Tainted Hearts

9 | The Meeting

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CLAUDIA

Claudia noticed Dominic becoming distant during their date and wished she had just accepted everything. After the date, she fell asleep watching reality TV on her phone in his bed. Downstairs, he prepared eggs, bacon, and pancakes the next day. It was like living in a Hollywood production, but she liked the person on the other side of the stage. She couldn't understand the obstacle at hand, and she forced herself to get out of bed.

When she stood up, she saw Dominic's shoes beside the closet. She went into his bathroom and saw the razor he used. Even though she knew it would be tricky, she had to go downstairs and try to figure out who he was. Dominic stepped toward the stove without a shirt on. She wanted this to be her future, but she understood they couldn't keep pretending forever.

As Dominic served her breakfast that morning, Claudia looked up at him and instantly started an episode she didn't need to create. She always thought that if someone was afraid of something, they should face it straight on.

"Is everything okay?"

He cleared his throat and glanced at her. "Yeah. Why?"

"I'm not sure. You seem distant," she admitted, wishing she hadn't said it like that.

"Claudia, I just have a lot on my mind." He called her by name and spoke earnestly as if he hated her for asking the same questions repeatedly. "I do have a small request, though," he said, gaining her attention.

"You do?"

"Yeah." Dominic put his hands on the counter and sighed. "I think both of us should get lab work done. But my on-call physician. We need to make sure that the illness you had is gone, and it wouldn't hurt to check on my health as well."

Her brows went up. "I told you I was fine. I haven't vomited since that evening."

"I know, Claudia, but as I've said before, I have enemies everywhere. It's always a good idea to check something twice."

"Noted."

He gave her a small smile. "Sometime this morning, I'll call Dr. Harris and find out when he can come to my house."

"Sounds good."

Claudia bit her lip while Dominic stirred a bowl, scared to ask another question. "You know this arrangement won't last forever. How do we handle the deadline for the contract?" She jumbled up her words so quickly.

Dominic's face, when Claudia finished talking, caught her off guard. His eyes widened, and he gently opened his lips, appearing astonished. She allowed herself to experience the stress because she was certain he could handle it.

When Dominic looked like he was thinking for a long time, Claudia thought it was funny that he took so long to say something. Instead, she was banging on the walls of her mind like the wicked person she was.

He said, "I'll pick an expiration date soon," right before he took his plate from the counter and sat down across from her. As she tried not to get mad at his answer, she noted that he had more pancakes and more eggs than she did.

"Filling up for today?"

Dominic stopped looking at the food on his plate and focused on her. His jaw had stiffened in what appeared to be frustration. "You are full of yourself this morning, aren't you? What's on your mind?"

"First, I signed an open-ended contract with undefined specifications and no end date to be your fiancée. We're in this together. I've never met your father, and I don't like how you trust me one moment and then push me away the next."