“So now you sit on your arse in an office,” I said, my breathing heavy as my machine beeped to mark the end of my run. “Isn’t that just as bad?”
“No.” Dom’s machine beeped too. He was noticeably less out of breath than I was. Twat. “Not when I know there aren’t several thousand miles between us.”
I guzzled down water to buy myself some time before answering. Part of me wondered why I wasn’t just ignoring Dom. Why I was even indulging this conversation.
I didn’t look too closely at it. Not when I knew I wouldn’t like the answer.
The headache was deepening again, and it had anger flaring. “You didn’t take me into consideration the first time around.”
“We weren’t together then,” he reminded me. “Not when I signed up, anyway.”
“We aren’t together now.”
“Doesn’t stop me being yours,” he said quietly.
Yours.His choice of words was deliberate. I knew that. If he said that I was his, I could contest it. Insist I didn’t belong to him.
But that wasn’t what he’d said.
I took another drink, willing the cold water to douse the fire Dom’s words were stoking.
It didn’t work.
“I might not have considered your feelings in the past,” Dom continued. “Even after we got together, I’m ashamed to say. But I consider them now. Every decision I make has you at the heart of it. Every single one.”
“So you chose to go into business with Taff because of me?” I couldn’t keep the sarcasm from my words. “Sure.”
“I chose to go into business so you’d know I’m sticking around.”
I lowered my water bottle slowly. “You what?”
“You heard me,” he said bluntly. “I’m putting down roots, Ryan. I’m not going anywhere.”
I balked. “That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Yes, it does.” He stepped closer. “Because otherwise you’re always going to look at me and wonder when I’m going to leave. Where my future is. What I’m planning. I can’t blame you. It makes sense given what happened. So that’s why I’m putting all my cards on the table, Shadow. I’m here to stay. My future ishere, right where you are. I don’t have any plans aside from waiting for you to let me back into your life again.”
I closed my eyes briefly. Ten years ago, I would’ve thrown myself into his arms. Hell, maybe even two years ago. But things were different now. I was different.
I had Kate.
“It doesn’t mean anything,” I said, opening my eyes in time to catch his wince. “It can’t, Dom.”
“It can and it will.” He was completely unbothered by my rejection. Again. “You know what else the military taught me?”
I sighed wearily. “What?”
Dom shot me a wink. “Patience.”
That was my cue to leave. But if I did, this feeling wouldn’t lessen. The itch was worse than ever now. I had to burn it off before it consumed me.
I jerked my head to the side. “Heavy bags.”
Dom’s raised eyebrows were the only sign of surprise he showed. He followed me in silence, waiting patiently as I strapped the gloves on. There was none of the fumbling of the first time I’d done this. I was a regular visitor to this area of the gym these days.
I settled into my stance as Dom took up his position behind the bag. He was quiet as I delivered the first few hits, absorbing what I was throwing out with ease. Being Dominic, the silence didn’t last long.
“So…Xander?”