Dominic (Saint Brothers #1) Read online

  “But I don’t think I should explain quite how bad it is.”

  “I appreciate that, Chester.”

  I hung up the phone just as Fallon walked back into the living room. Taking her overnight bag from her, we walked out of the house, locking the place up securely behind us. I knew she didn’t want to linger and I wanted to get her to somewhere she felt safe.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dominic

  The ride to my house was done in silence. I let her have it, knowing that she had a lot to get her head around. This had been a hell of a night for her and it would be a lot for anyone to take in.

  I wasn’t stupid. I knew the sort of girl Fallon was. I knew what type of upbringing she had. As much as she liked to think that she lived in the real world, I guessed that this was probably the first time reality had bitch slapped her across the face.

  When I saw her in Decadence, I did my homework on her. I would have been stupid not to. I knew right then that she was more than just a one night stand, even if I was fighting it. I didn’t need another woman in my life. I’d been burned and I wasn’t about to let that happen again, especially not if Lily was affected.

  Fallon had grown up with mountains of money and had led a charmed life. She had broken away from her family to try and do something meaningful with her life by working at the hospital. I knew everything there was to know about her and found it amusing that she thought I couldn’t even remember her name.

  If I ever could choose a woman to have in my life, she would be like Fallon. It wouldn’t be a hardship to have her around. I wouldn’t ever have to worry about her bringing drugs into our lives. She’d be good for Lily. And she’d be good for me.

  Pulling up outside my house, I turned off the engine.

  “Is this your place?”

  She sounded surprised. I wasn’t sure why. My house was a large single story with a spacious garden and in a good neighbourhood. Perhaps because she knew I spent the majority of my working life at Sinners as opposed to Decadence she thought that I lived somewhere a little less nice. Her tone amused me. “Nope. I’ve just pulled up outside some random house.”

  “Very funny.”

  “We need to be quiet when we go in.”

  She nodded. Following me up the path, I carried her bag again. No one could accuse me of not being a gentleman.

  Unlocking the door, I saw my father walking out of the kitchen.

  “Hey, Dad. What are you doing here? Where’s Rachael?” I asked worriedly, looking around.

  “Don’t worry. Rachael called me. She had to go to her mother’s house so I stepped in.”

  “I’m really sorry.”

  “Don’t even think about it, son.” My father waved away my concern about having him called out to watch Lily.

  “Was she good for you?”

  “She was already asleep when I got here.” He took one look at Fallon’s banged up face and his expression turned stern. “So, this was your emergency?” When I didn’t respond, he frowned. “Did you get the asshole that did this?”

  “We will do.”

  “Good.” My father clapped me on the shoulder. “I need to be getting off now. I’m sure the two of you have plenty to talk about.” He winked at me and smiled warmly at Fallon before he left.

  Walking through to the kitchen, Fallon tentatively followed after me. “Can I get you something to drink? Something to eat?”

  She shook her head. “No, thank you.”

  Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I explained, “That was my father.”

  “I could see the family resemblance.” She smiled, wincing at the pain in her cheek.

  Standing in awkward silence for a moment, I didn’t know what to say to her. As she yawned, I realised how exhausted she must be from tonight’s events. Picking up her bag, I motioned for her to follow me. Even though it was still relatively early, I knew exhaustion would knock her out and how much a good nights’ sleep would do her.

  “Where will I sleep?” she looked around my home noting that despite the large size, there were only two functioning bedrooms. The other three bedrooms had been converted to a play room, a study and a gym. I didn’t need the extra space so I didn’t see the point in wasting it.

  “You’ll stay in my room.”

  “I’m not sleeping with you.” She narrowed her eyes at me.

  I chuckled, not sure whether to be amused or offended. “I wasn’t planning on fucking you tonight, darlin’. I’ll be sleeping in the other room.”

  She blushed furiously, which I thought was adorable. It did me good to think that even in the state she was, I could still affect her.

  Fallon

  I felt like such a fool. Why did I ever say that to him? Talk about jumping to the wrong conclusion. He had been nothing but considerate to me, so why did I think he wanted to jump my bones? Worse still, he thought he had a woman waiting here for him, but it had ended up being his father. Why would he want me?

  Following him meekly into what he told me was his bedroom, Dominic showed me where everything I needed would be. As I paused in the doorway, I couldn’t help but feel bad for kicking him out of his own room. “Dominic?”

  “Yeah?” He paused at the other doorway, looking back at me.

  “Thank you for coming for me tonight.”

  He nodded solemnly. “You’re welcome.” And he slipped into the room without another word.

  It was larger than my bedroom and simply furnished, with the largest bed I’d ever seen in the centre of the room. All I could think was how many women he’d probably fucked senseless right there. The black and red décor was masculine but sexual at the same time.

  Wanting to get cleaned up, I headed into the bathroom. As soon as I shut and locked the door behind me, I turned and was confronted by a mirror. Shit! I knew it hurt like a bitch, but it looked even worse. Black and blue bruising was spreading across my cheekbone and it looked like I’d been hit by a car.

  Dominic had offered to take me to hospital to have it checked out, but I declined. I’d already tentatively checked it out myself and I knew that it was just badly bruised and tender rather than fractured. I didn’t want anyone else seeing me like this, especially not the people I worked with.

  He had also told me that a friend of his who worked with the police would be stopping by to take a statement from me at some point. I wasn’t sure if this was normal procedure as I hadn’t gone through anything like this before, but I was relieved that I didn’t have to go down to the station. It was all still too raw.

  He was clearly a man of few words, barely speaking to me since we got into the car, but that was fine by me. It hurt every time I opened my mouth to speak so silence was preferable. I felt awkward enough around him as it was. It was a relief to be able to escape.

  I had the feeling he had another woman in that other room, which made my earlier words even more mortifying. Was that Rachael who he had been talking about? Had she come back from her mother’s house? He had been busy texting while we were in the car, probably warning her that he was bringing me back with him.

  It didn’t set too well with me the thought of him being with another woman. I didn’t have any right to dictate to him, especially seeing as our encounters weren’t exactly memorable to him. But, still. It burned a little. It obviously meant a lot more to me than it had him.

  Getting cleaned up and changed, I headed back into the bedroom and settled down in his bed. Stretching my body, I wished I wasn’t alone in there.

  Where was Dominic? Who was he with? The thoughts of him plagued me as I fell into a restless sleep.

  Tossing and turning, I couldn’t seem to pull myself out of my nightmares. Every single time I saw Matt standing there on my doorstep, fear ran through me. Every time I saw his fist flying towards my face, I jerked, flailing my arms about.

  Strong arms wrapped around me. Even though I instantly felt cocooned in safety, I fought against their hold. As I calmed and allowed the realisation that I felt no danger fro
m those arms, I allowed them to give me a sense of comfort. Allowing myself to relax, I slept wrapped tightly in those arms.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Fallon

  Jerking awake, I became fully aware of an arm laid heavily on my waist, holding me tightly against a solid chest and a leg over mine, caging me in.

  Last night came rushing back to me in a torrent as the pain in my face exploded around me. Matt was my first thought and I wanted to bolt. But I couldn’t. I was trapped and that only ramped up the fear further.

  Dominic was my next rational thought. I felt myself relax a little, but only a little. I was still laid there as stiff as a board in the bed, unable to move from the arms that surrounded me.

  Now that my thoughts were clear and rational, I couldn’t help but wonder why he was in there with me, holding me like he was.

  I knew that he had kept his word and we hadn’t done anything, despite the intimate way he was curled around my body. Neither of the times that I’d been with him had I felt this close to him. I didn’t understand what was happening but allowed myself to relax into his hold.

  After last night, I appreciated the warmth and protection I was feeling. I didn’t really know Dominic, but he was a reassuring presence at my back. This was the thing that I was missing in my life and Matt had been the one to bring it to me, not that I would ever thank him. The main problem was that I knew it wouldn’t last. Dominic didn’t want me in that way, but I was content to take what I could from him.

  It wasn’t like I was really looking for anything more, either. Sure, this was nice and I wouldn’t object to having this in my life but I was self-sufficient. I had my job and my life and didn’t need a man to complete me. But, I couldn’t deny that I wanted Dominic.

  I sighed. I could tell myself that I was happy on my own all I wanted, but the longer I lay there, the more I wanted it. The more I wanted Dominic.

  He sighed behind me and I tried not to move, not wanting to break the spell I’d woven around myself.

  “Morning.” He said sleepily.

  I stayed quiet, hoping that he would think I was still asleep.

  “Fallon, I know you’re awake.”

  He hadn’t moved at all and I’d expected him to. I still didn’t know why he’d come in to comfort me, but I had expected him to pull back the moment he woke up. I didn’t think this contact had been intentional, but now I was wondering as his hold tightened around my waist.

  “Fallon?”

  “Good morning, Dominic.” I replied stiffly.

  Dominic pulled away and stretched. I missed his arm around me and immediately felt like slapping myself around the head. I was reading way more into this situation than was necessary. It didn’t escape my attention that he probably still had another woman in the other room and I hated to think what she would say when she found out he’d stayed most of the night with me.

  “You were having bad dreams.”

  “Huh?” I turned to him quizzically, trying to keep my morning breath from hitting him in the face.

  “You were having nightmares and whimpering in your sleep.”

  “I bet you think I’m pathetic, don’t you?” I groaned and put my head into my hands, running my fingers through my hair. I knew that it was going to look a mess with all that tossing and turning.

  “Fallon, you needed comfort. There’s no shame in that.” He paused a moment before I felt the bed shake a little with his chuckle. “And no, we didn’t fuck, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “Oh my god.” I wanted the ground to swallow me up.

  “Don’t be silly. You went through a traumatic experience.” Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, he shook his head and smiled. “Fancy a coffee before all hell breaks loose?”

  “Sure.” I had no idea what he meant, but he wasn’t kicking me out, so that had to be a positive.

  I watched as he got out of bed wearing only a pair of sports shorts slung low on his hips. Damn, he was an impressive sight. When we’d been together, the first time I couldn’t see a goddamn thing and the second time I wasn’t really paying attention to anything but his tattoos and my own pleasure. Now I was staring.

  It was a wonder there wasn’t a puddle of drool in my lap as I sat watching him, open mouthed. He was all taut muscles, tanned skin and tattoos. I’d seen some of the tattoos before, but they ran up each of his arms and across his back, plus over his pecs and even a couple on his calves. The suit he wore at Decadence hid them all, which only made him more appealing to me. It was like I was seeing a side of him that no one else had.

  That was just stupid and I knew it. I knew exactly what the Saint Brothers at the Sinners bar were like. I’d heard the rumours as well as everyone else and knew that Dominic and the rest of them had made his way through most of the women in the city. I wasn’t anything special. He couldn’t even remember my name.

  I was giving myself whiplash with the change of direction of my thoughts. One minute I was openly ogling and wanting him, and then the next? I was talking myself out of this situation. Why was I doing that?

  I knew why. Dominic was well out of my league. He didn’t want some nurse with a fucked up family that would think he wasn’t good enough for me. Especially when it was the complete reverse. I wasn’t good enough for him. He didn’t want me. He proved that by fucking me twice and tossing me aside. They were one night stands that were never going to be repeated. The sex had been out of this world, but that was all it was to him. Sex.

  I was one of those girls that attached too many emotions to sex. I’d tried to pass it off the first time as a one-time thing. Then when it happened again, I couldn’t have done anything to stop it. I wanted it. I wanted him. But, I couldn’t have him again. And it sucked.

  As he walked out of the bedroom and into the bathroom, I shook my head to rid myself of those destructive and inappropriate thoughts. It wasn’t going to do me any good. I had to concentrate on the situation, making sure that Lauren was safe. This was about her. Not me.

  Hearing him pad into the kitchen, I shut myself in the bathroom. Carefully washing my face, there wasn’t much I could do to make it look any better. I didn’t even think to bring my make-up with me and it probably wouldn’t have done me much good, anyway.

  Taking my things out of my small overnight bag, I cleaned my teeth, flatly refusing to look in the mirror again. I didn’t need to see that. It only made me feel worse.

  Cleaning up and putting on fresh clothes, I felt a little more alert and feeling like myself again. I was ready to face the day. More importantly, I was ready to face Dominic.

  Taking a deep breath, I put my bag on the floor in the bedroom and walked into the kitchen. I felt like such an idiot facing him. After what I’d said to him last night and then him having to hold me through my nightmares, I felt a fool.

  “How do you like your coffee?” He was pottering around the kitchen without a care in the world. Clearly, he didn’t feel as strange about this situation as I did.

  “Black.” I sat down at the kitchen table, looking around at the modern well-appointed kitchen. It wasn’t what I had expected and he had surprised me yet again. I’d expected some kind of bachelor pad with only a microwave to heat up take-out pizza. “With lots of sugar, please.”

  Everything had surprised me if I was honest. I hadn’t thought he would come running to my rescue and I sure as hell didn’t think he would have brought me back to his place. And his home didn’t mesh with my expectations of him either. The clean lines and modern feel was beautiful and I had the feeling a feminine touch had helped out when he did up this place. I couldn’t help wondering who she was.

  Bringing the coffee over to the oak table where I sat, Dominic leaned against the black marble counter. “How are you feeling this morning?”

  “Like crap.” I tried to smile but ended up wincing. Putting a brave face on things was more painful than I thought.

  Reaching into one of the cupboards, Dominic passed me a packet of tabl
ets. “Here, take these.”

  I shook my head. “Thanks, but I’ve already taken some painkillers. I brought them with me.”

  Just as I took a sip of the burning hot coffee, a tornado blew into the kitchen in the form of a beautiful blonde little girl in a My Little Pony onesie. She came running in, jumping up at Dominic and giving him a rain of kisses.

  “Good morning, beautiful. Sleep well?”

  “Yes, Daddy. Can I have some cookies?”

  “Why don’t you have some breakfast first, huh?” he smiled at her lovingly and I nearly melted on the spot.

  She jumped down from his arms and ran across the large kitchen, coming to an abrupt halt when she spotted me sitting at the kitchen table. “Who are you?”

  Dominic stepped forward and crouched down next to the little girl. “That’s not a very nice way to ask a question, is it?”

  “Sorry, Daddy.” She tried to look contrite while still giving me sideways glances.

  “This is Daddy’s friend, Fallon.”

  “That’s a pretty name.” she said shyly.

  “Thank you.” I tried to smile but remembered my face. She must have thought I looked like a monster. “And what’s your name?”

  “Lily. I’m three and a half!”

  “Three! Wow! You’re such a big girl.”

  “I am!” she smiled broadly.

  Dominic turned to make her some porridge while she stood in front of me, staring in a way that only a small child can. “Daddy doesn’t have any girl friends.”

  “Does he not?” I tried not to smirk as Dominic shook his head.

  “Nope. His only girl friend is Rachael. She lives next door.”

  Dominic turned around with a grin. “She babysits for Lily.” He explained.

  That jogged my memory. Rachael. She was the girl that he was talking about with his dad. Was she really just a neighbour? Was she something more? That was something I had to think about later.

  “Daddy never brings me girls to play with. Will you play with me?”