His Games, Her Rules

DOMINIQUE

“What proposition?”

“A no-strings-attached relationship.”

“Come on, Dom. Have you seen her? You of all people should know she would never agree to that. She’s a one-man kind of woman. The type who would only agree to fuck you because she likes you, have feelings for you or loves you. Robyn doesn’t seem to feel that way toward you.” Oliver says as he shifts in his seat.

“I’ve seen her eyes, Ollie. She wants me.”

“Maybe not the same way that you want her.”

“For fuck’s sake. Sex used to be simple.”

“Yeah, well, then you met Robyn. Everything seems difficult and strange.” Oliver says. “You should ask her out. Like a date. And maybe you should ask her what she really wants. She probably thinks you want to use her for sex and then get rid of her when the newest best thing comes along.”

I open my mouth to argue about Oliver’s claims but instead, I clamp my mouth shut. I’ve never offered a no-strings-attached relationship to any woman before. The women that I brought home, I don’t let them spend the night, not even Sara Hudson. I’ve always set my expectations straight when I meet someone new. We fuck and we go our separate ways, with no expectations or any sort of commitment. And it always ends well.

But I had Robyn against the wall one night and I want more from her. I want her in my bed, waking up to her every fucking morning with my bite marks all over her beautiful body and her finger marks on my back from pleasuring her. I don’t want a relationship where there’s commitment, because I’m too invested in my head to even think about it. But I’m willing to try a no-strings-attached relationship with Robyn even though it’s something I’ve never done before. Anything to have her again, but this time in a more proper way. With our clothes scattered all over my bedroom and her in my T-shirt and nothing underneath it so that I can slide into her without any coverage whatsoever.

Fuck. Do I really have feelings for her?

“Yes, Dom, you have feelings for her,” Oliver says as he smiles smugly at me.

“Did I fucking say that out loud?”

“Yup. But you’ll be fine. It’s just feelings, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Yeah? Says the man who’s never had them.” I raise my eyebrows as Oliver chuckles.

“Because I try not to get too invested,” Oliver says and shrugs. “But it’s understandable. Robyn is beautiful, sexy, and feisty. It’s natural for men to fall for women like that. Women who challenge them. I try not to go after women like that, so I don’t end up digging my own grave.”

Oliver pushes the file he came in with toward me and I reach for it.

“Those are the coordinates from the casino. Business has been doing great.” Oliver says as I drop the file back on my desk.

Oliver manages my Casinos in New York and Las Vegas and he’s been doing a good job.

“I’ll go through them later. I’ve got dinner with my family.”

“Camilla and Leo?”

“Yeah. For some reason, Camilla is persistent about this dinner.”

“Why?”

“That’s what I’m going to find out.”

“Sure. I’m gonna head out and leave you to your thoughts.” Oliver says as he stands up, and buttons his suit jacket as he turns to leave.

“And by the way, you should take a break. You’re gonna kill yourself.” Oliver calls after me as he unlocks my door and leaves.

***

“Dinner reservations for Camilla Gray,” I say to the hostess as I step inside this expensive Italian restaurant.

“Right this way, Sir.” The hostess smiles at me as she leads me further into the restaurant. I follow her. She stops at a secluded area and points to my table.

“Thank you,” I say to the hostess.

“I’ll get you a waiter.” She says as she turns to leave.

As I take slow strides toward the reserved table, I see Leo sitting opposite a woman with Camilla by Leo’s side. There’s a strain on his face as he stares at the woman who seems to be talking to them. I stop by our table and draw out a seat to sit down. Everyone turns to look at me, including the woman and I nearly collapse in my seat.

The woman looks at me, different emotions flashing through her eyes and one familiar emotion is regret. It’s evident in her brown eyes that look exactly like Camilla’s.

“What the fuck is this?” I ask, standing up at once as I stare at Camilla who’s trying to apologize with her eyes.

“Is this some sort of joke?” I ask, trying so hard not to flip the fucking table.

“Dom, please calm down,” Camilla says.

“My son.” She says to me in Italian as I turn to glare at her.

“Who the fuck is your son?” I yell. Diners from the other tables are staring at us now and the last thing I want is for my private affairs to find their way into the internet.

From the countless interviews I’ve done, I don’t like talking about my mother. They put two and two together and assumed my mother was not in the picture and we may have a strained relationship. If only they knew what she did.

With my arms on the table, I lean down to look at the woman who walked out of our lives when we needed her the most. I haven’t seen her in years and she’s changed so much. She’s draped in designers and her neck is covered in a diamond necklace. Obviously, her new boyfriend is doing her good.

“I don’t know why you’re here and trust me I don’t fucking care. But this, whatever it is that you’re trying to achieve by coming here, it’s not going to work. I don’t want to ever see you come close to me ever again.” I grit out.

“Emilio,” she calls me by my middle name and I grip the edge of the table, afraid it’s going to break if she opens her mouth and talks to me again.

“I’m going to fucking hit you if you ever call me that again.” I glare at her as my mother visibly cowers in her seat.

I turn to look at Camilla as I stand upright.

Camilla says, “Look, Dom, I’m”

“I’m fucking disappointed in you,” I say to my sister. “Both of you.” I glare at Leo as I shoot one last glare at my mother before walking toward the exit of the restaurant, Leo hurrying after me.

“Come on, Dom. You gotta calm down. None of us are happy she’s back.” Leo says as I step outside the restaurant. I see Ross standing by my car.

I spin around at once to glare at my brother.

“Yeah? But yet, here you are, dining with her. Were you part of the plan? Did Camilla put you up to this?”

“Fuck no! I didn’t know Mother was gonna be there until I showed up. Camilla set the whole thing up.”

“I’m getting the fuck out of here.” I climb down the stone steps as Leo calls after me.

“Come on, Dom. Dominique!”

Ross opens the backseat of the door and I enter. He shuts the door after me and hurries to the driver’s seat.

Leo stands at the spot I left him, his hands on his hips as he stares at me with guilt and frustration.

“Where to, Sir?” Ross asks as he turns on the ignition.

“Home.”