I love him.
Chapter 21
Gabby
“You’ve been avoiding me,” I breathe into my phone the minute Dom picks up.
“Didn’t have much to say,” Dom says, and it’s clear he’s still pissed. I frown. I thought he would be over it by now.
“I thought you were coming over when you got back in town yesterday.”
“You’ve yet to talk to my brother. I told you I wanted you to apologize to him and make it clear that I didn’t know you were playing us against one another.”
“Don’t put it like that. I told you, I was jealous of all the time you were spending with the club and ignoring me and what we were building together. It just kind of happened, but I wasn’t playing you against your brother,” I snap, sick of his bullshit. If he had just chosen me over his club and his brother, none of this would have happened, and yet, he refuses to accept his share of the blame. I should have cut Tom loose quicker. I can admit that, but the rest of this bullshit falls on Dom’s shoulders.
“You promised to talk to him. I don’t know why it surprises me that you haven’t. I should have known better.”
“Damn it, Dom. Quit trying to make me the bad guy. I’m going to talk to him. I just haven’t had a chance. I do have things to do here, you know. I told you I’d talk to him, and I will.”
“You have until Friday,” he growls.
“Hold up. You’re giving me two days to break your brother’s heart. Just two days?”
“The way I look at it, you’ve had over a year to tell him like it is. That means you get two more days. You don’t do it, and I swear to you, Gabby, I’ll find a way to do it in a way he’ll believe me, and you won’t like how that comes about.”
“Are you threatening me, Dom?”
“I’m telling you like it is,” he says matter-of-factly.
“So, you’re not even going to spend time with me, reassure me, hell, spend an entire night with me unless I do as you order me to do?”
“I think you need to wake up and realize that this is more about being good to my brother instead of me and you. Woman, there is no me and you. You killed that.”
“How can you say that, Dom?” I ask, refusing to acknowledge the panic I feel.
“There hasn’t been a me and you in quite a while. That lies on you. You want me, then you need to work for it.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said what I said. You set my brother free, and if you want me, then it’s time you show me you’re worth it.”
“You’re unbelievable!”
“I’m warning you, Gabby. If you mess up again, it’s completely over. You aren’t going to control me with how good you work my dick anymore.”
It’s not easy to be turned on when I’m pissed off, but Dom always manages to thread the needle that makes me both.
“Maybe it’s time you earn me,” I rage, letting him hear my anger.
“What the fuck does that mean?” he growls.
“It means you’re good at handing out orgasms, but as a boyfriend, you fucking suck. Maybe your brother would be good at both.”
I know I’m poking the devil here. He’s going to explode, and when he does, his wrath will be legendary. Dom has a fire in him. I’ve seen it before and experienced just a small portion. A smart woman would back off. I’ve never been particularly smart when it comes to Dom. If he wants to throw down ultimatums, then maybe it’s time I show him two can play that game.
“You play games with Thomas and believe me, Gab, I will make you sorry.”
“It’s time you make a choice, Dom. Are you finally going to man up and claim me as your old lady like you’ve been telling me, or are you cutting me loose? Cause I’ve got to tell you, lover, if you don’t want me, that means I can do whatever and whoever I want.”
“Seems to me you were doing that before,” he barks.
“I may have let things get too far, but I never completely turned my back on what you and I were.”
“You let another man touch what I thought was mine—and not even just another man. You let my brother!” he growls. I interrupt him before I let him go on.
“It’s time we stop looking at the past. You need to decide if you’re going to grow a pair and claim me as your old lady.”
“You’re fucking delusional,” he says, and my eyes narrow. I really thought he would cave in by now. It’s clear that’s not going to happen. Maybe the only option I have left is to show him exactly what he’s missing.
“You decide what you want, Dom, but don’t take too long. I’ll give you till Friday, too. After that, I’m not waiting around for you to decide because I’m done with that. You choose me, I’ll talk to Thomas and put the blame all on me—”