Chapter Ten

Sienna’s Pov

My ears were still burning from what Adrian said, and the second we got back into the penthouse, Dominic looked like a thundercloud ready to strike.

He threw his car keys onto the marble table with a loud clatter and turned to face me. "Stay away from Adrian," Dominic ordered, his voice sharp and cold. "He likes to play games, and he's not someone you want to get mixed up with."

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at him. "Adrian was just being nice. Unlike some people, he actually offered to help me rebuild my event business without making me feel like a criminal."

Dominic took a hard step closer, his dark eyes flashing. "He doesn't want to help your business, Sienna. He wants to annoy me. And it's working."

A smirk slipped onto my face before I could stop it. I couldn't resist. "Wait. Are you actually jealous of your own brother?"

"I am not jealous," Dominic snapped instantly, his voice a little too loud. He turned away and walked toward the kitchen, but I followed right behind him.

"You totally are," I teased, stepping in front of him to block his path. "You got all stiff at dinner, and now you're pacing like a caged wolf. Tell me, Dominic—if another man walked up and started flirting with me right now, would it bother you?"

Dominic froze. His jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth might crack. He looked down at me, his chest rising and falling heavily. For a second, he didn't say a word, and his silence gave him away completely.

"I don't like the idea of anyone thinking they have a chance with my wife," Dominic finally muttered, his voice dropping into a low, rough rumble.

My heart did a stupid little flip against my ribs. I swallowed hard, trying to push the feeling away. "We are only married because of a contract, Dominic. You know that. It's just business."

"The rest of the world doesn't know that," he fired back, stepping even closer until I had to tilt my head back just to look into his eyes. "To everyone else, you belong to me."

The air between us felt thick, hot, and electric. I turned around and walked away before I did something crazy like reach out and touch his face.

The next afternoon, the tension in the penthouse was so loud we could have heard it snap. We had to practice looking like a happy, affectionate couple for the big charity gala coming up this weekend. Dominic stood behind me in the massive living room, his warm hand sliding firmly around my bare waist.

"Stand up straight," he murmured right next to my ear, his breath sending a shiver down my spine. "And lean into me. When the cameras flash tomorrow night, people need to believe we actually like each other."

"It's hard to look convincing when you're barking orders like a drill sergeant," I muttered, trying to keep my breathing steady.

"Try this," he whispered.

Instead of just posing, his other hand came up, gently cupping my cheek. He turned my face toward his slowly. The practice stopped feeling like a game. His dark eyes burned into mine, filled with a raw, fierce hunger that made my knees feel weak. His thumb brushed softly across my cheekbone, and he leaned down until his lips were only a hair's breadth away from mine.

My eyes drifted shut. Every single rule we had made, every warning about the contract, melted away. I wanted him to kiss me.

Just as his lips brushed against mine, reality hit me like a splash of cold water. I gasped, pressing my hands against his chest and shoving him backward.

"Stop!" I breathed out, my voice shaking. "We agreed—no romance. It's in the contract!"

Dominic stopped, his chest heaving as he stared down at me. His expression was dark and intense, but he didn't try to touch me again. He just gave a slow, bitter nod.

"I remember the clause perfectly, Sienna," he said coldly, turning on his heel and walking out of the room.

I stood there alone, my fingers trembling as I touched my lips. I told myself I did the right thing. I told myself we were safe.

Later that night, long after midnight, I woke up from a restless sleep. The penthouse was pitch black and dead quiet. I tossed and turned, but my mind wouldn't shut off. Finally, I decided to get up and grab a glass of water from the kitchen.

I slipped quietly down the dark hallway, careful not to make a sound. But as I passed the small side table right beside the guest room door, something white caught my eye in the moonlight coming through the glass.

I stopped. I reached down and picked up a small, folded piece of heavy paper.

My name was written across the front in messy, rushed handwriting that I instantly recognized as Dominic's. My heart pounded as I unfolded it and read the words written in the dark.

She finds a handwritten note from Dominic beside her bed saying, “I don’t know how long I can keep pretending I don’t want you.”