AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Not like this.”
“Wha—”
Before I can protest, Dominik takes my hand and guides me toward the back of his apartment.
His place is big and spacious. It’s not as big as Aaron’s, but it shares a similar layout. Giant, floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the eastern side of New York, mainly the Hudson River as it shines under the twinkling moonlight. Dominik doesn’t have much in the way of furniture. His tastes seem to be more on the minimalist side, which I’m a huge fan of as a designer…or rather, a wannabe designer.
He drags me up a set of floating stairs.
“Where are you taking me?”
But he doesn’t answer as we walk down a hallway, driving me insane with his tight grip and freakish strength. I attempt to yank my arm free, but it somehow makes me fall into his back, stumbling right as he opens a door to reveal a stunning, white-and-gray bathroom.
A sleek, glass shower stands beside a spacious bathtub placed prominently in the room’s center. Adjacent to the tub rests a small, wooden table displaying a stack of books.
“Wow…”
“This bathroom opens up to that room.” He releases my hand, his chin pointing to a closed door to my right. “You can lock this door leading into the hallway if you’d like. Although I don’t use this bathroom, so you’ll have full privacy.”
“Thanks.”
He walks over to the tub and turns the faucet. The sound of gushing water echoes through the room, and I watch Dominik stroll over to one of the sinks, opening a cabinet and pulling out a box filled with colorful balls.
Are those…
“Are you drawing me a bath?”
“Maybe.”
“That’s really not necessary.”
Dominik pauses, dropping a ball of pink, sparkly chalk into the tub. His back is to me, but I see the way his muscles flex in irritation.
“Sometimes it’s nice to let someone else take care of you.”
I bite my lip in frustration. “I don’t need you to take care of me.”
He turns to face me, his expression unreadable as he stalks toward me.
“Can you just let me do one nice thing for you without making a big deal out of it?” He turns, continuing his task as he pours in bubbles, essential oils, and dried flowers.
Watching Dominik draw me a bath is strange. It all feels out of place, especially after our exchange in the alleyway earlier. He’s so hot and cold, I don’t know what to make of it when he does something nice for me. I know it’s out of pity, which makes me just want to storm off and go to bed. But I can’t bring myself to do that.
Maybe he does this type of thing for everyone.
“Do you do this for the other women who spend the night?”
His back is still to me. “No other woman has ever been here. Well, excluding my mother.”
I’m too surprised to say anything.
He dips his hand into the water, seeming to test the temperature before he starts putting everything away and heading for the door.
He pauses, turning to face me. “Take a bath. Relax. It’s been a long day and a stressful ending to the night. Just…enjoy it. Okay?”
Something pulls in my chest at the sound of his sincerity and the look of utter defeat in his eyes. He feels bad for me.
“Thank you for all of this, but I don’t want your pity.”
