Aurora lay awake in her hotel suite long after the meeting ended. The city lights outside flickered through the window, casting a muted glow on the luxurious furnishings. She stared at the ceiling, her mind racing, her heart caught between two opposing forces.
Dominic Raine.
How had it come to this? How had they gone from two fiercely competitive business rivals to something far more complicated? Every encounter, every word, every touch—it felt like they were on the edge of something they couldn't control. And she was terrified.
She had spent years building her empire on hard work, sharp intellect, and unyielding determination. She didn't need anyone—least of all him—derailing everything she had fought so hard to achieve. But somehow, Dominic had slipped under her guard. His smoldering presence, his calm demeanor, his unnervingly perceptive eyes—they had a way of making her second-guess herself.
As much as she wanted to deny it, something inside her kept pulling her toward him, something that made her question everything she knew about herself and what she was capable of.
She closed her eyes, trying to push away the image of him—his sharp jawline, his lips that were always on the verge of a smile or a threat, his eyes that seemed to strip away all her defenses.
A knock on her door startled her, and for a moment, she froze. Her heart skipped a beat. No. It can't be him.
She quickly stood and opened the door, only to find him standing there, looking every bit as immaculate as he had earlier that evening.
"Dominic," she said, trying—and failing—to keep the tension from creeping into her voice.
"Can we talk?" His voice was soft, but there was an intensity in his eyes that she couldn't ignore.
Aurora hesitated. She didn't want to talk to him, not like this. But something about his presence—something about the way he looked at her—made her lower her guard, even if just for a moment.
"Come in," she said, stepping aside.
Dominic entered the suite, his gaze never leaving her as he walked toward the sitting area by the window. He took a seat, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, always watching her, as though he could see straight through her carefully constructed walls.
"Have a seat," she offered, though her voice felt hollow. "What's this about?"
"I want to understand you, Aurora," he said quietly, his voice oddly sincere. "Why you're so determined to keep me at arm's length."
She felt her pulse quicken. Understand me?
"That's none of your business," she replied, though her words lacked the usual fire. Her throat was tight, her resolve beginning to waver.
Dominic didn't flinch. "I think it is. Because this—" He gestured between them, his eyes never leaving hers. "This isn't just about business anymore. You know that. And so do I."
She opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. He was right. They both knew it. She had tried to convince herself otherwise, tried to bury the connection she felt every time they were in the same room. But it was impossible. The more she resisted, the stronger it became.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you even here? To toy with me? To prove you're in control?"
"I'm not trying to control you," he replied, his tone calm. "I never have been. But you're not fooling anyone, Aurora. Least of all me."
She stood there, frozen. "What are you talking about?"
"I can see through your bravado, through the walls you've built around yourself. You're scared." His voice softened, as if he were trying to draw her into something deeper, something more vulnerable.
"I'm not scared," she said quickly, though her voice betrayed her. "I've built everything I have on my own. I'm not scared of anything."
Dominic smiled, though it was more a gentle curve of his lips than the usual smirk. "You're not scared of failure. You're scared of needing someone. Of losing control."
Aurora's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to protest, to deny it, but the truth was sitting right there in front of her, staring her down.
"Stop," she said, her voice trembling just slightly. "This isn't what you think."
"I think I understand you better than you think, Aurora." Dominic stood and walked closer to her, his movements measured, deliberate. "You're terrified of being vulnerable. Terrified of letting someone in. You've been burned before, haven't you?"
Her heart pounded in her chest. She didn't want to admit it. Didn't want to face the demons of her past. The people who had betrayed her, who had made her believe that trusting anyone would only lead to heartache. Her parents, her former partners, even lovers—they had all let her down in one way or another.
"I don't need anyone," she said again, more forcefully this time.
"No?" Dominic's voice dropped, becoming a low murmur. "Not even me?"
She froze, her breath hitching as he moved even closer, his presence overwhelming.
"I'm not here to break you, Aurora," he said softly, his hand reaching out as if he were trying to gauge the distance between them. "I'm here because I think you're worth more than the walls you've built around yourself."
Aurora's pulse raced, her thoughts a blur. His words, his presence—they were disarming, breaking through the shields she had put up for so long. She didn't want to feel this. Didn't want to be vulnerable. But his words were like a balm to wounds she had long buried.namaste
"I don't need you," she said again, but this time, it didn't sound convincing. It didn't sound like she believed it.
Dominic reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek gently, as though testing the waters. "Yes, you do. You just haven't realized it yet."
Her heart pounded in her chest, her breath shallow. The distance between them was narrowing, and she didn't know how much longer she could hold on to her self-control.
For the first time, she didn't push him away.
---
They stood in the silence that followed, the tension thick between them. It was almost too much to bear, but neither of them moved.
Finally, Dominic broke the stillness. "I'll let you go now," he said, his voice almost tender. "But remember this, Aurora: you don't have to do this alone."
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving her standing in the middle of the room, her emotions a swirl of confusion, longing, and the faintest sense of something else—something she couldn't name.
---