Chapter 8

Nova

The moment my hand touched Dominic’s bare chest, it was as if an electric current surged through me.

Time and space seemed to stretch in that instant, leaving only Dominic and me standing there. I was unable to breathe, unable to think.

My lungs stopped working as I looked up into those amber eyes. This close, I could see every tiny fleck of gold floating through his irises, like little universes winking in and out of existence.

His eyes were beautiful, but there was something else there, too…

They were glowing. Not just shimmering like all werewolves’ eyes tended to do in the sun, but glowing from within, pulsing faintly in tandem with his heartbeat.

I stared in shock at his face, unable to tear my gaze away. For a brief, earth-shattering moment, I thought he might kiss me.

And maybe a little part of me wanted him to.

I leaned slightly into him, feeling the broad plane of his chest beneath my palm, the steady beating of his heart. The scent of his shampoo and body wash—pine and sage—washed over me, and I nearly melted into his arms.

But I came snapping back to reality when Dominic suddenly released me and took a step back, putting some distance between us.

“Get out,” he said gruffly.

My face reddened as I realized what had just happened. I had made a fool of myself. My hand suddenly felt as if it had been burnt where I touched his bare skin.

“I can explain—”

“No need. Just leave so I can get dressed.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, feeling ashamed even though I had good reason to enter the bathroom, but obeyed. I stood in the hallway for a minute, waiting for Dominic to emerge.

When he did, he was fully dressed now. He wasn’t wearing his usual suit, considering the late hour, but rather a simple black shirt tucked into pants. He was holding a little pink rubber ducky in his hand.

“I assume you needed this,” he said, tossing it to me.

My face reddened once more as I caught the rubber duck. Even now, fully dressed, I couldn’t help the way my mind briefly flashed back to the image of him naked.

His body had been incredible—an impressive expanse of muscle and perfect skin, tan and smooth and nearly luminous in the dim light. Did all werewolf males look like that, or just him?

Dominic cleared his throat, and when I looked up at him, his face had hardened.

“I expect you to control yourself and not have any unnecessary fantasies about our relationship,” he said curtly. “If something like this happens again, I won’t hesitate to fire you.”

I felt a surge of indignance shoot through me, but Dominic left before I could speak. Aria, who had been waiting for her bath, suddenly ran out of her bedroom across the hall once he was gone.

“Aria, why didn’t you tell me that was your dad’s bathroom?” I asked, a little exasperated and flustered.

The little girl wrung her hands. “I’m sorry. I thought if you and Daddy were alone, you might fall in love and then you could be my real mommy.”

My heart stuttered. Was this poor girl really so desperate for a mother that she would try to contrive romantic situations?

Softening, I took Aria’s hand and led her back to her room. I helped her undress and get into her bath, and knelt on the floor beside the tub to wash her hair.

“I really am sorry,” Aria mumbled, clutching her rubber duck. Her red hair was all covered in soap bubbles as I lathered it. “I didn’t know Daddy would get so angry with you.”

I sighed softly and picked up the loofah. “It’s alright, sweetheart. I don’t blame you for the way he reacted.” I bit my lower lip. “But you should respect your father’s and my feelings. We’re not interested in that kind of relationship; he’s my boss. And even if he wasn’t, it’s not very nice to try to make up situations that could make people uncomfortable just because you want something.”

Aria looked crestfallen. My heart lurched at the sight of that little freckled button nose all wrinkled with sadness.

“Hey,” I said gently, “it’s okay. I’ll still take care of you just as if you were my own daughter.”

Aria glanced up with a hopeful look in her eyes. “Really?”

“Really.”

After putting Aria to bed, it was finally time for me to go home. My feet ached from my long first day of work, and I was looking forward to seeing my family. I couldn’t wait to tell Lila about the funny butler and the tutor who liked chocolate.

And maybe, secretly, I couldn’t wait to tell Susie about the shirtless Alpha…

But I pushed that notion aside. No, I wouldn’t repeat what had happened to anyone. It was better if I just pretended it hadn’t happened at all.

I was just gathering my things to leave when I noticed my favorite bracelet, which I always wore, was missing. I gasped softly, patting my pockets and looking around my feet.

I was suddenly approached by the two maids I had met earlier, Anna and Lilly. They were twins, both sporting brunette hair pulled back into matching buns and gray maid uniforms.

Lilly held up the bracelet. “Looking for this?”

I let out a sigh of relief when I saw the familiar woven bracelet that Lila had made for me. “Oh, yes. Thank you—”

“Go fetch.”

Lilly, with a malicious giggle, suddenly opened a nearby door and tossed the bracelet inside.

My eyes widened. “Why did you do that?”

Anna smirked. “Oops. Forgive my sister. She’s such a klutz.”

I stared at them, stunned. I had a feeling I wasn’t welcome here when I’d met them earlier, being the only human and all, but I hadn’t been expecting such petty behavior.

Huffing, I pushed past the twins and into the dark room to retrieve the bracelet. I couldn’t just let it go, not when it was so precious to me; my little girl had made it for me as a Mother’s Day gift and it was my most prized possession.

The bracelet’s single stone, a little fake sapphire, glinted on the hardwood floor. I let out a little sigh and moved toward it, glad it hadn’t gotten broken.

Just as I was stooping to pick it up, the door slammed shut behind me, casting me into darkness. I heard the lock click from the other side, followed by giggles.

“Hey!” I raced over to the door and tried the handle, but it was locked. I pounded on the wood, shouting, “Let me out!”

“You don’t belong here, human,” Anna’s voice called through the wood. “It’s better you learn sooner rather than later.”

The twins’ footsteps and giggles faded.

I was stuck inside.

Cursing under my breath, I fumbled around for a light switch. I found one next to the door and flipped it.

When the lights flickered on, my breath lodged in my throat. The room wasn’t just an office or a sitting room like I expected—it was filled with portraits of a beautiful red-haired woman with striking blue eyes.

One of the portraits, positioned over a small fireplace against the far wall, depicted the woman and Dominic sitting together. Their hands were clasped together over her pregnant belly, and they seemed to be staring straight at me with those strange, inhuman gazes.

I realized, with a sinking feeling, that this was some kind of shrine to Dominic’s late wife.

And I recalled from my tour that this was one of the rooms I was forbidden from entering.

I cursed again and hurried over to the door, trying the handle again with no luck. I then hurried over to the window and flung it open, swinging one leg over the windowsill. I was on the first floor, so maybe I could climb out and—

Just then, the door swung open, catching me halfway out the window.

Dominic’s frame filled the doorway, golden eyes glinting with anger as he stared at me.