05

I felt my anger boil up and couldn’t help but confront him. »How dare you ! You slept with me knowing you and my father are not on good terms. » He looked shocked at my outburst. I fell to my knees and cried, ashamed that I had let him have sex with me.

« Your father ? » He said as he kneeled hugging me. I didn’t push him away, for some peculiar reason I liked his touch, how his arms were wrapped around me.

« My father, your competition, Rafael Luciano. » He looked at me, eyes wide and I looked down unable to remain eye contact.

« I didn’t know, I’m sorry. » He said sincerely, but that wasn’t enough for me to accept what had happened. I got up and removed myself from his embrace. « I have to get going. » I tried to be confident but I just couldn’t wrap my head around on how could I let this happen ?

Certain parts of last night came back to me, the intimacy me and him shared, the way my body reacted to his. I looked in the mirror to see miniscule yet still visible hickeys. I glared at him as he smiled. His smile was so precious and I had found myself swooning.

« Get a grip Ariella. » I said to myself, shaking my head I pick up my dress from the chair and prepared to leave.

« Go out with me. » I hear him say, more like command. I looked at him as if he was stupid.

« What makes you think I’d go out with you after you slept with me. » I answer, the anger evident in my voice. His ignorance was showing.

« Well if you don’t, I’ll tell your dad you slept with me. » He said. I gasped and looked at him. « You wouldn’t. » I said as I begin to worry.

« I mean wouldn’t daddy like to know his little girl slept with his rival, how humiliated and ashamed will he be. » He mocked, I looked at him and I knew my tears were about to spill. How evil could he be ? His eyes softened for a few seconds and I stopped myself from thinking he was a good person. He was blackmailing me, I was appalled.

I never wanted my father to know. I never wanted him to find out how I had betrayed him.

« Okay. » I give in, embarrassed of all of this. « But I can’t go out with you in public. » I thought about what I was doing, it felt like the right decision, or at least I hope it is. It’s not like I had a way out.

Dominic nods thankfully, I’m sure he knew that we couldn’t be seen in public.

« My number is on your phone, I find it insane that you have no password ? » He states, almost everyone I know that found out I had no password thought I was on another level of bravery but really it’s just because I couldn’t be bothered.

« I have nothing to hide. » I say truthfully and he almost scoffs.

« Your bank details are in there. » He states and I look at him suspiciously.

« How do you know that ? » I say, did he go through my bank details ? I mean it’s not like he needed money the guy was a billionaire for gods sake.

« You have the app installed. » He reassures me, maybe I did need a password. « Oh. » I replied feeling a little stupid.

« I will call you tonight, when I have a free night we will go out. » He says with authority, I nod feeling defeated. First I had betrayed my father by giving him something I cherished so much and now I’m going to have to betray dad again by going out with him. This is definitely not what I thought would be the outcome of my drunken Friday night.

« You should change and I will drop you off home. » He says and makes his way too the door.

« There’s no need to drop me off , thank you. » I say, I felt like if I spent another minute with this man my body was erupt, he just made me feel so flushed.

« I didnt ask, get ready. » He commands dominantly.

« Meanie. » I say, real mature Ariella.

He chuckles and I swooned.

He leaves the room, and I unbutton the shirt, his shirt. I blushed and smelt it once more, he smelled like oud. I stopped myself as I came to my senses that this could come off creepy.

Once it was off I started to put the dress on but the zip got stuck halfway. Jesus did I manage to put out on few pounds from the cocktails last night ? I fiddled with it trying to get it up but I couldn’t reach it. After a few minutes of trying, my hand ached and I gave up slumping onto the bed.

« Have you finished getting ready ? » Dominic asks and I desperately tried again to zip up my dress. He knocked and came in standing in the doorway viewing my frustration.

Until he began walking towards me with amusement clear on his face. I took a sharp intake of breath when I felt his warm rough hands on my back. I felt him shake the zip and then it eventually went up. He put my hair to a side and put his mouth near my neck. His warm minty breath burned the skin on my neck as he played with me, I would be lying if I wasn’t extremely aroused. He was toying with me.

Before he could go any further I move away and see the corners of his lips tug up a little.

« Well let’s get going angel. » He says and I blush at the endearment. I nod and get my purse Dominic walks forward and I try to slow myself down so it didn’t look like we were going together. Finally we were at the entrance and he opened the door but asked me to wait.

He left for a minute and came back a little rushed.

« The press are here, go out from the back. I’ll drive past, my car is a black Mercedes. »

« Why are they here ? » I question him, did they know I was here ?

« They want to ask about the club. » He answers.

I turn to walk but am pulled back into his strong arms, he leaves a small sweet kiss on my cheeks and forehead.

« I’ll see you soon, angel. » He says softly.

I nod, unaware of anything else. I walk to the back. I waited for a few minutes and just as I was about to call Sofia for a ride he pulled up.

« Sorry they were asking too many questions. » He apologizes.

« It’s fine. » I say reassuringly.

He opens the door for me and I smile, he’s such a gentleman. I sit down and he starts to drive. « Where should I go ? » He asks.

« It’s Clementine estate but you can drop me off a little farther from the entrance. » I say, I really don’t need anyone from the estate seeing me leave his car.

He looked hesitant, « are you sure ? » I nod and we then sit in a comfortable silence.

As he comes close to the estate the car comes to a stop. « Thank you. » I say truthfully and get ready to exit his car.

« My pleasure. » He takes a loose strand of my hair and pulls it back behind my ear. He then kisses me and I feel his hand running through my hair, the other sat comfortable on my thigh.

« Ariella ? » I hear, but it wasn’t Dominic.

Ariella.

« Ariella. » I hear, but it wasn’t Dominic.

Without a second thought I push Dominic away, oh god. What if it was my mum, my brother, oh my god what if it was my dad !

As the person begins knocking on the window I face my reality and let the windows slide open however I had enough shame to look down.

« Ariella, dear what’s wrong why are you looking down. » It was Tony. Oh lord it was Tony, thank god. I looked up and smiled, mostly out of relief but also because I haven’t seen uncle Tony in a while.

« Uncle Tony ! » I say while hugging him.

« Ariella, dear you’ve grown ! » He says shocked and squeezes me a little tighter.