The Billion Dollar Wife

#20.

Ava stared back at him, her chin tilted at an angle that spoke of a defiance her trembling hands couldn't quite mask.

Dominic straightened up, his movements fluid. He reached out, his fingers brushing the hem of her gown where it had ridden up against her thighs and smoothed the silk down over her knees with a gesture that felt less like gallantry.

"You might want to start packing for our honeymoon," he said, his voice dropping into a low, detached tone.

"Honeymoon?" Ava’s voice tripped over the word, her eyes widening in genuine shock.

Dominic locked eyes with her, his gaze as cold as the marble floors under them. "Do not look at me with such expectation, Ava. I didn't organize this farce. A vacation is the last thing on my mind, and quite frankly, the last thing I have time for. But it seems my father has decided we need to play the part of the blissful newlyweds for the world to see."

"Where are we going?" she asked, her heart hammering a rhythm against her ribs.

"Italy," he replied shortly.

Ava swallowed, her mind racing. "Is it possible for us to postpone? Just for a week or two?"

Dominic went rigid. The slight softening in his expression vanished, replaced by a wall of granite. He moved back into her space, his presence looming and suffocating. "Postpone? And why, exactly, would you want to delay a trip to the Mediterranean? Most women in your position would be halfway to the airport by now."

"I have some things to attend to," she managed to say, her voice regaining its strength. "Matters that require my presence here."

"What things?" he asked, his voice a low, suspicious growl. He leaned in closer, his eyes searching hers for the fracture he knew was there. "What could possibly be so urgent that you’d risk offending the man who holds the keys to this empire? Speak up ava"

"It’s personal, Dominic," she fired back, though she could feel the heat of his body radiating through the thin silk of her dress.

He didn't pull away. Instead, he reached out and gripped her legs, shifting her weight until she was pulled flush against him, trapped between the wood and his solid frame. He leaned down, his mouth hovering just beside her ear, his breath ghosting over her skin.

"Whatever business you have stays on hold," he whispered, the words vibrating through her. "This honeymoon? We’re going. You will be on that plane, and you will play the part you’ve assigned yourself. I hope that’s clear"

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his gaze dropping to her lips. The air in the room seemed to vanish. Ava’s grip tightened on the fabric of his shirt, her knuckles white, her eyes fluttering shut as the world narrowed down to the heat of his mouth.

He bend his head slowly, his breath coming out in silent rag, the door burst open. One of Dominic’s men stormed in, the sudden intrusion acting like a bucket of ice water.

Dominic jumped back, a dark curse escaping his lips. Ava scrambled down from the desk, her face burning with a mixture of shame and a strange, frustrated heat. She didn't look back as she smoothed her hair and walked out of the office, her footsteps echoing in the corridor.

Dominic stood in the center of the room, his chest heaving. He turned on the man, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "What do you want?" he snapped. "This had better be worth the interruption."

The man dipped his head in a hasty apology, his face pale. "I’m sorry, sir. But there is something... something important. I thought you should see this immediately."

Dominic sat down stiffly in his leather chair, the anger still vibrating off him in waves. "Go on," he commanded, his voice a low rasp.

The man handed over a thick manila folder. Dominic opened it, his eyes scanning the first few pages with a cynical eye. But as he read further, his posture shifted. He went perfectly still, then stood up so abruptly the chair hit the wall behind him.

"What the f*ck does this mean?" he hissed, slamming the file back onto the desk.

"That’s exactly how I received it, sir," the man replied, his voice steady despite the tension.

Dominic didn't wait for another word. He grabbed his phone and dialed his father’s private line. George picked up on the second ring.

"Why?" Dominic asked, skipping any pretense of a greeting. "Why did you choose to do this now? Behind my back?"

"I haven't executed the plan yet, Dominic," his father’s voice came through the line, calm and infuriatingly patient. "But I’ve decided it’s for the best. The company needs a different kind of leadership for the next phase Dominic."

"Is that the reason for this honeymoon?" Dominic’s voice rose, a edge of betrayal cutting through the words. "A distraction? A way to keep me out of the country while you hand the keys over to a man who hasn't put a single drop of sweat into this empire? Tell me what exactly Silas has done to this company, what sweat has he put in this whole empire."

"Don't raise your voice to me," George warned. "And don't even think about skipping that trip. You will go, and you will enjoy your time with your wife. You will go Dominic.”

"Don't you dare," Dominic countered, his voice dropping into a cold dangerous tone. He took a deep breath, his fingers white where they gripped the phone. "Listen to me, Father. Even if I go on this godforsaken honeymoon, I will never let Silas take over. Not as long as I have breath in my body. He might be the elder, but I am the one who built this. I am the rightful heir, and I will burn this entire company to the ground before I let him sit in my chair. I don’t make empty promises father and you know it.”