Dominic (Made Men Book 8)

by Sarah Brianne

  At his nod, Dominic already answered before Maria could ask her next question. “She isn’t alive… none of our mothers are.”

  “I’m sorr-”

  “Don’t be.” He assured her, letting her know it was another thing he made peace with. “It’s hard to miss something you never had.”

  Maria truly felt for the little boy who seemed to have never had a chance at a normal childhood but she also knew the man he had become didn’t want pity. One thing he made clear about Lucifer: women didn’t belong in his world.

  Letting go of his shifting hand after another squeeze, Maria turned on the radio, only to be greeted to another country song and station. It seemed to be the only music he listened to, and not just Johnny Cash. What the—

  “You don’t listen to country, do you?”

  He gave her a side-eye. “Yes.”

  “Dominic. Luciano,” she annunciated his name in disbelief, “listens to country?”

  “Yes. What’s wrong with that?”

  “Nothing …” Per say. It was just odd. “Just not what I, or I think anyone, would actually expect.”

  Smiling, Dominic was glad he could surprise her. “Growing up, I was obsessed with old westerns.”

  Maria looked at him in even more shock, while clearly trying not to burst out in laughter. “So, you wanted to be … a cowboy?”

  “No, not particularly,” Dominic corrected her, not appreciating Maria’s sly smile. “An outlaw.”

  “Mmhmm.” Maria’s smile grew bigger. “But aren’t outlaws just bad cowboys?”

  Dominic’s eyes started to turn to slits, but Maria wasn’t done with her teasing.

  “So, let me get this right … you like guns, listen to country music”—Maria’s laughter could no longer be held back as she giggled through the last part uncontrollably—“and instead of driving a horse, you drive a Mustang, but you don’t think you secretly wanted to be a cowboy?”

  “I think,” Dominic harshly gritted out, “if you don’t stop laughing, princess, I’ll show you how they often treated women in the westerns.”

  “What?” Maria continued to giggle. She was actually about to ruin her makeup if she didn’t stop. “Respectfully?”

  “That depends ….” His voice came out as a warning.

  Quickly, she dried a tear that had fallen. “On what?”

  Dominic’s eyes slowly slid down her body. “Who the male lead was.”

  Suddenly, Maria no longer laughed.

  Hiding his smile, Dominic pulled into an empty parking lot.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  Parking, it wasn’t exactly what Maria was hoping for.

  “I’m going to teach you how to drive.”

  “Uh … that’s okay,” Maria turned down the offer.

  He couldn’t believe she had done that. “You’re telling me you don’t even want to try?”

  Exactly. “Yep.”

  “Why?”

  Maria turned to face him, deciding to give him the bitchy truth. “Because, as cliché as it makes me, I personally like being driven around. Telling men where I want to go, when I want to go, gets me off. Is that what you want to hear?”

  Okay, that last part wasn’t exactly true, but he didn’t need to know that.

  Dominic had to blink several times. Then, clearing his throat, he tried a different tactic. “Maria, never getting behind a wheel is”—Dominic searched for the word—“sinful. Everyone should feel what it’s like at least once.”

  Seeing how serious he felt about it, she raised a brow. “And you’re really going to trust me to drive your car?” It was obvious this car was his baby. Cassius had made that pretty clear.

  “Yes. Just imagine the car you could buy if you did learn,” he added to entice her.

  Damn. Dom did know her well.

  Maria was already planning which sweet ride she would buy when they got out to switch seats.

  “This should do. Nothing for you to sideswipe or rear-end,” Dom joked, closing the passenger side door.

  “Don’t worry about my confidence before I even start,” Maria said with snark, staring at the stick-shift car.

  “I have every confidence you can achieve anything you want to do.”

  Pacified, Maria buckled her seat belt as Dom did his.

  Maria smiled. “Good save.”

  “I have my moments.”

  Damn. There were those dimples again ….

  Patiently, Dominic went over the gears and the pedals before giving her another dose of his dimples.

  “Do you think you’re ready to give it a try?” He gave her a considering look.

  “I guess as ready as I’ll ever be.” Unexpectedly, Maria became excited about trying the new experience. She placed her hands in the position on the wheel that Dominic had showed her, even though she had sarcastically told him she hadn’t seen his in the position.

  “All right. Put the car in neutral with your right foot on the brake,” he instructed. “Put your left foot on the clutch all the way to the floorboard. Go ahead and shift to first gear … That’s good. Slowly, take your foot off the brake.”

  “This isn’t so hard.” Maria smiled toward him.

  “It isn’t too hard,” Dom agreed. “Maria, when I said take your foot off the brake slowly, it didn’t mean not to move it at all.”

  “Oh, okay.” Maria moved her foot and her head jerked back.

  “Brake!” Dominic yelled. “Not the clutch—the brake! Your right foot!”

  Now her head fell forward at the sudden stop. Proudly, she turned toward Dom. “I stopped it.”

  “Yes”—he managed to keep his voice even—“you did.”

  Did she see a glint of fear in his eyes, or was she just imagining it?

  “What’s next?” Maria asked eagerly.

  Dominic wasn’t as eager.

  “Let’s get the first step perfected before moving on.”

  “What’s wrong with the way I did it?”

  “Other than you didn’t take your foot off the brake slowly?” he quipped. “Or you couldn’t tell your left foot from the right?”

  With her green eyes, she glared over at him. “Are you being sarcastic?”

  Silence met her question.

  “I was just nervous. I’ll do better this time.”

  “Okay.” Dom didn’t seem as laidback as he placed a hand on the dashboard to brace himself. “Let’s give it another try.”

  She couldn’t keep from rolling her eyes at his hand placement. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

  He simply ignored her insult. “Okay, what gear are you in?”

  Maria narrowed her eyes into slits. “Neutral.”

  “And … which pedal is your right foot—”

  “It’s going to be shoved up your ass if you don’t quit treating me like a child,” Maria threatened before giving him the answer he wanted. “My right foot is on the fucking brake.”

  “Good.” Dominic let out a breath. “Now, slowly ease your right foot off the bra—brake, Maria!”

  Her head went back again as the car jerked forward.

  “That’s the clutch!”

  The car kept rolling forward. Can cars be possessed? It took her two more attempts before she could bring the car to a stop.

  “Park the car,” he ordered hastily.

  Maria quickly did as he asked.

  “That’s enough,” Dom gritted out between clenched teeth.

  Another perfect brow raised at how quickly Dominic had changed his stance on her learning to drive. “That’s it?”

  “Yes,” Dominic said, already opening his car door.

  Unbuckling her seat belt, she switched seats and put her ass back in the passenger seat much sooner than he had expected.

  Even though Maria had an inkling driving wasn’t meant for her … “Maybe I need to try an automati—”

  “No, you don’t,” Dominic informed, glad to be back behind the wheel. “Eat your little black heart out by having men drive
you around.”

  Maria laughed. “I tried to tell you.”

  “Well, you were right. I just thought you would have been sick of having to ride in taxis lately.”

  “I mean, well, technically, I’ve been getting Uber Black,” she told him that she had been getting her rides from the premium side of the car service. “But yes, it’s not as nice as having one of Lucca’s men driving me around, but that would mean I’d have to go back to having a bodyguard.”

  “And you still think that would be a bad thing?” he asked, putting his Mustang in first gear. Their little One-Shot problem had yet to be solved.

  “Yes, I don’t need anyone else getting hurt or dying for me,” Maria told him, her mind made. “Especially considering I just buried my fourth bodyguard—”

  The tires screeching to a halt had Maria thanking God she wore a seat belt, even though they were in an empty parking lot, as her head jerked forward. “What the fuck, Dominic!”

  Dom’s voice shook the car. “FOUR?”

  Thirty-Eight

  High-Maintenance Bitch

  “You took me to a car museum?” Maria asked as they entered the building, seeing all the old-fashioned cars filling the space. “You were supposed to take me out to dinner.”

  “Has anyone ever told you that you’re high maintenance?” Dominic placed a proprietary arm around her waist as they waited in line behind multiple couples.

  “Well, you don’t call me princess for nothing.”

  “No, I don’t.” Dom laughed. “What’s wrong? You don’t like it?”

  “I just never knew there were so many people interested in old cars.” Bored, Maria tried to force an interest in something Dominic obviously had. “Which one is your favorite?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never really looked around.”

  Inwardly, Maria groaned. She was going to have to put on her game face and pretend she was going to be enthralled with each car that had been restored, just so she might get lucky at the end of the night.

  Moving forward in line, she heard a couple in front of them give their names to the staff behind the counter.

  “You have to have a reservation to look at cars?” Maria gave a brief glance around. “I’ve seen it all. Let’s go.”

  Dominic gave an exasperated breath while keeping her firmly in place beside him with the hand on her waist. “Maria, give it a chance.”

  “That’s what I’m doing. Let’s go hit a drive-thru and eat at my place.” Maria gave a silent groan when the line moved and the couple went around the side and down a stairwell. “There’re even more cars downstairs?”

  Jesus. By the time they got out of there, Maria would be gray before losing her virginity.

  Her question was asked to Dom’s back as he moved forward. Maria was so hungry she wished now she had eaten the ketchup eggs.

  “Luciano.”

  The worker gave a nod, not looking up from her computer. “You’re right on time. Go ahead.”

  Dom nodded his own head. “Thank you.”

  Finding herself being ushered down the steps, she was relieved she had no intention of marrying Dominic. What man in this universe would rather spend the night at a museum over getting their brains fucke—

  Suddenly, Maria had to grab onto Dom’s arm at the end of the steps as the light became so dim she could barely see. “How are we supposed to see the cars in the dark?”

  As the words came out of her mouth, a light appeared as they walked farther along. Drawing nearer, she could see a hostess waiting for them. Gaping, Maria followed the hostess as she traversed them through tables glowing in the candlelight.

  Wow … For the first time tonight, Maria was speechless.

  “Still want to go back to your apartment?” Dominic grinned, holding a chair out for her.

  Maria gave him her sweetest smile. “Right after I eat, I do.”

  Dom’s dimples appeared as he took a seat across from her.

  “You keep smiling at me like that, and I’m going to change my mind again,” she warned.

  “Too late,” Dominic said as a bread basket was placed down on the table. “Once you taste that, you won’t be leaving.”

  Maria peeled back the linen covering the bread to take a warm slice. Picking up her bread knife, she smeared butter on it before taking a bite. “Mmm …,” she moaned. “You’re right.”

  “I’m glad you like it, princess,” he said, taking his own slice of heaven as she looked over the menu.

  “What’s good?”

  Dominic shrugged. “Not sure.”

  “You’ve never been here before?” she asked as she arched her brow.

  “No,” he told her simply. “I’ve been saving this place for someone special.”

  Ugh. Maria wanted him to say dirty things to her, not sweet things that made her contemplate marrying him.

  Taking another small bite of the bread, Maria nearly choked on it at the way he was staring at her in the candlelight. Teasingly, Maria leaned a bit forward. “If the food is as good as the bread, Mr. Luciano, you just might get lucky tonight.”

  “Actually, there’s a bar on the lower level. I thought we could go get a few drinks and check it out, if you’d like?”

  In other words, he was trying to stall and tire her out.

  After the waiter came to take their orders then left, Maria gave the place another glance around. “Dominic, you know you didn’t have to go to all this trouble. I don’t have to have all these bells and whistles.” Yes, Maria might be a stuck-up, high-maintenance bitch, but she wasn’t interested in Dominic to get nice things or money. She had that stuff and didn’t want more of it. She was looking for something different.

  “Something tells me McDonalds wouldn’t haven’t convinced you to marry me, princess.”

  “This won’t either,” she admitted.

  “I know,” Dominic revealed. “I just wanted to show you how nice of a time we could have together.”

  Dom was sucking her under with a charm she’d had no idea he was capable of.

  Reaching over the table, she traced over the letter C. “So, about those male leads in your old westerns ….”

  There was a slight tug of his lips. “What would you like to know, princess?”

  She traced over to the O now. “How did they treat their women?”

  “Well, there’s John Wayne,” Dominic began, watching her trace the letters inked into his skin. “And he’s mostly the respectful type.”

  “How romantic.” She went to the letter M.

  “Then there’s Clint Eastwood …” Dominic’s voice dropped deathly quiet as his hazel eyes glowed in the candlelight. “And he isn’t so much.”

  Finally, she went to the E. “And which one are you?”

  “I guess you’ll either have to marry me or watch them with me to find out, princess.”

  Maria countered, “I think that’s something a woman should know about a man before she agrees to marry him.”

  Not that she was or anything.

  A slow flash of his dimples told him he thought otherwise. “Then you better start watching them.”

  “Actually,” Maria drawled in a breath, keeping him in suspense, “no.”

  “Why not?” He laughed.

  “Because, I have a feeling you won’t be the Netflix and chill type.” Maria sighed. “And plus, I already know you’re neither of them.”

  Dominic raised a brow. “So, you know who John Wayne and Clint Eastwood are?”

  She smiled. “Possibly.”

  “How is that?” Not even Dominic took her as being able to sit through a western to know what characters they typically played.

  Stopping her tracing, she pulled her hand away. “Well, that’s for me to know and you to find out.”

  Dom stared at her, as if the answer was written on her forehead, but he couldn’t see the small writing.

  Snatching her hand before she could drop it from the table, he held it in his. “Tell me.”

  “What�
��s in it for me?” she purred.

  Turning her palm over, he started his own light tracings. “What do you want?”

  Maria’s eyes trailed down to his motion. “You spending the night at my place.”

  “You trying to get me carried out in a body bag?”

  Maria slowly shook her head. “You wouldn’t be any good to me dead.”

  “I will”—Dominic sent shivers up her palm to her arm—“as you long as you understand I’m not going to have sex with you before we’re married.”

  It was time to try a different tactic. “Do you know how many men would die if I made them that offer?”

  “Tell me who they are, and I’ll make it happen, princess.”

  Maria was shocked at his words. “You would let me sleep with them?”

  “No.” He lifted his eyes from her palm to her hungry eyes. “I would help them die.”

  “Oh …” Maria caught her breath. “Then that’s okay.”

  Smiling, he gave the middle of her palm a little pinch. “You’re a vicious little thing.”

  Maria hadn’t flinched, too enthralled at what he was doing. “It doesn’t bother you?”

  “No.” He showed her the hunger in his own eyes. “It turns me on.”

  “You turn me on,” Maria admitted eagerly. “Want to forget dinner and go fuck?”

  Flipping her hand back over, he touched her ring finger. “Not until I put a wedding band here.”

  “I’d rather have your dick in my—”

  Maria broke off as their salads arrived.

  “Behave,” Dominic said quietly once they were alone again.

  Maria, however, wasn’t so quiet. “My dad would tell you I was never good at behaving.”

  Picking up his fork, it was clear Maria wouldn’t have expected his answer. “Princess, you can be as bad as you want to be, and I won’t ever say no to you.”

  Dammit. Dominic was getting harder and harder to resist when he was trying woo her with such glorious freedom, but even Maria knew that was just a ruse.

  “Right. Like I believe that. Once you have your ring on my finger, you’ll turn into all the other overprotective men in my life.”