Tainted Hearts

8 | Keeper

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DOMINIC

Dominic wasn't expecting Claudia to meet his father immediately, but it was going to be soon. He could use his strength to calm down his Dia and try to make her forget that she had anything to do with the Mafia. He understood that anyone who signed a deal like his should have been afraid, and he knew that she only wanted to be happy in life.

Dominic, who had always believed in bad things, couldn't have been more surprised that she was in his life. He always looked over his shoulder and waited for death to come to him, but Claudia's whole life was still ahead of her. He didn't want to be the one to strip her of that.

"So, where are you taking me?" Claudia asked as she sat in the front seat.

He thought she should get out of the house and see the city. Since she had been sick for two days, Dominic was most interested in doing something exciting with her. He'd missed work to take care of her, and she needed some downtime.

Dominic looked at Claudia and said, "I want to show you some of my favorite places in town. It's kind of like taking a vacation without going on a trip."

Claudia's shoulders swayed in her seat, showing her enjoyment. He made an effort to explain everything about his life once she had moved in, but he struggled to relax and be more genuine. What could he say? Claudia affected him. She was great at making him forget his true self and duties. She was someone he could marry and grow old with.

Claudia is a keeper.

"What do your favorite places offer? Are these all death sites?"

Dominic heard her joke.

"Yes, Smart ass. All my destinations have police tape around them."

She laughed, almost giggling. He loved her little, charming self. Seventy-five percent of the time, Claudia was strong and determined. On the first night, she became a fiery woman he couldn't resist.

After he showed her his estate, Claudia was frantic, and the woman he'd grown close to disappeared. But, as far as he could tell, being scared didn't happen often. The other fifty percent of the time, she was a content woman who laughed a lot. Going out on a busy Friday night was fun since he couldn't recall the last time he thought someone was fun to be around.

Dominic hired her at his company after she applied for a job a week prior. He couldn't leave her alone after talking to her. Claudia was odd, honest, and everything he wanted in a woman. He was with someone who brightened his world. And he thought he deserved to be happy and make someone else happy after a long time of solitude.

They stopped in front of the wharf. It was quiet. He hoped Claudia would appreciate it, nonetheless.

Dominic turned off the engine, and she looked around while getting out. "So, this is one of your favorite places to hang out? It's not as wild as I thought it would be."

"Did you want to go to a cemetery instead?" His response caused her to laugh.

"No way, no how. It's so peaceful. I don't know how I've never been here."

Both of them started walking, and they went in tandem. Almost every footstep of theirs was in the same place at the same time. He believed they had the same views about everything. She was nervous about jumping into his criminal world, and he was worried about including her. They both saw things the same way but from different points of view. Again, that was saying a lot from his side. No one ever made him feel this way.

"I come here when I need to clear my head. You've seen how things have been affecting me lately, and it wears me down after a while."

"That makes sense, Dom. You have two lives, and you're already busy with one of them being a CEO," Claudia said as she looked at him and held his hand. "I've noticed that you're a different person when you leave the office."