked uncertain.

"I'm not trying to control you, Aria. I'm trying to protect you."

Her voice cracked. "From what?"

Dominic looked at her for a long, long time.

Then said quietly, "From everything I used to be."

⸻

Later, in her room, she couldn't sleep.

The necklace still sat on her nightstand, glittering in the soft moonlight. Beautiful. Heavy.

Just like the secrets that seemed to follow Dominic like a second skin.

She picked up her phone. Scrolled through her texts. Nothing from Ezra.

No calls. No threats.

But that didn't mean he wasn't there.

Watching. Waiting.

And now... Nina and Luca?

They weren't just part of Dominic's world. They were part of something darker. Older.

And somehow, Aria knew in her gut they weren't done with her yet.