Taming Domenico

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

MAUREEN

I was smiling. No—grinning as I made my way down the quiet hallway of Domenico’s mansion, adrenaline still pumping through my veins. My boots echoed on the marble floors, but I didn’t care to walk softer. I felt powerful. Untouchable. High off the rush of the mission.

God, I loved it.

I didn’t expect to. Not at first. But being out there, holding the gun, calling the shots, knowing I was no longer someone’s pawn—I loved every second of it. I wanted more.

I pushed open the door to my room and kicked it shut behind me, tossing my jacket aside. My lips were still curled in that smug little smile as I peeled off my clothes and headed straight for the shower.

All through the warm spray, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Domenico looked during the mission. Sharp. Cold. Calculated. But so damn hot. The dark shirt clinging to his torso, the veiny hand gripping the steering wheel, the way his voice dropped when he gave orders—he looked like sin and smelled like danger.

And the worst part? I wanted him. Or maybe that was the best part.

I stepped out of the shower, dragging a towel over my hair and slipping into a loose pair of black leggings and one of the oversized t-shirts I’d taken from the wardrobe. I curled up on the bed and grabbed my phone, still buzzing from the day.

Instagram was my go-to distraction. Mindless scrolling. Pretty faces. Useless captions. I liked a few posts without reading the words—until one stopped me dead.

Jane.

Her f*****g face.

And Zachary beside her, arms wrapped around her waist, both of them smiling at the camera like they hadn’t ripped my heart out and set it on fire. They looked happy. They looked like they won.

Something in me snapped.

I launched the phone across the room with a growl. It hit the wall with a satisfying crack, then slid to the floor in pieces.

I stood there, chest heaving, rage simmering just beneath the surface. How dare they.

A knock at the door made me stiffen.

“Ma’am?” a soft voice called. A maid. “Dinner is ready. Mr. Moretti asked me to inform you.”

Of course, he did.

“Yeah. I’m coming,” I said, voice tight.

She nodded and disappeared, and I followed after a moment, collecting myself on the way down. The long dining table stretched across the room, the smell of roasted meat and herbs hanging in the air. I slid into a seat at the far end, trying to act unaffected as I spooned some food onto my plate.

I’d barely taken two bites before he walked in.

Domenico.

Sharp suit. Sharp jaw. That deadly calm in his eyes like he knew exactly how to break people—and how to enjoy it.

His gaze flicked around the room before landing on the broken phone near me. His brow lifted just a little. “What the f**k happened to your phone?”

I sighed, pushing a piece of food around my plate. “Nothing. It’s fine.”

He moved closer, his presence commanding, unrelenting. “Doesn’t look fine. That phone looks like it lost a fight.”

“It did,” I muttered, not meeting his eyes.

“With?”

“Someone who shouldn’t exist.”

He was silent for a beat, and then—he chuckled. The deep, gravelly sound made my chest tighten. “Remind me to send you a new one. You clearly need something sturdier next time.”

“I didn’t break it on purpose,” I snapped.

He raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you?”

That made my stomach twist, but not in a bad way. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and forced myself to speak.

“So…” I started carefully, setting down my fork. “When does training start?”

He raised a brow. “You in a rush?”

“I want to be better,” I said. “Faster. Stronger. More useful.”

Domenico leaned back in his chair, glass in hand. His dark gaze locked with mine, and something unreadable passed through it before he answered.

“I’ll train you myself.”

I choked.

Literally. The water I had just sipped went down the wrong pipe, and I coughed violently, turning red as hell.

I glared at him through my coughing fit, finally managing to clear my throat.

“You—what?” I rasped, voice hoarse.

Domenico didn’t blink. “You want to be better? Then you train with me. No excuses. No complaints.”

His voice was like steel wrapped in fire, and something deep inside me clenched.

I stared at him, wide-eyed, heart thudding pai

nfully in my chest. If he noticed, he didn’t show it.

And all I could think was—

Shit.