DOM: Alliance Series Book Three (83)

Then, with a feeling of rightness filling my chest, I put Val’s real birth control pills into the safe. And lock it.





CHAPTER 54





Val





“Oh hey, I keep forgetting to ask you!” Bri stops me before I hang up our call. “Are you coming tonight?”

“Uh, coming to what?”

“The Christmas party.”

I shift my position, crossing my feet where they are on my desk. “What Christmas party?”

Bri put this call on our work calendars, and I thought maybe we had a project that overlapped, but she just wanted to fill me in on some gossip about a guy from another branch who’s going through a messy divorce.

She groans into the phone. “Did you seriously not get an invite to the company party?”

“No, but maybe they only sent it to locals this year, and I just became a local.”

“No, it’s because Tosh in HR is a lazy bitch.”

I snort out a laugh. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“Alright, well, it starts tonight at eight. It’s a whole building thing again, so it’s still in the atrium on the fourth floor. But I’ve heard there’s a decent buffet this year.”

“Oh, a buffet,” I say sarcastically.

“Yes, you rich twat, a buffet. The thing we peasants flock to because we like free food.”

“You’re not a peasant.” I laugh.

She ignores me. “Speaking of your life being better than mine, bring that handsome-as-fuck husband with you.”

I shake my head, having seen the photos she sent me from her elopement last week. “Don’t act like your new hubby isn’t attractive.” He really is. Just in a boy-next-door kind of way, not a tatted-gangster kind of way.

Movement at my open door startles me, and I let out a little scream.

Standing against my doorframe, Dom glares at me, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. “Who are you calling attractive?”

Bri says something to me at the same time, but I miss it.

“You scared the shit out of me,” I tell him, dropping my feet off the desk to ground myself.

“Is that him?” Bri’s excited voice cuts through my sudden adrenaline.

“Yes,” I tell her, keeping my eyes on Dom. “It’s my overbearing husband.”

He lifts a brow.

“Tell him thank you for the sushi.” Bri swoons.

I roll my eyes because I picture her batting her eyes as she says it. “No. And don’t try to flirt with my man, or I won’t bring him with.”

She snickers, and I can see Dom fighting against the urge to smirk.

I don’t really want to go to a stupid work party tonight. But I haven’t left the house since my birthday party, and it’s been almost a week. Plus, Dom has been… different. So maybe it’ll be good for both of us.

He hasn’t been different bad. Arguably, he’s been even more caring. Constantly feeding me. Gifting me things I don’t need nearly every day. But he hasn’t touched me like that.

I don’t know if he thinks I’m too emotionally fragile or what the deal is, but maybe a fun night out can solve the problem.

And I’m not going to overthink wanting Dom to touch me. He’s my husband. I’m his wife. And I’m trying to be all-in.

“Are you free tonight?” I ask Dominic, the phone still against my ear.

“Oh please, oh please…” Bri chants.

“For what and when?”

“God, even his voice is hot,” Bri groans.

“Shut up.” I laugh into the phone, then rotate it away from my mouth. “Apparently my company Christmas party is tonight. I know it’s last minute since everyone forgot to tell me. I can go alone if you aren’t free.” I add that last sentence to push him.

And it works.

“I’ll meet you there.”

Bri squeals, and I know Dom can hear it because the side of his mouth finally pulls up.





CHAPTER 55





Dom





“So…” Rob starts as the four of us step into the elevator in Val’s office building. “What’s the plan?”

I situate myself so I’ll be the first one out when the doors open on the fourth floor.

“The plan is that we’re going to a fucking Christmas party.”

We’re all on edge. Someone did a drive-by shooting at a storage facility I own on the edge of the city. No one was hurt. And I don’t have anything of value there. But it’s the principle. And it’s fucking juvenile. And we’re all getting real sick of not having a target for our anger.

“Okay, but do you want us to pretend we work here? Or are we watching Val?” Rob lifts his hands when I glare at him. “We’ll just prowl the room. Got it.”

The other two men I brought wisely stay silent.

My fingers itch to punch something, but instead, I button my jacket and smooth out the charcoal-gray suit over my crisp white shirt.

I know Val likes being able to see the outline of my tattoos. And even though she’s testing my patience by not responding to my last text—when I messaged to say I’d be a little late—I want her attention on me. So I dressed with her in mind.