His Touch

Chapter 37

"What do you want for dinner?" I ask Max as I glance down at my own phone to notice it's now after six. I hadn't realised we'd been sitting here bingeing friends for quite so long.

Max taps his chin as he lays sprawled out on his sofa. "Hmm. Do you feel like anything in particular?" He asks in return.

"Not really." I tell him honestly. "I'm not overly hungry right now." My stomach has been churning with worry the later in the day it gets. I'd only gotten one text from Dominic today to inform me he'd made it safely to Boston, and he's been radio silent ever since. I know he's there to handle the pricks who hurt my brother, but I couldn't help but worry for him. My main worry was that he'd gotten hurt by the same people who had hurt Max. So with my worry growing by every hour that passed without hearing from Dominic I couldn't help but to lose my appetite a bit.

"How about a light salad then? There's a place that delivers them, they're kind of good." Max suggests which shocks me a bit. "Plus, the delivery chick is..." He trails off as he does the chefs kiss. And there it is, the real reason he suggested having a salad.

I chuckle lightly at him. "You do know you're not allowed to do any physical activities right." I remind Max.

He shoots me a sly grin. "I don't have to be the one doing the work."

"Ok, ew!" I gag. "Please never, and I mean never, say stuff like that to me. I don't need to know what you get up to with this parade of girls you have. I don't need to think of my brother like that thanks."

Max laughs and doesn't say another word about what he wanted to happen with the delivery girl.

We made an online order of our salads, I got a small basic chicken salad while Max got a fully loaded salad which comes with a variety of meats and he also got some wedges with a dipping sauce. Our dinner arrived no more than twenty minutes later which we had while watching even more friends.

I picked at my salad, pushing it around the bowl and only taking bites every so often or more if Max would glance over at me. I don't need Max asking about my sudden loss of appetite right now, I don't need him figuring out that I'm worried over his best friend.

My phone screen lights up on the sofa next to me, informing me I had a new message. I grabbed it quickly, unlocking it and opening the new message the moment I saw it was a message from Dominic. 

Hey, princess, just checking in to see how you're doing?

I let out a breath and bite my bottom lip as I type out a reply to him. 

Hey! We're ok, we've been watching Friends all day. How are you? And how is Boston?

I purposefully don't say anything specific about myself, not wanting to lie to Dominic because I really didn't want him to know how worried I was over all this.

His reply comes through a minute later.

Boston is fine. I'm fine. 

Dominic's message is cryptic. But not even thirty seconds later another text comes in from him.

Go into the bathroom or up to your room. I'm going to call you in two minutes.

I can hear his commanding tone even via text message, I can't help but to smile at his bossiness that I find myself missing.

"I'm pretty beat. I think I'm going to head up to bed." I tell Max.

Max glances up at me, studying my face for a few seconds before he nods. "Have a good sleep. I might just crash out here. I'm pretty beat myself." He confesses to me.

I take our dinner rubbish into the kitchen quickly before running up the stairs. I only make it to the top of the stairs before my phone starts ringing in my hand. I make sure I'm out of Max's view of the stairs before answering the call and holding the phone up to my ear. "Hello?" I say quietly. I make it into my bedroom and shut the door behind me, leaning my back against it.

"Ell." Dominic's voice comes through clear as day, as if he were standing right in front of me currently. "What's wrong?" He asks me immediately.

"What do you mean?" I question him.

I hear Dominic sighing from the other end of the phone. "Ell, I asked about you and you grouped yourself together with Max. You deflected." He says in a knowing voice. "Talk to me." His tone is firm and yet caring at the same time.

"Dominic." I say in almost a whisper. "I..." I go silent.

"Ell." He says encouraging me to tell him. 

I close my eyes and shake my head. "It's nothing." I tell him.

He sighs again. "No, it's not nothing. Just talk to me." Dominic's tone is more commanding now. "You can tell me anything."

"I'm worried." I whisper.

"About what, princess?" He asks me softly, cooing my nickname.

I gulp. "You."

"Why me? You don't need to worry about me." He informs me.

"I know it's silly. You're this big, bad, Mafia man right?" I shake my head in disbelief at myself. "But those people you're looking for, they hurt Max, what's to stop them from hurting you too?"

"Ell." I can hear the realisation in his voice. "Ell, baby, they're not going to hurt me." Dominic reassures me. "Once I'm through with them, they won't be able to hurt anyone ever again. I'm safe, I have training for this. Myself and my men are carrying our weapons and we're all on high alert, so no one can get the drop on us." His promise is strong in his words.

"Ok." I breathe out.

We both go quiet a few minutes before Dominic speaks up. "I probably won't be back tonight. Hopefully won't be back any later than morning." He tells me.

"Just be safe." I remind him.

He chuckles softly. "I will, princess. Have a good sleep, I miss you."

"I miss you too." I whisper.

Dominic hangs up without another word between us. He misses me. It's not just me, my feelings feel validated. 

I look over at my bed and suddenly the last thing I want to do is go to sleep. I haven't spent a night without Dominic since Max first went to the hospital, it's been several days but I've already grown accustomed to falling asleep with his arms wrapped around me.

It was only a little before eight so I decided to give my room a tidy, not that it really needed it. I then decided to take a long hot bath, I had my music playing softly on a small portable speaker. But even in the bath I found I couldn't relax properly, I kept fidgeting. 

Out of the bath, I dressed in fresh panties and one of Dominic's t-shirts. The scent of him filled my nose and I found myself finally feeling calm and relaxed. It wasn't the same without his burning touch, but his scent was good enough to make me feel ready enough for bed finally. 

I climbed into bed after putting my phone on charge and pulled the covers right up to my chin. Laying on my side I stared out the massive window wall and I couldn't help but flush at the memory of Dominic fucking me against the windows. I watched the city lights glowing through the dark night. Eventually I felt my eyelids drooping and myself falling to the darkness of sleep.