Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Dominic’s hand slid beneath my chin, his fingers gripping firmly yet not unkindly as he tilted my face upward to meet his
gaze
His dark eyes bore into mine, a flicker of amusement playing behind the arrogance that never left his expression. His thumb brushed against my cheek, a mockery of tenderness.
“Remember, Aria,” he said, his voice low, deliberate. “No cumming for you. You wouldn’t want me to catch you rules, would you, darling?”
breaking my
flicke my face–he fed off it, drank in my vulnerability like it was his favorite game. And it was
Without another word, Dominic pushed himself up from the chait, adjusting his jeans and smoothing his shirt like nothing had happened. He didn’t spare me a second glance . Instead, he strolled out of the dining room, his footsteps echoing faintly against the hardwood floor.
And then, silence.
I stayed there on the floor, still on my knees, staring blankly at the empty doorway where he’d disappeared. My cheeks felt warm where his fingers had lingered, but the rest of me felt cold. Hollow.
A sigh escaped me, heavy and tired, the sound almost foreign in the quiet room. Alone now, I shifted back, sitting on my heels. My hands brushed my dress, smoothing out the fabric, though I wasn’t sure why I even bothered. I glanced at the table, at the forgotten plate of food that had brought me here in the first place.
The hunger I’d felt earlier had vanished completely. My stomach churned instead, not from emptiness, but from something else–something I didn’t want to name .
My chest rose and fell with slow, deliberate breaths as I tried to gather myself. I swallowed hard, my throat still tender , a reminder of everything that had just happened. A reminder of how quickly he had used me, then walked away like it meant nothing.
And maybe it was nothing to him.
I ran a hand through my hair, fingers trembling slightly, I could still feel his grip, the weight of his expectations pressing down on me even in his absence. It was always like this–this cycle of control and surrender, of giving and being left with nothing.
Why don’t I utilize that and get what I wanted?
That would have been a perfect idea. Use him. I mean I don’t even have much time to live.
Right?
The question swirled in my mind, unanswered, unanswerable. Maybe it was the way he commanded a room, the way his confidence consumed everything and left no space for doubt. Or maybe it was the way he made me feel small and important all at once, like I was both a plaything and a prize.
But right now, I didn’t feel like either, I just felt. used.
I pushed myself up from the floor, my legs stiff, knees aching from the time spent on them. The dining room felt too big. too empty now. The air was still thick with the faint scent of him, and it clung to my skin like a phantom.
I walked to the table, reaching for the plate of food, but my appetite was gone. The thought of eating made my stomach turn . Instead, I picked up the plate and carried it to the kitchen, setting it down on the counter without another glance. Leaning against the sink, I stared out the window at the darkened sky. My reflection in the glass stared back at me, the faint outline of my face illuminated by the dim light of the kitchen. I looked tired. Wom. Like someone I didn’t quite recognize.
The ghost of his touch lingered on my skin, and I hated how it made me feel–how it reminded me of everything I’d given him, everything he’d taken without a second thought.
And yet, as much as I hated it, I knew I’d let him do it again. I always did.
I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. “You’re pathetic,” I whispered to myself, the words harsh but honest.
But even as the thought crossed my mind, a part of me–small but persistent–clung to the memory of his touch, to the fleeting moments where his gaze held something softer, something almost like affection.
Almost
The sound of a door closing somewhere in the house broke the silence, and I stiffened, my heart leaping into my throat. For a moment, I thought he might come back, but the footsteps moved away, fading into the distance.
He was gone.
Chapter 16
And I was alone
I sighed again, pushing away from the sink. The kitchen felt too quiet, too still, and I didn’t trust the thoughts creeping into my mind. I needed to move, to distract myself.
But as I wandered through the house, my fingers brushing absently against the walls, the moment followed me like a
shadow.
Dominic always had a way of leaving his mark
I brushed too hard against my mouth, my guns stinging as the toothbrush scraped them raw. I spat into the sink, the water turing pink with blood.
No matter how much I scrubbed, I couldn’t get rid of the taste or the humiliation burning in my throat
Tears rolled down my cheeks, hot and unstoppable, as I gripped the edge of the sink, my body trembling. My reflection in the mirror looked just as broken as I felt.
A soft knock on the bathroom door made me freeze.
“Aria?”
It was Rosal
Her voice was hesitant, unsure.
I wiped at my cheeks quickly , clearing my throat. “What do you want?”
There was a pause, then the door creaked open slightly, and Rasa stepped inside. Her kind face was etched with concer as she studied me.
“I heard you crying,” she said softly, closing the door behind her.
I glared at her through the mirror. “I thought you weren’t supposed to talk to me. Didn’t Dominic make that clear last night?” Rosa hesitated, wringing her hands. “He did. But I couldn’t just ignore you. You looked… hurt.”
I turned away from the mirror, leaning against the counter as I crossed my arms. “I’m fine.” “No, you’re not,” Rosa said gently, stepping closer.
I sighed, my shoulders slumping, “Why do you even care? I thought you hate me now.
Her gaze softened, and she lowered her voice. “Hate, I would never. How can I when I’ve seen what he does to people like you. And I’ve seen what happens when no one steps in.”
I frowned , my chest tightening. “People like me?”
She nodded, sitting down on the edge of the bathtub. “You’re not the first woman Dominic has brought into this house, Aria. There were others before you.”
My stomach dropped. “Others?”
“Yes,” Rosa said, her tone almost apologetic. They were just like you–young, beautiful, strong–willed but their father’s, or parents hold serious dents. But Dominic… he has a way of breaking people down.”
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding. “What happened to them?”
Rosa’s expression darkened, and she glanced away. “Most of them didn’t last. They thought they could handle him, hand le his world, but they couldn’t. Dominic doesn’t just want obedience, Aria. He craves control. Total control.”
Her words sent a chill down my spine, but I forced myself to ask. “And his.. fantasies?”
Rosa hesitated, then met my gaze. “They’re intense. Dark. He thrives on pushing boundaries, on testing how far people will
go to please him. It’s not just about power–it’s about seeing how much you’ll give up for him.”
I sighed, the weight of her words settling heavily on my chest. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you should know what you’re up against,” Rosa said simply. “And because I think you’re different.”
“Different how?”
“You haven’t broken yet” she said softly. “And I don’t think he knows what to do with that”
Her words stung, but there was a flicker of truth in them that I couldn’t ignore. I glanced at the mirror again, my reflection staring back at me, tired and raw but still standing.
“Why do you stay here?” I asked suddenly.
Rosa’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Because I don’t have a choice. Just like you.”
The honesty in her voice made my chest ache.
“I don’t know how much longer I can do this,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper
Chapter to
Rosa stood, placing a hand gently on my shoulder “Then don’t let him break you fight back in from way FOR THE PH s just staying strong”
Her words lingered as she turned and left the bathroom leaving me alone with my thoughts
but
I stared at my reflection again, the tears still drying on my cheeks. Rosa’s warning echoed in my mind, toe en die hat count encouragement
Dominic wanted control, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to give it to he
I wasn’t a doll I was Aria Montel
A survivor