His to Love, Not to Claim

This chapter is one of my favorite chapters Ahhhhhh 🤭, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Don't forget to tell me your thoughts. Enjoy Your Reading ❤️.

Am I the only one that usually enjoy reading the male Pov?? Let me know in the comment section, There's always something about it🤭.

I'll be introducing others characters in the upcoming chapters and always some chapters with be said in Third person POV.

Ok ok ok let's get into it.

Dominic POV

He woke before her.

Her body was curled against his chest, hair fanned across his skin, her breaths soft and steady. The early light through the window touched her cheeks, made her glow like something ethereal.

Dominic never believed in softness. In light.

But she made it real.

And now that he'd had her felt her break for him, cling to him, cry out his name he couldn't pretend anymore.

She wasn't just someone he cared about.

She was his.

And that realization filled him with a quiet, simmering panic.

Because now he had something to lose.

⸻

Later that morning, she was getting dressed sorting through her modest collection in the closet he'd offered her since she moved in.

He stood by the doorway, watching.

She reached for a blouse loose, slightly sheer.

"You're not wearing that," he said, voice low.

She turned, surprised. "Why not?"

His eyes darkened. "Because it's see through."

"It's not that see through." She laughed out

He stepped closer. "Men look, I don't want them looking at what's mine."

She arched an eyebrow. "Yours?"

He hesitated, then closed the distance, brushing her hair back. "Yes. Mine."

The possessiveness in his tone sent shivers down her spine. She should've pushed back but instead, she melted beneath the weight of his stare.

She picked another top without another word.

He watched her with that same quiet intensity the entire time she got dressed.

⸻

They stepped into the private elevator together to head down to the car. Two other executives Dominic had meetings with were already inside.

Aria shifted to the corner, suddenly self conscious under their stares.

One of them, a younger partner Chase nodded politely. "You must be Aria. I've heard things."

Dominic's jaw ticked. "What things?"

Chase chuckled, oblivious. "Just that you've got a new assistant and she's a knockout. Clearly, the rumors were true."

Aria froze. The elevator went silent.

Dominic's eyes went cold.

The moment the doors opened, he motioned for Chase to stay behind. "We'll catch up Baby, wait for me by the car." Kissed her on the forehead before leaving.

She hesitated, then nodded, leaving the two men alone.

Later, as they drove away, Dominic said nothing. Just reached across the center console, took her hand, and held it like it was a vow.

The next morning, Chase was reassigned to their Zurich office.

Aria didn't ask. She didn't need to.

⸻

A week later, Aria had a check up.

Dominic insisted on driving her, sitting beside her in the private room, one hand on her thigh the entire time.

When the nurse came in and lifted Aria's shirt to rub the cold jelly on her stomach, Dominic's jaw clenched.

He watched every movement, tense, calculating. He didn't speak, but his hand stayed on her skin, grounding her.

Later, when they left the clinic and a paparazzi camera clicked from a parked car across the street, Dominic turned so fast Aria barely registered it.

"Stay in the car," he said.

She watched from the rear window as Dominic walked straight up to the photographer, leaned down, and whispered something into the man's ear.

The photographer turned white.

The camera was smashed on the pavement seconds later.

⸻

That night, they were in the living room, Aria curled under a blanket watching something halfheartedly on TV. Dominic sat beside her, scrolling through emails.

Until her phone lit up on the coffee table.

A text.

Unknown number.

"Miss me yet? – E"

Her stomach dropped.

Dominic didn't miss it. He saw the message, reached for the phone, and stared.

"Ezra," he said, like it tasted foul.

Aria's voice trembled. "I blocked him. I don't know how he—"

Dominic stood, pulled his phone from his pocket, and began issuing orders in clipped tones. Background checks, reverse traces, security re-sweeps of her phone, the penthouse, the building.

Aria sat still, watching as the man who kissed her breathless just days ago turned into something darker.

A protector. A storm.

He hung up and turned to her. "He won't get close again. I'll make sure of it."

"You're scaring me."

Dominic dropped to his knees in front of her. Took her face in both hands.

"Good Maybe now you'll believe me when I say I'll burn down the world before I let him touch you."

⸻

Later that night, he took her up to the rooftop something he rarely did.

The skyline glittered like glass and stars. He wrapped her in his coat, pulled her against his chest.

"I don't do this," he said. "I don't feel this. I've built walls to keep everyone out."

Aria pressed her ear to his chest. "But I'm inside now."

He nodded. "And I don't know how to be okay with that."

She was quiet for a moment.

Then she whispered, "I don't want to be protected by you, Dominic. I want to stand beside you."

He looked down, his expression unreadable. "Then you better be ready for war."

She held his gaze. "I already survived one."