Dominic (Saint Brothers #1) (9 page)

“Yep, I already told Maze that. He’s going to swing by here as soon as her friend gets in and take them home.”

I nodded. At least at Maze’s place, they would be safe for the night. There was no reason to believe that Matt knew where he lived, so the threat would be less.

After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Jared looked up, his face serious. “How bad do you think this could all get?”

Kellin shrugged. “I think he’ll go further because he thinks he can push his luck. The douchebag has no fear. He wants Lauren and that’s all he’ll be thinking about.”

That was just what we didn’t need. Dipshit Matt needed to back the fuck off. We had enough on our plates without dealing with this. Lauren deserved better than some fucked up asshole messing with her head. And Maze deserved a chance to make her happy.

“I’m going to head out, boys.” I stood up, picking up my car keys. I wanted to get home to Lily and there wasn’t anything else I could do here. The boys’ nodded and I left Lauren in their capable hands.

Moving through the bar, the crowds parted. As soon as I got to the bar, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Shit.

Fallon

Driving my car as fast as I could, I didn’t even bother going home to get changed. I had a spare set of clothes in my car that I changed into, knowing that we wouldn’t be hanging around the bar for too long and that jeans and a plain tee would do just fine.

Lauren needed me. She sounded shaken up on the phone because her ex had turned up on her doorstep with a bunch of flowers. I really had hoped that those boys would have frightened him off, but obviously, they weren’t as big and scary as they looked.

Flowers? Did he really think he would win his way back into her heart like that? Deluded idiot.

I promised to stay with her tonight and thankfully, I wasn’t due into work tomorrow.

Parking up outside Sinners, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. I had half expected to see Matt lurking in the shadows like something out of some horror movie. Luckily, I couldn’t see him anywhere. It didn’t stop me from running like a mad woman to the door of the bar.

The doormen looked at me like I was a mental patient as I stormed in through the doors, but I didn’t pay them any attention. My eyes flew straight to the bar, seeking out Lauren. I didn’t know what sort of state I’d find her in, but I knew her well enough that she would want to keep busy to keep her mind off Matt.

I couldn’t see her. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the bar and sat down on a stool that had just come vacant. Waving to one of the bartenders, I had to wait while they served the customers clamouring at the bar for a drink.

“What can I get you?”

“I’m looking for Lauren.” I shouted over the pounding music.

“And you are?” he enquired.

“Fallon. She’s expecting me.”

He nodded briefly before walking off. Watching where he went, my eyes wandered the bar. I froze in place.

Shit.

It was the guy from Decadence, standing stock still in the middle of the crowd with his eyes glued to me.

What the hell was he doing in here? You never saw any of that crowd in here, which was why I didn’t mind coming here when Lauren called me.

He looked just as delicious as he had at the club, but there was something different about him tonight. Those green eyes pierced into me just as fiercely, but tonight he was dressed in jeans and a tee. Gone was the suit and out came the tattoos.

I licked my lips to make sure I wasn’t drooling. It seemed to be wherever I saw him, I left a puddle behind. It was pathetic really.

Why was he here? I didn’t think I was ever going to see him again. That was one wild night, sex with a stranger, the best I’d ever had. One night, never to be seen again. But here he was, standing in front of me. We were both frozen to the spot.

Shit.

“Hey!” Lauren bounced up next to me. “Are you ready to go? Apparently we’re going to Maze’s tonight.” She rolled her eyes.

“Sure. Yeah. That’s fine. Sure. Whatever.” I stammered, trying to tear my eyes away from the guy that had rocked my world.

“Are you okay?” Lauren asked before following my eye-line. “Oh, yeah. That’s Dominic. Gorgeous, isn’t he?”

My shoulders sagged. Dominic? Was she kidding me? “He’s your boss?”

“You know he is.” She looked puzzled.

“I’ve never been introduced.” And it was true. I hadn’t. I’d fucked him and I didn’t even know his name. Shit. This was deeper and more messed up than I’d ever counted on.

“Are you okay, Fallon?”

Shaking my head slightly, I broke our gaze. Turning to Lauren, I plastered on a fake smile, “Of course. Why don’t we get out of here and you can tell me all what that psycho ex has been up to now.”

Lauren groaned. “Why does everyone assume the worse? He only gave me flowers. I thought it was sweet.”

Hooking my arm through hers, I rolled my eyes at Maze who had appeared by our side. As soon as I got close enough, I could smell the alcohol on her breath. It was doubtful I was going to be able to get much sense out of her tonight, but at least I could try.

This was actually worse than I thought. I had assumed that she was going to be worried or traumatised by seeing Matt again, but here she was, making excuses for him.

Tonight was not going how I thought it would at all. I thought that Lauren would be all cut up and scared over what happened with Matt and that I’d be able to cheer her up with the tale of what had happened at Decadence. I hadn’t told anyone about that night, not even Taylor. She’d been too wrapped up in her new romance with John. Tonight was supposed to be a girly night for us, and how was I supposed to do that now? I’d fucked her boss! That wasn’t something I wanted to share anymore.

A girly gossip with Lauren was something I’d been looking forward to. She’d would have thought it was hilarious that I had acted so out of character like that. Now? I’d have to try and keep it to myself.

Shit.

Chapter Six

Fallon

“So, what happened with you and Dom?” Lauren asked with a smirk.

I groaned into my hands. I really hoped that I had got away with that one. Evidently not. You couldn’t get much past Lauren, unfortunately.

We had left the bar with me more or less running out the door like a bat out of hell. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to Dominic as I now knew who he was. Maze came barrelling out after us and instructed me to follow him to his house.

I thought we were going to stay at Lauren’s for the night, but it wasn’t explained until we got to Maze’s that the security system still wasn’t up and running at her house.

He gave us a quick tour and I have to say, I was impressed with the place, especially seeing as he lived by himself. I’d half expected it to be dirty, messy and have that typical boy smell lingering, but there was none of that. It was all clean lines, bordering on clinical.

The furniture was expensive and even though the place was well set up, there didn’t seem to be many personal effects around. It was a shame really, because Maze always seemed to be the life and soul of the party with mountains of personality to spare, and he showed none of it in his own space.

He left us alone to go and get some drinks while we caught up on what’s been going on lately. Obviously, I thought we would have been talking about what happened with her and Matt, but the thing with Dominic now dominated.

“Well, are you going to tell me or am I going to have to ask him?”

“No!” I couldn’t think of anything worse than Lauren going to him. How embarrassing would that be?

“Start talking.” She smirked.

I shook my head. “This is such a mess.”

“My God, Fallon. It’s like pulling teeth. Are you going to tell me or not? If you don’t start talking, I’m going to assume you fucked him.” She laughed.

I put my head in my hands once again and her laughter died off. “I told you it was a mess.”

“Shit! No way. You’re telling me that you slept with Dominic? When did that happen?” Lauren’s eyes were as big as saucers.

“Will you keep your voice down?” I glanced towards the open doorway through which we could still hear Maze banging around in the kitchen. The last thing I needed was him to go back to Dominic to tell him I’d been gossiping about him.

“Sorry.” She whispered. “But this is huge!”

“I don’t really want to talk about it.” I shook my head. This evening had not gone the way I’d planned at all. My shift at work had been manic and the last person I had ever expected to see again turned out to be someone I couldn’t possibly avoid in the future.

I hadn’t had any contact with Dominic before because I didn’t hang out at Sinners. There had been no reason for me to meet him, after all, he was my friends’ boss and that was it. But now that this had happened, and what with everything going on with Lauren, I had the feeling that I would be seeing a lot more of him in the future, whether I liked it or not.

Sitting on Maze’s plush leather sofa, I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I’d obviously planned on telling Lauren about what had happened at Decadence. She would shit a brick, knowing that it was totally out of character for me to do something like that. But now? I didn’t know what to say.

“I met him at Decadence.” I said lamely.

“Met him? What does that mean? From the heated looks passing between you, I would say you did more than meet.” Lauren laughed.

Groaning again, I couldn’t help laughing along with her. She had an infectious laugh at the best of times. “I don’t do things like that.”

“Like what? I need details!”

“You’re not getting details.”

“Come on. Don’t leave me hanging.” Lauren pleaded.

I shook my head and leaned in closer. “I didn’t even know his name!”

Lauren bent over, laughing. “I can’t believe you slept with Dominic.”

“Neither can I!” I wasn’t planning on going into depth, but I was glad I’d told her. She would have known that something was going on if I came face to face with Dominic again, so it was easier to get it out in the open now.

“So, what are you going to do about it?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, puzzled.

“Well, clearly you enjoyed it or you wouldn’t have freaked out like that when you saw him.” She paused for a moment. “Or was it because he was terrible?”

“No, no.” I laughed. “He wasn’t terrible. Not at all. In fact, he was the best I’d ever had. Why haven’t I ever had someone like that before?” My mind wandered for a moment but I was brought back into the here and now when Lauren held a hand up in front of my face.

“I know I said I wanted details, but I changed my mind. Dom is like a brother to me so, TMI. Anyway, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” She winked at me cheekily.

“I think we both did.” I think I must have blushed as bright as a fire truck.

“Anyway, as I was saying, Dom is like a brother to me and I think he’s the greatest. You know this, I’ve told you enough about the Saint Brothers.” It was true. She was always harping on about how great they all were, which was why I suggested getting the boys’ involved with the Matt situation. “So, all I’m saying is, it didn’t have to just be one great night. Are you open to the possibility of more? Dom’s a great guy and I think you’d get on really well, given the chance.”

I nodded a little. “I don’t think that’s what he wants, though.”

“What makes you say that?”

“He left without even telling me his name.” It still stung a bit that he had left me like that, but I’d kept his tie as a reminder of the events.

“That’s just Dominic. He has this thing about letting people get too close.” She sat up a bit straighter when we heard Maze stomping through the apartment. “We’ll talk later.” She whispered before turning back to the television.

Dominic

Shit.

Why was she there? It didn’t take much to work out that Fallon was Lauren’s friend. Why hadn’t I known that before?

“Are you okay, bro?” Jared asked as he walked up behind me. I hadn’t even realised that I had stood frozen to the spot when I had first seen her sat at the bar. At my bar.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Who’s the princess?” Jared cocked his head towards Fallon.

I could totally see what he meant. She didn’t look like she belonged in here. As much as she seemed to fight being at Decadence the last couple of times I had seen her, she was still way too good for this place. Fallon didn’t belong in any set group or place. She was her own person.

“That’s Lauren’s friend. She’s staying with her tonight.”

“Is she single?”

“How would I know?”

“If she is, you should tap that. A better class of skank than you’d get in here.” Jared laughed when I threw him a stern glare.

He walked back off to sit with Kellin and I couldn’t take my eyes off her. It amused me when I saw her practically run out of the bar in front of Lauren and Maze. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but she’d seemed embarrassed.

That didn’t surprise me. She didn’t seem like the kind of girl who’d pick up a guy in a bar just for a quickie. It was clear I had taken her out of her comfort zone, and what surprised me even more was that I wanted to see how far I could push her.

I wasn’t one for sticking to one female. There wasn’t enough time in the day for me to be messing about with relationships, but there was something about Fallon. I couldn’t get her out of my mind. And now here she was, showing up at Sinners.

Shaking my head, I waved over to Kel and Jared and walked out of the bar. They didn’t need me in there any longer. Austen was busy tying up loose ends at Lauren’s place and Maze was more than capable of looking after the girls. It just shocked me how much I would rather take Fallon home with me instead.

That would never happen. I never took any of the girls I fucked home with me. I kept those parts of my life completely separate. Lily didn’t need to see that kind of thing and I was doing my best to give her the best childhood I could, and I didn’t need anything tainting that.

With that in mind, I put my phone in my pocket and refrained from texting Maze to tell him to keep me updated. I had enough trouble shaking Fallon from my mind as it was.

Driving home, I hoped that Lily hadn’t been too much trouble for Rachael. She was a good kid, but as hyper as she had been when I’d left her, I knew that she could have been a handful. I had nearly managed to get her to drift off to sleep, but as soon as she heard Rachael’s voice, the little madam was wide awake again. Not that Rachael would ever think of complaining. Everyone thought the sun shined out of Lily’s ass, she was such a sweetie. I had to agree wholeheartedly.

Pulling up outside my house, everything seemed relatively quiet. Unlocking the door, I carefully made my way in. I was met with silence. Poking my head into the living room only to see Rachael sitting in front of the television with a cup of coffee in her hands.

“You were quick.” She smiled.

“Don’t tell me you managed to get her to sleep?” I asked, shocked. I knew what Lily could be like at the best of times and she could wrap Rachael around her little finger.

“She was exhausted. All that energy burned right out of her and she dropped about five minutes after you left.”

Smiling gratefully, “Thank you, Rach. You’ve been a lifesaver.”

“I hope everything was okay at the bar.”

“It is now.” She was great and I didn’t like to take advantage of her, but having Rachael living next door really came in handy at times like this. I hadn’t been gone too long, so I as took my coat off I asked her if she wanted to stay for a drink.

“No, thanks. I’ve got to get back to do some studying.” She rose up off the sofa to go and rinse out her coffee cup.

One of the great things about Rachael was that she never looked for something that wasn’t there. There wasn’t any of that awkward tension, seeing as we both knew we were friends and that was the end of it.

“Thanks again for tonight.”

“Anytime, Dom. You know I think Lily is the best and she’s no trouble at all.”

I walked her out of the house and made sure she got safely back into her house before closing and locking the door behind her.

Moving upstairs, I called into Lily’s room to check on her. She was fast asleep in her big pink princess bed, looking angelic in her sleep. She’d chosen exactly how she wanted to decorate her bedroom now that she was getting a big girl, and even though the overload of pink and glitter made me want to puke, it suited her perfectly. She really was my little princess.

Kissing her gently on the forehead, she didn’t even stir. I knew then that Rachael had been right, she’d thoroughly worn herself out today. A good nights’ sleep and she would be back to her usual boisterous self tomorrow.

I couldn’t imagine my life without her. She was the light in my dark days. Lily was the centre of my universe and I couldn’t imagine anyone else coming in and sharing our lives. That was part of the reason I didn’t want to look for a woman of my own. I didn’t need anyone. As long as Lily and I were alright, then my life was complete.

So why couldn’t I shake Fallon out of my head?