Her eyes widen as she stares into his eyes.
She leans form his forehead and holds her hand out to stop him from leaning back in as she stares at him, entirely dumbfounded.
"Say... Say it again." She says in a breathy voice as she bats her eyes from the stinging tears what have stopping trying to come out. "What did you just say... Domen?".
Domen smiles slightly with a chuckle as he circles his arms around her waist and brings her closer to him.
"I'm in love with you, chipmunk." He says as his eyes scan her shocked expression. "I was, for a long time. I just couldn't say it... Because I wasn't ready to. But tonight I realized I do... A lot. I love you so much it hurts not bring able to be with you."
Lavender brings her hand up to her mouth as she finally got the answer she has been craving for.
He finally confessed he loved her.
I wasn't the only one.
Tears stream down her face, getting Domen to smile as he reaches his thumbs up to collect them.
"Took you a long time to finally say it." She chuckles as she helps him wipe her own tears. "I'm so happy to hear it... I wasn't the only one feeling that way."
Domen bits his lower lip as he glances down to her lips as she circles her arms around his neck, smiling at him as she tilts her head slightly.
"Sucks to be us..." She chuckles as the tears still fail to contain themselves. "I'm just glad you told me. Thanks for making it more painful to watch you marry someone else..."
"I'm not." He says as he reaches his fingers into her hair. "I don't want to marry anyone else.... If it's not with you."
Lavender leans from the hug and glances up at him while wiping her eyes.
"Your grandmother-."
"Screw her." Domen shrugs his shoulders and steps back while reaching down to her hands and taking them in his. "Let's just ditch everyone and go off the radar."
Lavender furrows her brows as she can tell he's being serious, his smile is half sided but his eyes are spilling his thoughts.
"Running... Away?" She asks and he nods his head as he bits his lower lip with a smile. "Leaving everything.... behind?"
"Not in that sense... Trust me on this." He says as he leans back onto her forehead and reaches one hand up to her chin, caressing her lip with his thumb. "Just long enough to avoid the wedding."
"Your grandmother will find out... They'll just drag you back here and I'll... I'll..." She stummers as she grips the edges of the sink. "She'll..."
"Trust me." He says and gives her a small peck on the lips. "Please. Just run away with me from here. I'll explain everything, right now I know my grandmother will start looking for me... We can't be here, it'll cause a scene."
Domen steps back and holds his hand out for her to take with a smile on his face.
"Are you willing to be my chipmunk?" He asks and Lavender rolls her eyes as she reaches out and takes his hand as she gets off the sink.
"You were supposed to say Juliet." She says as he chuckles and pulls her towards the door.
"Chipmunk suits you." He winks and tightens his hold on her hand as he grabs the door handle. "We won't be able to go back from this... You understand... Right?"
"I trust you'll protect me." Lavender smiles up at him, getting him to smile back down at her. "It's crazy... But I trust you."
He chuckles and opens the door, taking her out into the corridor.
It's empty, since everyone is at the event outside, having dinner.
He pulls her forward and towards the front entrance while constantly glancing around, making sure no one is able to spot them while trying to walk as fast as he can, even though Lavender lags behind a bit from her heels and short legs.
"Are you serious about that?" Heather startles both Domen and Lavender who are mere inches from the front door.
Domen clenches his jaw and turns to face his mother who is walking towards them with her arms crossed on her chest.
He brings Lavender to stand behind him, sheilding her from his mother.
"I can't think of anything else right now." Domen shrugs his shoulders as he sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "I love her and I can't marry Evette."
Lavender, though hearing it before turns red from the words alone as she can feel his grip on her hand tighten.
"So I can only leave with her since I won't be given a chance to explain myself. Since my feeling don't really matter here." Domen shrugs his shoulders as Heather drops her gaze down to Lavender. "So let us, or don't, I don't care, I'll still leave."
"Do you want me to make up an excuse for your absence?" Heather asks as she pulls on a smile to assure her son that she's not against him.
To assure him that he can trust her.
"No." He shakes his head and smiles as he steps aside and reaches his hand down to pat Lavender's head. "Tell them I fell in love with another woman other than Evette and ran off, that should shock everyone."
Heather rolls her eyes but smiles and nods her head getting Domen to smile back at her and take Lavender away.
Lavender glances over her shoulder and to Heather whose eyes only show care and not the hostility she one saw in them.
Domen steps out of the front door with Lavender as they had towards his car parked closer to the entrance.
He fishes his car keys out of his jacket and unlocks the car, letting lavender in first before he circles the car and into his seat.
"So you're actually serious..." Lavender nods to herself as she glances up at the building from the windshield. "You're not afraid of your grandmother finding out?"
"I am." He shrugs his shoulders as he backs the car from the parking spot. "But right now I'm too jealous to watch you be with someone else. Call me selfish, either way we're both in trouble."
Lavender sighs out shakily as she watches Domen pull up on the gate and steps out to talk to the guard who seems reluctant to let him pass, since grandmother hadn't given him instructions to.
She watches as Domen grabs hold of the guard's collar, obviously threatening him which makes the guard comply and rush to open the door.
Is this really happening...?
Failing to wrap her head around what's happening, Lavender watches as Domen finally walks back to the car and gets in, instantly stepping onto the accelerator and speeding out of the car.
Her eyes find their way up to his face as she wonders what could have possibly triggered him to be this way.
She was sure Domen wasn't willing to do anything for her if it involved upsetting his grandmother.
Yet here he is... Making a drastic move.
"You keep looking at me." Domen eases his shoulders once they are a good distance away from the building, speeding down the road as he heads for the city which is nearly a thirty minute drive. "Spill your thoughts."
"What made you suddenly think of stealing me away?" She asks as she crosses her arms on her chest. "A lot of people will be worried, Cameron will realize it pretty soon that I didn't go back to him-."
"That's the reason." He says as his grip on the steering wheel tightens. "You and Cameron is the reason I can't contain myself. Cameron wants you so bad and it's getting on my nerves... I know the only reason you haven't given yourself to him is the pregnancy... Otherwise you would have and thinking about it really pulls the back of my head."
Lavender frowns slightly and glances down to her laps as she laces her fingers together.
"I know I'm not your first. But you are to me, I want to be the last one, at least." He calms himself down as the roll into a main road, taking them straight for the city. "I'm not the ideal boyfriend or husband or lover... But I'll be selfish when it comes to you. I want you all to myself, I'm obsessed about it at this point."
Lavender stares at him as she widens her eyes slightly while staring at him, taken aback by how much he... Feels for her.
"What if... You get bored, like Raven?" She asks as she bites her lower lip and glanced down to his neck. "Won't you regret doing all this?"
"I don't care about Raven. But even if I get bored, I'll still want you with me." He says as he drives into a small dirt road leading to an empty open space with nothing but trees.
Possibly a campsite.
He stops the car and turns the engine off, knowing too well no one could possibly find they even if they were being followed.
He turns to Lavender who isn't sure of where they are and reaches his hand down to her chin, turning her to face him.
"You don't understand why I'm like this, after all I said to you." He says as he caresses her lower lip. "But understand when I say it hurts loving you and failing to touch you, or even kiss you... It hurts even more seeing someone else do those things to you. It hurt so much that I had made this decision as we danced... That I don't want to leave you with anyone. You belong to me, Lavender Carter, and I'm far too deep in my feelings to care about anyone else and what they have to say."
Lavender feels her heart thud at his words, still baffled that he's saying all of this.
Domen, taking her silence as a yes, leans in and presses his lips against hers as he leans into her seat.
Warm, soft and sweet....
I wasn't wrong. I want her.
The whole of her.