Elijah knew he should push Dominic away. He knew it.
But his body wouldn't move.
Dominic was too close, his presence overwhelming, his scent drowning Elijah's thoughts. That damn smirk on his lips—like he already knew he was winning.
And Elijah hated it.
So he did the only thing he could think of.
He laughed.
Dominic's smirk faltered for just a second. "Something funny?"
Elijah tilted his head, eyes gleaming with challenge. "Yeah. You."
Dominic's jaw clenched, but Elijah wasn't done.
"You act like you own me, Moretti. Like saying 'you're mine' actually means something." Elijah leaned in just a little, his lips almost brushing Dominic's ear. "But you can't own something that doesn't belong to you."
Dominic froze.
Elijah saw it—that brief flicker of something dangerous in his eyes before he masked it with an infuriatingly calm expression.
"Is that what you think?" Dominic murmured, his breath hot against Elijah's skin.
Elijah swallowed, refusing to let his body react. "That's what I know."
Dominic let out a low, amused hum. "Alright, Eli."
Elijah hated how his stomach flipped when Dominic said his name like that.
Dominic slowly stepped back, giving him space.
That should've been a relief.
But it wasn't.
The heat, the tension, the suffocating pull between them—it was suddenly gone.
Elijah felt colder without it.
Dominic's expression was unreadable. "Go ahead, then. Do whatever you want. Talk to Matteo. See what happens."
Elijah frowned. "What?"
Dominic turned away, his voice casual—but Elijah knew better.
"You want to test me? Fine. Go play your little games, Elijah." He met Elijah's gaze one last time, something dark swirling in his eyes. "Just don't come crying to me when you realize you're playing with fire."
And then—Dominic walked away.
Elijah stood frozen, heart pounding in his chest.
This was what he wanted, right? To push Dominic away? To make him back off?
So why did it feel like he had just lost something?
Elijah couldn't shake the feeling that he had made a mistake.
Dominic had never walked away from him before—not like that. Not with that look in his eyes.
And now? The silence was worse than the possessiveness.
For the past two days, Dominic barely acknowledged him. No heated glares. No offhand comments. No sudden kisses meant to remind Elijah who was in control.
Nothing.
It should have felt like freedom.
Instead, it felt like a storm waiting to happen.
---
Elijah exhaled, stretching his arms behind his head as he sat in a luxurious booth at one of Milan's high-end lounges. The music pulsed around him, the air thick with expensive cologne and the low hum of conversation.
Vincent sat across from him, watching with mild amusement as Elijah sipped his drink.
"You're being reckless," Vincent commented, swirling the liquor in his glass.
Elijah raised an eyebrow. "And when am I not?"
Vincent smirked. "Fair point." He leaned back. "But provoking Dominic like that… not your smartest move."
Elijah scoffed, looking away. "Please. He's the one acting weird."
Vincent chuckled. "You don't get it, do you?"
Elijah frowned. "Get what?"
Vincent's smirk widened. "Dominic isn't ignoring you because he doesn't care. He's waiting."
Elijah's grip on his glass tightened.
Waiting for what?
Before he could ask, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Mind if I join?"
Elijah's head snapped up, and his stomach twisted as Matteo Romano slid into the seat beside him, his usual charming smile in place.
Vincent's expression darkened immediately, his posture stiffening.
Elijah forced himself to stay relaxed, offering Matteo a lazy smirk. "Didn't take you for the social type, Romano."
Matteo chuckled, resting an arm over the back of the booth too close, too familiar.
"I make exceptions for people who interest me," Matteo said smoothly, his gaze locked onto Elijah.
Vincent tensed, eyes flicking toward the entrance. Elijah followed his gaze, a strange sense of unease creeping up his spine.
Then he saw him.
Dominic.
Standing by the bar, watching them.
His expression was unreadable, but Elijah knew he was pissed.
The storm had arrived.
Elijah had seen Dominic angry before.
But this?
This was different.
Dominic didn't charge toward them, didn't throw a punch or drag Elijah away.
Instead, he watched. Still. Silent. But the air in the room had shifted—thick with danger.
Matteo, of course, was completely unfazed. If anything, his smirk grew wider.
"You know, Elijah," Matteo murmured, his fingers idly tracing the rim of his glass, "I think your guard dog is about to snap."
Elijah rolled his eyes, but his pulse was racing. "Relax. It's not like we're doing anything."
Matteo hummed, clearly entertained. "Not yet."
Vincent exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "You two are fucking idiots."
Elijah barely had time to process that before Dominic moved.
Not rushed. Not frantic. Just calculated. Deadly.
One moment, he was across the room.
The next, he was towering over their booth.
"Elijah."
Elijah swallowed. Dominic's voice was low, controlled, but there was an edge one wrong move away from breaking.
Matteo smiled up at him, completely at ease. "Moretti, good to see you. We were just having a little chat."
Dominic ignored him, his eyes locked onto Elijah's.
"Stand up," Dominic ordered.
Elijah's jaw tightened. "Excuse me?"
Dominic didn't repeat himself.
Matteo chuckled. "Come on, Moretti. No need to be dramatic. We were simply enjoying a drink."
Dominic turned his gaze on Matteo, and the shift in his expression sent a chill down Elijah's spine.
"You think I don't know what you're doing?" Dominic said, voice dangerously quiet. "You're testing me."
Matteo's smirk didn't falter. "And what if I am?"
Elijah could feel the tension tightening around them like a noose. This was bad.
Very bad.
So, for once, Elijah made the smart choice.
He stood up.
Dominic's hand was on him in an instant, firm but not rough, claiming.
"Let's go," Dominic said, voice still low but laced with something lethal.
Matteo leaned back, watching with amusement. "Be careful, Elijah," he mused. "Possessive men tend to be the most dangerous."
Elijah exhaled sharply, ignoring the way Dominic's grip tightened. "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep that in mind."
As Dominic led him out of the lounge, Elijah didn't need to look back to know Matteo was still smiling.
This wasn't over.
And Elijah had the sinking feeling he had just made things worse.